Author
Silvia N.J. Moreno
Other affiliations: Fundación Instituto Leloir, National Institutes of Health, University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign ...read more
Bio: Silvia N.J. Moreno is an academic researcher from University of Georgia. The author has contributed to research in topics: Toxoplasma gondii & Protein subunit. The author has an hindex of 61, co-authored 225 publications receiving 10585 citations. Previous affiliations of Silvia N.J. Moreno include Fundación Instituto Leloir & National Institutes of Health.
Papers published on a yearly basis
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TL;DR: The results suggested that the antimicrobial rosemary extract efficacy was associated with their specific phenolic composition, and Carnosic acid and rosmarinic acid may be the main bioactive antimicrobial compounds present in rosemary extracts.
Abstract: Rosmarinus officinalis extracts were investigated by a combination of bioassays and biochemical analysis to identify bioactive compounds. The 2,2-diphenyl-2-picrylhydracyl hydrate (DPPH) radical scavenging method, Folin-Ciocaulteau method and HPLC chromatography were used to study the distribution and levels of antioxidants (AOXs). Antimicrobial activity analysis was carried out using the disk diffusion and broth dilution techniques. A good correlation between the AOX activities and total phenol content in the extracts was found. Although all rosemary extracts showed a high radical scavenging activity, a different efficacy as antimicrobial agent was observed. Methanol extract containing 30% of carnosic acid, 16% of carnosol and 5% of rosmarinic acid was the most effective antimicrobial against Gram positive bacteria (minimal inhibition concentration, MIC, between 2 and 15 mug/ml), Gram negative bacteria (MIC between 2 and 60 mug/ml) and yeast (MIC of 4 mug/ml). By contrast, water extract containing only 15% of rosmarinic acid showed a narrow activity. MIC value of the methanol and water extracts is in a good correlation with the values obtained with pure carnosic acid and rosmarinic acid, respectively. Therefore, our results suggested that the antimicrobial rosemary extracts efficacy was associated with their specific phenolic composition. Carnosic acid and rosmarinic acid may be the main bioactive antimicrobial compounds present in rosemary extracts. From a practical point of view, rosemary extract may be a good candidate for functional foods as well as for pharmaceutical plant-based products.
582 citations
TL;DR: Acidocalcisomes were first described in trypanosomatids and have been characterized in most detail in these species, and are linked with several functions, including storage of cations and phosphorus, polyphosphate metabolism, calciumHomeostasis, maintenance of intracellular pH homeostasis and osmoregulation.
Abstract: Recent work has shown that acidocalcisomes, which are electron-dense acidic organelles rich in calcium and polyphosphate, are the only organelles that have been conserved during evolution from prokaryotes to eukaryotes Acidocalcisomes were first described in trypanosomatids and have been characterized in most detail in these species Acidocalcisomes have been linked with several functions, including storage of cations and phosphorus, polyphosphate metabolism, calcium homeostasis, maintenance of intracellular pH homeostasis and osmoregulation Here, we review acidocalcisome ultrastructure, composition and function in different trypanosomatids and other organisms
424 citations
TL;DR: Nitrogen-containing bisphosphonates of the type used in bone resorption therapy have significant activity against parasites, with the aromatic species having in some cases nanomolar or low-micromolar IC(50) activity values against parasite replication.
Abstract: We have investigated the effects in vitro of a series of bisphosphonates on the proliferation of Trypanosoma cruzi, Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense, Leishmania donovani, Toxoplasma gondii, and Plasmodium falciparum. The results show that nitrogen-containing bisphosphonates of the type used in bone resorption therapy have significant activity against parasites, with the aromatic species having in some cases nanomolar or low-micromolar IC(50) activity values against parasite replication (e.g. o-risedronate, IC(50) = 220 nM for T. brucei rhodesiense; risedronate, IC(50) = 490 nM for T. gondii). In T. cruzi, the nitrogen-containing bisphosphonate risedronate is shown to inhibit sterol biosynthesis at a pre-squalene level, most likely by inhibiting farnesylpyrophosphate synthase. Bisphosphonates therefore appear to have potential in treating parasitic protozoan diseases.
