Antibiotic resistance is the major growing threat facing the pharmacological treatment of bacterial infections. Therefore, bioprospecting the medicinal plants could provide potential sources for antimicrobial agents. Mimusops, the biggest and widely distributed plant genus of family Sapotaceae, is used in traditional medicines due to its promising pharmacological activities. This study was conducted to elucidate the antimicrobial effect of three unexplored Mimusops spp. (M. kummel, M. laurifolia and M. zeyheri). Furthermore, the mechanisms underlying such antibacterial activity were studied. The Mimusops leaf extracts revealed significant antibacterial activities against the five tested bacterial strains with a maximum inhibition zone diameter of 22.0 mm against B. subtilis compared with standard antibiotic ciprofloxacin. The minimal inhibitory and bactericidal concentration values against tested Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial strains ranged from 3.15-12.5 µg/ml. However, weak antifungal effect was recorded against Candida albicans with MIC value ˃25 µg/ml. The 1, 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay showed that M. caffra was the best antioxidant (IC50=14.75±0.028 µg/ml), while M. laurifolia was the least one (IC50=34.22±0.014 µg/ml). The phenolics in plant leaves extracts were identified and quantified by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) which revealed the presence of seven phenolic acids and four flavonoids. The abundant phenolic compounds were rutin (5.216±0.067 mg/g dried wt.) and gallic acid (0.296±0.068 mg/g) followed by myricetin (0.317±0.091 mg/g) then kaempferol (0.113±0.049 mg/g) as flavonoids. The antibacterial mechanism of M. laurifolia extract, as a representative species, induces ultrastructural changes in the model bacterium Staphylococcus aureus with cell wall and plasma membrane lysis as revealed by transmission electron microscopy. Overall, Mimusops species (M. laurifolia, M. kummel and M. zeyheri) are promising natural alternative sources for antimicrobial agents.
4-chloro and 4- nitro substituted phenol and aniline incorporated to a carboxylic group of naproxen a well-known non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) to increase bulkiness were synthesized for evaluation as a potential anti-inflammatory agents with expected COX-2 selectivity. In vivo acute anti-inflammatory activity of these compounds (I-IV) was evaluated in rats using egg-white induced edema model of inflammation in a dose equivalent to (2.5 mg/Kg) of naproxen. All tested compounds produced a significant reduction in paw edema with respect to the effect of propylene glycol 50% v/v (control group). Moreover, compounds I and IV might show higher effect comparable to that of naproxen and to that of compounds II & III whic
... Show MoreThe new ligand [3,3’-(1,2-phenylenebis(azanediyl))bis(5,5-dimethylcyclohex-2-en-1-one)] (L) derived from 5,5-Dimethylcyclohexane-1,3-dione with 1,2-phenylenediamine was used to prepare a new chain of metal complexes of Mn(ii), Co(ii), Ni(ii), Cu(ii), Cd(ii) and Zn(ii) by inclusive formula [M(L)]Cl2. Characterized compounds on the basis of 1H, 13CNMR (for ligand (L)), FT-IR and U.V spectrum, melting point, molar conduct, %C, %H and %N, the percentage of the metal in complexes %M, Magnetic susceptibility, thermal studies (TGA), while its corrosion inhibition for (plain steel) in tap water is studied by weight loss. These measurements proved th
The present work aimed to study the efficiency of nanofiltration (NF) and reverse osmosis (RO) membrane for heavy metal removal from wastewater and study the factors affecting the performance of these two membranes: feed concentrations for heavy metal ions, pressure, and flow rate. The experimental results showed, heavy metals concentration in permeate increase with raise in feed concentrations, decline with increase in flow rate. The raise of pressure, heavy metals concentration decreases for RO membrane, but for NF membrane the concentration decrease and then at high pressure increase. The rejection percentage for chromium in NF and RO is 99.7% and 99.9%, for copper is 98.4% and 99.3%, for zinc is 97.9% and 99.5%, for nickel is 97.2% and
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Theoretical and experimental methodologies were assessed to test curved beam made of layered composite material. The maximum stress and maximum deflection were computed for each layer and the effect of radius of curvature and curve shape on them. Because of the increase of the use of composite materials in aircraft structures and the renewed interest in these types of problems, the presented theoretical assessment was made using three different approaches: curved beam theory and an approximate 2D strength of material equations and finite element method (FEM) analysis by ANSYS 14.5 program for twelve cases of multi-layered cylindrical shell panel differs in fibe
... Show MoreIn this study, composite materials consisting of Activated Carbon (AC) and Zeolite were prepared for application in the removal of methylene blue and lead from an aqueous solution. The optimum synthesis method involves the use of metakaolinization and zeolitization, in the presence of activated carbon from kaolin, to form Zeolite. First, Kaolin was thermally activated into amorphous kaolin (metakaolinization); then the resultant metakaolin was attacked by alkaline, transforming it into crystalline zeolite (zeolitization). Using nitrogen adsorption and SEM techniques, the examination and characterization of composite materials confirmed the presence of a homogenous distribution of Zeolite throughout the activated carbon.
... Show MoreIn this study, derivatives of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) grafted with phthalic anhydride (PhA) and dyes were prepared to produce polymeric materials of PVA-g-PhA, PVA-g-PhA-anthocyanin, PVA-g-PhA-bromophenol blue, and PVA-g-PhAthymol blue. The materials were characterised by FTIR and 1 H NMR spectroscopies. The crystallinity of the polymers was evaluated with powder X-ray difraction, and the thermal stability by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The synthetic procedure for the polymeric materials entailed the formation of esters. The FTIR spectra of the polymers confrmed their formation since the ester carbonyl group stretch was observed at approximately 1691–1716 cm−1 in each material. NMR spectroscopy confrmed the addition of t
... Show MoreThe using of waste products as a recycled material was one of the most important studies for saving money and reduces the pollution. Mortar and concrete mixes with (10, 20 and 30)% of brick, glass and tile powder as replacement by weight of cement was investigated. The concrete mixes using brick or glass as 10%replacement of cement exhibited enhancement in compressive strength about (6, 4.7 and 2.0)% and (7.2, 5.6 and 2)% at age 7, 28 and 90 days respectively compared to reference mix. The 20% replacement of glass powder also showed an increase in the compressive strength up to (8, 6.3 and 4) %at age 7,28 and 90 days respectively compared to reference mix. Finally concrete mix using (10, 20 and 30) % tile powder as replacement of cement sho
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