Background: The interest in herbal extracts as antimicrobial agents has increased over the past few years in endodontic therapy. Nasturtium officinale (watercress) is a promising plant with great medicinal values. This study aimed to investigate the antifungal activity of watercress oil in combination with calcium hydroxide against Candida albicans as intracanal medicament. Materials and Methods: Candida albicans was isolated from patients with necrotic root canal or failed root canal treatment. The sensitivity of Candida albicans to different concentrations of watercress oil extract was determined by using the agar well diffusion method in comparison with calcium hydroxide paste. The agar plate method was used to determine the minimum fung

Giardia lamblia is one of most common protozoan cause diarrheas, and the most health problem in development countries worldwide. Our work aimed to assess activity and toxicity of metronidazole loaded silver nanoparticles in treatment of acute giardiasis in mice. After inoculated mice with Giardia cysts in a dose of 105 cyst for acute infection, treatments were given for eight days. Number Giardia cysts in stool were discovered. Toxicity nanoparticles was estimated by Measurement oxidative stress markers (GSH) and (MDA) in liver, kidney tissue homogenate. The results showed single therapy was better effect by silver nanoparticles, highest percentages of reduction in number of cysts Giardia lamblia of infected mice treated with silver nanopar

In the current work, Punica granatum L. peel, Artemisia herba-alba Asso., Matricaria chamomilla L., and Camellia sinensis extracts were used to prepare manganese dioxide (MnO₂) nanoparticles utilizing a green method. Energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) analysis, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis, and Filed emission-scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) analysis were used to evaluate the produced MnO₂ NPs. FE-SEM pictures demonstrated how agglomerated nanoparticles formed. According to FE-SEM calculations, the particle size ranged from 18.7-91.5 nm. FTIR spectra show that pure Mn-O is formed, while EDX results show that Mn and O are present. The ability to suppress biofilm growth in the produced MnO

Cutaneous leishmaniasis is a disease caused by Leishmania tropica parasite. Current treatments for this parasite are undesirable because of their toxicity, resistance, and high cost. Macrophages are key players against pathogens. Nitric oxide (NO), a molecule produce by immune cells, controls intracellular killing of pathogens during infection. Silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) demonstrated broad-spectrum activity against various types of infectious diseases. It has the ability to stimulate oxygen species production.  This study aims to analyze the macrophages activation through NO production and estimate the cytotoxicity based on the lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release upon exposure to L. tropica and

     Diabetic foot is a catastrophic complication of diabetes. This study included isolation and identification of three types of bacteria that cause diabetic foot ulcers,  fifty-five isolates of Staphylococcus aureus, thirty-five isolates of Acinetobacter baumannii, and thirty isolates of Serratia marcescens. These isolates were obtained from diabetic foot patients at different private clinics in and around Baghdad and Medical City Hospital. The proportion of male patients was greater than females, and it was noted that the age group (51-68 years) was more ages affected by diabetic foot. These isolates showed high resistance to most of the antibiotics used, Staphylococcus aureus was resistant to

  This study was conducted to determine the effect of different concentrations of   ethanol  extract of propolis against two  fungi Botrytis cinerea, Altrnaria sp.      The most important chemical constituents of propolis diagnosed by the Infra Red Spectroscopy, were the  Flavonoids  specificaly.       Results showed a high antifungal activity of ethanol  extract of propolis, evidently with a high concentration  of extract (5) mg\ml, which completely inhibited the radial growth on both  solid and liquid media (PDA &PD Broth ) of both fungi .         We observed that , ethanol  extract p

       The entire investigation's focus was on the production of nickel oxide nanoparticles (NiONPs), using prodigiosin pigments produced by Serratia marcescens as a stabilizing and reducing agent. Nickel oxide nanoparticles are synthesized using nickel sulfate NiSO₄ (10mg) with a concentration of prodigiosin (10g/100ml). Biosynthesized NiO nanoparticles have been characterized by using many techniques, such as (UV-Vis, AFM, XRD, FTIR, and FE-SEM). The AFM analysis revealed that NiONPs have an average diameter size of (41.77 mm), and the FE-SEM Image displays Spherical. Additionally, the effect of NiONPs with different concentrations on the bacteria Pseudomonas aeruginosa was measured and the inhibition

Two hundred fifty mid-stream urine specimens were collected from Baqubah Teaching Hospital and Al-Batool Teaching Hospital from patients with urinary tract infections (UTI). Of these investigated urine specimens, 66 (26.4%) specimens showed positive growth culture of Gram-negative bacteria. From these, Escherichia coli was the most prevalent bacteria of the examined culture (41, 62.12%). Additionally, the cup assay was used to determine colicin producers while the most efficient colicin producers were estimated by the formation of larger inhibition zone. Approximately half of the investigated E. coli isolates (20, 49 %) was colicin producers. Colicins was extracted after induction by mitomycin-C showed a concentration o

Apple vinegar has many uses that include burn and wound healing and as an antimicrobial agent against different microorganisms, but not as a solvent. Therefore, this study aimed to use commercial apple vinegar as solvent to the plants of  roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa), green tea (Camellia sinensis), and clove (Syzygium aromaticum). The effects of apple-vinegar extracts of these plants were compared with those of aqueous and ethanolic extracts against biofilm formation by Candida genus. Clove vinegar extract demonstrated antibiofilm activity against C. albicans, alone (2.4907± 0.382) or in combination with the antifungal agents fluconazole (1.689±0.33), nystati

In this study, the aqueous extract of (Typha domingensis Pers.) pollen grain (qurraid) to know its ability to manufacture silver nanoparticles. Qurraid is a semi-solid yellow food substance, sold in Basra markets and eaten by the local population. It is made from the pollen of the T.  domingensis Pers. plant after being pressed and treated with water vapor. The Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS) reaction was done to identify the active compounds of qurraid aqueous extract. The ability of the aqueous extract of qurraid to manufacture silver nanoparticles was tested, and the construction of silver nanoparticles was inferred by the reaction mixture's color, which ranged from yellow to dark brown. The synthesi