Polymeric Nanocapsules Containing Ozonated Oil and Terbinafine Hydrochloride as a Potential Treatment Against Dermatophytes

Terbinafine hydrochloride is a synthetic allylamine whose mechanism of action consists of inhibiting the enzyme squalene epoxidase that participates in the first stage of ergosterol synthesis, interfering with fungal membrane function. Ozonated oils are used for topical application of ozone, producing reactive oxygen species that cause cellular damage in microorganisms, therefore being an alternative treatment for acute and chronic skin infections. This study aimed to develop and characterize Eudragit® RS100 nanocapsules, obtained by interfacial deposition of preformed polymer method, containing 0.5% terbinafine hydrochloride and 5% ozonated sunflower seed oil as a potential treatment against dermatophytes. The polymeric nanocapsules were characterized regarding particle size, zeta potential, pH, drug content, encapsulation efficiency, and stability. The in vitro drug release, in vitro skin permeation, and in vitro antifungal activity were also evaluated. The particle size was around 150 nm with a narrow size distribution, the zeta potential was around + 6 mV, and the pH was 2.2. The drug content was close to 95% with an encapsulation efficiency of 53%. The nanocapsules were capable to control the drug release and the skin permeation. The in vitro susceptibility test showed greater antifungal activity for the developed nanocapsules, against all dermatophyte strains tested, compared to the drug solution. Therefore, the polymeric nanocapsules suspension containing terbinafine hydrochloride and ozonated oil can be considered a potential high-efficacy candidate for the treatment of dermatophytosis, with a possible reduction in the drug dose and frequency of applications. Studies to evaluate safety and efficacy in vivo still need to be performed.

The action of curcumin against damage resulting from cerebral stroke: a systematic review

Stroke is the second leading cause of morbidity and mortality globally. Treatments for stroke are limited, and preventive treatments are scarce. Curcumin (CUR) has several biological effects, as described in the literature, which highlight its antioxidant and neuroprotective effects. Therefore, this qualitative systematic review aimed to investigate the effects of CUR on damage caused by stroke in rodent models. A systematic search was performed on three databases PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science. In addition, the risk-of-bias and quality of the studies were assessed using SYRCLE and Collaborative Approach for Meta-Analysis and Review of Animal Data from Experimental Studies, respectively. The selection, inclusion, and exclusion criteria were established by the authors. At the end of our systematic search of the three databases, we found a total of 728 articles. After excluding duplicates and triplicates and reading the abstracts, keywords, and full texts, 53 articles were finally included in this systematic review. CUR exerts several beneficial effects against the damage caused by both ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke, via different pathways. However, because of its low bioavailability, Free-form CUR only exerted significant effects when it was administered at high concentrations. In contrast, when CUR was administered using nanostructured systems, positive responses were observed even at low concentrations. The mechanisms of action of CUR, free or in nanostructure, are extremely important for the recovery of injured brain tissue after a stroke; CUR has neuroprotective, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-apoptotic effects and helps to maintain the integrity of the blood-brain barrier. Finally, we concluded that CUR presents an extremely important and significant response profile against the damage caused by stroke, making it a possible therapeutic candidate for individuals affected by this disease.

Phase classification using neural networks: application to supercooled, polymorphic core-softened mixtures

Characterization of phases of soft matter systems is a challenge faced in many physical chemical problems. For polymorphic fluids it is an even greater challenge. Specifically, glass forming fluids, as water, can have, besides solid polymorphism, more than one liquid and glassy phases, and even a liquid-liquid critical point. In this sense, we apply a neural network algorithm to analyze the phase behavior of a mixture of core-softened fluids that interact through the continuous-shouldered well (CSW) potential, which have liquid polymorphism and liquid-liquid critical points, similar to water. We also apply the neural network to mixtures of CSW fluids and core-softened alcohols models. We combine and expand methods based on bond-orientational order parameters to study mixtures, applied to mixtures of hardcore fluids and to supercooled water, to include longer range coordination shells. With this, the trained neural network was able to properly predict the crystalline solid phases, the fluid phases and the amorphous phase for the pure CSW and CSW-alcohols mixtures with high efficiency. More than this, information about the phase populations, obtained from the network approach, can help verify if the phase transition is continuous or discontinuous, and also to interpret how the metastable amorphous region spreads along the stable high density fluid phase. These findings help to understand the behavior of supercooled polymorphic fluids and extend the comprehension of how amphiphilic solutes affect the phases behavior.

Development of derivative spectrophotometric method for simultaneous determination of pyrazinamide and rifampicin in cubosome formulation

The ultraviolet spectrophotometry analysis for quantitative assay of drugs is a method accurate, sensitive, selective and reproductive with the advantage of being a simple and less expensive method. In this study, a derivative ultraviolet spectrophotometric method was developed for simultaneous determination of pyrazinamide (PYZ) and rifampicin (RIF). The spectrophotometric method was evaluated according to validation guidelines for specificity, linearity, limits of detection and quantification, precision, accuracy and robustness. The first-derivative spectra were obtained and by the zerocrossing point, the wavelength 247 nm and 365 nm were selected for PYZ and RIF quantification, respectively. No interference from cubosome excipients was detected in the proposed method. The results demonstrated linearity in a range of 4.0 – 12.0 µg/mL with an adequate correlation coefficient for both drugs. The intra and inter-day precision results (RSD < 5%) indicated the reproducibility of the method. The accuracy data showed satisfactory results (RSD < 5%) from recovery test. In addition, the robustness results showed that the PYZ and RIF content were unaffected by the solvent alteration of methanol to methanol:water (99:1, v/v). The derivative ultraviolet spectrophotometric method proved to be an excellent strategy for simultaneous determination of PYZ and RIF.

The use of electronic tongue and sensory panel on taste evaluation of pediatric medicines: a systematic review

The palatability of medications is an essential factor for children's adherence to drug treatment. Several methods for drug taste assessment have been developed. The aim of this review is to explore the literature reports of the main methods for the evaluation of medicines taste, named electronic tongue (e-tongue, in vitro) and human sensory panel. A systematic search was performed up to March 2020 and a total of 88 articles were selected. The e-tongue (57.5%) has been more frequently described than the sensory panel (10.3%), while some articles (32.2%) used both techniques. 74.7% of the articles mentioned 'pediatric', 'paediatric' or 'children' in the text, but only 19.5% developed formulations targeting pediatric audience and sensory testing in children is rarely seen. The e-tongue has predominance of use in the taste evaluation of pediatric medicines probably since it is fast, easy to perform and risk free, besides presenting less imprecise data and no fatigue. The human panel is more realistic, despite its intrinsic variability. In this sense, it is proposed the use of e-tongue as a fast way to select the most promising sample(s) and, after that, the sensory panel should be applied in order to confirm the taste masking.

Omeprazole nanoparticles suspension: Development of a stable liquid formulation with a view to pediatric administration

Omeprazole (OME) is often used to treat disorders associated with gastric hypersecretion in children but a liquid pediatric formulation of this medicine is not currently available. The aim of this study is to develop OME loaded nanoparticles with a view to the obtention of a liquid pharmaceutical dosage form. Eudragit® RS100 was selected as the skeleton material in the inner core and pH-sensitive Eudragit® L100-55 was used as the outer coating of the nanoparticles prepared by the nanoprecipitation method. Pharmacological activity was evaluated by induction of ethanol ulcers in mice. The OME nanoparticles exhibited mean diameters of 174 nm (±17), polydispersity index of 0.229 (±0.01), zeta potential values of -13 mV (±2.60) and encapsulation efficiency of 68.1%. The in vivo pharmacological assessment showed the ability of nanoparticles to protect mice stomach against ulcer formation. The prepared suspension of OME nanoparticles represents effective therapeutic strategy in a liquid pharmaceutical form with the possibility of pediatric administration.

