Atividade antimicrobiana in vitro de extratos hidroetanólicos de Astronium sp incorporados ou não em sistemas nanoestruturados

Herbal medicines have shown amazing results for the treatment of chronic diseases, especially the ones of the digestive tract (gastric and duodenal ulcers, ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease), diabetes and cancer. The National Policy of Medicinal Plants and Herbal Medicines (Ministry of Health) proposes the study of several plant species, including plants containing the genus Astronium (Anacardiaceae) that includes species such as A. fraxinifolium, A. graveolens and A. urundeuva, which comprise anti-inflammatory, anti-ulcerogenic, healing and antimicrobial properties. In this context, the inclusion of technology in the improvement of medicinal plants should be encouraged since the strategy to incorporate plant extracts in nanostructured systems has optimized their properties. The antimicrobial activity of the extracts, which were incorporated or not into nanostructured systems, was evaluated by microdilution technique for the microorganisms Escherichia coli (ATCC 25922), Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 25923), Salmonella setubal (ATCC 19196), Helicobacter pylori (ATCC 43504) and Candida albicans (ATCC 18804). The plant extracts were tested at concentrations from 1000 to 7.81 μg/mL, and the following medications were used to check in order to see if they will work with each type of microorganisms: amoxicillin (100 μg/mL) for H. pylori; ampicillin (50 μg/mL) for the other bacteria, amphotericin B (32 μg/mL) and fluconazole (256 μg/mL) for C. albicans. After the incubation at 37 ºC/72 hours under microaerophilic condition for H. pylori; 37 ºC/24 hours for the other bacteria and 37 °C/48 hours for the yeast, spectrophotometric and visual readings were performed, with the developers 0.01% resazurin (bacteria) and 2% 2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride in order to determine the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC). The incorporation was prepared into a nanostructured system comprising 10% oil phase (cholesterol), 10% surfactant ...Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq

Syngonanthus nitens Bong. (Rhul.)-Loaded Nanostructured System for Vulvovaginal Candidiasis Treatment

Herbal-loaded drug delivery nanotechnological systems have been extensively studied recently. The antimicrobial activity of medicinal plants has shown better pharmacological action when such plants are loaded into a drug delivery system than when they are not loaded. Syngonanthus nitens Bong. (Rhul.) belongs to the Eriocaulaceae family and presents antiulcerogenic, antioxidant, antibacterial, and antifungal activity. The aim of this study was to evaluate the antifungal activity of Syngonanthus nitens (S. nitens) extract that was not loaded (E) or loaded (SE) into a liquid crystal precursor system (S) for the treatment of vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) with Candida albicans. The minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) was determined by the microdilution technique. Additionally, we performed hyphae inhibition and biofilm tests. Finally, experimental candidiasis was evaluated in in vivo models with Wistar female rats. The results showed effective antifungal activity after incorporation into S for all strains tested, with MICs ranging from 31.2 to 62.5 μg/mL. Microscopic observation of SE revealed an absence of filamentous cells 24 h of exposure to a concentration of 31.2 μg/mL. E demonstrated no effective action against biofilms, though SE showed inhibition against biofilms of all strains. In the in vivo experiment, SE was effective in the treatment of infection after only two days of treatment and was more effective than E and amphotericin B. The S. nitens is active against Candida albicans (C. albicans) and the antifungal potential is being enhanced after incorporation into liquid crystal precursor systems (LCPS). These findings represent a promising application of SE in the treatment of VVC

Nanostructured lipid system as a strategy to improve the anti-Candida albicans activity of Astronium sp