307 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors evaluated the free radical scavenging capacity of rosemary essential oil against human pathogenic and food decay bacteria and found that myrcene-rich essential oils have higher free radical capability than other essential oils.
243 citations
TL;DR: Pretreatment of the parasites with the Ca2+ chelators quin 2 or BAPTA decreased the trypomastigotes' association to myoblasts by approximately 40 and 63%, respectively, thus indicating that an increase in intracellularCa2+ concentration in the parasites is required for cell invasion in addition to Ca2- mobilization in the host cells.
Abstract: To replicate, the trypomastigote form of Trypanosoma cruzi must invade host cells. Since a role for Ca2+ in the process of cell invasion by several intracellular parasites has been postulated, changes in the intracellular Ca2+ concentration in T. cruzi trypomastigotes and in tissue culture L6E9 myoblasts during their interaction were studied at the single cell level using digital imaging fluorescence microscopy or in cell suspensions by fluorescence spectrophotometry. An increase in cytosolic Ca2+ in T. cruzi trypomastigotes was detected at the single cell level after association of the parasites with the myoblasts. Ca2+ mobilization in the host cells was also detected upon contact with trypomastigotes either at the single cell level or in cells grown in coverslips and exposed to suspensions of trypomastigotes. Pretreatment of the parasites with the Ca2+ chelators quin 2 (50 microM) or bis-(o-aminophenoxy)-ethane-N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid (BAPTA, 50 microM) decreased the trypomastigotes' association to myoblasts by approximately 40 and 63%, respectively, thus indicating that an increase in intracellular Ca2+ concentration in the parasites is required for cell invasion in addition to Ca2+ mobilization in the host cells.
198 citations
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TL;DR: The second edition of The Biomarker Guide as mentioned in this paper provides a comprehensive account of the role that biomarker technology plays both in petroleum exploration and in understanding Earth history and processes.
Abstract: The second edition of The Biomarker Guide is a fully updated and expanded version of this essential reference. Now in two volumes, it provides a comprehensive account of the role that biomarker technology plays both in petroleum exploration and in understanding Earth history and processes. Biomarkers and Isotopes in the Environment and Human History details the origins of biomarkers and introduces basic chemical principles relevant to their study. It discusses analytical techniques, and applications of biomarkers to environmental and archaeological problems. The Biomarker Guide is an invaluable resource for geologists, petroleum geochemists, biogeochemists, environmental scientists and archaeologists.
2,163 citations
TL;DR: A review of phenolic and polyphenolic compounds can be found in this article, which summarizes both the synthetic and natural phenolic antioxidants, emphasizing their mode of action, health effects, degradation products and toxicology.
1,800 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the electron spin resonance hyperfine splitting constants of spin adducts of interest in this area are tabulated and a brief comment on the source of the radical trapped is given.
1,487 citations
TL;DR: It is essential that there be a strategy to prevent the emergence of resistance to new drugs; combination therapy, monitoring of therapy, and improved diagnostics could play an essential role in this strategy.
Abstract: Leishmaniasis is a complex disease, with visceral and cutaneous manifestations, and is caused by over 15 different species of the protozoan parasite genus Leishmania. There are significant differences in the sensitivity of these species both to the standard drugs, for example, pentavalent antimonials and miltefosine, and those on clinical trial, for example, paromomycin. Over 60% of patients with visceral leishmaniasis in Bihar State, India, do not respond to treatment with pentavalent antimonials. This is now considered to be due to acquired resistance. Although this class of drugs has been used for over 60 years for leishmaniasis treatment, it is only in the past 2 years that the mechanisms of action and resistance have been identified, related to drug metabolism, thiol metabolism, and drug efflux. With the introduction of new therapies, including miltefosine in 2002 and paromomycin in 2005-2006, it is essential that there be a strategy to prevent the emergence of resistance to new drugs; combination therapy, monitoring of therapy, and improved diagnostics could play an essential role in this strategy.
1,450 citations
TL;DR: Four interrelated topics are discussed: lyophilization and its denaturation stresses, cryo- and lyo-protection of proteins by excipients, design of a robust lyophILization cycle, and with emphasis, instability, stabilization, and formulation of solid protein pharmaceuticals.
1,373 citations