Infectious diseases that are caused by bacteria are an important cause of mortality and morbidity in all regions of the world. Bacterial drug resistance has grown in the last decades, but the rate of discovery of new antibiotics has steadily decreased. Therefore, the search for new effective antibacterial agents has become a top priority. The plant kingdom seems to be a deep well for searching for novel antimicrobial agents. This is due to the many attractive features of plants: they are readily available and cheap, extracts or compounds from plant sources often demonstrate high-level activity against pathogens, and they rarely have severe side effects. The huge variety of plant-derived compounds provides very diverse chemical structures that may supply both the novel mechanisms of antimicrobial action and provide us with new targets within the bacterial cell. In addition, the rapid development of modern biotechnologies opens up the way for obtaining bioactive compounds in environmentally friendly and low-toxic conditions. In this short review, we ask the question: do antibacterial agents derived from plants have a chance to become a panacea against infectious diseases in the “post-antibiotics era”.

Nitric oxide (NO) is a gaseous molecule which plays a key role in wound healing. Previously, we identified the optimal conditions for wound healing strategies using NO donors and an air plasma generator. The aim of this study was to compare the wound healing effects of binuclear dinitrosyl iron complexes with glutathione (B-DNIC-GSH) and NO-containing gas flow (NO-CGF) at their optimal NO doses (0.04 mmol for B-DNIC-GSH and 1.0 mmol for NO-CGF per 1 cm²) in a rat full-thickness wound model over a 3-week period. Excised wound tissues were studied by light and transmission electron microscopy and immunohistochemical, morphometrical and statistical methods. Both treatments had an identical stimulating impact on wound healing, which indicated a higher dosage effectiveness of B-DNIC-GSH compared to the NO-CGF. B-DNIC-GSH spray application reduced inflammation and promoted fibroblast proliferation, angiogenesis and the growth of granulation tissue during the first 4 days after injury. However, prolonged NO spray effects were mild compared to NO-CGF. Future studies should determine the optimal B-DNIC-GSH solution course for a more effective wound healing stimulation.

Повышение качества жизни в развитых странах способствовало увеличению ее продолжительности, что привело к повышению количества зарегистрированных в мире случаев болезни Альцгеймера (БА) и болезни Паркинсона (БП). Сегодня в мире насчитывается 26,6 млн больных БА, и предполагают, что к 2050 г. число таких пациентов может увеличиться в 4 раза. В свою очередь БП в разных странах регистрируется среди людей старше 60—65 лет на уровне от 167 до 5703 на 100 тыс. населения. Исследования, проведенные в последние годы, позволили сформулировать основные механизмы работы оси «микробиота—кишечник—мозг», которые, как оказалось, могут определять риск развития некоторых нейродегенеративных заболеваний. В настоящем обзоре мы решили обобщить имеющуюся к настоящему моменту информацию о роли микробиоты в патологии нервной системы, сконцентрировав наше внимание на влиянии микробиоты кишечника на риск развития БА и БП. В ходе анализа публикаций показано, что окислительный стресс является одним из ключевых патогенетических механизмов развития нейродегенеративных заболеваний. Кроме того, при БА важную роль играет накопление в мозговой ткани пациентов липополисахаридов грамнегативных бактерий и амилоида микробного происхождения при нарушении проницаемости кишечного барьера. При возникновении же БП наибольшее значение имеют синтез бактериями микробиоты α-синуклеина и нейровоспаление. Знание этих механизмов позволит разработать препараты пробиотиков (так называемых психобиотиков), которые помогут снизить риск нейродегенерации при БА и БП.

Herpesvirus infections caused by herpes simplex virus types 1 and 2 (HSV-1 and HSV-2) are among the most prevalent human viral infections and represent a significant global public health concern. According to the World Health Organization, billions of people worldwide are infected with various forms of herpesviruses. These infections not only result in physical discomfort, such as painful lesions and recurrent outbreaks affecting the skin and mucous membranes, but also lead to considerable emotional, psychological, and socioeconomic consequences. Given the widespread prevalence of herpes simplex virus and its ability to persist latently in the host, herpes management and prevention require a comprehensive and multifaceted approach. This review explores current and emerging strategies for the treatment of herpesvirus infections. Traditional antiviral therapy, primarily based on acyclovir and related analogs, aims to suppress active viral replication but does not eradicate latent virus, thereby limiting its long-term efficacy. Consequently, growing attention is being directed toward innovative treatment modalities, including the development of novel antiviral agents, prophylactic and therapeutic vaccines, genetic engineering approaches such as genome editing, and immunotherapies aimed at enhancing antiviral immune responses. Special emphasis is placed on the epidemiology of herpes simplex virus, challenges related to antiviral resistance, and the need for transformative strategies to control herpesvirus infections and reduce their societal burden.

Целью данной работы являлось изучение особенности экспрессии генов TLR2, TLR4, TLR9 в течении острой респираторной инфекции в зависимости от времени, прошедшего с момента инфицирования, и дозы заражения. Результаты исследований острой респираторной инфекции, вызванной грамотрицательной бактерией Klebsiella pneumoniae, на модели in vivo показали, что при дозе заражения 10⁴ КОЕ/мл уровень экспрессии гена TLR4 в эпителии верхних дыхательных путей на 1-е, 3-и, 10-е сутки возрастал в 30 и более раз, при этом полная элиминация возбудителя наблюдалась уже на 3-и сутки. При дозе заражения 10⁷ КОЕ/мл отмечалась персистенция возбудителя в верхних дыхательных путях в течение нескольких суток, что сопровождалось достоверным повышением уровня экспрессии гена TLR9 в эпителии верхних дыхательных путей и уровня TLR4 в легких на 1-е сутки после заражения одновременно с элиминацией возбудителя из нижних дыхательных путей. Таким образом, характерные особенности экспрессии генов TLR4 и TLR9 в верхних дыхательных путях могут рассматриваться как потенциальные диагностические и прогностические факторы в оценке течения ОРИ, вызванной Klebsiella pneumoniae.

Introduction. The microbiota of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) plays an essential role in maintaining human health. Many factors, including industrial pollutions with biotechnological strains of microbes, can affect the normal balance of intestinal microbiota. The biotechnological industry nowadays produces a wide range of products for medical and veterinary use, agriculture, food, chemical industries, etc. To develop hygienic standards that regulate the possible adverse effect of biotechnological strains of microorganisms on workers’ health, the intestinal microflora of rats in the experiment can be studied. The data obtained were used as the basic concept in elaborating state sanitary standards for limitations of the concentrations of biotechnological strains of microorganisms in the ambient air of the working area and settlements’ atmosphere. Materials and methods. We have tested 52 strains of microorganisms applied in biotechnology as producers of a variety of biological substances. They included members of different taxonomic groups: gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria, actinomycetes, molds, and yeasts. The experiments were carried out on conventional male and female white rats (290-320 g, body weight). Each test and control group of animals included eight animals. The strains of microorganisms mentioned above were given to animals by inhalation of minimal effective doses of microbes in the concentrations of 103-108 CFU/m3 during one month. To demonstrate possible adverse effects to gut microflora, the routine bacteriological examination of animal feces was performed. To do this, after the priming, the 10-fold dilutions of animal feces in sterile saline were inoculated onto a set of general-purpose and selective culture media for Enterobacteriaceae members, staphylococci, enterococci, clostridia, bifidobacteria, lactobacilli, and fungi, with subsequent identification of the genus of the isolated microorganism. After that, the concentrations of microorganisms were calculated and measured in lg of CFU/g of feces. The Institutional Ethical Committee of Animal Care and Use of the Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University approved all procedures involving animals. The results of experiments were analyzed with a simple t-test using Statistica (v.6.0, Stat Soft, USA) and Microsoft Office Excel 2007. Results were considered statistically significant when p < 0.05. Results. The most notable changes in the composition of the intestinal microbiota were observed after inhaling of yeasts of genus Candida at the level of 103-104 CFU/m3 and in cases of exposure to molds (Aspergillus awamori, Penicillium funiculosum, and Tolypocladium cylindrosporum) in the concentration of 2•104 CFU/m3, and gram-negative bacteria of the genus Alcaligenes and genus Pseudomonas at 5•105 CFU/m3. We observed a dramatic decrease of Escherichia coli and the increase of gram-positive bacteria (staphylococci, enterococci). For some genera of biotechnological strains, a significant decline in the content of lactobacilli was also shown. On the other hand, Rhodococcus did not cause any disturbances even at high concentrations in the ambient air. Conclusion. The obtained data can be used to develop biosafety and hygienic standards for industrial microbes to help decrease or minimize the occupational risk of infection or undesirable allergic effect when working with biotechnological strains of microbes in the ambient air of residential areas.