BioScientific Review

Bioactivity of Medicinal Plants Piper nigurm and Tamarindus indica against Heterotermes indicola (Wasmann)

Rafia Tabassum — 2024-07-03

Background. Termites, notorious for causing significant damage to crops, plantation forests, and buildings, pose a serious threat as pests. Conventional control methods rely on the use of insecticides, which have been reported to be hazardous to various other forms of life as well. In contrast, lower termites host protozoa in their gut, facilitating cellulose digestion through the release of cellulase enzymes.

Method. This study explored the efficacy of ethanolic leaf extracts from two medicinal plants namely Piper nigrum and Tamarindus indica against Heterotermes indicola (Wasmann). GC-MS analysis of the plant extracts revealed their distinct chemical compositions.

Results. The T. indica extract comprised compounds such as Benzene, 1,1’(1-methylethylidene) Bis [4-methoxy, 3-0-Methyl-d-glucose, Benzoic acid, 3,4,5-trihydroxy-, methyl ester, 9,12,15, octadecatyrien-1-ol, (Z, Z, Z), 1,3,3-Trimethyl-2-hydroxymethyl3,3-dimethyl-4-(3-methylbut-2-enyl), Di-n-decylsulfone, and 2R-Acetoxymethyl-1,3,5-trimethyl4c-(3-methyl-2-buten-1-yl)-1ccyclohexanol. On the other hand, P. nigrum extract contained Octacosanol, Urs-12-en-24-oic acid, 3-oxo-, methyl ester, (+)-, B-Amyrin, Behenic alcohol, and Humulane-1,6-dien-3-ol. Both plant extracts exhibited repellent properties against H. indicola.

Conclusion. The LC₅₀ values for T. indica and P. nigrum were found to be 14.83% and 12.20%, respectively. While, the LC₉₀values for T. indica and P. nigrum were -4.26% and -1.19%, respectively.

Microbiological Evaluation of Blepharitis: A Case-Controlled Study

Sourat Mudassar — 2024-07-18

Background. Blepharitis is a chronic inflammatory eyelid infection. The current study was designed to check the association of normal bacterial flora of normal eyelids with the potential pathogenic bacteria of blepharitis infected eyelids of blepharitis patients.

Methodology. A total of (n=50) blepharitis patients were recruited for this study. Then, 100 swab samples were taken from these patients. Sample distribution indicated that 50 swab samples were taken from infected eyelids and 50 from the uninfected part of eyelids of blepharitis patient. Bacterial flora was characterized in these samples through different biochemical tests and antibiotic resistance was checked by using the Kirby Bauer (KB) method.

Results. A total of 52 bacterial strains were isolated from 50 infected swab samples of 50 blepharitis patients including Staphylococcus aureus 31/52 (60%), Staphylococcus epidermidis 7/52 (13%), Klebsiella spp. 6/52 (11%), E. coli 2/52 (4%), Acinetobacter spp. 2/52 (4%), Enterobacter spp. 1/52 (2%), Serratia marcescens 1/52 (2%), Shigella spp. 1/52 (2%) and Bacillus cereus 1/52 (2%). Further, 48 bacterial strains were isolated from uninfected swab samples of 50 blepharitis patients including Staphylococcus epidermidis 24/48 (50%), Staphylococcus aureus 22/48 (42%), Klebsiella spp. 1/48 (2%), Enterobacter spp. 1/48 (2%), Serratia spp. 1/48 (2%), and Acinetobacter spp. 1/48 (2%). All Gram-positive bacteria isolated from both infected and uninfected eyelids were found to be sensitive to vancomycin antibiotics. The percentage of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) was 21% among the bacterial isolates obtained from infected eyelids. While, its percentage was 18.7% in the bacterial isolates obtained from the uninfected eyelids of the patients. Hence, the percentage of MRSA was higher in the infected eyelids of blepharitis patients as compared to their uninfected eyelids.

Conclusion. The identification of pathogens involved in blepharitis and performing their antibiotic susceptibility test (AST) are important steps in reducing bacterial resistance for blepharitis treatment.

Small Cell Neuroendocrine Cervical Carcinoma: A Review

Saba Saeed — 2024-07-13

Small cell neuroendocrine cervical carcinoma (SCNCC) are neuroendocrine tumors neoplasms (NEN), an intrusive and rare disease originating from neuroendocrine cells that is basically linked with poor treatment or prognosis. Postoperative adjuvant peripheral radiotherapy has been described as a routine treatment. In spite of violent and unusual remedies, high mortality rate was observed in patients with earlier stage of neuroendocrine cervical carcinoma (NECC). The understanding was studied during the early stage of this malignancy, considered the desired work for the identification of predictive issues and optimum multi-modality treatment was concluded. By illustrating cytological elements along with reassessing the consequences of cytological smudges of cervix towards disease manifestations, the investigative specificity might be increased along with patient outcomes. Thus, a unique and novel methodology needs to be introduced to comprehend and cure this malignancy.