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The purpose of this paper is to extract, characterise and quantify curcumin from selected Zingiberaceae of “kunyit” or turmeric (Curcuma longa), “temu lawak” or Javanese turmeric (Curcuma xanthorrhiza), “temu pauh” (Curcuma mangga), “lempoyang” (Zingiber zerumbet) and “bonglai” (Zingiber cassumunar) using alkaline and chemical-based extraction method for antimicrobial and antioxidant activities.

Through the alkaline-based extraction method, all parts of rhizome samples were freeze-dried for 72 h before grounded into a fine powder and kept at −20°C. The powdered sample (0.1 g) was weighed and placed in a 50 mL tube. About 20 mL of 2 M NaOH solution was added into the tube. The solution was allowed to stand for 30 min. Then, 20 mL of ethyl acetate was added into the tube. The solution was mixed well then centrifuged at 13,500 rpm for 3 min. The upper layer was collected using a pipette. The process was repeated until the upper layer became almost colourless. The collected ethyl acetate solution was concentrated using a rotary evaporator to remove the ethyl acetate from the extracted compound. The concentrated curcumin was placed in a universal bottle, which was then dried from the remaining ethyl acetate using nitrogen drying process. The dried curcumin was then stored inside the freezer at −20ºC. The antimicrobial activities were using agar diffusion method against bacterial and fungi, while the antioxidant activity was evaluated using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) scavenging assay.

All the samples successfully showed a single peak (curcumin) that gained from the high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) chromatogram analysis (at 425 nm) using the alkaline-based extraction method and the highest curcumin content was in turmeric (12.95 ± 1.07mg/g DW). At 10.0 mg/mL curcumin concentration, the best antibacterial activity was against on methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) with 7.50 ± 0.71 mm inhibition zone, while the best antifungal activity was against on Aspergillus niger with 8.00 ± 0.41 mm inhibition zone. The DPPH antioxidant test resulted in the highest inhibition (110.41 per cent) was at 0.25 mg/mL curcumin concentration.

Through HPLC analysis, all samples successfully showed a single peak of curcumin at 425 nm. The total carotenoid determination from turmeric revealed that the samples content was substantially higher using alkaline-based extraction (18.40 ± 0.07 mg/g DW) compared to chemical-based extraction (9.42 ± 0.20 mg/g ± SD).

The aim of this study was to evaluate anti-bacterial anti-fungal activity of six Lamiaceae family coleus plants based on their traditional uses (breast-milk stimulants) from two Asian countries (Malaysia and Indonesia).

Plants leaves of coleus species were collected from Kuantan (Malaysia) and Jakarta (Indonesia). From Kuantan, Coleus aromaticus – Malaysia (CATM), Pogostemon cablin – Malaysia (PCM), Coleus blumei-purple leaves – Malaysia (CBPM), Coleus blumei-red leaves – Malaysia (CBRM), Coleus amboinicus – Malaysia (CALM) and from Jakarta Coleus amboinicus – Indonesia (CALI) were collected freeze dried and extracted with aqueous methanol. The antimicrobial activity of the extract was determined by making use of macro dilution and disc diffusion methods. The selected bacteria and fungus used were namely Bacillus subtilis and Staphylococcus aureus (gram positive) and Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (gram negative) and Candida albicans (a fungi).

All leaf extracts showed activity at least against one strain of bacteria and the result shows that there were significant differences (p<0.05) between the activities on microorganism. The minimum inhibitory concentration of all leaves extracts ranged from 1.0 to 2.0 mg/ml in inhibiting the growth of S. aureus, E. coli, P. aeruginosa and B. subtilis. This study shows that the coleus plants leaves can be used as anti-bacterial anti-fungal agent apart from the breast-milk stimulation properties.

This research was carried out with a limited grant and it was not possible to study some more aspects, for example, the composition and the active components isolation, etc. Furthermore, to establish the relationship among the components and bacteria or fungus, etc.

This research would have greater impact since the leaves of coleus plants are already in use in some communities for the purpose of breast-milk stimulation and insect bite therapy and many more.

This research takes into consideration the effect of coleus plants on a few bacteria and a fungus which have never been studied before.

This paper aims to discuss about the benefits of Cu(NO₃)₂ applied in coating paint film that consists of plant extract from Cassia Alata. Cu(NO₃)₂ has been added to the coating paint film as a colour stabilizer and as an antifungal property by forming a zone of inhibition towards fungal growth.

The coating paint film resin consists of a mixture of poly (methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) and acrylic polyol. The coating paint film’s performances were observed in terms of visible optical and physical appearance.

