Schinopsis brasiliensis Engl. to combat the biofilm-dependents diseases in vitro.

Dental caries and periodontal disease are the most prevalent of the biofilm-dependent diseases. With numerous side effects on the use of chlorhexidine, the search for new safe therapeutic alternatives for microorganisms involved with these diseases increases every day. This study aimed to evaluate the antimicrobial activity and cytotoxicity of extracts made from the bark of Schinopsis brasiliensis Engl. against five oral microorganisms and analyze their phytochemical and thermal degradation profile. The liquid-liquid partition was performed with hexane, chloroform and ethyl acetate. The identification and quantification of the chemical marker was done. Antimicrobial activity was evaluated based on the minimum inhibitory concentration. The cytotoxicity was analyzed based on the hemolysing potential of the samples. The thermal degradation profile was performed by two different methods. Gallic acid was identified as the main compound of the samples and showed the highest amount in the chloroform fraction. All samples were able to inhibit the growth of the microorganisms tested and showed no cytotoxicity. The ethanol extract absorbs less heat than the fractions. All samples exhibited exothermic peak consistent with degradation of gallic acid. Based on the results, the samples used are potential candidates for use in dental formulations for biofilm control.

Cytoprotective effect of Fridericia chica (Bonpl.) L.G. Lohmann extract associated with geranylgeraniol enriched-fraction from Bixa orellana L. on epithelial cells treated with bisphosphonate.

Bisphosphonates are drugs used to treat bone disorders. The chronic use of bisphosphonates is associated with the occurrence of medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (MRONJ). Previous data reported the positive effects of Geranylgeraniol on different cell types treated with Bisphosphonates. Foregoing work done by our research group demonstrated the wound healing capacity of Fridericia chica (Bonpl.) L.G.Lohmann standardized ethanol extract. Herein in vitro cytoprotective synergistic effect of the association of F. chica extract associated with an enriched geranylgeraniol fraction on keratinocytes exposed to zoledronic acid is reported. An association of F. chica at 1 and 5 µg/mL with geranylgeraniol at 15 µg/mL, increased cell viability by 73.5% and 71.1%, respectively. This treatment did not increase tumor cells viability; whereas the clonogenic potential assessment showed that, the association with F. chica (5 µg/mL) reversed the effects of zoledronic acid on the cells. This study provides data for a potential treatment for MRONJ.

Protective effect of topical Cordia verbenacea in a rat periodontitis model: immune-inflammatory, antibacterial and morphometric assays.

BACKGROUND: This study evaluated the effects of C. verbenacea essential oil topically administered in a rat periodontitis model. METHODS: Periodontitis was induced on rats in one of the mandibular first molars assigned to receive a ligature. Animals were randomly divided into two groups: a) non-treatment group (NT) (n = 18): animals received 1mL of vehicle; b) C. verbenacea group (C.v.) (n = 18): animals received 5mg/Kg of essential oils isolated from C. verbenacea. The therapies were administered topically 3 times daily for 11 days. Then, the specimens were processed for morphometric analysis of bone loss. The ligatures were used for microbiological assessment of the presence of Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, Tannerella forsythia and Porphyromonas gingivalis using PCR. The gingival tissue was collected to Elisa assay of interleukin (IL)-1α and IL-10 levels. RESULTS: Bone loss was inhibited by C. verbenacea when compared to the NT group (p < 0.05). A decrease in the levels of IL-1α and increase in the IL-10 amounts was observed in the C.v. group as compared to NT group (p < 0.05). A lower frequency of P. gingivalis was found in C.v. group (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: C. verbenacea essential oil topically administered diminished alveolar bone resorption, promoting a positive local imbalance in the pro/anti-inflammatory system and reducing the frequency of detection of P. gingivalis.

Electrospun PCL-based nanofibers Arrabidaea chica Verlot - Pterodon pubescens Benth loaded: synergic effect in fibroblast formation.

The guided tissue regeneration (GTR) technique can be applied in dentistry and other medical specializations, such as orthopedics. In modern dentistry, GTR has been used in periodontics and implantology to treat periodontal defects, to reconstruct lost, damaged and atrophied bone tissue in dental implant procedures, and to preserve alveolar bases after tooth extraction. In order to create and improve new therapies and to develop new biomaterials that restore, improve and prevent aggravation of compromised tissue function, poly (ϵ-caprolactone) (PCL) polymer membranes were obtained by the electrospinning process and were associated with two plant extracts: Pterodon pubescens Benth (P. pubescens) and Arrabidaea chica Verlot (A. chica) which are characterized by their pharmacological activities of anti-inflammatory and healing actions, respectively. Fiber morphology was analyzed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), where fiber average diameter was measured from SEM images. Contact angle measurements were performed in order to evaluate the hydrophilicity of electrospun membranes containing vegetal extract. High-performance liquid chromatography was used to evaluate the ability to release active ingredients. Cytotoxicity and cell proliferation assays were performed in vitro on NIH-3T3 cells for 1, 3 and 7 d. Electrospun PCL membranes associated with plant extracts P. pubescens and/or A. chica presented a controlled release profile of the active compounds induced fibroblast formation, suggesting that they are promising and suitable for applications in GTR.

