Chemical characterization and evaluation of antimicrobial and cutaneous wound healing potentials of gold nanoparticles using Allium saralicum R.M. Fritsch

The use of herbal medicines dates back a long way in history. Herbal medicines have been widely used all over the world since ancient times and have been recognized by physicians and patients for their good therapeutic value as they have fewer adverse effects than modern medicines. Recently, researchers have used gold nanoparticles synthesized by plants in the prevention, control, and treatment of infectious disorders and cutaneous wounds. The aims of this study were to synthesize gold nanoparticles from aqueous extract of Allium saralicum R.M. Fritsch (AuNPs) and assess their therapeutic capacities. The nanoparticles were characterized by UV–visible spectroscopy (UV–Vis), Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). FT-IR results offered polysaccharides and protein in A. saralicum were the sources of reducing power, reducing gold ions to AuNPs. According to XRD analysis, the crystal size of the nanoparticles was 41.6 nm. TEM and FE-SEM images exhibited average diameters of 45 nm for the biosynthesized nanoparticles. The synthesized AuNPs had great cell viability on HUVECs line and showed this method was nontoxic. The 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl free radical scavenging test indicated similar antioxidant potentials for A. saralicum, AuNPs, and butylated hydroxytoluene. To determine the antifungal and antibacterial properties of HAuCl₄, A. saralicum, and AuNPs, agar diffusion tests were used. The aim of the application both HAuCl₄ and A. saralicum in microbial tests was to investigate the synergism effects between them. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC), and minimum fungicidal concentration (MFC) were specified by macro-broth dilution assay. AuNPs exhibited higher antifungal and antibacterial effects than all standard antibiotics (p ≤ 0.01). The MIC and MBC of AuNPs against all bacteria were in the ranges 1–4 mg/ml and 2–8 mg/ml, respectively. The MIC and MFC of AuNPs against all fungi were in the ranges 1–4 mg/ml and 2–4 mg/ml, respectively. In vivo part, AuNPs ointment group raised significantly (p ≤ 0.01) the wound contracture, vessel, hydroxyl proline, hexuronic acid, fibrocyte, fibroblast, and fibrocytes/fibroblast rate and decreased significantly (p ≤ 0.01) the wound area, total cells, and lymphocyte compared to other groups in rats. The results of FT-IR, UV–Vis, XRD, TEM, and FE-SEM analyses confirm that the aqueous extract of A. saralicum leaves can be used to yield gold nanoparticles with a notable amount of remedial effects without any cytotoxicity against HUVECs.     

Biosynthesis of Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles Using Leaf Extract of Passiflora subpeltata: Characterization and Antibacterial Activity Against Escherichia coli Isolated from Poultry Faeces

The current study was undertaken to investigate the antibacterial (against molecular characterized E. coli isolated from poultry faeces) potential of biosynthesized zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) from Passiflora subpeltata Ortega aqueous leaf extract. The biosynthesized nanoparticles were subjected to physico-chemical characterization to study shape, size and purity by UV–Vis spectroscopy, X-Ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS) and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). The molecular identification of isolated E. coli from faeces samples was carried out by using 16–23s rRNA primers. The results of the physico-chemical characterization revealed that the biosynthesized nanoparticles were of 93.7% purity with an average size between 45 and 50 nm. The ZnO-NPs offered significant inhibition against the isolated Gram-negative E. coli with MIC at 62.5 µg mL^?1 concentration. The antibacterial potential of ZnO NPs against E. coli has also been investigated by the cell viability test, and further the effects of ZnO NPs on bacterial morphological structures was analysed by SEM and TEM.

