As part of our ongoing study to screen local herbs for their possible usefulness as anti-infectiv... more As part of our ongoing study to screen local herbs for their possible usefulness as anti-infectives, we assessed extracts from 16 medicinal plants for their antibacterial properties and their influence on the activity of amoxicillin. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of amoxicillin against Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhi were determined alone and in the presence of sub-inhibitory concentrations of the extracts by the Kirby–Bauer agar diffusion method of antibacterial assay. Eleven out of 18 extracts exhibited antibacterial activity with MIC values below 20 mg/ml against at least one of the test bacteria employed. Amoxicillin activity against Staph. aureus was significantly (p<0.05) enhanced by the presence of sub-inhibitory concentrations of 5 extracts (Mallotus oppositifolius, Bidens pilosa, Morinda lucida, Croton membranaceus and Jatropha curcas). B. subtilis also became significantly susceptible to amoxicillin in the presence of 10 μg/ml extracts of B. pilosa, Hibiscus sabdariffa, M. oppositifolius, Momordica charantia, Anoclesta nobilis, Cryptolepis sanguinolenta and Moringa oleifera. Spathodia campanulata, M. lucida, M. oleifera and J. curcas leaf extracts also significantly reduced the MIC of amoxicillin against E. coli while S. typhi susceptibility was enhanced by the presence of A. nobilis, M. charantia and J. curcas extracts. We hereby report that sub-inhibitory concentrations of some plant extracts can enhance amoxicillin activity and these plants may provide lead compounds that may serve as cheap alternative adjuvants to clavulanic acid in amoxicillin formulations for the treatment of resistant opportunistic bacterial infections usually encountered among HIV/AIDS patients.
The increased incidence of bacterial resistance to antibiotics has generated renewed interest in ... more The increased incidence of bacterial resistance to antibiotics has generated renewed interest in &amp;amp;quot;traditional&amp;amp;quot; antimicrobials, such as honey. This paper reports on a study comparing physico-chemical, antioxidant and antibacterial characteristics (that potentially contribute in part, to the functional wound healing activity) of Cameroonian honeys with those of Manuka honey. Agar well diffusion was used to generate zones of inhibition against Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus while broth dilutions were used to study the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs). Non-peroxide activity was investigated by catalase for hydrogen peroxide reduction. The Cameroonian honeys demonstrated functional properties similar to Manuka honey, with strong correlations between the antioxidant activity and total phenol content of each honey. They were also as effective as Manuka honey in reducing bacteria load with an MIC of 10% w/v against all three bacteria and exhibited non-peroxide antimicrobial activity. These Cameroon honeys have potential therapeutic activity and may contain compounds with activity against Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria. Antibacterial agents from such natural sources present a potential affordable treatment of wound infections caused by antibiotic resistant bacteria, which are a leading cause of amputations and deaths in many African countries.
Objective of this dissertation was to investigate heavy metals in the salivary samples of smokers... more Objective of this dissertation was to investigate heavy metals in the salivary samples of smokers and non-smokers using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) as an application of mass spectrometry. 11 salivary samples were collected by spitting from 5 non-smokers and 6 smokers. All the samples were treated with nitric acid for the digestion. All treated samples were analysed for 10 heavy metals 52 Cr, 59 Co, 60 Ni, 66 Zn, 75 As, 111 Cd, 115 In, 139 La, 202 Hg, and 208 Pb. Among which, 66 Zn, 75 As and 208 Pb were found to be differing significantly in smokers and non-smokers. Zinc is the potent regulator of a protein called gustin. Gustin is the key component that maintains taste.
International journal of biological macromolecules, Jan 26, 2015
This study aimed to develop and characterize stable films as potential protein delivery dressings... more This study aimed to develop and characterize stable films as potential protein delivery dressings to wounds. Films were prepared from aqueous gels of sodium alginate (SA) and glycerol (GLY) (SA:GLY 1:0, 1:1, 1:2, 2:3, 2:1, 4:3). Purified recombinant glutathione-s-transferase (GST), green fluorescent protein (GFP) and GST fused in frame to GFP (GST-GFP) (model proteins) were characterized (SDS PAGE, Western blotting, immune-detection, and high sensitivity differential scanning calorimetry) and loaded (3.3, 6.6 and 30.2mg/g of film) into SA:GLY 1:2 film. These were characterized using texture analysis, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), scanning electron microscopy, swelling, adhesion, dissolution and circular dichroism (CD). The protein loaded dressings were uniform, with a good balance between flexibility and toughness. The films showed ideal moisture content required for protein conformation (TGA), interactions between proteins and film compo...
An integrated MS-based proteomic approach is described that combines MALDI-MS and LC-MS with arti... more An integrated MS-based proteomic approach is described that combines MALDI-MS and LC-MS with artificial neural networks for the identification of protein and peptide biomarkers associated with recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH) administration. Serum from exercised males administered with rhGH or placebo was analysed using ELISA to determine insulin-like growth factor-I concentrations. Diluted serum from rhGH- and placebo-treated subjects was analysed for protein biomarkers by MALDI-MS, whereas LC-MS was used to analyse tryptically digested ACN-depleted serum extracts for peptide biomarkers. Ion intensities and m/z values were used as inputs to artificial neural networks to classify samples into rhGH- and placebo-treated groups. Six protein ions (MALDI-MS) correctly classified 96% of samples into their respective groups, with a sensitivity of 91% (20 of 22 rhGH treated) and specificity of 100% (24 of 24 controls). Six peptide ions (LC-MS) were also identified and correctly class...
