Development of microparticles and microparticulated tablets containing piperine

Abstract Piper nigrum (black pepper) is used in Indian traditional medicine and its main alkaloid, Piperine (PIP), presents antioxidant, antitumor and neuroprotective pharmacological properties. This substance is insoluble in aqueous media and can irritate the gastrointestinal tract. Aiming to avoid these inconvenient characteristics and enable PIP oral administration, this study suggested the PIP microencapsulation through the emulsion-solvent evaporation method and the preparation of microparticulated tablets by direct compression. An UV-spectroscopy method was validated to quantify PIP. Microparticles and microparticulated tablets were successfully obtained and the microparticles exhibited excellent flow. The scanning electron microscopy images showed that PIP microparticles were intact after compression. The in vitro release showed a controlled release of PIP from microparticles and PIP microparticles from tablets in comparison to PIP and PIP tablets. The release profiles of PIP microparticles and the microparticulated tablets were similar. Therefore, tablets containing PIP microparticles are promising multiparticulated dosage forms because a tablet allows microparticles administration and the intact ones promote a controlled release, decreasing its irritating potential on the mucosa.

A brief illustration of the official national standards for the safe use of cupping therapy (Hijama) in Saudi Arabia.

Cupping therapy (Hijama in Arabic) is a popular traditional treatment especially in Asia, the Middle East and Central Europe. Traditionally, cupping therapy has been one of the most used practices in Saudi Arabia. Standardization of the practice of cupping therapy is a very important step to eliminate or reduce any adverse events related to cupping. This article gives a brief illustration and highlights the important points of the first accredited Saudi Arabian standards for the safe use of cupping equipment and its applications.

Estudo etnobotânico de plantas medicinais na Terra Indígena Kaxinawá de Nova Olinda, município de Feijó, Acre / Ethnobotanical study of medicinal plants in Nova Olinda Kaxinawá Indigenous Land, city of Feijó, Acre, Brazil / Estudio etnobotánico de plantas medicinales en la Tierra Indígena Kaxinawá de Nova Olinda, ciudad de Feijó, Acre, Brasil

As plantas medicinais constituem um domínio essencial na medicina e saúde indígena. As questões de saúde e doença na medicina indígena implicam conexões entre natureza, cultura, questões físicas e espirituais. Para os Kaxinawá, as doenças não possuem causas únicas, sendo produzidas por um conjunto de forças internas e externas, enquanto os desenvolvimentos físico, mental, emocional e espiritual estão relacionados entre si. Este trabalho busca compreender os elementos presentes na medicina Kaxinawá, apresentando características relacionadas à manipulação das plantas de uso medicinal em processos de saúde e doença. Assim, o objetivo geral desta pesquisa é realizar um levantamento etnobotânico das plantas medicinais utilizadas pelos Kaxinawá e, por meio de seu registro, contribuir para o fortalecimento da resiliência do sistema tradicional de saúde indígena envolvido. Esta pesquisa realiza-se com a participação das cinco comunidades da Terra Indígena Kaxinawá de Nova Olinda (TIKNO), no Alto Rio Envira, município de Feijó - AC, Brasil. A coleta dos dados foi realizada em quatro viagens de campo, por meio da observação participante e de 41 entrevistas semi-estruturadas para o levantamento das informações socioculturais dos/as participantes, e das plantas medicinais com a técnica da lista livre. A análise de dados foi quali-quantitativa. Foram utilizados parâmetros da etnobotânica quantitativa e a criação de categorias analíticas de agrupamento em função dos usos das plantas medicinais listadas. A alimentação está intimamente relacionada à saúde e foi percebida uma forte relação entre os usos das plantas e as figuras de animais que perfazem a caça consumida. As características dos alimentos e contextos individuais ou sociais podem determinar sintomas ou doenças e relacionam-se ao diagnóstico e à escolha do remédio utilizado. A partir de um primeiro olhar sobre os usos etnobotânicos das plantas medicinais na TIKNO, sua riqueza e abrangência, é possível perceber o reflexo da apropriação sociocultural da biodiversidade local e da cosmovisão Kaxinawá no entendimento de saúde e doença. As práticas para manutenção da saúde enfatizam a importância das plantas medicinais e do conhecimento tradicional dos Kaxinawá, o que também evidencia a relevância de seu registro.(AU)

