Antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory activities of lectin from marine red alga Pterocladiella capillacea.

Researchers see algae as a promising tool to discover both efficient and safe agents for pain therapy. We evaluated the antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory activities of lectin from the marine alga Pterocladiella capillacea lectin (PcL). PcL was purified and tested in classical models of nociception and inflammation. Male Swiss mice received PcL 30 min prior to receiving 0.8% acetic acid (10 microl/10 g, i.p.), 1% formalin (20 microl/intraplantar) or the hot plate test, and were compared to untreated animals or animals pretreated with indomethacin or morphine. PcL (0.9, 8.1 or 72.9 mg/kg, i.v.) significantly reduced the number of writhes (30%, 39%, and 52%, respectively). PcL (72.9 mg/kg, i.v.) also reduced (p<0.05) both the first and second phases of the formalin test by 58% and 87%, respectively. However, PcL (72.9 mg/kg) did not present significant antinociceptive effects in the hot plate test when compared to morphine, suggesting that its antinociceptive action occurs via peripheral rather than a central-acting mechanism. It was also observed that leukocyte migration was induced by carrageenan (500 microg/cavity) in male Wistar rats and that PcL (8.1 mg/kg, i.v.) significantly reduced neutrophil migration by 84%, as compared to untreated animals, suggesting inhibition of inflammatory mediators. The data indicated that PcL has peripheral actions with both anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive properties.

Perfil periodontal de individuos adultos traqueostomizados com pneumonia nosocomial / Periodontal conditions in intensive care patients with nosocomial pneumonia

O objetivo deste estudo foi determinar o perfil periodontal de pacientes adultos traqueostomizados com pneumonia nosocomial, internados na UTI do Instituto Dr. José Frota, Fortaleza(CE). O diagnóstico clínico e radiográfico de pneumonia nosocomial e um exame periodontal foram realizados e, para a análise estatística dos dados, utilizaram-se os testes t de Student,Mann-Whitney e Exato de Fisher. O Índice de Sangramento Gengival (ISG) foi maior nos pacientes com pneumonia nosocomial (41,03%) em relação aos pacientes sem esta patologia(25,19%). Porém, não houve diferença estatisticamente significante (p>0,05). Dos 33 pacientes examinados, 25 apresentaram periodontite, dos quais 22 (88%) tinham pneumonia nosocomial, não havendo associação estatisticamente significante entre as duas patologias (p>0,05). Portanto, apesar de uma higiene bucal mais deficiente e uma maior prevalência de periodontite em pacientes com pneumonia nosocomial, estas associações não foram positivas.