When exposed to the fungus Trichoderma Sp., a zone of inhibition of 208 mm² was formed around the coating paint film and therefore it gave the coating paint films an antifungal property. The commission internationale de l’éclairage (CIE) L*a*b* colour coordinate system was used to identify the colour changes in the coating paint film and it was found that the addition of Cu(NO₃)₂ to the coating paint film has a better colour stability, as it has a lower standard deviation (STD) value of 6.46 than the pure dye coating paint film of 8.95. The gloss of coating paint film with the addition of Cu(NO₃)₂ was found to be have a more stable gloss based on its smaller STD value at both angles taken at 20° and 60°.

The Cassia Alata plant has different amount of antifungal properties based on location its growth.

The coating paint film developed in this study is suitable for indoor applications.

The plant extract from the Cassia Alata gives the coating paint film an antifungal property.

This study aims to evaluate the safety and quality of organic food product versus conventional ones in the Lebanese market.

Selected organic and conventional Lemon and cucumber were assessed for the presence of pesticides residues using LC-MS/MS and GC/MS/MS, also compared at the level of total polyphenols content, flavonoids, tannins and tested for their antiradical and antibacterial activities.

The findings indicate that organic lemons were contaminated by four types of pesticide residues (33.33%), while one pesticide residue (22.22%) was detected in conventional one, which were all below the European Union Maximum Residue Limits. For cucumber, six pesticide residues (66.66%) were detected in organic samples, while in conventional, eight pesticide residues (55.55%) were detected. However, absolutely four samples (44.44%) in each of conventional and organic cucumber samples surpass the maximum residue levels. Both lemon and cucumber, regardless of the farming systems, possess potent antioxidant activity with no significant difference, except for lemon, where total polyphenol was highly significant in conventional. Additionally, this study showed that lemon of conventional origin was slightly more effective in inhibiting the growth of gram-positive and gram-negative bacterial strains compared to organic samples, while both cucumber types did not exert any antibacterial effect.

This is the first paper to assess the polyphenols, pesticide residue and biological activities of organic lemon and cucumber in Lebanese market as well as comparing conventional to organic.

Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), Klebsiella pneumoniae (K. pneumoniae) and Streptococcus pneumoniae (S. pneumoniae) are among the pathogens detected during Hajj pilgrimage known to cause pneumonia. This study aims to evaluate the antibacterial activity of activated carbon cloth (ACC) with Ag⁺ impregnated with zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) against these pathogens.

ZnO NPs were impregnated into ACC-Ag⁺ via layer-by-layer (LbL) self-assembly. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) was used to observe the fine surface morphological details of the ACC-Ag⁺-ZnO sheets. Antibacterial activity of the ACC-Ag⁺-ZnO sheets was evaluated using the disk-diffusion susceptibility assay. Allergy patch test was done to evaluate allergic reactions of the ACC-Ag⁺-ZnO sheets on human skin.

SEM micrographs showed successful impregnation of ZnO NPs into the ACC-Ag⁺ sheets. Disk-diffusion susceptibility assay results of ACC-Ag⁺-ZnO sheets against S. aureus, K. pneumoniae and S. pneumoniae showed good antibacterial activity; with 1.82 ± 0.13 mm zone of inhibition for S. pneumoniae, at a ZnO concentration of 0.78 mg mL^-1. No signs of human skin irritation were observed throughout the allergy patch test.

Results indicate that ACC-Ag⁺-ZnO sheets could potentially be embedded within surgical face masks (pilgrims’ preferred) to reduce the risks involved with the transmission of respiratory tract infections during and after mass gatherings (e.g. Hajj/Umrah, Olympics).

Medical textile is one aspect of technical textiles and it is classified according to performance and functional properties for hygienic and healthcare products. Seaweeds have curative powers for curing most degenerative diseases. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

The present study focusses on the extraction of dyes from five seaweeds such as Ulva reticulata, Ulva lactuca, Sargassum wightii, Padina tetrastomatica and Acanthophora spicefera. The presence of bioactive compounds, antioxidant and antimicrobial properties of dye extracted from seaweeds was analysed. The dye extracted from green seaweed was applied on cotton fabric to obtain antimicrobial and other properties used to make non- implantable materials.

A maximum antioxidant inhibition percentage of 86.48+2.84 and a maximum antibacterial activity of 27 mm inhibition zone were obtained on the fabric treated with the dye extract from the Ulva lactuca seaweed. The physical properties such as tensile strength and tearing strength did not show much significant difference in untreated and treated fabric. The air permeability, water absorbency and wicking behaviour of treated fabric were reduced compared with untreated fabric. The washing and rubbing properties of treated fabric were very good after repeated washing.

