Potential wound healing effect of gel based on chicha gum, chitosan, and mauritia flexuosa oil

Wounds are considered a clinically critical issue, and effective treatment will decrease complications, prevent chronic wound formation, and allow rapid healing. The development of products based on naturally occurring materials is an efficient approach to wound healing. Natural polysaccharides can mimic the extracellular matrix and promote cell growth, thus making them attractive for wound healing. In this context, the aim of this work was to produce a gel based on chicha gum, chitosan, and Mauritia flexuosa oil (CGCHO) for wound treatment. TG and DTG analyzed the thermal behavior of the materials, and SEM investigated the surface roughness. The percentages of total phenolic compounds, flavonoids, and antioxidants were determined, presenting a value of 81.811 ± 7.257 µmol gallic acid/g Mauritia flexuosa oil, 57.915 ± 0.305 µmol quercetin/g Mauritia flexuosa oil, and 0.379 mg/mL, respectively. The anti-inflammatory was determined, presenting a value of 10.35 ± 1.46% chicha gum, 16.86 ± 1.00% Mauritia flexuosa oil, 10.17 ± 1.05% CGCHO, and 15.53 ± 0.65% chitosan, respectively. The materials were tested against Gram-negative (Klebsiella pneumoniae) and Gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus) bacteria and a fungus (Candida albicans). The CGCHO formulation showed better antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive bacteria. In addition, an in vivo wound healing study was also performed. After 21 days of treatment, the epidermal re-epithelialization process was observed. CGCHO showed good thermal stability and roughness that can help in cell growth and promote the tissue healing process. In addition to the good results observed for the antimicrobial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory activities and providing wound healing, they provided the necessary support for the healing process, thus representing a new approach to the wound healing process.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Conservation of heliconia inflorescences previously fertilized with increasing doses of nitrogen and potassium

A longevidade das hastes florais é um dos principais aspectos observados na produção de flores para corte, constituindo-se um pré-requisito para a qualidade do produto e sucesso da comercialização. Nesse sentido, objetivou-se avaliar a conservação de inflorescências de helicônias com ou sem renovação da água de manutenção, previamente adubadas com doses crescentes de nitrogênio e potássio. Foram utilizadas inflorescências de helicônias da espécie Heliconia psittacorum x H. spathocircinata cv. Golden Torch cultivadas a céu aberto no Setor de Floricultura da UFPI, Bom Jesus (PI), sob doses crescentes de adubação com N e K. O delineamento foi em blocos casualizados em esquema fatorial 4 x 4 x 2, correspondendo a: i) doses de N (0, 120, 180 e 240 g de N cova1); ii) doses de K (0, 120, 180 e 240 g de K2O cova-1); e iii) renovação da água de manutenção (sem e com renovação) com três repetições e três hastes cada uma. Fora realizado a avaliação de absorção de água pelas hastes florais, perda de massa fresca das hastes florais, massa seca das hastes florais e longevidade pós-colheita. A dose de 180 g cova-1 tanto de N quanto K proporcionou a maior longevidade das hastes florais com manutenção da qualidade. A absorção de água pelas hastes florais e sua massa seca após a colheita foram influenciadas pela adubação prévia de N e K. A renovação da água de manutenção também influenciou positivamente na longevidade das hastes florais, sendo um manejo indicado para manter a qualidade pós-colheita.The post-harvest of floral stems is one of the main features observed in the production of flowers for cutting, becoming a prerequisite for product quality and successful marketing. In this sense, the objective was to evaluate the conservation of heliconias inflorescences with or without renewal of the water maintenance, previously fertilized with increasing doses of nitrogen and potassium. Inflorescences of Heliconia psittacorum x H. spathocircinata cultivar Golden Torch were used and grown in open conditions in the Floriculture area at UFPI, city of Bom Jesus, Piauí State under increasing doses of fertilization with N and K. The stems were harvested in the morning, standardized and placed in containers with 500 mL of water. The design was a randomized block in factorial 4 x 4 x 2, corresponding to: i) N doses (0, 120, 180, and 240 g N hole-1), ii) K doses (0, 120, 180, and 240 g K2O hole-1), and iii) renewing the water maintenance in vase (with and without renewal) with three replicates of three stems each. Some evaluations were observed during the Study, such as: the water uptake by the flower stems; loss of fresh weight of the flower stems, dry weight of the flower stems and post-harvest longevity. The dose of 180 g hole-1 both as N and K provided the longevity of the flower stems with quality maintenance. The absorption of water by the flower stems and its dry mass after harvesting are influenced by previous fertilizer N and K. The renewal of the water maintenance also positively influence the longevity of flower stems and its a management indicated to maintain quality post-harvest

