Chemical analysis and in vitro antiviral and antifungal activities of essential oils from Glechon spathulata and Glechon marifolia.

CONTEXT: Glechon spathulata Benth. and Glechon marifolia Benth. (Lamiaceae, Mentheae) are aromatic plants used in traditional medicine for the treatment of viral infections. OBJECTIVE: The chemical composition and antiviral and antifungal activities of Glechon spathulata and Glechon marifolia essential oils were investigated. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The oils were obtained by hydrodistillation and analyzed by GC-FID and GC-MS. Anti-herpes virus (HSV-1) activity was examined in Vero cells by yield reduction assay, in doses of 0.0095% v/v and 0.039% v/v, for G. spathulata and G. marifolia oil, respectively. Antifungal activity was carried by the broth microdilution method, in oil concentrations that ranged from 5.2 to 500 µg/mL. RESULTS: ß-Caryophyllene (14.2% and 32.2% for G. spathulata and G. marifolia, respectively) and bicyclogermacrene (17.1% and 16.5%, respectively) were the major components of both oils. At noncytotoxic concentrations of the essential oils, the viral titer was reduced by up to 2 log10 for KOS and VR-733 strains. The antifungal activity was observed against Trichophyton rubrum (MIC 10-83 µg/mL) and Epidermophyton floccosum (MIC 83-500 µg/mL). The oil of G. spathulata exhibited activity against the three strains tested (KOS, VR733, and 29-R), whereas G. marifolia oil was active against two strains, KOS and VR733. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: The chemical composition for G. spathulata and G. marifolia essential oils is very similar. The oil of G. spathulata can be promising as a new antifungal agent against dermatophytes. The findings add important information to the biological activity of Glechon species essential oils, specifically its antiviral and antidermatophytic properties.

Antifungal activity against Cryptococcus neoformans strains and genotoxicity assessment in human leukocyte cells of Euphorbia tirucalli L.

In the last times, focus on plant research has increased all over the world. Euphorbia tirucalli L., a plant known popularly as Aveloz, and originally used in Africa, has been drawing attention for its use in the United States and Latin America, both for use as an ornamental plant and as a medicinal plant. E. tirucalli L. is a member of the family Euphorbiaceae and contains many diterpenoids and triterpenoids, in particular phorbol esters, apparently the main constituent of this plant, which are assumed to be responsible for their activities in vivo and in vitro. The in vitro antifungal activities of Euphorbia tirucalli (L.) against opportunistic yeasts were studied using microbroth dilution assay. The results showed that aqueous extract and latex preparation were effective against ten clinical strains of Cryptococcus neoformans in vitro (Latex and extract MIC range of 3.2 - > 411 µg/mL). Aiming the safe use in humans, the genotoxic effects of E. tirucalli were evaluated in human leukocytes cells. Our data show that both aqueous extract and latex preparation have no genotoxic effect in human leukocytes cells in vitro. Although the results cannot be extrapolated by itself for use in vivo, they suggest a good perspective for a therapeutic application in future. In conclusion, our results show that the aqueous extract and latex preparation from E. tirucalli L. are antifungal agents effectives against several strains of C. neoformans and do not provoke DNA damage in human leukocyte cells, considering the concentrations tested.

Antifungal activity against Cryptococcus neoformans strains and genotoxicity assessment in human leukocyte cells of Euphorbia tirucalli L.

In the last times, focus on plant research has increased all over the world. Euphorbia tirucalli L., a plant known popularly as Aveloz, and originally used in Africa, has been drawing attention for its use in the United States and Latin America, both for use as an ornamental plant and as a medicinal plant. E. tirucalli L. is a member of the family Euphorbiaceae and contains many diterpenoids and triterpenoids, in particular phorbol esters, apparently the main constituent of this plant, which are assumed to be responsible for their activities in vivo and in vitro. The in vitro antifungal activities of Euphorbia tirucalli (L.) against opportunistic yeasts were studied using microbroth dilution assay. The results showed that aqueous extract and latex preparation were effective against ten clinical strains of Cryptococcus neoformans in vitro (Latex and extract MIC range of 3.2 - > 411 µg/mL). Aiming the safe use in humans, the genotoxic effects of E. tirucalli were evaluated in human leukocytes cells. Our data show that both aqueous extract and latex preparation have no genotoxic effect in human leukocytes cells in vitro. Although the results cannot be extrapolated by itself for use in vivo, they suggest a good perspective for a therapeutic application in future. In conclusion, our results show that the aqueous extract and latex preparation from E. tirucalli L. are antifungal agents effectives against several strains of C. neoformans and do not provoke DNA damage in human leukocyte cells, considering the concentrations tested.

Estudo comparativo do uso de pigmentação exógena como adjuvante à luz intensa pulsada no tratamento de melanoses solares do dorso das mãos / Comparative study of the use of exogenous pigmentation as an adjuvant therapy to Intense Pulsed Light in the treatment of melanoses on the dorsum of the hands

Introdução: O fotodano intenso e crônico geralmente produz inúmeras queratoses actínicas, sendo importante o tratamento precoce e global da pele acometida. Objetivo: Avaliar a efetividade de dois tratamentos distintos para ceratoses actínicas múltiplas. Métodos: Foram selecionados 5 pacientes com ceratoses actinicas difusas no dorso de mãos e antebraços foram submetidos ao seguinte protocolo: lado A (direito) peeling químico superficial quinzenal com ácido glicólico 70% em gel seguido de solução de 5-fluoracil 5%; lado B (esquerdo) criopeeling mensal. O número de sessões variou de quatro a seis no lado A e de duas a três no lado B, de acordo com o grau de fotodano. Resultados: Todos os pacientes apresentaram resposta clínica satisfatória, com melhora das ceratoses actínicas e de toda área de dano actínico, com boa tolerância dos pacientes ao tratamento, apenas com a ressalva de que ao criopeeling segue-se eritema mais intensoe persistente. Conclusões: As duas terapêuticas utilizadas constituem-se em alternativas válidas e eficazes para tratamento do "campo de cancerização".

Introduction: The use of exogenous pigmentation as an adjuvant therapy to Intense Pulsed Light in the treatment of melanoses is routine, nevertheless there is an absence of published comparative studies. Objective: To compare Intense Pulsed Light therapy in isolation, or combined with exogenous pigmentation in the treatment of solar lentigines on the dorsum of the hands. Methods: Twenty women (mean age = 56.5 years) with skin types from I to III, underwent three sessions of Intense Pulsed Light, with a brown makeup pencil pigment reinforcement being applied to the lesions on the right hand. The patients were queried about the degree of discomfort, swelling, crusting, and improvement experienced, their treatment of preference and which they felt provided greater effectiveness, and the incidence of side effects. Results: When assessing all three of the treatment sessions together, the median discomfort score, as well as the degree of inflammation and crusting (p < 0.01), were higher on the right hand. Regarding the subjective impression of the final result, 15 in 20 patients preferred the technique applied on the right hand, considering it more effective (p < 0.01). Eleven in 20 patients reported fewer side effects in the un-pigmented side (p = 0.12). The degree of discomfort did not correlate significantly with the preferred technique (p = 0.67). Conclusions: In this sample, there was a preference for the method with the adjuvant use of exogenous pigmentation, however the incidence of pain and side effects was higher in this group.