Browsing by Author "Reham Wasfi"

Filter results by typing the first few letters
Now showing 1 - 2 of 2
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Medicinal plants of Egypt for control of multidrug resistant microbes
    (Elsevier, 2025-02-28) Mahmoud A. Elfaky; Gamal A. Mohamed; Sabrin R.M. Ibrahim; Mai A. Amer; Reham Wasfi; Samira M. Hamed
    The emergence and spread of multidrug resistant (MDR) bacteria present a critical threat to global public health, challenging the effectiveness of conventional antibiotic treatments. In regions like Egypt, where healthcare systems face significant burdens due to infectious diseases, the problem of antibiotic resistance is particularly pronounced. In light of these challenges, there has been a notable shift toward exploring alternative antimicrobial strategies, drawing attention to the rich pharmacological potential of traditional medicinal plants. Egypt, with its diverse ecosystem, harbors a wealth of flora known for its diverse biological activity. These plants have long been utilized in traditional medicine for their therapeutic properties and are now being investigated for their efficacy against MDR bacteria. This chapter serves as a comprehensive exploration of several promising medicinal plants native to Egypt, elucidating their phytochemical composition and mechanisms of action against MDR pathogens.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Novel anti-herpes simplex activity of Chryseobacterium indologenes: Genomic and metabolomic insights
    (Academic Press, 2025-04-03) Mai A. Amer; Reham Wasfi; Hossam M. Ashour; Samira M. Hamed
    Herpes simplex virus (HSV) is a pathogenic virus responsible for various diseases, necessitating alternative antiviral strategies for HSV-1 treatment. Given the antiviral properties of lactic acid (LA), we screened rhizobacteria from the maize (Zea mays L.) rhizosphere for organic acid production. Among the isolates, SR50, SR126, and SR135 exhibited significant LA production, confirmed by High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) analysis. Their antiviral efficacy against HSV-1 was evaluated by determining IC50 values and selectivity indices (SI = CC50/IC50), with SR50, SR126, and SR135 displaying SI values of 135.14, 10.74, and 2.17, respectively. SR50, identified via 16S rRNA sequencing as Chryseobacterium indologenes, was selected for further antiviral analysis. The cell-free supernatant (CFS) of SR50 demonstrated 73.3 % inhibition of viral adsorption, 60 % virucidal activity, and a 46.7 % reduction in viral replication. Metabolomic profiling using Gas ChromatographyMass Spectrometry (GC-MS) identified short- and long-chain organic fatty acids. Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS) revealed a 4,581,372 bp genome encoding diverse biosynthetic pathways, including siderophores, plant hormones, terpenoids, polyketides, and other bacterial secondary metabolites. Additionally, genes encoding lactaldehyde dehydrogenase and pyruvate dehydrogenase confirmed the presence of lactic and acetic acid biosynthesis pathways. This study presents the first report of C. indologenes SR50 exhibiting anti-HSV-1 activity, highlighting its potential as a novel antiviral resource.