Objectives: The current study aimed to measure the antioxidant and antibacterial activities of 25 wild Palestinian edible plants, which were subjected to extraction by polar and non-polar solvents. Correlations between free radical scavenging activity and antibacterial activity of the extracts were assessed for both polar and non-polar fractions. Materials: Twenty-five wild edible plant species that are frequently consumed by people in Palestine (mainly in a rural area) were examined. Among them, 10 plant species were among those with the highest mean cultural importance values, according to an ethnobotanical survey that was conducted in the West Bank, Palestine, a few years ago. Method: The protocol of the DPPH assay for testing free-radical scavenging was utilized for determining EC₅₀ values, while microdilution tests were conducted to determine the 50% inhibitory concentration (IC₅₀) of the extracts for the microorganism Staphylococcus mutans. Results and Discussion: Eight extracts (non-polar fractions) were found to possess an antibacterial IC₅₀ of less than 20 ppm, such as Foeniculum vulgare, Salvia palaestinafruticose, Micromeria fruticose, Trigonella foenum-graecum, Cichorium pumilum jacq, Salvia hierosolymitana boiss, Ruta chalepensis, and Chrysanthemum coronarium. The polar fractions possess higher antioxidant activity, while non-polar fraction possess higher antibacterial activity. Looking at all the results together can deceive and lead to the conclusion that there is no correlation between antibacterial activity against S. mutans and free radical scavenging (R² equals 0.0538). However, in-depth analysis revealed that non-polar plant extracts with an EC₅₀ of free radical scavenging ≤100 ppm have a four-fold order of enrichment toward more activity against S. mutans. These findings are of high importance for screening projects. A four-fold order of enrichment could save plenty of time and many in screening projects. The antibacterial active extracts marked by low-medium free radical scavenging might act through a mechanism of action other than that of highly active, free radical scavenging extracts. Conclusion: The screening of antioxidant and antimicrobial activity performed on 25 selected wild plant extracts revealed a satisfactory free radical scavenging and antimicrobial potential that could be of value in the management of oxidative stress. Further studies are recommended to explore novel and highly active natural antibacterial products.

This study aimed to assess the prevalence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) total antibodies in the north, middle, and south regions of West Bank and the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 specific antibodies (IgA, IgM, and IgG) in the Palestinian population. This was a cross-sectional study. The serological and epidemiological data of 1269 persons were assessed. Participants were selected randomly among primary health care center attendees in Palestine between November 1, 2020 and December 31, 2020. All serum samples were tested for total antibodies using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) test. IgM, IgG, and IgA-specific antibody titers were measured using ELISA. The overall prevalence (with 95% confidence intervals [CIs]) of SARS-CoV-2 total antibodies and specific antibodies were estimated. A multivariate regression model was used to assess the predictive factors for SARS-CoV-2-specific antibodies. The overall seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies was 24·0% (95% CI, 21·7%–26·5%). Seroprevalence was significantly higher among people living in south West Bank (adjusted Odds ratio [aOR], 2·22; 95% CI: 1·58–3·11), people who had COVID-19 symptoms (aOR, 3·92; 95% CI, 2·83–5·43), people with a COVID-19 contact history (aOR, 1·44; 95% CI, 1·03–2·03), patients with hypertension (aOR, 1·57; 95% CI, 1·06–2·33), and non-smokers (aOR, 0·47; 95% CI, 0·31–0·72). A total of 171 blood samples from SARS-CoV-2-positive patients were chosen at random for additional serological testing. Specific IgM, IgG, and IgA antibodies were positive in 14·0% (95% CI, 9·2%–20·2%), 88·3% (82·5%–92·7%), and 42·1% (34·6%–59·9%) of the samples, respectively. SARS-CoV-2 antibodies were common among PHC center attendees and were significantly associated to sex, smoking, and COVID-19 contact history. However, considering that almost three-quarters of this population remains susceptible, maintaining public health measures and encouraging access to immunization is critical in protecting this population.

