Antibiotic resistance in bacteria is becoming a serious problem, especially after the emergence of multidrug-resistant strains. To overcome this problem, new and effective antibacterials or resistance modulators are highly needed and plant kingdom represents a valuable source of these compounds. In this study we investigated the antibacterial and resistance modulatory activity of Aniseeds waste Residue Extract (ASWRE) and Star Anise Waste Residue Extract (SAWRE) (post-distillation) against 100 isolates belonging to two Gram positive (Streptococcus pneumoniae and Staphylococcus aureus) and four Gram negative bacteria (Klebsiella pneumoniae, Escherichia coli, Acinetobacter baumannii and Pseudomonas aeruginosa). Phenolic compounds of anise wastes were determined by HPLC. The antibacterial activity of anise waste extracts assays were performed by using inhibition zone diameters, MIC and MBC. Evaluation of synergy interaction between anise waste extracts and certain known antibacterial drugs like Cephradine, Chloramphenicol, Tetracycline and Amoxicillin was carried out using disc diffusion method, MIC and the fractional inhibitory concentrations (FIC). The results showed that HPLC method has been developed for the determination of 25 phenolic compounds from waste extracts. Both ASWRE and SAWRE have significant antibacterial activity against all of the test bacteria. SAWRE was found to have higher amounts of phenolic compounds contents that might be responsible for their comparatively higher antibacteria activity than ASWRE. Irradiation at 10 and 30 kGy did not significantly affect the antibacterial activity of both ASWRE and SAWRE. The combination of anise waste extracts and the tested antibiotics mostly showed synergistic effect. Synergistic interaction was most expressed against Streptococcus pneumoniae (Sp1) and Staphylococcus aureus (Sa1) by Tetracycline and chloramphenicol; Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P2), Klebsiella pneumoniae (K3), Acinetobacter baumannii (A2) and Escherichia coli (E3) by cephradine, amoxicillin and Tetracycline. The combination between anise waste extracts and the test antibiotics could be useful in fighting emerging drug-resistant bacteria. These results suggest that both aniseeds and star anise waste residue methanolic extract (post-distillation) could be good economic sources of multidrug resistance inhibitors, and indicate that indiscriminate co-administration of antibiotics with some aromatic and medicine wastes such as those from aniseeds and star anise wastes could be therapeutically wasteful. Their use in combination with conventional antibiotics should be further studied for in vivo activities. This may lead to the development of much needed drug enhancing preparations.

Plants and plant by-products are now gaining attractiveness in treatment of bacterial infections and food preservation. The objective of this study was to assess antibacterial activity of some Egyptian plant and plant by-products against the locally pathogenic isolates from patients having infectious diseases in our country. Screening of antibacterial activity of ethanol, methanol and hexane extracts of some plants: grape leaves (Vitis vinifera), mulberry leaves (Morus alba), mallow leaves (Corchorus olitorius) and lemon leaves (Citrus limon) toward Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Salmonella sp., were investigated. Antibacterial activity was performed by the agar disc diffusion method. The ethanol and methanol extract of tested plant leaves showed promising antibacterial activities against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative tested bacterial isolates due to its great ability to extract those polyphenolic and biological active compounds from natural sources which effectively act against broad spectrum bacteria. Ethanol followed by methanol were found to be the best solvents of choice to extract natural products to get maximum health and medicinal benefits. The results revealed that the extraction efficiency increase with polarity increasing of the solvents, hence the highest extraction done with ethanol and methanol and the lowest extraction with nonpolar solvent n-hexane did not exhibit any activity against all the tested bacteria. Irradiation at 5 and 10 kGy did not significantly affect the antibacterial activity of all tested plant leaves. Results indicate the potential of these plants for further work on isolation and characterization of the active compounds responsible for antibacterial activity and its exploitation as therapeutic agents 378 Arab Univ. J. Agric. Sci., 25(2), 2017

