Lippia origanoides essential oil: an efficient and safe alternative to preserve food, cosmetic and pharmaceutical products.

AIMS: The aim of this work was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of Lippia origanoides essential oil as a preservative in industrial products. METHODS AND RESULTS: The composition, antimicrobial activity, mutagenic and toxic potential of L. origanoides were determined. Then, the effect of essential oil as a preservative in food, cosmetics and pharmaceutical products was evaluated. The essential oil of L. origanoides consisted mainly of oxygenated monoterpenes (38·13%); 26·28% corresponded to the compound carvacrol. At concentrations ranging from 0·312 to 1·25 µl ml-1 and in association with polysorbate 80, the essential oil of L. origanoides inhibited the growth of all the tested micro-organisms. The medium lethal dose in mice was 3·5 g kg-1 , which categorizes it as nontoxic according to the European Union criteria, and negative results in the Ames test indicated that this oil was not mutagenic. In combination with polysorbate 80, the essential oil exerted preservative action on orange juice, cosmetic and pharmaceutical compositions, especially in the case of aqueous-based products. CONCLUSIONS: Lippia origanoides essential oil is an effective and safe preservative for orange juice, pharmaceutical and cosmetic products. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: This study allowed for the complete understanding of the antimicrobial action and toxicological potential of L. origanoides essential oil. These results facilitate the development of a preservative system based on L. origanoides essential oil.

Excipientes farmacêuticos: perspectivas dos polissacarídeos na pesquisa e desenvolvimento de novos sistemas de liberação / Pharmaceutical excipients: perspectives for polysaccharides in the research and development of new drug delivery systems

Excipientes em geral são conceituados como substâncias auxiliares diretamente envolvidas na composição das diversas formulações farmacêuticas. Constituintes de diferentes sistemas terapêuticos viabilizam o sucesso da forma farmacêutica final, apresentando características e propriedades diferentes daquelas pertinentes aos fármacos. Excipientes farmacêuticos constituem elementos de elevado destaque na formulação dos medicamentos, uma vez que, exercem efetivo papel na garantia de obtenção da forma farmacêutica adequada ao uso e ao efeito terapêutico desejado, regendo e influenciando de maneira significativa a cedência do princípio ativo contido no medicamento. Polissacarídeos são polímeros de monossacarídeos, encontrados abundantemente na natureza, a baixo custo, e devido as suas propriedades, de baixa toxicidade, biodegradabilidade, características filmogênicas, facilidade de derivatização, disponibilidade a baixo custo, têm constituído elementos de elevado interesse e destaque nas pesquisas farmacêuticas. Estes polímeros naturais encontram vasto campo de aplicação incluindo a melhoria de diversas propriedades das formulações de formas farmacêuticas sólidas tradicionais, sendo estas representadas pela facilidade de escoamento dos granulados, boa uniformidade de peso e otimização da dureza em comprimidos. Prioritariamente, encontram posição de destaque na pesquisa e desenvolvimento de novos sistemas para liberação modificada de fármacos quando aplicados nos sistemas reservatórios (revestimento farmacêutico), sistemas matriciais, ou como ôcarregadoresö macromoleculares e/ou biodegradáveis

The influence on the dermal cellular infiltrate of topical steroid applications and vehicles in guinea pig skin: normal skin, allergic and toxic reactions.

The mechanisms of the anti-inflammatory effects of corticosteroids are uncertain but could be explained by an influence on infiltrating leukocytes. Our method for the qualitative and quantitative investigation of the dermal cellular infiltrate makes it possible to study the effects of topically applied corticosteroid preparations and vehicles on the infiltrating leukocytes of normal skin, allergic and toxic reactions in guinea pig skin. Ointment and cream vehicles as well as corticosteroid cream and ointment preparations often caused erythema and increased mononuclear infiltrate after only short periods of application (24-72 h). The strongest steroid ointment gave the most marked macroscopic response and propylene glycol preparations the most marked cellular response. In both toxic and allergic reactions, application of steroid preparations after the provocation gave no beneficial result either macroscopically or microscopically. Macroscopic scores were worsened by cream and ointment preparations. Although steroid solutions had no beneficial effect, they caused no detrimental effect. The guinea pig seems to be extremely sensitive to irritants and has not proved to be a suitable model for this approach to the study of the efficacy of topically applied steroids.

[Study of the pharmacological properties and safety of a solution of levomycetin in hexamethylene tetramine for intravenous administration]. / Izuchenie farmakologicheskikh svoistv i bezvrednosti rastvora levomitsetina v geksametilentetramine dlia vnutrivennogo vvedeniia

Pharmacological properties of 2 per cent levomycetin solution in 40 percent hexamethylentetramine solution, as a new pharmaceutical form of levomycetin for intravenous administration prepared at drug-stores were studied. The maximum tolerating doses of the drug for mice, rabbits, and dogs were 26-47 times higher than the therapeutic ones with respect to the content of levomycetin and hexamethylentetramine. No increase in the toxicity of levomycetin and hexamethylentetramine in the preparation was observed. The drug in the doses 16 times higher than the therapeutic ones by the content of levomycetin did not almost change the arterial pressure and the drug in the doses 3.7 times higher than the therapeutic ones did not affect the blood coagulation either in acute experiments, or on its prolong intravenous infusion. Repeated administrations of the drug to rats and rabbits for 15-18 days in doses 3.7-4.8 times higher than the therapeutic ones by the content of levomycetin were innocuous for the animals. Absorption, circulation in the blood, distribution in the tissues and excretion with the urine of levomycetin used in the above pharmaceutical form did not differ from circulation of the antibiotic on its intravenous and oral administration. The drug is recommended for use in medical practice.