Antimicrobial and physical properties of experimental endodontic sealers containing vegetable extracts.

To assess the antimicrobial activity and the physical properties of resin-based experimental endodontic sealers with the incorporation of vegetable extracts obtained from Bixa orellana, Mentha piperita, and Tagetes minuta species. The extracts were obtained and characterized by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) against Streptococcus mutans, Enterococcus faecalis, and Candida albicans. The extracts were individually incorporated into a dual-cure experimental sealer at a mass concentration of 0.5%. A commercial reference RealSeal was used. The sealers were evaluated by measuring the setting time, degree of conversion, dimensional stability, radiopacity, flow, and film thickness of these materials, also and its antimicrobial effect was evaluated using the direct contact test. Data were statistically analyzed by analysis of variance and Tukey's post-hoc test at α = 0.05 significance level. The physical properties were not influenced by the addition of the vegetable extracts (p > 0.05). For S. mutans, only T. minuta and B. orellana groups presented antibacterial activity after 24 h of contact (p < 0.05). All extracts evidenced an antibacterial effect against E. faecalis (p < 0.05). The experimental sealers hold promise as a novel vegetable sealer with great antimicrobial activity and also great physical-mechanical properties. Nonetheless, more studies are needed.

The Phytochemistry and Pharmacology of Butia sp.: A Systematic Review and an Overview of the Technological Monitoring Process.

The Butia sp. are native South America trees, whose fruits are consumed in natura and have significant biological properties; however, trees of this genus plant are in danger of extinction. A systematic review of the literature and a technological overview were carried out to summarize the available evidence on the therapeutic uses and the phytochemical compounds of Butia sp. The following electronic databases were researched: MedLine (PubMed), Web of Science, Scopus, Scielo, and the gray literature. Furthermore, the online system such as the US Patent and Trademark Office, Espacenet, National Institute of Industrial Property, and Google Patents were accessed to obtain patent data. The inclusion criteria were articles that describe either the therapeutic uses of Butia sp. (antimicrobial activity, antioxidant activity, anti-inflammatory activity, antineoplastic activity) or studies describing phytochemical compounds of Butia sp. A limited amount of manual search was also undertaken. Reference lists were scanned to identify other relevant studies, and requests for unpublished data were conducted to people working in the field. Among 12 papers and 14 patents, 9 complete texts of scientific articles and 1 patent were scrutinised by two reviewers. We concluded that Butia has shown some antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial activity, and its use could have important implications for future therapeutic uses. Although there is evidence of pharmacological potential from in vitro studies, clinical studies must be conducted to confirm the effectiveness of Butia sp. The evidence of its therapeutic uses has not been extensively studied yet, and the available evidence still needs further confirmation. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Systematic review and technological overview of the antimicrobial activity of Tagetes minuta and future perspectives.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: The antimicrobial potential of Tagetes minuta was correlated with its traditional use as antibacterial, insecticidal, biocide, disinfectant, anthelminthic, antifungal, and antiseptic agent as well as its use in urinary tract infections. AIM OF THE STUDY: This study aimed to systematically review articles and patents regarding the antimicrobial activity of T. minuta and give rise to perspectives on this plant as a potential antimicrobial agent. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A literature search of studies published between 1997 and 2015 was conducted over five databases: MedLine (PubMed), Web of Science, Scopus, Google Scholar, Portal de Periódicos Capes and SciFinder, grey literature was explored using the System for Information on Dissertations database, and theses were searched using the ProQuest Dissertations and Theses Full text database and the Periódicos Capes Theses database. Additionally, the following databases for patents were analysed: United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), Google Patents, National Institute of Industrial Property (INPI) and Espacenet patent search (EPO). The data were tabulated and analysed using Microsoft Office Excel 2010. RESULTS: After title screening, 51 studies remained and this number decreased to 26 after careful examinations of the abstracts. The full texts of these 26 studies were assessed to check if they were eligible. Among them, 3 were excluded for not having full text access, and 11 were excluded because they did not fit the inclusion criteria, which left 10 articles for this systematic review. The same process was conducted for the patent search, resulting in 4 patents being included in this study. CONCLUSION: Recent advances highlighted by this review may shed light on future directions of studies concerning T. minuta as a novel antimicrobial agent, which should be repeatedly proven in future animal and clinical studies. Although more evidence on its specificity and clinical efficacy are necessary to support its clinical use, T. minuta is expected to be a highly effective, safe and affordable treatment for infectious diseases.