Histopathologic evaluation of experimental murine neurocysticercosis after treatment with albendazole/nitazoxanide combination.

Neurocysticercosis (NCC) is the most common helminthic brain infection related to epilepsy. Only albendazole (ABZ) and praziquantel are used in its treatment. The development of new therapeutics has been encouraged. Taenia crassiceps cysticerci intracranial infection is the experimental model used in NCC studies. This study evaluated the histopathology of the brains of BALB/c mice experimentally infected with T. crassiceps cysticerci after the treatment with the ABZ/nitazoxanide (NTZ) combination. Thirty days after the inoculation the mice received an oral single dose of the ABZ/NTZ combination (40 mg kg-1 each). The control groups were treated with: NaCl 0.9%; ABZ or NTZ. The histopathologic evaluation of the brains was performed 24 h after treatment. The ABZ treatment induced discrete mononuclear inflammatory infiltration, meningitis, gliosis, hyperaemia and hippocampus compression; moderate ependimitis and oedema. The NTZ treatment induced accentuated inflammatory infiltration, foamy macrophages, ependimitis, choroiditis, gliosis and hyperaemia and moderate oedema. The ABZ/NTZ combination treatment induced a significant decrease in the polymorphonuclear inflammatory infiltration, ependimitis, choroiditis, gliosis, hyperaemia and ventriculomegaly in comparison with the other groups. The cysticerci showed destruction of the tegument not observed in other groups. The ABZ/NTZ combination is efficient as the parasite showed signs of destruction and lower damage to the host's tissue.

Oral nitazoxanide treatment of experimental neurocysticercosis induces gluconeogenesis in Taenia crassiceps cysticerci.

Neurocysticercosis is the most frequent helminthiasis of the central nervous system and is caused by the presence of Taenia solium cysticerci. Nitazoxanide (NTZ) is an antifolate containing the pyrrolopyrimidine-based nucleus that exerts its antiprotozoal activity due to interference with the pyruvate:ferredoxin oxidoreductase (PFOR) enzyme which is essential to anaerobic energy metabolism. The aim of this work was to determine the effect of NTZ on the energetic metabolism of Taenia crassiceps cysticerci intracranially inoculated BALB /c mice. The infected animals were treated with a single oral dose of NTZ 30 days after the inoculation. Analysis of the organic acids was performed through high performance liquid chromatography. Glucose was detected only in the treated groups, alongside with a significant decrease in lactate, pyruvate and oxaloacetate concentrations which indicate an increase in gluconeogenesis. The non-detection of alpha-ketoglutarate indicated the use of the fumarate reductase pathway in all groups. It was possible to confirm the drugs mode of action due to the non-detection of acetate in the treated groups. There was an increase in the fatty acids oxidation. Therefore it was possible to observe that NTZ induces gluconeogenesis as well as the increase of alternative energetic pathways such as fatty acids oxidation in T. crassiceps cysticerci.

Activity of low level laser therapy on burning wounds in diabetic rats / Atividade terapêutica do laser de baixa intensidade em queimaduras em ratos diabéticos / Actividad terapéutica de láser de baja intensidad en quemaduras de ratones diabéticos

This study evaluated the effects of low level laser (LLL) therapy in the healing of third degree burning wounds in diabetic and non-diabetic Wistar rats. Methods: The diabetes was experimentally induced with streptozotocine 14 days before the burning injury induction. The rats suffered the induction of third-degree burning injury and were divided into four groups as follows: control group; non-diabetic treated group; diabetic group; diabetic treated group. All animals received occlusive bandages during the experimental days. The treated animals received the following treatment in alternate days: diode GaAlAs laser (650 nm/ 12 mW), fluency of 3 J/cm2 until the 7th experimental day followed by 6 J/cm2 from the 7th day until the euthanasia day. The burning wounds were morphometrically, macroscopically and microscopically evaluated at 3, 7, 14, 21 and 30 days after the induction. Results: The wound contraction was significantly higher in all experimental days in treated groups when compared to the diabetic and non-diabetic control groups. Microscopically, there was a significant increase in angiogenesis and in fibrogenesis during the proliferative stage in the treated groups. Conclusion: Therefore, we conclude that LLL therapy favored the tissue healing process with 3 J/cm2 dosage for the inflammatory stage and with 6 J/cm2 dosage for the proliferative and remodeling ones, accelerating the burning wound contraction and improving the healing process...

Este estudo avaliou os efeitos da terapia a laser de baixa intensidade (LBI) na cicatrização de feridas por queimadura de terceiro grau em ratos Wistar diabéticos e não diabéticos. Métodos: A diabete foi induzida experimentalmente com estreptozotocina 14 dias antes da indução da lesão por queimadura. Os ratos sofreram a indução da lesão por queimadura de terceiro grau e foram divididos em quatro grupos: grupo controle; grupo tratado não diabético; grupo diabético; grupo tratado diabético. Todos os animais receberam curativos oclusivos durante os dias experimentais. Os animais tratados receberam o seguinte tratamento em dias alternados: laser diodos GaAIAs (650 nm/12 mW), fluência de 3 J/cm2 até o sétimo dia experimental, seguido por 6 J/cm2 a partir do sétimo dia até ao dia eutanásia. As feridas por queimaduras foram avaliadas morfometricamente, macro e microscopicamente em 3, 7, 14, 21 e 30 dias após a indução. Resultados: A contração da ferida foi significativamente maior em todos os dias experimentais nos grupos tratados quando comparados com os grupos controle diabéticos e não diabéticos. Microscopicamente, houve aumento significativo na angiogênese e na fibrogênese durante a fase proliferativa nos grupos tratados. Conclusões: Concluímos que a terapia LBI favoreceu o processo de cicatrização do tecido com dosagem de 3 J/cm2 na fase inflamatória e com dosagem de 6 J/cm2 nas fases proliferativa e de remodelação, acelerando a contração da ferida por queimadura e melhorando o processo de cicatrização. DESCRITORES: Queimaduras. Diabetes Mellitus. Terapia com Luz de Baixa Intensidade. Patologia...

Este estudio evaluó los efectos de la terapia láser de baja intensidad (LBI) en la cicatrización de heridas por quemadura de 3er. grado en ratones Wistar diabéticos y no diabéticos. Métodos: La diabetes fue inducida experimentalmente con Estreptozotocina 14 días antes de la inducción de la lesión por quemadura. Después de la inducción de la lesión por quemadura de 3er. grado, los ratones fueron divididos en cuatro grupos: control, tratado no-diabético, diabético y tratado-diabético. Todos los animales recibieron curativos oclusivos durante los días de los experimentos. Los animales tratados recibieron el siguiente tratamiento en días alternados: láser diodos GaAIAs (650 nm/12 mW), flujo de 3 J/cm2 hasta el séptimo dia del experimento, seguido por 6 J/cm2 a partir del séptimo día hasta el día de la eutanasia. Las heridas por quemadura fueron evaluadas morfométricamente, macro y microscópicamente en 3, 7, 14, 21 y 30 días después de la inducción. Resultados: La contracción de la herida fue significativamente mayor en todos os días de experimento en los grupos tratados cuando comparados con los grupos control diabéticos y no-diabéticos. Microscopicamente, hubo aumento significativo en la angiogénesis y en la fibrogénesis durante la fase proliferativa en los grupos tratados. Conclusiones: Concluimos que la terapia LBI favoreció el proceso de cicatrización del tejido con dosis de 3 J/cm2 en la fase inflamatoria y con dosis de 6 J/cm2 en las fases proliferativa y de remodelación, acelerando la contracción de la herida por quemadura y mejorando el proceso de cicatrización...