Flávio Nogueira da Costa

Antiplaque and antigingivitis effect of Lippia Sidoides: a double-blind clinical study in humans.

Objectives: The antiplaque and antigingivitis effect of Lippia Sidoides (LS) was evaluated in this in vivo investigation. Material and Methods: Twenty-three subjects participated in a cross-over, double-blind clinical study, using 21-day partial-mouth experimental model of gingivitis. A toothshield was constructed for each volunteer, avoiding the brushing of the 4 experimental posterior teeth in the lower left quadrant. The subjects were randomly assigned initially to use either the placebo gel (control group) or the test gel, containing 10% LS (test group). Results: The clinical results showed statistically significant differences for plaque index (PLI) (p<0.01) between days 0 and 21 in both groups, however only the control group showed statistically significant difference (p<0.01) for the bleeding (IB) and gingival (GI) index within the experimental period of 21 days. On day 21, the test group presented significantly better results than the control group with regard to the GI (p<0.05). Conclusions: The test gel containing 10% LS was effective in the control of gingivitis.

MagLev-Cobra Operational Tests

The Brazilian project MagLev-Cobra proposes a superconducting levitation vehicle for urban transportation in highly populated cities. The levitation technology is based on the diamagnetic behavior and flux pinning property of Y-Ba-Cu-O blocks in the proximity of the magnetic field of Nd-Fe-B magnets. The traction is given by a short primary linear induction motor. In previous editions of EUCAS conference, laboratory tests were presented to validate the levitation method and vehicle design. In this paper, recent operational results of the MagLev-Cobra traveling along an outdoor 200-m test facility constructed in the university campus will be reported. The full-scale vehicle is composed of four modules, interconnected by mechanical links. The transportation capacity is equivalent to 5 passengers/m2, a limit of transportation comfort and quality. Acceleration, braking, and also cruising speed conditions were analyzed. A data acquisition system monitored the levitation gap and other parameters along the track. This effort is an important step to certificate the operational safety, an indispensable condition before industrialization and commercialization.

Leptospira in breast tissue and milk of urban Norway rats (Rattus norvegicus)

Leptospirosis is a zoonosis caused by bacteria of the genus Leptospira. The disease is globally distributed and a major public health concern. The Norway rat (Rattus norvegicus) is the main reservoir of the pathogen in urban slums of developing and developed countries. The potential routes of intra-specific leptospire transmission in rats are largely unknown. Herein, we identified pathogenic Leptospira spp. in breast tissue and milk of naturally infected rats. We examined kidney, breast tissue and milk from 24 lactating rats for the presence of leptospires using immunofluorescence, immunohistochemistry, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and scanning electronic microscopy. All 24 rats had evidence for Leptospira in the kidneys, indicating chronic carriage. The majority of kidney-positive rats had detectable leptospires in milk (18, 75%) and breast tissue (16, 67%), as evidenced by immunofluorescence assay and immunohistochemistry. Four (17%) milk samples and two (8%) breast tissue samples were positive by quantitative real-time PCR. Scanning electron microscopy confirmed the presence of leptospires in breast tissue. No major pathological changes in breast tissue were found. This study, for the first time, identified leptospires in the milk and breast tissue of wild Norway rats, suggesting the possibility of milk-borne transmission of leptospirosis to neonates.

Antinociceptive effect of (-)-α-bisabolol in nanocapsules

This study aimed to develop and to evaluate the antinociceptive effect of a drug delivery system containing (-)-α-bisabolol (BISA). Nanocapsules containing BISA (BISA-NC) were prepared using acetylated galatomannan. Particle size distribution was determined by atomic force microscopy, zeta potential measurement and photon correlation spectroscopy. Corneal nociception was induced by topical application of 5M NaCl and the nociceptive behavior was characterized by eye wiping in mice. Molecular docking was conducted on the TRPV1 channel. Nanocapsules showed mean particle sizes between 94.44 and 105.44nm and the zeta potential of was -1.34mV. Animals pretreated with BISA-NC (200mg/mL) had a significant reduction (**p<0.01) in the number of nociceptive behaviors. Docking study indicated an interaction between BISA and TRPV1. This study indicates that BISA-NC may be useful for producing eye drops for the treatment of ocular pain.

Factors affecting carriage and intensity of infection of Calodium hepaticum within Norway rats (Rattus norvegicus) from an urban slum environment in Salvador, Brazil.