Medicinal plants are a fundamental domain in Indigenous Medicine and health. Health and sickness matters in the Indigenous Medicine imply in connections among Nature, Culture, physical and spiritual subjects. For the Kaxinawá, diseases are not related to a single root, but are originated in a series of internal and external forces, as the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual developments are linked. The present study envoys to comprehend the elements present in the Kaxinawá Medicine, presenting characteristics related to the medicinal plants in health and sickness processes. Therefore, the objective of this study is to attain a ethnobotanical data collection regarding medicinal plants employed by the Kaxinawá and, through such record, to contribute to the strengthening of the related traditional indigenous health system resilience. This research was accomplished through the involvement of four communities from the Terra Indígena Kaxinauá de Nova Olinda (TIKNO), in the Alto Rio Envira, in the city of Feijó ­ AC, Brazil. Data collection was done through participating observation and 41 semi-structured interviews for the listing of sociocultural information of the participants, and for the medicinal plants the free listing technic was employed. Data analysis was quali-quantitative. Quantitative Ethnobotany parameters and the analytical categorization of grouping regarding employ functions of the listed medicinal plants were applied. Medicinal plants, for the Kaxinauá, are the equivalent for "Medicine". Eating is intimately related to health and a strong relation between plant usage and animal models that represent the consumed game animal was noticed. Food characteristics and individual or social contexts can determine symptoms or diseases and are related to the diagnosis and medicine choice. From a first glance on the ethnobotanic usage of medicinal plants in the TIKNO, their richness and coverage, the repercussion of the local biodiversity sociocultural appropriation and the Kaxinauá worldview on health and disease can be perceived. The practices for health maintenance stress the medicinal plants and the Kaxinawá traditional knowledge importance, as well as the relevance of such record.(AU)

Introducción a la etnofarmacología de la Sierra de Albera (Gerona) / Introduçao à etnofarmacologia da Serra de Albera (Girona, Espanha) / Introduction to ethnopharmacology in the Sierra de la Albera (Girona, Spain)

Se ha realizado un studio etnobotánico preliminar en la vertiente sur de la sierra de la Albera, situada al noroeste de Cataluña, y noroeste de la comarca del Alto Ampurdán (Gerona). Esta zona cubre 277 km2 y tiene una población de 12.452 habitantes. Para ello, se ha entrevistado a 18 personas, se han identificado las plantas reportadas y se han analizados los resultados en comparación con los de otros territorios. Se ha recogido la información etnobotánica sobre 155 especies de plantas pertenecientes a 67 familias, con 655 informes de uso de los cuales 7 son de elementos inorgánicos o de origen animal. Las especies más veces citadas han sido: Thymus vulgaris, Rosmarinus officinalis, Sambucus nigra y Urtica dioica y las familias más citadas han sido las Compuestas y las Labiadas; las enfermedades con más usos reportados han sido las relacionadas con el aparato digestivo (AU)

Foi efectuado um estudo introductorio etnobotánico no sul da Serra de Albera, localizad no noroeste da Catalunha e regiao nordeste do Alto Ampurdán (Girona). A área abrange 277 km2, com uma populaçao de 15.452 habitantes. Foram entrevistadas 18 pessoas, identificaram-se as plantas utilizadas, e compararam-se os resultados com os de outros territórios. Foram recolhidas informaçoes etnobotánicas sobre 155 espécies pertencentes a 67 famílias, com 655 relatórios de uso dos quais 7 correspondem a productos inorgánicos ou animais. As espécies mais citadas foram Thymus vulgaris, Rosmarinus officinalis, Sambucus nigra e Urtica dioica, sendo as famílias as famílias Compositae e Labiatae as mais citadas; as doenças com mais utilizaçoes relatadas foram as gastrointestinais (AU)

An ethnobotanical introductory study has been conducted in Southern Sierra de la Albera, located in the northwest of Catalonia and northeastern región of Alto Ampurdán (Gerona). The area covers 277 km2 with a population of 12.452 inhabitants. We have interviewed 18 people, identifying the plants reported, and we have compared results with those of other territories. Information on 155 species belonging to 67 botanical families has been collected with 655 use reports of which 7 correspond to inorganic or animal products. The most cited species were Thymus vulgaris, Rosmarinus officinalis, Sambucus nigra and Urtica dioica with Compositae and Labiatae the most cited families. Gastrointestinal diseases were those with more reported uses (AU)

¿Fueron los aztecas quienes primero representaron la enfermedad de Parkinson? / Were the Aztecs the first to represent Parkinson's disease?

