In vivo study of the action of a topical anti-inflammatory drug in rat teeth submitted to dental bleaching

Abstract Bleaching gel containing hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) cause damages in pulp tissue. This study investigated the action of a topical anti-inflammatory, the Otosporin®, in rats' bleached teeth with the null hypothesis of which the Otosporin® is no able to minimize the pulp inflammation that bleaching gel generates. The rat's molars were divided into groups: BLE: bleached (35% H2O2 concentration /single application of 30 min); BLE-O: bleached followed by Otosporin® (10 min); and control: placebo gel. In the second day after dental bleaching, the rats were killed, and the jaws were processed for hematoxylin-eosin and immunohistochemistry analysis for tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-17. The data collected were subjected to Kruskal-Wallis and Dunn statistical tests with at a 5% level of significance (p<0.05). The BLE group had moderate to strong inflammation in the occlusal third of the coronary pulp, with necrotic areas; and BLE-O, mild inflammation (p<0.05). There was a significant difference in the occlusal and middle thirds of the coronary pulp between the BLE with BLE-O and control groups (p<0.05). There was no difference in the cervical third (p>0.05). The BLE group had a high immunoexpression of TNF-α than BLE-O and control groups (p<0.05), with moderate and mild immunoexpression, respectively. Regarding IL-6 and IL-17, the BLE group had higher immunoexpression than control (p<0.05); the BLE-O was similar to the control (p>0.05). The topical anti-inflammatory Otosporin® can reduce pulp inflammation after dental bleaching in the rat teeth.

Resumo O gel clareador à base de peróxido de hidrogênio (H2O2) causa danos ao tecido pulpar. Este estudo investigou a ação de um anti-inflamatório tópico, o Otosporin®, nos dentes de ratos clareados com a hipótese nula de que o Otosporin® não é capaz de minimizar a inflamação da polpa gerada pelo gel clareador. Os molares dos ratos foram divididos em grupos: ClA: clareado (H2O2 a 35% / aplicação única de 30 min); CLA-O: clareado seguido do Otosporin® (10 min); e controle: gel placebo. No segundo dia após a clareação dentária, os ratos foram mortos e suas maxilas foram processadas para análise de hematoxilina-eosina e imunohistoquímica para o fator de necrose tumoral alfa (TNF-a), interleucina (IL)-6 e IL-17. Os dados coletados foram submetidos aos testes estatísticos de Kruskal-Wallis e Dunn com um nível de significância de 5% (p<0,05). O grupo CLA apresentou inflamação moderada à severa no terço oclusal da polpa coronária, com áreas necróticas; e CLA-O, inflamação leve (p<0,05). Houve diferença significativa nos terços oclusal e médio da polpa coronária entre o grupo CLA com os grupos CLA-O e controle (p<0,05). Não houve diferença no terço cervical (p>0,05). O grupo CLA apresentou maior imunoexpressão para TNF-a comparado aos grupos CLA-O e controle (p<0,05), com imunoexpressão moderada e leve, respectivamente. Em relação a IL-6 e IL-17, o grupo CLA apresentou maior imunoexpressão comparado ao controle (p<0,05); o CLA-O foi semelhante ao controle (p>0,05). O anti-inflamatório tópico Otosporin® pode reduzir a inflamação pulpar após clareação em dentes de ratos.

Staphylococcus aureus resistance to topical antimicrobials in atopic dermatitis

Abstract: Background: Topical antimicrobial drugs are indicated for limited superficial pyodermitis treatment, although they are largely used as self-prescribed medication for a variety of inflammatory dermatoses, including atopic dermatitis. Monitoring bacterial susceptibility to these drugs is difficult, given the paucity of laboratory standardization. Objective: To evaluate the prevalence of Staphylococcus aureus topical antimicrobial drug resistance in atopic dermatitis patients. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study of children and adults diagnosed with atopic dermatitis and S. aureus colonization. We used miscellaneous literature reported breakpoints to define S. aureus resistance to mupirocin, fusidic acid, gentamicin, neomycin and bacitracin. Results: A total of 91 patients were included and 100 S. aureus isolates were analyzed. All strains were methicillin-susceptible S. aureus. We found a low prevalence of mupirocin and fusidic acid resistance (1.1% and 5.9%, respectively), but high levels of neomycin and bacitracin resistance (42.6% and 100%, respectively). Fusidic acid resistance was associated with more severe atopic dermatitis, demonstrated by higher EASI scores (median 17.8 vs 5.7, p=.009). Our results also corroborate the literature on the absence of cross-resistance between the aminoglycosides neomycin and gentamicin. Conclusions: Our data, in a southern Brazilian sample of AD patients, revealed a low prevalence of mupirocin and fusidic acid resistance of S. aureus atopic eczema colonizer strains. However, for neomycin and bacitracin, which are commonly used topical antimicrobial drugs in Brazil, high levels of resistance were identified. Further restrictions on the use of these antimicrobials seem necessary to keep resistance as low as possible.

