ABSTRACT
ntrodução: As enteroparasitoses são causadas por protozoários e helmintos e representam um importante proble-ma de saúde pública. As crianças em idade pré-escolar e escolar apresentam maior vulnerabilidade à contaminação por enteroparasitas pelo fato de estarem mais expostas a fatores de risco, tais como hábitos precários de higiene e aglomeração em locais fechados, e por não apresentarem o sistema imunológico totalmente desenvolvido. Os para-sitas mais comumente encontrados nessa faixa etária compreendem Giardia lamblia, Ascaris lumbricoides, Trichuris trichiura e ancilostomídeos. Objetivos: Avaliar a prevalência de enteroparasitos em crianças pré-escolares e escola-res e em caixas de areia de instituições públicas de ensino no município de Sinop-MT. Métodos: O estudo realizado foi transversal, quantitativo com delineamento experimental. Foi realizado no período de julho de 2015 a setembro de 2016. Foram avaliadas crianças pré-escolares e escolares de 3 a 12 anos escolhidas por amostragem de conveniência de quatro instituições da rede municipal de ensino localizadas na região central de Sinop MT e sete afastadas do centro da cidade e que atendem novos bairros e a zona rural. As amostras de fezes foram coletadas pelos responsá-veis das crianças que encaminharam para as instituições de ensino e, posteriormente, foram transportadas ao labo-ratório para realização do exame parasitológico. As amostras de areia foram coletadas a partir de caixas das áreas de recreações de todas as instituições de ensino, sendo coletada 100 gramas de areia da raspagem superficial e pro-funda dos quatro quadrantes e do centro, totalizando 10 amostras/caixa. Os métodos parasitológicos utilizados para análises das amostras de fezes e areia foram Hoffmann, migração ativa, centrífugo-flutuação espontânea por Faust e flutuação espontânea por Willis. Resultados: Foram avaliadas 646 amostras de fezes de crianças pré-escolares e escolares de 3 a 12 anos, apresentando 21,05% de positividade para parasitos intestinais. Giardia lamblia apresentou maior prevalência, seguida de Entamoeba coli, Endolimax nana,Ascaris lumbricoides, Enterobius vermicularis, Hy-menolepis nana, ancilostomídeo e Entamoeba hartmanni. As 80 amostras de areia das caixas das áreas de recreação infantil avaliadas, apresentaram 100% de positividade para G. lamblia, seguida de 66,66% para Toxocara sp. nas areias das áreas centrais e 100% nas periféricas, 66,66% para Toxoplasma gondii nas centrais e 80% nas periféricas, 33,33% para A. lumbricoides nas centrais e 60% nas periféricas e 33,33% de Strongyloides stercoralis somente nas areias das áreas centrais. Conclusão: A faixa etária mais acometida foi verificada entre as crianças de 6 a 12 anos e pode estar relacionada aos precários hábitos de higiene e assim, maior risco de contaminação. Pode-se concluir que os resultados estão de acordo com a maioria dos estudos epidemiológicos realizados no Brasil, demonstrando elevada prevalência de enteroparasitoses em crianças em idade escolar (AU)
Introduction: Protozoa and helminths cause enteroparasitoses, which constitute an important public health issue. Preschoolers and school children, who do not have a fully developed immune system, are more vulnerable to con-tamination by intestinal parasites because they are more exposed to risk factors, such as poor hygiene habits and crowding in closed places. The most common parasites affecting this age group include Giardia lamblia, Ascaris lumbricoides, Trichuris trichiura, and hookworms. Objectives: To evaluate the prevalence of intestinal parasites in preschoolers, school children, and sandboxes of government schools in the city of Sinop state of Mato Gros-so (MT). Methods: This cross-sectional, quantitative study with an experimental design was carried out from July 2015 to September 2016 and included preschoolers and school children aged 3 to 12 years, chosen by convenience sampling from government schools in the school district of the city of Sinop MT; four schools were in the central region of Sinop, whereas seven schools, attended by children living in the suburban and rural areas, were far from the city center. Fecal samples were collected by the children's family and sent to the schools, from where they were transported to the laboratory for parasitological examination. Sand samples were collected from sandboxes in the play areas of the schools. More specifically,100 g of sand was collected by scraping one of the four quadrants or the center of the sandbox surface or deeper into the sandbox, totaling 10 samples/box. The parasitological methods spontaneous sedimentation described by Hoffmann, active migration described by Rugai, centrifugal-spontaneous flotation described by Faust, and spontaneous flotation described by Willis were used to analyze the fecal and sand samples. Results: A total of 646 fecal samples obtained from preschoolers and school children aged 3 to 12 years were evaluated; 21.05% of the samples tested positive for intestinal parasites. As for the sand samples, 100% tested positive for intestinal parasites. In all the fecal and sand samples that tested positive for intestinal parasites, G. lamblia predominated, followed by Toxacara sp, Toxoplasma gondii, A. lumbricoides, Enterobius vermicularis, Hymenolepis nana, Strongyloides stercoralis, hookworm, Entamoeba coli, Endolimax nana, and Entamoeba hart-manni, commensal amoebae of the large intestine, were also identified. Conclusion: Children aged 6 to 12 years were the most affected by enteroparasitoses. This may be related to poor hygiene habits, which puts these children at greater risk of contamination. The results agree with most epidemiological studies conducted in Brazil and show a high prevalence of enteroparasitoses in children (AU)
Subject(s)
Humans , Male , Female , Child, Preschool , Child , Parasites/pathogenicity , Health Profile , Ancylostomatoidea , Child, Preschool , Prevalence , Risk Factors , Ascaris lumbricoides , ColiformsABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: Dermatomycoses, fungal diseases that affect the superficial layers of skin, hair or nails, are a public health concern due to their high prevalence. In Brazil, dermatomycoses are not notifiable diseases, so only fragmented epidemiological studies have been reported in the national literature. To evaluate the epidemiological profile of dermatomycoses in preschoolers and school children in Sinop, Mato Grosso (MT), Brazil. METHODS: Classic methods were used to perform 782 mycological examinations to identify dermatophytosis, cutaneous candidosis and pityriasis versicolor in preschoolers and school children aged between 6 months and 12 years in 11 educational institutions in Sinop, MT. RESULTS: Among the evaluated clinical specimens, 5.2% tested positive for dermatophytosis, with 58.45% of these cases corresponding to tinea capitis, followed by skin (tinea corporis and tinea pedis) and toenail (tinea unguium) lesions; zoophilic fungi predominated. Microsporum canis and Trichophyton mentagrophytes complex were isolated in 53.66% and 24.39% of the cases, respectively. Regarding cutaneous candidosis, 9.1% of the specimens tested positive for this disease, with 59.16% and 12.7% of the cases corresponding to toenails and interdigitoplantar lesions, respectively. Candida albicans caused 70.43% of the lesions. The remaining specimens (85.7%) tested positive for pityriasis versicolor; children aged between 6 and 12 were the most affected (71.79%). CONCLUSION: Our results agree with most epidemiological studies carried out in Brazil and demonstrate the high frequency of mycoses in preschoolers and school children, a result of poor personal hygiene and favourable weather conditions in Northern Mato Grosso, Brazil.
Subject(s)
Candidiasis, Cutaneous , Dermatomycoses , Onychomycosis , Tinea Versicolor , Tinea , Brazil/epidemiology , Child , Dermatomycoses/epidemiology , Dermatomycoses/microbiology , Humans , Infant , Onychomycosis/microbiology , Tinea/microbiologyABSTRACT
Helicobacter pylori infection is marked by intense production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) through the activation of neutrophils that are constantly attracted to the infected gastric mucosa. Here, gallic acid and its alkyl esters were evaluated as compounds able to act as antimicrobial agents and inhibitors of ROS released by H. pylori-activated neutrophils simultaneously. We found that the higher hydrophobicity caused by esterification of gallic acid led to a significant increase in its ability as a cytotoxic agent against H. pylori, a scavenger of ROS and an inhibitor of NADPH oxidase in neutrophils. Octyl gallate, a widely used food additive, showed the highest antimicrobial activity against H. pylori, with a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) value of 125 µg mL-1, whereas gallic acid had a MIC value higher than 1000 µg mL-1. The production of superoxide anion radicals was almost 100% abolished by the addition of 10 µM (2.82 µg mL-1) octyl gallate, whereas gallic acid inhibited around 20%. A similar tendency was also found when measuring the production of hypochlorous acid. The protective effect of the esters was cytochemically confirmed. In conclusion, this study showed that hydrophobicity is a crucial factor to obtain a significant anti-ROS and anti-H. pylori activity. Finally, it highlights octyl gallate, a food additive widely used in the food industry, as a promising molecule in the treatment of H. pylori infection.
Subject(s)
Food Additives/pharmacology , Gallic Acid/analogs & derivatives , Helicobacter Infections/microbiology , Helicobacter pylori/drug effects , Enzyme Inhibitors/pharmacology , Gallic Acid/pharmacology , Gastric Mucosa/metabolism , Gastric Mucosa/microbiology , Helicobacter Infections/drug therapy , Helicobacter Infections/enzymology , Helicobacter Infections/metabolism , Helicobacter pylori/growth & development , Humans , NADPH Oxidases/antagonists & inhibitors , NADPH Oxidases/metabolism , Neutrophils/drug effects , Neutrophils/enzymology , Neutrophils/metabolism , Reactive Oxygen Species/metabolismABSTRACT
Helicobacter pylori pathogenic action involves the colonization of the gastrointestinal tract and a large production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) by the neutrophils attracted to the site of infection. The aim of this study was to evaluate caffeic acid and its alkyl esters as inhibitors of the release of ROS by Helicobacter pylori activated neutrophils and their bactericidal effect. The increased hydrophobicity caused by esterification had direct consequence in their efficiency as bactericidal agents against H. pylori and inhibitors of the production of ROS by neutrophils. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) decreased from higher than 1000 µg/mL (caffeic acid) to 250 µg/mL to butyl and heptyl caffeate. The release of total ROS, superoxide anion and hypochlorous acid by activated neutrophils was also significantly decreased and the esters were more efficient than the acid precursor. In conclusion, the alkyl esters of caffeic acid have two properties that are complementary for the treatment of H. pylori infections: bactericidal activity and inhibitory effect upon generation of ROS by neutrophils. Hence, we propose that these easily synthesized and non-expensive substances should be applied to in vivo experimental models of H. pylori induced gastric infections.
Subject(s)
Anti-Bacterial Agents/pharmacology , Caffeic Acids/pharmacology , Helicobacter pylori/drug effects , Neutrophils/metabolism , Reactive Oxygen Species/antagonists & inhibitors , Alkylation , Anti-Bacterial Agents/chemical synthesis , Anti-Bacterial Agents/chemistry , Humans , Microbial Sensitivity Tests , Reactive Oxygen Species/metabolismABSTRACT
Ten Brazilian medicinal plants used to treat gastritis and ulcers were carefully selected on the basis of ethnopharmacological importance and antiulcerogenic activity previously described. The antioxidant activity of the methanolic extracts was determined in analysis conditions that simulate a real biological activity on inhibition of the oxidative burst induced in neutrophils using Helicobacter pylori as activator, by a luminol-amplified chemiluminescence assay. The extracts, at low concentration (5 µ g/mL), exhibited a large variation in inhibitory effects of H. pylori-induced oxidative burst ranging from 48% inhibition to inactive, but all extracts, excluding Byrsonima intermedia, had inhibitory activity over 80% at the concentration of 100 µ g/mL. The total suppressive antioxidant capacity measured as the effective concentration, which represents the extract concentration producing 50% inhibition of the chemiluminescence induced by H. pylori, varies from 27.2 to 56.8 µ g/mL and was in the following order: Qualea parviflora > Qualea multiflora > Alchornea triplinervia > Qualea grandiflora > Anacardium humile > Davilla elliptica > Mouriri pusa > Byrsonima basiloba > Alchornea glandulosa > Byrsonima intermedia. The main groups of compounds in tested extracts are presented. Differences in the phytochemical profile, quantitatively and qualitatively, of these plants can explain and justify their protective effect on the gastric mucosa caused by the neutrophil-generated ROS that occurs when H. pylori displays its evasion mechanisms.