Cytotoxic and antibacterial activity of chichá gum hydrogel associated with nerolidol

Chichá gum is a polysaccharide from the Sterculia striata plant, with a chemical structure composed of hydroxyl groups, which favor the formation of hydrogels, enabling the association with other materials to improve their biological properties and as drug delivery systems. Hydrogels were produced from chichá gum associated with nerolidol in concentrations of 1 and 2%, cytotoxicity was evaluated against Artemia salina. The hydrogels were tested against the strains Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli, by the direct contact test. the material showed no toxic activity and an antibacterial effect was observed with 83.6% growth inhibition with the use of the hydrogel with 2% nerolidol. It concludes that the materials produced have the potential to be used in the future as products with good antibacterial properties.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Biocompatible gels of chitosan-buriti oil for potential wound healing applications

The buriti oil (Mauritia flexuosa L.) can be associated with polymeric matrices for biomedical applications. This study aimed to evaluate the e ect of chitosan gel (CG) associated with buriti oil (CGB) as a healing agent. The fatty acids and volatile compounds composition of buriti oil were performed and the composite gels were characterized using FTIR and thermal analysis. Biological tests including antimicrobial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and healing e ects were also investigated. Buriti oil is composed of oleic and palmitic acids, and the main volatile compounds were identified. The buriti oil did not show antimicrobial activity, on the other hand, the composite gel (chitosan and oil) proved to be e cient against Staphylococcus aureus and Klebsiella pneumonia at the 10 mg/mL. Similar behavior was observed for antioxidant activity, determined by the -carotene bleaching assay, composite gels presenting higher activity and buriti oil showed anti-inflammatory activity, which may be related to the inhibition of the release of free radicals. Regarding wound healing performed using in vivo testing, the composite gel (CGB) was found to promote faster and complete wound retraction. The results indicated that the gel chitosan–buriti oil has a set of properties that improve its antibacterial, antioxidant and healing action, suggesting that this material can be used to treat skin lesions.Maria Onaira Gonçalves Ferreira acknowledges the Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel, the Brazilian Ministry of Education, financial support for the scholarship, and other authors acknowledge to National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPQ) and Piauí State Research Support Foundation (FAPEPI).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Investigação do potencial do talo e da palha da carnaúba para utilização como biocombustível

