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The incorporation of Brazilian propolis into collagen-based dressing films improves dermal burn healing

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Hydroalcoholic solutions of propolis, a resinous product produced by bees, have been currently employed in improving the cicatricial repair. Biological activity of propolis might be related to its antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory and immunomudalatory properties. AIM OF THIS STUDY Investigate the suitability of the collagen-based films containing hydroalcoholic extracts of two different varieties of Brazilian propolis (green and red ones) on the dermal burn healing in rodent model. MATERIALS AND METHODS The hydroalcoholic extracts of red propolis (RP) or Green propolis (GP) were incorporated into collagen-based dressing films (COL). Burn wounds were performed in the dorsum of Wistar rats and dressing with COL, COL+GPa (0.5%), COL+GPb (1,0%) or COL+RP (0.5%). A control group (CTR) was performed keeping the wound undressed. The histological analyses were carried out after 3, 7, 14, 21 and 30 days for histological assessment of the inflammatory response, epithelization rates (ER), myofibroblastic count (MC) and collagenization pattern. RESULTS GPa, GPb and RP provided significant decrease of the inflammatory severity, improved the ER in GPa in 7 (p=0.000), 14 (p=0.000), 21 (p=0.005) and 30 days (p=0.015), and induced earlier replacement of type-III for type-I collagen (p<0.05) than COL and CTR. In all the groups, the MC increased progressively from 3 to 14 days, and then started to decrease slowly until 21 days. Although no significant difference was observed among the groups in 3, 7 and 30 days, the MC was significantly increased in RP in 14 (p=0.0001) and 21 days (p=0.04), as well as grosser interlacement of the collagen bundles compared with the other groups. CONCLUSION The incorporation of hydroalcoholic extracts of Brazilian propolis improved the biological events associated to burn healing without toxic effects, but the red variety provided the best results. Therefore, these collagen-based containing natural apicultural products films may be considered a promising new dressing for wound occlusion and tissue repairing.

Antibacterial activity, chemical composition, and cytotoxicity of leaf's essential oil from Brazilian pepper tree (Schinus terebinthifolius, Raddi)

The antibacterial potential of leafs essential oil (EO) from Brazilian pepper tree (Schinus terebinthifolius Raddi) against staphylococcal isolates from dogs with otitis externa was evaluated. The minimum inhibitory concentration of EO ranged from 78.1 to 1,250 fg/mL. The oil was analyzed by GC and GC/MS and cytotoxicity tests were carried out with laboratory animals.

Altered lectin-binding sites in normal colon and ulcerative colitis

O presente trabalho objetivou, atraves de histoquimica com lectinas e analise digital de imagens, avaliar a expressao de carboidratos em amostras de colo normal e com colite ulcerativa. A partir de fragmentos de mucosa intestinal foram obtidos cortes histologicos (4mm) que foram incubados com lectinas (Con A, WGA, LTA e PNA), e os resultados das marcacoes foram avaliados atraves de microscopia optica e sistema de analise de imagens. Os resultados obtidos revelaram uma intensa marcacao para as celulas inflamatorias, principalmente neutrofilos infiltrados no tecido de reto e sigmoide, bem como celulas das glândulas intestinais. As lectinas WGA e LTA exibiram padroes distintos de marcacao entre o epitelio normal e os casos de colite ulcerativa. As lectinas PNA e Con A falharam em reconhecer os carboidratos celulares nos casos estudados em ambos os grupos. Os resultados obtidos foram confirmados pela analise de imagem. As observacoes obtidas sugerem que as lectinas WGA e LTA sao marcadores promissores para diferenciar o epitelio normal do padrao inflamatorio da colite ulcerativa, indicando uma expressao distinta de N-acetilglicosamina e L-fucose nos respectivos casos estudados.

Topical Application Effect of the Isolectin Hydrogel (Cramoll 1,4) on Second-Degree Burns: Experimental Model

This study aimed at evaluating the use of hydrogel isolectin in the treatment of second-degree burns. Twenty male rats were randomly divided into two groups (G1 = treatment with hydrogel containing 100 μg/mL Cramoll 1,4 and G2 = Control, hydrogel). After 7, 14, 21, 28, and 35 days, animals were euthanized. On the 7th day, G1 showed intense exudates, necrosis and edema. On the 14th day, G1 showed tissue reepithelialization and moderate autolysis. On the 21st day, G1 showed intense fibroblastic proliferation, presence of dense collagen, and moderate fibrosis. On the 28th day, G1 showed complete tissue epithelialization. On the 35th day, G1 showed modeled dense collagen. The significant wound contraction was initiated from day, 14 in the G1. There were no significant differences in biochemical and hematological parameters analyzed. These results extend the potential of therapeutic applications for Cramoll 1,4 in the treatment of thermal burns.

Lectin staining patterns in human gastric mucosae with and without exposure to Helicobacter pylori

The aim of the present study was to evaluate qualitative changes in the glycoconjugate expression in human gastric tissue of positive and negative patients for Helicobacter pylori, through lectins: Wheat Germ Agglutinin (WGA) and Concanavalin A (Con A). The lectins recognized differently the glycoconjugates in the superficial mucous layer at the gastric tissues. The results suggest a significant change in the carbohydrate moieties present on the surface of the gastric cells during infection.

