Compatibility of Caffeine Clobetasol Propionate Dutasteride Nicotinamide and Progesterone in TrichoFoam™, a Natural Vehicle for Hair Foams.

BACKGROUND: Alopecia is a chronic dermatological disorder affecting men and women worldwide. Given the high incidence and significant impact on patients' well-being, options for managing and treating alopecia are essential. Topical available options remain limited and oral products may result in adverse effects. TrichoFoam™ is a ready-to-use foaming vehicle developed for compounding pharmacies and formulated with gentle, non-irritating, and sensory-pleasant ingredients. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to assess topical foams' physicochemical and microbiological stabilities of formulations compounded with TrichoFoam™ as the ready-touse vehicle. METHODS: HPLC analyses were conducted in a bracketed study covering concentrations of 0.1% to 2.0% of caffeine, 0.01% to 0.1% of clobetasol propionate, 0.1% to 0.25% of dutasteride, 0.25% to 0.50% of nicotinamide, and 0.25% to 2.5% of progesterone compounded with TrichoFoam™. Antimicrobial Effectiveness Testing was conducted at the beginning and end of the studies. RESULTS: Most formulations presented a beyond-use date of at least 90-180 days, except for clobetasol propionate, which showed compatibility for 14 days, and dutasteride 0.25%, which showed a BUD of 30 days. CONCLUSION: This validates the stability of the active pharmaceutical ingredients from different pharmacological classes with TrichoFoam™, suggesting that this ready-to-use vehicle can be an excellent alternative for personalized alopecia treatment.

Effectiveness of a New Ultraviolet C Disinfection System to Inactivate Airborne Coronavirus in Different Environmental Conditions.

Airborne infectious diseases have been a major worldwide concern for many years. The sudden and fast spread of the severe acute respiratory syndrome 2, causing the coronavirus disease 2019 in a pandemic form, has intensified the necessity of constant environmental disinfection. Among the possible technologies that can be used for air disinfection is the ultraviolet germicidal irradiation through the use of ultraviolet C light. The main mechanism involved in ultraviolet C light inactivation of microorganisms such as viruses, bacteria, protozoa, fungi, yeasts, and others is mainly due to its capacity to promote dimerization of pyrimidine, disturbing the microorganism's DNA (and RNA) replication and transcription, therefore leading to cell death. The aim of this study was to validate the efficacy of a new ultraviolet C light disinfection system to deactivate viruses such as coronavirus in different environmental conditions. The device was effective in the neutralization of airborne particles containing coronavirus genus samples, presenting >99.99% of inactivation rate in an aerosolization test, simulating the real conditions in which this virus is most transmitted in different environments.

MiodesinTM Positively Modulates the Immune Response in Endometrial and Vaginal Cells.

Endometriosis presents high prevalence and its physiopathology involves hyperactivation of endometrial and vaginal cells, especially by bacteria. The disease has no cure and therapies aiming to inhibit its development are highly desirable. Therefore, this study investigated whether MiodesinTM (10 µg/mL = IC80; 200 µg/mL = IC50), a natural compound constituted by Uncaria tomentosa, Endopleura uchi, and astaxanthin, could exert anti-inflammatory and anti-proliferative effects against Lipopolysaccharides (LPS) stimulation in endometrial and Candida albicans vaginal cell lines. VK2 E6/E7 (vaginal) and KLE (epithelial) cell lines were stimulated with Candida albicans (1 × 107 to 5 × 107/mL) and LPS (1 µg/mL), respectively. MiodesinTM inhibited mRNA expression for Nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB), ciclo-oxigenase 1 (COX-1), and phospholipase A2 (PLA2), beyond the C-C motif chemokine ligand 2 (CCL2), CCL3, and CCL5 in VK2 E6/E7 cells (p < 0.05). In addition, the inhibitory effects of both doses of MiodesinTM (10 µg/mL and 200 µg/mL) resulted in reduced secretion of interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß), IL-6, IL-8, tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) (24 h, 48 h, and 72 h) and CCL2, CCL3, and CLL5 (p < 0.05) by VK2 E6/E7 cells. In the same way, COX-1 MiodesinTM inhibited LPS-induced hyperactivation of KLE cells, as demonstrated by reduced secretion of IL-1ß, IL-6, IL-8, TNF-α (24 h, 48 h, and 72 h) and CCL2, CCL3, and CLL5 (p < 0.05). Furthermore, MiodesinTM also inhibited mRNA expression and secretion of matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2), MMP-9, and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), which are key regulators of invasion of endometrial cells. Thus, the study concludes that MiodesinTM presents beneficial effects in the context of endometriosis, positively affecting the inflammatory and proliferative response.

