Pasta dental com potencial para ser utilizada na hipersensibilidade dentinária

A hipersensibilidade dentinária (HD) é caracterizada por dor de curta duração, bem localizada, exacerbada aos estímulos sensoriais térmicos, químicos, osmóticos e táteis, originada em dentina exposta ao meio bucal, e que não pode ser explicada por nenhuma outra patologia dental. Embora ela seja uma das queixas mais comuns de pacientes em clínicas odontológicas, não existem tratamentos confiáveis para essa condição. O objetivo desse trabalho foi desenvolver uma formulação de creme dental contendo extrato de ginseng brasileiro e de erva doce, e um compósito de vidro bioativo originado da planta Equisetum hyemalle. Esse creme dental, sem flúor, está sendo preparado para ser usado na redução da sensibilidade dentinária. Experimentos iniciais de estabilidade a temperatura ambiente e acelerada (em estufa a 50 ºC) comprovaram a estabilidade físico-química das formulações desenvolvidas. Os extratos de ginseng e erva doce apresentaram atividade antimicrobiana contra o microrganismo S. mutans. Estudo preliminar de eficácia de tratamento da HD utilizando o creme dental preparado nesse trabalho foi feito. Imagens de microscopia eletrônica de varredura feita em dentes incisivos bovinos que apresentavam a dentina aberta, após ser utilizado o creme dental, mostraram resultados satisfatórios no controle fechamento dos túbulos dentinários

Indandiones derivatives: antibiofilm activity and encapsulation with β-cyclodextrin

Biofilmes são uma comunidade bacteriana aderida a uma superfície inerte ou viva, e protegida por uma matriz de substâncias poliméricas extracelulares que permite o crescimento e sobrevivência das bactérias em ambientes hostis e confere maior resistência e tolerância a antimicrobianos e sanitizantes. Por se desenvolverem em uma variedade de superfícies, os biofilmes causam impactos significativos em diversas áreas, incluindo saúde e setor industrial. Visando o desenvolvimento de estratégias destinadas ao controle e remoção de biofilmes bacterianos este trabalho avaliou a capacidade de 19 derivados de indandionas, compostos que possuem um grupo metileno entre duas cetonas (β-dicetona), em afetar a formação de biofilmes e biofilmes pré-formados sobre diferentes bactérias. A concentração inibitória mínima dos compostos derivados da 2-(arilideno)-indan-1,3-diona foi superior a 160 µg/mL. Os ensaios antibiofilme foram realizados com os compostos na concentração de 100 µg/mL. Os compostos que mais inibiram a formação de biofilme foram Ap18 para S. aureus (66,2%), Ap28 para S. epidermidis (82,2%), Ap3 para E. coli (54,3%) e Ap25 para P. aeruginosa (70,8%). Após 6 horas, o composto Ap18 desfez em 53,5% o biofilme pré-formado de E. coli, mas tiveram fraca atividade sobre biofilmes pré- formados de P. aeruginosa, S. aureus e S. epidermidis. Ensaios de viabilidade celular, mostraram a baixa toxicidade dos compostos Ap8, Ap24 e Ap27. Numa tentativa de aumentar a solubilidade dos compostos visando a um aumento de atividade, foi realizada a síntese de um complexo de inclusão (CI) entre o derivado de indandiona Ap8 e a hidroxipropil-β-ciclodextrina (HPβCD), sendo calculada em 78,27% a eficiência de complexação. O CIAp8 reduziu a formação do biofilme de P. fluorescens 07A, isolado de leite cru refrigerado, em 53,6% e de S. aureus USA300, um clone pandêmico resistente à meticilina em 10,4%, diferentemente do composto puro Ap8, que não demonstrou atividade para essas bactérias. Para os demais biofilmes de modo geral a atividade do CIAp8 não foi superior ao composto Ap8 puro. O encapsulamento do composto Ap8 não diminuiu a sua citotoxicidade nas concentrações avaliadas. Em resumo, esse trabalho comprovou a atividade de derivados da 2-arilideno indan-1,3-diona sobre importantes patógenos bacterianos. Os resultados podem ser explorados para subsidiar a síntese de compostos mais eficazes e menos citotóxicos. Palavras-chave: Atividade antibiofilme. 2-arilideno indan-1,3-dionas. Complexo de inclusão.Biofilms are a bacterial community attached to an inert or living surface and protected by a matrix of extracellular polymeric substances. This protection allows the growth and survival of bacteria in hostile environments and provides greater resistance and tolerance to antimicrobials and sanitizers. Because they develop on a variety of surfaces, biofilms have significant impacts in several areas, including healthcare and the industrial sector. Aiming at the development of strategies for the control and removal of bacterial biofilms, this work evaluated the ability of nineteen 2-arylidene indan-1,3-diones to affect the formation of biofilms and preformed biofilms on different bacteria. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of the compounds was higher than 160 µg/mL and antibiofilm assays were performed at a concentration of 100 µg/mL. The compounds that most inhibited biofilm formation were Ap18 for S. aureus (66.2%), Ap28 for S. epidermidis (82.2%), Ap3 for E. coli (54.3%), and Ap25 for P. aeruginosa (70.8%). After 6 hours, Ap18 disrupted the preformed biofilm of E. coli by 53.5% but had weak activity on the preformed biofilms of the other bacteria. Cell viability assays showed the low toxicity of compounds Ap8, Ap24 and Ap27. In an attempt to increase the solubility of the compounds, aiming at an increase in activity, the synthesis of an inclusion complex (CI) between the indandione derivative Ap8 and hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HPβCD) was performed, being calculated at 78.3 % the complexation efficiency. CIAp8 reduced the biofilm formation of P. fluorescens 07A, isolated from refrigerated raw milk, by 53.6% and of S. aureus USA300, a methicillin- resistant pandemic clone by 10.4%, unlike the pure compound Ap8, which showed no activity for these bacteria. For the other biofilms, in general, the CIAp8 activity was not superior to the pure compound Ap8. The encapsulation of the compound Ap8 did not decrease its cytotoxicity at the concentrations evaluated. In summary, this is the first work that demonstrated the antibiofilm activity of 2-arylidene indan-1,3-diones derivatives on important bacterial pathogens. The results can be explored to support the synthesis of more effective and less cytotoxic compounds. Keywords: Antibiofilm activity. 2-arylidene indan-1,3-diones. Inclusion complex.Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superio

