scholarly journals In Vitro Assessment of Antifungal Caspofungin on Leishmania donovani Culture Isolation

Author(s):  
Narayan Raj Bhattarai ◽  
Keshav Rai ◽  
Suman Rijal ◽  
Basudha Khanal

Leishmania parasite isolation from the human aspirates is always challenging due to most probability of the fungal contamination and the use of antifungal drug which could support the selective growth of the Leishmania parasite. In this study, we examine the effect of antifungal drug caspofungin on the promastigote stage of Leishmania donovani. Promastigote parasite was cultivated in M199 + 20% heat-inactivated fetal calf serum and plated in 96-well plates. Seven different concentrations of caspofungin (512 µg/ml to 8 µg/ml) were exposed to parasites, and 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50) was calculated. Candida spp. was used in the experiments to know the efficacy of caspofungin to inhibit fungal growth. The IC50 values of Leishmania strains ranged from 23.02 to 155.80 µg/ml (mean 90.25 ± 39.01 µg/ml), and it was significantly higher (P value = 0.02) than IC50 values of Candida spp. (ranged from 0.001 to 0.12 µg/ml, mean = 0.05 ± 0.05 µg/ml). The reduced growth rate of the parasite was found with exposure to 50 µg/ml of caspofungin. Growth inhibition of Leishmania donovani is significantly lower with caspofungin and could be used to protect the parasite cultivation from fungal contamination.

2011 ◽  
Vol 75 (3) ◽  
pp. 429-433 ◽  
Author(s):  
F.G. Leivas ◽  
D.S. Brum ◽  
S.S. Fialho ◽  
W.P. Saliba ◽  
M.T.T. Alvim ◽  
...  

2021 ◽  
Vol 36 (Supplement_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jana Holmar ◽  
Heidi Noels ◽  
Joachim Jankowski ◽  
Setareh Orth-Alampour

Abstract Background and Aims Vascular calcification (VC) is one major complication in patients with chronic kidney disease whereas a misbalance in calcium and phosphate metabolism plays a crucial role. The mechanisms underlying VC have not been entirely revealed to date. Therefore are the studies aiming at the identification and characterization of the mediators/uremic toxins involved in VC ongoing and highly relevant. However, currently many different protocols being used in the studies of vascular calcification processes. This complicates the comparison of study outcomes, composing systematic reviews, and meta-analyses. Moreover, the reproducibility of data is hampered, and the efficiency in calcification research through the lack of a standardized protocol is reduced. In this study, we developed a standardized operating protocol for in vitro and ex vivo approaches to aiming at the comparability of these studies. Method We analysed in vitro and ex vivo experimental conditions to study VC. Vascular smooth muscle cells (HAoSMCs) were used for in vitro experiments and aortas from Wistar rats were used for ex vivo experiments. The influence of the following conditions was studied in detail: • Phosphate and calcium concentrations in calcifying media. • Incubation time. • Fetal calf serum (FCS) concentration. The degree of calcification was estimated by quantification of calcium concentrations that were normalized to protein content (in vitro) or to the dry weight of the aortic ring (ex vivo). Additionally, the aortic rings were stained using the von Kossa method. Optimal conditions for investigating medial vascular calcification were detected and summarized in the step-by-step protocol. Results We were able to demonstrate that the degree and the location of VC in vascular smooth muscle cells and aortic rings were highly dependent on the phosphate and CaCl2 concentration in the medium as well as the incubation time. Furthermore, the VC was reduced upon increasing fetal calf serum concentration in the medium. An optimized protocol for studying vascular calcification in vitro and ex vivo was developed and validated. The final protocol (Figure 1) presented will help to standardize in vitro and ex vivo approaches to investigate the processes of vascular calcification. Conclusion In the current study, we developed and validated a standardized operating protocol for systematic in vitro and ex vivo analyses of medial calcification, which is essential for the comparability of the results of future studies.


2015 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Zubeir M. Golamaully ◽  
Vishwakalyan Bhoyroo ◽  
Nadeem Nazurally ◽  
Vineshwar Gopal

With the ever growing population and economic needs of Mauritius, the flora of Mauritius has never been in more danger and one group of vascular plants is even more in peril; ferns.<em> Diplazium proliferum</em> is indigenous to the Mascarene region and is considered as a rare species in Mauritius. The need to develop a tested <em>in vitro</em> propagation protocol is a must to protect the biodiversity of Mauritius. This experiment was geared towards the establishment of a proper sterilization technique and the effect of 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP) and light on <em>in vitro</em> culture of this fern. Sterilization with 0.05% Mercuric chloride was effective to eliminate fungal contamination and allow germination of spores. Culture media supplemented with BAP did not significantly increase growth rate of both gametophytes and sporophytes of<em> D. proliferum</em>. Present results suggest efficient sterilization methods to be a crucial stage for successful<em> in vitro r</em>egeneration of ferns. The established protocol will be used as an optimized baseline protocol for the propagation of other indigenous ferns.