ABSTRACT
Byrsonima crassa Niedenzu (Malpighiaceae) is used in Brazilian folk medicine for the treatment of diseases related mainly to gastric ulcers. In a previous study, our group described the gastric protective effect of the methanolic extract from the leaves of B. crassa. The present study was carried out to investigate the effects of methanolic extract and its phenolic compounds on the respiratory burst of neutrophils stimulated by H. pylori using a luminol-based chemiluminescence assay as well as their anti-H. pylori activity. The suppressive activity on oxidative burst of H. pylori-stimulated neutrophils was in the order of methyl gallate > (+)-catechin > methanol extract > quercetin 3-O-α-l-arabinopyranoside > quercetin 3-O-ß-d-galactopyranoside > amentoflavone. Methyl gallate, compound that induced the highest suppressive activity with IC(50) value of 3.4 µg/mL, did not show anti-H. pylori activity. B. crassa could be considered as a potential source of natural antioxidant in gastric ulcers by attenuating the effects on the damage to gastric mucosa caused by neutrophil generated reactive oxygen species, even when H. pylori displays its evasion mechanisms.
Subject(s)
Antioxidants/pharmacology , Helicobacter pylori/pathogenicity , Malpighiaceae/chemistry , Phenols/pharmacology , Respiratory Burst/drug effects , Antioxidants/chemistry , Gallic Acid/analogs & derivatives , Gallic Acid/chemistry , Gallic Acid/isolation & purification , Gallic Acid/pharmacology , Gastric Mucosa/cytology , Gastric Mucosa/microbiology , Gastric Mucosa/pathology , Helicobacter pylori/drug effects , Malpighiaceae/metabolism , Methanol/chemistry , Neutrophils/immunology , Neutrophils/microbiology , Phenols/chemistry , Phenols/isolation & purification , Plant Extracts/chemistry , Plant Leaves/chemistry , Plant Leaves/metabolism , Reactive Oxygen Species/metabolismABSTRACT
Helicobacter pylori is a bacterium recognized as the major cause of chronic gastritis and peptic ulcers. Infection by H. pylori induces inflammatory responses and pathological changes in the gastric microenvironment. The host Keywords: immune cells (especially neutrophils) release inflammatory mediators and large 5-methoxy-3,4-dehydroxanthomegnin amounts of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which are associated with an increased Helicobacter pyloririsk of developing gastric cancer. In this study, we evaluated the anti-H. pylori and oxidative burst antioxidantactivitiesofa1,4-naphthoquinone-5-methoxy-3,4-dehydroxanthomegnin. Paepalanthus latipes The antimicrobial activity was assessed using a spectrophotometric microdilution technique, and antioxidant activity was assessed by noting the effect of 5-methoxy3,4-dehydroxanthomegnin on the neutrophil oxidative burst using luminol-and lucigenin-amplified chemiluminescence. The results showed that 5-methoxy-3,4dehydroxanthomegnin is a potent anti-H. pylori compound (MIC 64 µg/mL and MBC 128 µg/mL) and a strong antioxidant. 5-Methoxy-3,4-dehydroxanthomegnin decreased luminol- and lucigenin-amplified chemiluminescence, with ED50 values of 1.58±0.09 µg/mL and 5.4±0.15 µg/mL, respectively, reflecting an inhibitory effect on the oxidative burst. These results indicate that 5-methoxy-3,4-dehydroxanthomegnin is a promising compound for the prevention and treatment of diseases caused by H. pylori infection, such as gastritis, peptic ulceration, and gastric cancer, because reactive oxygen intermediates are involved in the pathogenesis of gastric mucosal injury induced by H. pylori infections.
ABSTRACT
Cytotoxicity assays are needed for the screening of natural products with potential anti-inflammatory. The purpose of this study was to compare the basal cytotoxicity of active ingredients extracted from plants of the Brazilian "cerrado". The viability was assayed with the neutral red uptake assay in Mac Coy cells after 24h of exposition. The dose evaluated was 50 microg/microL. The test substances were: cinnamic acid, p-coumaric acid, chlorogenic acid, syringic acid, vannilic acid, homogentisic acid, scandenin, palustric acid, diosgenin, cabraleone. Studies of cytotoxicity demonstrated that all active compounds evaluated have low toxicity in vitro. The substances showed cell viability above 60% for the concentration used. However, the cinnamic acid, sacandenin and palustric acid showed highest toxicity with a 50% reduction in cell viability for the dose of 50 microg/microL. Cytotoxic screening results are useful to estimate the best concentrations of those compounds with potential anti-inflammatory without their cause cell death.
