PHLORETIN: AN ANTIBACTERIAL SUBSTANCE OBTAINED FROM APPLE LEAVES

1952 ◽  
Vol 30 (4) ◽  
pp. 486-489 ◽  
Author(s):  
Russell E. MacDonald ◽  
Charles J. Bishop

A crystalline antibacterial substance isolated from apple leaves has been identified as phloretin. It has been shown to inhibit the growth of a number of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. The activity of the compound is bacteriostatic in nature and is shown in concentrations as low as 30 p.p.m. Its antibacterial action may be related to inhibition of the uptake of phosphorus by the bacterial cell.

RSC Advances ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (10) ◽  
pp. 5099-5105 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Boersch ◽  
S. Rudrawar ◽  
G. Grant ◽  
M. Zunk

Menaquinone is essential in electron transport and ATP generation in all Gram-positive, and anaerobically respiring Gram-negative bacteria. Inhibition of menaquinone production at different steps of the biosynthesis pathway has shown promising novel antibacterial action.


Author(s):  
Stevan R. Emmett ◽  
Nicola Hill ◽  
Federico Dajas-Bailador

Antibiotics include an extensive range of agents able to kill or prevent reproduction of bacteria in the body, without being overly toxic to the patient. Traditionally derived from living organisms, most are now chemically synthesized and act to disrupt the integrity of the bacterial cell wall, or penetrate the cell and disrupt protein synthesis or nucleic acid replication. Typically, bacteria are identified according to their ap­pearance under the microscope depending on shape and response to the Gram stain test. Further identification is obtained by growth characteristics on various types of culture media, based on broth or agar, biochemical and immunological profiles. Further testing on broth or agar determines antibiotic sensitivity to guide on anti­biotic therapy in individual patients. This process can take 24– 48 hours to culture and a further 24– 48 hours to measure sensitivities. Increasingly, new technology, e.g. Matrix Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization— Time of Flight (MALDI- TOF) and nucleic acid amplification as­says, are being used to provide more rapid identification. The Gram classification, however, is still widely referred to as it differentiates bacteria by the presence or absence of the outer lipid membrane (see Figure 11.1), a fundamental characteristic that influences antibiotic management. Antimicrobial agents rely on selective action exploiting genetic differences between bacterial and eukaryotic cells. They target bacterial cell wall synthesis, bacterial protein synthesis, microbial DNA or RNA synthesis, by acting on bacterial cell metabolic pathways or by inhibiting the ac­tion of a bacterial toxin (see Table 11.1). Both Gram- positive and Gram- negative bacteria possess a rigid cell wall able to protect the bacteria from varying osmotic pressures (Figure 11.1). Peptidoglycan gives the cell wall its rigidity and is composed of a glycan chain of complex alternating carbohydrates, N- acetylglucosamide (N- ATG), and N- acetylmurcarinic acid (N- ATM), that are cross- linked by peptide (or glycine) chains. In Gram-positive bacteria, the cell wall contains multiple peptido­glycan layers, interspersed with teichoic acids, whereas Gram- negative bacteria contain only one or two peptido­glycan layers that are surrounded by an outer membrane attached by lipoproteins. The outer membrane contains porins (which regulate transport of substances into and out of the cell), lipopolysaccharides, and outer proteins in a phospholipid bilayer. For both Gram- negative and Gram-positive bacteria, peptidoglycan synthesis involves about 30 bacterial enzymes acting over three stages. Since the cell wall is unique to bacteria, it makes a suitable target for antibiotic therapy.


Toxins ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (12) ◽  
pp. 771
Author(s):  
Lipeng Zhong ◽  
Jiye Liu ◽  
Shiyu Teng ◽  
Zhixiong Xie

The abuse of antibiotics and the consequent increase of drug-resistant bacteria constitute a serious threat to human health, and new antibiotics are urgently needed. Research shows that antimicrobial peptides produced by natural organisms are potential substitutes for antibiotics. Based on Deinagkistrodonacutus (known as five-pacer viper) genome bioinformatics analysis, we discovered a new cathelicidin antibacterial peptide which was called FP-CATH. Circular dichromatic analysis showed a typical helical structure. FP-CATH showed broad-spectrum antibacterial activity. It has antibacterial activity to Gram-negative bacteria and Gram-positive bacteria including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). The results of transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed that FP-CATH could cause the change of bacterial cell integrity, having a destructive effect on Gram-negative bacteria and inducing Gram-positive bacterial surface formation of vesicular structure. FP-CATH could bind to LPS and showed strong binding ability to bacterial DNA. In vivo, FP-CATH can improve the survival rate of nematodes in bacterial invasion experiments, and has a certain protective effect on nematodes. To sum up, FP-CATH is likely to play a role in multiple mechanisms of antibacterial action by impacting bacterial cell integrity and binding to bacterial biomolecules. It is hoped that the study of FP-CATH antibacterial mechanisms will prove useful for development of novel antibiotics.


1985 ◽  
Vol 22 (12) ◽  
pp. 1893-1898 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. J. Beveridge ◽  
W. S. Fyfe

All biomass contains a significant quantity of metallic constituents, and mineralization in living and dead biodebris may contribute to element transport from the hydrosphere into sediments. The anionic cell walls of bacteria are remarkable in their ability to fix metals and provide sites for nucleation and growth of minerals. Results presented show the types of cell wall polymers that are responsible for metal binding in walls of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria.


Author(s):  
Jacob S. Hanker ◽  
Paul R. Gross ◽  
Beverly L. Giammara

Blood cultures are positive in approximately only 50 per cent of the patients with nongonococcal bacterial infectious arthritis and about 20 per cent of those with gonococcal arthritis. But the concept that gram-negative bacteria could be involved even in chronic arthritis is well-supported. Gram stains are more definitive in staphylococcal arthritis caused by gram-positive bacteria than in bacterial arthritis due to gram-negative bacteria. In the latter situation where gram-negative bacilli are the problem, Gram stains are helpful for 50% of the patients; they are only helpful for 25% of the patients, however, where gram-negative gonococci are the problem. In arthritis due to gram-positive Staphylococci. Gramstained smears are positive for 75% of the patients.


Author(s):  
Sushma Vashisht ◽  
Manish Pal Singh ◽  
Viney Chawla

The methanolic extract of the resin of Shorea robusta was subjected to investigate its antioxidant and antibacterial properties its utility in free radical mediated diseases including diabetic, cardiovascular, cancer etc. The methanol extract of the resin was tested for antioxidant activity using scavenging activity of DPPH (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazil) radical method, reducing power by FeCl3 and antibacterial activity against gram positive and gram negative bacteria using disc diffusion method. The phytochemical screening considered the presence of triterpenoids, tannins and flavoniods. Overall, the plant extract is a source of natural antioxidants which might be helpful in preventing the progress of various oxidative stress mediated diseases including aging. The half inhibition concentration (IC50) of resin extract of Shorea robusta and ascorbic acid were 35.60 µg/ml and 31.91 µg/ml respectively. The resin extract exhibit a significant dose dependent inhibition of DPPH activity. Antibacterial activity was observed against gram positive and gram negative bacteria in dose dependent manner.Key Words: Shorea robusta, antioxidant, antibacterial, Disc-diffusion, DPPH.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document