No disponible

Actividad anticonvulsivante del extracto metanólico de tallo y raíz deKalanchoe pinnata Lam. en ratones: Comparación con diazepam / Anticonvulsant activity of methanolic extract from Kalanchoe pinnata Lam. stems and roots in mice: A comparison to diazepam

Introducción: En México, la medicina tradicional emplea extractos de hojas o de la planta completa de «siempre viva» (Kalanchoe pinnata [K. pinnata] Lam.) para tratar la alferecía amarilla cuando presenta convulsiones. La actividad anticonvulsivante del tallo o de la raíz sigue sin explorarse. Métodos: El extracto metanólico de la raíz (EMR) y el del tallo (EMT) de K. pinnata Lam., fueron evaluados con el modelo de inducción de convulsiones con pentilentetrazol en ratones de la cepa Balb/C, comparado con diazepam. Las fracciones del EMT fueron subsecuentemente evaluadas. Resultados: El EMR incrementó la latencia a las crisis clónico-tónicas de forma inversamente proporcional a la dosis, observándose el mismo patrón sobre los efectos letales del pentilentetrazol. Todas las dosis evaluadas del EMT aumentaron la latencia a las mioclonías y a las crisis clónicas de forma dosis-dependiente e incrementaron la latencia a las crisis clónico-tónicas de manera semejante al diazepam con una protección del 100% contra los efectos letales del pentilentetrazol. El fraccionamiento del EMT redujo su eficacia. Al mezclar las fracciones de cloroformo y acetato de etilo, se recuperó la actividad anticonvulsivante y la protección contra los efectos letales. El análisis fitoquímico preliminar identificó alcaloides y esteroles en el EMR; esteroles y terpenos en el EMT. Conclusión: La actividad anticonvulsivante de EMR de K. pinnata Lam. disminuye aumentando la dosis y en el EMT se presenta de forma dosis-dependiente, conservándose en la mezcla de cloroformo y acetato de etilo. Se sugiere que los metabolitos responsables de estos efectos son esteroles en el EMR; esteroles y terpenos presentes en el EMT

Introduction: In ancient and current traditional medicine in México, extracts from the leaves or whole plant of ‘life leaf’ (Kalanchoe pinnata [K. pinnata]Lam) have been used to treat an entity known locally as ‘yellow epilepsy’ (alferecía amarilla) when it is accompanied by seizures. However, the anticonvulsive activity of its stems and roots remains unexplored. Methods: The anticonvulsant activity of the methanolic root extract (MER) or stem (MES) of K. pinnata Lam. was evaluated in a pentylenetetrazol-induced seizure model in Balb/C mice, and effects were compared to those of diazepam. The stem extract fractions that produced anticonvulsant activity were subsequently evaluated using the pentylenetetrazol -induced seizure model. Results: We observed increased latency of tonic-clonic seizures that was inversely proportional to the dose of MRE, with a similar impact on the lethal effects of pentylenetetrazol. Different doses of the MSE showed a dose-dependent increase in latency to myoclonus, clonus, and tonic-clonic seizures, acting similarly to diazepam and offering 100% protection against the lethal effects of pentylenetetrazol. Fractioning MSE decreased its effectiveness, but when fractions were mixed with fractions of chloroform and ethyl acetate, anticonvulsive activity was restored. The preliminary phytochemical analysis identified alkaloids and sterols in MRE, and sterols and terpenes in MSE. Conclusions: The anticonvulsant activity of K. pinnata Lam. decreases with increased doses of MRE, whereas the effect of MSE is dose-dependent and preserved in the mixture chloroform and ethyl acetate. We suggest that the metabolites responsible for these effects are sterols in MRE, and sterols and terpenes in MSE

Plantas do Gênero Xylopia: Composição Química e Potencial Farmacológico / Plants of the Xylopia Genus: Chemical Composition and Pharmacological Potential

