Lactobacillus fermentum UCO-979C strongly inhibited Helicobacter pylori SS1 in Meriones unguiculatus.

Searching for bacterial probiotics active upon Helicobacter pylori continue to be an important clinical challenge because of the increased prevalence of this highly priority pathogen in humans. In this work, we assess the in vivo anti-H. pylori SS1 (cagA+/vacAs2m2+) properties of a previously isolated human gastric probiotic strain Lactobacillus fermentum UCO-979C by using a Meriones unguiculatus (Mongolian gerbil) model. Animals were administered with a saline suspension of L. fermentum UCO-979C or H. pylori SS1 as negative and positive control for H. pylori colonisation controls, prior to assayed the challenge group that was administered with these two species per animal for detecting protective activity of the probiotic strain against colonisation. The results showed that L. fermentum UCO-979C strongly inhibited the colonisation of H. pylori decreasing up to 87% of the colonisation in the antrum by the pathogen, suggesting that this probiotic strain has a strong probiotic activity against H. pylori in the most valuable animal model for in vivo assays nowadays.

Estudio del Efecto de un Enjuagatorio de Rosmarinus officinalis (Romero) en la Cicatrización de Heridas de Mucosa / Oral Study of the Effect of Rosmarinus officinalis (Rosemary) Mouthrinse on Healing Wounds of the Oral Mucosa

RESUMEN: El objetivo de este estudio fue evaluar el efecto de un enjuague oral de extracto acuoso de Rosmarinus Officinalis (romero) sobre la cicatrización de heridas de mucosa oral en sujetos sanos. Veintiocho estudiantes, de sexo masculino, edad promedio de 22 años, fueron reclutados para un estudio de doble ciego en la Facultad de Odontología de la Universidad de Concepción, Chile. Se creó una herida estándar de 3 mm de diámetro en la mucosa palatina, que fue fotografiada durante un período de 21 días para determinar su tamaño por fotoplanimetría. Los voluntarios recibieron enjuagues orales para ser utilizados a diario desde el día de creación de la herida, 3 veces al día, y fueron divididos en grupo control (enjuague placebo) y grupo experimental (enjuague de extracto de romero). El extracto acuoso de Romero fue analizado por HPLC, mostrando un alto contenido de carnosol (83 %) y ácido rosmarínico (65 %). Se observó una disminución significativa en el tamaño de la herida del grupo tratado con enjuague de romero comparado con el tratado con enjuague placebo al día 3 de cicatrización (20 %, p=0,046, Mann-Whitney). Posteriormente no se encontraron diferencias, completándose la cicatrización antes del día 21 para ambos grupos. Los resultados sugieren que el enjuagatorio de extracto acuoso de romero favorece la cicatrización temprana de las heridas, lo que puede deberse a su alto contenido de carnosol y ácido rosmarínico que han demostrado estimular la cicatrización y poseer actividad antimicrobiana.

ABSTRACT: The objective of the study was to evaluate the effect of a mouthrinse containing an aqueous extract of Rosmarinus officinalis (rosemary) on healing wounds of the oral mucosa in healthy subjects. Twenty Eight healthy, non-smoking male students, mean age 22 years, were recruited for a double-blind study at the School of Dentistry of the University of Concepción, Chile. A standard 3mm wound was created on the palate with a punch biopsy. The wounds were photographed to assess healing for 21 days. The subjects were instructed to use a mouthrinse 3 times daily for 21 days, starting the day of wounding, and were divided into a control group (placebo) and an experimental group (rosemary extract). The aqueous rosemary extract used for the mouthrinse had a high content of carnosol (83 %) and rosmarinic acid (65 %) as determined by HPLC. We observed a 20 % reduction in wound size by day 3 in the rosemary mouthrinse group as compared to the placebo mouthrinse group (p=0.04, Mann Whitney). Thereafter, no significant differences in wound closure were observed. Healing was completed by day 21 in both groups. The results suggest that the mouthrinse containing the aqueous rosemary extract stimulates early healing of mucosal wounds. This could be due to the high content of carnosol and rosmarinic acid, which are known for their healing and antimicrobial properties.

Lemon grass (Cymbopogon citratus (D.C) Stapf) polyphenols protect human umbilical vein endothelial cell (HUVECs) from oxidative damage induced by high glucose, hydrogen peroxide and oxidised low-density lipoprotein.

The aromatic herb Cymbopogon citratus Stapf is widely used in tropical and subtropical countries in cooking, as a herbal tea, and in traditional medicine for hypertension and diabetes. Some of its properties have been associated with the in vitro antioxidant effect of polyphenols isolated from their aerial parts. However, little is known about C. citratus effects on endothelial cells oxidative injury. Using chromatographic procedures, a polyphenol-rich fraction was obtained from C. citratus (CCF) and their antioxidant properties were assessed by cooper-induced LDL oxidation assay. The main constituents of the active CCF, identified by high-performance liquid chromatography with diode-array detection and mass spectrometry (HPLC-DAD-MS), were chlorogenic acid, isoorientin and swertiajaponin. CCF 10 and 100 µg/ml diminishes reactive oxidative species (ROS) production in human umbilical vein endothelial cell (HUVECs), challenged with high D-glucose (60% inhibition), hydrogen peroxide (80% inhibition) or oxidised low-density lipoprotein (55% inhibition). CCF 10 or 100 µg/ml did not change nitric oxide (NO) production. However, CCF was able to inhibit vasoconstriction induced by the thromboxane A2 receptor agonist U46619, which suggest a NO-independent vasodilatador effect on blood vessels. Our results suggest that lemon grass antioxidant properties might prevent endothelial dysfunction associated to an oxidative imbalance promoted by different oxidative stimuli.

Assessment of clinical scoring systems for the diagnosis of Williams-Beuren syndrome.

Williams-Beuren syndrome (WBS) is a genetic disorder characterized by physical and intellectual developmental delay, associated with congenital heart disease and facial dysmorphism. WBS is caused by a microdeletion on chromosome 7 (7q11.23), which encompasses the elastin (ELN) gene and about 27 other genes. The gold standard for WBS laboratory diagnosis is FISH (fluorescence in situ hybridization), which is very costly. As a possible alternative, we investigated the accuracy of three clinical diagnostic scoring systems in 250 patients with WBS diagnosed by FISH. We concluded that all three systems could be used for the clinical diagnosis of WBS, but they all gave a low percentage of false-positive (6.0-9.2%) and false-negative (0.8-4.0%) results. Therefore, their use should be associated with FISH testing.

A 1.3-mb 7q11.23 atypical deletion identified in a cohort of patients with williams-beuren syndrome.

Williams-Beuren syndrome is a rare multisystem neurodevelopmental disorder caused by a 1.55-1.84-Mb hemizygous deletion on chromosome 7q11.23. The classical phenotype consists of characteristic facial features, supravalvular aortic stenosis, intellectual disability, overfriendliness, and visuospatial impairment. So far, 26-28 genes have been shown to contribute to the multisystem phenotype associated with Williams-Beuren syndrome. Among them, haploinsufficiency of the ELN gene has been shown to cause the cardiovascular anomalies. Identification of patients with atypical deletions has provided valuable information for genotype-phenotype correlation, in which other genes such as LIMK1,CLIP2, GTF2IRD1, or GTF2I have been correlated with specific cognitive profiles or craniofacial features. Here, we report the clinical and molecular characteristics of a patient with an atypical deletion that does not include the GTF2I gene and only partially includes the GTF2IRD1 gene.