Anti-microbial effect

Tea (Camellia sinensis) is one of the most frequently consumed beverages in the world and, consequently, an important agricultural product [168], It has been proved many times that tea may reduce cholesterol level, hypertension, and shows antioxidant and anti-microbial effects [169], Because of its importance, a considerable number of analytical methods have been developed for the separation and quantitative determination of the constituents of tea [170,171]. Thus, the application of high-speed counter-current chromatography [172,173], and HPLC-APCI-MS [174] have been reported. 

There are striking similarities between the anaesthetic effect discussed above and anti-microbial effects. Thus gases tiiat are general anaesthetics, even die inert noble gases, exhibit an anti-microbial effect. Furthermore this is correlated to the anaesthetic potency [57]. Moreover, it is possible to reverse this effect by hydrostatic pressiue. As discussed above there is an opposing effect of temperature on lipid phase transitions as compared to that of pressure, and this is also reflected in living systems. At 1,000 bar for example certain orgaiusms can survive at 104 C [57]. 

In accordance with the observation that the anti-microbial effect of gases like nitrogen dioxide, carbon dioxide or xenon can be related to the effects of general anaesthetics, it seems natural to relate the well-knovm anti-microbial effect of cationic surfactants to local anaesthetic agents. The first type of perturbants shifts the actual transition in the direction La - whereas the second t)rpe of agent is expected to shift the transition in the opposite direction. It should be mentioned that quaternary ammonium surfactants such as cetyltrimethyl ammonium bromide in micellar solution in water were found to transform the cubic phase into the La phase [34]. 

Simple fatty acids exhibit a weak anti-microbial effect, whereas certain branched homologues exhibit quite strong effects. Isotetradecanoic acid, being the most active homologue in this respect, was observed to induce an La... 

Lactoperoxidase Milk (not human milk), saliva, tears Anti-microbial effects (viruses, bacteria, fungi, parasites, myco-plasms)... 

Yarrow stops bleeding wounds and is used as a healing lotion and ointment. It also is used to reduce pain and heavy bleeding due to menstrual irregularities and helps to regulate the menstrual cycle. Yarrow enhances circulation, lowers blood pressure, and has an antispasmodic and anti-microbial effect. It also has an anti-inflammatory effect on skin and on mucous membranes. The most frequently reported side effect of Yarrow is dermatitis (skin rash). Yarrow should not be used for patients who have epilepsy or are pregnant. 

Those products that have good biocidal action against these microorganisms can be considered effective. Yet, surprisingly, many manufacturers of over-the-counter (OTC) formulations do not have documented evidence of effectiveness from in vitro studies [time-kill and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC)] to support their label claims for preoperative skin preps. In vivo studies performed on human volunteers are designed to assure that the products are anti-microbially effective within 10 minutes of application and are antimicrobially persistent for up to 6 hours postapplication. 

Acidifiers used in feed have two modes of action. The first one is reduction of pH in the digestive tract, while the second is the direct anti-microbial effect against gram-negative bacteria like E. coli. 

Table 1 gives an overview of different test methods used to test textiles, fibres, yarns and polymers for anti-microbial effectiveness. 

The first method which quantifies both the overall activity and the specific anti-microbial activity is the Japanese standard JIS L 1902. Unfortunately in literature a misunderstanding is common where the terms overall activity and specific anti-microbial activity are used incorrectly. However, despite of the confusion between the terms, the Japanese standard enables two different statements to be made coneerning the antimicrobial effect of modified textiles. The comparative simple experimental implementation of the JIS L 1902 and an alteration to the evaluation eriteria relating to the specific anti-microbial effectiveness and overall effectiveness as described above, together with the presentation of the results in log 10 increments, form the basis of a modified Hohenstein (Germany) test method. 

Anti-microbial modifications based on addition of the active agents to the spinning mass and based on application to the textile by chemical reaction, can provide anti-microbial effects that are permanent to washing and chemical cleaning. 

This study has shown that typical coating biocides can be encapsulated within modified silica frameworks. These porous frameworks offer a means to inhibit the aqueous extraction of the biocide. In such combinations the biocides retain their anti-microbial properties, while controlled delivery facilitates a dynamic equilibrium to maintain a minimum inhibitory concentration at the coating interface, over an extended time period. There is evidence that biocide housed in such frameworks has a longer effective activity for a given initial concentration, since it is to some extent protected from the usual environmental degradation processes. 

Effects of Sesquiterpene Lactones on Seed Germination. Sesquiterpene lactones are common constituents of the Asteraceae but are also found in other angiosperm families and in certain liverworts (31,32). These highly bitter substances exhibit a wide spectrum of biological activities (J 3) which include cytotoxicity, anti-tumor, anti-microbial, insecticidal (34) and molluscicidal (35) properties. Furthermore, they are known causes for livestock poisoning and contact dermatitis in humans (33). Structure-activity relationship studies on sesquiterpene lactones have demonstrated that biological activity frequently depend on the presence of the cr... 

The biosphere includes ecological niches where microbes peacefully co-exist with their eukaryotic host in the human this includes the concept of the micro-biome [14], which is defined as the totality of microbial organisms that co-habit with human beings. On the other hand, microbial colonization of human mucosal surfaces or prosthetic devices, often results in the development of biofilms, with significant deleterious effects on human health [15]. These are some of the challenges in infectious diseases that reflect the need to maximally utilize genomic sequence information and related sciences to better control microbial disease in human populations, and to develop anti-microbial agents with a better therapeutic index. 

The systemic use of chloramphenicol is reserved only for life-threatening infections where other anti-microbial therapy has failed or is inadequate, since chloramphenicol may cause reversible aplastic anaemia as a side-effect. 

Chopra, I. et al. (1997). The search for anti-microbial agents effective against bacteria resistant to multiple antibiotics. 

The structures and sources of many allelochemicals with anti-microbial activity have been documented (Dixon, 2001 Grayer and Harbome, 1994 Harbome, 1999). In this chapter, evidence for anti-microbial functions of allelochemicals from weed Ageratum conyzoides L. and food crop Oryza sativa L. has been reviewed. Effects of these allelochemicals on related pathogen management in the A. conyzoides intercropped citrus orchard and the paddy ecosystem were discussed. 

Iridoids represent a class of 941 known cyclopentano[c]pyran monoterpenoids [3] and have been reported with hepatoprotective, choleretic, vasoconstriction, anti-viral, anti-microbial, anti-inflammatory and analgesic activities. Seven iridoid glycosides, isolated from Scrophularia scorodonia L. (Scrophulariaceae), have been evaluated for effects on PGE2, and LTC4 production using calcium ionophore stimulated mouse peritoneal... 

Cocaine, like A -THC and morphine, has been reported to decrease the anti microbial acdvity of alveolar macrophages obtained from chronic crack cocaine smokers (Roth et al., 2004) and to decrease parameters of mouse macrophage acdvadon (Ou et al., 1989 Pacifici et al., 1993). However, in contrast to the effects of opioids, cocaine has been shown to increase the acdvadon of PMNs in human subjects, as evidenced by increased killing of Staphylococcus aureus (Baldwin et al., 1997). 

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