     

Antibacterial polyethylene - Ethylene vinyl acetate polymeric blend by incorporation of zinc oxide nanoparticles

In this work, a Low-Density Polyethylene (LDPE) - Ethylene Vinyl Acetate (EVA) polymeric blend with antimicrobial activity was obtained. The main objective was to develop an antibacterial LDPE-EVA polymeric blend from the incorporation of antibacterial nanoparticles to increase the antimicrobial and sanitary safety of this polymeric blend when applied in the manufacture of medical products. The antibacterial activity was obtained from the incorporation of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) in the LDPE-EVA polymeric blends and the thermal properties were evaluated by differential scanning calorimetry and the mechanical properties by tensile stress tests for different percentages of ZnO-NPs. Scanning electron microscopy was used to study the morphological characteristics of the ZnO-NPs and also the characteristics of the distribution of nanoparticles in the polymer blends. The dispersive energy of x-ray fluorescence spectroscopy was used to study the chemical composition of the nanoparticles. Microbiological tests were performed to evaluate the antibacterial activity of the LDPE-EVA polymeric blends without and with ZnO-NPs against the bacteria Staphylococcus aureus (gram-positive) and Escherichia coli (gram-negative). The results obtained were excellent for the future application of the antibacterial LDPE-EVA polymeric blends to the manufacture of medical products. The Young's modulus values decreased and the tensile strength values showed small reductions and the thermal properties of the LDPE-EVA were not modified. However, the antibacterial activity of LDPE-EVA with 4 wt% of ZnO-NPs was excellent, eliminating the gram-positive bacteria in just 2 h and the gram-negative bacteria in just 2.5 h on their surfaces.     

儿茶素-稀土配合物的合成、表征及抗菌活性

以稀土(Re³⁺)和儿茶素(C)为原料,由液相合成法制备了3种(La³⁺-C、Gd³⁺-C、Er³⁺-C)配合物,结合傅里叶变换红外光谱、紫外光谱、X射线光电子能谱及配位数测定对配合物结构进行表征,确定了配合物的配位数为8。并采用牛津杯法、最小抑菌浓度(MIC)及最小杀菌浓度(MBC)等三种方法测定了Re³⁺-C对大肠杆菌、金黄色葡萄球菌、绿脓杆菌、沙门氏菌4种食源性细菌的抗菌性能。结果表明,这3种稀土配合物对各试验菌株均表现不同程度的抑制能力,相较Re³⁺和C而言,Re³⁺-C配合物的抑菌性能均有显著的提高。Re³⁺-C的抑菌活性顺序为：Gd³⁺-C > La³⁺-C > Er³⁺-C,其中Gd³⁺-C对4种细菌的MIC值分别为：1.550、0.097、0.780、1.550 μmol·mL⁻¹,MBC值分别为3.100、0.194、1.550、1.550 μmol·mL⁻¹,Gd³⁺-C对金黄色葡萄球菌表现出最佳的抑菌和杀菌能力。     

Enhanced bactericidal and in vivo wound healing potential of biosynthesized zinc oxide nanoparticles from psyllium mucilage

The multifunctional zinc oxide nanoparticles are synthesized using a cost-effective, efficient, eco-friendly, simple, and clean synthesis approach. Herein, we reported the antibacterial and wound healing potential of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) prepared using psyllium gel (PG) as the reducing and stabilizing agent. The PG-mediated zinc oxide nanoparticles (PG-ZnO-NPs) were characterized using UV–Vis, photoluminescence (PL), FTIR, XRD, Raman, and SEM. UV–Vis spectral studies confirmed the surface plasmonic resonance (SPR) band at 364 nm. PL results demonstrated the fluorescent or emission nature of PG-ZnO-NPs. FTIR analysis confirmed characteristic peaks at 873.82 and 619.88 cm⁻¹ due to the tetrahedral coordination of zinc and the formation of the Zn-O bond. XRD and Raman confirm the formation of PG-ZnO-NPs, whereas SEM analysis revealed PG-ZnO-NPs are rod-shaped, having hexagonal prism-like bases, and EDX exhibited the elemental composition of PG-ZnO-NPs. The as-synthesized PG-ZnO-NPs possessed prominent microbicidal potential against gram-positive (Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus licheniformis) and gram-negative (Escherichia coli and Salmonella shigella) bacterial strains in terms of zone of inhibition (ZOI), minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC). In vivo biological investigations with mice show that the synthesized PG-ZnO-NPs possess outstanding biocompatibility and wound healing potential. PG-ZnO-NPs dressing significantly speeds up full-thickness wound repair by triggering a decrease in MMP-1 and MMP-2 and escalating the mRNA levels of collagen types (I & III) and fibronectin. Thus, our work validates that the inclusion of PG-ZnO-NPs in dressing shows excellent potential for acute wound management.     

Antimicrobial activity of sulfur nanoparticles: Effect of preparation methods

Sulfur nanoparticles (SNPs) were synthesized using elemental sulfur and sodium sulfide, capped with chitosan as a stabilizer (SNP_ES), and their properties were compared to SNPs prepared by acidification of sodium thiosulfate (SNP_STS). The SNPs were characterized using UV–visible spectroscopy, EDS, TEM, XRD, and TGA, and their antimicrobial activity was tested using the disk diffusion method and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC)/minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) analysis. The SNP_ES showed a rod-shaped morphology with an average length of 87 nm, while SNP_STS exhibited a spherical shape with an average particle size of 17 nm. The rod-shaped SNP_ES showed higher thermal stability than the spherical SNP_STS. Both types of SNPs did not show significant antibacterial activity against Gram-negative (E. coli) bacteria but showed significant antibacterial activity against Gram-positive (L. monocytogenes) bacteria. Between the SNPs, SNP_ES showed higher growth-inhibiting activity against L. monocytogenes than SNP_STS.     

Assessment of antioxidant,cytotoxicity, antibacterial,antifungal, and cutaneous wound healing activities of green synthesized manganese nanoparticles using Ziziphora clinopodioides Lam leaves under in vitro and in vivo condition

In recent decades, nanotechnology is growing rapidly owing to its widespread application in medical science. The aim of the experiment was the evaluation of cytotoxicity, antioxidant, antibacterial, antifungal, and cutaneous wound healing activities of green synthesized manganese nanoparticles using Ziziphora clinopodioides Lam leaves (MnNPs@ZC). The synthesized MnNPs@ZC were characterized using different techniques including UV–Vis., FT-IR spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry (EDS). According to the XRD analysis, 48.10 nm was measured for the crystal size of nanoparticles. SEM images exhibited a uniform spherical morphology and size in the range of 47.58 to 70.26 nm for the biosynthesized nanoparticles. MnNPs@ZC revealed excellent non-cytotoxicity effect against human umbilical vein endothelial cells, antioxidant activity against DPPH, antibacterial properties against Gram-negative bacteria (Salmonella typhimurium, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Escherichia coli O157:H7) and Gram-positive bacteria (Streptococcus pneumonia, Staphylococcus aureus, and Bacillus subtilis), and antifungal potentials against Candida glabrata, Candida albicans, Candida guilliermondii, and Candida krusei. Also, use of MnNPs@ZC ointment decreased significantly (p ≤ 0.01) the wound area, total cells, neutrophil, and lymphocyte and raised significantly (p ≤ 0.01) the wound contracture, hydroxyl proline, hexosamine, hexuronic acid, fibrocyte, and fibrocytes/fibroblast rate compared to other groups in experimental animals. In conclusion, synthesized MnNPs@ZC indicated antibacterial, antifungal, non-cytotoxicity, antioxidant, and cutaneous wound healing effects in a dose-depended manner. After confirming in the clinical trials, these nanoparticles can be used in human for the treatment of cutaneous and infectious diseases.     

Ag/Fe_3O_4/rGO纳米复合材料的制备及抗菌性能

以四水合氯化亚铁和硝酸银为原料,硼氢化钠为还原剂,氧化石墨烯(GO)为载体,通过原位还原法制备了具有磁分离功能的银/四氧化三铁/还原氧化石墨烯(Ag/Fe_3O_4/rGO)纳米复合抗菌材料.采用X射线粉末衍射仪(XRD)、X射线光电子能谱仪(XPS)、透射电子显微镜(TEM)等对复合材料进行了表征.结果显示,Fe_3O_4和Ag纳米颗粒均匀分布在rGO片层上.复合材料的饱和磁化率(Ms)为40.5 A·m~2·kg·(-1),表明其具有较强的磁性,将其与菌液混合后,在磁场作用下10 min即可吸附沉降完成磁分离.以大肠杆菌(E.coli)和金黄色葡萄球菌(S.aureus)为实验菌株,通过琼脂扩散法评价了复合材料的抗菌性能.结果表明,该复合材料具有良好的抗菌效果,对E.coli和S.aureus的抑菌圈直径分别为18 mm和13 mm,最低抑菌浓度值(MIC)分别为50 mg/L和80 mg/L,最低杀菌浓度值(MBC)分别为30 mg/L和50 mg/L.     

