PAs (falcarinol, panaxydol) and ginsenosides (Rb(1), Rb(2), Rb(3), Rc, Rd, Re, Rg(1)) were extracted from roots by sequential extraction with ethyl acetate and 80% methanol, respectively, and quantified in extracts by reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) using photodiode array detection. Total concentrations of PAs and ginsenosides varied between 150 and 780 mg/kg FW and 5,920 and 15,660 mg/ kg FW, respectively. No correlation existed between the content of ginsenosides and PAs KPT-330 and root FW or between the total concentration of ginsenosides and PAs. Strong significant correlation was found between total content of ginsenosides and ginsenoside Rb1 (r = 0.8190,
P < 0.0001) and between total content of PAs and falcarinol (r = 0.9904, P < 0.0001). Based on the results of this study, it was concluded
that it is possible to select large American ginseng roots for increased biomass production and concentration of bioactive BMS202 inhibitor ginsenosides and PAs without affecting the profile of bioactive compounds. Ginsenoside Rb(1) and falcarinol were found to be important selection parameters for identifying superior genotypes with the highest content of bioactive compounds.”
“Background: Neonatal blood stream infections (BSI) are a major cause of morbidity and mortality in developing countries. It is crucial to continuously monitor the local epidemiology of neonatal BSI to detect any changes in patterns of infection and susceptibility to various antibiotics. Objectives: To examine the etiology of BSI in two neonatal intensive care units GSI-IX (NICUs) in the Republic of Georgia, a resource-poor country, and to determine antibiotic susceptibility of the isolated organisms.
Methods: A cross-sectional study of all septic infants was conducted in the NICUs of two pediatric hospitals in Tbilisi between September 2003 and September 2004.
Results: A total of 200 infants with clinical signs of sepsis were admitted to two NICUs. Of these, 126 (63%) had confirmed bacteremia. The mortality rate was 34%. A total of 98 (78%) of
126 recovered isolates were Gram-negative organisms and 28 (22%) were Gram-positive. Klebsiella pneumoniae was the most common pathogen, accounting for 36 (29%) of 126 isolates, followed by Enterobacter cloacae accounting for 19 (15%) and Staphylococcus aureus accounting for 15 (12%). The Gram-negative organisms showed a high degree of resistance to commonly used antibiotics such as ampicillin and amoxicillin/clavulanate, and comparatively low resistance to amikacin, ciprofloxacin, carbapenems, and gentamicin; 40% of S. aureus isolates were methicillin-resistant (MRSA). In multivariate analysis only umbilical discharge was a significant risk factor for having a positive blood culture at admission to NICU (prevalence ratio = 2.25, 95% confidence interval 1.82-2.77).
Conclusions: Neonatal BSI was mainly caused by Gram-negative organisms, which are developing resistance to commonly used antibiotics.