In vitro effects of Blepharocalyx salicifolius (H.B.K.) O. Berg on the viability of Echinococcus ortleppi protoscoleces.

Scolicidal agents are important in the treatment of cystic echinococcosis. This study evaluated the scolicidal activity of the plant Blepharocalyx salicifolius (H.B.K.) Berg against Echinococcus ortleppi protoscoleces. The parasite species was identified by amplifying a fragment of the gene cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (COX 1). B. salicifolius crude extract at concentrations of 100, 200, 300 and 400 mg/mL was analyzed at different times (5, 10, 15, 30, 45 and 60 min). N-butanol and ethyl acetate fractions (100 and 200 mg/ mL) were also analyzed at 5, 10, 15 and 30 min. Both fractions showed 100% scolicidal activity at the concentration of 200 mg/mL at 5 min. Gallic acid, identified as the major compound of the ethyl acetate fraction- was responsible for the observed scolicidal activity. The results showed that crude extract and fractions of B. salicifolius have scolicidal effect against E. ortleppi protoscoleces.

Validação de método analítico para avaliação da qualidade de cápsulas de cloridrato de metformina manipuladas / Validation of analytical method for quality control of compounded metformin hydrochloride capsules

As farmácias magistrais têm se mostrado uma alternativa quando o paciente procura medicamentos com doses personalizadas ou custos mais baixos, o que resultou em um crescente aumento pela procura de medicamentos manipulados. Porém, apesar das vantagens, estes medicamentos não passam por um rígido controle de qualidade, o que pode colocar o tratamento do paciente em risco. Este trabalho teve como objetivos validar metodologia analítica e avaliar a qualidade das cápsulas de cloridrato de metformina manipuladas por sete farmácias de Santa Maria – RS. O método validado mostrou-se seletivo, linear, preciso, exato e robusto, podendo ser utilizado para a determinação quantitativa de cloridrato de metformina em cápsulas. As cápsulas produzidas pelas farmácias A, B, D, F e G cumpriram com os requisitos mínimos de controle de qualidade e as cápsulas manipuladas pelas farmácias C e E foram reprovadas nos testes de doseamento e uniformidade de doses unitárias.

Compounding pharmacies have proved a useful alternative when patients look for drugs fitted to their needs in dose number and size, or for less expensive drug forms, leading to an increasing demand for compounded drugs. However, despite the advantages, these drugs do not always go through a strict quality control, which may be detrimental to patient care. The aim of the present study is to validate an analytical method and use it to assess the quality of metformin hydrochloride capsules obtained from seven different compounding pharmacies in Santa Maria, RS (Brazil). The validated method proved to be selective, linear, precise, accurate and robust and can be used for the quantitative determination of metformin hydrochloride in capsules. The capsules compounded by pharmacies A, B, D, F and G met the minimum requirements of quality control, while those from pharmacies C and E failed in the assays of dose and uniformity of dosage units.

Antimicrobial activity of Scutia buxifolia against the honeybee pathogen Paenibacillus larvae.

The honeybee disease American foulbrood (AFB) is a serious problem since its causative agent (Paenibacillus larvae) has become increasingly resistant to conventional antibiotics. One of the feasible alternative treatments being used for control of this disease are plants extracts. The aim of the present work was to evaluate the effect of crude extract and fractions of Scutia buxifolia against six Paenibacillus species, including P. larvae, and its potential use for the control of AFB. In vitro activity of S. buxifolia samples against Paenibacillus species were evaluated by the disk diffusion and microdilution methods, and the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) were also determined. All Paenibacillus species were sensitive to crude extract and fractions of S. buxifolia. The dichloromethane (DC) fraction showed the better MIC (1.56 mg/mL), followed by ethyl acetate (EtAc) (6.25 mg/mL), n-butanol (BuOH) (25 mg/mL) and Crude extract (CE) (50 mg/mL). Toxic effect of S. buxifolia crude extracts and fractions against bees were also evaluated by the spraying application method of the same concentrations of MICs. The samples tested showed no toxic effects for the bees after 15 days of observation. These results are first time described for this species and showed that S. buxifolia presented a important activity against Paenibacillus species and proved to be a natural alternative for the prevention/control of AFB.

Equivalência farmacêutica e estudo comparativo dos perfis de dissolução de medicamentos genéricos contendo paracetamol / Pharmaceutical equivalence and comparative study of dissolution profiles of generic drugs containing acetaminophen

Este trabalho teve como objetivo principal comparar, através do estudo de equivalência farmacêutica e do perfil de dissolução in vitro, oito medicamentos genéricos contendo paracetamol 750 mg, comercializados na região central do Rio Grande do Sul. As análises foram realizadas em conformidade com a monografia do paracetamol comprimidos, descrita na Farmacopeia Brasileira (2010). Os genéricos A, B, D, E, F, G e H são equivalentes farmacêuticos do medicamento referência, pois foram aprovados em todos os testes a que foram submetidos. O Genérico C, no entanto, foi reprovado no doseamento. Quando avaliados em relação ao perfil de dissolução, pelos critérios descritos na RDC 31/2010, somente o genérico E não possui o mesmo perfil de dissolução que o medicamento referência, porém quando comparados pela eficiência de dissolução (ED) podemos verificar que somente os Genéricos G, H, F e A possuem a mesma ED que o medicamento referência.

The aim of this study was to compare, by testing their pharmaceutical equivalence and dissolution profiles in vitro, eight generic medicines containing 750 mg paracetamol, marketed in the central region of Rio Grande do Sul (Brazil). Analyses were carried out in accordance with the monograph on paracetamol tablets in the Brazilian Pharmacopoeia (2010). The generic medicines A, B, D, E, F, G and H are pharmaceutically equivalent to the drug reference, since they passed all the tests they underwent. Of all the samples analyzed, only drug E did not have the same dissolution profile as the reference drug, a fact that may interfere with the interchangeability of these products, which is required of a drug being marketed as a generic. Regarding dissolution efficiency (DE), the ANOVA showed a significant difference between the products, so the Tukey test was applied, showing that only the generics A, F, G and H have the same DE as the reference drug.

Antioxidant Activity and phytochemical composition of the leaves of Solanum guaraniticum A. St.-Hil.

Solanum guaraniticum is a shrub belonging to the Solanaceae family popularly known in Brazil as jurubeba or false-jurubeba. The aim of this study was to evaluate the antioxidant activity of crude extract and chloroform, ethyl acetate and n-butanol fractions from its leaves, verifying the ability to remove reactive species and identify and quantify phenolic compounds. The ethyl acetate fraction showed the highest amount of total polyphenols (546.57 ± 2.35 mg gallic acid equivalent/g) and the lowest IC(50) (9.11 ± 0.75 µg/mL) by the DPPH method. Furthermore, the chloroform fraction presented the highest content of flavonoids (75.73 ± 0.34 mg rutin equivalents/g), tannins (56.03 ± 0.68 mg catechin equivalents/g) and alkaloids (10.79 ± 0.06 mg/g). This fraction was effective in the scavenging of reactive species by 2',7'-dichlorofluorescein diacetate assay, in addition to completely reducing protein carbonyl content and reducing lipid peroxidation at basal levels even at low concentrations. Chlorogenic, caffeic and rosmarinic acids were identified and quantified by HPLC/DAD. These results show that S. guaraniticum is rich in phenolic compounds and has potential as an antioxidant.