RESUMO A família Annonaceae possui representantes de grande interesse medicinal e o gênero Xylopia é um dos que merecem destaque. Composta por aproximadamente 160 espécies distribuídas na América do Sul, América central, África e Ásia, as espécies desse gênero podem ser arbustivas ou arbóreas. No Brasil são encontradas nas regiões Norte, Nordeste, Centro-Oeste e Centro Sul. Este gênero produz uma variedade de metabólitos incluindo alcalóides, amidas, lignóides, acetogeninas e terpenóides e têm sido investigados como fonte potencial de acetogeninas, compostos esses que apresentam uma ampla variedade de propriedades biológicas com destaque para: citotóxica, antitumoral, antiparasitária, antimicrobial, inseticida e antimalarial. Neste estudo, efetuou-se uma revisão das principais espécies de Xylopiaencontradas no Brasil, já estudadas e descritas na literatura, abordando os aspectos químico-farmacológicos, destacando os constituintes químicos isolados bem como a ação farmacológica evidenciada.

ABSTRACT The family Annonaceae has representatives of great medical interest, and the Xylopia species deserves attention. The Xylopia genus is composed by approximately 160 species, with geographic distribution in tropical and subtropical regions of America, Africa and Asia. This genus can present shrubs or trees. In Brazil, they can be found at the North, North-west, Central-West and Central-South Regions. The phytochemical investigations resulted mainly in the isolation of alkaloids, diterpenos, quinolines and acetogenins, with the latter presenting very interesting biological properties such as the cytotoxic, antiprotozoal and the insecticide activities.This study aimed to review the botanical, chemical and pharmacological aspects of the Xylopia genus found in Brazil, highlighting the chemical components, as the well-known pharmacological effect .

A tale of Persian cupping therapy: 1001 potential applications and avenues for research.

Cupping therapy (CT) is one of the oldest medical techniques available, and is still used in several cultures instead of or as an adjunct or complement to 'western academic' medicine. Moreover, CT (wet or dry) is claimed to have therapeutic effects in many types of disorders which do not fully respond to conventional medicine or for which no effective treatment is available. However, no recent reviews of the clinical practice of cupping are available to the best of our knowledge. We describe the applications of CT as used in Traditional Iranian Medicine (TIM). Several databases were searched for relevant literature. In addition, we studied the main traditional treatises on TIM regarding the history and practice of CT. Information about current practices was obtained from a systematic survey among practitioners. Our results suggest that CT is currently prescribed for up to 120 diseases and disorders that are difficult to treat, including cutaneous (21.7%), musculoskeletal (15%), and central nervous system (13.3%) disorders. Moreover, TIM treatises note 25 specific sites on the body surface which correspond to certain diseases, and on which wet-cupping therapy has therapeutic effects. Additional clinical studies of CT may lead to findings on new therapeutic methods and may shed light on mechanisms of disease and illness that are not fully understood in conventional medicine.

Hijamat in traditional Persian medicine: risks and benefits.

Traditional Persian medicine is based on humoral medical concepts. In the case of abundant blood in the body, tabi'at (body nature) deals with this imbalance by elimination of the morbid substances via some controlling mechanisms. If tabi'at could not react properly, the physician should prescribe an intervention to let the extra blood out. This can be done through phlebotomy, wet cupping, and the use of leech or scarification of the ears. Cupping with scarification may eliminate the morbid substance through the scarified skin, and cupping without scarification evacuates the morbid materials from the compromised organs. Wet cupping in health state is meant to be applied for preventing the blood humor dominance in susceptible individuals. In disease condition, wet cupping is defined as a treatment in which the patients confront the abundance of blood. Wet cupping may have harmful complications in extremely thin or obese patients. Wet cupping should be postponed in patients compromised by diseases especially in the thick phlegm abundance. In Asia, Iranian people, because of religious beliefs, are very interested in cupping therapy. Many unsupervised cupping procedures are performed in Iran, whereas benefits and risks of these procedures are undetermined by providers and clients. In this study, the most important indications and contraindications of wet cupping have been reviewed based on the traditional Persian medicine resources.

Armenian bole: a historical medicinal clay.