Application of titanium nanoparticles containing natural compounds in cutaneous wound healing

The aim of the study was the rapid green synthesis of titanium nanoparticles using the aqueous extract of Falcaria vulgaris leaves (TiNPs@FV) and exploring their antioxidant, cytotoxicity, antifungal, antibacterial, and cutaneous wound healing activities under in vitro and in vivo condition. These nanoparticles were characterized by UV-Vis, Fourier transform-infrared(FT-IR), X-ray diffraction XRD), field emission-scanning electron microscopy FE-SEM), and transmission electron microscopy TEM) analyses. The synthesized TiNPs@FV had great cell viability on human umbilical vein endothelial cells and indicted this method was nontoxic. DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) test revealed similar antioxidant potentials for F. vulgaris, TiNPs@FV, and butylated hydroxytoluene. All data of antibacterial, antifungal, and cutaneous wound healing tests were analyzed by SPSS 22 software. In the antimicrobial part of this study, TiNPs@FV indicated higher antifungal and antibacterial effects than all standard antibiotics (p ≤ 0.01). Minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimal fungicidal concentration of TiNPs@FV against all fungi were at 2–4 mg/mL and 2-8 mg/mL ranges, respectively. But, MIC and minimal bactericidal concentration of TiNPs@FV against all bacteria were at 2-8 mg/mL and 2-16 mg/mL ranges, respectively. In the part of cutaneous wound healing, use of TiNPs@FV ointment significantly (p ≤ 0.01) raised the wound contracture, vessel, hydroxyl proline, hexuronic acid, hexosamine, fibrocyte, and fibrocytes/fibroblast rate and significantly (p ≤ 0.01) decreased the wound area, total cells, neutrophil, and lymphocyte compared to other groups in rats. The results of FT-IR, UV-Vis, XRD, TEM, and FE-SEM confirm that the aqueous extract of F. vulgaris leaves can be used to yield titanium nanoparticles with a notable amount of remedial effects.     

The surface modification of spherical ZnO with Ag nanoparticles: A novel agent,biogenic synthesis,catalytic and antibacterial activities

Nowadays, the industrial wastewater pollutants including toxic dyes and pathogenic microbes have caused serious environmental contaminations and human health problems. In the present study, eco-friendly and facile green synthesis of Ag modified ZnO nanoparticles (ZnO-Ag NPs) using Crataegus monogyna (C. monogyna) extract (ZnO-Ag@CME NPs) is reported. The morphology and structure of the as-biosynthesized product were characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), X-Ray diffraction (XRD), differential reflectance spectroscopy (DRS), dynamic light scattering (DLS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) techniques. TEM and FESEM images confirmed the oval and spherical-like structure of the products with a size of 55–70 nm. The EDS analysis confirmed the presence of Zn, Ag, and O elements in the biosynthesized product. The photocatalytic results showed ZnO-Ag@CME NPs were degraded (89.8% and 75.3%) and (94.2% and 84.7%) of methyl orange (MO) and basic violet 10 (BV10), under UV and sunlight irradiations, respectively. The Ag modified ZnO nanoparticles exhibited enhanced catalytic activity towards organic pollutants, and showed better performance than the pure ZnO nanoparticles under UV and sunlight irradiations. This performance was probably due to the presence of silver nanoparticles as a plasmonic material. Antibacterial activity was performed against different bacteria. ZnO-Ag@CME NPs showed high antibacterial activity against K. pneumoniae, S. typhimurium, P. vulgaris, S. mitis, and S. faecalis with MIC values of 50, 12.5, 12.5, 12.5, and 12.45 µg/mL, respectively. All in all, the present investigation suggests a promising method to achieve high-efficiency antibacterial and catalytic performance.     

