Search Results (9)

This study characterizes novel cross-linked polymeric composites based on bisphenol A glycerolate dimethacrylate (BPA.DM) as the primary matrix, incorporating 1-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone (NVP) or 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) as active diluents, and modified with antimicrobial agents: zinc oxide (ZnO), copper(II) sulfate (CuSO₄), nanosilver (Ag), and benzethonium chloride (BEN). Release kinetics of active components into water and LH medium were measured over 20 days using HPLC (bisphenol A, benzethonium chloride), GF AAS (Cu, Zn, Ag), and GC–MS, revealing highest silver release from HEMA+Ag composites (1671 µg/L), substantial copper release from HEMA (354 mg/L) and NVP (319 mg/L) systems, while benzethonium chloride exhibited significantly lower migration. The effect of NVP- and HEMA-containing composites on the metabolism of the Cerrena unicolor was also assessed. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and optical profilometry confirmed extensive surface degradation by C. unicolor mycelium, manifesting as cracks, increased porosity, and altered surface across HEMA- and NVP-based composites after 21-day incubation. Biochemical analysis of the fungus post-culture liquids demonstrated that both composite types markedly enhanced extracellular laccase activity at all tested time points (7, 14, 21 days), with ethanol-sterilized samples inducing a slower-migrating laccase isoform identified via zymography. These materials also increased total protein concentration and superoxide anion radical levels while reducing phenolic compounds relative to controls. The findings demonstrate that antimicrobial-modified BPA.DM composites not only undergo controlled biodegradation by C. unicolor but crucially serve as potential laccase inducers, highlighting their dual utility in bioactive material design and fungal enzyme biotechnology. Full article

Ginger soft rot is a serious soil-borne disease caused by Fusarium solani and Fusarium oxysporum, resulting in reduced crop yields. The application of common chemical fungicides is considered to be an effective method of sterilization, and therefore, they pose a serious threat to the environment and human health due to their high toxicity. Benzalkonium chloride (BAC) and benzethonium chloride (BEC) are two popular quaternary ammonium salts with a wide range of fungicidal effects. In this study, we investigated the fungicidal effects of BAC and BEC on soft rot disease of ginger as alternatives to common chemical fungicides. Two soft rot pathogens of ginger were successfully isolated from diseased ginger by using the spread plate method and sequenced as F. solani and F. oxysporum using the high-throughput fungal sequencing method. We investigated the fungicidal effects of BAC and BEC on F. solani and F. oxysporum, and we explored the antifungal mechanisms. Almost complete inactivation of spores of F. solani and F. oxysporum was observed at 100 mg/L fungicide concentration. Only a small amount of spore regrowth was observed after the inactivation treatment of spores of F. solani and F. oxysporum in soil, which proved that BAC and BEC have the potential to be used as an alternative to common chemical fungicides for soil disinfection of diseased ginger. Full article

In this study, aqueous two-phase systems (ATPSs) containing a cationic and anionic surfactants mixture were used for the preconcentration of the synthetic food dyes Allura Red AC, Azorubine, Sunset Yellow, Tartrazine, and Fast Green FCF. A rapid, simple, low cost, affordable, and environmentally friendly methodology based on microextraction in ATPSs, followed by spectrophotometric/colorimetric determination of the dyes, is proposed. The ATPSs are formed in mixtures of benzethonium chloride (BztCl) and sodium N-lauroylsarcosinate (NaLS) or sodium dihexylsulfosuccinate (NaDHSS) under the molar ratio close to equimolar at the total surfactant concentration of 0.01–0.20 M. The density, viscosity, polarity, and water content in the surfactant-rich phases at an equimolar ratio BztCl:NaA were determined. The effects of pH, total surfactant concentration, dye concentration, and time of extraction/centrifugation were investigated, and the optimum conditions for the quantitative extraction of dyes were established. The smartphone-based colorimetric determination was employed directly in the extract without separating the aqueous phase. The analytical performance (calibration linearity, precision, limits of detection and quantification, reproducibility, and preconcentration factor) and comparison of the spectrophotometric and smartphone-based colorimetric determination of dyes were evaluated. The method was applied to the determination of dyes in food samples and food-processing industrial wastewater. Full article

