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Proteus mirabilis and Staphylococcus aureus are pathogens associated with CAUTIs. Understanding their significance is crucial for effective prevention and treatment. In this study, the Delphinium semibarbatum flavonoid‐rich fraction (DSF) was analyzed, and its antibacterial, antibiofilm, and antiswarming properties against these two bacterial species were evaluated. In the phytochemical analysis, four flavonoids, including kaempferol, 4′‐O‐methyl quercetin, quercetin, and kaempferol‐3‐O‐beta‐D‐glucopyranoside (K3G), were isolated. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC50) of DSF on P. mirabilis and S. aureus was 1000 μg/mL. Similarly, kaempferol, K3G, and 4′‐O‐methyl quercetin exhibited inhibitory effects of 20%, 13%, and 12%, respectively, at a concentration of 1000 μg/mL compared to the P. mirabilis control. However, the MIC50 of kaempferol and 4′‐O‐methyl quercetin for S. aureus were 125 μg/mL and 62.25 μg/mL, respectively. K3G exhibited an inhibitory effect of 37% at a concentration of 1000 μg/mL. DSF reduced biofilm at 1 mg/mL by 78% and 74% for P. mirabilis and S. aureus, respectively. Quercetin was the most effective in inhibiting P. mirabilis biofilm formation, with a 96% inhibition rate, followed by kaempferol and K3G, with 67% and 29%, respectively, at the same concentration. The best bioactive compound against biofilm inhibition of S. aureus was quercetin at 250 μg/mL, exhibiting 90% inhibition, followed by K3G, 4′‐O‐methyl quercetin, and kaempferol with 81%, 45%, and 33%, respectively, at a concentration of 125 μg/mL. In the swarming inhibition assay, DSF showed 78% inhibition at concentrations of 5 μg/mL. Similarly, all bioactive compounds showed 45% antiswarming activity at this concentration. The docking results of the isolated flavonoids on two target proteins, SarA and MrpH, showed that the presence of the methoxy group in the structure of 4′‐O‐methyl quercetin reduced its interaction with these two proteins. In the ADMET prediction, isolated flavonoids showed good predicted properties suitable for treating these two microbial species in urinary infection diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak is a significant threat to human health and the worldwide economy. Coronaviruses cause a variety of diseases, such as pneumonia-like upper respiratory tract illnesses, gastroenteritis, encephalitis, multiple organ failure involving lungs and kidneys which might cause death. Since the pandemic started there have been more than 107 million COVID-19 infections caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and ∼2.4 million deaths globally. SARS-CoV-2 is easily transmitted from person-to-person and has spread quickly across all continents. With the continued increase in morbidity and mortality caused by COVID-19, and the damage to the global economy, there is an urgent need for effective prevention and treatment strategies. The advent of safe and effective vaccines has been a significant step forward in the battle against COVID-19, however treatment of the symptoms associated with the disease still requires new anti-viral and anti-inflammatory drug therapies. To this end, scientists have been investigating available natural products that may be effective against SARS-CoV-2, with some products showing promise in fighting several viral infections. Since many natural products are dietary components or are prepared as dietary supplements people tend to consider them safer than synthetic drugs. For example, Traditional Chinese Medicines have been effectively utilized to treat SARS-CoV-2 infected patients with promising results. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge of COVID-19 therapies and the therapeutic potential of medicinal plant extracts and natural compounds for the treatment of several viral infections, with special emphasis on SARS-CoV-2 infection. Realistic strategies that can be employed for the effective use of bioactive compounds for anti-SARS-CoV-2 research are also provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plants of the genus Zingiber (Family Zingiberaceae) are widely used throughout the world as food and medicinal plants. They represent very popular herbal remedies in various traditional healing systems; in particular, rhizome of Zingiber spp. plants has a long history of ethnobotanical uses because of a plethora of curative properties. Antimicrobial activity of rhizome essential oil has been extensively confirmed in vitro and attributed to its chemical components, mainly consisting of monoterpene and sesquiterpene hydrocarbons such as α-zingiberene, ar-curcumene, β-bisabolene and β-sesquiphellandrene. In addition, gingerols have been identified as the major active components in the fresh rhizome, whereas shogaols, dehydrated gingerol derivatives, are the predominant pungent constituents in dried rhizome. Zingiber spp. may thus represent a promising and innovative source of natural alternatives to chemical food preservatives. This approach would meet the increasing concern of consumers aware of the potential health risks associated with the conventional antimicrobial agents in food. This narrative review aims at providing a literature overview on Zingiber spp. plants, their cultivation, traditional uses, phytochemical constituents and biological activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]