Salvadora persica L. (Salvadoraceae) is an evergreen shrub growing in the Middle East, Africa, and Southern Asia. It is traditionally known as “miswak” and used as toothbrushes and for the treatment of toothache, gum diseases, boils, chest infection, gonorrhea, headache, spleen troubles, stomachache, and ulcers. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study aimed at conducting phytochemical, cytotoxic, and antimicrobial investigations of the fruits (berries) of S. persica collected from the Jazan region of Saudi Arabia. Analysis of the ethanol extract of S. persica fruits using GC-MS showed the presence of six esters (20.71%), seven alkanes (15.47%), tetracosamethyl-cyclododecasiloxane (9.91%), eicosamethyl-cyclodecasiloxane (7.27%), and 1-monolinoleoylglycerol (5.17%). The predominant constituents were acetyl dasycarpidan-1-methanol (10.47%), tetracosamethyl-cyclododecasiloxane (9.91%), eicosamethyl-cyclodecasiloxane (7.27%), and 1-monolinoleoylglycerol (5.17%). The petroleum ether extract of the fruits contained mainly eicosamethyl-cyclodecasiloxane (23.81%), 1-monolinoleoylglycerol (11.78%), (Z,Z,Z)-9,12,15-octadecatrienoic acid ethyl ester derivative (10.56%), and tetracosamethyl-cyclododecasiloxane (9.91%). The cytotoxic properties of the ethanol extract were investigated by MTT assay against the breast MCF7, ovary A2780, and colon HT29 cells. The fruit extract of S. persica was selective against the ovarian and colon cancer cells compared to normal fibroblast cells (MRC5) as it showed IC50 values 17.50, 8.35, and 5.12, against MCF7, A2780, and HT29 cells, respectively. Interestingly, the fruit extract was also found to possess selective antimicrobial activity for Streptococcus mutans isolates with minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) values of 3.12 and 6.25 mg/mL, respectively. Interestingly, it was found to be ineffective against other Gram-positive as well as Gram-negative microorganisms. This study provides insight into the bioactive components present in the fruits of the plant that can be utilized for its cytotoxic and antimicrobial properties.

Development of nanotechnology, nanoparticles based product and its application is generating interest of many researchers due to its promising biological achievement. However, it is well known that inorganic nanomaterials are good antimicrobial agents. Among the various nanoparticles, metal nanoparticles as copper assume special importance due to its low cost and easy availability. In this study, the green synthesis method as eco-friendly approach is used to produce biologically copper oxide nanoparticles from Ficus carica leaf extract, stable CuO NPs were formed. The synthesized nanoparticles is characterized through the UV-Vis Spectrophotometer as it found to be 437 nm, Transmission Electron microscopy (TEM) investigated particle sizes in the range 51-62 nm and typical XRD patterns of the formed CuO NPs with high phase purity were obtained. Chitosan stabilizer as naturally occurring polymers was added to the prepared copper nanoparticles in different amounts to obtain Chitosan-CuO with different CuO percentage for longterm stability, for prevention the agglomeration of nanoparticles and enhancing their antibacterial efficacy. FTIR spectroscopy analysis was performed to copperoxide nanoparticle, chitosan, copperoxide chitosan composite to confirm that CuO nanoparticle was mixed with polymer. The antibacterial efficacy of chitosan, copper nanoparticles alone was studied against 22 bacterial pathogen like Coaggulase +ve S. aureus, methicillin-resistant Coaggulase -ve S. aureus, Klebsiella pneumonia as gram positive bacteria, Escherichia coli, e.coli o157 Salmonella typhi, Pseudomonas aeruginosa as gram negative bacteria that showed antibacterial activity against Gram positive as well as Gram negative bacteria. Antimicrobial activities of polymer/metal composites (Co oxide-chitosan nanoparticle) is studied against the same bacterial pathogen. The effect of the prepared Chitosan-CuO composite on ultrastructure of bacterial cells were evaluated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), it was found that the antibacterial activity of Cu-chitosan nanoparticle composite is more greater than antibacterial activity of copper nanoparticles and chitosan alone that indicate the addition of chitosan stabilizer enhance at great extent the antimicrobial activity of CuO NPs.

Aim:In Egypt as in many other countries, river water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) is considered an important source of high-quality milk and meat supply. The objective of this study was to investigate serotypes, virulence genes, and antibiotic resistance determinants profiles of Escherichia coli isolated from buffalo at some places in Egypt; noticibly, this issue was not discussed in the country yet.Materials and Methods:A number of 58 rectal samples were collected from diarrheic buffalo calves in different regions in Egypt, and bacteriological investigated for E. coli existence. The E. coli isolates were biochemically, serologicaly identified, tested for antibiotic susceptibility, and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analyzed for the presence of antibiotic resistance determinants and virulence genes.Results:Overall 14 isolates typed as E. coli (24.1%); 6 were belonged to serogroup O78 (10.3%), followed by O125 (4 isolates, 6.9%), then O158 (3 isolates, 5.2%) and one isolate O8 (1.7%), among them, there were 5 E. coli isolates showed a picture of hemolysis (35.7%). The isolates exhibited a high resistance to β lactams over 60%, followed by sulfa (50%) and aminoglucoside (42.8%) group, in the same time the isolates were sensitive to quinolone, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, tetracycline (100%), and cephalosporine groups (71.4%). A multiplex PCR was applied to the 14 E. coli isolates revealed that all were carrying at least one gene, as 10 carried blaTEM (71.4%), 8 Sul1 (57.1%), and 6 aadB (42.8%), and 9 isolates could be considered multidrug resistant (MDR) by an incidence of 64.3%. A PCR survey was stratified for the most important E. coli virulence genes, and showed the presence of Shiga toxins in 9 isolates carried either one or the two Stx genes (64.3%), 5 isolates carried hylA gene (35.7%), and eae in 2 isolates only (14.3%), all isolates carried at least one virulence gene except two (85.7%).Conclusion:The obtained data displayed that in Egypt, buffalo as well as other ruminants could be a potential source of MDR pathogenic E. coli variants which have a public health importance.

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