Study of the use of herbal products with anxiolytic effect in Bulgaria in 2016

Увод: Валерианата (Valeriana officinalis) е много популярна билка за лечение на безсъние и безпокойство. Пасифлора (Passiflora), растение, което не е много популярно в България, също се използва при тревожност и безсъние. Златен корен (Rhodiolarosea), нововъведена в България билка, се препоръчва при стрес, изтощение и тревожност. Целта на настоящото изследване е да се проучат наличните на фармацевтичния пазар в България лекарствени продукти и хранителни добавки, съдържащи валериана, пасифлора и златен корен, и да се анализира употребата на такива продукти през 2016 година. Материал и методи: Проучването е направено чрез събиране на данни от 19 аптеки в гр. Варна за продажбите на продукти, съдържащи трите билки с анксиолитичен ефект. Резултати и обсъждане: В аптечната мрежа в България има разнообразни валериана-съдържащи монопродукти и комбинирани проду кти. Лекарствените продукти са два, a хранителните добавки са над 35. Пасифлора се предлага под формата на хранителни добавки, които са монопродукти и комбинирани продукти. Три от пасифлора-съдържащите хранителни добавки са с най-голяма употреба. В България златен корен е наличен под формата на един лекарствен продукт и няколко хранителни добавки, които са предимно монопродукти. Данните за аптечните продажби на опаковки, съдържащи една от трите билки, показват, че валериана-съдържащите продукти заемат 87.9% от продажбите, пасифлора-съдържащите са 11.5% и съдържащите златен корен са 0.6%. Средната цена на търговец на едро на продадена опаковка за валериана-съдържащ продукт е 3 пъти по-ниска от тази на пасифлора-съдържащ продукт и 12 пъти по-ниска от тази на съдържащ златен корен продукт. Преобладаващата употреба на валериана-съдържащи продукти може да се обясни с голямата популярност на билката и ниската цена на продуктите. Заключение: Трите най-широко използвани в България билки с анксиолитичен ефект са валериана, пасифлора и златен корен. Най-голяма е употребата на валериана-съдържащи продукти, докато пасифлора и златен корен са по-непознати в България и вероятно в бъдеще ще добиват все по-голяма популярност и употреба.Introduction: Valerian (Valeriana officinalis) is a very popular herb used to treat insomnia and anxiety. Passion flower (Passiflora), not very popular in Bulgaria, is also used in anxiety and insomnia. Golden root (Rhodiola rosea), a newly introduced herb in Bulgaria, is recommended for stress, exhaustion and anxiety. Aim: The aim of this study was to examine the available on the pharmaceutical market in Bulgaria pharmaceutical products and dietary supplements containing valerian, passion flower and golden root and to analyze the use of such products in 2016. Materials and Methods: The study was conducted by collecting sales data from 19 pharmacies in Varna for products containing the three herbs with anxiolytic effect. Results and Discussion: There is a great variety of valerian-containing monoproducts and combined products in Bulgaria. The pharmaceuticals are two, and the dietary supplements are above 35. Passiflora is available in the form of several dietary supplements (monoproducts and combined), three of which are mostly used. In Bulgaria, golden root is available as one pharmaceutical product and several dietary supplements, which are predominantly monoproducts. The sales data of packages containing one of the three herbs in the investigated pharmacies showed that valerian-containing products comprised 87.9%, 11.5% were passion flower-containing and 0.6% were golden root-containing. The average wholesale price of a sold valerian-containing package was respectively 3 and 12 times lower than that of a passion flower-containing one and a golden root-containing one. The predominant use of valerian-containing products might be explained by the great popularity of the herb and the low price of the products. Conclusion: The three most frequently used in Bulgaria anxiolytic herbs are valerian, passion flower and golden root. The highest is the use of valerian-containing products while passion flower and golden root are quite unfamiliar and probably will gain increasing popularity and use in the future

Pain in osteoporosis - causes and pathogenesis

Osteoporosis is a pathological condition of bones caused mainly by accelerated osteoclast activity due to postmenopausal estrogen deficiency. Osteoporosis causes two types of pain: traumatic pain due to a fragility fracture and pain due to osteoporotic pathology without evidence of fracture. This review summarizes the available literature data on osteoporosis-related pain, with particular emphasis on the pathogenesis of pain resulting from osteoporotic pathology without evidence of fracture

Effect of Aronia melanocarpa fruit juice on carrageenan-induced paw edema in metabolic syndrome rats

INTRODUCTION: Chronic, low-grade inflammation plays a critical role in the pathogenesis of the metabolic syndrome (MS). Aronia melanocarpa fruits are rich in biologically active compounds—polyphenols, which possess a variety of health benefits including an anti-inflammatory effect.AIM: The aim of this article is to evaluate the effect of polyphenol-rich Aronia melanocarpa fruit juice (AMFJ) on carrageenan-induced acute inflammation in rats with diet-induced MS.MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty male Wistar rats were included in the experiment. They were allocated into 4 groups: MS, MS+AMFJ2.5, MS+AMFJ5, and MS+AMFJ10, all receiving high-fat high-fructose diet and 10% fructose in the drinking water for 10 weeks. The MS group served as a control and was treated daily with distilled water orally, while the other groups received AMFJ at doses of 2.5 mL/kg, 5 mL/kg, and 10 mL/kg, respectively. At the end of the experiment, carrageenan was injected in the left hind paw in order to induce acute inflammation. Paw edema was evaluated with plethysmometer on the 30th min and 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th hour after the injection.RESULTS: In the MS group, the carrageenan-induced paw edema increased gradually with time reaching the highest value on the 5th hour. A decrease throughout the whole 5-hour period was observed in groups treated with AMFJ, the effect being most pronounced and statistically significant in MS+AMFJ5 group on the 2nd and 3rd hour.CONCLUSION: Aronia melanocarpa fruit juice treatment in rats with MS resulted in a decrease in the carrageenan-induced paw inflammation. The anti-inflammatory effect might be attributed to the polyphenols in AMFJ

Experimental Rat Models of Periodontitis - a Review

Introduction: Periodontitis is a highly prevalent chronic inflammatory disease characterized by a progressive loss of gingival tissue, the periodontal ligament and adjacent supporting alveolar bone leading to early tooth loss.The purpose of this review was to summarize the literature data on rat periodontitis models.Materials and Methods: Literature was accessed through PubMed and Scopus. Articles, including reviews and animal studies, were analyzed to establish the currently used rat models of periodontal disease.Results: The literature shows that the rat is the most extensively studied rodent for the pathogenesis of periodontal disease because periodontal anatomy in the molar region shares some similarities with that of humans. Under natural conditions, the rat appears to be extremely resistant to periodontal diseases. Nevertheless, periodontitis can be experimentally induced. There are 4 types of models according to the causative factor: bacteria or bacterial products, diet, ligature, and surgery. The inoculation of bacteria (Porphyromonas gingivalis, Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans or Fusobacterium nucleatum) may cause periodontitis. Periodontal inflammation can also be induced by a single intragingival injection of lipopolysaccharides from bacteria such as Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans and Salmonella typhimurium. The dietary models are induced by feeding the animals a carbohydrate-rich high-calorie diet. In the ligature-induced model, a plaque retentive silk or cotton ligature is fixed in the gingival sulcus around the molar teeth. A surgical model in rats has been proposed in the last 10 years. This model consists of surgically creating a periodontal defect in the form of fenestrations on the radicular surfaces of the second mandibular molars.Conclusion: Experimental periodontitis models in animals are a very important tool for the investigation of the disease pathogenesis and the possible new therapies

Plants with antimicrobial activity with potential application in periodontal diseases

Introduction The most common periodontal diseases are gingivitis and periodontitis. In these conditions the areas at or below the gingival crevice become infected with anaerobic Gram-negative bacteria such as Porphyromonas gingivalis, Actinobacillus, Prevotella and Fusobacterium. The increase of bacterial resistance to antibiotics and adverse drug reactions to antibacterial agents has led to the search of natural phytochemicals that are safe and cost-effective.Aim The purpose or this review was to search the literature for plants with antimicrobial activity against oral pathogens causing periodontal diseases.Materials and Methods Literature was accessed through PubMed and Scopus to present some examples of plants that have been shown to inhibit the growth of periodontal pathogens.Results There are numerous reports of the traditional use of medicinal plants for treatment of oral diseases but there are few studies demonstrating their antimicrobial activity. Extracts that exhibit bactericidal effects against periodontopathogenic bacteria are obtained from plants such as Coptidis rhizoma, Hamamelis virginiana, Allium sativum (garlic), Harungana madagascariensis, Pistacia lentiscus, Arnica montana, Althaea officinalis, Pittosporum tobira, Anacardium occidentale, Aloe vera and grape seeds. The purified phytochemicals with antibacterial activity against periodontal pathogens are the flavonoid naringin, the alka-loid berberine and the terpenes bakuchiol and xanthorrhizol.Conclusion Future studies are necessary to investigate the antimicrobial activity of medicinal plants against oral pathogens and thus to validate their traditional use in periodontal diseases

Investigation of the variety and sales of products containing echinacea in Bulgaria

Introduction Echinacea is a genus comprising nine species found in North America. Echinacea purpurea, Echinacea pal-lida and Echinacea angustifolia are the most widely used species. They possess immune-modulating, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal and antioxidant effects. The main biologically active substances are cichoric acid, echinacoside, alkamides and polysaccharides. Aim The aim of this study was to explore the available on the market in Bulgaria pharmaceuticals and food supplements containing Echinacea and to analyze the sales of such products in Varna and Shumen for a one-year period. Materials and Methods The pharmaceutical market in Bulgaria was investigated in search of the available Echinacea-containing products. The sales of such products were analyzed by collection of sales data from pharmacies in Varna and Shumen for a one-year period beginning in September, 2014. Results The results showed a great variety of Echinacea-containing products on the pharmaceutical market in Bulgaria. They were either mono-products with Echinacea extracts or combined products. Apart from Echinacea extracts, the combined products also had some of the following constituents: vitamin C, zinc, propolis, inulin, and other plant extracts. More than 40 products were available as food supplements and 3 were registered as pharmaceutical products. The pharmaceuticals have a relatively larger sales share than food supplements. The greatest demand for products containing Echinacea is during the autumn-winter period when there is a higher incidence of infections.Conclusion Although not a traditional Bulgarian herb, Echinacea is quite popular in Bulgaria

Association between obesity and periodontitis

Introduction: Obesity is an excessive fat accumulation that presents a risk to health. Periodontitis is a chronic inflammation affecting the structures supporting the teeth. Obesity and periodontitis are among the most common chronic disorders worldwide. The aim of this study is to conduct a litera­ture review on the association between obesity and periodontitis.Materials and Methods: Scientific articles were sought in PubMed and Google Scholar using the key­words: obesity, periodontitis, experimental studies, clinical studies. The selected articles were 64, in­cluding 2 systematic reviews. The selection criteria were experimental and human studies, investigat­ing whether or not obesity is a risk factor for periodontitis.Results: Several decades ago, obesity was demonstrated to aggravate periodontal disease in rats. The relationship between obesity and periodontitis has been investigated in hundreds of clinical studies. According to the systematic reviews, the risk of periodontitis was associated with obesity in 81% and 93% of studies in patients below 15 and over 18 years of age, respectively. The exact mechanisms un­derlying this relationship are not fully understood. In obesity, there is an increased infiltration of macrophages in the adipose tissue, resulting in a chronic systemic inflammation manifested by el­evated pro-inflammatory cytokines like interleukins (IL-1 and IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-α. The adverse effects of obesity on the periodontium may also be mediated through the increased cir­culation of reactive oxygen species which in turn cause gingival oxidative damage and progression of periodontitis. Intervention studies have shown that the response to non-surgical periodontal treat­ment is better among lean than obese patients. In order to have a better control over periodontal in­flammation, dentists should advise their obese periodontal patients for weight reduction interven­tions like diets, lifestyle changes and pharmacotherapy.Conclusions: Studies demonstrate well that obesity is associated with periodontitis. However, the mechanisms underlying this relationship should be better elucidated

