Aims: The aim of this study was to determine which natural and inexpensive materials induced the highest production of prodigiosin pigment in local Serratia marcescens isolates. Furthermore, this study focused on purifying and identifying a single red pigment among several pigments in the crude extract of S. marcescens by HPLC. Methodology and results: Two isolates of S. marcescens (S1 and S2) were isolated from urine and a urinary catheter. Isolates were identified based on the red color of colonies when growing on nutrient agar medium incubated at 28 °C, which gave an adverse reaction to Gram stain; the diagnosis was completed with several biochemical tests. The highest yield of this pigment was investigated using Luria-Bertani (LB) medium supplemented with available materials (sesame, peanut, and coconut meat seed powders). Results showed that LB containing sesame powder medium induced the highest prodigiosin production in S1 and S2 isolates (179.398 and 107.280 unit/cell, respectively). On the other hand, S1 and S2 isolates on LB supplemented with peanut medium produced 150.492 and 93.970 units/cell of prodigiosin, respectively. However, coconut meat supplement through LB failed to induce bacteria to synthesize the pigment. The pigment was identified in a retention time equal to 2.2 min through crude extraction and prodigiosin (with red color) was purified successfully by the preparative-HPLC technique. Conclusion, significance and impact of study This study successfully showed that natural and inexpensive products were able to induce prodigiosin pigment production from local S. marcescens isolates. Results showed that sesame seed powder was the best carbon source that induced prodigiosin, followed by peanut seed powder. Prodigiosin was identified and purified successfully by the preparative-HPLC technique. Research findings suggest that low-cost materials could be used to reduce the cost of prodigiosin production.

OBJECTIVEThe use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is relatively common among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) around the world. Like many other countries, Saudi Arabia has a high incidence of T2DM, and incorporates the use of CAM in its treatment. This study explores the knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) of CAM therapies among patients with T2DM and explores the relationships between sociodemographics and the KAP of CAM modalities.

METHODSThis is a hospital-based, observational, cross-sectional study that selected 302 outpatients with T2DM, from Diabetic Center of King Salman bin Abdul-Aziz Hospital, in Riyadh city, in May 2014. Patients were interviewed using a predesigned questionnaire.

RESULTSThe mean age of patients was (51.6 ± 10.6) years and 43.4% of them were males. The prevalence of CAM practices was 30.5%; 30.39% of them used herbs, 20.58% used wet cupping and 17.64% used nutritional supplements and other therapies. The factors found to predict the use of CAM therapies among patients with T2DM were: age above 51 years, unemployment and the participants± knowledge about the effectiveness of CAM products.

CONCLUSIONThis preliminary study estimated the prevalence of CAM use, revealed positive attitude towards CAM and found three significant predictors of CAM use among patients with T2DM, which is consistent with regional data. A community-based research with a larger sample that targets T2DM population is needed in Saudi Arabia.

Adult ; Aged ; Complementary Therapies ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; therapy ; Female ; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged