Schinopsis brasiliensis Engl. to combat the biofilm-dependents diseases in vitro.

Dental caries and periodontal disease are the most prevalent of the biofilm-dependent diseases. With numerous side effects on the use of chlorhexidine, the search for new safe therapeutic alternatives for microorganisms involved with these diseases increases every day. This study aimed to evaluate the antimicrobial activity and cytotoxicity of extracts made from the bark of Schinopsis brasiliensis Engl. against five oral microorganisms and analyze their phytochemical and thermal degradation profile. The liquid-liquid partition was performed with hexane, chloroform and ethyl acetate. The identification and quantification of the chemical marker was done. Antimicrobial activity was evaluated based on the minimum inhibitory concentration. The cytotoxicity was analyzed based on the hemolysing potential of the samples. The thermal degradation profile was performed by two different methods. Gallic acid was identified as the main compound of the samples and showed the highest amount in the chloroform fraction. All samples were able to inhibit the growth of the microorganisms tested and showed no cytotoxicity. The ethanol extract absorbs less heat than the fractions. All samples exhibited exothermic peak consistent with degradation of gallic acid. Based on the results, the samples used are potential candidates for use in dental formulations for biofilm control.

Study bioprospecting of medicinal plant extracts of the semiarid northeast: contribution to the control of oral microorganisms.

Dental pathologies can be caused by plaque-forming bacteria and yeast, which reside in the oral cavity. The bacteria growing in dental plaque, a naturally occurring biofilm, display increased resistance to antimicrobial agents. The objective was the evaluation of a preclinical assay of medicinal plants of the semiarid region from the northeast against oral pathogenic microorganism, aiming at bioprospecting a new product. The selection of plant material for this study was based on the ethnobotanical data on the traditional use of plants from the semiarid region. The thirty extracts were subjected to the determination of antibiofilm activity against gram-positive, gram-negative bacteria and yeast. The hydroalcoholic extract which showed positive antibiofilm activity against most of the microorganisms tested in agar diffusion assay was further tested for the determination of minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and Bioassay with Artemia salina. Plant samples tested in this study exhibited good antibiofilm activity for the treatment of oral problems. The Schinopsis brasiliensis showed greater activity for Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus, but toxicity against Artemia salina.

Phytochemical characterization and mutagenicity, cytotoxicity, antimicrobial and modulatory activities of Poincianella pyramidalis (Tul.) L.P. Queiroz.

In this study, the chemical composition, genotoxic, cytotoxic and antibacterial-modulating activities of the P. pyramidalis (NPpE) extract was evaluated. The fingerprint chromatogram was determined using HPLC-DAD. The NPpE Minimal Inhibitory Concentration (MIC), as well as that of antimicrobial drugs in the presence and absence of the extract, were evaluated using the microdilution method against Gram positive bacteria. In vivo assays with mice were used for the determination of the extract's genotoxicity and cytotoxicity. The presence of the polyphenol catechin was confirmed in the extract. The extract showed significant antimicrobial activity (MIC ≤ 1000 µg mL-1) against Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus oralis and S. mutans. When the NPpE was associated with several antimicrobials, the MIC of most of these were significantly reduced (P < 0.001) demonstrating good prospective usage in antimicrobial therapy. The extract has mutagenic and cytotoxic potential, however, further studies should be performed to confirm their toxicity.

Transference of bioactive compounds from support plants to the termites Constrictotermes cyphergaster (Isoptera).

This study aims to investigate the microbiological potential of the termite species Constrictotermes cyphergaster (Silvestri, 1901) and its support plants. We collected five C. cyphergaster nests from three different support plant species. Microbiological assays were performed on these extracts using the serial microdilution method in triplicate to measure the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of each microorganism for the analysed extract. The ethanol extracts of the termite C. cyphergaster showed no significant activity against strains of Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli, with an MIC >1000 µg mL-1. Only the extracts of the nests and termites with the nest had the same MICs. These results were in contrast to the extracts of Spondias tuberosa (Umbuzeiro), Poincianella pyramidalis (Catingueira), and Amburana cearensis (Cumaru), which demonstrated significant activity against S. aureus with MICs <1000 µg mL-1. The modulating activity of the extracts tested in the present study demonstrated potentiation of most antibiotics across the bacterial strains tested when combined with the extracts for both S. aureus and E. coli. These results indicate that the extracts tested in the present study may be composed of animal and vegetable origins with the potential to modify the activity of antibiotics and thus may aid in antimicrobial therapy.

Dissolution and uniformity of content of tablets developed with extract of Ximenia americana L.

Herbal medicines currently represent an important part of the world pharmaceutical market, which shows growing interest in the use of herbal medicines. However, the production of such medicines involves a complex series of steps, which determine the production viability and the quality of the final product. Ximenia americana L. is a plant occurring in several regions of the world, with well-known and applied medicinal properties. Thus, the aim of this work was to develop and evaluate the physical and physical-chemical quality of tablets produced with X. americana L. extract. The extract was spray-dried from a hydroethanolic extractive solution and characterized as to its phytochemical composition. The chemical marker was determined and quantified using validated chromatographic methods. These methods indicated the presence of gallic acid at a concentration of 1.61 mg g(-1). Formulations were proposed and analyzed for their flow and compaction properties. The best formulation was used to obtain a batch of tablets, which was evaluated for its quality characteristics and showed to be within the pharmacopoeial specifications for average weight, hardness, friability, and disintegration time. The dissolution profile of the tablets produced was obtained, showing the release of about 70% of the vegetable extract content within 30 minutes. Results showed that it was possible to obtain herbal tablets containing a high content of vegetal extract by direct compression, developing a rapid process of formulation and production and guaranteeing the quality characteristics of the final product.