Effects of Aronia melanocarpa fruit juice on lipid and bone metabolism in ovariectomized rats

Introduction: The ovariectomized (OVX) rat is a gold-standard model to mimic the changes in the female organism during menopause. Aronia melanocarpa fruits are very rich in polyphenols and exert many beneficial effects in animal models and clinical trials.Aim: The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of Aronia melanocarpa fruit juice (AMFJ) on lipid metabolism and bone mineral density (BMD) in OVX rats.Materials and Methods: Four groups of female Wistar rats were formed, each consisting of 14 animals—sham operated (SO), OVX (treated with distilled water), as well as OVX+AMFJ5, and OVX+AMFJ10 (OVX treated with 5 and 10 mL/kg AMFJ, respectively). The animal treatment began 2 weeks after the operation. After a three-month treatment period, body weight (BW), total fat (TF) and retroperitoneal fat (RPF), as well as serum total cholesterol were measured. The indices TF/BW and RPF/BW were calculated. Femur BMD was determined as well. The statistical analysis used was one-way ANOVA.Results: Compared to SO animals, OVX rats showed a statistically significant increase in TF (p < 0.05), RPF (p < 0.01), TF/BW (p < 0.05), and RPF/BW (p < 0.01). Plasma cholesterol levels of OVX animals were increased and their BMD was decreased if compared to SO rats, but these changes were not statistically significant. Compared to OVX rats, AMFJ did not affect lipid accumulation and cholesterol levels but at the dose of 10 mL/kg significantly increased BMD (p < 0.05 vs. OVX).Conclusion: Aronia melanocarpa fruit juice was not able to prevent the fat accumulation in OVX rats, but managed to restore their BMD

Effects of ovariectomy-induced estrogen deficit on rat behaviour, lipid metabolism, inflammation, bone mineral density, and turnover

Aim: The objective of the present study was to make a complex evaluation of behaviour, lipid metabolism, inflammation, and bone turnover in an ovariectomized rat model used to simulate postmenopausal clinical findings.Materials and methods: Female Wistar rats were divided into 2 groups of 16 animals each: sham operated (SO) animals and ovariectomized (OVX) animals. Three months after the operation, a battery of behavioural tests was performed including an open field test (OFT), elevated pus-maze test (EPM), the social interaction test (SIT), the forced swim test (FST), and a hot plate test (HPT). At termination of experiment, weight gain and fat deposits (total and retroperitoneal) were measured. Serum concentrations of blood lipids were determined. Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) serum concentrations were used for evaluation of the inflammation and bone turnover, respectively. Femur bone mineral density (BMD) was evaluated using dual energy X-ray absorptiometry.Results: OVX rats did not demonstrate any significant behavioural changes in OFT and EPM tests but showed a decreased interaction time in SIT and an increased immobility time in FST test which indicated anxiety and depression. The OVX rats had a significantly lower pain sensitivity threshold. They had greater weight gain, increased total and retroperitoneal fat deposits, as well as elevated total fat/body weight and retroperitoneal fat/body weight ratios. Blood cholesterol, ALP and TNF-alpha of the OVX group were also significantly higher. Femur BMD of OVX rats was slightly but not significantly reduced.Conclusions: Estrogen deficiency in OVX rats caused depression, anxiety, hyperalgesia, obesity, dyslipidemia, and inflammation before the reduction in bone mineral density was prominent