2005 ◽  
Vol 17 (8) ◽  
pp. 751 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mona E. Pedersen ◽  
Øzen Banu Øzdas ◽  
Wenche Farstad ◽  
Aage Tverdal ◽  
Ingrid Olsaker

In this study the synthetic oviduct fluid (SOF) system with bovine oviduct epithelial cell (BOEC) co-culture is compared with an SOF system with common protein supplements. One thousand six hundred bovine embryos were cultured in SOF media supplemented with BOEC, fetal calf serum (FCS) and bovine serum albumin (BSA). Eight different culture groups were assigned according to the different supplementation factors. Developmental competence and the expression levels of five genes, namely glucose transporter-1 (Glut-1), heat shock protein 70 (HSP), connexin43 (Cx43), β-actin (ACTB) and glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH), analysed as mRNA by using reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction, were measured on bovine embryos cultured for 9 days. Gene expression of these in vitro-produced embryos was compared with the gene expression of in vivo-produced embryos. There was no significant difference found in embryo developmental competence between the Day 9 embryos in BOEC co-culture, FCS and BSA supplements in SOF media. However, differences in gene expression were observed. With respect to gene expression in in vivo and in vitro embryos, BOEC co-culture affected the same genes as did supplementation with FCS and BSA. HSP was the only gene that differed significantly between in vitro and in vivo embryos. When the different in vitro groups were compared, a significant difference between the BOEC co-culture and the FCS supplementation groups due to Glut-1 expression was observed.


Author(s):  
◽  

Objective: To report, based on the literature, the action of the compound 5-hydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinone against parasites (protozoa and helminths) that affect humans. Methods: This is a narrative review that used Pubmed and Google Scholar as a data tool. This work included articles published until September 2020 that were directly related to the use of the compound juglone in antiparasitic trials. Results: The compound juglone demonstrated promising effects as a human and animal antiparasitic substance. In protozoa, the Apicomplexo Toxoplasma gondii parasite showed a high mortality rate in concentrations of juglone in the nanomolar range. The juglone showed an average inhibitory concentration (IC50) of 1.62 µM, >100 µM, and 2.02 µM µM for Trypanosoma cruzi, T. brucei rhodesiense, and Leishmania donovani, respectively. Also, the juglone showed antihelmintic activity on Hymenolepis nana in mice, and on adult worms of Schistosoma mansoni (LE strain) with IC50 34.16 µM, 32.14 µM, and 25 µM in the 24h, 48h, and 72 h, respectively. Conclusion: The results published so far show the in vitro antiparasitic potential of juglone, and the need for further studies on the specific mode of action that interacts with parasites. Besides, the literature is still limited to studies that evaluate in vivo the compound juglone, requiring better information on its interaction with living organisms.


2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. 001-013
Author(s):  
Abwe Mercy Ngone ◽  
Lawrence Monah Ndam ◽  
Rita Mungfu Njilar ◽  
Doungous Oumar ◽  
Thomas Eku Njock

Plant tissue culture requires the optimization of growth media. Gnetum, known locally in Cameroon as “Eru” is an indigenous gymnospermous vegetable with diverse medicinal, nutritional, cultural and socio-economic values. This resource is over-exploited and expected to neighboring countries, resulting to increased scarcity in the forest. Preliminary work on the in vitro culture of nodal cuttings was faced by the problem of fungal contamination. It was therefore necessary to isolate and identify the fungal contaminant, optimize the surface sterilization of field material and compose an appropriate medium for sprouting. Pure cultures of the fungus were obtained and grown on Potato Dextrose Agar (PDA) and Sabouraud Dextrose Agar (SDA). The identification was based on the appearance of the fungal growth on plates and also on the microscopic view. This was affected by the use of keys. Gnetum explants were disinfected with the various concentrations of disinfectants, preceded in some instances by pre-treatments, as well as incorporating fungicides in the culture medium. Two different culture media were employed: the Woody Plant Medium (WPM) and the Murashige and Skoog (MS) based establishment medium (Y-1). Gnetum was found to live in association with a complex of Microsporum species. The level of contamination of cultures was reduced from 100% to 40% when pre-treated before disinfection and even lower to 10% by incorporating fungicides in the medium. Sprouting was observed in WPM. This study provides baseline information on the in vitro propagation of Gnetum and thus opens up avenues for more research to be carried out in this field.


