• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.213-217
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• 1999

In order to control resistant strains and to properly select the antimicrobial agents, it is of quite importance to know current trends of bacterial species and changing patterns of antimicrobial resistance rates. The authors studied the results of 542 Gram-positive strains among 1,689 strains isolated at Chung-buk National University Hospital in 1996. The frequently isolated Gram-positive microorganisms were Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Staphylococcus epidermidis and Enterococcus faecalis in descending order. S. aureus showed high resistance to penicillin, gentamicin, and susceptibility to teicoplanin and vancomycin. Coagulase negative Staphylococcus was highly resistant to all of the antibiotics used in this experiment except teicoplanin and vancomycin. Enterococcus were highly resistant to vancomycin, penicillin and tetracycline. MIC of Gram-positive oaganisms was appeared to be zig-zag pattern.

• Restorative Dentistry and Endodontics
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.50-57
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• 2015

Objectives: The usage of medicinal plants as natural antimicrobial agents has grown in many fields including dental medicine. The aim of this in vitro study was three-fold: (i) to determine the chemical compositions of the Ferula gummosa essential oil (FGEO), (ii) to compare the antimicrobial efficacy of the oil with sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) and chlorhexidine (CHX), (iii) to assess the toxic behavior of FGEO in different concentrations compared to 5% NaOCl and 0.2% CHX. Materials and Methods: Gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) was used to determine the chemical compositions of the oil. The disk diffusion method and a broth micro-dilution susceptibility assay were exploited to assess the antimicrobial efficacy against Enterococcus faecalis, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus mitis, and Candida albicans. The cytocompatibility of the FGEO was assessed on L929 fibroblasts, and compared to that of NaOCl and CHX. Results: Twenty-seven constituents were recognized in FGEO. The major component of the oil was ${\beta}$-pinene (51.83%). All three irrigants significantly inhibited the growth of all examined microorganisms compared to the negative control group. FGEO at $50{\mu}g/mL$ was effective in lower concentration against Enterococcus faecalis than 5% NaOCl and 0.2% CHX, and was also more potent than 0.2% CHX against Candida albicans and Staphylococcus aureus. FGEO was a cytocompatible solution, and had significantly lower toxicity compared to 5% NaOCl and 0.2% CHX. Conclusions: FGEO showed a promising biological potency as a root canal disinfectant. More investigations are required on the effectiveness of this oil on intracanal bacterial biofilms.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.31 no.9
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• pp.1200-1209
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• 2021

Sepsis is an acute inflammatory response that leads to life-threatening complications if not quickly and adequately treated. Cytolysin, hemolysin, and pneumolysin are toxins produced by gram-positive bacteria and are responsible for resistance to antimicrobial drugs, cause virulence and lead to sepsis. This work assessed the effects of aloe-emodin (AE) and photodynamic therapy (PDT) on sepsis-associated gram-positive bacterial toxins. Standard and antibiotic-resistant Enterococcus faecalis, Staphylococcus aureus, and Streptococcus pneumonia bacterial strains were cultured in the dark with varying AE concentrations and later irradiated with 72 J/cm^-2 light. Colony and biofilm formation was determined. CCK-8, Griess reagent reaction, and ELISA assays were done on bacteria-infected RAW264.7 cells to determine the cell viability, NO, and IL-1β and IL-6 pro-inflammatory cytokines responses, respectively. Hemolysis and western blot assays were done to determine the effect of treatment on hemolysis activity and sepsis-associated toxins expressions. AE-mediated PDT reduced bacterial survival in a dose-dependent manner with 32 ㎍/ml of AE almost eliminating their survival. Cell proliferation, NO, IL-1β, and IL-6 cytokines production were also significantly downregulated. Further, the hemolytic activities and expressions of cytolysin, hemolysin, and pneumolysin were significantly reduced following AE-mediated PDT. In conclusion, combined use of AE and light (435 ± 10 nm) inactivates MRSA, S. aureus (ATCC 29213), S. pneumoniae (ATCC 49619), MDR-S. pneumoniae, E. faecalis (ATCC 29212), and VRE (ATCC 51299) in an AE-dose dependent manner. AE and light are also effective in reducing biofilm formations, suppressing pro-inflammatory cytokines, hemolytic activities, and inhibiting the expressions of toxins that cause sepsis.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.528-534
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• 1992

