Background: Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer in females in Jordan, it accounts for about 35.3% of all female cancers. Searching for alternative medicine from plants for breast cancer is a paramount importance. No studies have investigated the cytotoxic effect of the plants of Ajuga chia, Micromeria nervosa and Origanum dayi that are belonging to the family Lamiaceae and are growing wild in Jordan. Objective: To investigate the cytotoxic effect of the A. chia, M. nervosa and O. dayi plant species against two different breast cancer cell lines MCF7 and T47D. Materials and methods: The aerial parts of the aforementioned plant species were extracted with water and ethanol. Cell viability was assessed using MTT assay, after incubation with various concentrations of plant extracts. Results: A pronounced cytotoxic effect of the ethanolic extract of O. dayi against MCF7 and T47D cell lines, with IC 50 =99.4 ± 2.9 and 250 ± 4 µg/mL respectively. The ethanolic extract of A. chia has shown cytotoxic effect against T47D cell line with IC 50 =200 ± 5.2. The aqueous and ethanolic extracts of M. nervosa did not show any toxicity against the aforementioned cell lines. The three plant species showed selectivity when they were tested on fibroblasts (normal cells). Conclusion: Origanum dayi exhibited good cytotoxicity against aforementioned cell lines among the detected plant species, so O. dayi is considered a candidate for the development of a novel agent against breast cancer.

Ochratoxin A (OTA) is a mycotoxin that may contaminate animal feed (oat, barley, and rye) and food (wheat, rice, coffee, beer, pig meat), leading to major health problems (e.g., nephropathy) in several animal species including humans. Several methods have been tested to reduce the toxicity of OTA in animals but with limited success. In rats, the effect of cholestyramine (CHA), a bile acid-binding resin, was investigated on OTA-induced nephrotoxicity and bioavailability. Animals were fed semisynthetic diets containing two levels of OTA: 1 or 3 ppm. At each level of OTA, the diets were enriched with 0.1, 1, and 5% of CHA. The results showed that CHA decreased the concentration of OTA in plasma. At 1 and 3 ppm of OTA in the diet, CHA is effective at a level of 0.1% and 5%, respectively. The excretion of OTA and its metabolites (ochratoxin alpha and hydroxylated ochratoxin A) in bile and urine was also decreased by addition of 5% CHA in the diet. This was associated with an increase of OTA excretion in feces. Enzymuria and renal morphology revealed that dietary CHA can decrease OTA-induced nephrotoxicity, probably by reducing renal exposure to the toxin. In conclusion, CHA can reduce OTA concentrations in plasma as well as reducing nephrotoxicity, which may be attributed to a decrease of bioavailability and/or enterohepatic circulation of the toxin.

The aim of this study is to investigate the anti-hyperglycemic effect, lipid profile and the activity of certain hepatic enzymes of the ethanolic extract of the plant Arbutus andrachne on streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. About 30 Wistar albino rats weighing between 180-200 g were randomly classified into four categories of six albino rats. The normal control group (group A) was treated orally with distilled water. The diabetic control group (group B) was induced by streptozotocin. So, this group is considered as a negative control. The non diabetic rats (group C) which was treated with the ethanolic extract of the plant A. andrachne that collected from Jerash/Jordan of a dose 200 mg kg !1. The last group (Group D) which included the diabetic rats that treated with 200 mg kg-1 of the ethanoilc extract of the plant A. andrachne. The treatment was carried out daily for 14 days. The glucose, triglycerides, cholesterol and hepatic enzymes levels were quantified in serum of experimental rats. Study was carried out in Faculty of Pharmacy/Applied Science University (December, 2018) and Botany Lab, Department of Biological sciences/University of Jordan. The results unambiguously showed that there was significant declines (p<0.05) in triglycerides and glucose levels in albino rats that treated with A. andrachne ethanolic extract compared with group B, the control group of diabetic rats. Significant reduction (p<0.05) in hepatic enzymes-AST and ALT-levels were also observed in rats treated with the plant ethanoilc extract compared with group B experimental rats. However, no significant changes in the cholesterol level were observed in the treated rats compared with the control group. Data in this piece of research revealed that the plant A. andrachne ethanolic extract has both hypoglycemic and hypolipidimic effect. This extract is suggested to reduce the liver damage induced by streptozotocin through maintaining the activity of hepatic enzymes.

Background. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a major bacterial pathogen. Aim. The present study aimed to determine the incidence of MRSA infections among kidney dialysis patients and the antibiotic susceptibility patterns and investigate the prevalence of mecA gene among MRSA isolates. Materials and Methods. A total of 83 nasal sterile cotton swabs samples were obtained from hemodialysis patients from Al-Karak Governmental Hospital, Al-Karak, Jordan. Collected and cultured on nutrient agar and mannitol salt agar and incubating at 37°C for 24–48 hours, Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) strains were identified by gram stain, coagulase test, and catalase tests. The MRSA isolates were tested for the presence of MecA and SCCmec genes using the Xpert SA Nasal Complete assay real-time PCR. Factors such as age and gender were included in the study. The antibiotic profile tested by using the disc diffusion method tested all MRSA isolates. Results. This study showed that 10.8% of the cultures’ growth was S. aureus and 9.6% of all the patients were infected with MRSA, with no relationship between the number and frequency of MRSA according to the patient’s gender or age. All MRSA (100%) isolates have both genes (MecA genes and SCCmec genes), and all samples were resistant to oxacillin, ceftazidime, cefoxitin, aztreonam, and ampicillin. Conclusion. The MRSA prevalence was determined among kidney dialysis patients in the hospital. All positive samples were resistant to oxacillin, ceftazidime, cefoxitin, aztreonam, and ampicillin, which is a very rare finding, and this will give the scientists and doctors a dangerous indication about health-care centers in the Al-Karak city of Jordan.

Traditional emulsifying salts used in processed cheesemaking contain high concentrations of sodium and phosphorus, which may represent a health threat to some individuals, especially with chronic kidney and liver diseases. Therefore, it is urgent to search for safe alternatives to commercial phosphate-containing emulsifiers to be used in the manufacture of low-phosphorus processed cheese spread (LP-PCS). Thereby, the present study was undertaken to evaluate the effect of administrating LP-PCS on renal and liver functions and kidney histopathological examination in diclofenac (DF)-treated rats. Consequently, 4 LP-PCS cheeses were manufactured using plant polysaccharides (PP), milk fat globule membrane (MFGM), milk protein concentrate (MPC), or sodium citrate (CIT) as alternatives to commercial emulsifiers. Cheeses coded as PP-, MFGM-, MPC-and CIT-cheese. Besides, cheese with commercial emulsifier was manufactured and served as control (CONT). The experiment lasted for 8 weeks. Results revealed that DF treatment led to significant damage in liver and kidney functions. Both PP-and MFGM-cheeses appeared to have a protective effect against the side effects induced by DF treatment. The protective effect was evident as animals administrated such cheese had biochemical parameters and renal histopathological structure similar to those of healthy animals. In conclusion, the results presented in this study indicated promising protective effects of PP-and MFGM-cheeses against hepatic and renal damages induced by diclofenac administration in rats. Thus, it could be recommended to use PP or MFGM as an efficient replacer to commercial emulsifiers usually used in the production of processed cheese spread.