Salivary Alpha-Amylase Enzyme, Psychological Disorders, and Life Quality in Patients with Recurrent Aphthous Stomatitis.

Objective. The aim of this study was to evaluate stress, anxiety, and salivary alpha-amylase (SAA) activity in patients with recurrent aphthous stomatitis (RAS). The impact of this disease on the life quality was also evaluated. Design. Twenty-two patients with RAS and controls, matched by sex and age, were selected. Stress and anxiety were assessed using Lipp's Inventory of Stress Symptoms and Beck Anxiety Inventory. Life quality was assessed through the World Health Organization Quality of Life-bref (WHOQOL-BREF) and the Oral Health Impact Profile-14 (OHIP-14). Saliva samples were collected in the morning and afternoon and the SAA activity was analyzed by enzymatic kinetic method. Results. No significant difference was observed between the groups regarding the SAA activity (p = 0.306). Patients with RAS had higher scores of anxiety (p = 0.016). The scores of WHOQOL-BREF were significantly lower in patients with RAS. The values obtained through OHIP-14 were significantly higher in these patients (p = 0.002). Conclusion. RAS negatively affects the life quality. Patients with the disease have higher levels of anxiety, suggesting its association with the etiopathogenesis of RAS.

IQG-607 abrogates the synthesis of mycolic acids and displays intracellular activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis in infected macrophages.

In this work, the antitubercular activity of a pentacyano(isoniazid)ferrate(II) compound (IQG-607) was investigated using a macrophage model of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection. Importantly, treatment of M.-tuberculosis-infected macrophages with IQG-607 significantly diminished the number of CFU compared with the untreated control group. The antitubercular activity of IQG-607 was similar to that observed for the positive control drugs isoniazid and rifampicin. Nevertheless, higher concentrations of IQG-607 produced a significantly greater reduction in bacterial load compared with the same concentrations of isoniazid. Analysis of the mechanism of action of IQG-607 revealed that the biosynthesis of mycolic acids was blocked. The promising activity of IQG-607 in infected macrophages and the experimental determination of its mechanism of action may help in further studies aimed at the development of a new antimycobacterial agent.

Activity of IQG-607, a new orally active compound, in a murine model of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection.

We have previously demonstrated a potent in vitro inhibitory activity for two pentacyano(isoniazid)ferrate(II) compounds, namely IQG-607 and IQG-639, against the Mycobacterium tuberculosis enoyl-acyl carrier protein reductase enzyme. In this study, the activity of these compounds was evaluated using an in vivo murine model of tuberculosis. Swiss mice were infected with M. tuberculosis H37Rv strain and then IQG-607 or IQG-639 (250 mg/kg) was administered for 28 days or 56 days. In addition, a dose-response study was performed with IQG-607 at 5, 10, 25, 50, 100, 200 and 250 mg/kg. The activity of test compounds was compared with that of the positive control drug isoniazid (INH) (25 mg/kg). After 28 days or 56 days of treatment, both IQG-607 and INH significantly reduced M. tuberculosis-induced splenomegaly as well as significantly diminishing the colony-forming units in the spleen and lungs. IQG-607 and INH ameliorated the lung macroscopic aspect, reducing lung lesions to a similar extent. However, IQG-639 did not significantly modify any evaluated parameter. Experiments using early and late controls of infection revealed a bactericidal activity for IQG-607. IQG-607 might well represent a good candidate for clinical development as a new antimycobacterial agent.