Maytenus elicifolia ("Espinheira santa"), peptic ulcer and Helicobacter pylory

The plant Maytenus ilicifolia (populary called "Espinheira Santa") is used in Brazilian folk medicine to combat gastroduodenal affections. Experimental evidence has sugested that the plant has anti-ulcer activity although its mechanism of action is still unknown. To determine a possible effect of the plant on Helicobacter pulori (HP0, the major agent involved in gastroduodenal ulcer, 10 patients with duodenal ulcer and infected with HP were studied. The diagnosis of the presence of HP and the quatitative evaluation of a possible anti-urease activity or the supressor and/or eradicating action of a dry extract of the plant on HP were performed by the (14)C-urea breath test (UBT). All patients were submitted to four UBT: the first upon admission to the study the second 20 min after the ingestion of a capsule containing 300 mg of a dry extract at 8-h intervals for one week, and the fourth one month after discontinuation of the preparation. One patient presented suppression of urease activity at the third UBT, but the activity had returned to basal values on the occasion of the fourth examination. We conclude that at the doses and formulation employed, Maytemus ilicifolia has no significant action against HP.

Determinaçäo da consistência padräo e do tempo de presa de pastas usadas na obturaçäo dos canais radiculares / Pattern consistency and setting time determination root canal sealers

Os autores realizaram a determinaçäo da consistência padräo e dos tempos de presa inicial e final de oito pastas usadas na obturaçäo dos canais radiculares. As pastas utilizadas no presente estudo foram ZOE (SSW), Fillcanal, Diaket, Kerr sealer, Endomethazone, AH-26, Tubliseal e N2. Os resultados encontram-se tabulados no texto, fornecendo dados de utilidade para a prática endodôntica

Gel lubrificante para sondas uretrais / Lubrificant gel for catheters

Os autores propuseram nova formulaçäo da Mistura de Cásper, utilizada para facilitar a introduçäo de sondas uretrais. Houve substituiçäo da goma traganto pela carboximetilcelulose sódica de alta viscosidade, na concentraçäo de 3 por cento, e do oxicianeto de mercúrio pelo cloreto de benzalcônio a 1:10.000. O preparado mostrou-se bastante estável e näo foram observados sinais de intolerância local, tendo sido incorporado ao Formulário do Hospital das Clínicas da Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais.