Medicinal plants contain bioactive substances that are highly bioavailable in extracts or pure molecules, making them promising for therapeutic applications and precursors for chemo-pharmaceutical semi-synthesis. Harpagophytum procumbens (Devil’s Claw) is widely recognized as one of the most potent therapeutic herbs. This study aimed to extract seeds from H. procumbens using two types of solvents and to assess both qualitative and quantitative aspects of the extracts. The two extracts were evaluated for antibacterial and anti-biofilm activities using agar well diffusion assays against four bacterial isolates and two yeast isolates. Qualitative analysis identified the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins, saponins, and terpenoids. The active components detected were: alkaloids (12.69%), flavonoids (3.25%), total phenolic compounds (24.58%), total terpenoids (8.55%), and total steroids (1.25% for methanolic and 4.55% for petroleum ether). Both methanolic and petroleum ether extracts exhibited antioxidant activities of approximately 85.33% and 74.19%, respectively, compared to ascorbic acid, which had an antioxidant effect of 67.99% at a concentration of 200 µg/ml. The extracts demonstrated a broad spectrum of activity against all tested bacteria (Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pyogenes) and fungi (Candida albicans, C. tropicalis, C. parapsilosis). At a concentration of 1000 µg/ml, the seed extracts showed the highest bactericidal activity, with inhibition zones ranging from 10 to 22 mm. Moreover, both extracts exhibited greater anti-biofilm activity at 1000 µg/ml compared to lower concentrations. Our study found that seed extracts of H. procumbens possess significant antibacterial and antioxidant activities, particularly at a concentration of 1000 µg/ml.
Globalisation and rapid environmental change have created many challenges for public and private organisations across Iraq as a developing country, particularly in the higher education sector. This includes, for example, decreases in government funding; increased demand for higher education; a need for economic transformation, and related competitiveness of organizations. Such challenges require exceptional leaders and strategic planning in order to take action to improve. In Iraq, the higher education sector is still one of the main foundations in progressing the knowledge economy. Studies into leadership style, strategic planning processes, and the importance of leadership and organisational culture to an organisation’s success have bee
... Show MoreA new Schiff base of 4- flourophenyl-4- nitrobenzyliden (L) ,was prepared and used to prepare a number of metal complexes with Cr (III) , Fe (III), Co(II) ,Ni (II) and Cu (II). These complexes were isolated and characterized by (FITR),UV-Vis spectroscopy and flame atomic absorption techniques in addition to magnetic susceptibility, and conductivity measurements. The study of the nature of the complexes formed in ethanol was done following the molar ratio method gave results, agreed with those obtained from isolated solid state studies. The antibacterial activity for the ligand and its metal complexes were examined against two selected microorganisms, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus.The results indicated that the complexes
... Show MoreNew schiff bases series (VIII) a-e and 1,3-thiazolidin-4-one derivatives (IX) a-e containing the 1,2,4-triazole and 1,3,4-thiazazole rings were synthesized and screening their biological activities. These compounds were identified via Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectra, some via Proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H-NMR) and mass spectra. The biological results indicated that all of these compounds did not reveal antibacterial effectiveness against (Escherichia coli and Klebsiella species) (G-). Some of these compounds showed moderate antibacterial activity against (Staphylococcus aureus, and Staphylococcus epidermidis) (G+), and all compounds exhibited moderate activity against Candida albicans.
A new class of biologically active nanocomposites and modified polymers based on poly (vinyl alcohol) (PVA) with some organic compounds [II, IV, V and VI] were synthesized using silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs). All compounds were synthesized using nucleophilic substitution interactions and characterized by FTIR, DSC and TGA. The biological activity of the modified polymers was evaluated against: gram (+) (staphylococcus aureus) and gram (-): (Es cherichia coli bacteria). Antimicrobial films are developed based on modified poly (vinyl alcohol) MPVA and Ag-NPs nanoparticles. The nanocomposites and modified polymers showed better antibacterial activities against Escherichia coli (Gram negative) than against Staphyloc
... Show MoreObjective: Conventional approaches for disinfection, including spraying and immersion, resulted in only surface disinfection of impressions. As a result, self-disinfecting impression materials incorporated with antimicrobial compounds require more extensive studies. The incorporation of a disinfectant into irreversible hydrocolloid impression materials could eliminate the need for the disinfection step by conventional approaches, including spraying and immersion which only result in surface disinfection of impressions. The study was aimed to investigate the effect of incorporation of hypochlorous acid in irreversible hydrocolloid materials on antimicrobial efficiency, detail reproduction, and dimensional stability. Materials and
... Show MoreCovalent modification of protein by drugs may disrupt self-tolerance, leading to lymphocyte activation. Until now, determination of the threshold required for this process has not been possible. Therefore, we performed quantitative mass spectrometric analyses to define the epitopes formed in tolerant and hypersensitive patients taking the β-lactam antibiotic piperacillin and the threshold required for T cell activation. A hydrolyzed piperacillin hapten was detected on four lysine residues of human serum albumin (HSA) isolated from tolerant patients. The level of modified Lys541 ranged from 2.6 to 4.8%. Analysis of plasma from hypersensitive patients revealed the same pattern and leve
Objectives: Six different Schiff bases were synthesized from ampicillin and amoxicillin with isatin, 5-bromoisatin, and 5-nitroisatin. Methods: Ampicillin and Amoxicillin are linked directly through their α-amino groups to the acyl side chain with isatin and isatin derivatives by nucleophilic addition using glacial acetic acid as a catalyst. Results: chemical structures of these Schiff bases were confirmed using FTIR, 1H NMR and elemental microanalysis. The antibacterial activity was evaluated by measuring minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values and showed various degrees of antibacterial activities when compared with parent drugs. Compounds 1a and 2b, which are the Schiff bases of ampicillin and amoxicillin with isatin, showed very
... Show MoreNeonatal sepsis refers to the bacterial bloodstream infections of the newborn during the neonatal period as usually the first twenty-eight days of life. The current study was done in the laboratories of AL-Batool Teaching Hospital for Gynecology and Pediatrics in Baqubah, Diyala Governorate, including 140 blood specimens collected from the neonates admitted to the hospital with suspected sepsis, the ages of the both groups was ranged from 1 day to 28 days. Out of the total cultured samples, 32.14% (45 of 140) were positive and 67.86% (95 of 140) were negative blood culture. 45 of 140 samples were negative to the blood culture chosen as control group. The results showed highest isolates were Coagulase Negative Staphylococcus (CoNS) 19 (42.2%
... Show MoreThis study was designed to evaluate the ability of bioemulsifier to inhibit the growth of some pathogenic microorganisms. Fourteen isolates belonged to Serratia sp. were collected and tested for their ability to produce bioemulsifier. Results showed that Serratia marcescens S10 (isolated from the gut of the American cockroach) had the highest ability to produce bioemulsifier, among 14 isolates belong to Serratia spp. and it had the ability to inhibit the growth of some microorganisms. The production of bioemulsifier was detected by determination of emulsification index (E24%), qualitative drop-collapse test, emulsification activity (E.A) and measuring the surface tension (S.T). The results of bioemulsifier produced by Serratia marcescens S1
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