Publications by authors named "Hensel A"

Article Synopsis
  • - The study focuses on finding inhibitors that prevent the fusion of the herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) with host cell membranes, utilizing a virus-free cell culture system to model the fusion process.
  • - Researchers identified aescin, a saponin mixture, as a specific inhibitor of HSV-1 membrane fusion, achieving significant reductions in viral entry and spread in cell assays.
  • - Analytical methods revealed the main compounds present in aescin and their varying functionalities, with aescin IA showing promising inhibitory properties against HSV-1.
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Parasitic infections with gastrointestinal nematodes are a serious problem for the health and welfare of domestic animals and negatively affect the economics of animal production. Haemonchus contortus is a haematophagous nematode of small ruminants responsible for significant mortality and morbidity. In addition, the widespread resistance to synthetic anthelmintic drugs emphasizes the urgent need of alternative treatment options against haemonchosis.

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Article Synopsis
  • Tannin-rich plants in Africa are explored for their potential as natural treatments against parasitic nematodes in humans and livestock.
  • Recent research highlights that while compounds like procyanidin C1 and geraniin show effectiveness against hookworm and whipworm larvae in their unprocessed forms, their efficacy significantly diminishes after being metabolized by gut microbiota.
  • The study utilized human fecal suspensions to simulate metabolism and found that both the tannin extracts and their active compounds lost their anthelmintic effects after fermentation, indicating the need for further research on the metabolites' roles.
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Periodontitis is clinically characterized by destruction of the tooth support system and tooth loss. Porphyromonas gingivalis (Pg) plays a dominant role in periodontitis. Fractions and isolated compounds from an acetone-water extract of the roots of Limonium brasiliense (Lb) were tested in vitro for their anti-adhesive capacity against Pg on human KB buccal cells, influence on gingipains, the main virulence factors of Pg, and biofilm formation.

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The search for new active substances against SARS-CoV-2 is still a central challenge after the COVID-19 pandemic. Antiviral agents to complement vaccination are an important pillar in the clinical situation. Selected cannabinoids such as cannabigerol, cannabicyclol, cannabichromene, and cannabicitran from and synthetic homologues of cannabigerol and cannabicyclol were evaluated for effects on the cell viability of Vero cells (CC of cannabigerol and cannabicyclol 40 resp.

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Background: The association between chronic oral diseases and other major systemic health conditions, commonly referred to as the oral-systemic health connection, has been previously studied with several underlying common risk factors and pathways linking both groups of diseases. Psychosocial factors contribute to an increased susceptibility to chronic oral and non-oral diseases. The aim of this review is to summarize the current state of knowledge on the role of psychosocial stress in chronic oral and systemic diseases.

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For endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDC) the existence of "safe exposure levels", that is exposure levels that do not present an appreciable risk to human health is most controversially discussed, as is the existence of health-based reference values. Concerns have been especially raised that EDCs might not possess a threshold level such that no exposure level to EDCs can be considered safe. To explore whether or not threshold levels can be identified, we performed a screening exercise on 14 pesticidal and biocidal active substances previously identified as EDCs in the European Union.

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"Children are not small adults with respect to the treatment with medicinal products." This statement of the WHO was the basis for the initiative of the European Commission for the establishment of a paediatric regulation in 2007 to improve the health of children by facilitating the development of medicines for children and adolescents. Seventeen years later, in the field of herbal medicinal products, results are still sobering.

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Background: Soil-transmitted helminths (STH) infect more than a quarter of the world's human population. In the absence of vaccines for most animal and human gastrointestinal nematodes (GIN), treatment of infections primarily relies on anthelmintic drugs, while resistance is a growing threat. Therefore, there is a need to find alternatives to current anthelmintic drugs, especially those with novel modes of action.

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Article Synopsis
  • * An in vitro test showed that chitosans with high polymerization and low acetylation significantly reduce C. jejuni adhesion to human cells without being toxic.
  • * Treatment of contaminated chicken meat with chitosan led to a marked decrease in C. jejuni levels, indicating its potential as an effective antiadhesive agent in food production.
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New antibiotics are urgently needed due to the huge increase of multidrug-resistant bacteria. The underexplored gram-negative bacterium Enterobacter cloacae is known to cause severe urinary tract and lung infections (UTIs). The pathogenicity of E.

