Publications by authors named "J Quetin-Leclercq"
Background: Artemisia spp. have been used for millennia in traditional medicine to treat a variety of ailments, including malaria. Extracts of Artemisia afra and A.
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- The study investigates the antitrypanosomal effects of Crossopteryx febrifuga, a plant used in traditional African medicine to treat trypanosomiasis, and identifies active compounds in its extracts.
- The researchers prepared four extracts using different solvents and found that the dichloromethane extract was the most effective against Trypanosoma brucei brucei.
- Through metabolic profiling, 33 compounds were identified in the most active fractions, with maslinic, corosolic, and oleanolic acids linked to the observed antitrypanosomal activity, supporting the plant's traditional medicinal use.
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- - In Gram-negative bacteria, the outer membrane has a unique structure, featuring lipopolysaccharides (LPS) on the outside and glycerophospholipids (GPLs) on the inside, with the Mla system maintaining this balance by removing misplaced GPLs from the outer layer.
- - The study examines how deleting certain components affects the lipid makeup of the bacteria, changing properties like membrane stiffness and antibiotic susceptibility, while noting an overall increase in GPLs and alterations in LPS structure.
- - Understanding these lipid composition changes and their effects on the bacterial membrane can help develop new treatments for infections caused by these bacteria, which are significant in hospital settings.
Article Synopsis
- Sawfly species specialized in feeding on Ranunculaceae plants can sequester specific furostanol saponins into their haemolymph, which may help them in defense against predators.
- Research involving various chemical analyses and bioassays indicated that while one species predominantly fed on a non-nutritional stimulant from its host, both species showed differences in response to different plant fractions, with β-sitosterol identified as a nutritional stimulant.
- The study found that the larvae of both sawfly species do not produce ecdysteroids endogenously but accumulate them from their diet, using them effectively as a deterrent against ant predators, especially in the initial days following simulated attacks.
Trypanosoma brucei (Tb) is the causative agent of human African trypanosomiasis (HAT), also known as sleeping sickness, which can be fatal if left untreated. An understanding of the parasite's cellular metabolism is vital for the discovery of new antitrypanosomal drugs and for disease eradication. Metabolomics can be used to analyze numerous metabolic pathways described as essential to Tb.
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