A carnaúba (Copernicia prunifera) é uma espécie vegetal comum no Nordeste do Brasil e possui grande importânciacomercial no que se refere a exploração/exportação da cera extraída de suas folhas. Assim, visandoo pleno aproveitamento dos resíduos gerados na cadeia produtiva da carnaúba, neste trabalho é apresentada acaracterização da palha e do talo “in natura”, bem como pós densificação (produção de briquetes), com oobjetivo de investigar a possível aplicação como biocombustíveis. A metodologia experimental envolveu adeterminação dos teores de umidade, cinzas, voláteis, carbono fixo, poder calorífico superior, ensaios de resistênciaao impacto, compressão diametral e termogravimetria. A análise elementar (CHNS/O) também foirealizada. Com relação ao teor de voláteis os valores obtidos foram 70,89% e 81,12% para a palha e o talo innatura e 70,02% e 80,41%, para os briquetes de palha e talo. Para carbono fixo obteve-se 19,98% e 16,08 %para a palha e o talo in natura e 20,9% e 16,8%, para os briquetes de palha e talo, respectivamente. Quantoao conteúdo energético, a palha in natura obteve poder calorífico superior da ordem de 17,51 MJ/kg e o taloin natura 17,29 MJ/kg. No que se refere a densidade energética, a produção dos briquetes proporcional aumentosda ordem de 328,9% (2,98 para 12,78 kJ/cm³) para a palha e de 292% (2,89 para 11,33 kJ/cm³) para otalo. Quanto ao ensaio de resistência mecânica, o briquete de palha apresentou uma resistência de 0,1 MPa eo briquete de talo de 0,3 MPa. Diante do exposto, pode-se inferir que a palha e o talo de carnaúba possuempotencial para utilização como biocombustíveis.Palavras-chave: Carnaúba; Caracterização; Briquete; Poder Calorífico Superior

Development of composite scaffolds based on cerium doped-hydroxyapatite and natural gums-biological and mechanical properties

Hydroxyapatite (HAp) is a ceramic material composing the inorganic portion of bones. Ionic substitutions enhance characteristics of HAp, for example, calcium ions (Ca2+) by cerium ions (Ce3+). The use of HAp is potentialized through biopolymers, cashew gum (CG), and gellan gum (GG), since CG/GG is structuring agents in the modeling of structured biocomposites, scaffolds. Ce-HApCG biocomposite was synthesized using a chemical precipitation method. The obtained material was frozen (–20 °C for 24 h), and then vacuum dried for 24 h. The Ce-HApCG was characterized by X-Ray diffractograms (XRD), X-ray photoemission spectra (XPS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS). XRD and FTIR showed that Ce-HApCG was successfully synthesized. XRD showed characteristic peaks at 2θ = 25.87 and 32.05, corresponding to the crystalline planes (0 0 2) and (2 1 1), respectively, while phosphate bands were present at 1050 cm−1 and 1098 cm−1, indicating the success of composite synthesis. FESEM showed pores and incorporated nanostructured granules of Ce-HApCG. The mechanical test identified that Ce-HApCG has a compressive strength similar to the cancellous bone’s strength and some allografts used in surgical procedures. In vitro tests (MTT assay and hemolysis) showed that scaffold was non-toxic and exhibited low hemolytic activity. Thus, the Ce-HApCG has potential for application in bone tissue engineering.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

