Nano-Biotechnology
Mehran Alavi; Michael R. Hamblin; Ermia Aghaie; Seyed Ali Reza Mousavi; Mohammad Hajimolaali
Abstract
Up to one million secondary metabolites are found in plant species, some of which may have desirable therapeutic activities. Among these secondary metabolites, catechin, gallic acid, and epigallocatechin-3-gallate are natural phenolic compounds with promising antioxidant and antibacterial activity. However, ...
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Up to one million secondary metabolites are found in plant species, some of which may have desirable therapeutic activities. Among these secondary metabolites, catechin, gallic acid, and epigallocatechin-3-gallate are natural phenolic compounds with promising antioxidant and antibacterial activity. However, these compounds have disadvantages of poor solubility, low bioavailability in physiological conditions, and side effects in patients. Therefore new strategies could rely on formulations with other synthetic and natural materials. Nanoformulations of secondary metabolites could be new efficient strategies to treat many chronic bacterial infections. Combinations and conjugates of catechin, gallic acid, and epigallocatechin-3-gallate with various antibiotics could reduce the dose of these compounds, increase their antibacterial activity, and decrease cytotoxicity against healthy cells. For instance, a smart combination of two or more secondary metabolites may improve therapeutic applications in physiological conditions. In this regard, the growth of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, specifically multidrug-resistant bacteria with overexpression of efflux pumps and expression of the penicillinase enzyme, has been inhibited significantly. According to recent investigations, this review will discuss the advances and challenges of new micro and nanoformulations of these natural products.
Application of medicinal plants in medicine
Shirin Ahmadi
Abstract
Systemic bacterial and fungal infections in recent years due to the increasing number of debilitating diseases immune system such as AIDS, blood malignancies, overdose, corticosteroid drugs, and broad-spectrum antibiotics has been raised. There is a prevalence of acute and subsequent candida infections ...
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Systemic bacterial and fungal infections in recent years due to the increasing number of debilitating diseases immune system such as AIDS, blood malignancies, overdose, corticosteroid drugs, and broad-spectrum antibiotics has been raised. There is a prevalence of acute and subsequent candida infections with drug-resistance properties such as fluconazole. Due to the prevalence and spread of fungal and bacterial diseases, the effort to find treatments has increased more than before. The use of plant compounds for the therapy of fungal and bacterial diseases is effective due to their unique biocompatible and bioavailable. The trend toward new antifungal and antibacterial agents being introduced to the market remains small, while resistance to many antibiotics is emerging, especially in patients receiving long-term treatment. Considering the enormous antimicrobial potentials of natural compounds isolated from plants and endophytes and screening of new antibiotics for various pharmaceutical applications as an alternative source remains largely unknown. Endophytes and medicinal plant species have main primary and secondary metabolites suitable to hindrance or inactivation of pathogens. Recently, various studies about the antibacterial and antifungal activities of these metabolites have been reported. For this purpose, in this review, antibacterial and antifungal activities of endophytes of Pestalotiopsis genus and medicinal plant species of Zingiber and Hydnora genera have been discussed according to recent studies.