Muhammet Bahaeddin Dörtbudak

Background/Objectives: Diabetic foot ulcers infected with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) heal poorly and respond inadequately to conventional antibiotic therapy. This study developed a Micromeria fruticosa essential oil-loaded nanoemulsion (Mf-NE) as a topical treatment for such wounds. Methods: The essential oil was obtained by hydrodistillation and analyzed by GC–MS. Nanoemulsions were developed from pseudoternary phase diagrams using oleic acid and a Cremophor^® EL/Tween 80–Transcutol^® system (2:1 surfactant/cosurfactant) and characterized physicochemically. Antibacterial activity against MRSA (ATCC 43300) was assessed by agar well diffusion and microdilution, antioxidant activity by DPPH and ABTS assays, and cytocompatibility by MTT assay on L929 fibroblasts. Efficacy was evaluated over 12 days in a streptozotocin-induced MRSA-infected diabetic wound model in rats. Results: Pulegone (42.81%) and piperitenone (29.73%) were the major constituents. Incorporation of 5% (w/w) essential oil raised the droplet size from 214.5 ± 14.4 to 292.9 ± 9.9 nm; both formulations had a dermatologically acceptable pH and Newtonian flow behavior. Mf-NE produced a 16.1 mm inhibition zone and a MIC of 1.25 mg/mL, whereas NE produced no inhibition zone and had a MIC of 5 mg/mL. Radical scavenging reached 61.5% by DPPH at 10 mg/mL and 71.5% by ABTS at 0.2 mg/mL, and cell viability remained above 87%. The NE and Mf-NE formulations also demonstrated good biocompatibility in L929 fibroblast cells. Topical Mf-NE reduced the remaining wound area to 4.8 ± 0.9% of the initial area by day 12, compared with 21.0 ± 1.9% for Fucidin, 26.1 ± 1.9% for NE and 57.2 ± 1.3% for the untreated group; bacterial colonization was almost completely suppressed, TNF-α and IL-1β expression was significantly decreased, and composite histopathological scores were lower than in the untreated group (p = 0.0007). Conclusions: Mf-NE is a promising topical candidate for MRSA-infected diabetic wounds. Formulation-specific dermal and systemic safety requires further evaluation.

The intestinal mucosal barrier is a layered structure comprising fundamental components that play important roles in regulating paracellular permeability. Disruption of intestinal barrier homeostasis predisposes to infections, mucosal damage, and metabolic and allergic diseases. To provide protection against potential damage to the intestinal mucosa, agents such as prebiotics and probiotics are recommended due to their ability to secrete components and metabolites (e.g., bacteriocins, organic acids, enzymes) that can exert beneficial biological effects. The aim of this study is to comprehensively investigate the effects of a postbiotic derived from Pediococcus acidilactici on healthy rat intestinal tissue. A total of 78 Wistar Albino rats were used in this study. Following compositional analysis of the postbiotic, the animals were administered the postbiotic orally via gavage for different durations (7, 14, 21, 28 days) and at different doses (250 mg/Kg, 500 mg/Kg, 1000 mg/Kg). Characterization of the produced postbiotic revealed a diverse spectrum of biologically active compounds, including organic acids, phenolics, and volatile compounds. Histopathological examination of intestinal sections (duodenum, jejunum, ileum, cecum, colon, and rectum) showed no pathological lesions in any of the experimental groups. Conversely, immunohistochemical analysis revealed that the postbiotic increased the expression of CLDN3, OCLN, ZO1, AQP4, and AQP8, proteins involved in intestinal permeability and fluid transport, in a dose-dependent manner. These results highlight the potential of Pediococcus acidilactici as a supportive agent in a range of intestinal pathologies, including major intestinal diseases such as Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

Paratuberculosis, caused by Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP), is a chronic granulomatous enteritis with significant implications for ruminant health, economic productivity, and potential zoonotic risk. This study investigated the expression of biomarkers of oxidative stress and apoptosis in goats naturally infected with MAP, focusing on three biological matrices: serum, intestinal mucosa, and mesenteric lymph nodes. Twenty MAP-positive goats and ten healthy controls were included. Serum and tissue levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione S-transferase (GST), glutathione peroxidase (GPX), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione reductase (GSR), and caspase-3 were quantitatively assessed using ELISA tests. Gross and histopathological analyses confirmed MAP infection. Infected animals showed significantly elevated serum levels of MDA and caspase-3 (p < 0.001), along with decreased antioxidant enzyme activities (GSR, GST, GPX, SOD). Tissue analysis revealed increased MDA and caspase-3 levels, particularly in the intestinal mucosa compared to mesenteric lymph nodes, suggesting localized oxidative damage and apoptosis. Conversely, antioxidant enzyme activity was higher in mesenteric lymph nodes, indicating a compensatory response and a pronounced involvement of the intestinal tract. These findings demonstrate that MAP infection induces marked oxidative stress and apoptotic processes, especially in the intestinal mucosa. The imbalance between pro-oxidant and antioxidant systems may play a key role in the pathogenesis and chronic progression of the disease. Caspase-3 and MDA, in particular, have been identified as promising diagnostic or prognostic biomarkers for MAP infection. This study highlights the importance of developing improved diagnostic tools and therapeutic strategies targeting oxidative stress pathways in paratuberculosis.

In this study, the effect of Gundelia tournefortii (GT) extract against diabetic gastropathy was investigated by pathological methods. The animal groups were designed as the control, diabetes, diabetes + GT50, diabetes + GT100, and diabetes + GT200 groups. No treatment was applied to the control group. The other groups received 45.00 mg kg^-1 streptozotocin intraperitoneally on the experimental day. The treatment groups were also given 50.00, 100, and 200 mg kg^-1 of GT extract daily by gavage for 21 days. Tissues were stained with Hematoxylin and Eosin for histopathological examination. Immunohistochemical staining was performed to reveal the presence of inflammation (tumor necrosis factor alpha), apoptosis (cysteine aspartate specific proteases-3), and oxidative stress (heat shock protein-27). Histopathological examination revealed no pathological lesion in the control group. In the diabetes group, mucosal tissue damage, and vascular and inflammatory changes were observed. In the treatment groups, GT decreased histopathological findings in parallel with the dose increase. Immunohistochemical examination revealed no immunopositivity in the control group, while severe immunopositivity was observed in the diabetes groups in terms of inflammation, apoptosis, and oxidative stress. In the treatment groups, there was a decrease in the severity of immunopositivity’s depending on the dose increase. As a result of this study, which has not been done before, GT was found to have a protective effect against gastropathy, being an important complication of diabetes, and this study is thus an important reference point for future research and promises new hope for the patients.