It is necessary to understand early perception, behavior, and knowledge of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and preventive practices in relation to suggested policies and information accessible to the Palestinian population during the early stages of the pandemic. The aim of this research is to contribute to this understanding for the purpose of affecting future practical preventive policies that can be implemented and adapted in Palestine in order to shape a new reflective practices model to face any future epidemic crisis of any type. A cross-sectional design was used to conduct the study over 3 weeks in April 2020 and an online survey was disseminated in all areas of Palestine. A total of 1040 responses were collected from persons who were over 18 years of age. A high level of knowledge related to COVID-19 was found, including symptoms and characteristics of the virus, prevention practices, and at-risk groups. Respondents believe that they are more susceptible to influenza than COVID-19 and more likely to be infected by the influenza virus than the COVID-19 virus but expect that infection of influenza would be less severe than infection of COVID-19. Respondents were more inclined to find COVID-19 worrying and stressful than they were to find it fear-inducing. Around two-thirds of respondents believe that different types of COVID-19-related conspiracy theories are true to some degree. Going forward, it is crucial and essential to provide basic awareness among large populations around diseases, which can contribute to positively influencing people’s knowledge and attitudes and their perception toward such diseases and combat conspiracy theories.

Purpose: Man used various natural materials as a remedy for the treatment of various diseases and recently witnessed a vastly growing and renewed interest in herbal medicine globally. In Palestinian folk medicine, Crataegus aronia, Rosmarinus officinalis known as rosemary and Nigella sativa is used as a diuretic and for treatment of hypertension. This study aimed to assess the preliminary phytochemical properties and the diuretic effect of the aqueous extracts of these plants in mice after its intraperitonial administration. Methods: It is an experimental trial applied on mice (n=8, Male, CD-1, weight range: [25-30 gram]), which are divided into two groups (4 in each). The first group administered with the plant extract (500 mg/kg), and the second with normal saline as negative control group. Then urine output and electrolyte contents were quantified up to 6 hours for the three groups and then compared to the control one. Results: Preliminary phytochemical screening reveals the presence of tannins, alkaloids and flavoniods as major phytoconstituents in aqueous extract. Significant diuresis was noted in those received the aqueous extract of Crataegus aronia (p < 0.05) compared to controls. Moreover, aqueous extract had an acidic pH and a mild increase in the electrolyte excretion (Na, K).On the contrary, the aqueous extracts from the Rosemary and Nigella sativa showed no diuretic activity. Conclusions: Our results revealed that Crataegus aronia aqueous extract has a significant potential diuretic effect. Further studies are needed to evaluate this diuretic effect in the relief of diseases characterized by volume overload.

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, different viral vector-based and mRNA vaccines directed against the SARS-CoV-2 “S” spike glycoprotein have been developed and have shown a good profile in terms of safety and efficacy. Nevertheless, an unbiased comparison of vaccination efficiency, including post-vaccination neutralizing activity, between the different vaccines remains largely unavailable. This study aimed to compare the efficacy of one mRNA (BNT162b2) and two non-replicating adenoviral vector vaccines (ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 and Sputnik V) in a cohort of 1120 vaccinated Palestinian individuals who received vaccines on an availability basis and which displayed a unique diversity of genetic characteristics. We assessed the level of anti-S antibodies and further determined the antibody neutralizing activity in 261 of those individuals vaccinated with BNT162b2a (121), ChAdOx1 (72) or Sputnik V (68). Our results showed no significant difference in the distribution of serum-neutralizing activity or S-antibody serum levels for the three groups of vaccines, proving equivalence in efficacy for the three vaccines under real-life conditions. In addition, none of the eight demographic parameters tested had an influence on vaccination efficacy. Regardless of the vaccine type, the vaccination campaign ultimately played a pivotal role in significantly reducing the morbidity and mortality associated with COVID-19 in Palestine.

In humans and other mammals, urinary myiasis can be rarely caused by Eristalis tenax, which belongs to the order Diptera. In this case, we report a 21-year-old woman with this myiasis. She was complaining of dysuria and bilateral Costo-lumbar pain. The larva in her urine sample was identified as E. tenax associated with its typical morphology.