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Antioxidant Mediated Defense Role of the Dietary Phytochemical Ferulic Acid, against Carbon Tetrachloride (CCl4) Induced Toxic Hepatitis
No full textFerulic acid (FA) is a dietary phytochemical formed during the metabolism of phenylalanine and tyrosine. Disruption of mitochondria and free radical mediated tissue injury has been reported during liver toxicity induced by carbon tetrachloride, potent hepatotoxic agent. The present study was designed to investigate the antioxidant protective effect of ferulic acid on hepatocytes, liver function and mitochondrial electron respiratory chain enzymes in hepatotoxic rats. Rats were classified into four groups : normal control group, hepatotoxic group subcutaneously injected with CCl4 once weekly for 4 weeks; third group: hepatotoxic group daily administered orally FA with a dose of 20 mg/Kg b.wt., and forth group: hepatotoxic group daily administered orally FA with a dose of 80 mg/Kg b.wt. The model of CCl4-injected hepatocellular rats elicited declines in liver antioxidant enzyme activities; glutathione peroxidase, superoxide dismutase , Catalase in association of a reduction in reduced glutathione, serum total protein with concomitant significant elevations in lipid peroxidation marker , serum nitric oxide,and liver enzymes, lactate dehydrogenase and total bilirubin. CCl4 resulted in a significant decrease in the activities of mitochondrial respiratory chain enzymes (NADH dehydrogenase and cytochrome c oxidase). FA enhanced the attenuation of these functional abnormalities and restored normal mitochondrial function when compared to rats CCl4 toxicant treated groups , the attenuating effect was more pronounced in FA low dose Hence, these findings demonstrate the ameliorative role of FA on mitochondrial function during CCl4 induced hepatotoxicity and associated oxidative stress in rats.
 
Prevalence and Conjugal Transfer of Vancomycin Resistance among Clinical Isolates of Staphylococcus aureus
No full textAims: Emergence of vancomycin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (VRSA) has been of great concern in clinical settings. Our study aimed to detect vancomycin resistance and the possibility of its conjugal transfer among clinical isolates of S. aureus.
Study Design: Medical microbiology.
Place and Duration of Study: This study was carried out in the department of microbiology, Faculty of pharmacy, between October 2011 and January 2013.
Methodology: Two hundreds and seven samples were collected from different types of infections and examined for Staphylococcus aureus using standard bacteriological procedures, Antimicrobial susceptibility testing against vancomycin and some antimicrobials was done by agar dilution method, resistance to methicillin was determined by disc diffusion test using cefoxitin (30µg), Vancomycin resistance gene transfer was tested by broth matting procedure and confirmed by plasmid and DNA product analysis.
Results: Sixty-three samples were positive for Staphylococcus aureus. All isolates were resistant to penicillin while the lowest resistance was to amikacin and vancomycin. One isolate was VRSA (MIC ≥ 16 µg/ml and positive for vanA gene 1032bp) while 5 isolates were VISA. All VRSA and VISA isolates were MRSA and showed a high resistance to other examined antibiotics. Vancomycin resistance was plasmid mediated and successfully transferred from VRSA donor to a vancomycin sensitive recipient isolate (MIC 2 µg/ml). The MIC of vancomycin for the transconjugant strain was 32 µg/ml. PCR product analysis for the transconjugate was positive for vanA gene.
Conclusion: Low incidence of vancomycin resistance, All VRSA and VISA were methicillin resistant, and mostly isolated from skin infections. Also, vancomycin resistance was plasmid mediated and successfully transferred to susceptible strains which is alarming. Skin colonization by VRSA strains harboring plasmid carrying resistance genes may result in widespread of these strains that could lead to outbreaks of staphylococcal diseases in both hospital and community.
 
Quantification of Total Flavonoids and Phenolic Acids from Microwave Irradiated and Non-irradiated Plants
No full textAims: The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of the low power microwave radiations on the concentration of phenolic compounds (flavonoids and phenolic acids) from Satureja hortensis L. and Ocimum basilicum L., after it was established the efficient method of extraction.
Study Design: The extracts were obtained from irradiated and non-irradiated plants, were analysed spectrophotometrically and were drawn the conclusions.
Place and Duration of Study: The experiments were performed in the Physics of Nanostructured Systems Department, National Institute for Research and Development of Isotopic and Molecular Technologies and Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biology and Geology, Babeş-Bolyai University between June 2012 and June 2013.
Methodology: Experiment was carried out by exposing the plants to microwave radiation modulated by a specific WLAN communications protocol (2.4...2.49 GHz with intensity of 70 mW m-2). The test plants and the control plants were subjected to the same environment during two weeks.
Results: The data obtained for the plants subjected to microwave treatments were analysed and compared with those registered for the non-irradiated plants. Results showed that the concentration of total flavonoids in both studied species is significantly higher in the microwave irradiated compared to the non-irradiated plants.
Conclusion: This paper proposes to investigate the effect of microwave on the concentration of phenolic compounds from plants. The results showed that the concentration of total flavonoids and total phenolic acids is higher in irradiated plants compared to the non-irradiated plants. The amount of flavonoids, respectively phenolic acids in the irradiated Satureja hortensis L. is 35.7%, respectively of 0.89% higher than in the non-irradiated plant, while in the irradiated Ocimum basilicum L. is of 24.3%, respectively of 11.59% higher than in non-irradiated plant.