Osteosarcoma (OS) is a primary malignant tumor of bone. Chemotherapy is one of the crucial approaches to prevent its metastasis and improve prognosis. Despite continuous improvements in the clinical treatment of OS, tumor resistance and metastasis remain dominant clinical challenges. Macropinocytosis, a form of non-selective nutrient endocytosis, has received increasing attention as a novel target for cancer therapy, yet its role in OS cells remains obscure. Benzethonium chloride (BZN) is an FDA-approved antiseptic and bactericide with broad-spectrum anticancer effects. Here, we described that BZN suppressed the proliferation, migration, and invasion of OS cells in vitro and in vivo, but simultaneously promoted the massive accumulation of cytoplasmic vacuoles as well. Mechanistically, BZN repressed the ERK1/2 signaling pathway, and the ERK1/2 activator partially neutralized the inhibitory effect of BZN on OS cells. Subsequently, we demonstrated that vacuoles originated from macropinocytosis and indicated that OS cells might employ macropinocytosis as a compensatory survival mechanism in response to BZN. Remarkably, macropinocytosis inhibitors enhanced the anti-OS effect of BZN in vitro and in vivo. In conclusion, our results suggest that BZN may inhibit OS cells by repressing the ERK1/2 signaling pathway and propose a potential strategy to enhance the BZN-induced inhibitory effect by suppressing macropinocytosis. Full article

The concentration region at which the solvent is formed during in situ solvent formation microextraction is determined by varying the concentrations of the two components required to form a solvent. In particular, a solvent is formed in situ during ion-associate phase (IAP) microextraction by mixing an aqueous solution with an organic cation and an organic anion. In this study, benzethonium chloride (BenCl) and sodium ethylbenzenesulfonate (NaEBS) were employed as the organic cation and anion sources of model IAPs to thoroughly investigate the in situ solvent formation. Additionally, the formation of the IAPs and the solvent via centrifugation of the formed ion associates was examined. We demonstrated that ion associates are formed when the product of [EBS] and [Ben] is greater than the solubility product and [EBS] is greater than [Ben]. The highest extraction of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) was achieved with an amount of NaEBS 40 times greater than that of BenCl. A higher hydrophobicity in the IAP extraction of PAHs, estrogens, and pesticides facilitated extraction into the IAP. Full article

Background: Acinetobacter spp. have emerged as troublesome pathogens due to their multi-drug resistance. The majority of the work to date has focused on the antibiotic resistance profile of Acinetobacter baumannii. Although A. calcoaceticus strains are isolated in the hospital setting, limited information is available on these closely related species. Methods & Results: The computational analysis of antibiotic resistance genes in 1441 Acinetobacter genomes revealed that A. calcoaceticus harbored a similar repertoire of multi-drug efflux pump and beta-lactam resistance genes as A. baumannii, leading us to speculate that A. calcoaceticus would have a similar antibiotic resistance profile to A. baumannii. To profile the resistance patterns of A. calcoaceticus, strains were examined by Kirby–Bauer disk diffusion and phenotypic microarrays. We found that Acinetobacter strains were moderately to highly resistant to certain antibiotics within fluoroquinolones, aminoglycosides, tetracyclines, and other antibiotic classes. These data indicate that A. calcoaceticus has a similar antibiotic resistance profile as A. baumannii ATCC 19606. We also identified that all Acinetobacter species were sensitive to 5-fluoroorotic acid, novobiocin, and benzethonium chloride. Conclusion: Collectively, these data provide new insights into the antibiotic resistance in A. calcoaceticus and identify several antibiotics that could be beneficial in treating Acinetobacter infections. Full article