Urban slum environments in the tropics are conducive to the proliferation and the spread of rodent-borne zoonotic pathogens to humans. Calodium hepaticum (Brancroft, 1893) is a zoonotic nematode known to infect a variety of mammalian hosts, including humans. Norway rats (Rattus norvegicus) are considered the most important mammalian host of C. hepaticum and are therefore a potentially useful species to inform estimates of the risk to humans living in urban slum environments. There is a lack of studies systematically evaluating the role of demographic and environmental factors that influence both carriage and intensity of infection of C. hepaticum in rodents from urban slum areas within tropical regions. Carriage and the intensity of infection of C. hepaticum were studied in 402 Norway rats over a 2-year period in an urban slum in Salvador, Brazil. Overall, prevalence in Norway rats was 83% (337/402). Independent risk factors for C. hepaticum carriage in R. norvegicus were age and valley of capture. Of those infected the proportion with gross liver involvement (i.e. >75% of the liver affected, a proxy for a high level intensity of infection), was low (8%, 26/337). Sixty soil samples were collected from ten locations to estimate levels of environmental contamination and provide information on the potential risk to humans of contracting C. hepaticum from the environment. Sixty percent (6/10) of the sites were contaminated with C. hepaticum. High carriage levels of C. hepaticum within Norway rats and sub-standard living conditions within slum areas may increase the risk to humans of exposure to the infective eggs of C. hepaticum. This study supports the need for further studies to assess whether humans are becoming infected within this community and whether C. hepaticum is posing a significant risk to human health.

A survey of zoonotic pathogens carried by house mouse and black rat populations in Yucatan, Mexico

The house mouse (Mus musculus) and the black rat (Rattus rattus) are reservoir hosts for zoonotic pathogens, several of which cause neglected tropical diseases (NTDs). Studies of the prevalence of these NTD-causing zoonotic pathogens, in house mice and black rats from tropical residential areas are scarce. Three hundred and two house mice and 161 black rats were trapped in 2013 from two urban neighbourhoods and a rural village in Yucatan, Mexico, and subsequently tested for Trypanosoma cruzi, Hymenolepis diminuta and Leptospira interrogans. Using the polymerase chain reaction we detected T. cruzi DNA in the hearts of 4·9% (8/165) and 6·2% (7/113) of house mice and black rats, respectively. We applied the sedimentation technique to detect eggs of H. diminuta in 0·5% (1/182) and 14·2% (15/106) of house mice and black rats, respectively. Through the immunofluorescent imprint method, L. interrogans was identified in 0·9% (1/106) of rat kidney impressions. Our results suggest that the black rat could be an important reservoir for T. cruzi and H. diminuta in the studied sites. Further studies examining seasonal and geographical patterns could increase our knowledge on the epidemiology of these pathogens in Mexico and the risk to public health posed by rodents.

Corneal antinociceptive effect of (-)-α-bisabolol

Abstract Context: (-)-α-Bisabolol (BISA) is a sesquiterpene alcohol widely used as scent in cosmetic preparations, perfumes, shampoos, toilet soaps and other toiletries with potential for use in the pharmaceutical area. Objective: To evaluate the corneal antinociceptive efficacy of BISA and to analyze the best solubilizing agent. Materials and methods: Acute corneal nociception was induced by the local application of hypertonic saline (5 M NaCl; 20 μL) to the corneal surface of Swiss mice (n = 8/group) 60 min after topical treatment with solutions or ointment containing BISA (50–200 mg/mL). The number of eye wipes performed with the ipsilateral forepaw was counted for a period of 30 s. Control groups (vehicles) were included. Results: BISA (50, 100 or 200 mg/mL) solubilized with Tween 80 did not reduce the number of eye wipes. Animals treated with the ointment (BISA 50, 100 or 200 mg/mL; p < 0.001), as well the solution containing propylene glycol (BISA 100 mg/mL; p < 0.05), showed significant reduction in the number of nociceptive behaviours. Solutions containing propylene glycol and isopropyl myristate had no effects. Discussion and conclusion: BISA possess corneal antinociceptive activity. Although the ointment presented antinociceptive effect, it is concluded that BISA when associated with propylene glycol has better potential for corneal nociceptive pain since it is more comfortable to use, leading to greater acceptance by patients.

