Lung cancer is one of the cancers with high mortality rate. The current therapeutic regimens have only limited success rate. The current work highlights the potential of Solanum procumbens‐derived zinc oxide nanoparticle (SP‐ZnONP)‐induced apoptosis in A549 lung cancer cells. Synthesized nanoparticles were confirmed by UV‐Vis spectrophotometry, X‐ray diffraction (XRD), dynamic light scattering analysis (DLS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared (FT‐IR), and photoluminescence analysis. Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), cytotoxicity, and cell viability assays revealed that the SP‐ZnONP caused the cell death and the inhibition concentration (IC₅₀) was calculated to be 61.28 μg/mL. Treatment with SP‐ZnONPs caused morphological alterations in cells, such as rounding, which may have been caused by the substance’s impact on integrins. Acridine orange/ethidium bromide dual staining revealed that the cells undergo apoptosis in a dose‐dependent manner, which indicates the cell death. Furthermore, reactive oxygen species (ROS) were examined and it was shown that the nanoparticles elevated ROS levels, which led to lipid peroxidation. In short, the SP‐ZnONPs increase the level of ROS, which in turn causes lipid peroxidation results in apoptosis. On the other hand, the SP‐ZnONPs decrease nitric oxide level in A549 cells in a dose‐dependent manner, which also supports the apoptosis. In conclusion, SP‐ZnONPs would become a promising treatment option for lung cancer.

Objective: Emergence of extended-spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBLs) production poses another clinical problem with Gram-negative bacterial infections. The present study was aimed to evaluate the ESBL producers among various clinical samples of clinically suspected patients.Methods: A total of 1279 samples (urine [918], pus [207] and stool [154]) were collected and 465 isolates (Escherichia coli [320], Enterobacter aerogenes [119] and Klebsiella pneumoniae [26]) were isolated and screened for the presence of ESBL producers using combination disc method and double disc synergy test.Results: Of the 465 culture positive isolates, 130 (E. coli 93 [29.06%], E. aerogenes 35 [29.41%] and K. pneumoniae 2 [7.69%]) were identified as ESBL producers. Among the three Enterobacteriaceae members, E. coli 93 (29.06%) was found to be predominant ESBL producer next in order E. aerogenes 35 (29.41%) and K. pneumoniae 2 (7.69%). Maximum number of ESBL producers were recovered from urine (n=111) followed by pus (n=14) and stool (n=5). All the ESBL-producing isolates were subjected to antibiotic sensitivity test using 10 different antibiotics. ESBL producers were chiefly resistance to ceftriaxone followed by ceftazidime and cefotaxime. Of 130 ESBL producers, 15 (E. coli (8), E. aerogenes (6) and K. pneumoniae (1)] strains were selected for genotypic identification. Among, only two strains of E. aerogenes were positive isolates for CTX-M type ESBL in polymerase chain reaction.Conclusion: This study concluded that among Enterobacteriaceae members, E. coli was the predominant ESBL producers and urine was noted as the prime source for the ESBL positive isolates when compared to other source. Genotypic identification was the best method to differentiate ESBL types which were essential to provide proper treatment.

Antimicrobial efficacy and phytochemical analysis of Indigofera trita Linn

The fungal keratitis (FK) infections that cause cornea inflammations are more virulent than other bacterial keratitis infections and remain one of the most ethereal and challenging infections for ophthalmologists to diagnose and treat. Thus, the urgency in understanding the current perspectives of antifungal agents and their interactions with novel therapeutic targets and the identification of novel anti-fungal agents are at the frontline of studies in the pharmaceutical industry. In this study, DNA dependent RNA polymerase was modelled and virtually screened against eight antifungal agents, and it was found that Itraconazole (−22.0427 kJ/mol), Ketoconazole (−20.2194 kJ/mol), and Voriconazole (−12.6388 kJ/mol) exhibited better binding interactions. further, the structural and electronic properties of Itraconazole calculated through density functional theory studies revealed the sites of chemical reactivity that are vital in the compounds for possible interactions with RNA polymerase (RNAP). Hence, this study explores the binding efficacies of various anti-fungal agents through docking studies and their chemical entities, which might pave a significant path for the design of novel anti-fungal agents against hyalohyphomycetes causing keratitis.