Evaluation of the Interaction between the Poincianella pyramidalis (Tul.) LP Queiroz Extract and Antimicrobials Using Biological and Analytical Models.

Poincianella pyramidalis (Tul.) LP Queiroz (Fabaceae) is an endemic tree of northeastern Brazil, occurring mainly in the Caatinga. Its medicinal use is widespread and is an important therapeutic option against diarrhea, dysentery, and respiratory and urinary infections, among other diseases. In this study we determined the chemical marker and evaluated the interaction between P. pyramidalis extract and a commercial antimicrobial through the use of biological and analytical models. To obtain the extract, an ethanol-water mixture (50:50 v/v) was used as solvent. It was nebulized in a spray dryer using colloidal silicon dioxide as a drying adjuvant. The extract (ENPp) was subjected to HPLC analysis to verify the presence of certain secondary metabolites. The Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) of the extract against Gram-negative bacteria was determined by broth microdilution and the MIC of synthetic antimicrobial drugs in the presence and absence of the extract. The antioxidant activity of ENPp was evaluated by the DPPH method. The compatibility between the antimicrobial and the extract was evaluated by thermal analysis (TG/DTA). The acute toxicity of the extract was evaluated in vivo in rodents. The results indicate significant additive action of the extract on synthetic antibiotics, considerable antioxidant activity and absence of toxicity. This extract shows high potential for the development of formulations for antimicrobial therapy when used with a vegetable-active ingredient.

In Vitro Evaluation of Antimicrobial Photodynamic Therapy Associated with Hydroalcoholic Extracts of Schinopsis brasiliensis Engl.: New Therapeutic Perspectives.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the photodynamic potential of extracts of Schinopsis brasiliensis Engl. on bacteria involved in several human infections. BACKGROUND DATA: Photodynamic therapy (PDT) involves the interaction of light with an appropriate and photosensitizer wavelength, and the prospect of existing photosensitive compounds in herbal extracts enhanced by the application of laser diode has been promising. METHODS: The antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Enterococcus faecalis was obtained by the disk diffusion method on agar. The laser diode InGaAIP was used with 660 nm wavelength, 100 mW, and 4 J/cm(2), and the application was performed in a timely manner for 34 sec on each disk tested. The groups tested were: Laser and bark extract (B+L+); bark extract only (B+L-); Laser and leaf extract (F+L+); leaf extract only (F+L-); Laser and malachite green (M+L+); malachite green only (M+L-); and laser only (L+). RESULTS: There were significant differences between the B+L- and B+L+ groups (p=0.029) and between the L+F- and L+F+ groups (p=0.029) at various concentrations of the nebulized extracts of bark and leaf. Among the tested pathogens, S. aureus showed the highest zone of inhibition, 24.55±0.36 mm in group B+L+, 500 mg.mL(-1). CONCLUSIONS: PDT with malachite green was effective, and groups B+L+ and F+L+ showed excellent activity on the bacteria tested, suggesting the presence of photosensitizers in extracts of S. brasiliensis Engl.

Antibiotic resistance modulation by natural products obtained from Nasutitermes corniger (Motschulsky, 1855) and its nest.

Insects and their products are included in the traditional pharmacopoeia of various ethnic groups worldwide. In the Brazilian semiarid region can be highlighted the use of the termite Nasutitermes corniger for the treatment of various diseases. This study evaluated the ethanol extract of N. corniger and its nest as an antimicrobial agent and as a modulator of bacterial resistance against multidrug strains. The Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) of the extract on Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli by microdilution was determined, as well as MIC of antibiotics in the presence and absence of extract. Despite having no significant antimicrobial activity (MIC â©¾ 1000 µg mL(-1)), the extract showed additive activity to the antibiotic efficacy, significantly reducing its MIC. These results suggest that N. corniger and its nest are promising natural products for use in antimicrobial therapy.

Modulation of the erythromycin resistance in Staphylococcus aureus by ethanolic extracts of Ximenia americana L and Schinopsis brasiliensis Engl / Modulación de la resistencia a la eritromicina en Staphylococcus aureus por extractos etanólicos de Ximeniaamericana L y Schinopsis brasiliensis Engl

It was evaluated the in vitro efficacy of ethanolic extract of leaves and bark of Ximenia americana L and Schinopsis brasiliensis Engl. alone and in association with erythromycin as modulators of microbial resistance against six clinical isolates of Staphylococcus aureus resistant to erythromycin (SA1-SA6) and S. aureus ATCC 25923 by the microdilution method. The extracts were also subjected to bioassay with Artemia salina. The ethanolic extract of barks of X. americana showed a synergistic effect with erythromycin against SA01, SA03 and SA04. The leaf extract of S. brasiliensis exerted synergistic effect against SA03 and the bark extract showed against SA01 and S03. The results suggest that extracts from S.brasiliensis and X. americana have potential as modulator agents of bacterial resistance, which could be used as adjuvants in the treatment of infections by S. aureus resistant to erythromycin, with previous studies of toxicity.

Se evaluó la eficacia in vitro de los extractos etanólicos de hojas y corteza de Ximenia americana L y Schinopsis brasiliensis Engl solos y en asociación con eritromicina como moduladores de la resistencia microbiana frente a seis aislados clínicos de Staphylococcus aureus resistentes a Eritromicina (SA1-SA6) y S. aureus ATCC 25923, por el método de microdilución. Además se determinó la actividad tóxica de los extractos contra Artemia salina. Solo el extracto etanólico de la corteza de X. americana mostró un efecto sinérgico con la eritromicina frente a SA01, SA03 y SA04. El extracto de las hojas de S. brasiliensis ejerció efecto sinérgico contra SA03 y el extracto de corteza, contra SA01 y S03. Los resultados sugieren que S. brasiliensis y X. americana tienen potencial como agentes moduladores de la resistencia bacteriana, que podrían ser utilizados como adyuvantes en el tratamiento de infecciones por S. aureus resistentes a eritromicina, con estudios previos de toxicidad.

Atividade antimicrobiana "In Vitro" de extratos hidroalcoólicos de plantas medicinais do nordeste brasileiro em bactérias do gênero streptococcus / In vitro antimicrobial activity of hydroalcoholic extracts from brazilian northeastern medicinal plants against streptococcus

Objetivo: Avaliar a atividade antimicrobiana de extratos hidroalcoólicos de plantas medicinais do Nordeste brasileiro em bactérias do gênero Streptococcus. Método: As amostras vegetais foram secas em estufa de ventilação forçada a 40ºC, e pulverizadas em moinho de facas com 10 mesh. O material vegetal foi submetido à extração por maceração, à temperatura ambiente, utilizando como solvente uma solução na concentração 30:70 (água:etanol). Para determinação da concentração inibitória mínima (CIM) foi utilizada a técnica de microdiluição em microplaca, contendo 96 cavidades. O inóculo bacteriano foi padronizado em espectrofotômetro, com comprimento de onda de 625 nm, de modo a obter a concentração de 106 UFC/ml, conforme preconizado no CLSI. Foram realizadas diluições sucessivas dos extratos em microplaca, contendo o inóculo e o digluconato de clorexidina a 0,12% utilizado como controle positivo. As placas foram incubadas a 37°C. O crescimento microbiano foi indicado pela adição de resazurina a 0,01% em cada poço e incubação de 2h à temperatura ambiente. A determinação da concentração bactericida mínima (CBM) foi realizada através do subcultivo em placas de Preti, dos poços que não apresentaram crescimento bacteriano. As placas foram incubadas a 37°C por 24h. Resultados: Todos os extratos vegetais analisados apresentaram atividade antimicrobiana para a maioria das espécies de Streptococcus, sendo todos sensíveis a, pelo menos, um extrato. Os extratos que apresentaram os menores valores de CIM e CBM foram os de Schinus terebintifolius Raddi e de Syderoxylum obtusifolium Roem & Schult. S. parasanguis foi a espécie mais resistente contra os extratos vegetais testados. Conclusão: Os extratos vegetais testados mostraram-se promissores quanto à produção de novos antimicrobianos para a odontologia, havendo a necessidade de novos estudos pré-clínicos e clínicos com vistas ao desenvolvimento destes...

Objective: To evaluate the antimicrobial activity of hydroalcoholic extracts from Brazilian northeastern medicinal plants against streptococcus.Method: The plant samples were dried in an oven with forced circulating air at 40 ºC and ground in a Wiley mill to 10 mesh. The obtained material was macerated at room temperature using as solvent a water:ethanol solution at a 30:70 ratio. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was obtained by the microdilution technique in 96-well microplates. The bacterial inoculum was standardized in a spectrophotometer at 625 nm wavelength in order to obtain a 106CFU/mL concentration, according to the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute standards and guidelines. Successive dilutions of the extracts were made in the microplates containing the bacterial inoculum and 0.12% chlorhexidine digluconate was used as a positive control. The plates were incubated at 37 °C. Microbial growth was indicated by the addition of 0.01% resazurine into each well and 2-hour incubation at room temperature. The minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) was obtained by subculture in Petri plates in the wells without bacterial growth. The microplates were incubated at 37 °C for 24 hours.Results: All plant extracts presented antimicrobial activity against most Streptococcus sp., which presented sensitivity to at least one extract. The extracts with lowest MIC and MBC values were Schinus terebintifolius Raddi and Syderoxylum obtusifolium Roem & Schult. S. parasanguis was the most resistant species to the plant extracts.Conclusion: The plant extracts evaluated in this study showed promising results regarding the production of new antimicrobials for use in Dentistry, but further preclinical and clinical studies are required for their development...