The genus Astronium (Anacardiaceae) includes species, such as Astronium fraxinifolium, Astronium graveolens, and Astronium urundeuva, which possess anti-inflammatory, anti-ulcerogenic, healing, and antimicrobial properties. Nanostructured lipid systems are able to potentiate the action of plant extracts, reducing the required dose and side effects and improving antimicrobial activity. This work aims to evaluate a nanostructured lipid system that was developed as a strategy to improve the anti-Candida albicans activity of hydroethanolic extracts of stems and leaves from Astronium sp. The antifungal activity against C. albicans (ATCC 18804) was evaluated in vitro by a microdilution technique. In addition to the in vitro assays, the Astronium sp. that showed the best antifungal activity and selectivity index was submitted to an in vivo assay using a model of vulvovaginal candidiasis infection. In these assays, the extracts were either used alone or were incorporated into the nanostructured lipid system (comprising 10% oil phase, 10% surfactant, and 80% aqueous phase). The results indicated a minimal inhibitory concentration of 125.00 µg/mL before incorporation into the nanostructured system; this activity was even more enhanced when this extract presented a minimal inhibitory concentration of 15.62 µg/mL after its incorporation. In vivo assay dates showed that the nanostructure-incorporated extract of A. urundeuva leaves was more effective than both the unincorporated extract and the antifungal positive control (amphotericin B). These results suggest that this nanostructured lipid system can be used in a strategy to improve the in vitro and in vivo anti-C. albicans activity of hydroethanolic extracts of Astronium sp

Does the gastroprotective action of a medicinal plant ensure healing effects? An integrative study of the biological effects of Serjania marginata Casar. (Sapindaceae) in rats

Serjania marginata (Sapindaceae), a medicinal plant commonly found in the Brazilian Cerrado, Paraguay, Bolivia and Argentina, is also known as cipó-uva or cipó-timbó. Ethnopharmacological studies indicate that the leaves from this medicinal plant are used in folk medicine to treat gastric pain. The overall objective of this study was to evaluate the gastroprotective and healing effect of the hydroalcoholic extract obtained from S. marginata (HESM) leaves using rodent experimental models. As part of the integrative study of this medicinal plant, we also evaluated the acute toxicity, antimicrobial, antidiarrheal, (anti)mutagenic, and hemodynamic effects. We performed a pharmacological study to test the acute toxicity and antimutagenic effect (Ames assay) of the HESM. The HESM was tested against different necrosis-promoting agents and experimental manipulations, such as absolute ethanol, cysteamine, pyloric ligature, and ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury. The gastroprotective effect of the HESM was assessed by analyzing the gastric juice (volume, pH, total acidity) and the mucus in the gastric mucosa from rats. We assessed the levels of NO, sulfhydryl compounds, PGE2, vanilloid receptor, glutathione (GSH), and malondialdehyde (MDA), as well as the myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity. The gastric healing effects of the HESM were evaluated during 7 or 14 days of treatment. The intestinal motility, antidiarrheal action, and antibacterial effects (microdilution methods) of the HESM were also evaluated. The phytochemical analysis of the HESM revealed the presence of saponins, flavonoid glycosides, and tannins. The extract exhibited no sign of acute toxicity or mutagenic effect in vitro. In contrast, this extract exhibited a protective effect against the mutagenic action of direct- and indirect-acting mutagens. Only the oral administration of HESM (250mg/kg) significantly decreased the severity of gastric damage induced by ethanol (60.13%) and I/R (58.31%). The HESM exerts its gastroprotective effects by decreasing the MPO and MDA activities in the gastric tissue and by increasing the amount of adherent mucus covering the gastric mucosa. In vitro, the extract also displayed evident antimicrobial effects against Helicobacter pylori. However, the preventive effect of the HESM was not accompanied by an ulcer-healing effect. The treatment with HESM (14 days) significantly increased gastric lesions in 99% of the tested animals compared with the control group. This result represents a highly relevant piece of evidence that should resonate as an alert against the chronic use of this medicinal plant as an antiulcer in folk medicine. Despite the anti-H. pylori and gastroprotective actions of S. marginata in experimental models, the gastric injuries aggravation induced after chronic treatment with the HESM argues against the use of this plant species in folk medicine.Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES

Núcleos de Ensino da Unesp: artigos 2008

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq