Plantas medicinais: uma abordagem sobre o uso seguro e racional / Medicinal plants: an approach to rational and safe use

Resumo Muitas plantas são utilizadas com finalidades medicinais, constituindo alternativas terapêuticas complementares ao tratamento de doenças, trazendo inúmeros benefícios à saúde, quando utilizadas racionalmente e de maneira adequada. No entanto, as plantas constituem um arsenal grande de constituintes químicos, que podem ser benéficos, mas também podem representar um risco potencial à saúde. Desse modo, é importante que o usuário, os profissionais de saúde, e os prescritores, tenham conhecimentos sobre a planta, a correta identificação, conservação, modo de preparo e uso, além dos possíveis efeitos colaterais. As plantas medicinais, seus riscos e benefícios, são discutidos à luz das publicações científicas contemporâneas, atentando para a contribuição dos profissionais de saúde em relação ao seu papel de educadores e promotores de saúde atuantes em comunidades, especialmente aquelas usuárias do Sistema Único de Saúde.

Abstract Many plants are used for medicinal purposes, constituting therapeutic alternatives complementary to the medical treatment, bringing numerous health benefits, when used rationally and in an appropriate way. However, plants constitute a large arsenal of chemicals constituents, which may be beneficial, but may also pose a potential health risk. So, it is important that the user, the health professionals, and the prescribers, have knowledge about the plant, ensuring correct identification, conservation, preparation and use, as well as possible side effects. The study of the medicinal plants, their risks and benefits, and efficacy confirmation by carefully designed studies will be discussed in the light of contemporary scientific publications, paying attention to the contribution of health professionals in relation to their role as active educators and health promoters in communities, especially those users of the Unified Health System.

Antibacterial Effect of Copaifera duckei Dwyer Oleoresin and Its Main Diterpenes against Oral Pathogens and Their Cytotoxic Effect.

This study evaluates the antibacterial activity of the Copaifera duckei Dwyer oleoresin and two isolated compounds [eperu-8(20)-15,18-dioic acid and polyalthic acid] against bacteria involved in primary endodontic infections and dental caries and assesses the cytotoxic effect of these substances against a normal cell line. MIC and MBC assays pointed out the most promising metabolites for further studies on bactericidal kinetics, antibiofilm activity, and synergistic antibacterial action. The oleoresin and polyalthic acid but not eperu-8(20)-15,18-dioic provided encouraging MIC and MBC results at concentrations lower than 100 µg mL-1. The oleoresin and polyalthic acid activities depended on the evaluated strain. A bactericidal effect on Lactobacillus casei (ATCC 11578 and clinical isolate) emerged before 8 h of incubation. For all the tested bacteria, the oleoresin and polyalthic acid inhibited biofilm formation by at least 50%. The oleoresin and polyalthic acid gave the best activity against Actinomyces naeslundii (ATCC 19039) and L. casei (ATCC 11578), respectively. The synergistic assays combining the oleoresin or polyalthic acid with chlorhexidine did not afford interesting results. We examined the cytotoxicity of C. duckei oleoresin, eperu-8(20)-15,18-dioic acid, and polyalthic acid against Chinese hamster lung fibroblasts. The oleoresin and polyalthic acid were cytotoxic at concentrations above 78.1 µg mL-1, whereas eperu-8(20)-15,18-dioic displayed cytotoxicity at concentrations above 312.5 µg mL-1. In conclusion, the oleoresin and polyalthic acid are potential sources of antibacterial agents against bacteria involved in primary endodontic infections and dental caries in both the sessile and the planktonic modes at concentrations that do not cause cytotoxicity.

A relação do binômio teoria-prática na atuação do enfermeiro perante a reanimação cardiopulmonar neonatal: revisão integrativa / Relation of the interface theory-practice of nursing in neonatal cardiopulmonary resuscitation: integrative review

OBJETIVO: Descrever as metodologias utilizadas no ensino da reanimação cardiopulmonar neonatal e a atuação do enfermeiro perante esta atividade. MÉTODO: O trabalho se operacionalizou através de revisão bibliográfica sistematizada. A coleta do material foi realizada no período de junho a setembro de 2012 com os descritores: parada cardiorrespiratória, recém-nascido, cuidados de enfermagem, neonatal e reanimação. RESULTADOS: Dentro da categoria Ensino e tecnologias educacionais para a realização da RCP neonatal foram encontrados quatro artigos abordando questões relacionadas ao ensino e prática da RCP neonatal para enfermeiros. Na segunda categoria, Atuação do enfermeiro perante a RCP neonatal, foram encontrados três artigos, enfocando as ações de enfermagem realizadas durante a reanimação neonatal. CONCLUSÃO: O enfermeiro deve ser capacitado para atuar neste setor, buscando aperfeiçoar e aprofundar seus conhecimentos através de cursos de atualização, a fim de deixá-lo a par do que há de novo, em relação a assistência de enfermagem ao paciente neonatal.

Composition and activity against oral pathogens of the essential oil of Melampodium divaricatum (Rich.) DC.

The chemical composition of the essential oil isolated from the aerial parts of Melampodium divaricatum (Rich.) DC. (Asteraceae) was characterized by GC-FID and GC/MS analyses. (E)-Caryophyllene (56.0%), germacrene D (12.7%), and bicyclogermacrene (9.2%) were identified as the major oil components. The antimicrobial activity of the oil against seven standard strains of oral pathogens from the American Type Culture Collection (ATCC) was evaluated by determining minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) using the microdilution method. MIC Values below 100 µg/ml were obtained against Streptococcus sobrinus (90 µg/ml), Lactobacillus casei (30 µg/ml), S. mutans (20 µg/ml), and S. mitis (18 µg/ml). In contrast, the MIC values of the major oil compound (E)-caryophyllene were higher than 400 µg/ml against all pathogens, suggesting that the activity of the oil might depend on minor oil components and/or on synergistic effects. The M. divaricatum essential oil is a promising agent to include in anticariogenic oral rinse formulations for the control of oral pathogens.