Superficial mycoses caused by dermatophytic fungi such as Trichophyton rubrum represent the most common type of worldwide human infection affecting various keratinized tissues in our body such as the skin, hair, and nails, etc. The dermatophytic infection is a significant public health threat due to its persistent nature and high recurrence rates, and thus alternative treatments to cure this fungal infection are urgently required. The present study mainly focused on the synergistic activity of violacein with four azole drugs (ketoconazole, fluconazole, clotrimazole, and itraconazole) against T. rubrum. The synergistic antifungal activities of violacein and azoles were measured by checkerboard microdilution and time-kill assays. In our study, combinations of violacein and azoles predominantly recorded synergistic effect (FIC index < 0.5). Significant synergistic value was recorded by the combination of violacein and clotrimazole. Time-kill assay by the combination of MIC concentration of violacein and azoles recorded that the growth of the T. rubrum was significantly arrested after 4–12 h of treatment. The combination of violacein and azoles leads to the enhanced inhibition of mycelial growth and conidial germination. Moreover combination enhanced the rate of release of intracellular materials. Morphological changes by SEM analysis were also prominent with the combination. A normal human cell line [Foreskin (FS) normal fibroblast] was used to check the cytotoxicity of violacein. Interestingly violacein recorded no cytotoxicity up to 100 μg/ml. The in vitro synergistic effect of violacein and azoles against clinically relevant fungi, T. rubrum, is reported here for the first time. Finally, our findings support the potential use of the violacein as an antifungal agent especially against dermatophytic fungi T. rubrum.
Contamination of water by chemical and bacterial pollutants as well as ‘white pollution’ caused by carelessly discarded waste plastics are major environmental problems. In the current study, the possibility of using semiconductor photocatalysis for the removal of last traces of organic water pollutants of different types is investigated. Semiconductors ZnO and TiO
Lindane, has been classified by the United States Environment Protection Agency as a potent carcinogen and teratogen. Zero-valent iron nanoparticles (nZVI) have been shown to effectively transform chlorinated hydrocarbons, organochlorine pesticides. An attempt has been made to explore the potential of nZVI for the remediation of Lindane contaminated soil. nZVI was synthesized by reducing FeCl3 with NaBH4. Lindane (10 microg/g) completely disappeared from spiked soil within 24 hours at nZVI concentration of 1.6 g/L, indicating its possible use in environmental cleanup. Reductive dehalogenation is the predominant mechanism for the removal of Lindane from spiked soil by nZVI. Dechlorination was further confirmed by the chloride ion release.
A B S T R A C TContamination of drinking water by bacterial pollutants is a major environmental problem. In the current study, the possibility of using zinc oxide-mediated sonocatalysis, as a potential advanced oxidation process for the removal of a major pollutant, i.e. Escherichia coli, is investigated. Critical parameters for optimum efficiency are identified. The organism deactivation is fully irreversible in the case of ZnO-mediated sonocatalysis. Scanning electron microscopy images show that morphological changes and cell-wall disruption of organisms are more in sonocatalysis compared to sonication alone. The deactivation is practically unaffected by initial pH in the range 5-9. Reactive oxygen species including in situ-formed free radicals play significant role in the deactivation. Sonoluminescence-induced photocatalysis is a major contributor in the disinfection process. A probable mechanism involving physical effects and semiconductor activation by ultrasound followed by the events leading to the deactivation of the bacteria is proposed.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.