Journal of Basic Pharmacology and Toxicology

Resistant urinary tract infection during post antibiotic era - Is it time for revival of phage therapy?

Krishna Moorthy Hariharan — 2021-12-13

Treatment of antibiotic resistant uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) infection is currently a major challenge in the field of antimicrobial therapeutics. In addition, the evolution of Extended Spectrum Beta Lactamase (ESBL) and bio-film producing UPEC pose further hurdles in treating recurrent urinary tract infection (UTI) due to UPEC. The last decade witnessed emergence of various alternative treatment measures to tide over this crisis, including non-antibiotic agents and vaccines. However, in terms of efficacy, none of these agents fulfil our needs adequately. It appears that we are slowly and surely entering into the post-antibiotic era. This has prompted researchers to turn their attention to re-discover bacteriophage therapy as an alternative for treatment of resistant uropathogens. Phage Bacteriophages (phages) are tiny viruses, which are highly specific to their biological hosts and have been known to the researchers for more than two decades. Despite its demonstrated utility long ago, phage therapy was not in the lime light due to various reasons. These tiny members of the extensive microbiome in the human body are now being reconsidered as alternatives to antibiotics in resistant situations. The phages possess the potential of being used as natural phages (or as cocktail), genetically engineered phages, phage lytic enzymes or phage antibiotic synergy. In this paper, we attempt to review the current status of phage therapy in UPEC and assess whether it is time to incorporate it into treatment practices during this post antibiotic era with widespread chemical therapeutic resistance.

The spectrum and enzymatic activities of Candida isolates recovered from HIV/AIDS patients in Southeastern Nigeria

Chinedu Stanley Alisigwe — 2021-12-15

Candida is one of the most common opportunistic fungi in HIV/AIDS infection. Successful identification of Candida species is important in the treatment and management of all forms of candidiasis. In most parts of Nigeria, especially in the South East axis, the species spectrum of Candida yeast colonization in HIV/AIDS is poorly understood. This study was set up to determine the prevalence of oral and blood Candida isolates from HIV/AIDS patients in Nigeria. A total of 200 samples comprising of 100 oral swabs and 100 blood samples from HIV/AIDS patients attending Enugu-Ezike district hospital, were analyzed using conventional techniques to identify the presence of Candida species. Also, in vitro phospholipase, proteinase and haemolytic activities of the isolates were also carried out. Out of the 200 samples screened, Candida species was recovered in 48 (24%) samples. Species recovered included C. albicans, C. tropicalis, C. parapsilosis, C. guillermondii, C. krusei and C. glabrata. Forty-six isolates were recovered from the oral route while 11 isolates were obtained from the blood, giving a total of 57 isolates. C. albicans was the most frequently isolated species from the oral cavity 23 (50%), followed by C. parapsilosis 10 (21.7%). The highest incidence of candidiasis among the HIV/AIDS subjects was observed in those aged 21-40 yrs. Phospholipase activity was found in 29 (63%) of the oral isolates while 31 (67.4%) had proteinase activity. Haemolysin activity was observed in 33 (71.7%) isolates. C. krusei and C. guillermondii isolates did not show any haemolysin activity. Among the blood isolates, 6 (54.4%) had phospholipase activity, while 7 (72.7%) had proteinase activity. Haemolysin activity was observed in 7 (72.7%) isolates. Non- albicans Candida species are emerging as potential cause of invasive infection and thus posing a therapeutic challenge in the area investigated.

Antibacterial activity of Cyperus esculentus (Tiger nut) and Cucumis sativus (Cucumber) against multiresistant bacteria isolates

Somtochukwu Agbo Cecilia — 2021-12-17

The increase in antimicrobial resistance has become a great threat in the treatment of common infections. Antimicrobial resistance has direct and severe consequences on both morbidity and mortality rates of humans and animals: healing process is delayed; surgical operations and other medical procedures are endangered due to microbial infections and treatment costs increase. The ethanolic and aqueous extracts of Cyperus esculentus and Cucumis sativus were investigated against Staphylococcus aureus, Listeria ivanovii, Bacillus cereus, Serratia marcescens, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli. The results revealed that the ethanolic and aqueous extracts of Cucumis sativus contain more bioactive components than ethanolic and aqueous extracts of Cyperus esculentus. The phytochemical analysis of the Cucumis sativus extracts showed the presence of flavonoids, saponins, alkaloids and steroids, while Cyperus esculentus showed the presence of alkaloids, resins, saponins, tannins and steroids. The aqueous extract of Cucumis sativus pulp had a high antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus (IZD = 27 ± 0.27 mm) and Bacillus cereus (IZD = 26.5 ± 0.41 mm) at the 50 mg/ml concentration. Also, the ethanolic extract of Cucumis sativus pulp showed good activity at the same concentration against Bacillus cereus (IZD 18.5 ± 0.49 mm) and Serratia marcescens (IZD 16 ± 0.00 mm). In contrast, both the ethanolic and aqueous extracts of C. sativus and C. esculentus peels only showed very negligible activities against the test bacterial isolates. Also, the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of the ethanolic and aqueous extracts of C. sativus pulp was lower (1.53 mg/ml) against Bacilius cereus and Listeria ivanovii than other bacteria. The minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) of the extracts was only observed against Staphylococcus aureus (6.13 mg/ml) and Listeria ivanovii (3.06 mg/ml). These findings revealed that the ethanolic and aqueous extracts of Cucumis sativus pulp may have potential applications in the phytomedicine for treating human infections.

Separation and structural description of aloin and microdontin from leaf of Aloe yavellana reynolds

Tibebu Hailesillassie — 2021-12-20

Employment of succulent leaf of Aloe yavellana (Rey.), a ubiquitous plant species restricted to Sidamo floristic region, of Ethiopia, through preparative thin layer chromatography and using spectroscopic techniques led to the separation of two core tricyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (anthrones) compounds known as aloin (1), a light yellow powder; R_f = 0.351 (chloroform/methanol: 4:1); UV λ_max (methanol): 357, 299, 208 nm; IR ν_cm^‑1: 1085, 1291, 1618, 1631, 3400; ESIMS (-ve mode) with mass-to-charge ratio: 417 [M‑H]⁻, representing molecular formula C₂₁H₂₂O₉ and molecular mass: 418 mu; and microdontin (2), a light yellow powder; R_f = 0.582 (chloroform/methanol 4:1); UV λ_max(methanol): 311, 302, nm; IR ν_cm^‑1: 1453, 1603, 1168, 1297, 1709, 3415; ESIMS (-ve mode)) with mass-to-charge ratio: 563 [M ‑ H]⁻, representing molecular formula C₃₀H₂₈O₁₁ and molecular mass: 564 mu.