Antimicrobial and Antioxidant Properties of , , , and - Traditional Plants Used in Central America.

The search for alternative naturally occurring antimicrobial agents will always continue, especially when emerging diseases like COVID-19 provide an urgency to identify and develop safe and effective ways to prevent or treat these infections. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the potential antimicrobial activity as well as antioxidant properties of commercial samples from four traditional medicinal plants used in Central America: , , , and . Ethanolic extracts were prepared from commercial products derived from the seeds or flowers of these plants.

Biology, chemistry, and pharmacological activity of (Bignoniaceae) and (Clusiaceae) - a review.

and are two West African medicinal plants traditionally used to treat or alleviate various medical conditions such as skin ailments, respiratory disorders, and digestive problems. Phytochemical analyses indicated the presence of bioactive constituents, including flavonoids and phenolic acids, suggesting that the extracts of these two plants can interfere with reactive oxygen species-induced oxidative stress, inflammation, and microbial growth. This paper reviews the biochemical properties and the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antibacterial activities of these two relevant West African medicinal plants.

Antiviral activity of aframomum melegueta against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronaviruses type 1 and 2.

Plant-based compounds with antiviral properties against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) have been identified in through computational models. The seed extract have been traditionally used to treat different illnesses. In this study, ethanolic extracts were prepared for six commercial samples of seeds.

Algal and Cyanobacterial Lectins and Their Antimicrobial Properties.

Lectins are proteins with a remarkably high affinity and specificity for carbohydrates. Many organisms naturally produce them, including animals, plants, fungi, protists, bacteria, archaea, and viruses. The present report focuses on lectins produced by marine or freshwater organisms, in particular algae and cyanobacteria.

In polycistronic Qbeta RNA, single-strandedness at one ribosome binding site directly affects translational initiations at a distal upstream cistron.

In Qβ RNA, sequestering the coat gene ribosome binding site in a putatively strong hairpin stem structure eliminated synthesis of coat protein and activated protein synthesis from the much weaker maturation gene initiation site, located 1300 nucleotides upstream. As the stability of a hairpin stem comprising the coat gene Shine-Dalgarno site was incrementally increased, there was a corresponding increase in translation of maturation protein. The effect of the downstream coat gene ribosome binding sequence on maturation gene expression appeared to have occurred only in cis and did not require an AUG start codon or initiation of coat protein synthesis.