This bioactive fabric has been used for non-implantable materials such as wound healing, face mask, surgical gowns and hygienic textiles in recent years.

Medical textiles is a vibrant emerging field in the area of technical textiles and its category is based on its performance and biofunctional properties for hygienic and health care products. Biodegradable fabrics are widely used for medical textiles in recent years. Seaweeds provide a wide range of therapeutic possibilities for human beings both internally and externally due to the presence of bioactive compounds. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

This present study investigates the development of bioactive gauze fabric from Chaetomorpha linum seaweed/cotton blended fibres and also analysed the characteristics of Chaetomorpha linum seaweed/cotton blended gauze fabric and 100 per cent cotton gauze fabric. The effect of fibres on physical properties of fabric such as tensile strength, air permeability, wickability, water drop test and colour fastness properties were analysed. The antibacterial properties and antioxidant activity were assessed by DPPH radical scavenging, AATCC 100 and EN ISO 20645 test methods.

The experimental results indicate that the maximum antioxidant activity of 103.28±1.23 per cent inhibition was achieved at minimum concentration (500 µg/ml) of the blended fabric extract, and maximum antibacterial reduction of 95 per cent and zone of inhibition of about 26 mm were achieved in a blended fabric. The tensile strength, percentage of elongation and air permeability were more or less the same in both gauze fabrics. It is also found that Chaetomorpha linum seaweed/cotton blended gauze fabric exhibit better wickability and water absorbency properties than 100 per cent cotton gauze fabric. The colour fastness properties to washing and rubbing showed excellent results in the blended gauze fabric, and it is used for making wound dressing materials.

This bioactive gauze fabric was used for non-implantable materials such as wound healing, face mask, surgical gowns and hygienic textiles in recent years.

It is highly undesirable to permit the growth of micro‐organisms in aircraft fuel‐systems/fuel‐tank areas. However, the ubiquitous nature of the principal contaminant, Hormoconis resinae, and the virtual impossibility of maintaining the fuel in a sterile condition throughout transport from the refinery to the aircraft, are the basic reasons for the recurrence of contamination once all the conditions conducive to microbial growth have been fulfilled.

A total of 12 Alliums, used for culinary purposes, were examined for anti‐bacterial activity against Escherichia coli using disc assay and minimum lethal concentration methods. The 12 Alliums were: garlic (Allium sativum); onion (A. cepa); shallot (A. cepa var. ascolonicum); everlasting onion (A.cepa “Perutile”); ramsons (A.ursinum); leek (A. porrum); chives (A. schoenoprasum); wild leek (A. ampeloprasum); Babington’s leek (A. ampeloprasum var. babingtonii); Chinese chives (A. ramosum); nodding onion (A. cernuum) and crow garlic (A. vineale). Garlic, ramsons, wild leek, Babington’s leek, Chinese chive and crow garlic exhibited anti‐bacterial activity. The correlation coefficient between the results of the disc assay and minimum lethal concentration methods was highly significant (r = 0.977; p = 0.0001).

The healthcare and hygiene textiles are gaining more importance for their eco-friendly and effective antimicrobial properties that have become essential to safeguard human beings from harmful microorganisms. The fabrics finished with chemical-based antimicrobial agents lead to environmental issues and are harmful to human beings. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

The present investigation is to develop a fabric with antioxidant and antimicrobial properties using the extracts of brown algae. Antimicrobial property has been imparted to the cotton fabric using microcapsules of brown seaweed extracts using the pad-dry-cure method. The presence of bioactive compounds and antioxidant activities of brown algae extracts was evaluated using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging technique, respectively. The total phenolic content of the seaweed extract was determined by the Folin-Ciocalteu method. The minimum bactericidal concentration and minimum inhibitory concentration methods were used to determine the antibacterial activity of the bacterial reduction percentage and parallel streak methods were used evaluate the antibacterial activity of seaweed-treated fabrics.

The methanol fraction of the treated fabric had the highest antioxidant activity (42.5+1.21 per cent), because the higher phenolic content traps the reactive oxygen species and develops the cells present in the skin. The results show that the lower inhibition (250 µg/mL) and bactericidal concentrations (1,000 µg/mL) possess higher antibacterial activity. The results also show that the treated fabric possess higher bacterial reduction of 96 per cent and higher zone of inhibition against Escherichia Coli and Staphylococcus Aureus which was about 35 mm and 40 mm. The air permeability, bending length and the wicking behaviour of the treated fabric were slightly reduced, but it has good bursting strength compared with the untreated fabric.

Such treated fabric is used for making wound dressing, surgical gowns, antibacterial socks and gauze bandage products in healthcare and hygiene textiles.