Compatibility of Estradiol, Estriol, Estrone, Progesterone, and Testosterone Single Formulation in Fitalite, Versatile, or HRT Supreme Cream Base.

In this work, we focus on three ready-to-use vehicles: Fitalite, Versatile, and HRT Supreme Cream Base. Fitalite is a natural, light, hydrophilic gel-cream that contains vitamin E and oil bodies from plant sources (phytosomes), providing antioxidant and skinmoisturizing properties. Versatile is a vanishing oil-inwater cream base which retains its consistency with a broad range and high concentrations of active pharmaceutical ingredients, dermaceutical ingredients, and solvents. Finally, HRT Supreme Cream Base is a paraben-free, dye-free, fragrance-free O/W emulsion base, formulated with a complex of botanical oils to soothe and provide moisture to dry and sensitive skin. In the current study, we evaluated the beyond-use date of formulations containing estradiol, estriol, estrone, progesterone, and testosterone in combination, compounded with these three vehicles. Validated, stability-indicating high-performance liquid chromatography methods were used throughout a 180-day period. A beyond-use date of 180 days was observed for all vehicles stored both at refrigerated and at room temperature. The combination of five ingredients represents a worst-case scenario since there are more possibilities of cross reactions. Therefore, we expect the same or greater stability as individual ingredients are removed from the tested formulation. The extended beyond-use dates provide convenience for both the compounding pharmacist and the patient.

Characterization and Safety Profile of Transfer Factors Peptides, a Nutritional Supplement for Immune System Regulation.

Imuno TF® is a nutritional supplement composed of isolated transfer factors (TF) from porcine spleen. It is composed of a specific mixture of molecules that impact functions of the biological systems and historically is linked to the immune system regulation. In this study, we demonstrate for the first time its proteomic analysis, nutritional composition, and safety profile in terms of mutagenic potential and acute oral dose (LD50). The obtained analysis indicated the product is a complex set of oligo- and polypeptides constituted of 163 different peptides which can potentially act on multiple mechanisms on the immune system pathways. The chemical composition showed low fat and low sugar content, saturated fatty acids-free, and the presence of 10 vitamins and 11 minerals. No mutagenic effect was observed, and the LD50 was 5000 mg kg-1 body weight. This accounts for a safe product to be used by the oral route, with potential benefits for the immune system.

Efficacy of an Automated Robotic Cleaning Device for Compounding Pharmacies.

Compounded medicinal products should be prepared using an appropriate quality-assurance system. Cleaning and disinfection, as part of this system, are important to avoid cross-contamination of the preparations, reduce the bioburden levels in products, and avoid hazardous drugs residues or toxic chemical exposure of the staff workers. However, manual cleaning is difficult to standardize. Automated robotic cleaning devices are currently available and designed for domestic use only. To fill this gap, a laboratory automated robotic cleaning device (RVC1, FagronLab, The Netherlands) was specially developed to clean and sanitize laboratories of compounding pharmacies and other production facilities of primary healthcare establishments. The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of an automated robotic cleaning device (robotic vacuum cleaner) for compounding pharmacies and other production facilities of primary healthcare establishments. A set of 6 experiments was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of the cleaning procedure using the automated robotic cleaning device. All experiments were conducted at the end of a regular daily routine in the laboratory to simulate a genuine cleaning procedure. Tests were performed both with no forced contamination (to imitate the regular use of the device) and with forced contamination (to mimic unexpected, non-regular contamination, such as in the case of accidents). Total aerobic microbial count and the total combined yeasts and molds count were determined, as well as pathogens identification and the concentration of thiamine hydrochloride and progesterone active pharmaceutical ingredients (deliberately spread on the floor surface for the tests). In real-conditions, both two-step and single-step were adequate to clean the areas and reduce microbiological contamination to non-detected levels, and only the cleaning cycle without the mopping accessory was also suitable (in the two-step cleaning). The same can be seen for the forced-contamination condition, except for the use of the cleaning cycle without the mopping. In terms of chemical contamination, both high and low water-soluble active pharmaceutical ingredients were reduced (completely and 932-fold, respectively) in the single-step cleaning. The RVC1 automated robotic cleaning device showed the necessary microbiological and chemical efficacy to be used in the cleaning routine of compounding pharmacies, both in a singlestep cleaning (brushing, ultraviolet light, and mopping simultaneously) or in a double-step cleaning (brushing and ultraviolet light first, mopping second). It is then recommended to always use the mopping accessory and the ultraviolet light on. The RVC1 can be a valuable add-on method to standardize cleaning.

Postulated Adjuvant Therapeutic Strategies for COVID-19.

The number of COVID-19 patients is still growing exponentially worldwide due to the high transmissibility of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Therapeutic agents currently under investigation are antiviral drugs, vaccines, and other adjuvants that could relieve symptoms or improve the healing process. In this review, twelve therapeutic agents that could play a role in prophylaxis or improvement of the COVID-19-associated symptoms (as add-on substances) are discussed. Agents were identified based on their known pharmacologic mechanism of action in viral and/or nonviral fields and are postulated to interact with one or more of the seven known mechanisms associated with the SARS-CoV-2 virus: (i) regulation of the immune system; (ii) virus entrance in the cell; (iii) virus replication; (iv) hyperinflammation; (v) oxidative stress; (vi) thrombosis; and (vii) endotheliitis. Selected agents were immune transfer factor (oligo- and polypeptides from porcine spleen, ultrafiltered at <10 kDa; Imuno TF®), anti-inflammatory natural blend (Uncaria tomentosa, Endopleura uchi and Haematoccocus pluvialis; Miodesin®), zinc, selenium, ascorbic acid, cholecalciferol, ferulic acid, spirulina, N-acetylcysteine, glucosamine sulfate potassium hydrochloride, trans-resveratrol, and maltodextrin-stabilized orthosilicic acid (SiliciuMax®). This review gives the scientific background on the hypothesis that these therapeutic agents can act in synergy in the prevention and improvement of COVID-19-associated symptoms.

Towards the Importance of a Roller Mill in Compounding Practice: An Experimental Approach.

There are a substantial amount of suppliers for roller mills in the market, but there is a lack of scientific evidence of a roller mill's capacity to improve particle size reduction/distribution or homogenization. In this concise paper, we evaluate the use a roller mill in the final steps of compounding semisolid dosage forms. We performed three simple tests to verify these claims: 1) particle size evaluation through dynamic light scattering and scanning electron microscopy techniques, 2) content uniformity through high-performance liquid chromatography technique, and 3) cross contamination through a cleaning validation method. Dynamic light scattering and scanning electron microscopy techniques of benzoyl peroxide 5% (gel) and testosterone 1% (cream) showed a significant reduction on particle diameter. Content uniformity testing of creams containing progesterone 5%, estradiol 0.1%, and estriol 0.4% showed better homogeneity when using the roller mill. Finally, the proposed cleaning procedure decreased the presence of the compounded preparation to a "none-detection" level after the procedure. This suggests that the roller mill used does, in fact, play a role in the final aspect and quality of pharmaceutical semisolid dosage forms.

Ex Vivo Evaluation of Intravaginal Progesterone and Testosterone to Treat the Luteal-phase Deficiency and Vaginal Atrophy.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the transmucosal permeation of progesterone and testosterone using Pentravan as its vehicle for vaginal delivery. Progesterone deficiency is a hormone imbalance that could lead to luteal-phase deficiency, which is a common problem in assisted reproductive technologies. Testosterone has been explored for treating postmenopausal symptoms, such as vaginal atrophy. The ex vivo experiments were performed using porcine vaginal mucosa and phosphate buffered saline + 0.5% 2-hydroxypropyl-ß-cyclodextrin as the receptor media, which was later quantified through high-performance liquid chromatography. The percentage of the permeated drug was 0.4% and 20.3% for progesterone and testosterone, respectively. The permeation studies revealed that testosterone formulated with Pentravan is potentially effective in reaching the bloodstream and acts locally, whereas progesterone was mostly retained in the mucosa.

Permeation Efficacy of a Transdermal Vehicle with Steroidal Hormones and Nonsteroidal Anti-inflammatory Agents as Model Drugs.

BACKGROUND: Transdermal delivery is an alternative route for the administration of drugs. However, it requires the development of vehicles that allow the drugs to cross the layers of the skin and reach the systemic circulation. OBJECTIVE: In this study, a new transdermal vehicle was evaluated using progesterone, estradiol, estradiol + estriol (Biest) and ketoprofen administered as model drugs. METHODS: To evaluate the ex vivo permeation of the drugs, the Franz vertical diffusion cell with human skin was used. RESULTS: After 24 h, the vehicle was able to deliver 18.32 µg/cm2 of progesterone and 92.07 µg/cm2 of ketoprofen through the skin to the receptor medium. The permeation percentages were 91%, 78.8%, 48.5%, 73.2%, and 63.6%, respectively, for estradiol, estradiol (Biest), estriol (Biest), progesterone and ketoprofen. For all drugs, sufficient amounts were delivered to achieve a systemic effect, and it was also possible to decrease the amount of emulsion applied. CONCLUSION: Thus, the vehicle demonstrated a high performance and the possibility of it being used for drugs that present difficulties in regards to administration by the transdermal route.

Delivering Resveratrol on the Buccal Mucosa Using Mucoadhesive Tablets: A Potential Treatment Strategy for Inflammatory Oral Lesions.

BACKGROUND: Resveratrol is a polyphenol that has gained momentum in therapeutics in the last few years. OBJECTIVE: In this study, we hypothesised that resveratrol could act prophylactically and/or treat inflammatory lesions of the oral cavity after being delivered by two different formulations of buccal mucoadhesive tablets (F1 and F2, which differed in terms of viscosity agents used). METHODS: This hypothesis was assessed through permeation studies, to verify diffusion of the drug through the buccal mucosa using a porcine model to predict human in vivo behaviour. RESULTS: F2 (tablet with less viscosity agent) presented better permeation than F1, but the amount of drug that crossed the mucosa was still low compared to the amount retained within it (35.90 µg found in the receptor medium and 15.63 mg quantified within the mucosa). CONCLUSION: This accounted for a local effect rather than a systemic one, which is desirable for local processes, such as oral mucositis, lichen planus, erythema multiforme, nicotinic stomatitis, recurrent aphthous stomatitis, among others. In this sense, resveratrol-loaded mucoadhesive tablets appear to be a prominent alternative to prevent and/or cure inflammatory lesions of the oral cavity.

Prevalências de doenças de grande impacto na saúde pública em idosos frágeis residentes na Zona da Mata Mineira-Brasil: um estudo de base populacional / Prevalence of major Public Health impact diseases among frail elderly residents in the Zona da Mata region in the state of Minas Gerais-Brazil: a population-based study

O objetivo deste estudo transversal, descritivo, observacional e de base populacional foi identificar as prevalências de certas doenças de elevado custo e impacto no setor de Saúde Pública e de alguns hábitos de vida de idosos frágeis residentes na zona da Mata Mineira (Brasil). A pesquisa envolveu 7.113 idosos frágeis, de ambos os sexos, com idade igual ou superior a 60 anos. As informações foram obtidas, a partir do banco de dados eletrônico mantido e organizado pelo Centro Mais Vida. Observou-se um maior número de idosos do sexo feminino (67,6%), com idade entre 60 a 69 anos (40,4%) e casados (48,5%). 9,3% da população pesquisada apresentavam comprometimento cognitivo leve, 11,8% incapacidade cognitiva, 5,0% depressão, 9,0% demências, 7,9% insuficiência cardíaca, 21,6% diabetes Mellitus, 44,5% dislipidemias. Quanto aos hábitos de vida, 69,6% eram sedentários, 11,1% fumavam tabaco e 2,7% eram etilistas. Esses dados permitem comparações em nível internacional e são essenciais para a elaboração de políticas efetivas e intervenções primárias, secundárias e terciárias a nível populacional.

This cross-sectional, descriptive, observational and population-based study aimed to identify the prevalence of costly diseases and their impact on the public health sector, as well as lifestyle habits of frail elderly residents in Zona da Mata, Minas Gerais (Brazil). The research involved 7,113 frail elderly of both genders, aged over 60 years. Data were obtained from the electronic database maintained and organized by the institution Centro Mais Vida. A greater number of frail elderly females (67.6%) aged from 60 to 69 years old (40.4%) and married (48.5%) was observed. 9.3% of the surveyed population had mild cognitive impairment, 11.8% had cognitive disability, 5.0% had depression, 9.0% had dementia, 7.9% had heart failure, 21.6% had diabetes Mellitus and 44.5% had dyslipidemia. For lifestyle, 69.6% were sedentary, 11.1% smoked tobacco and 2.7% were alcoholics. Such data allow comparisons at international level and are critical for the development of effective policies as well as primary, secondary and tertiary-level interventions among the population.

Size-dependent ecotoxicity of barium titanate particles: the case of Chlorella vulgaris green algae.

Studies have been demonstrating that smaller particles can lead to unexpected and diverse ecotoxicological effects when compared to those caused by the bulk material. In this study, the chemical composition, size and shape, state of dispersion, and surface's charge, area and physicochemistry of micro (BT MP) and nano barium titanate (BT NP) were determined. Green algae Chlorella vulgaris grown in Bold's Basal (BB) medium or Seine River water (SRW) was used as biological indicator to assess their aquatic toxicology. Responses such as growth inhibition, cell viability, superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, adenosine-5-triphosphate (ATP) content and photosynthetic activity were evaluated. Tetragonal BT (~170 nm, 3.24 m(2) g(-1) surface area) and cubic BT (~60 nm, 16.60 m(2) g(-1)) particles were negative, poorly dispersed, and readily aggregated. BT has a statistically significant effect on C. vulgaris growth since the lower concentration tested (1 ppm), what seems to be mediated by induced oxidative stress caused by the particles (increased SOD activity and decreased photosynthetic efficiency and intracellular ATP content). The toxic effects were more pronounced when the algae was grown in SRW. Size does not seem to be an issue influencing the toxicity in BT particles toxicity since micro- and nano-particles produced significant effects on algae growth.

Evaluation of percutaneous absorption performance for human female sexual steroids into pentravan cream.

There is a lack of studies on Pentravan cream, a widespread transdermal vehicle which is used by compounding pharmacies. The purpose of this study was to evaluate this transdermal vehicle. The permeation performance for progesterone, estradiol, and estriol in formulations containing each of those drugs separately, as well as an association of estradiol + estriol (Biest), was evaluated regarding their compounding process and their potential biological application. An excised female human skin model was used to predict the permeation and the retention of the active compounds in every skin layer in lieu of conventional tape stripping. Progesterone was the drug with the highest permeation (37.02 mcg cm(-2) at the end of the experiment). Estradiol and estriol in Biest had permeations approximately 4-fold lower (9.44 mcg cm(-2) for estradiol-Biest and 14.02 mcg cm(-2) for estriol-Biest), and the profiles of estradiol in Eemuls and in Biest were almost the same (9.46 mcg cm(-2) for Eemuls). All permeations followed pseudo- first order kinetics. For progesterone, using the percentage of permeation by dose, one can infer that a patient using the 1-g emulsion dose released by the pump containing 50 mg of progesterone will have 38.4 mg of progesterone liberated into his bloodstream, gradually and continuously for 48 hours. The results indicate that the vehicle was able to provide percutaneous absorption rates compatible with and higher than clinical treatment needs. Using the same rationale, the Eemuls would deliver practically the entire amount of estradiol load per dose (1.0 mg), approximately 0.5 mg of estradiol per day. As for the Biest, the dosing used would deliver almost 0.5 mg estradiol/day and 2.0 mg estriol/ day. Thus, according to the results, human female sexual hormones incorporated in the oil-in-water vanishing cream base and applied topically are expected to exert their biological activities systemically with good efficacy due to their satisfactory permeation through human skin. However, one must take into account that a high quantity of drug was delivered. Thus, to avoid patient overdose, care has to be taken regarding the quantity of emulsion used.

