Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is a bacterium capable of inducing chronic active gastritis, which in some people, develops into gastric cancers. One of the substances that may be useful in the eradication of this microorganism is 3-Bromopyruvate (3-BP), an anticancer compound with antimicrobial properties. The aim of this article was to determine the activity of 3-BP against antibiotic-susceptible and antibiotic-resistant H. pylori strains. The antimicrobial activity was determined using a disk-diffusion method, broth microdilution method, time-killing assay, and checkerboard assay. The research was extended by observations using light, fluorescence, and scanning electron microscopy. The growth inhibition zones produced by 2 mg/disk with 3-BP counted for 16–32.5 mm. The minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) ranged from 32 to 128 μg/mL, while the minimal bactericidal concentrations (MBCs) for all tested strains had values of 128 μg/mL. The time-killing assay demonstrated the concentration-dependent and time-dependent bactericidal activity of 3-BP. The decrease in culturability below the detection threshold (<100 CFU/mL) was demonstrated after 6 h, 4 h, and 2 h of incubation for MIC, 2× MIC, and 4× MIC, respectively. Bacteria treated with 3-BP had a several times reduced mean green/red fluorescence ratio compared to the control samples, suggesting bactericidal activity, which was independent from an induction of coccoid forms. The checkerboard assay showed the existence of a synergistic/additive interaction of 3-BP with amoxicillin, tetracycline, and clarithromycin. Based on the presented results, it is suggested that 3-BP may be an interesting anti-H. pylori compound.

Antibiotic resistance of Helicobacter pylori, a spiral bacterium associated with gastric diseases, is a topic that has been intensively discussed in last decades. Recent discoveries indicate promising antimicrobial and antibiotic-potentiating properties of sertraline (SER), an antidepressant substance. The aim of the study, therefore, was to determine the antibacterial activity of SER in relation to antibiotic-sensitive and antibiotic-resistant H. pylori strains. The antimicrobial tests were performed using a diffusion-disk method, microdilution method, and time-killing assay. The interaction between SER and antibiotics (amoxicillin, clarithromycin, tetracycline, and metronidazole) was determined by using a checkerboard method. In addition, the study was expanded to include observations by light, fluorescence, and scanning electron microscopy. The growth inhibition zones were in the range of 19–37 mm for discs impregnated with 2 mg of SER. The minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) and minimal bactericidal concentrations (MBCs) counted for 2–8 µg/mL and 4–8 µg/mL, respectively. The time-killing assay showed the time-dependent and concentration-dependent bactericidal activity of SER. Bacteria exposed to MBCs (but not sub-MICs and MICs ≠ MBCs) underwent morphological transformation into coccoid forms. This mechanism, however, was not protective because these cells after a 24-h incubation had a several-fold reduced green/red fluorescence ratio compared to the control. Using the checkerboard assay, a synergistic/additive interaction of SER with all four antibiotics tested was demonstrated. These results indicate that SER may be a promising anti-H. pylori compound.

Helicobacter pylori is a bacterium that is capable of colonizing a host for many years, often for a lifetime. The survival in the gastric environment is enabled by the production of numerous virulence factors conditioning adhesion to the mucosa surface, acquisition of nutrients, and neutralization of the immune system activity. It is increasingly recognized, however, that the adaptive mechanisms of H. pylori in the stomach may also be linked to the ability of this pathogen to form biofilms. Initially, biofilms produced by H. pylori were strongly associated by scientists with water distribution systems and considered as a survival mechanism outside the host and a source of fecal-oral infections. In the course of the last 20 years, however, this trend has changed and now the most attention is focused on the biomedical aspect of this structure and its potential contribution to the therapeutic difficulties of H. pylori. Taking into account this fact, the aim of the current review is to discuss the phenomenon of H. pylori biofilm formation and present this mechanism as a resultant of the virulence and adaptive responses of H. pylori, including morphological transformation, membrane vesicles secretion, matrix production, efflux pump activity, and intermicrobial communication. These mechanisms will be considered in the context of transcriptomic and proteomic changes in H. pylori biofilms and their modulating effect on the development of this complex structure.