Improved sensory properties of a nanostructured ritonavir suspension with a pediatric administration perspective

The pediatric adherence to antiretroviral therapy is critical to therapeutic success. Ritonavir, a protease inhibitor drug, is commercially available as an oral solution containing a high amount of ethanol and propylene glycol, contraindicated in children younger than 4 years. Moreover, this medicine presents a bitter taste, which is limiting for the adherence to treatment. This study aims to develop ritonavir nanoparticles followed by polymeric coating for sensory characteristics improvement. The nanoparticles were coated with Eudragit^® L 100-55 and characterized. A human sensory panel evaluated the proposed formulations regarding its bitter taste. The formulation showed nanotechnological features, with 130 and 134 nm for ritonavir nanoparticles and ritonavir coated nanoparticles, respectively. The pH, zeta potential, drug content and encapsulation efficiency results were suitable for oral administration. The coated nanoparticles were capable of decreasing the drug bitter taste as shown in the sensory analysis. The ritonavir incorporation in nanoparticles, followed by polymer coating can be a reasonable strategy to obtain alcohol free taste-masked medicines, which are promising for pediatric therapy.

Polymer-based wafers containing in situ synthesized gold nanoparticles as a potential wound-dressing material

Polymer-based wafers containing gold nanoparticles (AuNP) were prepared using κ-carrageenan (κC), locust bean gum (LBG) and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) at ratios of 42/22/13% ^w/_w and 35/15/17% ^w/_w. The synthesized AuNPs were evaluated for their particle size and morphology. The produced wafers containing AuNPs were investigated for their physicochemical, morphological, mechanical, and swelling properties. In addition, bacterial barrier activity and in vitro cytotoxicity were also evaluated in this study. The AuNPs obtained were spherical in shape (~ 10-15 nm in diameter) and exhibited a single bell-shaped UV-vis absorption band centered ~ 540 nm. FT-IR spectra of the wafers containing AuNPs exhibited a shift of ν(O=S=O) absorption band toward a lower wavenumber and a shift of ν(OH) absorption band toward a higher wavenumber due to the coordination of OH groups to AuNPs and their interaction with O=S=O groups of κC, respectively. SEM images confirmed the porous structure of the produced wafers, being the surface area, mechanical properties, and swelling behavior directly affected by changing both the initial amount of [Au⁺³] and the composition of the wafers. Lastly, the produced wafers showed non-toxicity to NIH-3T3 fibroblast cells, and they also serve as a bacterial barrier. These findings endorsed the claim that the produced wafers containing AuNPs could be a promising material for wound dressing applications.

Protective role of free and quercetin-loaded nanoemulsion against damage induced by intracerebral haemorrhage in rats

Intracerebral haemorrhage (ICH) is a worldwide public health problem. Experimental studies have shown that oxidative stress plays an important role in the pathogenesis of ICH and could represent a target for its treatment. However, the blood-brain barrier is an obstacle to be overcome, as it hampers the administration of compounds to the central nervous system. In this study, we compared the effects of a quercetin-loaded nanoemulsion (QU-N) with the free form of the drug (QU-SP) in a collagenase-induced ICH rat model. Quercetin (QU) is a polyphenol that has an antioxidant effect in vitro, but due to its high lipophilicity, it has low bioavailability in vivo. In this study, animals submitted or not to ICH were treated with a single intraperitoneal QU dose (free or nanoemulsion) of 30 mg kg(-1). Motor assessment was evaluated by the open field, foot fault and beam walking behavioural tests. 72 h after surgery the haematoma size was evaluated and biochemical measurements were performed. Animals treated with QU-N had a significant improvement in the beam walking and open field tests. Also, QU-N was able to reduce the size of the haematoma, preserving the activity of glutathione S-transferase (GST), increasing GSH content, and the total antioxidant capacity. QU-SP recovered locomotor activity and increased the GSH content and the total antioxidant capacity. Thus, it can be observed that QU presented antioxidant activity in both formulations, but the incorporation into nanoemulsions increased its antioxidant effect, which was reflected in the improvement of the motor skills and in the haematoma size decrement. These results suggest that the nanoemulsion containing QU developed in this study could be promising for future studies on treatments for ICH.

