Nature’s Pharmacy under Siege: Investigating Antibiotic Resistance Pattern in Endophytic Bacteria of Medicinal Plants

Antibiotic resistance poses a significant global health threat, necessitating a thorough understanding of its prevalence in various ecological contexts. Medicinal plants, renowned for their therapeutic properties, host endophytic bacteria that produce bioactive compounds. Understanding antibiotic resistance dynamics in these bacteria is vital for human health and antibiotic efficacy preservation. In this study, we investigated antibiotic resistance profiles in endophytic bacteria from five medicinal plants: Thankuni, Neem, Aparajita, Joba, and Snake plant. We isolated and characterized 113 endophytic bacteria, with varying resistance patterns observed against multiple antibiotics. Notably, 53 strains were multidrug-resistant (MDR), with 14 exhibiting extensive drug resistance (XDR). Thankuni-associated bacteria displayed 44% MDR and 11% XDR, while Neem-associated bacteria showed higher resistance (60% MDR, 13% XDR). Aparajita-associated bacteria had lower resistance (22% MDR, 6% XDR), whereas Joba-associated bacteria exhibited substantial resistance (54% MDR, 14% XDR). Snake plant-associated bacteria showed 7% MDR and 4% XDR. Genus-specific distribution revealed Bacillus (47%), Staphylococcus (21%), and Klebsiella (11%) as major contributors to MDR. Our findings highlight diverse drug resistance patterns among plant-associated bacteria and underscore the complexity of antibiotic resistance dynamics in diverse plant environments. Identification of XDR strains emphasizes the severity of the antibiotic resistance problem, warranting further investigation into contributing factors.

Investigation of Antibacterial, Cytotoxic and Antioxidant Properties of the Mangrove Plant Xylocarpus mekongensis

The plant (Xylocarpus mekongensis) of the Sundarbans mangrove origin was evaluated for its antibacterial, cytotoxic and antioxidant properties using methanolic and chloroformic leaf, stem and bark extracts, respectively. The methanolic extracts contained higher amount of total phenolics, flavonoids, tannins than the chloroformic extracts and the result was in correlation with their ferric reducing power ability as well. However, the chloroformic bark extract contained more potent DPPH free radical scavenging activity than others. Antibacterial activity of the extracts was determined against both Gram-positive (Micrococcus and Staphylococcus aureus) and Gram-negative bacteria (Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Vibrio cholerae, Salmonella typhimurium and Salmonella paratyphi) by disc diffusion assay and their zone of inhibitions (ZOI) were measured. Moreover, their minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) were determined by tube dilution method. Chloroformic bark and stem extracts showed strong inhibition to growth of P. aeruginosa (ZOI = 19 mm and MIC = 150 μg/ml) and S. aureus (ZOI = 19.5 mm and MIC = 250 μg/ml), respectively. All six extracts were subjected to brine shrimp lethality bioassay for possible measure of cytotoxicity. Concentration dependent increment in percentage mortality of brine Shrimp nauplii produced by the extracts indicated the presence of cytotoxic principles in these extractives. Therefore, Xylocarpus mekongensis showed antioxidant, antibacterial and cytotoxic activities.

Intercropping Empower Reduces Insect Pests and Increases Biodiversity in Agro-Ecosystem

Currently insect pest management solely depends on chemical pesticide that continuously affects on environment, biodiversity, animal as well as human health. Outbreak of secondary insect pest is also the cost of pesticide use in field leading crop more vulnerable to more pests. These negative impacts of pesticides have provoked growing interest in the adoption of multi-function agricultural biodiversity that promote pest management, creating interesting challenge for traditional approaches to regulatory compliance. To address multi-function agricultural practice, we tested several intercropping systems with mustard and their effect on pest management. Our results revealed that intercropping systems mustard with onion, garlic, radhuni and coriander significantly reduced pest population over sole crop. However, intercropping mustard with wheat and gram increased pest population in mustard field. This result indicated that all crops are not suitable for intercropping system. Among the tested intercropping systems, mustard with onion and coriander significantly reduced branch and flower infestation and increased pod formation per plant. These four intercropping systems did not significantly affect on honeybee pollinator which are crucial for mustard crop yield. A significant linear relationship was also found between honeybee population and pod formation. Our results indicate that suitable intercropping system can be a potential multi-functional agricultural practice for pest management in mustard crop.

Effective antimicrobial therapies of urinary tract infections among children in low-and middle-income countries:A systematic review

Importance:Urinary tract infection(UTI)is one of the most common infections encountered in infancy and childhood.Despite the emerging problem of antibiotic resistance in recent years,the use of antibiotics for better management of UTIs is inevitable.Objective:This study aims to explore the efficacy and adverse effects of the available antimicrobial agents that are used in pediatric UTIs in low-and middle-income countries(LMICs).Methods:Five electronic databases were searched to identify relevant articles.Two reviewers independently performed screening,data extraction,and quality assessment of the available literature.Randomized controlled trials providing antimicrobial interventions in both male and female participants within the age range of 3 months to 17 years in LMICs were included.Results:Six randomized controlled trials from 13 LMICs were included in this review(four trials explored the efficacy).Due to high heterogeneity across the studies,a meta-analysis was not performed.Other than attrition and reporting bias,the risk of bias was moderate to high due to poor study designs.The differences in the efficacy and adverse events of different antimicrobials were not found to be statistically significant.Interpretation:This review indicates the necessity for additional clinical trials on children from LMICs with more significant sample numbers,adequate intervention periods,and study design.

ANTIVIRAL EFFECTS OF BACTERIOCIN AGAINST ANIMAL-TO-HUMAN TRANSMITTABLE MUTATED SARS-COV-2:A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW

The COVID-19 caused by SARS-CoV-2 has resulted in millions of people being infected and thousands of deaths globally since November 2019.To date,no unique therapeutic agent has been developed to slow the progression of this pandemic.Despite possessing antiviral traits the potential of bacteriocins to combat SARS-CoV-2 infection has not been fully investigated.This review summarizes the mechanisms by which bacteriocins can be manipulated and implemented as effective virus entry blockers with infection suppression potential properties to highly transmissible viruses through comprehensive immune modulations that are potentially effective against COVID-19.These antimicrobial peptides have been suggested as effective antiviral therapeutics and therapeutic supplements to prevent rapid virus transmission.This review also provides a new insight into the cellular and molecular alterations which have made SARS-CoV-2 self-modified with diversified infection patterns.In addition,the possible applications of antimicrobial peptides through both natural and induced mechanisms in infection prevention perspectives on changeable virulence cases are comprehensively analyzed.Specific attention is given to the antiviral mechanisms of the molecules along with their integrative use with synthetic biology and nanosensor technology for rapid detection.Novel bacteriocin based therapeutics with cutting-edge technologies might be potential substitutes for existing time-consuming and expensive approaches to fight this newly emerged global threat.