• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.13-16
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• 2001

In many parts of the world Allium cepa, Allium roseum, Trigonella foenum graecum and Curcuma domestica are extensively used as food and are popular in herbal medicine. The four were screened against 26 pathogens and all exhibited broad-spectrum anti-bacterial activity. The aqueous as well as fractionated methanol extract of Allium cepa and A. roseum demonstrated broader level of activity against most of the organisms. On the other hand the unfractionated methanol extracts as well as the fractions of both Trigonella foenum graecum and Curcuma domestica showed broad spectrum of activity. Fractionation was found to improve their level of activity. In both cases the ethyl acetate fractions exhibited higher level of activity. All the materials tested were inactive against any of the four moulds. Allium cepa, Allium roseum, Trigonella foenum graecum and Curcuma domestica are proposed as non toxic, safe, broad spectrum antibacterial agents.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.155-158
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• 1998

In the Asian sub-continent Momordica charantia and Allium sativum are extensively used as food and are popular in herbal medicine. The two were screened against 15 pathogens and both exhibited broard spectrum antimicrobial activity. As compared to the standard antibiotics, M. charantia demonstrated broader and higher level of activity against most of the organisms. On the other hand A. sativum showed comparable activity to the standard antibiotics. Both M. Charantia and A. sativum are proposed as non toxic, safe, broad spectrum antibacterial agents.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.172-179
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• 2018

One of the critical limitations to use of bacteriocins produced by lactic acid bacteria as a substitute for chemical antibiotics is the narrow spectrum of their antibacterial activity. The aim of present study was isolation and molecular identification of bacteriocin-producing enterococci with broad antibacterial spectrum. Bacteriocin-producing bacteria were isolated from native dairies in Kerman. Bacteriocins were purified by ammonium sulfate method and the effects of them were investigated on different strains of bacteria. Also, the effects of pH and heat on produced bacteriocins were investigated. High level bacteriocin-producing isolates were identified based on molecular tests. A total of 15 strains of bacteriocin-producing Enterococcus were isolated initially. Enterococcus faecium C-2 and Y-1 strains produced bacteriocins with the highest antibacterial effect. The bacteriocins were stable in pH ranges from 2 to 12 and their antibacterial activity was maintained after autoclave treatment. The maximum bactericidal effect was observed against Listeria monocytogenes and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. In conclusion, use of these bacteriocins as a substitute for chemical antibiotics is recommended.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.385-387
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• 1990

3-[(1-Methyl-1H-tetrazol-5-y)thiomethyl] is one of the most important side chains in cephaloporins. This side chain which occures in numerous antibacterial agents, suc as cefamandole, latamoxef, cefoperazone, and cefmenoxime, contributes remarkable potency and broad spectrum. For the continuous work of study on the development of broad spectrum cephalosporins, we become interested in the effect of structural modification of the substituent at the N-1 position of mercaptoterazole toward biological activity because our recent work had demonstraated that the arylsubstituted mercaptotetrazoles (Fig. 1) had favorable effect on the activity against gram-positive bacteria. The main focus of this report was to investigate the relationship between activity and functional groups in the mercaptotetrazole.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.9-12
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• 2001

A number of Myristica species are used in herbal medicine for a variety of ailments. The methanol extracts of the leaves and the stem and root barks of Myristica subabulata were fractionated into petrol, dichloromethane and finally ethyl acetate. These were then screened against a total of 31 micro-organisms comprising of 13 G +ve, 12 G ve, one protozoa and 5 moulds. A broad-spectrum anti-bacterial activity was observed. As compared to fractionated the un-fractionated extracts exhibited much better level of activity.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.18 no.5
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• pp.990-996
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• 2008

In a previous study, we found an antifungal effect on human pathogenic fungi by the cell-penetrating peptide Tat (47-58) derived from HIV-1. Tat (47-58) immediately entered into the fungal nucleus and affected some physiological changes on the intracellular condition. In this study, Tat (47-58) showed a broad spectrum of antibacterial activity against pathogenic bacteria including bacterial clinical isolates. To improve resistance against proteases for use in vivo, we synthesized an analog of Tat (47-58) by substituting the L-amino acid for the D-amino acid. The D-enantiomer of Tat (47-58) also exhibited a broad spectrum of antibacterial activity at almost the same level of L-Tat (47-58) concentration. Unlike L-Tat (47-58), D-Tat (47-58) showed a significant proteolytic resistance against all proteases tested and antimicrobial activities in the presence of trypsin. Moreover, D-Tat (47-58) inhibited MRSA infection in human HeLa cells whereas L-Tat (47-58) partially allowed MRSA infection, and the results were due to the proteolytic resistance of D-Tat (47-58).

• BMB Reports
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.545-548
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• 1996

CA(1-8)ME(1-12), the CA-ME hybrid peptide of the amino terminal segments of cecropin A (CA) and melittin (ME), has been reported to have a broad spectrum and improved potency without a hemolytic property. In order to obtain new synthetic peptides with powerful antibacterial activity without hemolytic activity, several hybrid peptides were designed from the sequences of CA, ME, magainin 2, bombinin and lactoferricin. All hybrid peptides were constructed to form an amphipathically basic-flexible-hydrophobic structure and synthesized by the solid phase method. Their hemolytic activities against human red blood cells and antibacterial activities against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria were detennined. CA(1-8)MA(1-12), CA(1-8)BO(1-12), MA(10-17)ME(1-12) and LF(20-29)ME(1-12) showed comparable activities with broad spectra against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria relative to CA(1-8)ME(1-12) but without hemolytic properties. These hybrid peptides, therefore, could be useful as model peptides to design a novel peptide with improved antibacterial activity and study on structure-activity relationships of antimicrobial peptides.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.196-203
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• 1993

We compared in vitro antibacterial activity of DWC-751, a new parenteral cephalosporin antibiotic, with those of cefpirome (CPR), cefotaxime (CTX) and ceftazidime (CAZ). DWC-751 showed a broad antimicrobial spectrum against Gram-positive and negative bacteria. The antibacterial activity of DWC-751 against Stapylococcus aureus was equal to that of CPR and superior to those of CTX and CAZ. The activity of it against Excherichia coli was more potent than those of CPR, CTX and CAZ. Against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, DWC-751 was slightly inferior to that of CAZ and superior to those of CPR and CTX. The antibacterial activity of DWC-751 was superior to those of CPR, CTX and CAZ against clinical isolates and ofloxacin resistant strains. DWC-751 showed bactericidal action against Escherichia coli at concentrations close to the MIC and induced the formation of filament and burge and lysis of Escherichia coli in a microscopic examination.

• Advances in Traditional Medicine
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.385-389
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• 2007

We undertook the present study to evaluate different pharmacological as antioxidant, antibacterial and cytotoxic activities of the crude ethanolic extract of Momordica charantia (Family: Cucurbitaceae) leaves. The antioxidant property of the extract was assessed by 1, 1-diphenyl-2-picryl hydrazyl free radical scavenging assay. The extract showed antioxidant activity where $IC_{50}$ was about ${\sim}500{\mu}g/ml\;and\;IC_{50}$ was about ${\sim}10{\mu}g/ml$ for standard drug ascorbic acid. The extract showed a broad spectrum of antibacterial activity against all the tested gram positive and gram-negative bacteria where Staphylococcus epidermidis, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella typhi and Shigella dysenteriae were prominent. And the zones of inhibition were ranging from 8-15 mm for all the tested bacteria. Its cytotoxic property was evaluated by brine shrimp lethality bioassay. The extract showed significant lethality and the $LC_{50}$ value was $20{\mu}g/ml$.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.189-196
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• 2021

Periplanetasin-2 from cockroach exhibits broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity. The underlying antibacterial mechanisms rely on the stimulation of reactive oxygen species overproduction to induce apoptotic cell death. A promising strategy to increase the bioavailability of periplanetasin-2 involves reducing the dose through combination therapy with other antibacterials that show synergistic effects. Thus, the synergistic antibacterial activity of periplanetasin-2 with conventional antibacterial agents and its mechanisms was examined against Escherichia coli in this study. Among the agents tested, the combinations of periplanetasin-2 with vancomycin and chloramphenicol exhibited synergistic effects. Periplanetasin-2 in combination with vancomycin and chloramphenicol demonstrated antibacterial activity through the intracellular oxidative stress response. The combination with vancomycin resulted in the enhancement of bacterial apoptosis-like death, whereas the combination with chloramphenicol enhanced oxidative stress damage. These synergistic interactions of periplanetasin-2 can help broaden the spectrum of conventional antibiotics. The combination of antimicrobial peptides and conventional antibiotics is proposed as a novel perspective on treatments to combat severe bacterial infection.