In vitro and in vivo evaluation of cytotoxicity,antioxidant, antibacterial,antifungal, and cutaneous wound healing properties of gold nanoparticles produced via a green chemistry synthesis using Gundelia tournefortii L. as a capping and reducing agent

The exploitation of various plant materials for the biosynthesis of nanoparticles is considered a green technology because it does not involve any harmful chemicals. The aim of the experiment was chemical characterization and evaluation of cytotoxicity, antioxidant, antibacterial, antifungal, and cutaneous wound healing activities of gold nanoparticles using aqueous extract of Gundelia tournefortii L. leaves (AuNPs@GT). These nanoparticles were characterized by fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy (FT‐IR), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE‐SEM), energy dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy (EDS), and UV–visible spectroscopy. DPPH free radical scavenging test was done to assess the antioxidant properties, which indicated similar antioxidant potentials for AuNPs@GT and butylated hydroxytoluene. Agar diffusion tests were applied to determine the antibacterial and antifungal characteristics. Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC), Minimum Bactericidal Concentration (MBC), and Minimum Fungicidal Concentration (MFC) were specified by macro‐broth dilution assay. AuNPs@GT indicated higher antibacterial and antifungal effects than all standard antibiotics (p ≤ 0.01). Also, AuNPs@GT inhibited the growth of all bacteria and fungi and removed them at 2‐4 mg/mL concentrations (p ≤ 0.01). In vivo experiment, after creating the cutaneous wound, the rats were randomly divided into six groups: untreated control, treatment with Eucerin basal ointment, treatment with 3% tetracycline ointment, treatment with 0.2% HAuCl₄ ointment, treatment with 0.2% G. tournefortii ointment, and treatment with 0.2% AuNPs@GT ointment. These groups were treated for 10 days. For histopathological and biochemical analysis of the healing trend, a 3 × 3 cm section was prepared from all dermal thicknesses at day 10. Use of AuNPs@GT ointment in the treatment groups substantially reduced (p ≤ 0.01) the wound area, total cells, neutrophil, and lymphocyte and remarkably raised (p ≤ 0.01) the wound contracture, hydroxyl proline, hexosamine, hexuronic acid, fibrocyte, fibroblast, and fibrocytes/fibroblast rate compared to other groups. The synthesized AuNPs@GT had great cell viability dose‐dependently (Investigating the effect of the plant on HUVEC cell line) and revealed this method was nontoxic. The results showed that the leave aqueous extract of G. tournefortii is very good bioreductant in the synthesis of gold nanoparticles for treatment of bacterial, fungal, and skin diseases.     

Enhancement of wound healing via topical application of natural products: In vitro and in vivo evaluations

Intact skin is the first physical barrier against all microbial infections. Thus, in the cases of wounds, burns, and skin damage, bacteria can infect and invade the deeper layers of skin to the bloodstream and other organs leading to severe illnesses. Thus, our study aims to investigate the potential activity of natural products, propolis and honeybee venom, to control wound infections with multi-drug resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MDRSA) and safely accelerate the wound healing. First, this study characterized the clinically isolated S. aureus using biochemical, molecular, and antibiotic sensitivity tests. Then, the hydrogel was prepared via mixing chitosan with honey, propolis, and venom at different ratios, followed by physicochemical characterization and biological examination. The in vivo experiment results after topical application of optimum concentrations revealed that both venom and propolis have significant antibacterial activity at different temperatures. The IC₅₀ of both propolis antioxidant and cytotoxicity assays was found to be 40.07 ± 2.18 μg/mL and 18.3 μg/mL, respectively. The cocktail bacteria showed both minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) of 10 µg/mL and of 300 µg/mL with venom respectively & MIC and MBC of 100 µg/mL, 300 µg/mL with propolis respectively. The use of hydrogel was effective against wound infection and enhanced wound healing during 14 days. Before starting clinical trials, further studies can be done on large animal models.     