The medical use of earths and minerals is probably as old as the history of mankind. Particular types of clays and earths are still being used worldwide as therapeutic agents in the folk medicine of different countries. From the 19th century, the medicaments included in countries' pharmacopeias whose exact pharmacological activity or the chemistry of their active components was not known gradually decreased in number, despite their popularity among patients. With today's analytical armamentarium it may be time to reconsider returning some of those compounds to pharmacopeias. By using modern techniques in the past two decades, researchers have studied the active components of healing clays and their pharmacological properties. Many of them possess valuable therapeutic properties which could be used in modern medicine in pharmaceutical dosage forms. Our knowledge about the medical substances that our ancestors used through centuries could be used today as an evidence base for further clinical and pharmacological research. One of these substances is Armenian bole. In this work we studied the historical perspective of its therapeutic use in different countries. Also a sample sold in the market in Iran was purchased and X-ray diffraction analysis was performed on it to find out its chemical composition.

Estudo Etnobotânico de plantas medicinais utilizadas pela Comunidade do Sisal no município de Catu, Bahia, Brasil / Ethnobotanical study of medicinal plants used by the Sisal Community in the city of Catu, Bahia, Brazil

A utilização de plantas medicinais é instintiva nos animais, visto que alguns destes buscam raízes, cascas, folhas ou frutos na tentativa de resolver seus males. O homem, por sua vez, aprendeu a utilizar estas informações empiricamente para fazer uso destes vegetais. A medicina popular é uma importante alternativa, provavelmente, a mais usada para a cura de doenças por parte de populações indígenas, quilombolas ou rurais. A Etnobotânica, por sua vez, encarrega-se de estudar e interpretar essa relação dos homens com o mundo vegetal. Devido ao seu grande potencial biológico e cultural, o Brasil apresenta uma infinidade de conhecimentos tradicionais e espécies vegetais importantes, o que torna esse país uma grande fonte de pesquisa na área. Visando avaliar o conhecimento tradicional da população rural do Sisal, Catu/Bahia, relacionado ao uso de plantas medicinais, este trabalho iniciou-se em julho de 2009, constando de entrevistas semi-estruturadas e estruturadas, gravações, registros fotográficos, coleta do material botânico indicado nas entrevistas com os informantes, tratamento do material coletado e incorporação ao Herbário da Universidade do Estado da Bahia (HUNEB). Foram identificadas e coletadas 54 espécies distribuídas em 46 gêneros e 28 famílias, sendo Lamiacaeae e Asteraceae as mais representativas. A maioria das plantas é constituída de ervas e cultivada nos quintais dos moradores. O estudo revelou que a comunidade apresenta uma medicina popular bastante rica, com grande diversidade de espécies vegetais e usos por parte da população.

The use of medicinal plants is instinctive in animals, since some of these seek roots, bark, leaves or fruits in an attempt to cure their diseases. Man, in turn, learned to use this information on the use of these plants empirically. Folk medicine is an important alternative, probably the most used to cure diseases by indigenous peoples, Afro-descendants and rural populations. Ethnobotany, in turn, undertakes to study and interpret the relationship of men with the plant world. Because of its great biological and cultural potential, Brazil has a wealth of traditional knowledge and important plant species, what makes this country a great source of research in the area. To evaluate the traditional knowledge of the rural population of Sisal, city of Catu, state of Bahia, Brazil, related to use of medicinal plants, this work began in July 2009, consisting of semi-structured and structured interviews, recordings, photographs, collection of botanical material indicated in the interviews with informants, treatment of the collected material and incorporation into the Herbarium of the University of Bahia (HUNEB). We identified and collected 54 species in 46 genera and 28 families, being Asteraceae and Lamiacaeae the most representative. Most plants are herbs grown in the backyards of the residents. The study revealed that the community has a very rich folk medicine, with a great diversity of plant species and uses by the population.

Susuk charms? A case report.

This case report describes an interesting incidental finding on an orthopantomogram: bilateral radio-opaque objects in the mandibular rami region. The origin of the objects remains unidentified; however, the authors have tentatively identified these as being susuk by a process of exclusion of other possibilities.