The hazelnut skin is waste biomass rich in bioactive compounds that may affect lipid rumen metabolism, ruminant performance, and products’ quality. Therefore, we investigated the effect of dietary hazelnut skin on milk production and composition and on rumen fatty acids in ewes. During 28 days, 20 Comisana lactating ewes received alfalfa hay ad libitum plus 800 g/head/day of pelleted concentrate containing 36% dried beet pulp (CTRL group; n = 10) or 36% hazelnut skin (HS group; n = 10). The protein percentage was lower in HS milk. Milk fatty acids (FA) partially reflected those of rumen content. Total saturated FA (SFA), odd and branched-chain FA, and n-3 polyunsaturated FA (PUFA) were greater in CTRL milk. Total monounsaturated FA (MUFA) and 18:1 trans were greater in HS milk; moreover, HS milk showed a double percentage of oleic acid than the CTRL group. Individual SFA were greater in CTRL milk except for 18:0. Differing from the rumen content, total PUFA, n-6 PUFA, and 18:2 n-6 were comparable between groups. Vaccenic and rumenic acid were greater in HS milk. To conclude, dietary HS slightly reduced milk protein percentage but improved atherogenic index and healthy FA in milk. The content of the somatic cells suggested a healthier udder in the HS group.

Chronic wounds complicated with biofilm formed by pathogens remain one of the most significant challenges of contemporary medicine. The application of topical antiseptic solutions against wound biofilm has been gaining increasing interest among clinical practitioners and scientific researchers. This paper compares the activity of polyhexanide-, octenidine- and hypochlorite/hypochlorous acid-based antiseptics against biofilm formed by clinical strains of Candida albicans, Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The analyses included both standard techniques utilizing polystyrene plates and self-designed biocellulose-based models in which a biofilm formed by pathogens was formed on an elastic, fibrinous surface covered with a fibroblast layer. The obtained results show high antibiofilm activity of polihexanide- and octenidine-based antiseptics and lack or weak antibiofilm activity of hypochlorite-based antiseptic of total chlorine content equal to 80 parts per million. The data presented in this paper indicate that polihexanide- or octenidine-based antiseptics are highly useful in the treatment of biofilm, while hypochlorite-based antiseptics with low chlorine content may be applied for wound rinsing but not when specific antibiofilm activity is required.

In this work, we present novel ex situ modification of bacterial cellulose (BC) polymer, that significantly improves its ability to absorb water after drying. The method involves a single inexpensive and easy-to-perform process of BC crosslinking, using citric acid along with catalysts, such as disodium phosphate, sodium bicarbonate, ammonium bicarbonate or their mixtures. In particular, the mixture of disodium phosphate and sodium bicarbonate was the most promising, yielding significantly greater water capacity (over 5 times higher as compared to the unmodified BC) and slower water release (over 6 times as compared to the unmodified BC). Further, our optimized crosslinked BC had over 1.5x higher water capacity than modern commercial dressings dedicated to highly exuding wounds, while exhibiting no cytotoxic effects against fibroblast cell line L929 in vitro. Therefore, our novel BC biomaterial may find application in super-absorbent dressings, designed for chronic wounds with imbalanced moisture level.

Two-day-old honeybee workers (± 6 h) were placed in cages and supplied with sucrose solution (1 mol/dm3) ad libitum. Subsequently, the cages with bees were placed in an electric field (E-field) exposure system with field intensities of 5.0 kV/m, 11.5 kV/m, 23 kV/m, and 34.5 kV/m. The duration of exposure was 1 h, 3 h, and 6 h. The biochemical parameters SOD (superoxide dismutase), CAT (catalase), FRAP (ferric ion reducing antioxidant power), and also acidic, neutral, and alkaline proteases in the worker bee hemolymph were analyzed. The E-field increased activities of antioxidant systems, especially SOD, and also the proteolytic systems. In the groups: 11.5 kV/m–time 6 h, 23.0 kV/m–time 1 h, and 34.5 kV/m–time 1 h, FRAP levels were decreased in comparison with the control samples. These findings are discussed in context with possible consequences for honeybee health in urban and rural environments.

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