Influence of the particle size on the antibacterial activity of green synthesized zinc oxide nanoparticles using Dysphania ambrosioides extract,supported by molecular docking analysis

Bacteria-associated infections have increased in recent years due to treatment resistance developed by these microorganisms. Due to the high antibacterial capacity associated with their nanometric size, nanoparticles, such as zinc oxide (ZnO), have proven to be an alternative for general medical procedures. One of the methodologies to synthesize them is green synthesis, where the most commonly used resources are plant species. Using Dysphania ambrosioides extract at various synthesis temperatures (200, 400, 600, and 800 °C), zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) with average sizes ranging from 7 to 130 nm, quasi-spherical shapes, and hexagonal prism shapes were synthesized. Larger sizes were obtained by increasing the synthesis temperature. The ZnO crystalline phase was confirmed by X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy. The sizes and shapes were observed by field emission scanning electron microscopy. The Zn-O bond vibration was identified by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Thermogravimetry showed the stability of ZnO-NPs. The antibacterial evaluations, disk diffusion test, and minimum bactericidal concentration, demonstrated the influence of particle size. The smaller the nanoparticle size, the higher the inhibition for all pathogenic strains: Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and dental pathogens: Streptococcus mutans, Streptococcus sanguinis, Porphyromonas gingivalis, and Prevotella intermedia. The molecular docking study showed a favorable interaction between ZnO-NPs and some proteins in Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, such as TagF in Staphylococcus epidermidis and AcrAB-TolC in Escherichia coli, which led to proposing them as possible targets of nanoparticles.     

A Green Approach for the Synthesis of Silver Nanoparticles Using Root Extract of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Chelidonium majus:</Emphasis> Characterization and Antibacterial Evaluation

In this study, silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs) have been synthesized using extract of Chelidonium majus root in aqueous solution at room temperature. The root extract was able to reduce Ag⁺ to Ag⁰ and stabilized the nanoparticles Different physico-chemical techniques including UV–Vis spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy and powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) were used for the characterization of the biosynthesized Ag-NPs obtained. The surface plasmon resonance band appeared at 431 nm is an evidence for formation of Ag-NPs. TEM imaging revealed that the synthesized Ag-NPs have an average diameter of around 15 nm and with spherical shape. Moreover the crystalline structure of synthesized nanoparticles was confirmed using XRD pattern. Furthermore antimicrobial activities of synthesized Ag-NPs were evaluated against Escherichia coli -ATCC 25922 and Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 2785 bacteria strain.     

An antimicrobial compound isolated from Cinnamomum iners leaves with activity against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus

This study was designed to investigate the antimicrobial activity of Cinnamomum iners standardized leave methanolic extract (CSLE), its fractions and isolated compounds. CSLE and fractions were subjected to disc diffusion, minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) tests using different Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria and yeast. Within the series of fractions tested, the ethyl acetate fraction was the most active, particularly against methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Escherichia coli, with MIC values of 100 and 200 μg/mL, respectively. The active compound in this fraction was isolated and identified as xanthorrhizol [5-(1, 5-dimethyl-4-hexenyl)-2-methylphenol] by various spectroscopic techniques. The overall results of this study provide evidence that Cinnamomum iners leaves extract as well as the isolated compound xanthorrhizol exhibit antimicrobial activity for both Gram negative and Gram positive pathogens, especially against MRSA strains.     

Diethylmethyl chitosan as an antimicrobial agent: Synthesis, characterization and antibacterial effects

Chitosan with excellent biodegradable and biocompatible characteristics has received attention as an oral drug delivery vehicle. A quaternized chitosan (i.e., N-diethylmethyl chitosan, DEMC) was prepared based on a modified two-step process via a 2² factorial design to optimize the preparative conditions. DEMC was fully characterized using FTIR and ¹H-NMR spectroscopies. As calculated using NMR-based data, high degree of quaternization was achieved through the optimized two-step process. The highly quaternized biopolymeric derivative was subjected to microbial experiments. The antimicrobial activities of chitosan and DEMC against Escherchia coli were compared by calculation of minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC). Our data indicates that although the antimicrobial activity of DEMC is higher than that of chitosan in acetic acid medium, the both compounds are pH dependent and an increase in concentration of acetic acid results in a significant decrease in both MIC and MBC.     

