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1.
Int J Oral Maxillofac Surg ; 44(2): 245-51, 2015 Feb.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-25282596

ABSTRACT

Previous studies have reported positive effects of low-level laser therapy (LLLT) on bone healing. This study evaluated the effects of LLLT on peri-implant healing in vivo. Thirty-two rabbits had their mandibular left incisors removed, followed by immediate insertion of a dental implant into the fresh socket. Animals were assigned randomly to four groups: control (non-irradiated) or LLLT at three different doses per session: 5J/cm(2), 10J/cm(2), and 20J/cm(2). A GaAlAs laser (830nm, 50mW) was applied every 48h for 13 days, starting immediately after surgery. The implant stability quotient (ISQ) was measured using resonance frequency analysis upon implant insertion and immediately after death, 30 days after the last application. Tissues were prepared for scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and stereology. Variables measured were bone-implant contact (BIC) and bone neoformation within implant threads at three different sites. The results showed better ISQ for the 20J/cm(2) group (P=0.003). BIC values were significantly higher (P<0.05) in the 20J/cm(2) group, on both SEM and stereology. Bone area values were better in the 10J/cm(2) (P=0.036) and 20J/cm(2) (P=0.016) groups compared to the control group. Under these conditions, LLLT enhanced peri-implant bone repair, improving stability, BIC, and bone neoformation. The findings support and suggest parameters for the design of clinical trials using LLLT after implant placement.


Subject(s)
Dental Implantation, Endosseous/methods , Dental Implants , Low-Level Light Therapy/methods , Osteogenesis/radiation effects , Wound Healing/radiation effects , Animals , Male , Mandible/surgery , Microscopy, Electron, Scanning , Rabbits , Tooth Socket/surgery
2.
Anal Bioanal Chem ; 401(6): 1827-37, 2011 Oct.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-21725834

ABSTRACT

Natural organic materials used to prepare pharmaceutical mixtures including ointments and balsams have been characterized by a combined non-destructive spectroscopic analytical approach. Three classes of materials which include vegetable oils (olive, almond and palm tree), gums (Arabic and Tragacanth) and beeswax are considered in this study according to their widespread use reported in ancient recipes. Micro-FTIR, micro-Raman and fluorescence spectroscopies have been applied to fresh and mildly thermally aged samples. Vibrational characterization of these organic compounds is reported together with tabulated frequencies, highlighting all spectral features and changes in spectra which occur following artificial aging. Synchronous fluorescence spectroscopy has been shown to be particularly useful for the assessment of changes in oils after aging; spectral difference between Tragacanth and Arabic gum could be due to variations in origin and processing of raw materials. Analysis of these materials using non-destructive spectroscopic techniques provided important analytical information which could be used to guide further study.


Subject(s)
Balsams/chemistry , Ointments/chemistry , Spectrometry, Fluorescence/methods , Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared/methods , Spectrum Analysis, Raman/methods , Technology, Pharmaceutical/history , Gum Arabic/analysis , History, Ancient , Plant Oils/analysis , Waxes/analysis
3.
J Ethnopharmacol ; 133(2): 629-33, 2011 Jan 27.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-21040774

ABSTRACT

AIM OF THE STUDY: Satureja montana (winter savory) is a medicinal plant traditionally used to treat different disorders including male sexual dysfunction. In this study we evaluated the effect of Satureja montana hydroalcoholic extract on copulatory behavior of sexually potent male rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The extract was orally administered acutely or repetitively for 8 consecutive days at the doses of 25 and 50 mg/kg. The main parameters of sexual behavior, mount (ML), intromission (IL), ejaculation (EL) latencies and post-ejaculatory interval (PEI), were evaluated in animals submitted to mating test and multiple ejaculations test. Testosterone serum levels were measured in rats acutely treated with Satureja montana extract dosed at 50 mg/kg. In addition the open field test was conducted to evaluate the locomotor behavior. RESULTS: When acutely administered at both dosages, the extract was able to significantly increase EL and decrease intromission frequency (IF) in comparison with controls. The significant increase in EL was found also when the extract was subacutely administered, daily for 8 consecutive days, at the dose of 25 mg/kg. In the multiple ejaculations test, EL values of treated rats were significantly increased during the 1st and 2nd sequence in comparison with controls; in addition only rats treated with the extract were able to reach the 4th ejaculation within 30 min. Testosterone serum level measured in rats acutely treated with Satureja montana at the dose of 50 mg/kg was significantly increased in rats in comparison with controls. Finally, the locomotor activity recorded in the open field test was not affected by the acute administration of the plant extract. CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that Satureja montana could be considered as a natural remedy for the treatment of premature ejaculation delaying ejaculation latency without exerting any negative effect on the other parameters of sexual behavior and without exerting a sedative effect. In addition the increased serum level of testosterone confirms the positive influence of Satureja montana on male sexual function.