1996 ◽  
Vol 40 (3) ◽  
pp. 621-626 ◽  
Author(s):  
J E Sjöström ◽  
J Fryklund ◽  
T Kühler ◽  
H Larsson

Factors affecting the in vitro antibacterial activity of omeprazole were studied. Our data show that 3H-labeled omeprazole covalently bound to Helicobacter pylori and to other gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria. The compound was found to bind to a broad range of proteins in H. pylori, and at pH 5, binding was enhanced 15-fold compared with binding at pH 7. The bactericidal activity correlated to the degree of binding, and at pH 5, a pH at which omeprazole readily converts to the active sulfenamide form, beta-mercaptoethanol, a known scavenger of sulfenamide, and fetal calf serum, to which noncovalent protein binding of omeprazole is known to occur, reduced the level of binding and almost entirely abolished the bactericidal activity. At pH 7 the killing activities of omeprazole and structural analogs (e.g., proton pump inhibitors) were dependent on the time-dependent conversion (half-life) to the corresponding sulfenamide. The bactericidal activity exerted by the sulfenamide form at pH 5 was not specific for the genus Helicobacter. However, in brucella broth at pH 7 with 10% fetal calf serum, only Helicobacter spp. were susceptible to omeprazole, with MBCs in the range of 32 to 64 micrograms/ml, and MBCs for more stable proton pump inhibitors were higher. Wild-type H. pylori and its isogenic urease-deficient mutant were equally susceptible to omeprazole. Thus, the urease is not a lethal target for omeprazole action in H. pylori. In conclusion, the antibacterial activities of omeprazole and analogs are dependent on pH and the composition of the medium used. Thus, at a low pH in buffer, these compounds have a nonselective action, whereas in broth at neutral pH, the mechanism of action is selective for Helicobacter spp.


Zygote ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 25 (6) ◽  
pp. 740-750 ◽  
Author(s):  
Priscila Chediek Dall'Acqua ◽  
Beatriz Caetano da Silva Leão ◽  
Nathália Alves de Souza Rocha-Frigoni ◽  
Fernanda Patrícia Gottardi ◽  
Gisele Zoccal Mingoti

SummaryThis study examined the effects of meiosis inhibition during bovine oocyte transportation on developmental competence and quality of produced embryos. The transportation medium was supplemented with: 100 μM butyrolactone I (BL), 500 μM IBMX + 100 μM forskolin (mSPOM), 100 μM milrinone (MR) or follicular fluid (bFF), and was carried out in a portable incubator for 6 h. Next, oocytes were in vitro matured (IVM) for 18 h, without the meiotic inhibitors, with the exception of mSPOM group, in which was added 20 μM cilostamide. The three control groups were IVM with 10% fetal calf serum (FCS) (Control Lab FCS) or 0.6% bovine serum albumin (BSA) (Control Lab BSA) in a CO2 in air incubator or in the portable incubator with 0.6% BSA (Control Transp BSA). Higher cleavage rates (P < 0.05) were obtained in the Control Lab FCS group (84.5 ± 5.3%) compared with the other groups (59.6 ± 3.4% to 70.9 ± 2.3%). Embryonic development was higher (P < 0.05) in the Control Lab FCS group (39.8 ± 4.7%) than in the Control Transp BSA (22.7 ± 3.4%) and MR (21.6 ± 2.3%) groups. However, they were similar (P > 0.05) to the other groups (23.6 ± 3.3% to 28.8 ± 2.7%). The total number of blastomeres was higher (P < 0.05) in the Control Lab FCS group (85.2 ± 5.6) than in Control Lab BSA (53.6 ± 2.9), Control Transp BSA (55.5 ± 4.4), BL (58.2 ± 3.0), mSPOM (57.9 ± 4.9) and MR (59.2 ± 3.9), but all these treatments did not differ (P > 0.05) from bFF (67.7 ± 4.2). No differences (P > 0.05) were found in apoptosis by the activity of caspases (139.0 ± 3.2 to 152.4 ± 6.5, expressed in fluorescence intensity) as well as the percentage of TUNEL-positive cells (12.3 ± 2.0% to 15.7 ± 1.7%). In conclusion, the transportation of oocytes over 6 h with BL, mSPOM or bFF enabled the acquisition of developmental competence at similar rates to the Control Lab FCS group.


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