GROWTH INHIBITORY EFFECT OF HOUTTUYNIA CORDATA EXTRACT ON STREPTOCOCCUS MUTANS.

Houttuynia cordata is an herbal plant distributed throughout Asia. H. cordata has many bioactive properties, including antibacterial properties. The antibacterial effects of H. cordata on S. mutans remain unknown. Therefore, we treated S. mutans with 1, 3, 5, 10, 20, 30, or 40 mg/mL H. cordata extract at 37°C for 24 h. The antibacterial effect of H. cordata against S. mutans was confirmed using colony forming unit assay and disk diffusion assays. The results of the cell concentration assay demonstrated that H. cordata inhibited the growth of S. mutans in a dose-dependent manner. Prominent growth inhibition was observed after treatment with 10 mg/mL H. cordata extract, and these findings were statistically significant. In addition, no colonies of S. mutans were detected after treatment with 40 mg/mL H. cordata. Disk diffusion assays revealed that 20 mg/mL of H. cordata created a zone of growth inhibition of 11 mm. Therefore, our findings suggest the possibility of using H. cordata in the treatment and prevention of dental caries.

Evaluation of Cytotoxic and Antibacterial Effect of Methanolic Extract of Paeonia lactiflora.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Bacterial antibiotics have had several side effects. Therefore, interest in natural substances with less side effects is increasing these days. Paeonia lactiflora, the root of Paeonia lactiflora, is used as a raw material for medicines. In this study, we investigated the antibacterial effect and the cytotoxicity of Paeonia lactiflora extract. MATERIALS AND METHODS: For cytotoxicity, MTT analysis according to ISO 10993-5 was performed. The antibacterial test of the Paeonia lactiflora was determined from bacterial viability, Inhibition zone test, CFU (colony forming unit) and SEM (scanning electron microscope). To confirm the antibacterial component of Paeonia lactiflora, the content of flavonoids and polyphenols was analyzed. RESULTS: Our results showed that Paeonia lactiflora extract contained flavonoids and polyphenols, which exhibited antimicrobial activity against Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans) and Candida albicans (C. ablicans). Further, the cytotoxicity of Paeonia lactiflora extract was low. CONCLUSIONS: We believe that our study makes a significant contribution to the literature because it demonstrates that Paeonia lactiflora extract can be used as an antibiotic.

Molecular MR Imaging of Myeloperoxidase Distinguishes Steatosis from Steatohepatitis in Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease.

Purpose To test whether MPO-Gd, an activatable molecular magnetic resonance (MR) imaging agent specific for myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity, could detect MPO activity in nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) mouse models and human liver biopsy samples. Materials and Methods In this study, 20 leptin receptor-deficient and three MPO knockout mice were injected with endotoxin (lipopolysaccharide) or fed a methionine and choline-deficient (MCD) diet to induce experimental NASH and underwent MR imaging with MPO-Gd. Saline-injected and control diet-fed leptin receptor-deficient mice were used as respective controls. MPO protein and activity measurements and histologic analyses were performed. Eleven human liver biopsy samples underwent MPO-Gd-enhanced MR imaging ex vivo and subsequent histologic evaluation. Results were compared with Student t test or Mann-Whitney U test. Results With endotoxin, a significantly increased contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) was found compared with sham (mean CNR, 1.81 [95% confidence interval {CI}: 1.53, 2.10] vs 1.02 [95% CI: 0.89, 1.14]; P = .03) at MPO-Gd MR imaging. In the diet-induced NASH model, an increased CNR was also found compared with sham mice (mean CNR, 1.33 [95% CI: 1.27, 1.40] vs 0.98 [95% CI: 0.83, 1.12]; P = .008). Conversely, CNR remained at baseline in NASH mice imaged with gadopentetate dimeglumine and in MPO knockout NASH mice with MPO-Gd, which proves specificity of MPO-Gd. Ex vivo molecular MR imaging of liver biopsy samples from NASH and control patients confirmed results from animal studies (mean CNR for NASH vs control patients, 2.61 [95% CI: 1.48, 3.74] vs 1.29 [95% CI: 1.06, 1.52]; P = .004). Conclusion MPO-Gd showed elevated MPO activity in NAFLD mouse models and human liver biopsy samples. © RSNA, 2017 Online supplemental material is available for this article. An earlier incorrect version of this article appeared online. This article was corrected on April 6, 2017.

Peripubertal Caffeine Exposure Impairs Longitudinal Bone Growth in Immature Male Rats in a Dose- and Time-Dependent Manner.

