Effect of zinc oxide-eugenol endodontic paste on planktonic aggregates and biofilm of Enterococcus faecalis - An atomic force microscopy evaluation.

Objective: This work aimed to evaluate the in vitro effect of zinc oxide-eugenol paste (ZOE) on planktonic aggregates (EfPA) and biofilm (EfBio) of Enterococcus faecalis, focusing on their morphological aspects observed and analyzed using atomic force microscopy (AFM).

Design: The eugenol and paste were characterized by Gas Chromatography coupled with Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), respectively. The effect of ZOE on EfPA and EfBio was evaluated by a direct-contact test through colony counting and crystal violet staining protocol.

Modulatory-antibiotic activity of the essential oil from Eucalyptus citriodora against MDR bacterial strains.

The growing number of bacterial strains resistant to therapeutic agents has been surpassing the various antibiotics developed by the chemical and pharmaceutical industries. This problem has driven the development of research using agents with antimicrobial potential, with an emphasis on plant-derived natural products. This study evaluated the chemical compounds present in Eucalyptus citriodora essential oil (EOEc) cultivated in northeastern Brazil and its properties as an antibacterial agent and resistance modifier against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and β-lactamase-producing strains.

Quaternized cashew gum: An anti-staphylococcal and biocompatible cationic polymer for biotechnological applications.

Chemical modifications to cashew gum (CG) structure have been previously reported to obtain new physicochemical characteristics, however until now there were no reports of modifications by introduction of new functional groups to add cationic character. This study presents a quaternization route for CG using a quaternary ammonium reagent. The chemical features of the quaternized cashew gum derivatives (QCG) were analyzed by: FTIR, elemental analysis, degree of substitution, Zeta potential, H NMR and H-C correlation (HSQC).

Effect of neem (Azadirachta indica A. Juss) leaf extract on resistant Staphylococcus aureus biofilm formation and Schistosoma mansoni worms.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: There are ethnopharmacological reports supporting the use of neem (Azadirachta indica A. Juss) leaf against bacterial and worm infections. However there is a lack of studies about its effect on bacterial biofilm formation and Schistosoma mansoni worms.

Development and antibacterial activity of cashew gum-based silver nanoparticles.

The present study describes the development of a green synthesis of silver nanoparticles reduced and stabilized by exuded gum from Anacardium occidentale L. and evaluates in vitro their antibacterial and cytotoxic activities. Characterization of cashew gum-based silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) was carried out based on UV-Vis spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy and dynamic light scattering analysis which revealed that the synthesized silver nanoparticles were spherical in shape, measuring about 4 nm in size with a uniform dispersal.