Clinical effect of a mouthwash containing Anacardium occidentale Linn. on plaque and gingivitis control: A randomized controlled trial

Background: Plaque-associated gingivitis is a prevalent disease and research in its treatment using herbal agents must be encouraged to verify which would be a useful addition to the current range or chemotherapeutic treatment options. Aims: The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical effect of a mouth rinse containing 10% Anacardium occidentale (AO) Linn., a typical plant commonly found in the Northeast Region of Brazil, on the reduction of plaque and gingivitis in comparison to a gold-standard chemotherapeutic agent. Materials and Methods: Thirty normosystemic adult volunteers of both genders, who had a minimum of twenty natural teeth, aging between 18 and 32 years, were enrolled in this crossover, controlled, examiner-blind clinical study. They were randomly allocated into three groups: 10% AO Linn. (n = 10); 0.12% chlorhexidine digluconate (CLX, n = 10); or placebo (PB, n = 10). All volunteers were instructed to brush their teeth with a fluoridated dentifrice two times a day (12/12 h) and to rinse for 1 min with one of the mouthwashes (AO, CLX, or PB) 30 min after tooth brushing for 1 month. Plaque index (PLI) and gingival bleeding index (BLI) were recorded on days 0 and 30. Nonparametric Kruskal-Wallis and Wilcoxon tests (α = 0.05) were performed to evaluate statistical differences among groups. Results: There was a significant reduction (P < 0.05) on plaque and gingivitis at day 30 just in CLX ([PLI = 0.47 ± 0.16; -30%]; [BLI = 0.15 ± 0.09; -55.8%]) and AO ([PLI = 0.49 ± 0.21; -31%]; [BLI = 0.13 ± 0.10; -56.6%]) groups, but no statistically significant difference was observed among them (P > 0.05). Conclusion: Mouthwash containing 10% AO was effective as an antiplaque and antigingivitis agent, in a similar manner that 0.12% CLX.

Effect of Lippia sidoides in mouthrinses on de novo plaque formation: a double-blind clinical study in humans.

AIM The aim of this study was to evaluate the antiplaque effect of Lippia sidoides (LS) by in vivo investigation. MATERIALS AND METHODS Ten healthy volunteers participated in a cross-over, double-blind clinical study, using a 3-day partial-mouth plaque accumulation model. The participants abolished any method of mechanical oral hygiene and they were randomly assigned initially to use just the following mouth rinses: Distilled water (negative control group), 0.12% chlorhexidine digluconate (positive control group) or 10% LS (test group). The plaque index was recorded in the six anterior upper teeth at the end of the trial and the one-way ANOVA and Bonferroni tests were used to estimate the difference among groups. RESULTS The clinical results did show statistically significant difference among three groups (P < 0.05), favoring the positive control group and test group, however, no difference in efficacy was found between them (P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS The mouth rinses containing 0.12% chlorhexidine digluconate and 10% LS were equally able to inhibit plaque re-growth.

Desenvolvimento e eficácia anti-inflamatória não-clínica de uma formulação anti-acne

O processo inflamatorio participa de todos os estagios do desenvolvimento da lesao acneica. As plantas medicinais produzem compostos bioativos que lhes conferem acoes terapeuticas, podendo ser utilizadas no tratamento de afeccoes da pele. Este trabalho teve como objetivo elaborar e testar a eficacia anti-inflamatoria nao-clinica de uma formulacao contendo extratos glicolicos de Aloe vera, Ginkgo biloba L., Panax ginseng , Matricaria recutita e mel de abelha. Foram realizados estudos preliminares de estabilidade. As amostras foram analisadas com respeito as propriedades organolepticas, pH, centrifugacao e gelo-degelo, durante 8 semanas. Foi realizada a avaliacao do efeito anti-inflamatorio topico do gel-creme em modelo experimental de inflamacao cutânea utilizando camundongos Swiss e C57BL⁄6J. Os animais receberam aplicacoes topicas de oleo de Croton, durante 9 dias e, a partir do 5o dia, foram tratados com o gel-creme teste ou com gel-creme base (controle), duas vezes ao dia. A formulacao apresentou boa estabilidade fisico-quimica, para aos ensaios realizados. O gel-creme teste inibiu o edema de orelha apos o tratamento, tendo seu efeito anti-inflamatorio mais evidente nos camundongos da linhagem C57BL⁄6J. Este resultado sugere que o gel-creme e eficaz como agente anti-inflamatorio topico no processo inflamatorio cronico, o que justificaria o seu uso no tratamento da acne vulgaris.