硫脲壳聚糖微量银配合物的制备及抑菌活性

由硫脲壳聚糖和微量的AgNO3反应得到硫脲壳聚糖Ag+配合物。 通过红外光谱对其结构进行了表征。 研究了壳聚糖、硫脲壳聚糖、硫脲壳聚糖-Ag+配合物及AgNO3对大肠杆菌和金黄葡萄球菌的抑菌活性,并测定了其最低抑菌浓度(MIC)和最低杀菌浓度(MBC)。 结果表明,硫脲壳聚糖-Ag+配合物的抑菌活性强于壳聚糖和硫脲壳聚糖,且其MIC和MBC均为100 mg/L（游离Ag+含量为0.032 mg/L）,低于AgNO3的MIC和MBC（均为120 mg/L）。     

Antibacterial Activity and Synergistic Effect of Biosynthesized AgNPs with Antibiotics Against Multidrug-Resistant Biofilm-Forming Coagulase-Negative Staphylococci Isolated from Clinical Samples

Silver nanoparticles form promising template for designing antimicrobial agents against drug resistant pathogenic microorganisms. Thus, the development of a reliable green approach for the synthesis of nanoparticles is an important aspect of current nanotechnology research. In the present investigation, silver nanoparticles synthesized by a soil Bacillus sp. were characterized using UV–vis spectroscopy, FTIR, SEM, and EDS. The antibacterial potential of biosynthesized silver nanoparticles, standard antibiotics, and their conjugates were evaluated against multidrug-resistant biofilm-forming coagulase-negative S. epidermidis strains, S. aureus, Salmonella Typhi, Salmonella Paratyphi, and V. cholerae. Interestingly, silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) showed remarkable antibacterial activity against all the test strains with the highest activity against S. epidermidis strains 145 and 152. In addition, the highest synergistic effect of AgNPs was observed with chloramphenicol against Salmonella typhi. The results of the study clearly indicate the promising biomedical applications of biosynthesized AgNPs.     

Antimicrobial activity and phenolic content of natural site and micropropagated Limonium avei (De Not.) Brullo & Erben plant extracts

This study reported the antimicrobial activity and phenolic content of natural site and micropropagated Limonium avei (De Not.) Brullo & Erben inflorescences. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) of ethanolic extracts were determined according to the Clinical Laboratory Standards Institute guidelines. Individual phenolic acids and flavonoids were detected by a high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC-DAD) method. The samples showed a comparable antimicrobial activity, although the natural site extract possessed the lower MIC values. The best activity was detected against Gram-positive bacteria, such as Staphylococcus aureus including methicillin resistant strains (MIC and MBC values ranging from 7.81 to 62.50?μg?mL(-1) and from 500 to 2000?μg?mL(-1) respectively). In contrast, a low activity was found on Gram-negative bacteria and Candida albicans. The HPLC-DAD analysis revealed ten phenolic acids and four flavonoids with a major amount of m-coumaric acid, naringin and quercetin in the natural site extract.     

Antibacterial,antioxidant and photocatalytic activity of novel Rubus ellipticus leaf mediated silver nanoparticles

Nanotechnology is an emerging field of science that has significant applications in applied sciences. In this study, silver nanoparticles (SNPs) were synthesized utilizing the leaf filtrate of Rubus ellipticus. SNPs were characterized using UV–visible spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction patterns to determine their morphology and chemical composition. The surface plasmon resonance of SNPs revealed a peak at 415 nm. The synthesized SNPs were mainly spherical crystals with an average size of 21.43 nm. When compared to plant extract and positive controls (AgNO₃ and penicillin), SNPs demonstrated significant bactericidal activity against all the tested bacteria (gram-positive and gram-negative). The most effective bactericidal activity was found against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, with a minimum inhibitory concentration of 1.25 µg/mL. In addition, a dose-dependent antioxidant activity of SNPs was found against the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical with an average IC50 value of 72.84 µg/mL. The photocatalytic activity of Methylene blue (MB) dye decomposition under sunlight was studied. The results showed that MB degraded by 98 % after 150 min in the sun. Overall, the findings of this study indicate that R. ellipticus biosynthesized SNPs may have bactericidal and photocatalytic effects.