Effervescent Glutamine Formulation Improves the Beneficial Effects of Antiretroviral Therapies on Immune Function in HIV/AIDS Carrier Patients.

The impact of oral supplementation with an effervescent glutamine formulation on the beneficial effects of antiretroviral therapies was evaluated in people living with HIV/AIDS. For this purpose, 12 HIV/AIDS carrier patients with CD4+ T cell counts <500, and who had received the same antiretroviral therapy for at least 1 year before starting this investigation were selected. The patients were required to dissolve the effervescent glutamine formulation (supplied in sachets) in water immediately before oral ingestion (12.4 g), once a day, after lunch or after dinner during 30 days. CD4+ T cell counts, complete blood cell counts, serum cytokines, and amino acids levels were quantified; biochemical and toxicological measurements were performed. The numbers of CD4+ T cells were increased (P < .05), and the serum C-reactive protein levels decreased (P < .01) after the administration of effervescent glutamine formulation. Serum levels of interferon-gamma inducible protein-10, RANTES, and macrophage inflammatory protein-1ß were decreased after the treatment with effervescent glutamine formulation. No changes were observed in the serum levels of amino acids, hematological, toxicological, and biochemical parameters. In conclusion, the treatment during 30 days with effervescent glutamine formulation was well tolerated, promoted reduction of inflammation, and improved the beneficial effects of antiretroviral therapies in HIV/AIDS carrier patients.

A single administration of fish oil inhibits the acute inflammatory response in rats.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the antiinflammatory effects of a single administration of fish oil (FO) on the acute inflammatory response. METHODS: The paw edema and pleurisy models were used to evaluate the effects of FO dissolved in olive oil (FOP) orally administered in a single dose in rats. Nitric oxide (NO) concentrations in the pleural exudate were performed according to the Griess method and the cytokine concentrations were determined by Luminex bead-based multiplex assay. RESULTS: FOP treatment (30 and 300 mg/kg) significantly reduced paw edema. FOP treatment at 18.75, 37.5, 75.0, 150.0, and 300 mg/kg decreased both the volume of pleural exudate and cellular migration into the pleural cavity and each of these doses presented the same effectiveness. Treatment with FOP (300 mg/kg) reduced NO, TNF-α, IL-1ß, and IL-6 concentrations in the pleural exudate. CONCLUSIONS: The present data provide evidence that FO has inhibitory effects on the acute inflammatory response when administered in a single dose in rats. This effect might be attributable to a direct inhibitory effect of FO on the production or release of inflammatory mediators that are involved in the pathological processes evaluated herein.

Inhibitory Effect of the Hexane Fraction of the Ethanolic Extract of the Fruits of Pterodon pubescens Benth in Acute and Chronic Inflammation.

Fruits of Pterodon pubescens Benth have been used traditionally for the treatment of rheumatism, sore throat, and respiratory disorders, and also as anti-inflammatory, analgesic, depurative, tonic, and hypoglycemic agent. The study was aimed at evaluating the anti-inflammatory activity of the hexane fraction of an ethanolic extract of P. pubescens fruits. The oil from P. pubescens fruits was extracted with ethanol and partitioned with hexane. The anti-inflammatory activity was measured with increasing doses of the hexane fraction (FHPp) by using a carrageenan-induced rat model of pleurisy and a rat model of complete Freund's adjuvant-induced arthritis by using an FHPp dose of 250 mg/kg for 21 days. Treatment with an FHPp resulted in anti-inflammatory activity in both models. The results of biochemical, hematological, and histological analyses indicated a significant decrease in glucose, cholesterol, and triglycerides levels (18.32%, 34.20%, and 41.70%, resp.) and reduction in the numbers of total leukocytes and mononuclear cells. The FHPp dose of 1000 mg/kg induced no changes in behavioral parameters, and no animal died. The results of this study extend the findings of previous reports that have shown that administration of extracts and fractions obtained from species of the genus Pterodon exhibits anti-inflammatory activity and lacks toxicity.

Protective effects of indomethacin and cyclophosphamide but not of infliximab on liver metabolic changes caused by adjuvant-induced arthritis.

In the study, indomethacin, cyclophosphamide, and infliximab were administered to adjuvant-induced arthritic rats to determine if they were able to prevent the abnormalities caused by arthritis on hepatic metabolism. The drugs were administered to arthritic rats, and at the clinical onset of arthritis (day 14 after adjuvant injection), the livers were perfused to evaluate gluconeogenesis, ureagenesis, oxygen uptake, L: -lactate, pyruvate, and ammonia release from L: -alanine. The effects of the drugs on body weight gain and the signs of arthritis (paw edema, appearance of secondary lesions, and weights of lymphoid tissues) were also evaluated. Cyclophosphamide could completely prevent liver metabolic changes and the inflammatory response. Indomethacin restored ureagenesis, minimized the decrease in gluconeogenesis, and exerted a partially beneficial effect on inflammatory reactions. Infliximab did not improve arthritis-induced liver metabolic alterations or inflammatory responses. These results suggest the participation of prostaglandins, but not TNF-α, on arthritis-induced liver metabolic alterations.

Effect of dolomite on the repair of bone defects in rats: histological study.

The aim of the present study was to evaluate histologically and radiographically the tissue response to dolomite [CaMg(CO3)2] and its osteogenic potential in the repair of bone cavities in the calvaria of rats. A bone defect 10 mm in diameter and 1 mm deep was made in the calvaria of male Wistar rats. The defects were filled with dolomite, inorganic bovine bone (positive control), or coagulum (negative control). The animals were euthanized 7, 15, 30, and 60 days after surgery, and specimens were collected for radiographic and microscopic analyses. The bone defects were processed for paraffin embedding and H&E staining. The histological study revealed that dolomite stimulated a moderate inflammatory response, with programmed cell death in the first 15 days, compared to bovine bone which showed a moderate to intense acute response. In the chronic phase, the inflammatory response was characterized by the occurrence of macrophages organized as epithelioid cells in the dolomite group, and giant cells in the bovine-bone group. Fibrosis developed in all three groups; however, encapsulation of the fragments, reabsorption, and osteoconductive activity occurred only in the defects filled with bovine bone. The radiographic analysis showed that the bovine bone was most efficient in the repair of the defects, followed by the dolomite and the coagulum. This study demonstrated that the dolomite stimulated a moderate acute inflammatory response with programmed cell death, and a chronic inflammatory response by means of the phagocytic mononuclear system. Although osteo-conductive activity was not shown, the dolomite favored the repair process, compared to the coagulum group.

Eficácia da associação Metotrexato e Cloroquina no tratamento da artrite induzida por adjuvante / Effectiveness of the association Methotrexate and Chloroquine in the treatment of the induced arthritis for adjuvant

A artrite reumatóide (AR) é uma doença inflamatória crônica, de natureza autoimune, caracterizada pela infiltração e ativação de células inflamatórias no tecido sinovial de múltiplas articulações. O metotrexato (MTX) é muito utilizado na terapia da AR, apresentando atividade antiinflamatória e imunomoduladora, atuando sobre a proliferação celular na sinóvia e inibindo a migração de leucócitos e a produção de radicais superóxidos. Assim, o objetivo deste trabalho foi realizar um estudo sistemático dos efeitos do MTX, da CQ e da associação MTX+CQ sobre a resposta inflamatória, e sobre a atividade de enzimas (fosfatases e transaminases) no plasma e no fígado de ratos, utilizando o modelo da artrite induzida por adjuvante. A artrite foi induzida em ratos Holtzman pela injeção intradérmica de 0,1 mL da suspensão de M. tuberculosis em óleo mineral em uma das patas posteriores do animal. O desenvolvimento da resposta inflamatória (edema das patas posteriores e anteriores, aparecimento de nódulos na cauda e nas orelhas, perfil hematológico e evolução do peso corporal) foi avaliado por um período de 21 dias. Grupos de animais foram tratados com: a) MTX, administrado semanalmente, via intraperitonial, nas doses de 0,15; 1,5; 3; 6 e 12 mg/Kg; b) CQ, administrada por via intragástrica, diariamente, nas doses de 25 e 50 mg/Kg e c) associação MTX+CQ, administrada em duas combinações diferentes (MTX1,5 mg/kg+CQ50 mg/Kg e MTX6 mg/kg+CQ50 mg/Kg). Os tratamentos foram iniciados no mesmo dia da indução da artrite. No final do período experimental, os animais foram anestesiados e o sangue e o fígado coletados e preparados para as determinações bioquímicas. A atividade de fosfatases (ácida e alcalina) e de transaminases (aspartato amino transferase e alanina amino transferase) no plasma e no fígado foram determinadas, assim como a concentração plasmática de creatinina. Os resultados obtidos neste estudo mostraram que o MTX nas doses de 6 e 12 mg/Kg reduziu...

Consumo de antiinflamatórios esteróides em farmácia comunitária / Consumption of steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in a community pharmacy

O objetivo do presente estudo foi avaliar o consumo de antiinflamatórios esteróides em uma farmácia comunitária da cidade de Umuarama-Pr. Os dados foram obtidos através de entrevistas utilizando um questionário específico, a fim de avaliar o consumo de medicamentos com e sem prescrição, relacionado com os sintomas mencionados pelos usuários e a via de administração dos antiinflamatórios consumidos. Os resultados mostraram um alto consumo de antiinflamatórios esteróides, principalmente sem prescrição, indicando a necessidade de uma discussão mais ampla sobre a orientação ao paciente que procura a farmácia comunitária nestas circunstâncias, assim como o papel do farmacêutico nesse serviço de saúde