2-arylydene indan-1,3-diones as promising candidates to inhibit bacterial biofilm formation

Biofilms are a bacterial community attached to inert or living surfaces, enveloped within a matrix of extracellular polymeric substances. This protection allows the growth and survival of bacteria in hostile environments and provides greater resistance and tolerance to antimicrobials and sanitizers. Given their propensity to form on diverse of surfaces, biofilms have significant impacts across multiple sectors, including healthcare and the industrial domains. Aiming at the development of strategies for the control and removal of bacterial biofilms, this work evaluated the impact of nineteen 2-arylidene indan-1,3-diones on both biofilm formation and preformed biofilms across various bacterial strains. The compounds exhibited a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) higher than 160 µg/mL, with antibiofilm assays performed at a concentration of 100 µg/mL. Among the compounds tested, the most effective in inhibiting biofilm formation were Ap18 (2-(3,4-dimethoxybenzylidene)-1H-indene-1,3(2H)-dione) against S. aureus (66.2%), Ap28 (2-(3-hydroxybenzylidene)-1H-indene-1,3(2H)-dione) against S. epidermidis (82.2%), Ap3 (2-(4-nitrobenzylidene)-1H-indene-1,3(2H)-dione) against E. coli (54.3%), and Ap25 (2-(3-hydroxy-4-methoxybenzylidene)-1H-indene-1,3(2H)-dione) against P. aeruginosa (70.8%). After 6 h, Ap18 disrupted the preformed biofilm of E. coli by 53.5% but had weak activity on the preformed biofilms of the other bacteria. The viability of VERO cells when incubated with the compounds Ap8, Ap25, and Ap27 (2-(2-hydroxybenzylidene)-1H-indene-1,3(2H)-dione) was respectively 81.8%, 67.9% and 88.0%, showing their low toxicity. This is the first work that demonstrated the antibiofilm activity of 2-arylidene indan-1,3-diones. The results can be explored to support the synthesis of more effective and less cytotoxic compounds