Sleep deprivation alters gene expression and antioxidant enzyme activity in mice splenocytes

Cellular defence against the formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) involves a number of mechanisms in which antioxidant enzymes such as catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) play an important role. The relation between sleep deprivation and oxidative stress has not yet been completely elucidated. Although some authors did not find evidence of this relationship, others found alterations in some oxidative stress markers in response to sleep deprivation. Thus, the objective of this study was to identify changes induced by sleep deprivation in the activity and gene expression of antioxidant enzymes in mice splenocytes, ideally corroborating a better understanding of the observed effects related to sleep deprivation, which could be triggered by oxidative imbalance. Splenocytes from mice sleep deprived for 72 h showed no significant difference in CAT and CuZnSOD gene expression compared with normal sleep mice. However, sleep-deprived mice did show higher MnSOD gene expression than the control group. Concerning enzymatic activity, CuZnSOD and MnSOD significantly increased after sleep deprivation, despite the expression in CuZnSOD remained unchanged. Moreover, CAT activity was significantly lower after sleep deprivation. The data suggest that the antioxidant system is triggered by sleep deprivation, which in turn could influence the splenocytes homoeostasis, thus interfering in physiological responses.

Conjoined twins pregnancies: experience with 36 cases from a single center

OBJECTIVE

To review a single center's experience in the management of twin pregnancies with conjoined fetuses.

METHODS

Retrospective study describing prenatal findings, delivery details, surgical treatment and perinatal outcome.

RESULTS

The study included 36 twin pregnancies with conjoined twins seen over a period of 12 years in a single tertiary hospital: 69.4% were thoracopagus, 13.9% parapagus, 8.3% omphaloischiopagus 5.6% omphalopagus and 2.8% cephalopagus. Cardiac defects were present in 91.6% of twin pairs and associated malformations were present in 61.8% of the cases: limb abnormalities in 36.1%, abdominal wall defects in 25.0%, cleft lip and/or palate in 13.9% and congenital diaphragmatic hernia in 5.5%. Surgical separation was considered not feasible and prognosis lethal in 30 (83.3%) cases. Termination of pregnancy was performed in 12 pregnancies of poor prognosis. Cesarean section was performed in all remaining cases. Five sets of twins underwent surgical separation and six children survived. Overall survival in our series was 8.3% and, among the livebirths, 13.6%.

CONCLUSION

Conjoined twin pregnancies should be referred to tertiary centers for detailed fetal anomaly and echocardiographic assessment to evaluate prognosis and determine the possibility of postnatal surgical separation.

[A correct and an augmented medical act]

The author describes a correct medical procedure and what may be called an augmented medical procedure. Reference is made to some of the formal and material conditions and bases of clinical deliberation. It is shown why one should reread Hippocrates, Aristotle and other physicians and philosophers who considered these issues. Thus the author reviews the principles and practices that made humanity and created clinical medicine. The casuistic model of the medical procedure is compared to the so-called model of medicine based on fact. This paper provides a clear position on the value and significance of individual responsibility.

Growth of a leguminous tree (Centrolobium tomentosum Guill. ex Benth.) inoculated with Rhizobium and mycorrhizal fungi

Leguminous trees are being suggested for revegetation programs due to their ability to develop associations with rhizobia and mycorrhizal fungi. The growth of a native species of the Tropical Atlantic Forest, Centrolobium tomentosum, was evaluated in a native forest soil and in a Eucalyptus forest soil under different treatments of inoculation. C. tomentosum produced more biomass under nursery conditions after inoculation with Rhizobium BHICB-Ab1 associated with arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM). This treatment improved shoot and root growth and nodule weight under forest soil condition, while in eucalyptus soil only shoot biomass and nodule weight were significantly modified. In another experiment, using forest soil, height and stem diameter were also increased by dual inoculation procedures. The height and diameter growth promoting effect was observed when BHICB-Ab1 was used as inoculant associated with AM, but not with BHICB-Ab1 alone. In contrast, plants inoculated with BHICB-Ab3 alone were similar in height and diameter growth, to those which were inoculated with BHICB-Ab3 associated with AM. These results suggest that benefits of dual inoculation depend on triparty symbiosis and especially on the choice of Rhizobium strain.

