Comparison of two oral health-related quality-of-life measures in elderly patients: the influence of missing teeth, and socio demographic factors

Objective: The Oral Health Impact Profile-14 (OHIP- 14) and the Geriatric/General Oral Health Assessment Index (GOHAI) have never been compared to a group of the same subjects in the Brazilian population. The aim of the study was to compare the OHIP-14 and GOHAI measures. Material and Methods: 129 independently living people over the age of 60 were included in the study. The GOHAI and OHIP-14 measures were used. Other variables were included: age, gender, education, number of missing teeth, annual household income and frequency of dentist visits. Results: The mean age of respondents was 65 years. The internal reliability (Cronbach’s alpha) showed a high internal consistency for both measures. Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient between the GOHAI and OHIP-14 scores was 0.73. Using the additive method of creating scores, none of the respondents had the GOHAI score of zero, indicating no impact from oral conditions, while 9.3% of them had an OHIP-14 score of zero. Dental status, age, gendler and frequency of dental visit were significantly associated with the results ofthe GOHAI and the OHIP-14 (Kruskal–Wallis test, Mann–Whitney U test). Conclusions: There was a strong correlation between the GOHAI and the OHIP- 14. Both instruments demonstrated good discriminant properties and helped capture the respondents’ oral health problems.KEYWORDSBrazil; Older adult; GOHAI; Oral health-related quality of life.

Acute and subacute (28 days) toxicity, hemolytic and cytotoxic effect of Artocarpus heterophyllus seed extracts

BACKGROUND

Plants and their parts are a part of life in many Brazilian communities, as observed in the jackfruit. The jackfruit seeds are consumed, usually, as roasted, boiled, steamed, and are eaten as a snack.

OBJECTIVE

The present study was carried out to identify the Artocarpus heterophyllus seeds toxicity and cytotoxic activity.

METHODS

The extracts were tested in toxicity assays like, brine shrimp lethality assay, hemolysis assay, and effect of seed extracts on T47D, TH29 and B16F10 cancer cell lines, and in acute and subchronic toxicity in mice.

RESULTS

Artocarpus heterophyllus seed presents no toxic effects in brine shrimp, no hemolytic activity, and was effective in cancer cell lines like T47D, TH29 and B16F10. IC50 obtained from extracts was 46.67 μg/ml of chloroform extract in T47D cells, 23.42 μg/ml of ethanolic extract in HT29 cells, and 74.31 μg/ml of ethyl acetic extract in B16F10 cells. Ethanolic extract presented zero lethality index and was able to reduce the level of glycemia in females (32.3%) in the subchronic test.

CONCLUSIONS

With this results we can conclude that Artocarpus heterophyllus seeds presents no toxicity, and is very effective in determinated cancer cell lines, requiring further studies to validate their use as active natural product against cancer cells.

Prevalence of oral impacts on daily performances (OIDP) of elderly people in Curitiba – PR

This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of oral health impact on the daily performance of Brazilian elderly, living in the city ofCuritiba – PR. The oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) of 129 elderly people aged from 60 to 80 years was assessed. Also, the influence of gender, income, attendance to the dentist, self-assessment of health, and social-demographic features were verified. Oral health influenced in 83.72%the daily routine of the participants. The lack of compliance to dental treatment and the difficulty in oral health self-perception as integrate part of general health were associated to the greatest interference.Thus, we recommended that the self-perception of the individuals is considered simultaneously to the clinical condition to tailor oral health actions targeted to priority groups.Keywords: Oral health; Elderly; Quality of life.

Patentability potential of natural products for xerostomia treatment

Xerostomia is characterized as a symptom caused by hyposalivation, which can occur for reasons such as age, polypharmacy, radiation therapy, among others. Currently,few products are available for the treatment of xerostomia, which is a subject still underestimated by many health professionals. Thus, we searched patents applied and approved in Brazil on xerostomia, to verify the existing innovation involving natural products. We found 33 patents applied and approved in Brazil, many of them using acids derived from natural products such as sialologue agents. This significant number of patents demonstrates the relevance of the themeand the need for more studies involving the potential use of natural products to relieve symptoms.KeywordsXerostomia; Natural products and patents.

Antiulcer and gastric antisecretory effects of dichloromethane fraction and piplartine obtained from fruits of Piper tuberculatum Jacq. in rats

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Piper tuberculatum Jacq. (Piperaceae) is medicinally used as an analgesic and as a treatment for gastric complaints. Thus, the current study aimed to investigate the gastroprotective and antisecretory properties of the dichloromethane fraction of the fruit of Piper tuberculatum (DFPT) and piplartine, a compound isolated from the DFPT, in rats.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Gastric ulcers were induced in fasted rats by oral administration of absolute ethanol and then mucus content and glutathione (GSH) levels were measured. Mechanisms underlying the antisecretory action were studied through gastric H(+),K(+)-ATPase activity of highly purified rabbit gastric microsomes and pylorus ligature method in rats.

RESULTS

In the acute toxicity test the values of estimated LD50 for oral and intraperitoneal administration of DFPT were 1.6266 and 0.2684g/kg, respectively. The DFPT (ED50=29mg/kg, p.o.) and piplartine (4.5mg/kg, p.o.) promoted gastroprotection against acute lesions induced by ethanol, effect that could be related with the maintenance of GSH levels in the gastric mucosa. However, only DFPT stimulated gastric mucus secretion. In vitro, the DFPT and piplartine inhibited the H(+),K(+)-ATPase activity and, in vivo DFPT and piplartine also reduced basal gastric acid secretion, as well as that stimulated by pentagastrin.

CONCLUSIONS

These results demonstrate that DFPT and piplatine cause marked gastroprotective effects accompanied by the increase and maintenance of gastric mucus and GSH levels, as well as a reduction in gastric acid secretion through the gastrinergic pathway.

Antiulcer effect of bark extract of Tabebuia avellanedae: activation of cell proliferation in gastric mucosa during the healing process

Tabebuia avellanedae (syn. Handroanthus impetiginosus) is popularly known as 'ipê-roxo' and has been used in folk medicine as anti-inflammatory and in the treatment of ulcers, bacterial and fungal infections. This study evaluated the gastric ulcer healing property of the ethanolic extract (EET) of barks from Tabebuia avellanedae and investigated the mechanisms that may underlie this effect. Rats were treated with EET (twice a day for 7 days) after induction of chronic gastric ulcers by 80% acetic acid. Following treatment, histological and immunohistochemical analysis were performed in gastric ulcer tissues. Oral administration of EET (100 and 300 mg/kg) significantly reduced the gastric lesion induced by acetic acid in 44 and 36%, respectively. Histopathological evaluation demonstrated a contraction of gastric ulcer size, increase of mucus layer (periodic acid-Schiff stained mucin-like glycoproteins) and cell proliferation (proliferating cell nuclear antigen immunohistochemistry) in animals treated with EET (100 and 300 mg/kg). The results demonstrate that EET significantly accelerates healing of acetic acid induced gastric ulcer in rats through increase of mucus content and cell proliferation, indicating a potential usefulness for treatment of peptic ulcer diseases.