Subject(s)
Ejaculation/drug effects , Phytotherapy , Satureja , Sexual Dysfunction, Physiological/drug therapy , Animals , Ethnopharmacology , Female , Humans , Male , Plant Extracts/administration & dosage , Plant Extracts/pharmacology , Plants, Medicinal , Rats , Rats, Sprague-Dawley , Sexual Behavior, Animal/drug effects , Sexual Dysfunction, Physiological/blood , Sexual Dysfunction, Physiological/physiopathology , Testosterone/blood
4.
Metab Brain Dis ; 24(1): 81-93, 2009 Mar.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-19082698

ABSTRACT

Benzodiazepines of natural origin (NBZDs) have been found in human blood and brains as well as in medicinal plants and foods. In plasma and brain tissue there are i.e. diazepam and nordiazepam equal to commercial drugs but there are also other benzodiazepine-like compounds termed "endozepines", which act as agonists at the benzodiazepine receptors of central type (CBR). A synthetic pathway for the production of NBZDs has not yet been found, but it has been suggested that micro-organisms may synthesize molecules with benzodiazepine-like structures. Hence NBZDs could be of both endogenous and exogenous source and be considered as natural anxyolitic and sedative. Interestingly there are also natural compounds, such as the polypeptide Diazepam Binding Inhibitor (DBI) acting as an "inversive agonist" implicated in fair and panic disorders. It has been suggested that NBZDs may play a role in the pathogenesis of hepatic encephalopathy (HE). Multidirectional studies evaluated NBZDs levels (1) in the blood of normal subjects, of cirrhotic with or without HE and in commercial benzodiazepine consumers; (2) in the blood of cirrhotic treated or not with a non-absorbable antibiotic; (3) in several constituents of our diet. In conclusion, NBZDs increase sometime in cirrhotics with or without HE but they reach concentrations not higher than those found in commercial benzodiazepines consumers. Hence NBZDs must be considered as occasional precipitating factor of HE and benzodiazepine antagonists only symptomatic drugs. The finding that NBZDs may be in part synthesized by intestinal bacterial flora and in part constituent of our diet underlines the importance to feed cirrhotic patients with selected food.


Subject(s)
Brain/metabolism , Brain/physiopathology , Diazepam Binding Inhibitor/metabolism , Hepatic Encephalopathy/metabolism , Hepatic Encephalopathy/physiopathology , Receptors, GABA-A/metabolism , Animals , Anti-Anxiety Agents/metabolism , Bacteria/chemistry , Bacteria/metabolism , Food, Formulated/standards , GABA-A Receptor Antagonists , Humans , Ligands , Plant Extracts/metabolism , Plant Extracts/pharmacology
5.
Int J Impot Res ; 15(6): 450-5, 2003 Dec.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-14671666

ABSTRACT

Sexually potent and sluggish/impotent male rats were orally treated with an extract of Ferula hermonis (30 and 60 mg/kg). The acute administration stimulated sexual motivation in potent rats and improved copulatory performance in sluggish/impotent rats. This last effect was elicited only by the higher dose, which, in parallel, increased serum testosterone levels in rats. On the contrary, when the extract was subchronically administered (10 days) a marked reduction in the percentage of rats achieving ejaculation was detected, together with a general impairment of the copulatory pattern. Furthermore, the repeated administration of the extract (6 mg/kg/day for 10 days) resulted in a significant reduction of testosterone levels in comparison with controls. The present results discourage a repeated assumption of F. hermonis, while suggesting its acute administration to improve the performance in sexual dysfunctions.


