Response surface methodology (RSM) and artificial neural networks (ANN) were evaluated and compared in order to decide which method was the most appropriate to predict and optimize total phenolic content (TPC) and oleuropein yields in olive tree leaf (Olea europaea) extracts, obtained after solvent-free microwave-assisted extraction (SFMAE). The SFMAE processing conditions were: microwave irradiation power 250–350 W, extraction time 2–3 min, and the amount of sample 5–10 g. Furthermore, the antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of the olive leaf extracts, obtained under optimal extraction conditions, were assessed by several in vitro assays. ANN had better prediction performance for TPC and oleuropein yields compared to RSM. The optimum extraction conditions to recover both TPC and oleuropein were: irradiation power 250 W, extraction time 2 min, and amount of sample 5 g, independent of the method used for prediction. Under these conditions, the maximal yield of oleuropein (0.060 ± 0.012 ppm) was obtained and the amount of TPC was 2.480 ± 0.060 ppm. Moreover, olive leaf extracts obtained under optimum SFMAE conditions showed antibacterial activity against S. aureus and S. epidermidis, with a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) value of 1.25 mg/mL.

Vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) is the second most common cause of vaginitis after bacterial vaginosis, affecting millions of women worldwide every year. Candida albicans is the most frequent agent of VVC followed by other species of Candida such as C. glabrata and C. parapsilosis. Out of a total of 100 clinical isolates of Candida spp. obtained from patients diagnosed with VVC, 84 were identified as C. albicans, while the remaining isolates were identified as non--albicans Candida strains. Phospholipases and proteinases were produced by a majority of the C. albicans strains and esterases and hemolysins a minority of these strains. Among the non-C. albicans strains, only a few of the strains produced these proteins. Nearly all of the isolates formed biofilms. Our results showed that the butoconazole, clotrimazole, and fluconazole were active against C. albicans and less so against the non-albicans Candida strains. The MIC90 of amphotericin B and nystatins were 2 and 4 μg/ml, respectively, against either C. albicans or non-albicans Candida spp. Representative ceragenins (CSA-13, CSA-131, and CSA-138), developed as mimics of endogenous antimicrobial peptides, were active against fluconazole-resistant strains, both alone and in combination with fluconazole. These results suggest the potential use of ceragenins in treating VVC, including infections caused by fluconazole-resistant isolates.

BackgroundBecause of increasing antibiotic resistance, herbal teas are the most popular natural alternatives for the treatment of infectious diseases, and are currently gaining more importance. We examined the antimicrobial activities of 31 herbal teas both alone and in combination with antibiotics or antifungals against some standard and clinical isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Acinetobacter baumannii, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Enterococcus faecalis, methicillin susceptible/resistant Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans.MethodsThe antimicrobial activities of the teas were determined by using the disk diffusion and microbroth dilution methods, and the combination studies were examined by using the microbroth checkerboard and the time killing curve methods.ResultsRosehip, rosehip bag, pomegranate blossom, thyme, wormwood, mint, echinacea bag, cinnamon, black, and green teas were active against most of the studied microorganisms. In the combination studies, we characterized all the expected effects (synergistic, additive, and antagonistic) between the teas and the antimicrobials. While synergy was observed more frequently between ampicillin, ampicillin-sulbactam, or nystatine, and the various tea combinations, most of the effects between the ciprofloxacin, erythromycin, cefuroxime, or amikacin and various tea combinations, particularly rosehip, rosehip bag, and pomegranate blossom teas, were antagonistic. The results of the time kill curve analyses showed that none of the herbal teas were bactericidal in their usage concentrations; however, in combination with antibiotics they showed some bactericidal effect.DiscussionSome herbal teas, particularly rosehip and pomegranate blossom should be avoided because of their antagonistic interactions with some antibiotics during the course of antibiotic treatment or they should be consumed alone for their antimicrobial activities.

Objective: Considering this information, firstly, isoindole derivatives containing different functional groups 4-13 have been synthesized from 2-alkyl/aryl-3a, 4,7,7a-tetrahydro-1H-isoindole-1, 3(2H)-dione. Background: Norcantharimides are known as norcantharidine derivatives and contain an isoindole skeleton structure. Isoindole derivatives have positive effect on inflammatory pathologies including cancers. Methods: For the synthesis of all compounds, 2-alkyl/aryl-3a, 4,7,7a-tetrahydro-1H-isoindole- 1,3(2H)-dione was used as the starting compound. The syntheses were based on two main reactions: Ene-reaction of singlet oxygen and epoxidation. Secondly, their anticancer activities were evaluated against HeLa, C6 and A549 cancer cell lines by the BrdU assay. Results: Anticancer activities of synthesized compounds (4-13) and 5-FU (5-Florouracil) against HeLa, C6 and A549 cells were investigated at four concentrations (100, 50, 25 and 5 μM). IC50 values of compounds 4-13 were calculated for all cancer cell lines. The investigated compounds showed anticancer activity against the cancer cell lines depending on doses. Compound 7 containing azide and silyl ether exhibited higher inhibitory activity than the other compounds and 5-FU against A549 cancer cell lines (IC50 =19.41± 0.01 μM). Compounds 9 and 11 were determined to exhibit cell-selective activity against HeLa cancer cell lines. Compound 11 had higher activity than the positive control at 100 μM concentrations against C6 cancer cell lines. Conclusion: According to the results observed, isoindole derivatives 7, 9, and 11 might be good potential anticancer agents for the treatment of cervical and glioma cancer due to their antiproliferative properties, having less cytotoxic effects on healthy cells. In addition, compound 7 could be used in in vivo studies of all three-cancer cell lines (C6, HeLa, and A549).

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