Immobilization of Anti-Galectin-3 onto Polysiloxane-Polyvinyl Alcohol Disks for Tumor Prostatic Diseases Diagnosis

This work aimed to immobilize the antibody anti-galectin-3 onto polysiloxane–polyvinyl alcohol (POS-PVA) support, to evaluate its capacity to capture the serum antigen galectin-3 and to quantify by ELISA the antigen levels in sera from patients with prostatic adenocarcinoma (PA) and benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and healthy individuals. Also, for comparative effect, the galectin-3 expression in the prostate tissue through immunohistochemistry was evaluated. The optical density (galectin-3 level) values established for the sera from PA and BPH patients were lower compared with those found for the healthy individuals. Galectin-3 immunohistochemically showed a significant increase and reduction of the cytoplasmatic protein expression in BPH and PA, respectively, compared with the normal prostate. These results showed that POS-PVA disks could be used as solid phase to immobilize serum galectins and in immunoassays procedures for the correspondent IgG anti-galectins detection in human sera.

Carbohydrates Detection in the Hepatic Egg - Granuloma System Using Lectin Histochemistry

El objetivo del estudio fue evaluar el sistema de los huevos de los granulomas en los tejidos hepaticos, utilizando histoquimica de lectinas esquistosomiasis. Ocho ratones suizos experimentales fueron infectados con una cepa local de Schistosoma mansoni y luego a los cuarenta dias fueron sometidos a la perfusion y se prepararon cortes de higado (4 |J,m). Las muestras de los tejidos fueron incubadas con las siguientes peroxidasas lectinas conjugadas: aglutinina de mani (PNA), aglutinina de germenn de trigo (WGA), Concanavalin A (Con A). Todas las lectinas reconocieron las glicoconjugadas en el tegumento del gusano adulto. El tejido hepatico con WGA presento mayor coloracion seguido de PNA y Con A. El PNA presento la mas intensa tincion de los huevos mientras el granuloma del sistema WGA tino las celulas hepaticas sinusoides y las Con A estuvieron siempre presentes en los anillos de la fibrosis y alrededor de los granulomas hepaticos del parenquima. WGA y PNA indicaron la presencia de residuos de N - acetil - glucosamina y galactosa en la superficie de los huevos de Schistosoma mansoni en los granulomas hepaticos de esquistosomiasis.

Perfil imunoistoquímico das proteínas p53 e Ki67 em pacientes com retocolite ulcerativa inespecífica

Objectives: The present study evaluated, trough immunohistochemistry and histopatologic analysis, the main alterations in intestinal mucous from patients with unspecific ulcerative colitis (IUC) clinically (n=30) or surgically treated (n=30) with ileal J-pouch and permanent ileostomy. Methods: Thus, tissue slices from intestinal mucous were submitted to imunostains for p53 and Ki67 proteins, and Haematoxilin-eosin staining for comparative histopathological evaluation. Results: The results indicated important differences in inflammatory profile and erosion/necrosis sites on the both investigated groups. Related to imunoexpression was observed a higher reactivity with nuclear pattern, mainly in inflammatory tissues from IUC patients clinically treated. Conclusions: Those results showed that, according to histopathological and imunohistochemical parameters, the colonic mucous from IUC patients submitted to surgical treatment exhibited less alterations than IUC patients clinically treated. The data suggest that those methods could be helpful to diagnosis and assist the accompaniment of patients under different therapeutic routines.

Efeitos da desnutrição e consumo crônico de etanol sobre o perfil histológico do pâncreas de ratos recém-natos

Objetivo: este estudo avaliou, atraves da histoquimica e da morfometria, o perfil histologico do pâncreas de ratos Wistar, gerados por matrizes submetidas aos seguintes tratamentos: dieta padrao, dieta hipoproteica e ingestao cronica de etanol (3g/kg peso corporal). Metodo: quatro grupos experimentais foram gerados: grupo controle – GC; grupo etanol – GE; grupo desnutrido – GD; grupo etanol desnutrido – GED, avaliandose a evolucao do peso corporal em tres periodos: 3° (P3), 25° (P5) e 40° (P40) dias de vida. Na analise morfometrica avaliaram-se as areas de deposito de colageno, numero medio de vasos pancreaticos e ilhotas de Langerhans. Resultados: observamos que em P3, apenas o grupo etanol (GE) tinha peso significativamente menor quando comparado com os demais grupos. Houve diferenca significativa de peso corporal entre os grupos de mesmo tratamento e dietas diferentes (GE x GED) em P25 e P40, tendo o GED o menor peso. O GD e GED exibiram um aumento no numero medio de vasos, quando comparado aos outros grupos. Entretanto, nao houve uma alteracao, estatisticamente, significativa no numero de ilhotas de Langerhans, bem como nos depositos de colageno nos grupos tratados. Conclusao: de acordo com os resultados obtidos, o modelo experimental adotado a exposicao pre e pos-natal ao etanol, causa alteracoes significativas no numero de vasos no pâncreas e peso corporal medio. Por outro lado, as ilhotas de Langerhans e tecido conjuntivo pancreatico nao demonstraram alteracoes morfologicas importantes.