Biocompatibility and antioxidant activity of a novel carrageenan based injectable hydrogel scaffold incorporated with Cissus quadrangularis: an in vitro study.

BACKGROUND: Over the past years, polysaccharide-based scaffolds have emerged as the most promising material for tissue engineering. In the present study, carrageenan, an injectable scaffold has been used owing to its advantage and superior property. Cissus quadrangularis, a natural agent was incorporated into the carrageenan scaffold. Therefore, the present study aimed to assess the antioxidant activity and biocompatibility of this novel material. METHODS: The present in vitro study comprised of four study groups each constituting a sample of 15 with a total sample size of sixty (n = 60). The carrageenan hydrogel devoid of Cissus quadrangularis acted as the control group (Group-I). Based on the concentration of aqueous extract of Cissus quadrangularis (10% w/v, 20% w/v and 30% w/v) in carrageenan hydrogel, respective study groups namely II, III and IV were considered. Antioxidant activity was assessed using a 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging assay, whereas the biocompatibility test was performed using a brine shrimp lethality assay. The microstructure and surface morphology of the hydrogel samples containing different concentrations of Cissus quadrangularis aqueous extract was investigated using SEM. One-way ANOVA with the post hoc tukey test was performed using SPSS software v22. RESULTS: A significant difference (P < 0.05) in the antioxidant activity was observed among the study groups. Group III reported the highest activity, whereas the control group showed the least antioxidant activity. Additionally, a significant (P < 0.01) drop in the antioxidant activity was observed in group IV when compared with group III. While assessing the biocompatibility, a significant (P < 0.001) dose-dependent increase in biocompatibility was observed with the increasing concentration of aqueous extract of Cissus quadrangularis. SEM analysis in group III showed even distribution throughout the hydrogel although the particles are close and densely arranged. Reduced antioxidant activity in group IV was probably due to clumping of the particles, thus reducing the active surface area. CONCLUSION: Keeping the limitations of in vitro study, it can be assumed that a carrageenan based injectable hydrogel scaffold incorporated with 20% w/v Cissus quadrangularis can provide a favourable micro-environment as it is biocompatible and possess better antioxidant property.

Synthesis of Silver Nanoparticles from Extracts of Wild Ginger (Zingiber zerumbet) with Antibacterial Activity against Selective Multidrug Resistant Oral Bacteria.

Antibiotic resistance rate is rising worldwide. Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are potent for fighting antimicrobial resistance (AMR), independently or synergistically. The purpose of this study was to prepare AgNPs using wild ginger extracts and to evaluate the antibacterial efficacy of these AgNPs against multidrug-resistant (MDR) Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus mutans, and Enterococcus faecalis. AgNPs were synthesized using wild ginger extracts at room temperature through different parameters for optimization, i.e., pH and variable molar concentration. Synthesis of AgNPs was confirmed by UV/visible spectroscopy and further characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy analysis (EDXA), and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Disc and agar well diffusion techniques were utilized to determine the in vitro antibacterial activity of plant extracts and AgNPs. The surface plasmon resonance peaks in absorption spectra for silver suspension showed the absorption maxima in the range of 400-420 nm. Functional biomolecules such as N-H, C-H, O-H, C-O, and C-O-C were present in Zingiber zerumbet (Z. zerumbet) (aqueous and organic extracts) responsible for the AgNP formation characterized by FTIR. The crystalline structure of ZZAE-AgCl-NPs and ZZEE-AgCl-NPs was displayed in the XRD analysis. SEM analysis revealed the surface morphology. The EDXA analysis also confirmed the element of silver. It was revealed that AgNPs were seemingly spherical in morphology. The biosynthesized AgNPs exhibited complete antibacterial activity against the tested MDR bacterial strains. This study indicates that AgNPs of wild ginger extracts exhibit potent antibacterial activity against MDR bacterial strains.

Efficacy of photodynamic therapy, photobiomodulation and antimicrobial agent on the shear bond strength of composite restorations to hypomineralized teeth.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to investigate the adhesive bond strength and fracture analysis of resin based restorations to carious dentin of hypomineralized molars (HMs) after disinfecting with photodynamic therapy (PDT), Nd:YAG and chlorhexidine (CHX). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sixty carious HM molars were investigated. After removal of all carious infected tissue, the cavities were condition with methylene blue initiated PDT, a 1064 nm wavelength Nd:YAG laser or 2.0% CHX gel. Non-carious dentin from HM was used as a control without performing any disinfection or conditioning technique. All samples were bonded using a one-step one-coat adhesive bond over the dentin surface, packed with composite and light cured. All specimens were subjected to thermocycling at 5°C and 60°C with a dwell time of 30 s for 10,000 cycles. Bonded specimens were placed on a universal testing machine with a flat loading head. The debonded surface were viewed under light optical microscope to estimate the type of failure including adhesive, cohesive, and admixed. RESULTS: The highest mean SBS was seen in the non-carious HM (control group). The mean score for control group was 17.64 ± 2.96 MPa. The lowest bond strength value was displayed for Group-PDT (11.37 ± 3.66 MPa) and Group-Nd:YAG (12.69 ± 2.45 MPa). Affected dentin disinfected with the Group-CHX (15.71 ± 3.04 MPa) bonded with composite showed statistically significantly higher SBS values compared to the laser groups (p < 0.05). No statistically significant difference was noted with specimens disinfected with PDT and Nd:YAG laser showed comparable SBS scores (p > 0.05). Fracture analysis showed equal incidence of adhesive and cohesive failures in control group and Group-CHX. Moreover, a significant number of failures in group-PDT were related to adhesive. Whereas in group 4, admixed type failures were common. CONCLUSION: Caries infected hypomineralized teeth demonstrated lower bond strength values compared to non-carious hypomineralized teeth. Adhesive bond strength of hypomineralized teeth was highest with chlorhexidine compared to other laser treatment strategies.

Discovery of a NAPE-PLD inhibitor that modulates emotional behavior in mice.

N-acylethanolamines (NAEs), which include the endocannabinoid anandamide, represent an important family of signaling lipids in the brain. The lack of chemical probes that modulate NAE biosynthesis in living systems hamper the understanding of the biological role of these lipids. Using a high-throughput screen, chemical proteomics and targeted lipidomics, we report here the discovery and characterization of LEI-401 as a CNS-active N-acylphosphatidylethanolamine phospholipase D (NAPE-PLD) inhibitor. LEI-401 reduced NAE levels in neuroblastoma cells and in the brain of freely moving mice, but not in NAPE-PLD KO cells and mice, respectively. LEI-401 activated the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis and impaired fear extinction, thereby emulating the effect of a cannabinoid CB1 receptor antagonist, which could be reversed by a fatty acid amide hydrolase inhibitor. Our findings highlight the distinctive role of NAPE-PLD in NAE biosynthesis in the brain and suggest the presence of an endogenous NAE tone controlling emotional behavior.

Effect of adding different levels of rumen protected choline to the diet on productive and reproductive performance of female goats and growth of their kids from birthing to weaning.

Forty female goats in the third parity were randomly divided into four similar groups. The experiment was started 20 days before mating and lasted until the end of the suckling period for 60 days and weaning their kids. The first group were fed diet without supplementation and kept as control while in the second, third and fourth groups, each doe was fed diets with rumen protected choline (RPC) at the rate of 10, 20 and 40 g/day, respectively. Results showed that number of doe kidding twins and triplets and litter weight of kids born per group increased with increasing the level of RPC in the diet of goats and viability rate of born kids during the suckling period improved due to RPC supplementation in the diets of their mothers. Duration of estrous, days from weaning to estrous, days from kidding to estrous and kidding interval decreased significantly, while conception rate increased due to adding RPC. Milk choline concentrations and total choline secretion though milk were progressively increased significantly with increasing the level of RPC supplementation. Live body weight and daily body gain of their suckling male and female kids at weaning increased significantly with increasing RPC levels in the diets of their mothers.

Study of Caries Prevalence among Miswak and Non-Miswak Users: A Prospective Study.