Subject(s)
Cytotoxins/chemistry , Cytotoxins/pharmacology , Plant Extracts/chemistry , Plant Extracts/pharmacology , Plants/chemistry , Animals , Brazil , Cell Line , Cell Survival/drug effects , MiceABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Several in vitro studies have looked at the effect of medicinal plant extracts against Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori). Regardless of the popular use of Byrsonima crassa (B. crassa) as antiemetic, diuretic, febrifuge, to treat diarrhea, gastritis and ulcers, there is no data on its effects against H. pylori. In this study, we evaluated the anti-H. pylori of B. crassa leaves extracts and its effects on reactive oxygen/nitrogen intermediates induction by murine peritoneal macrophages. METHODS: The minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) was determined by broth microdilution method and the production of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and nitric oxide (NO) by the horseradish peroxidase-dependent oxidation of phenol red and Griess reaction, respectively. RESULTS: The methanolic (MeOH) and chloroformic (CHCl3) extracts inhibit, in vitro, the growth of H. pylori with MIC value of 1024 microg/ml. The MeOH extract induced the production H2O2 and NO, but CHCl3 extract only NO. CONCLUSION: Based in our results, B. crassa can be considered a source of compounds with anti-H. pylori activity, but its use should be done with caution in treatment of the gastritis and peptic ulcers, since the reactive oxygen/nitrogen intermediates are involved in the pathogenesis of gastric mucosal injury induced by ulcerogenic agents and H. pylori infections.
Subject(s)
Anti-Bacterial Agents/pharmacology , Helicobacter Infections/microbiology , Helicobacter pylori/drug effects , Malpighiaceae , Plant Extracts/pharmacology , Animals , Anti-Bacterial Agents/therapeutic use , Helicobacter Infections/drug therapy , Hydrogen Peroxide/metabolism , Macrophages/metabolism , Malpighiaceae/chemistry , Mice , Nitric Oxide/metabolism , Plant Extracts/therapeutic use , Plant LeavesABSTRACT
The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of chlorhexidine at subinhibitory concentration (50% minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC)) on the growth, cytolysin expression and phagocytosis of Streptococcus agalactiae ATCC 13813. Bacterial growth with and without chlorhexidine treatment was monitored by turbidity measurements, and exocytolysins were estimated by neutral red uptake assay by the McCoy cell line. The phagocytic process was evaluated using luminol-enhanced chemiluminescence to follow the respiratory burst of polymorphonuclear neutrophils exposed to bacteria. Chlorhexidine-treated culture did not exhibit a detectable decrease in cell growth, and no statistically significant reduction in the respiratory burst of polymorphonuclear neutrophils was observed. However, growth in the presence of chlorhexidine resulted in a significant reduction of S. agalactiae exocytolysins. Although 50% MIC of chlorhexidine did not interfere with S. agalactiae growth and phagocytosis, the knowledge that this concentration was still able to alter some bacterial virulence parameters may be useful in its therapeutic applications.
Subject(s)
Chlorhexidine/pharmacology , Cytotoxins/metabolism , Streptococcus agalactiae/drug effects , Streptococcus agalactiae/pathogenicity , Virulence Factors/metabolism , Animals , Humans , Luminescence , Microbial Sensitivity Tests , Neutrophils/immunology , Neutrophils/microbiology , Phagocytosis , Rats , Respiratory Burst , Streptococcus agalactiae/growth & development , VirulenceABSTRACT
O digluconato de clorexidina, agente antimicrobiano frequentemente utilizado na forma de soluçäo de bochecho a 0,12 por cento, tem demostrado ser efetivo na reduçäo da placa subgengival e gengivites. Estudos clínicos, contudo, relatam que soluçöes de clorexidina podem retardar o processo de cicatrizaçäo bem como causar lesöes descamativas. O presente trabalho avaliou in vitro o efeito citotóxico de soluçöes de bochecho, contendo, segundo os fabricantes, 0,12 por cento de digluconato de clorexidina, manipuladas e comercializadas na cidade de Araraquara, sobre células McCoy, dando ênfase ao agente responsável pela toxicidade. Os volumes citotóxicos (VC50) foram determinados pela técnica do MTT-tetrazólio.