Preparation of Sterile Raw Material - Chicken Eggshells in the Process of their Transformation into Selected Calcium Salts.

BACKGROUND: The chicken eggshells and their subcrustal membranes are a valuable source of calcium, but they are not further processed but disposed of as waste from the food industry. Chicken eggshells have high content (>95%) of calcium carbonate. Some properties suggest that eggshells may be a promising alternative to the present calcium sources used in the pharmaceutical industry. METHODS: The effect of roasting chicken eggshells with a selected organic acid (citric or fumaric or lactic acid) on microbiological purity, including the presence of fungi and bacteria Salmonella spp., Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli of obtained calcium salts, was investigated. In this study, chicken eggshells were subjected to chemical reactions with organic acids (citric, fumaric or lactic acid) at two different calcium-acid molar ratios (1:1 or 1:3) and the mixture was heat-treated for 1 or 3 hours at a temperature of 100°C or 120°C. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: It was found that lactic acid was 100% effective against fungi, and the remaining citric and fumaric acids were -50% (regardless of the other examined conditions). The type of acid used has a significant effect on fungal growth inhibition (p<0.05). Fumaric acid and lactic acid will be nearly 100% effective against bacteria (100% fumaric acid and 97% lactic acid effectiveness), regardless of other factors. CONCLUSION: Lactic acid is the most effective against pathogenic flora - fungi and bacteria. The transformation of chicken eggshells into calcium lactate can provide us with sterile calcium salt, free of 100% fungi and 97% of all bacteria.

Bioshell calcium oxide (BiSCaO) for cleansing and healing Pseudomonas aeruginosa-infected wounds in hairless rats.

BACKGROUND: Scallop shell powder is called bioshell calcium oxide (BiSCaO), which is known to possess deodorizing properties and broad antimicrobial activity against various pathogenic microbes, including viruses, bacteria, spores, and fungi. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to investigate the applications of BiSCaO suspension cleansing in clinical situations, for instance for the prevention and treatment of infections in chronic wounds in healing-impaired patients, without delaying wound healing. METHODS: The bactericidal activities of 1000 ppm BiSCaO suspension; 500 ppm hypochlorous acid; 1000 ppm povidone iodine; and saline were compared to evaluate in vivo disinfection and healing of Pseudomonas aeruginosa-infected wounds in hairless rats. RESULTS: Cleansing of the infected wounds with BiSCaO suspension daily for 3 days significantly enhanced wound healing and reduced the in vivo bacterial counts, in comparison to hypochlorous acid, povidone iodine, and saline. Furthermore, histological examinations showed significantly advanced granulation tissue and capillary formation in the wounds cleansed with BiSCaO suspension than in those cleansed with the other solutions. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggested that the possibility of using BiSCaO suspension as a disinfectant for infected wounds and limiting disinfection to 3 days may be sufficient to avoid the negative effects on wound repair.

Medicinal plants of Papua New Guinea's Miu speaking population and a focus on their use of plant-slaked lime mixtures.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Here we present the results of an ethnobotanical survey of the medicinal plants used by the Miu, a virtually unresearched ethnolinguistic group who live in the mountainous interior of Papua New Guinea's West New Britain Province. We compare the findings for those previously reported for the neighbouring inland Kaulong speaking population. Three species, Trema orientalis, Spondias dulcis and Ficus botryocarpa are used in combination with locally prepared slaked lime to produce intensely coloured mixtures which are applied to dermatological infections. Their effects on dermal fibroblast viability with and without slaked lime are examined. The sap of F. botryocarpa which is used to treat tropical ulcers was examined further with assays relevant to wound healing. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Focus groups and semi-structured interviews were used to acquire information on the uses of plants, vouchers of which were collected and identified by comparison with authentic herbarium specimens. LC-MS and NMR were used to identify chemical components. Cell viability assays were used to examine the effects of added slaked lime on dermal fibroblasts. For the sap of F. botryocarpa, fibroblast stimulation assays and antibacterial growth inhibition with Bacillus subtilis were carried out. RESULTS: The survey identified 33 plants and one fungal species, and clear differences with the inland Kaulong group despite their close proximity. Added slaked lime does not greatly increase the cytotoxicity of plant material towards dermal fibroblasts. The sap of F. botryocarpa contains the alkaloid ficuseptine as a single major component and displays antibacterial activity. CONCLUSIONS: The results demonstrate the potential for variation in medicinal plant use amongst Papua New Guinea's numerous language groups. The addition of slaked lime to plant material does not appear to present a concern for wound healing in the amounts used. The sap of F. botryocarpa displays antibacterial activity at concentrations that would occur at the wound surface and could be used as a highly accessible alternative to conventional antiseptics for remote communities in Papua New Guinea.

Kinetic analysis of the antifungal activity of heated scallop-shell powder against Trichophyton and its possible application to the treatment of dermatophytosis.

The antifungal activity of scallop-shell powder heated at 1000 degrees C for 1 h against Trichophyton was kinetically investigated and the possibility of applying the powder to the treatment of dermatophytosis was examined. The death rate of T. mentagrophytes NBRC5466 in the heated shell powder slurry increased with powder concentration, following first-order reaction kinetics. Elevated slurry temperatures increased both the apparent first-order death rate constant (k) and the dilution coefficient (n) representing the dependence of k on reagent concentration. The activation energy for the death of NBRC5466 was almost equal to that for bacteria, whereas the n value was much smaller than that for bacteria. In addition, the trial using heated shell powder treatment on feet showed the possibility of its application to treat dermatophytosis.

[Amylopsin activator in the decoction of fried malt].

From the decoction of fried malt (Fructus Hordei Germinatus) a kind of amylopsin activator was extracted and distinguished as calcium nitrate (with small amount of sodium chloride). The existence of this activator may can be explain properly why the decoction is helpful to digestion.

Preparation and characterization of ZCAP blends.

Six different blends of zinc oxide, calcium oxide, phosphorous pentoxide (ZCAP) were prepared by mixing zinc oxide (ZnO), calcium oxide (CaO), and phosphorous pentoxide (P2O5) powders. The blends were 50:30:20, 48:32:20, 44:26:30, 40:40:20, 30:40:30, and 30:30:40, ZnO:CaO:P2O5 by weight, respectively. The mixed powders were calcined at 800 degrees C for 12 hours. Each blend was then characterized using X-ray diffraction. The X-ray diffraction patterns indicated that in some cases the reaction between oxides may not have gone to completion. Compositions of beta-3CaO.P2O5 and alpha-CaZn2(PO4)2 were found in many of the blends.