Propolis Is an Efficient Fungicide and Inhibitor of Biofilm Production by Vaginal Candida albicans

Vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) is one of the most common genital infections in women. The therapeutic arsenal remains restricted, and some alternatives to VVC treatment are being studied. The present study evaluated the influence of a propolis extractive solution (PES) on biofilm production by Candida albicans isolated from patients with VVC. Susceptibility testing was used to verify the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of PES, with fluconazole and nystatin as controls. The biofilm formation of 29 vaginal isolates of C. albicans and a reference strain that were exposed to PES was evaluated using crystal violet staining. Colony-forming units were evaluated, proteins and carbohydrates of the matrix biofilm were quantified, and scanning electron microscopy was performed. The MIC of PES ranged from 68.35 to 546.87 μg/mL of total phenol content in gallic acid. A concentration of 546.87 μg/mL was able to cause the death of 75.8% of the isolates. PES inhibited biofilm formation by C. albicans from VVC. Besides antifungal activity, PES appears to present important antibiofilm activity on abiotic surfaces, indicating that it may have an additional beneficial effect in the treatment of VVC

Propolis Is an Efficient Fungicide and Inhibitor of Biofilm Production by Vaginal Candida albicans

Vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) is one of the most common genital infections in women. The therapeutic arsenal remains restricted, and some alternatives to VVC treatment are being studied. The present study evaluated the influence of a propolis extractive solution (PES) on biofilm production by Candida albicans isolated from patients with VVC. Susceptibility testing was used to verify the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of PES, with fluconazole and nystatin as controls. The biofilm formation of 29 vaginal isolates of C. albicans and a reference strain that were exposed to PES was evaluated using crystal violet staining. Colonyforming units were evaluated, proteins and carbohydrates of the matrix biofilm were quantified, and scanning electron microscopy was performed. The MIC of PES ranged from 68.35 to 546.87 g/mL of total phenol content in gallic acid. A concentration of 546.87 g/mL was able to cause the death of 75.8% of the isolates. PES inhibited biofilm formation by C. albicans from VVC. Besides antifungal activity, PES appears to present important antibiofilm activity on abiotic surfaces, indicating that it may have an additional beneficial effect in the treatment of VVC

Fiziološki odgovori i subjektivna procjena opterećenja brazilskih jiu jitsu boraca

In this study, the physiological responses and rate of perceived exertion in Brazilian jiu-jitsu fighters submitted to a combat simulation were investigated. Venous blood samples and heart rate were taken from twelve male Brazilian jiu-jitsu athletes (27.1±2.7 yrs, 75.4±8.8 kg, 174.9±4.4 cm, 9.2±2.4% fat), at rest, after a warm-up (ten minutes), immediately after the fight simulation (seven minutes) and after recovery (fourteen minutes). After the combat the rate of perceived exertion was collected. The combat of the Brazilian jiujitsu fighters did not change blood concentrations of glucose, triglycerides, total cholesterol, low density lipoprotein and very low density lipoprotein, ureia and ammonia. However, blood levels of high density lipoprotein were significantly higher post-fight (before: 43.0±6.9 mg/dL, after: 45.1±8.0 mg/dL) and stayed at high levels during the recovery period (43.6±8.1 mg/dL) compared to the rest values (40.0±6.6 mg/dL). The fight did not cause changes in the concentrations of the cell damage markers of creatine kinase, aspartate aminotransferase and creatinine. However, blood concentrations of the alanine aminotransferase (before: 16.1±7.1 U/L, after: 18.6±7.1 U/L) and lactate dehydrogenase (before: 491.5±177.6 U/L, after: 542.6±141.4 U/L) enzymes were elevated after the fight. Heart rate (before: 122±25 bpm, after: 165±17 bpm) and lactate (before: 2.5±1.2 mmol/L, after: 11.9±5.8 mmol/L) increased significantly with the completion of combat. Despite this, the athletes rated the fight as being light or somewhat hard (12±2). These results showed that muscle glycogen is not the only substrate used in Brazilian jiu-jitsu fights, since there are indications of activation of the glycolytic, lipolytic and proteolytic pathways. Furthermore, the athletes rated the combats as being light or somewhat hard although muscle damage markers were generated.U ovom istraživanju istraživali smo fiziološke odgovori i subjektivne procjene opterećenja brazilskih jiu jitsu boraca tijekom simulacije borbe. Na uzorku od 12 muških brazilskih jiu jitsu boraca (27.1±2.7 godina, 75.4±8.8 kg, 174.9±4.4 cm, 9.2±2.4% masti) uzeti su krvni uzorci venske krvi te je mjerena frekvencija srca u mirovanju, nakon zagrijavanja (deset minuta), odmah nakon simulacije borbe (sedam minuta) te nakon oporavka (četrnaest minuta). Nakon borbe zabilježena je vrijednost subjektivne procjene opterećenja. Borba nije uzrokovala promjene u koncentraciji glukoze, triglicerida, ukupnoga kolesterola, lipoproteina niske gustoće, lipoproteina vrlo niske gustoće, uree ni amonijaka u krvi. Ipak, koncentracija lipoproteina visoke gustoće bila je značajno viša nakon borbe (prije: 43.0±6.9 mg/dL, nakon: 45.1±8.0 mg/dL) te je ostala na visokoj razini tijekom perioda oporavka (43.6±8.1 mg/dL) u usporedbi s koncentracijom u mirovanju (40.0±6.6 mg/dL). Borba nije uzrokovala promjene u koncentraciji markera staničnog oštećenja: keratin kinaze, aspartat aminotransferaze ni kreatinina. Ipak, koncentracija enzima alanin aminotransferaze (prije: 16.1±7.1 U/L, nakon: 18.6±7.1 U/L) i laktat dehidrogenaze (prije: 491.5±177.6 U/L, nakon: 542.6±141.4 U/L) u krvi bila je povišena nakon borbe. Srčana frekvencija (prije: 122±25 otk/ min, nakon: 165±17 otk/min) i vrijednosti laktata (prije: 2.5±1.2 mmol/L, nakon: 11.9±5.8 mmol/L) bile su značajno više nakon borbe u odnosu na stanje mirovanja. Usprkos tomu, borci su borbu procijenili kao laganu ili donekle tešku (12±2). Rezultati pokazuju da mišićni glikogen nije jedini supstrat koji se koristi tijekom borbe brazilskog jiu jitsa, budući da su zabilježene indikacije aktiviranja glikolitičkih, lipolitičkih i proteolitičkih metaboličkih procesa. Štoviše, borci su ocijenili borbu kao laganu ili donekle tešku iako je zabilježeno stvaranje markera mišićnog oštećenja