RESUMO
Lycopene is a carotenoid with potential use in the treatment of chronic illnesses. Here, different formulations of lycopene were studied: lycopene-rich extract from red guava (LEG), purified lycopene from red guava (LPG) and a self-emulsifying drug delivery system loaded with LPG (nanoLPG). The effects of administering orally various doses of LEG to hypercholesterolemic hamsters were evaluated regarding the liver function of the animals. The cytotoxicity of LPG in Vero cells was analyzed by a crystal violet assay and by fluorescence microscopy. In addition, nanoLPG was employed in stability tests. LPG and nanoLPG were tested for their cytotoxic effect on human keratinocytes and antioxidant capacity on cells in an endothelial dysfunction model in an isolated rat aorta. Finally, the effect of different nanoLPG concentrations on the expression of immune-related genes (IL-10, TNF-α, COX-2 and IFN-γ) from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) using real-time PCR was also analyzed. Results suggest that LEG, despite not being able to improve blood markers indicative of liver function in hypercholesterolemic hamsters, reduced hepatic degenerative changes. Additionally, LPG did not show cytotoxicity in Vero cells. In relation to nanoLPG, the effects produced by heat stress evaluated by Dynamics Light Scattering (DLS) and visually were loss of color, texture change and phase separation after 15 days without interfering with the droplet size, so the formulation proved to be efficient in stabilizing the encapsulated lycopene. Although LPG and nanoLPG showed moderate toxicity to keratinocytes, which may be related to cell lineage characteristics, both revealed potent antioxidant activity. LPG and nanoLPG showed vasoprotective effects in aortic preparations. The gene expression assay indicates that, although no significant differences were observed in the expression of IL-10 and TNF-α, the PBMCs treated with nanoLPG showed a reduction in transcriptional levels of IFN-γ and an increased expression of COX-2. Thus, the work adds evidence to the safety of the use of lycopene by humans and shows that tested formulations, mainly nanoLPG due to its stability, stand out as promising and biosafe products for the treatment of diseases that have oxidative stress and inflammation in their etiopathology.
RESUMO
Pelvic, perineal, and nervous lesions, which derive principally from pregnancy and childbirth, may lead to pelvic floor dysfunctions, such as organ prolapses and lesions in the nerves and muscles due to muscle expansion and physiology. It is estimated that 70% of women affected by this clinical picture have symptoms that do not respond to the classical treatments with antimuscarinic and anticholinergic drugs. Therefore, resorting to efficient alternatives and less invasive methods is necessary to assist this public health problem that predominantly affects the female population, which is more susceptible to the risk factors. This study aimed to perform an updated and comprehensive literature review focused on the effects of pelvic floor electrical stimulation, considering new perspectives such as a correlation between electric current and site of intervention and other molecular aspects, different from the present reviews that predominantly evaluate urodynamic aspects. For that purpose, PubMed and ScienceDirect databases were used to perform the search, and the Methodi ordinatio method was applied. With well-researched therapeutic effects, electrical stimulation induced promising results in histological, nervous, and molecular evaluations and spinal processes, which showed beneficial results and revealed new perspectives on ways to evoke responses in the lower urinary tract in a non-invasive way. Thus, it is possible to conclude that this type of intervention may be a non-invasive alternative to treat pelvic and perineal dysfunctions.