Brazilian Flora 2020: Leveraging the power of a collaborative scientific network

International audienceThe shortage of reliable primary taxonomic data limits the description of biological taxa and the understanding of biodiversity patterns and processes, complicating biogeographical, ecological, and evolutionary studies. This deficit creates a significant taxonomic impediment to biodiversity research and conservation planning. The taxonomic impediment and the biodiversity crisis are widely recognized, highlighting the urgent need for reliable taxonomic data. Over the past decade, numerous countries worldwide have devoted considerable effort to Target 1 of the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation (GSPC), which called for the preparation of a working list of all known plant species by 2010 and an online world Flora by 2020. Brazil is a megadiverse country, home to more of the world's known plant species than any other country. Despite that, Flora Brasiliensis, concluded in 1906, was the last comprehensive treatment of the Brazilian flora. The lack of accurate estimates of the number of species of algae, fungi, and plants occurring in Brazil contributes to the prevailing taxonomic impediment and delays progress towards the GSPC targets. Over the past 12 years, a legion of taxonomists motivated to meet Target 1 of the GSPC, worked together to gather and integrate knowledge on the algal, plant, and fungal diversity of Brazil. Overall, a team of about 980 taxonomists joined efforts in a highly collaborative project that used cybertaxonomy to prepare an updated Flora of Brazil, showing the power of scientific collaboration to reach ambitious goals. This paper presents an overview of the Brazilian Flora 2020 and provides taxonomic and spatial updates on the algae, fungi, and plants found in one of the world's most biodiverse countries. We further identify collection gaps and summarize future goals that extend beyond 2020. Our results show that Brazil is home to 46,975 native species of algae, fungi, and plants, of which 19,669 are endemic to the country. The data compiled to date suggests that the Atlantic Rainforest might be the most diverse Brazilian domain for all plant groups except gymnosperms, which are most diverse in the Amazon. However, scientific knowledge of Brazilian diversity is still unequally distributed, with the Atlantic Rainforest and the Cerrado being the most intensively sampled and studied biomes in the country. In times of “scientific reductionism”, with botanical and mycological sciences suffering pervasive depreciation in recent decades, the first online Flora of Brazil 2020 significantly enhanced the quality and quantity of taxonomic data available for algae, fungi, and plants from Brazil. This project also made all the information freely available online, providing a firm foundation for future research and for the management, conservation, and sustainable use of the Brazilian funga and flora

Growing knowledge: an overview of Seed Plant diversity in Brazil

Abstract An updated inventory of Brazilian seed plants is presented and offers important insights into the country's biodiversity. This work started in 2010, with the publication of the Plants and Fungi Catalogue, and has been updated since by more than 430 specialists working online. Brazil is home to 32,086 native Angiosperms and 23 native Gymnosperms, showing an increase of 3% in its species richness in relation to 2010. The Amazon Rainforest is the richest Brazilian biome for Gymnosperms, while the Atlantic Rainforest is the richest one for Angiosperms. There was a considerable increment in the number of species and endemism rates for biomes, except for the Amazon that showed a decrease of 2.5% of recorded endemics. However, well over half of Brazillian seed plant species (57.4%) is endemic to this territory. The proportion of life-forms varies among different biomes: trees are more expressive in the Amazon and Atlantic Rainforest biomes while herbs predominate in the Pampa, and lianas are more expressive in the Amazon, Atlantic Rainforest, and Pantanal. This compilation serves not only to quantify Brazilian biodiversity, but also to highlight areas where there information is lacking and to provide a framework for the challenge faced in conserving Brazil's unique and diverse flora