Biologically active flavonoids and terpenoids from Egletes viscosa

The steam volatile components from the hexane extract of dried flower buds of Egletes viscosa were identified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry as trans-carvyl acetate, cis-carvyl acetate, sabinyl acetate, verbenyl acetate, cyclopentaethylidene, geranyl acetate and 5-methylfuranone, and trans-pinocarvyl acetate (major component). From the non-volatile residue, centipedic acid and a novel clerodane diterpene, 12-acetoxy-hawtriwaic acid lactone, were isolated. From the ethanol extract, ternatin (4',5-dihidroxy-3,3',7,8-tetramethoxyflavone), was isolated. Ternatin showed anti-inflammatory, hepatoprotection and gastroprotection properties, and, according to the NCI protocols, it showed moderate activity against HIV. The diterpenes showed antispasmodic activity. Structure determination of these secondary metabolites was accomplished by spectrometric methods, including 2D NMR, chemical interconversion and X-ray crystallographic analysis.

Allergic contact dermatitis in children. A multicenter study of the Portuguese Contact Dermatitis Group (GPEDC)

The authors report a study of allergic contact dermatitis in 329 Portuguese children of 14 years or younger. 170 children (64 male and 106 female) reacted to 1 or more allergens. Most of these were in the 11-14 years group. The main allergens were nickel, thimerosal, cobalt, mercury, fragrance-mix and potassium dichromate. Nickel reactivity predominated in females over the whole group, but a greater number of males younger than 5 years reacted to nickel. The number of positive reactions increased with age, but this was not accompained by an increase in the % of relevant tests. 12 children, all of them 13 or 14 years-old, had an occupational allergic contact dermatitis.

Syringomyelia secondary to compression of the cervical spinal cord by an extramedullary lymphoma

A case of syringomyelia secondary to an extramedullary cervical spinal cord compression by a non-Hodgkin's lymphoma is described. After radiotherapy, the syrinx was no longer seen. The pathogenesis of this type of syrinx is discussed, and the potential benefit of radiotherapy in these cases is suggested.

[Anthracycline cardiotoxicity. Review of the literature and presentation of a study protocol]

Anthracyclines are drugs with widespread applications on the chemotherapy of cancer. Cardiotoxicity is an important side effect of these drugs, well known for doxorubicin, the most representative of this group of drugs. Dysrhythmias and heart failure are the most important among the toxic effects of anthracyclines and are dependent on cumulative doses reason why WHO established maximal doses for the different anthracyclines. Pathogenic hypothesis about the mechanism of the myocardial lesion induced by anthracyclines include the production of free oxygen radicals, alterations of energetic metabolism and disturbances of calcium and sodium exchange at membrane level. Early detection of the toxicity of these drugs is of utmost importance. Electrocardiography has low sensitivity and specificity. Echocardiography gives specific information about previous cardiac pathology and enables the detection of complication of the basic neoplastic disease. However, detection of early changes of left ventricular function is not accomplished so well, as it is with equilibrium radionuclide angiography. Left ventricular ejection fraction is the method of choice in the early detection of cardiotoxicity of these drugs, and its frequent evaluation enables to individualize the doses in each patient, and so, a most accurate use of the therapeutic potential of the anthracyclines. Radionuclide angiography has some important indications on the selection of patients for treatment with anthracyclines, namely: to identify patients that must be excluded from the treatment; select patients at risk of congestive heart failure; to decide the appropriate moment to stop the drugs; change the therapeutic schema, etc.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)