Ecotoxicological studies of micro- and nanosized barium titanate on aquatic photosynthetic microorganisms.

The interaction between live organisms and micro- or nanosized materials has become a current focus in toxicology. As nanosized barium titanate has gained momentum lately in the medical field, the aims of the present work are: (i) to assess BT toxicity and its mechanisms on the aquatic environment, using two photosynthetic organisms (Anabaena flos-aquae, a colonial cyanobacteria, and Euglena gracilis, a flagellated euglenoid); (ii) to study and correlate the physicochemical properties of BT with its toxic profile; (iii) to compare the BT behavior (and Ba(2+) released ions) and the toxic profile in synthetic (Bold's Basal, BB, or Mineral Medium, MM) and natural culture media (Seine River Water, SRW); and (iv) to address whether size (micro, BT MP, or nano, BT NP) is an issue in BT particles toxicity. Responses such as growth inhibition, cell viability, superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, adenosine-5-triphosphate (ATP) content and photosynthetic efficiency were evaluated. The main conclusions are: (i) BT have statistically significant toxic effects on E. gracilis growth and viability even in small concentrations (1µgmL(-1)), for both media and since the first 24 h; on the contrary of on A. flos-aquae, to whom the effects were noticeable only for the higher concentrations (after 96 h: ≥75 µg mL(-1) for BT NP and =100 µg mL(-1) for BT MP, in BB; and ≥75 µg mL(-1) for both materials in SRW), in spite of the viability being affected in all concentrations; (ii) the BT behaviors in synthetic and natural culture media were slightly different, being the toxic effects more pronounced when grown in SRW - in this case, a worse physiological state of the organisms in SRW can occur and account for the lower resistance, probably linked to a paucity of nutrients or even a synergistic effect with a contaminant from the river; and (iii) the effects seem to be mediated by induced stress without a direct contact in A. flos-aquae and by direct endocytosis in E. gracilis, but in both organisms the contact with both BT MP and BT NP increased SOD activity and decreased photosynthetic efficiency and intracellular ATP content; and (iv) size does not seem to be an issue in BT particles toxicity since micro- and nano-particles produced significant toxic for the model-organisms.

Antifungal activity of Copaifera langsdorffii Desf oleoresin against dermatophytes.

Dermatophytoses are mycoses that affect keratinized tissues in both humans and animals. The aim of this study was to investigate the antifungal activity of the oleoresin extracted from Copaifera langsdorffii Desf. against the strains Microsporum canis ATCC 32903, Microsporum gypseum ATCC 14683, Trichophyton mentagrophytes ATCC 11481 and Trichophyton rubrum CCT 5507. The antimicrobial activity was determined by minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum fungicidal concentration (MFC) values. Ketoconazole and terbinafine were used as reference drugs. The copaiba oleoresin showed moderate fungicidal activity against T. mentagrophytes ATCC 11481 (MIC and MFC = 170 µg mL-1) and weak fungicidal activity against T. rubrum CCT 5507 (MIC = 1,360 µg mL-1 and MFC = 2,720 µg mL-1). There was no activity against M. canis ATCC 32903 and M. gypseum ATCC 14683. SEM analysis revealed physical damage and morphological alterations such as compression and hyphae clustering in the structure of the fungi exposed to the action of the oleoresin. The results stimulate the achievement of in vivo assays to confirm the benefits of the application of oleoresin extracted from copaiba in the treatment of dermatophytosis, both in humans and in animals.

Photoprotective activity of resveratrol analogues.

Resveratrol is a promising agent for protecting human skin from UV radiation and to reduce the occurrence of cutaneous malignancies. We describe the photoprotective activity of six resveratrol analogues using the diffuse transmittance technique to determine the SPF and the protection against UVA radiation. The analogues presented a varied profile of photoprotection, the SPF ranging from 2 to 10 and the UVAPF from 0 to 9. Among the six compounds tested, the protection against UVB sunrays provided by compound B was more significant than the protection provided by resveratrol; compounds C, D, E and F show photoprotection similar to resveratrol.

Fatty acid and phospholipase A2 plasma levels in children with autism / Níveis plasmáticos de ácidos graxos e fosfolipase A2 em crianças com autismo

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate fatty acid plasma levels, phospholipase A2 activity, and the developmental profiles of children with autism vs. control subjects. METHODS: Twenty four children with autism underwent laboratory analysis for fatty acid quantification using gas chromatography and PLA2 activity determination by fluorometric assay. RESULTS: No correlation was observed between the developmental quotient and fatty acid plasma levels. Phospholipase A2 activity was significantly higher among autistic children compared with controls. CONCLUSION: The study did not show a correlation between fatty acid and phospholipase A2 plasma levels and the developmental profile of children with autism

OBJETIVO: Avaliar os níveis plasmáticos de ácidos graxos, a atividade da fosfolipase A2 e o perfil de desenvolvimento de crianças com autismo versus controles. MÉTODOS: Vinte e quatro crianças com autismo foram submetidas a exames laboratoriais para quantificação plasmática de ácidos graxos por cromatografia gasosa e para determinação da atividade de fosfolipase A2 por ensaio fluorimétrico. RESULTADOS: Nenhuma correlação foi observada entre o coeficiente de desenvolvimento e os níveis plasmáticos dos ácidos graxos quantificados. A atividade da fosfolipase A2 foi significativamente maior no grupo de crianças com autismo quando comparado ao grupo controle. CONCLUSÃO: O estudo não demonstrou correlação entre os níveis plasmáticos de ácidos graxos e fosfolipase A2 e o perfil de desenvolvimento de crianças com autismo

Low serum levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25-OHD) in children with autism / Baixos níveis séricos de 25-hidroxivitamina D (25-OHD) em crianças com autismo

Objective: To confirm previous evidence suggesting an association between autism and low vitamin D serum levels. Methods: This preliminary exploratory study assessed the circulating levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25-OHD) in pediatric patients with autism and in typically developing controls from Juiz de Fora, Brazil. Results: Serum levels of 25-OHD were lower in children with autism (26.48 ± 3.48 ng mL-1) when compared to typically developing subjects (40.52 ± 3.13 ng mL-1) (p < 0.001). Conclusion: Our findings attest to the importance of vitamin supplementation during pregnancy and in the treatment of children with autism, who tend to present low vitamin D consumption rates (AU)

Objetivo: Confirmar evidências prévias indicando uma associação entre autismo e baixos níveis séricos de vitamina D. Métodos: Este estudo preliminar avaliou os níveis circulantes de 25-hidroxivitamina D (25-OHD) em pacientes pediátricos com autismo e em controles apresentando desenvolvimento típico em Juiz de Fora, Brasil. Resultados: Os níveis séricos de 25-OHD foram menores em crianças com autismo (26,48 ± 3,48 ng mL-1) em comparação com indivíduos com desenvolvimento típico (40,52 ± 3,13 ng mL-1) (p < 0,001). Conclusão: Nossos resultados confirmam a importância da suplementação de vitamina durante a gravidez e no tratamento de crianças com autismo, que costumam apresentar um baixo consumo de vitamina D (AU)

Teste de dissolução de paracetamol, fenilefrina e carbinoxamina associados em duas diferentes combinações em comprimidos por cromatografia líquida de alta eficiência / A dissolution test for acetaminophen, phenylephrine and carbinoxamine associated in two different combinations in tablets using high performanceliquid chromatography

A dissolution test for analysis of acetaminophen and phenylephrine (CP1) and acetaminophen and carbinoxamine (CP2) in tablets was developed and validated. The dissolution medium employed for CP1 was potassium monobasic phosphate buffer (pH 5.8, 0.15 mol L-1) and for CP2 was purified water. The temperature of dissolution medium (volume 900 and 500 ml in CP1 and CP2 case, respectively) was set at 37.0 ± 0.5oC and the rotation speed of the paddles was set at 100 rpm during 30 minutes. Standards and sample aliquots were diluted in dissolution medium until adequate concentration and filtered before injection in the chromatographic system.