Growth stimulatory material for lactic acid bacteria was extracted from radish and radish green juice and its growth stimulatory effect was tested. Dried methanol-precipitated growth stimulatory material was lightly grayish white powder, Its ash content is 44% and approximately 50% of the ash is sulfur. It has reddish brown color upon solubilization in water. The material had unchanged stimulatory effect when it was treated with proteinase or pectinase, or ashed. The growth stimulatory activity was dialyzable. The material was able to counteract the growth inhibitory effect of EDTA. When selected lactic acid bacteria were grown at $30^{\circ}C$ for 24 hours in peptone(0.5%)-yeast extract(0.5%)-glucose(2%) broth with and without 0.5% growth stimulatory material, the material stimulated the growth of Lactobacillus plantarum, L. fermentum, L. leichmanii, L. sake, L. brevis, L. acidophilus, L. casei, Pediococcus pentosaceus, Leuconostoc mesenteroides, Streptococcus faecalis, S. lactis, S. cremoris and S. thermophilus by 19, 1833, 133, 444, 840, 32, 14, 18, 6, 17, 4, 5 and 4 times, respectively.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.11 no.5
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• pp.483-488
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• 2001

The antimicrobial substance produced by Pseudomonas aeruginosa KLP-2 strain was purified and identified. The substance was identified as a pyocyanine by the fast atom bombardment mass(FAB-MS). In physic-chemical properties, the pyocyanine was dark blue needles, and was soluble in various organic solvents such as chlorogorm, methanol, ethanol and ethyl acetae. The pyocyanine possessed a ultraviolet absorbance spectrum in methanol, 0.1 M HCl, and chlorogorm. The maximum absorption peak of the pyocyanine showed at 318 mm in methanol. The molecular formula of the pyocyanine was determined to the $C_{13}$ H$_{10}$ N$_{2}$O and protonate molecular ion species (M+H)$^{+}$ was observed at m/z 211 by FAB-MS. The pyocyanine showed antimicrobial against Bacillus cereus, Bacillus subtilis, Micrococcus luteus, Rodococcus equi, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus faecalis, E. col, Legionella pneumophila, Shigella flexneri Shigella boydii, shgella sonnei, NAG Vibrio cholerae, Vibrio parahaemolyticus, Vibro vulnificus, Yersinia enterocolitica, and Saccharomyces cerevisiae. However, Salmonella spp. Shigela dysenteriae, 3 strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiela pneumoniae, and Aspergillus niger were resistant to the pyocyanine. The pyocyanine showed the highest antimicrobial activity aganist Legionella pneumophila based on the size of inhibition zone by the disk contained 0.5 $\mu\textrm{g}$ of the pyocyanine.e.

• Journal of Aquaculture
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.495-503
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• 1998

The present study investigated the effects of Bisroot, that contains live bacteria (Bacillus polyfermenticus, Bacillus mesentericus, Streptococcus faecalis, & Bifidobacterium breve) and digestive enzymes (protease, lipase), on the growth, body composition and immune response of Nile tilapia fingerlings. One percent of the Bisroot was added to the experimenta feed. All exprimental fish were fed for 60 days. The weigh gains among the experimental fish were not significntly different (P>0.05). Hematocrit value, hemoglobin, total protein, glucose, GOT, and GPT were unaffected by Bisroot treatment. However, it was observed that glucose, GOT, and GPT value in the fish that were fed Bisroot, were lower than the control. The complement activity ($CH_50$) tended to be significantly increased by Bisroot treatment, but not lysozyme activity. Phagocytosis and respiratory burst activities of macrophages in the head kidney were enhanced by Bisroot. Therefore, the Bisroot diet enhances the cellular immune activities were enhanced by Bisroot. Therefore, the Bisroot diet enhances the cellular immune activities of non-specific immune responses. When fish were challenged with a virulent strain of Edwardsiella tarda, the Bisroot treated fish were more resistant than the control. The present results suggest that the introduction of Bisroot into the diet of Nile tilapia could increase their resistance against bacterial infection, reduce fish mortality, and offers economic benefits.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.52 no.1
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• pp.25-31
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• 2016

An enterococci selective medium was developed to detect the presence of enterococci for use as a fecal contamination indicator. Among several media which have been known to detect enterococci, the following 9 different kinds of media were selected: Enterococci Confirmatory agar, Azide dextrose agar, Bromocresol-purple azide agar, Esculin bile agar, Citrate azide tween carbonate agar, KF Streptococcus agar, BROLACIN agar, Kanamycin esculin azide agar, and Membrane filter Enterococcus selective agar. Various components from the nine media were mixed to develop a more effective enterococcus selective medium. The newly developed medium named as 'Enterococcus Mixed medium' was more effective than the previous 9 media. Enterococci strains (Enterococcus avium KACC 10788, Enterococcus faecium KACC 11954, Enterococcus saccharolyticus KACC 10783, Enterococcus durans KACC 10787, Enterococcus faecalis KACC 11304, and Enterococcus hirae KACC 10779) and non-enterococci strains (Escherichia coli KACC 10005, Staphylococcus aureus subsp. aureus KACC 10768, and Bacillus subtilis KACC 10111) were used to test the new medium. As a result, the enterococci strains grew well on the Enterococcus Mixed medium whereas the non-enterococci strains did not grow well on it. Additionally, growth of enterococci with freshwater and seawater samples was observed to be good on the Enterococcus Mixed medium. The result of this study confirmed that the Enterococcus Mixed medium was effective in detecting the target enterococci.

