Sequestration of erythrocytes infected with Plasmodium berghei ANKA in BALB/c mice treated with goat bile

Sequestration of Plasmodium berghei ANKA-infected erythrocytes occurs in BALB/c mice as characteristic of Plasmodium falciparum infection in humans. Animals’ bile has been widely used for centuries in Traditional Chinese Medicine. Goat bile has been used in healing infectious and non-infectious diseases; however, no report on the use of goat bile against malaria infection and sequestration. The purpose of this study was to analyze the correlation between parasitemia and sequestration in the liver of P.berghei ANKA-infected BALB/c mice treated with goat bile. This research was an in vivo experimental study using the post-test control group design. The male BALB/c mice aged ± 6 weeks, body weight 20-25 g were used. The mice were divided into five groups where Group 1-3 were mice treated with goat bile 25%, 50%, and 100%, respectively. Group 4-5 were negative (sterile water) and positive controls (DHP). Parasitemia was observed daily from each mouse and the number of sequestered infected erythrocytes on the endothelium of sinusoids. The data were analyzed using t independent test. Antimalarial activity of goat bile was shown by the lower parasitemia in goat bile-treated mice compared with the negative control. The average number of sequestration was goat bile concentration-dependent manner. The higher the concentration, the lower the number of sequestration. Sequestration was correlated with parasitemia (p=0,0001). Sequestration of P.berghei ANKA-infected erythrocytes correlated with parasitemia, and was goat bile concentration-dependent manner. Keywords: Malaria, parasitemia, sequestration, goat bileCorrespondence: [email protected]

Investigation of bile tolerance and deconjugation ability of various Lactobacillus Casei group strains

Lactobacillus casei group is commonly used as probiotics. Various factors affect their viability in gastrointestinal tract. Twenty two strains of Lactobacillus casei group were assessed for bile tolerance and deconjugation attribute. All strains had shown moderate activity at 0% bile concentration. At 1% bile concentration CSCC 2607 has shown highest growth while remaining Lactobacillus strains have shown fair growth. At 1.5% bile concentration only seven Lactobacillus strains showed growth and ASCC 1521 showed highest activity. All seven strains were able to deconjugate both sodium glycocholate and sodium taurocholate at varying levels. ASCC 1520 showed lowest deconjugation activity for sodium glycocholate. All seven strains showed lower deconjugation of sodium taurocholate compared to sodium glycocholate. ASCC 290 was least capable of deconjugation of sodium taurocholate. When mixture of sodium glycocholate and sodium taurocholate having the similar molar ratio in human bile, was taken, all seven strains showed consistent cholic acid secretion. ASCC 1521 also showed highest cholic acid liberation while ASCC 1520 showed lowest deconjugation ability. This study suggests the importance to identify all the useful Lactobacillus strains which are able to tolerate and deconjugate, high bile concentration in order to study further for their therapeutic benefits.

Endoscopic Ex Vivo Evaluation of Bile Concentrations by Narrow Band Imaging: A Pilot Study

Background. Bile juice plays a major role in duodenogastroesophageal reflux (DGERD). Several devices to directly measure the bile concentration have been proposed. We aimed to ex-vivo evaluate the bile concentration by narrow band imaging (NBI).Method. From six surgical cholecystectomies, the content of the gallbladders was aspirated and the total biliary acid (TBA) concentration was evaluated. 2 mL was employed for serial twofold dilutions. Each dilution was scoped. Images on white light (WL) and NBI were captured and grouped accordingly to NBI-appearance and TBA-concentration.Results. Nondiluted bile had a TBA-concentration of 61965 ± 32989 μmol/L. Final dilution (1 : 4096) had 1.16 μmol/L. NBI and correspondent WL images were grouped into seven groups, and an NBI/Bile scale was created.Conclusion. The scale showed that not only NBI scale but also white light scale could be useful to predict the bile concentration. This initial study shows that NBI has a potential role in the detection of DGERD and further investigation is warranted to distinguish the presence and the concentration of bile, especially at very low TBA concentrations.

Development of Microencapsulation Delivery System for Long-Term Preservation of Probiotics as Biotherapeutics Agent

The administration of probiotic bacteria for health benefit has rapidly expanded in recent years, with a global market worth $32.6 billion predicted by 2014. The oral administration of most of the probiotics results in the lack of ability to survive in a high proportion of the harsh conditions of acidity and bile concentration commonly encountered in the gastrointestinal tract of humans. Providing probiotic living cells with a physical barrier against adverse environmental conditions is therefore an approach currently receiving considerable interest. Probiotic encapsulation technology has the potential to protect microorganisms and to deliver them into the gut. However, there are still many challenges to overcome with respect to the microencapsulation process and the conditions prevailing in the gut. This review focuses mainly on the methodological approach of probiotic encapsulation including biomaterials selection and choice of appropriate technology in detailed manner.

Case Report of a Successful Treatment of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) Bacteremia and MRSA/Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococcus faecium Cholecystitis by Daptomycin

ABSTRACTA 72-year-old man, receiving 8 mg daptomycin/kg body weight/day for methicillin-resistantStaphylococcus aureus(MRSA) bacteremia, was diagnosed with MRSA/vancomycin-resistantEnterococcus faecium(VRE) cholecystitis (daptomycin MIC values, 1 and 2 mg/liter, respectively). After the fifth drug dose, the bile concentration of daptomycin was 66 mg/liter 5 min after drug administration, with the biliary concentration/MIC values higher than 30 for both bacterial strains. Therefore, daptomycin achieved therapeutic levels in bile, hence suggesting a role for the drug in the treatment of MRSA/VRE cholecystitis.

Bile-Esculin Test for Presumptive Identification of Enterococci and Streptococci: Effects of Bile Concentration, Inoculation Technique, and Incubation Time

The bile-esculin test is used to differentiate enterococci and group D streptococci from non-group D viridans group streptococci. The effects on test performance of the concentration of bile salts, inoculum, and duration of incubation were examined with 110 strains of enterococci, 30 strains of Streptococcus bovis, and 110 strains of non-group D viridans group streptococci. Optimal sensitivity (>99%) and specificity (97%) of the bile-esculin test can be obtained with a bile concentration of 40%, a standardized inoculum of 106 CFU, and incubation for 24 h.