INTRODUCTION: Various types of oral hygiene measures have been practiced by different populations around the world, as there is difference in the oral hygiene products including toothpicks and toothpowders. Miswak or tooth cleaning stick, for mechanical tooth cleaning, can be traced back at least to pre-Islamic times. Currently, many of the world populations still use chewing sticks as the single method for tooth brushing. The present study was done to study the incidence and prevalence of caries among Miswak and non-Miswak users. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study was done consisting of 120 cases and 120 control group (60 boys and 60 girls in each group) from the secondary school. The materials used were light, explorer, mirror, gloves, upper and lower teeth models, Miswak, and common toothbrush. After the recording of the primary data, Miswak was given to case group and the students were trained to use it on the teeth models. After 2 years, the examination of the teeth was done using the same method as before start of the study and by the same investigators. All the data were recorded, tabulated, and analyzed with the help of Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) statistics version 17 using Student's t-test. RESULTS: From the 240 participants, only 211 had continued the study for the total period of time. Out of these, 111 were from the study group and 100 from the control group. On comparison of the decayed-missing-filled (DMF) index scores of the study and control groups, before and after completion of the study, had also shown that the caries index was increased and the difference was found to be statistically significant. CONCLUSION: From the study, it can be concluded that the study group using Miswak had less number of caries incidence than the control group of non-Miswak. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Miswak can be used as teeth cleaning aid in day-to-day life as it can reduce the caries incidence.

Antibacterial Efficacy of Neem (Azadirachta indica) Extract against Enterococcus faecalis: An in vitro Study.

INTRODUCTION: Debridement and disinfection of the root canal is a crucial step in the success of endodontic treatment. Several antimicrobial agents alone or in combination are used to achieve this. The objective of this in vitro study was to assess the antimicrobial efficacy of neem (Azadirachta indica) extract against Enterococcus faecalis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Neem leaf extract, 2% chlorhexidine, 3% sodium hypochlorite were used to assess the antimicrobial efficiency. Agar well diffusion test was used to study the antimicrobial efficacy with saline as control. The zone of inhibition was recorded, tabulated, and analyzed statistically with the help of IBM Statistical Package for the Social Sciences statistics version 20 using analysis of variance test. RESULTS: All the three medicaments showed well-defined and comparable zones of inhibition around their respective wells. All values were significantly higher than the control group. Analysis of variance showed significant difference between zone diameters of chlorhexidine, neem leaf extract, and 3% sodium hypochlorite against E. faecalis (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: From the present study, it can be concluded that neem leaf extract shows comparable zones of inhibition with that of chlorhexidine and sodium hypochlorite. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Neem leaf extract has significant antimicrobial activity against E. faecalis and thus opens the perspectives for the use of neem extract as an intracanal medication.

The Selective Monoacylglycerol Lipase Inhibitor MJN110 Produces Opioid-Sparing Effects in a Mouse Neuropathic Pain Model.

Serious clinical liabilities associated with the prescription of opiates for pain control include constipation, respiratory depression, pruritus, tolerance, abuse, and addiction. A recognized strategy to circumvent these side effects is to combine opioids with other antinociceptive agents. The combination of opiates with the primary active constituent of cannabis (Δ(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol) produces enhanced antinociceptive actions, suggesting that cannabinoid receptor agonists can be opioid sparing. Here, we tested whether elevating the endogenous cannabinoid 2-arachidonoylglycerol through the inhibition of its primary hydrolytic enzyme monoacylglycerol lipase (MAGL), will produce opioid-sparing effects in the mouse chronic constriction injury (CCI) of the sciatic nerve model of neuropathic pain. The dose-response relationships of i.p. administration of morphine and the selective MAGL inhibitor 2,5-dioxopyrrolidin-1-yl 4-(bis(4-chlorophenyl)methyl)piperazine-1-carboxylate (MJN110) were tested alone and in combination at equieffective doses for reversal of CCI-induced mechanical allodynia and thermal hyperalgesia. The respective ED50 doses (95% confidence interval) of morphine and MJN110 were 2.4 (1.9-3.0) mg/kg and 0.43 (0.23-0.79) mg/kg. Isobolographic analysis of these drugs in combination revealed synergistic antiallodynic effects. Acute antinociceptive effects of the combination of morphine and MJN110 required µ-opioid, CB1, and CB2 receptors. This combination did not reduce gastric motility or produce subjective cannabimimetic effects in the drug discrimination assay. Importantly, combinations of MJN110 and morphine given repeatedly (i.e., twice a day for 6 days) continued to produce antiallodynic effects with no evidence of tolerance. Taken together, these findings suggest that MAGL inhibition produces opiate-sparing events with diminished tolerance, constipation, and cannabimimetic side effects.