Diversidade e uso de recursos medicinais do carrasco na APA da Serra da Ibiapaba, Piauí, Nordeste do Brasil / Diversity and use of medicinal resources of "carrasco" in the EPA of Serra da Ibiapaba, Piauí, Northeast Brazil

O presente estudo foi realizado na Área de Proteção Ambiental da Serra da Ibiapaba no município de Cocal, Piauí. Objetivou-se realizar o levantamento das plantas utilizadas pela comunidade, das partes usadas, das indicações, das formas de uso e de administração dessas plantas. Foram realizadas 80 entrevistas com 100% dos moradores de notório saber, residentes no município que utilizavam e/ou comercializavam plantas de uso medicinal. Para definição da amostra utilizou-se o método de bola de neve. Em incursões guiadas por membros da comunidade, foram coletadas as etnoespécies citadas. Após essa etapa, as espécies foram identificadas em laboratório e calculado o Fator de Consenso dos Informantes (FCI) para cada categoria de doença. O material foi incorporado ao acervo do Herbário Graziela Barroso (TEPB/UFPI). Foram identificadas 76 espécies, distribuídas em 61 gêneros e 36 famílias. Sobresairam-se Leguminosae com 22 espécies (28,9%), seguida por Euphorbiaceae com 6 (7,8%), e Solanaceae 4 (5,2%). Os gêneros Croton L. e Hymenaea L. obtiveram o maior destaque, somando 8 (10,5%) do total de espécies. As espécies mais presentes nas indicações de uso foram Ximenia americana com 14 (5,9%), Tabebuia impetiginosa com 9 (3,9%) e Anacardium occidentale com 7 (2,9%). Observou-se que 80,5% dos entrevistados tinham mais de 50 anos e residiam no município a mais de 20 anos, sendo que 70% possuíam apenas ensino fundamental incompleto e 20 % eram analfabetos. Houve maior consenso entre os informantes para tratamento das doenças do sistema respiratório (0,66) e do aparelho digestório (0,65). A maioria das indicações de usos 81 (34,17%) relatados para 28 (36,8%) das espécies visavam curar males do sistema respiratório, tais como asma, bronquite, gripe, inflamação na garganta, pneumonia e sinusite. Para o preparo dos remédios, as partes mais utilizadas foram as cascas (30,5%), as folhas (29,4%) e as raízes (12,6%). As preparações mais comuns foram os chás, garrafadas e lambedores, administrados por via oral. Os resultados sinalizaram para a importância do potencial bioativo da vegetação do carrasco.

The present study was carried out in the Environmental Protection Area of Serra da Ibiapaba, in Cocal Municipality, Piauí. The study aimed to perform a survey of the plants used by the community, including used parts, recommended use, forms of use and administration of these plants. A total of 80 interviews were done with 100% of denizens with noteworthy knowledge who lived in that municipality and used and/or commercialized plants of medicinal use. To define the sample the snowball method was adopted. In tours guided by members of the community, the cited ethnospecies were collected. After this stage, the species were identified in the laboratory and the Informant Consensus Factor (ICF) was calculated for each disease category. The material was incorporated in the collection of Herbarium Graziela Barroso (TEPB/UFPI). A total of 76 species were identified, distributed into 61 genera and 36 families. Leguminosae was the major family with 22 species (28.9%), followed by Euphorbiaceae with 6 (7.8%) and Solanaceae with 4 (5.2%). Croton L. and Hymenaea L. were the most important genera, comprising 8 (10.5%) of the total species. The species most commonly recommended for medicinal use were Ximenia americana with 14 (5.9%), Tabebuia impetiginosa with 9 (3.9%) and Anacardium occidentale with 7 (2.9%). The age of 80.5% of the interviewees was over 50 years and they had been living in the municipality for more than 20 years, while 70% had only incomplete elementary education and 20% were illiterate. There was greater consensus among the informants for treatment of respiratory diseases (0.66) and problems of the digestive system (0.65). The most common recommendation of use, 81 (34.17%), reported for 28 (36.8%) of the species, aimed to cure problems of the respiratory system, such as asthma, bronchitis, influenza, inflammation of the throat, pneumonia, and sinusitis. In the preparation of medicines, the parts most commonly used were the bark (30.5%), the leaves (29.4%) and the roots (12.6%). The most common preparations were tea, balm and lickers, administered orally. The results indicated the importance of the bioactive potential of "carrasco" vegetation.