Pierre Barnabé Escodro

Chemical and microbiological characterization of tinctures and microcapsules loaded with Brazilian red propolis extract

The aim of this study was to characterize tinctures and microcapsules loaded with an ethanol extract of red propolis through chemical, physicochemical and microbiological assays in order to establish quality control tools for nutraceutical preparations of red propolis. The markers (isoflavonoids, chalcones, pterocarpans, flavones, phenolic acids, terpenes and guttiferones) present in the tinctures A and B were identified and confirmed using LC/ESI/FTMS/Orbitrap. Four compositions (A, B, C and D) were prepared to contain B tincture of the red propolis with some pharmaceutical excipients and submitted to two drying processes, i. e. spray-drying and freeze-drying to obtain microcapsules loaded with the red propolis extract. The tinctures and microcapsules of the red propolis were submitted to the total flavonoid content and antioxidant activity tests. The antibacterial activity and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) were tested using Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25293 and Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 27853 strains. The tinctures and microcapsules presented high flavonoid quantities from 20.50 to 40.79 mg/100 mg of the microcapsules. The antioxidant activity and IC50 were determined for the tinctures A and B (IC50: 6.95 µg/mL and 7.48 µg/mL), the spray-dried microcapsules (IC50: 8.89–15.63 µg/mL) and the freeze-dried microcapsules (IC50: 11.83–23.36 µg/mL). The tinctures and microcapsules were proved to be bioactive against gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria with inhibition halos superior to 10 mm at concentration of 200 µg/mL and MIC values of 135.87–271.74 µg/mL using gram-positive strain and 271.74–543.48 µg/mL using gram-negative strain. The tinctures and microcapsules of the red propolis have a potential application for nutraceutical products.

Viability of automated collection of peripheral blood progenitor cells in a horse: report of procedure

The biotechnology used in tendon, bone and joint recoveries in Equine Medicine has improved in recent years. The most used are platelet rich plasma and stem cells from adipose tissue and bone marrow. However, recent studies have shown that stem cells can be found in the bloodstream, also named peripheral blood progenitor cells (CPP). This note aims at reporting the feasibility of automated collection of CPP in horses. The procedure was conducted in an equine, female, Quarter Horses, 2 years old, 385kg. The automated collection of CPP was conducted using apheresis equipment Fresenius- Kabi coupled to C4Y kit. The procedure lasted two hours and 30 minutes without complications, processing 5054mL of whole blood and obtaining 351mL of CPP. Upon completion of the collection, the content of CPP was separated into 10 ml aliquots and immediately stored at -18°C. The automated technique proved to be feasible for horses, but needs improvement in order to achieve greater efficiency and reduce procedure time.The biotechnology used in tendon, bone and joint recoveries in Equine Medicine has improved in recent years. The most used are platelet rich plasma and stem cells from adipose tissue and bone marrow. However, recent studies have shown that stem cells can be found in the bloodstream, also named peripheral blood progenitor cells (CPP). This note aims at reporting the feasibility of automated collection of CPP in horses. The procedure was conducted in an equine, female, Quarter Horses, 2 years old, 385kg. The automated collection of CPP was conducted using apheresis equipment Fresenius- Kabi coupled to C4Y kit. The procedure lasted two hours and 30 minutes without complications, processing 5054mL of whole blood and obtaining 351mL of CPP. Upon completion of the collection, the content of CPP was separated into 10 ml aliquots and immediately stored at -18°C. The automated technique proved to be feasible for horses, but needs improvement in order to achieve greater efficiency and reduce procedure time.

Padronização da técnica de plasmaférese automatizada em equinos

This paper aimed to study feasibility and standardize the automated plasmapheresis in five healthy horses, showing the complications during the procedure, adjustments in relation to the procedures in humans and assessing the recovery of globular volume and plasma total proteins in donors. The procedures were performed with the Fresenius AS104 equipment, with an average duration of one hour and forty six minutes, processing 5758mL of whole blood and harvest average of 3133mL of plasma. There were no significant variations in globular volume after the automated plasmapheresis. The recovery of plasma total proteins was 91.4% at 96 hours after the procedure. The automated plasmapheresis appeared viable for the equine species, decreasing the time of hematimetric level recovery in donors.

Phytochemical screening, antioxidant and antibacterial activities of some commercial extract of propolis

This study investigated the chemical composition, flavonoids, phenolic compounds, antioxidant activity and antibacterial activity of commercial propolis extracts produced in the Sergipe and Alagoas States of Brazil as potential bioproducts for the food and pharmaceutical industries. Four samples were analyzed, three brown propolis extracts and one red propolis extract, and were characterized through phytochemical screening, chemical, chromatographic profile and antibacterial activity. Phytochemical analysis detected the presence of triterpenoids and phenolic compound in propolis extracts. Propolis extracts showed total phenolic content between 9 and 15% and total flavonoids >2%. Propolis extracts showed excellent antioxidant activity with inhibition of the Free radical DPPH˙ between 97 and 60%, which confirm the results obtained in total phenolics, total flavonoids content and antibacterial activity. The chromatographic profile showed differences for brown propolis samples and quite different from the red propolis extract, which present flavonoids as isoflavonoids, pterocarpans, chalcones and guttiferones. Commercial propolis extract (propolis extract C and propolis extract D) showed excellent activity for Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923 and moderate activity for Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 27853. The chemical characterization of propolis extracts is fundamental in the process of standardization and monitoring of the chemical composition susceptible to geographic and seasonal variation. These results point to new possibilities of use as bio-preservative of processed foods as well as in the development of pharmaceuticals and nutraceuticals products from propolis extract C and D in its formulation actuate on the inhibition of some pathogenic microorganisms strains.