Interest in the biological role of bioactive compounds present in plant by-products has increased over the last few years. This study aimed to investigate the nutritive value and biological activities of Egyptian Grape leaves (GL), Grape seeds (GS) and Mulberry leaves (ML), as well as investigate the impact of γ-irradiation for improving the utilization of these plant byproducts. The dose level 5.0 kGy showed highest the content of crude protein (24.42, 19.41 and 13.50 mg/100 g), as well as crude fiber (34.26 and 21.18 mg/100 g) for ML, GL and GS, respectively. Mulberry leaves has a highest content of protein and fiber at dose 5.0 kGy compared with GL and GS. The highest total phenolic content was found in GS (9.75 mg/g DW), followed by GL (7.32 mg/g DW) and the lowest in ML (5.97 mg/g DW). While ML had a higher total flavonoids content (5.61 mg/g DW) than GS (4.88 mg/g DW) and GL (2.86 mg/g DW). Total phenolic and flavonoid contents were significantly increased at 5.0 kGy. The highest level (83.25% and 80.24%) of scavenging activity (DPPH %) and inhibition activity of HCT 116 cells was recorded at 5.0 kGy by GS. All extracts irradiated at 5.0 kGy exhibited varying degrees of antibacterial activity against (Gram+ve and Gram-ve), the GS followed by GL then ML showed strong antibacterial activity with a diameter of inhibition zone of 26.2, 24.5 and 19.7 mm, against L. monocytoganes, respectively and 24.4, 21.4 and 17.2 against S. typhimurium, respectively. This study suggests that γ-irradiation is an effective technique to enhance the recovery of phenolics and flavonoids from GL, GS and ML. Also in current study, antioxidant, antibacterial and anticancer activity has been suggested to appear a clear positive relationship with the total phenolic material. This study has proved that the Egyptian GL, GS and ML are rich sources of valuable phytochemicals and nutrients that can serve as a potential source of nutraceuticals and multifunctional food additives (antimicrobial, antioxidant, and anticancer). Phenolic compounds recovered from GL, GS and ML may have a potential role in fighting the COVID-19.

is the first compound of its kind to become available for treatment of hypercholesterolemia. This fungal secondary metabolite is produced by Aspergillus, Monascus and Penicillium species, via the polyketide synthase (PKSs). The role of hypercholesterolemia as a risk factor for atherosclerosis, and ischemic heart disease was indicated by the clinical, epidemiologic and pathologic studies.In the present study, gamma irradiated of selected highly lovastatin producer Aspergillus terreus isolate (A. terreus S3γ8) was employed for lovastatin production in submerged fermentation (SmF) conditions. Different fermentation parameters including: incubation period, initial pH of the medium, temperature, different carbon and nitrogen sources, type of inoculum and agitation; were carried out under SmF conditions to enhance the lovastatin production. The maximum lovastatin production (547.33 mg/l) was achieved at initial pH 6, incubation temperature 30 °C, agitation rate 150 rpm, 4% soluble starch and 0.3% yeast extract as carbon and nitrogen sources, respectively, after 8 days when the production medium (which containing bio-elements: KH 2 PO 4, MgSO 4 and MnSO 4 ) was inoculated with 48 h age from seed culture inoculum.

Ninety random grain samples were collected and analyzed for mycotoxins, and the effect of gamma irradiation on the production of mycotoxins in grains was studied. Aspergillus, Penicillium, Mucor, Rhizopus, Fusarium, Alternaria, Scopulariopsis and Cladosporium were the most common fungal genera isolated from grains. Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus candidus, Aspergillus ochraceus, Penicillium citrinum, Penicillium expansum, Penicillium citreonigrum, Penicillium purpurogenum, Penicillium griseofulvum and Penicillium verrucosumwere the most common Aspergillus and Penicillium species in grains. Out of 120 Aspergillus and Penicillium isolates, 80 were mycotoxin producers. Analysis of grains revealed the occurrence of aflatoxin B1 ochratoxin A, cycolopiazonic acid and citrinin. Of the 90 samples, 67 were positive for one or more mycotoxin. Irradiation of grains at dose of 2.0 and 4.0 kGy decreased significantly the total fungal counts compared with unirradiated controls. After 100 days of storage at room temperature, the unirradiated grains were contaminated with high concentrations of mycotoxins as compared with irradiated 4.0‐kGy samples. Mycotoxin production in grains decreased with increasing irradiation doses and was not detected at 6.0 kGy over 100 days of storage.