Antimicrobial activity of different filling pastes for deciduous tooth treatment

Guedes-Pinto paste is the filling material most employed in Brazil for endodontic treatment of deciduous teeth; however, the Rifocort® ointment has been removed. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate the antimicrobial potential of filling pastes, by proposing three new pharmacological associations to replace Rifocort® ointment with drugs of already established antimicrobial power: Nebacetin® ointment, 2% Chlorhexidine Gluconate gel, and Maxitrol® ointment. A paste composed of Iodoform, Rifocort® ointment and Camphorated Paramonochlorophenol (CPC) was employed as the gold standard (G1). The other associations were: Iodoform, Nebacetin® ointment and CPC (G2); Iodoform, 2% Chlorhexidine Digluconate gel and CPC (G3); Iodoform, Maxitrol® ointment and CPC (G4). The associations were tested for Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans), Streptococcus oralis (S. oralis), Enterococcus faecalis (E. faecalis), Escherichia coli (E. coli), and Bacillus subtilis (B. subtilis), using the methods of dilution on solid medium – orifice agar – and broth dilution. The results were tested using statistical analysis ANOVA and Kruskal-Wallis. They showed that all the pastes had a bacteriostatic effect on all the microorganisms, without any statistically significant difference, compared with G1. S. aureus was statistically significant (multiple comparison test of Tukey), insofar as G2 and G3 presented the worst and the best performance, respectively. All associations were bactericidal for E. coli, S. aureus, S. mutans and S. oralis. Only G3 and G4 were bactericidal for E. faecalis, whereas no product was bactericidal for B. subtilis. Thus, the tested pastes have antimicrobial potential and have proved acceptable for endodontic treatment of primary teeth.

Participation of the phosphoinositide metabolism in the hypersensitive response of Citrus limon against Alternaria alternata

Lemon seedlings inoculated with Alternaria alternata develop a hypersensitive response (HR) that includes the induction of Phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL, E. C. 4.3.1.5) and the synthesis of scoparone. The signal transduction pathway involved in the development of this response is unknown. We used several inhibitors of the Phosphoinositide (PI) animal system to study a possible role of Inositol-1,4,5-triphosphate (IP3) in the transduction of the fungal conidia signal in Citrus limon. The HR was only partially inhibited by EGTA, suggesting that not only external but internal calcium as well are necessary for a complete development of the HR. In this plant system, Alternaria alternata induced an early accumulation of the second messenger IP3. When lemon seedlings were watered long term with LiCl, an inhibitor of the phosphoinositide cycle, the IP3 production was reduced, and the LiCl-watered plants could neither induce PAL nor synthesize scoparone in response to fungal conidia. Furthermore, neomycin, a Phospholipase C (PLC, E. C. 3.1.4.3) inhibitor, also inhibited PAL induction and scoparone synthesis in response to A. alternata. These results suggest that IP3 could be involved in the signal transduction pathway for the development of the HR of Citrus limon against A. alternata.

Expression and stable germline transmission of neomycin-resistance gene in transgenic mice.

Transgenic mice were produced to study the expression of amino-3' glycosyl phosphotransferase gene (neomycin resistance gene) in the embryonic fibroblast cells. A 1.9 Kb linear fragment of neomycin resistance gene under the control of pPGK promoter was microinjected into the pronucleus of mouse embryos. Out of 64 potential founders born, 5 were identified to be transgenic by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and southern hybridization. Multiple mice from first and second generation from two transgenic founders (N-10 and N-32) were analysed to determine the germline transmission. It was found to be 24.6 and 71.4% in first and second generation respectively. Results were also further confirmed by RT-PCR, sequencing and in vitro bioassays.

Effects of mastoparan on a vascular contractility in rabbit aorta

Mastoparan is an amphiphilic tetradecapeptide derived from wasp venom which activates G-proteins. Several secondary effects have been attributed to this peptide, including activation of phospholipase and phosphatidylinositol kinase. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of mastoparan on vascular contractility. Rabbit aortic rings were cut and mounted on a force transducer to record isometric tension on a polygraph. The effects of mastoparan were then investigated on the contractile responses in the isolated rabbit aorta with or without endothelium. The results were summarized as follows; 1. Mastoparan caused biphasic response, a transient relaxation followed by a further contraction, in norepinephrine (NE)-precontracted ring with endothelium. These effects were not observed in the aorta in the absence of endothelium. 2. Mastoparan-induced transient relaxation was significantly inhibited by treatment with a N-omega-nitro-L-arginine or methylene blue. 3. When an inhibitor of phospholipase C, neomycin was added to the precontracted aortic ring with NE, the transient relaxation induced by mastoparan was inhibited, but sustained contraction was not inhibited. 4. When an inhibitor of phospholipase A2, quinacrine and inhibitor of the cyclooxygenase pathway, indomethacin, were added to a precontracted ring with NE, the transient relaxation induced by mastoparan was not inhibited, but sustained contraction was inhibited. 5. Mastoparan induced a contraction of the aorta either with or without endothelium. Indomethacin and nifedipine inhibited mastoparan-induced contraction. From the above results, we concluded that mastoparan acts on the endothelium and modifies the release of endothelium-derived relaxing factors such as nitric oxide and also endothelium-derived contracting factors such as metabolites of arachidonic acid.

Effect of lactulose and neomycin on plasma level of prostaglandin E in patients with portasystemic encephalopathy

This work aimed at the study of the relation of plasma prostaglandin E [PGE] to the development of chronic portosystemic encephalopathy [PSE] in patients with chronic liver disease and its response to treatment with either lactulose or neomycin. The study included 30 patients with chronic liver disease and PSE and 10 healthy controls. PGE plasma levels were assayed using radioimmunoassay [RIA] at the beginning of the study and 14 days after treatment with either lactulose [15 patients] or neomycin [15 patients]. PGE mean levels were higher in patients with chronic liver disease and PSE in comparison to controls [11.61 +/- 5.2 versus 1.88 +/- 1.16 ng/ml respectively, P < 0.05]. The overall result of treatment with either lactulose or neomycin was a reduction from 11.61 +/- 5.2 to 9.85 +/- 4.42 ng/ml. [P < 0.05]. Ascitic patients had higher PGE levels than non ascitic patients before [14.05 +/- 3.74 vs 8.42 +/- 4.78 respectively] and after treatment [10.99 +/- 3.74 vs 8.92 +/- 4.92]. Neomycin resulted in a decrease in PGE levels only in the ascitic group from 16.2 +/- 3.77 to 11.9 +/- 4.69 ng/ml. [P < 0.05] while lactulose did not significantly alter the PGE level in ascitic or non ascitic patients. It is concluded that PGE levels are increased in patients with PSE and that their level increases more with the degree of hepatic decompensation. Neomycin significantly decreases PGE levels in ascitic patients while lactulose did not significantly influence PGE levels. PGE may not be used as a marker of PSE since all patients showed clinical improvement with either lactulose or neomycin

Effects of aminoglycoside antibiotics on calcium action potentials and calcium channel currents

En este trabajo de revisión se analizan los efectos de la neomicina y estreptomicina en la electrogénesis dependiente de Ca2+ de fibras musculares de crustáceos y dos corrientes de Ca2+ identificables en células hipofisarias. Los datos indican que estos antibióticos inhiben la electrogénesis graduada y los potenciales de acción musculares; estos efectos se acompañan de disminución de la tensión desarrollada por la despolarización de la membrana. El incremento de la concentración extracelular de Ca2+ revierte el bloqueo producido por los aminoglicósidos en la electrogpenesis Ca2+-dependiente en inactivación lenta (L) de las corrientes de Ca2+ en células GH3. Este bloqueo no fue modulado por activación o inactivación de los canales. La neomicina inhibió también las corrientes de Ca2+ por neomicina y otros aminoglicósidos no puede ser explicada por competencia con la unión de iones Ca2+ a sitios de alta afinidad en los canales