Subject(s)
Copulation/drug effects , Erectile Dysfunction/drug therapy , Ferula , Phytotherapy , Plant Preparations/pharmacology , Animals , Female , Male , Rats , Rats, Sprague-Dawley , Testosterone/blood
6.
Fitoterapia ; 73(7-8): 674-84, 2002 Dec.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-12490228

ABSTRACT

Extracts from pods and leaves of carob (Ceratonia siliqua L.) were tested for their ability to inhibit cell proliferation of mouse hepatocellular carcinoma cell line (T1). The two extracts showed a marked alteration of T1 cell proliferation in a dose-related fashion reaching the maximal effect at 1 mg/ml. Moreover, we demonstrated that leaf and pod extracts were able to induce apoptosis in T1 cell lines after 24-h treatment mediating a direct activation of the caspase 3 pathway. HPLC analysis revealed the presence of gallic acid, (-) epigallocatechin-3-gallate and (-) epicatechin-3-gallate in pod and leaf extracts, compounds well known to exert antiproliferative effects. Their concentration reached 6.28 mg/g in carob leaves and 1.36 mg/g in carob pods extract. The discovery that carob pod and leaf extracts contained antiproliferative agents could be of practical importance in the development of functional foods and/or chemopreventive drugs.


Subject(s)
Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic/pharmacology , Fabaceae/chemistry , Flavonoids , Liver Neoplasms/pathology , Plant Extracts/pharmacology , Animals , Apoptosis/drug effects , Caspase 3 , Caspases/metabolism , Cell Division/drug effects , Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid , Dose-Response Relationship, Drug , Liver Neoplasms/drug therapy , Mice , Phenols/pharmacology , Phytotherapy , Plant Structures/chemistry , Polymers/pharmacology , Polyphenols , Tumor Cells, Cultured
7.
Fitoterapia ; 73(5): 390-6, 2002 Aug.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-12165334

ABSTRACT

The presence of molecules with high affinity for central and peripheral benzodiazepine receptors was determined in the pod and leaves of Ceratonia siliqua (carob). The amount of the substances able to selectively bind the central benzodiazepine receptor recovered from carob pods and leaves was respectively 12.17 and 18.7 ng diazepam equivalent/g. The amount of compounds active on peripheral benzodiazepine receptor in both pods and leaves was higher in comparison with the central one, being 49.83 and 40.00 PK 11195 equivalent/g, respectively. In particular the compounds acting on peripheral benzodiazepine receptors were found to be extremely concentrated in the young leaves (2572.57 ng PK 11195 equivalent/g). The presence of substances with central benzodiazepine activity in carob extracts seems of great importance in view of the possibility to use carob extract as potential natural products with anxiolytic-sedative effects. Moreover, the prevalence in leaves of substances acting on peripheral benzodiazepine receptor suggests the possible utilisation of leave extracts as chemopreventive agents.


Subject(s)
Fabaceae/chemistry , Plant Extracts/pharmacology , Receptors, GABA-A/drug effects , Adrenal Glands/drug effects , Animals , Benzodiazepines/chemistry , Cerebellum/drug effects , In Vitro Techniques , Italy , Plant Extracts/chemistry , Rats
8.
Therapie ; 55(1): 143-6, 2000.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-10860017

ABSTRACT

The existence of endogenous benzodiazepines such as diazepam and nordiazepam has been provided in human blood and brains as well as in medicinal plants and foods. It must be stressed, however, that in plasma and brain tissue there are also other benzodiazepine-like compounds termed 'endozepines' which are not halogenated. A synthetic pathway for the production of benzodiazepine-like compounds and endozepines has not yet been found, hence it may be surmised that these compounds could be of exogenous source. Changes in the level of endogenous circulating benzodiazepines due to food or drug ingestion could be responsible for pathological conditions. Clinical experiments were designed in order to study the levels of the endogenous benzodiazepines in vegetables and in the blood of control subjects and of cirrhotic patients. These patients accumulate benzodiazepines because of decreased liver metabolization capacity and impaired renal secretion, reaching plasma concentrations similar to those recorded in commercial benzodiazepine consumers.


Subject(s)
Benzodiazepines/pharmacology , Receptors, Cell Surface/metabolism , Receptors, GABA/physiology , gamma-Aminobutyric Acid/physiology , Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal , Antipyrine , Benzodiazepines/blood , Food Analysis , Humans , Liver Cirrhosis/metabolism
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