BACKGROUND Spinosad (a mixture of spinosyns A and D) is a unique natural pesticide produced by Saccharopolyspora spinosa. With regard to attempts to improve S. spinosa by classical mutagenesis, we propose that the bottleneck of screening out high-spinosad-production strains is probably caused by the fermentation media. OBJECTIVES The current study aimed to identify a new medium to extensively...

Therapeutic effect of ethanolic extract of Hygrophila spinosa in gentamicin-induced nephrotoxic model of kidney injury in male Sprague-Dawley rats was studied. Rats were administered with gentamicin at a dose of 80 mg/kg intraperitoneally (ip) to induce nephrotoxicity. Kidney function was assessed by measuring serum creatinine and urea. Kidney superoxide dismutase, lipid peroxidation, catalase ...

Animals that possess extreme sensory structures are predicted to have a related extreme behavioural function. This study focuses on one such extreme sensory structure-the posterior median eyes of the net-casting spider Deinopis spinosa. Although past research has implicated the importance of vision in the nocturnal foraging habits of Deinopis, no direct link between vision in the enlarged eyes ...

BACKGROUND The main objective was to evaluate the possible protective effect of Chuquiraga spinosa extract on N-methyl nitrosourea (NMU)-induced prostate cancer in rats and DU-145 cell line. MATERIALS AND METHODS Prostate carcinogenesis was induced in 30 male Holtzman rats by providing cyproterone acetate, testosterone, and NMU. The tumors were monitored and hematological and biochemical para...

Due to the use of Cleome spinosa Jacq. (Cleomaceae) in traditional medicine against inflammatory and infectious processes, this study evaluated the in vitro antimicrobial potential and phytochemical composition of extracts from its roots and leaves. From leaves (L) and roots (R) of C. spinosa different extracts were obtained (cyclohexane: ChL and ChR; chloroform: CL and CR; ethyl acetate: EAL a...

BACKGROUND Pycnocycla spinosa Decne. ex Boiss is an aromatic plant which showed relaxant effects on isolated ileum contractions and antidiarrheal activity. Thirty four components have been extracted from P. spinosa essential oil, of which several major constituents were found to show seasonal variation. OBJECTIVES The aim of this work is to evaluate the diurnal variation of its oil constituen...

Plants that belong to the Combretaceae family have long history of use in the traditional medicine systems of Africa and Asia for treatment of diseases and conditions associated with HIV/AIDS-opportunistic infections. The objective of this study was to investigate the biological activities of extracts of Terminalia stenostachya Engl. & Diels and Terminalia spinosa Engl. (Combretaceae), to verif...

BACKGROUND Spinosad is a macrolide antibiotic produced by Saccharopolyspora spinosa with aerobic fermentation. However, the wild strain has a low productivity. In this article, a computational guided engineering approach was adopted in order to improve the yield of spinosad in S. spinosa. RESULTS Firstly, a genome-scale metabolic network reconstruction (GSMR) for S.spinosa based on its genome...

Background:Oncoba spinosa, an endangered medicinal plant whose secondary metabolites have not been extensively profiled, and which is hitherto yet to be examined for cytotoxicity, is being investigated in this study. Methods: Leaves of Oncoba spinosa (800 g) were extracted with 95% aqueous methanol. The crude extract was partitioned with n-hexane and the resultant defatted extract was extensive...

Scolus secretions and hemolymph of caterpillars of Saturnia pyri fed with two different foodplants (Crataegis monogyna, Prunus spinosa) were chemically analyzed and their chemical similarities determined. The secondary-compound patterns obtained for the two body fluids showed no significant differences when compared between the two groups of alternatively fed last-instar larvae. Thus, the compo...