AIMS: Therefore, in this study, we evaluated the optimized culture medium for growth of this lipophilic yeast using modified leeming-Notman agar and colorimetric resazurin microtiter assay to assess antimycotic activity of fluconazole against M. furfur.
RESULTS: The result showed that these assays were more adjustable for M. furfur with reliable and reproducible MIC end-point, by confirming antimycotic activity of fluconazole with MIC of 2μg/ml.
CONCLUSION: We conclude that this method is considered as the rapid and effective susceptibility testing of M. furfur with fluconazole antifungal activity.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is an in vitro experimental study. PVF samples were collected from horseshoe crabs from beaches in Malaysia and the crude extract was prepared. DPSCs were treated with different concentrations of PVF crude extract in an 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay (cytotoxicity test). We choose two inhibitory concentrations (IC50 and IC25) and two PVF concentrations which produced more cell viability compared to a negative control (100%) for further tests. Quantitative analysis of the proliferation activity of PVF was studied using the AlamarBlue®assay for 10 days. Population doubling times (PDTs) of the treatment groups were calculated from this assay. Genotoxicity was evaluated based on the CA and Ames tests. Statistical analysis was carried out using independent t test to calculate significant differences in the PDT and mitotic indices in the CA test between the treatment and negative control groups. Significant differences in the data were P<0.05.
RESULTS: A total of four PVF concentrations retrieved from the MTT assay were 26.887 mg/ml (IC50), 14.093 mg/ml (IC25), 0.278 mg/ml (102% cell viability) and 0.019 mg/ml (102.5% cell viability). According to the AlamarBlue®assay, these PVF groups produced comparable proliferation activities compared to the negative (untreated) control. PDTs between PVF groups and the negative control were insignificantly different (P>0.05). No significant aberrations in chromosomes were observed in the PVF groups and the Ames test on the PVF showed the absence of significant positive results.
CONCLUSION: PVF from horseshoe crabs produced insignificant proliferative activity on treated DPSCs. The PVF was non-genotoxic based on the CA and Ames tests.
Methodology: Thirty rats were treated to receive 0.5 mL phosphate-buffered saline (group A, control), 0.5 mL corn oil (group B), 0.2% CPZ (group C), for 6 weeks, 0.2% CPZ for 3 weeks and then 200 mg/kg of Kv for 3 weeks (group D), or 200 mg/kg of Kv for 3 weeks followed by 0.2% CPZ for 3 weeks (group E). Rats were assessed for exploratory functions and anxiety-like behaviour before being euthanised and perfused transcardially with 4% paraformaldehyde. Prefrontal and hippocampal thin sections were stained in hematoxylin and eosin and cresyl fast violet stains.
Results: CPZ-induced demyelination resulted in behavioural impairment as seen by reduced exploratory activities, rearing behaviour, stretch attend posture, center square entry, and anxiogenic characteristics. Degenerative changes including pyknosis, karyorrhexis, neuronal hypertrophy, and reduced Nissl integrity were also seen. Animals treated with Kv showed significant improvement in behavioural outcomes and a comparatively normal cytoarchitectural profile.
Conclusion: Kv provides protective roles against CPZ-induced neurotoxicity through prevention of ribosomal protein degradation.
RESULTS: The resazurin-based TB assay demonstrated that the L. cuprina larval extract was inhibitory against all tested bacteria, whilst the larval extract of S. peregrina and M. domestica were only inhibitory against the MRSA, with a MIC of 100 mg ml(-1). Subsequent sub-culture of aliquots revealed that the larval extract of L. cuprina was bactericidal against MRSA whilst the larval extracts of S. peregrina and M. domestica were bacteriostatic against MRSA. The GC-MS analysis had quantitatively identified 20 organic compounds (fatty acids or their derivatives, aromatic acid esters, glycosides and phenol) from the larval extract of L. cuprina; and 5 fatty acid derivatives with known antimicrobial activities from S. peregrina and M. domestica.
CONCLUSION: The resazurin-based turbidometric assay is a simple, reliable and feasible screening assay which evidently demonstrated the antibacterial activity of all fly larval extracts, primarily against the MRSA. The larval extract of L. cuprina exerted a broad spectrum antibacterial activity against all tested bacteria. The present study revealed probable development and use of novel and effective natural disinfectant(s) and antibacterial agent(s) from flies and efforts to screen more fly species for antibacterial activity using resazurin-based TB assay should be undertaken for initial screening for subsequent discovery and isolation of potential novel antimicrobial substances, particularly against the multi-drug resistant strains.