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Tamm-Horsfall protein (THP) is a highly N-glycosylated protein from epithelial cells of the ascending limb of Henle loop. It is secreted into the urine as part of the innate immune response against uropathogenic pathogens. As women are more likely to suffer from urinary tract infections, biomedical studies were conducted to investigate sex-differences in THP excretion, as well as differences in the THP N-glycosylation pattern.

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Many people in developing countries rely on herbal remedies for their primary healthcare needs. The challenge however is that several of these products lack proper documentation of quality and safety. To ensure consistent quality, validated methods are needed to establish and control quality attributes associated with identity, purity, and levels of bioactive constituents of the respective herbal materials.

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The aerial parts of are used in traditional medicine in West Africa against helminthiasis, but their anthelmintic potential has not been evaluated until now. Within the current study, a hydroacetonic extract (AWE) and fractions and isolated ellagitannins from were, therefore, tested against and the larvae of the animal parasites and . Compounds 1:  - 13: , mainly representing ellagitannins, were isolated using different chromatographic methods, and their structures were elucidated by HR-MS and H/C-NMR.

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Objectives: To assess the extent of the association of psychosocial stress with oral health in an Ontario population stratified by age groups, and whether any association is modified by indicators of social and economic capital.

Methods: We retrieved data of 21,320 Ontario adults, aged 30-74 years old, from the Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS: 2017-2018), which is a Canada-wide, cross-sectional survey. Using binomial logistic regression models that adjusted for age, sex, education, and country of birth, we examined the association of psychosocial stress (indicated by perceived life stress) with inadequate oral health (indicated as having at least one of the following: bleeding gums, fair/poor self-perceived oral health, persistent oral pain).

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Campylobacter jejuni, causing strong enteritis, is an unusual bacterium with numerous peculiarities. Chemotactically controlled motility in viscous milieu allows targeted navigation to intestinal mucus and colonization. By phase variation, quorum sensing, extensive O-and N-glycosylation and use of the flagellum as type-3-secretion system C.

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The human protease Taspase1 plays a pivotal role in developmental processes and cancerous diseases by processing critical regulators, such as the leukemia proto-oncoprotein MLL. Despite almost two decades of intense research, Taspase1's biology is, however, still poorly understood, and so far its cellular function was not assigned to a superordinate biological pathway or a specific signaling cascade. Our data, gained by methods such as co-immunoprecipitation, LC-MS/MS and Topoisomerase II DNA cleavage assays, now functionally link Taspase1 and hormone-induced, Topoisomerase IIβ-mediated transient DNA double-strand breaks, leading to active transcription.

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Soil-transmitted helminthiasis affects more than 1.5 billion people globally and largely remains a sanitary problem in Africa. These infections place a huge economic burden on poor countries and affect livestock production, causing substantial economic losses and poor animal health.

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Herbal medicines are invaluable in African medicine, but quality and safety are not documented in many cases. Besides controlled farming, validated quality control methods are needed to ensure identity, purity, and content. Analytical specifications within modern monographs are needed for consistent batch quality.

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Extracts from are traditionally used to treat cough symptoms during a common cold. The present study aimed to investigate the impact of extracts from and active compounds on the respiratory tract. Tracheal slices of C57BL/6N mice were used ex vivo to examine effects on airway smooth muscle (ASM) and ciliary beat frequency (CBF).

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Background: In Africa, herbalism supplements allopathic medicine's efforts to ensure Universal Health Coverage attainment. This review was conducted to identify and to summarise current literature on methodological approaches used for quality control of herbal medicines in Africa, to evaluate the gaps associated with existing strategies within context of best practices, and make recommendations for future improvements.

Methods: A systematic search was conducted using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines.

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Background: The roots of horseradish (Armoracia rusticana) are used for infections of respiratory airway and for urinary tract infections due to isothiocyanates (ITC), enzymatically formed during fermentation of glucosinolates by myrosinase.

Hypothesis/purpose: The present study aims to present a comprehensive overview on the phytochemical composition of A. rusticana roots, especially concerning isothiocyanates and respective glucosinolates.

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