CONTEÚDO DE NUTRIENTES NA BIOMASSA E EFICIÊNCIA NUTRICIONAL EM ESPÉCIES DA CAATINGA

It was aimed to know the content of mineral nutrients in the components of the biomass of the aerial part of the species of the biggest value of importance in two areas of Caatinga and to evaluate the efficiency of these plants in the use of these nutrients. The research was carried through Itapemirim farm in Floresta, Pernambuco state, where two areas of vegetation of Caatinga inside the farm were studied, presenting distinct characteristics, one in period of training of regeneration, and the other one was preserved. In the sampling, an initial inventory was made launching 40 parcels of 400m2 in each area, having as level of inclusion CBH ≥ 6.0 cm. For the analysis of  biomass, it was used the five species of the biggest value of importance of each area, the choice of the individuals was at random and each chosen plant had measured its circumference the height of the chest and in the base. In the process of weighing and sampling the components of the aerial part, the chosen trees had been knocked down and after that, their components were all weighed and a sample was removed for the chemical analyses. In this study, it was observed that the initial survey in the two areas, bracteosa Poincianella was the species that presented greater content of nutrients in the total biomass above the ground in both the areas. The component twig was of bigger contribution in the content of nutrients in the total biomass, being N the accumulated nutrient more in the component leaf, and in timber components in both the areas, once the nutrients that presented the greatest efficiency for their use in the plants studied in both the areas, were S and P.Objetivou-se quantificar o conteúdo de nutrientes nos componentes da biomassa da parte aérea das espécies de maior valor de importância em duas áreas de Caatinga e avaliar a eficiência dessas plantas no uso desses nutrientes. A pesquisa foi realizada na fazenda Itapemirim, no município de Floresta - PE, onde foram estudadas duas áreas de vegetação de Caatinga em fases distintas de sucessão ecológica, apresentando características distintas, uma em estágio de regeneração e outra preservada. Na amostragem foi realizado um inventário inicial se lançando 40 parcelas de 400 m2 em cada área, tendo como nível de inclusão CAP ≥ 6,0 cm. Para análise da biomassa foram utilizadas as cinco espécies de maior valor de importância de cada área, a escolha dos indivíduos foi de forma aleatória e cada planta escolhida teve medida sua circunferência a altura do peito e na base. No processo de pesagem e amostragem dos componentes da parte aérea, as árvores escolhidas foram derrubadas e em seguida foram pesados todos seus componentes e retirada uma amostra para realização das análises químicas. Nesse estudo observou-se que o levantamento inicial nas duas áreas a Poincianella bracteosa foi a espécies que apresentou maior conteúdo de nutrientes na biomassa total acima do solo em ambas as áreas, e o componente galho foi o de maior contribuição no conteúdo de nutrientes na biomassa total, sendo N o nutriente mais acumulado no componente folha, e o Ca nos componentes lenhosos em ambas as áreas, já os nutrientes que apresentaram a maior eficiência de utilização nutricional nas espécies estudadas em ambas as áreas, foram o S e o P.

Antibacterial and healing effect of chicha gum hydrogel (sterculia striata) with nerolidol

Chicha gum is a natural polymer obtained from the Sterculia striata plant. The hydroxyl groups of its structure have a chemical affinity to form hydrogels, which favors the association with biologically active molecules, such as nerolidol. This association improves the biological properties and allows the material to be used in drug delivery systems. Chicha gum hydrogels associated with nerolidol were produced at two concentrations: 0.01 and 0.02 g mL−1. Then, the hydrogels were characterized by thermogravimetry (TG), Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and rheological analysis. The antibacterial activity was tested against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. The cytotoxicity was evaluated against Artemia salina. Finally, an in vivo healing assay was carried out. The infrared characterization indicated that interactions were formed during the gel reticulation. This implies the presence of nerolidol in the regions at 3100–3550 cm−1. The rheological properties changed with an increasing concentration of nerolidol, which resulted in less viscous materials. An antibacterial 83.6% growth inhibition effect was observed using the hydrogel with 0.02 g mL−1 nerolidol. The in vivo healing assay showed the practical activity of the hydrogels in the wound treatment, as the materials promoted efficient re-epithelialization. Therefore, it was concluded that the chicha hydrogels have the potential to be used as wound-healing products.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Tuned Hydroxyapatite Materials for Biomedical Applications

Hydroxyapatite stands out between biomaterials due to its properties of osteoconduction and osteoinduction, being adequate to be used in bone grafts. The high stability and flexibility of the structure allows for several biomedical applications, for example, the use as polysaccharide based on the scaffold formulations and the cationic substitutions occurring through the doping of the material using metals, which may enhance biological characteristics, such as improving the action of combating bacterial infections in situ. This study was a research of articles and patents, without and with time restriction (2007–2017), which contain information about hydroxyapatite in the tissue engineering, biomedical, doped with cerium and its properties of antibacterial activity. There were also searches of products and companies that commercialize these types of materials aimed at tissue engineering area. Scopus was used for searched of articles and were EPO, USPTO, and INPI used for patents, and to search for products and companies were used search engines. Few papers were found to associate all the keywords, but the ones found are recent works, thus showing a new area with potential to be investigated