Standardized Arrabidaea chica Extract Shows Cytoprotective Effects in Zoledronic Acid-Treated Fibroblasts and Osteoblasts.

INTRODUCTION: Osteonecrosis of the jaw is a condition associated with intraoral ulceration and bone necrosis induced by antiresorptive medications, such as zoledronic acid, a bisphosphonate. Previous data on Arrabidaea chica (H&B.) Verlot wound healing activity prompted the study reported herein on A. chica standardized hydro alcoholic extract in vitro cytoprotective activity data on epithelial and osteoblastic cells exposed to zoledronic acid (ZA). METHODS: Primary human gingival fibroblasts and murine pre-osteoblasts were treated with ZA 10 µM together with 5 or 10 µg.mL-1 A. chica extract for 24h and 48 h. At both times, cells were submitted to viability assay and caspase 3/7 activation evaluation. Statistical analysis used one-way ANOVA and p=0.05. RESULTS: In cell viability assay, a drastic damage effect of ZA appeared after 48 h in both epithelial (55.8%) and pre-osteoblastic cells (39.7%). When treated with ZA in combination with A. chica extract, cells showed higher viability values: 74.1%-82.3% for fibroblasts and 66% for pre-osteoblasts. Furthermore, the combined treatment presented lower caspase 3/7 activation in fibroblasts and pre-osteoblasts. CONCLUSION: At low concentrations, A. chica extract showed promising cytoprotective effects against ZA-induced damage actions; however, further in vitro and in vivo studies are required to establish the mechanism of action.

Polyphenol-enriched extract of Arrabidaea chica used as a dentin pretreatment or incorporated into a total-etching adhesive system: Effects on bonding stability and physical characterization.

The aim of this paper was to evaluate the physical properties and the long-term bond strength of a 2.5% polyphenol-enriched extract of Arrabidaea chica (AC) incorporated into both the phosphoric acid and the primer of a three-step total-etch adhesive, or into an aqueous solution as a dentin pretreatment. Fifty dentin surfaces received the treatments (n = 10): CON (control) - application of the three-step adhesive system (Adper Scotchbond Multipurpose, 3M ESPE); WAT - distilled water used as a pretreatment after dentin etching and before application of the adhesive system; ACPA - AC incorporated into the phosphoric acid; ACW - dentin pre-treatment with AC incorporated into an aqueous solution after etching; ACP - AC incorporated into the primer. Microtensile bond strength tests were performed after 24 h, 6 and 12 months of storage. Slices from the resin-dentin interface were obtained for scanning electron microscopy analysis of the hybrid layer. Degree of conversion of AC incorporated into the primer was evaluated. The particle size, polydispersity index and zeta potential of all the solutions prepared by incorporating AC (phosphoric acid, primer and distilled water) were measured by dynamic light scattering, which brought about changes after incorporation. Degree of conversion of the primer was not affected after incorporating AC. ACP showed lower microtensile bond strength values than the other groups. Bond strength decreased after 6 months of storage, stabilizing at the 12-month evaluation. Therefore, use of AC incorporated into the primer led to lower bond strength values, since AC modified the physical properties (particle size, polydispersity index and zeta potential) of the primer, but did not change the degree of conversion. Application of AC as a dentin pretreatment did not affect bond strength or the micromorphological characteristics of the hybrid layer.

Coated electrospun bioactive wound dressings: Mechanical properties and ability to control lesion microenvironment.