• Korean journal of food and cookery science
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.39-50
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• 1988

Main lactic acid bacteria fermenting “Baechu Kimchi” and” “Dongchim”, which are indigenous fermented food in Korea, were isolated at optimum fermentation period and identified. The three groups of food preservatives-sorbic acid, p-hydroxybutyl benzoate (POBB), p-hydroxypropyl benzoate (POPB), and sorbic acid-POBB were prepared, and the effect of the food preservatives and various salt concentrations on those lactic acid bacteria was examined. The results obatined are as follows; 1. Lactic acid bacteria were isolated from “Baechu Kimchi” and “Dongchimi”and identifed as Leuconostoc mesonteriodse, Lactobacillus plantatum, Lactobacillus brevis, Streptococcus faecalis, and Pedicoccus pentosaceus. 2. Lactic acid bacteria were grown much better at 0.5-2% NaCl level than 0% NaCl level. 3. Among the isolated lactic acid bactera, Lactobacillus plantarum showed the highest acid producibility. The lower the concentration of NaCl, the higher the acid producibility by Leuconostoc mesentroides, and the other bacteria produced a large amount of acid at 0.5-2.5% NaCl level. 4. Both the sorbic acid (0.05-0.1%) and sorbic (0.05%)-POBB (0.004%) groups showed the highest preservatives effect. In contrast, however, POPB (0.01% ) Group showed the lowest effect, and the preservatives effect was enhanced by the addition of NaCl. Lactobacillus plantarum was least affected by all preservatives, whereas Leuconostoc mesentroides was most affected by them.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.18 no.6
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• pp.1740-1745
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• 2004

In order to evaluate the in vitro synergic effect of Eunkyo-san, with quinolone antibiotics, rufloxacin (RUFX), the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC), MIC50 and MIC90 of single use of quinolones and concomitant treatment with Eunkyo-san against 9 strains of aerobic gram positive bacteria. The obtained results were as follows : In the case of aerobic gram positive bacteria, the MIC, MIC50 and MIC90 against Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus aureus smith, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Staphylococcus pyogens, Streptococcus pneumoniae Type Ⅰ, Type Ⅱ and Type Ⅲ was significantly decreased in concomitant treated groups with Eunkyo-san compared to those of single treated groups of RUFX, respectively. However, no significant changes were demonstrated against Bacillus subtilis and Enterococcus faecalis. In conclusion, the in vitro antibacterial activity of RUFX were increased against some strains of aerobic gram positive strains, especially, pneumococcus such as Staphylococcus and Streptococcus by concomitant use of Eunkyo-san.

• International Journal of Oral Biology
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.197-201
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• 2012

LIVE/DEAD$^{(R)}$ BacLight$^{TM}$ and alamarBlue$^{(R)}$ are fluorescent materials used for the enumeration of live and dead bacteria. LIVE/DEAD$^{(R)}$ BacLight$^{TM}$ is generally used for confocal microscopy applications to differentiate live from dead bacteria in a biofilm or planktonic state. AlamarBlue$^{(R)}$ has also been used widely to assay live and dead bacteria in a planktonic state. Whilst these materials are successfully utilized in experiments to discriminate live from dead bacteria for several species of bacteria, the application of these techniques to oral bacteria is limited to the use of LIVE/DEAD$^{(R)}$ BacLight$^{TM}$ in biofilm studies. In our present study, we assessed whether these two methods could enumerate live and dead oral bacterial species in a planktonic state. We tested the reagents on Streptococcus mutans, Streptococcus sobrinus, Porphyromonas gingivalis, Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans and Enterococcus faecalis and found that only LIVE/DEAD$^{(R)}$ BacLight$^{TM}$ could differentiate live from dead cells for all five of these oral strains. AlamarBlue$^{(R)}$ was not effective in this regard for P. gingivalis or A. actinomycetemcomitans. In addition, the differentiation of live and dead bacterial cells by alamarBlue$^{(R)}$ could not be performed for concentrations lower than $2{\times}10^6$ cells/ml. Our data thus indicate that LIVE/DEAD$^{(R)}$ BacLight$^{TM}$ is a more effective reagent for this analysis.