Biotechnological applications of the medicinal plant Pseudobrickellia brasiliensis and its isolated endophytic bacteria.

AIM: This study aimed to isolate Pseudobrickellia brasiliensis endophytic bacteria and evaluate the production of hydrolytic enzymes and antibiotics by these bacterial strains. The study also measured the antibacterial activity of P. brasiliensis. METHODS AND RESULTS: Thirteen endophytic bacteria strains were isolated from stem and leaf fragments of P. brasiliensis. Extracellular enzyme production by the isolated endophytic bacteria was evaluated in an agar plate-based assay. The highest protease production was achieved by Bacillus subtilis P4 in alkaline medium. Antimicrobial activity of endophytic bacteria and P. brasiliensis extracts was investigated using microbroth dilution. An MIC value of 1000 µg ml-1 against Pseudomonas aeruginosa was found for B. subtilis P3, B. subtilis P5, Pseudomonas sp. P8 and Pseudomonas sp. P12. Leaf extract of P. brasiliensis showed the highest antibacterial activity against P. aeruginosa, with an MIC value of 0·781 mg ml-1 . CONCLUSIONS: Pseudobrickellia brasiliensis is a source of bacterial endophytes, which can produce antibacterial compounds and enzymes. This work also demonstrated the antibacterial potential of P. brasiliensis. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: This is the first study that revealed the antibacterial activity of P. brasiliensis and bioactive metabolite production by P. brasiliensis endophytic bacteria.

[The influence of corticoids, in Chronic Chagas disease, administered in virtue of associated disorders]. / Influência de corticóide, na doença de Chagas crônica, administrado em virtude de afecções associdas.

Patients with chronic Chagas' disease and simultaneous medical problems treated with corticosteroid were studied in order to evaluate steroid influence on chronic Trypanosoma cruzi infection. Parasitological assessment, radiological and electrocardiographic studies as well as non specific tests were performed in patients and in a control group that included chronic infected patients not treated with steroid. Xenodiagnosis showed a clear increase in T. cruzi parasitemia, related to the corticosteroid dosage, without clinical manifestations during the study follow-up period.

Sun tanning-related burns--a 3-year experience.

A retrospective study has analyzed 562 sun-related burns out of 19,643 patients treated at our institution from 1 March 1988 to 28 February 1991. These patients were analysed according to sex, age, burn area, mode and length of treatment and outcome. Females, mainly adults, represented 60.8 per cent of all patients presenting burned due to sun bathing. There is a marked seasonal incidence, proportionally constant throughout these 3 years. The main causes of injury were sun only (36.7 per cent), sun plus fig leaf 'tea' tanning lotion (17.7 per cent) and lemon juice (17.7 per cent). Healing to normal skin appearance was achieved in 99.1 per cent, 0.7 per cent healed with scarring and one patient died due to massive sepsis. The effect of sunlight on skin and the process of 'sunburn' when using homemade plant-derived tanning lotions containing substances which can induce a photodermatitis reaction is also discussed.

Paracetamol hepatic necrosis and its prevention by cholestyramine.

The aim of this study was to test the effect of cholestyramine on the hepatotoxic reactions due to paracetamol overdose. Wistar rats receiving a 5% aqueous solution of paracetamol at a dose of 750 mg/kg intraperitoneally showed a extensive necrosis within 24 hrs, whereas the addition of 4% cholestyramine to the diet inhibited the hepatic aggression. The protective mechanisms of cholestyramine against paracetamol overdose were admitted to be identical to those observed in the inhibition of liver cirrhosis induced by CCl4. The authors' hypothesis is that the paracetamol aggression and cholestyramine protection are both bile salts related.

Paracetamol hepatic necrosis and its prevention by cholestyramine.

Foi testado o efeito da colestiramina sobre a necrose hepatica aguda provocada por uma super-dose de paracetamol. Injetou-se, em um grupo de ratos wistar, por via intraperitoneal, uma solucao aquosa de 5% de paracetamol, na dose de 750 mg/Kg, demonstrando-se extensa necrose hepatica 24 horas depois. Outro grupo de animais recebeu colestiramina na racao, a 4%, durante uma semana; no fim deste periodo, injetou-se paracetamol de maneira identica ao grupo anterior com sacrificio 24 horas depois. O quadro histologico apresentou-se completamente normal, demonstrando o efeito protetor da colestiramina nesta situacao. Sugere-se que a acao protetora desta resina pode estar relacionada com os sais biliares

[Surgical treatment of carcinoma of the esophagus: automatic suture versus manual suture]. / Tratamento cirúrgico do carcinoma do esôfago: sutura automática versus sutura manual.

The authors have reviewed the anastomosis and sutures utilized for the surgical treatment of 38 patients with carcinoma of the esophagus and cardia. They have compared results following the stapled anastomosis and sutures with those following hand sutured procedures (30 anastomosis and 13 sutures) performed by the same group of surgeons. The stapled anastomosis were performed utilizing a new circular stapling device and gastric and jejunal stapled sutures, utilizing Nakayama's clamp. When anastomosis and sutures were performed by hand suturing, standard techniques were utilized. Patients were grouped in three categories: Group I if the gastric or jejunal sutures or the esophagogastric or esophagojejunal anastomosis were hand sutured; Group II wherein both stapled and hand sutures were performed; Group III when the esophageal anastomosis and related sutures were all performed by stapling devices. Different factors with possible adverse effect on suture healing were also studied. The incidence of suture related complications ranged between 4,2 and 29,1% for Group I; 1,8 and 19,2% for Group II; 0 and 16,2% for Group III. The 60-day operative mortality rate was 23% for Group I (8,4-50,9%), 17,64% for Group II (6,4-25,9%) and 0% (0-28,3%) for Group III. It is felt that better results were obtained with stapled sutures.