Advanced wound dressings capable of interacting with lesions and changing the wound microenvironment to improve healing are promising to increase the therapeutic efficacy of this class of biomaterials. Aiming at the production of bioactive wound dressings with the ability to control the wound microenvironment, biomaterials of three different chemical compositions, but with the same architecture, were produced and compared. Electrospinning was employed to build up a biomimetic extracellular matrix (ECM) layer consisting of poly(caprolactone) (PCL), 50/50 dl-lactide/glycolide copolymer (PDLG) and poly(l-lactide) (PLLA). As a post-treatment to broaden the bioactivity of the dressings, an alginate coating was applied to sheathe and functionalize the surface of the hydrophobic electrospun wound dressings, in combination with the extract of the plant Arrabidaea chica Verlot, known for its anti-inflammatory and healing promotion properties. Wettable bioactive structures capable to interact with media simulating lesion microenvironments, with tensile strength and elongation at break ranging respectively from 155 to 273 MPa and from 0.94 to 1.39% were obtained. In simulated exudative microenvironment, water vapor transmission rate (WVTR) values around 700 g/m2/day were observed, while water vapor permeability rates (WVPR) reached about 300 g/m2/day. In simulated dehydrated microenvironment, values of WVTR around 200 g/m2/day and WVPR around 175 g/m2/day were attained.

Arrabidaea chica for oral mucositis in patients with head and neck cancer: a protocol of a randomised clinical trial.

INTRODUCTION: Oral mucositis is an iatrogenic condition of erythematous inflammatory changes which tends to occur on buccal and labial surfaces, the ventral surface of the tongue, the floor of the mouth and the soft palate of patients receiving chemotherapy. This protocol of ongoing randomised parallel group clinical trial aims to access the therapeutic effect of an herbal gel containing 2.5% Arrabidaea chica Verlot standardised extract on oral mucositis in patients with head and neck cancer compared with low-level laser therapy. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: Patients with head and neck cancer held at Clinics Hospital of University of Campinas, Sao Paulo, who develop early signs/symptoms of oral mucositis are eligible. Baseline characteristics of participants include oral mucositis grade and quality of life assessments. Enrolment started in November 2017 with allocation of patients to one of the study groups by means of randomisation. Patients will be treated either with Arrabidaea chica or laser until wound healing. Monitoring includes daily assessment of mucositis grade and diameter measurement by photographs and millimetre periodontal probe. Treatments will be concluded once mucositis is healed. A blinded assessor will evaluate mucositis cure after referred by the study team. At this point, the gel tube will be weighed to indirectly assess patient's compliance. At close-out, data will be analysed by a blinded researcher following the procedures described in the statistical analyses. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: This clinical trial was approved by the ethics committee of research in humans at the Faculty of Medical Sciences of University of Campinas (report no. 1,613,563/2016). Results from this trial will be communicated in peer-reviewed publications and scientific presentations. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: RBR-5×4397.

Effect of crude extract and essential oil of Cordia verbenacea in experimental periodontitis in rats

Aim: To evaluate the effect of crude extract and essential oil of Cordia verbenacea (C.V.),systemically administered, on ligature-induced periodontitis in rats. Methods: Periodontitis wasinduced in 54 Wistar rats: one of the first mandibular molars was randomly assigned to receive aligature, whereas the contralateral molar was left unligated. Then, animals were randomly assignedto one of the following groups: non-treatment group (n=18): animals that received 10 mL/day ofvehicle; C.V. extract group (n=18): animals that received 100 mg/kg/day of crude extract of C.verbenacea; and C.V. essential oil group (n=18): animals that received 100 mg/kg/day of essentialoils free of C. verbenacea. All therapies were administered orally 3 times daily, for 11 days. Next,the animals were sacrificed, and the specimens were processed for morphometric analysis. Boneloss was determined on the buccal surface of the lower first molars by the distance of thecementoenamel junction from the alveolar bone. Results: Both extract and essential oil of C.verbenacea orally administered decreased alveolar bone loss in the ligated teeth when comparedwith the non-treated group (p<0.05). Conclusions: The present study demonstrated that systemicadministration of both formulations of Cordia verbenacea may attenuate the progression of ligatureinducedperiodontitis.

Candida albicans proteinases

Candida species are ubiquitous commensal yeast that usually reside as part of an individual´s normal mucosal microflora and can be detected in approximately 50% of the population in this form. However, if the balance of the normal flora is disrupted or the immune defences are compromised, Candida species can invade mucosal surfaces and cause disease manifestations. Determining exactly how this transformation from commensal to pathogen takes place and how it can be prevented is a continuing challenger for the medical mycology field. Attributes that contribute to Candida albicans virulence include adhesion, hyphal formation, phenotypic switching and extra cellular hydrolytic enzyme production. The extra cellular hydrolytic enzyme, especially the secreted aspartyl proteinases (Saps), are one a few gene products that have been shown to directly contribute to C. albicans pathogenicity. Given the limited number of suitable and effective antifungal drugs, the continuing increase in the incidence of Candida infections, together with increasing drug resistance, highlights the need to discover new and better agents that target fundamental biological processes and or pathogenic determinants of C. albicans.