One cationic surfactant with a wide spectrum of microbiocidal activity is benzethonium chloride (BEC). Despite being widely used, the toxicity data on vertebrate organisms are limited. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate within this study the acute toxicity of BEC on the gills and kidneys of Cyprinus carpio (European carp). An alteration of the antioxidant enzymes activities (glutathione reductase, glutathione peroxidase and glutathione S-transferase) was noticed after 96 h of exposure, along with an elevation of lipid peroxidation and decreased concentration of reduced glutathione, which confirmed that BEC was able to induce toxicity to these tissues. These metabolic effects were correlated with unspecific structural changes observed in gills and kidneys, having moderate degree of severity (such as an increase of melanomacrophages aggregation incidence and cytoplasm vacuolation of goblet cells in collecting tubules) and generally being compatible with life for the exposure time studied. The most severe structural effects were observed in gills after 96 h, noticing a lamellar aneurysm, hemorrhages and lamellar epithelium disruption due to the blood vessels and pillar cells damages and increased blood flow inside the lamellae. By our research we can confirm the utility of biochemical and histological analyses in the fish organs as tools for monitoring the water quality and ecotoxicological potential of chemicals. Full article

Mouthwash contains chlorhexidine, triclosan, cetylpyridinium chloride, benzethonium chloride, and fluoride. However, continuous use of these chemical substance affects both pathogenic and nonpathogenic oral bacteria and causes an imbalance in the oral environment, which is known to affect not only oral diseases but also systemic diseases. Therefore, in this study, we observed the possibility of replacing the composition of chemical compound mouthwash with a natural extract. Platycodon grandiflorum (PG), Chaenomeles sinensis Koehne (CSK), and Siraitia grosvenorii (SG) were used as natural extracts, and a mixture of enzyme salt, xylitol, mint, green tea, lemon, and propolis were used as the natural extract mixture series (M1–M5). The natural extracts and natural mixture series were evaluated for the antibacterial effect, anti-inflammatory effect, cell viability, and nitric oxide (NO) assay using eleven types of pathogenic oral bacteria, two types of nonpathogenic oral bacteria, and macrophages RAW 264.7 cells. Cell viability was measured as about 35.9–46.7% for the control group (GA and LIS), about 36.3–57.7% for the natural extract group (PG, CSK, SG), and about 95.8–97.9% for the natural extract mixture series group (M1–M5). In the NO assay tested with lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated inflammatory responses, the control group was measured at about 89%, the natural extracts group were measured at 84–88%, and the natural extract mixture series group at about 54–82%. It was observed that some natural extracts (PG, SG) and natural extract mixtures (M4, M5) inhibited LPS-induced NO production, which meant that natural extracts had anti-inflammation potential. In conclusion, it was observed that natural extracts mixed in proper proportions affect pathogenic oral bacteria and not nonpathogenic oral bacteria. It is considered that appropriately formulated natural extracts can maintain a healthy oral environment and further replace commercial mouthwash based on chemical compound mixtures. Full article

Benzenthonium chloride (BEC, Hyamine 1622) is a quaternary ammonium surfactant with cationic properties widely used in cleaning, sanitation, and medical products that can become harmful to humans and also to the environment. This study aimed to evaluate its acute effects on Cyprinus carpio fish in terms of oxidative stress and morphological changes on hepatic tissue in order to show the sub-lethal toxicity of BEC. Fish were exposed to 1 mg/L BEC for 24, 48, and 96 h, and the liver samples were collected. The most significant changes were noticed after 96 h of exposure when the entire antioxidant enzyme system was affected. The activities of catalase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione reductase, and glutathione S-transferase decreased by 44%, 31%, 30%, and 45%, respectively, compared to control. Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase activity decreased by 29% after 96 h of control, inducing a reduction of NADPH formation which decreased by half the level of reduced glutathione, the main non-enzymatic antioxidant. These effects correlated with the raised value of lipid peroxidation after 96 h and the morphology changes on hepatic tissue, such as cytoplasmic vacuolization and nuclear hypertrophy that could affect the normal function of the liver. All of these results showed acute toxicity of BEC on C. carpio after 96 h of exposure, causing oxidative stress response at the hepatic level. Full article