As part of our ongoing study to screen local herbs for their possible usefulness as anti-infectiv... more As part of our ongoing study to screen local herbs for their possible usefulness as anti-infectives, we assessed extracts from 16 medicinal plants for their antibacterial properties and their influence on the activity of amoxicillin. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of amoxicillin against Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhi were determined alone and in the presence of sub-inhibitory concentrations of the extracts by the Kirby–Bauer agar diffusion method of antibacterial assay. Eleven out of 18 extracts exhibited antibacterial activity with MIC values below 20 mg/ml against at least one of the test bacteria employed. Amoxicillin activity against Staph. aureus was significantly (p<0.05) enhanced by the presence of sub-inhibitory concentrations of 5 extracts (Mallotus oppositifolius, Bidens pilosa, Morinda lucida, Croton membranaceus and Jatropha curcas). B. subtilis also became significantly susceptible to amoxicillin in the presence of 10 μg/ml extracts of B. pilosa, Hibiscus sabdariffa, M. oppositifolius, Momordica charantia, Anoclesta nobilis, Cryptolepis sanguinolenta and Moringa oleifera. Spathodia campanulata, M. lucida, M. oleifera and J. curcas leaf extracts also significantly reduced the MIC of amoxicillin against E. coli while S. typhi susceptibility was enhanced by the presence of A. nobilis, M. charantia and J. curcas extracts. We hereby report that sub-inhibitory concentrations of some plant extracts can enhance amoxicillin activity and these plants may provide lead compounds that may serve as cheap alternative adjuvants to clavulanic acid in amoxicillin formulations for the treatment of resistant opportunistic bacterial infections usually encountered among HIV/AIDS patients.
The increased incidence of bacterial resistance to antibiotics has generated renewed interest in ... more The increased incidence of bacterial resistance to antibiotics has generated renewed interest in &amp;amp;quot;traditional&amp;amp;quot; antimicrobials, such as honey. This paper reports on a study comparing physico-chemical, antioxidant and antibacterial characteristics (that potentially contribute in part, to the functional wound healing activity) of Cameroonian honeys with those of Manuka honey. Agar well diffusion was used to generate zones of inhibition against Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus while broth dilutions were used to study the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs). Non-peroxide activity was investigated by catalase for hydrogen peroxide reduction. The Cameroonian honeys demonstrated functional properties similar to Manuka honey, with strong correlations between the antioxidant activity and total phenol content of each honey. They were also as effective as Manuka honey in reducing bacteria load with an MIC of 10% w/v against all three bacteria and exhibited non-peroxide antimicrobial activity. These Cameroon honeys have potential therapeutic activity and may contain compounds with activity against Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria. Antibacterial agents from such natural sources present a potential affordable treatment of wound infections caused by antibiotic resistant bacteria, which are a leading cause of amputations and deaths in many African countries.
Objective of this dissertation was to investigate heavy metals in the salivary samples of smokers... more Objective of this dissertation was to investigate heavy metals in the salivary samples of smokers and non-smokers using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) as an application of mass spectrometry. 11 salivary samples were collected by spitting from 5 non-smokers and 6 smokers. All the samples were treated with nitric acid for the digestion. All treated samples were analysed for 10 heavy metals 52 Cr, 59 Co, 60 Ni, 66 Zn, 75 As, 111 Cd, 115 In, 139 La, 202 Hg, and 208 Pb. Among which, 66 Zn, 75 As and 208 Pb were found to be differing significantly in smokers and non-smokers. Zinc is the potent regulator of a protein called gustin. Gustin is the key component that maintains taste.
International journal of biological macromolecules, Jan 26, 2015
This study aimed to develop and characterize stable films as potential protein delivery dressings... more This study aimed to develop and characterize stable films as potential protein delivery dressings to wounds. Films were prepared from aqueous gels of sodium alginate (SA) and glycerol (GLY) (SA:GLY 1:0, 1:1, 1:2, 2:3, 2:1, 4:3). Purified recombinant glutathione-s-transferase (GST), green fluorescent protein (GFP) and GST fused in frame to GFP (GST-GFP) (model proteins) were characterized (SDS PAGE, Western blotting, immune-detection, and high sensitivity differential scanning calorimetry) and loaded (3.3, 6.6 and 30.2mg/g of film) into SA:GLY 1:2 film. These were characterized using texture analysis, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), scanning electron microscopy, swelling, adhesion, dissolution and circular dichroism (CD). The protein loaded dressings were uniform, with a good balance between flexibility and toughness. The films showed ideal moisture content required for protein conformation (TGA), interactions between proteins and film compo...
An integrated MS-based proteomic approach is described that combines MALDI-MS and LC-MS with arti... more An integrated MS-based proteomic approach is described that combines MALDI-MS and LC-MS with artificial neural networks for the identification of protein and peptide biomarkers associated with recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH) administration. Serum from exercised males administered with rhGH or placebo was analysed using ELISA to determine insulin-like growth factor-I concentrations. Diluted serum from rhGH- and placebo-treated subjects was analysed for protein biomarkers by MALDI-MS, whereas LC-MS was used to analyse tryptically digested ACN-depleted serum extracts for peptide biomarkers. Ion intensities and m/z values were used as inputs to artificial neural networks to classify samples into rhGH- and placebo-treated groups. Six protein ions (MALDI-MS) correctly classified 96% of samples into their respective groups, with a sensitivity of 91% (20 of 22 rhGH treated) and specificity of 100% (24 of 24 controls). Six peptide ions (LC-MS) were also identified and correctly class...
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Papers by Joshua Boateng