This study investigated the dose- and time-dependent effects of caffeine consumption throughout puberty in peripubertal rats. A total of 85 male SD rats were randomly divided into four groups: control and caffeine-fed groups with 20, 60, or 120 mg/kg/day through oral gavage for 10, 20, 30, or 40 days. Caffeine decreased body weight gain and food consumption in a dose- and time-dependent manner, accompanied by a reduction in muscle and body fat. In addition, it caused a shortening and lightening of leg bones and spinal column. The total height of the growth plate decreased sharply at 40 days in the controls, but not in the caffeine-fed groups, and the height of hypertrophic zone in the caffeine-fed groups was lower than in the control. Caffeine increased the height of the secondary spongiosa, whereas parameters related to bone formation, such as bone area ratio, thickness and number of trabeculae, and bone perimeter, were significantly reduced. Furthermore, serum levels of IGF-1, estradiol, and testosterone were also reduced by the dose of caffeine exposure. Our results demonstrate that caffeine consumption can dose- and time-dependently inhibit longitudinal bone growth in immature male rats, possibly by blocking the physiologic changes in body composition and hormones relevant to bone growth.

Conventional cancer treatment alone or with regional hyperthermia for pain relief in lung cancer: A case-control study.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of combining conventional treatment with regional hyperthermia on cancer pain in lung cancer patients. DESIGN: Case-control study. SETTING: One Korean university hospital and three complementary cancer clinics. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: Main outcome was effective analgesic score (EAS, PI[1+(M/10)], 1: anti-inflammatory drug consumption at a regular dosage, M: weekly dose (mg) of oral morphine equivalent and PI: pain intensity) at four time points (baseline (days -30 to 0), time 1 (days 1-60), time 2 (days 61-120), and time 3 (days 121-180)). Propensity score matching between the hyperthermia and control groups was performed using a 1:5 ratio. A linear mixed effects model was employed to measure EAS changes over time in the two groups. RESULTS: At baseline, there were 83 subjects in the control group and 32 subjects in the hyperthermia group. At time 3, there were 49 subjects in the control group and 16 subjects in the hyperthermia group. Analyses showed rate of change of EAS, treatment×time was significant (p=0.038). This significant difference was mainly observed for time 1 (mean difference: 101.76 points, 95% confidence interval: 10.20-193.32 points, p=0.030). CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate an increase in cancer pain in lung cancer patients administered regional hyperthermia, particularly during the early stage of hyperthermia treatment.

The disinfection of impression materials by using microwave irradiation and hydrogen peroxide.

STATEMENT OF PROBLEM: Microwave irradiation and immersion in solutions have been recommended for denture disinfection. However, the effect of dry conditions and impression materials has not been completely evaluated. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of microwave irradiation and hydrogen peroxide for the disinfection of dental impression materials. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Specimens (diameter 10 mm, thickness 2 mm) were made with polyvinyl siloxane. Experimental groups were treated with hydrogen peroxide (group H), microwave irradiation (group M), and a combination of both hydrogen peroxide and microwave irradiation (group MH) for 1 minute, 2 minutes, and 3 minutes. The control group was untreated. The total sample size was 120. The specimens were divided into 2 groups, those exposed to Streptococcus mutans and those exposed to Escherichia coli. The disinfection effect and physical properties (contact angle, compatibility with gypsum, strain in compression, tear strength) were evaluated. RESULTS: All 3 groups (H, M, MH) were effective in reducing the number of colony forming units (CFU) per unit volume (mL) for both S mutans and E coli compared with the control. The most significant reduction in the CFU/mL of both bacteria was noted in the MH group and was used to compare either treatment alone (P<.05). No statistically significant difference was noted between the control and treatment groups in terms of all of the physical properties tested (P>.05). CONCLUSIONS: Microwave irradiation was identified as a useful disinfection method against S mutans and E coli, especially when combined with H2O2, without adversely affecting the physical properties of dental impression materials.

Inhibitory effects of panduratin A on allergy-related mediator production in rat basophilic leukemia mast cells.

Immediate-type hypersensitivity is characterized by elevated levels of immunoglobulin E (IgE) and activated mast cell plays a crucial role by releasing granule contents, lipid-derived mediators, cytokines, and chemokines. To evaluate the antiallergic effects of panduratin A isolated from Boesenbergia pandurata Roxb., we determined its effects on calcium (Ca(2+)) influx, degranulation, and inflammatory mediators in calcium ionophore A23187 and phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA)-stimulated rat basophilic leukemia (RBL-2H3) cells. Panduratin A (20 µM) inhibited secretion of ß-hexosaminidase (46.69 ± 9.6 %), histamine (34.32 ± 2.1 %), and Ca(2+) influx (43.84 %). Panduratin A reduced the production of prostaglandin E(2) (PGE(2), 47.58 ± 3.4 %), leukotriene B(4) (LTB(4), 98.15 ± 1.6 %), and the mRNA expression of cyclooxygenase-2, 5-lipoxygenase, interleukin (IL)-4, IL-13, and tumor necrosis factor-α. Furthermore, panduarin A attenuated phosphorylation of Akt, the mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK) extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), p38, and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) expression. These results indicate that panduratin A might be useful as an agent against immediate-type hypersensitivity.