Wound Healing and Anti-Inflammatory Effect in Animal Models of Calendula officinalis L. Growing in Brazil

Calendula officinalis is an annual herb from Mediterranean origin which is popularly used in wound healing and as an anti-inflammatory agent. In this study, the ethanolic extract, the dichloromethane, and hexanic fractions of the flowers from plants growing in Brazil were produced. The angiogenic activity of the extract and fractions was evaluated through the chorioallantoic membrane and cutaneous wounds in rat models. The healing activity of the extract was evaluated by the same cutaneous wounds model through macroscopic, morphometric, histopathologic, and immunohistochemical analysis. The antibacterial activity of the extract and fractions was also evaluated. This experimental study revealed that C. officinalis presented anti-inflammatory and antibacterial activities as well as angiogenic and fibroplastic properties acting in a positive way on the inflammatory and proliferative phases of the healing process

The effect of carbon dioxide therapy on composite graft survival

PURPOSE: To investigate the effect of carboxytherapy in auricular composite grafts in rabbits. METHODS: An experimental study was conducted using 20 rabbits randomly assigned to a treatment group of carboxytherapy or a control group of saline solution. In each ear, a circular graft with 1.5 cm or 2 cm of diameter was amputated and reattached. Animals underwent carbon dioxide or saline injection four times during the experiment. We analyzed clinical evolution of the animals, grafts survival, histopathology features and histomorphometry of collagen. RESULTS:The treated group had a significantly lower weight gain (p=0.038). Histopathology was not significantly different between groups. There was an increase in amount of collagen in 2 cm grafts submitted to carbon dioxide therapy (p=0.003). Carboxytherapy didn't influence graft survival rate for 1.5 cm grafts or 2 cm grafts (p=0.567 and p=0.777, respectively). CONCLUSIONS:Carbon dioxide therapy increased the amount of collagen in 2 cm grafts. CO2 was not significantly different from saline infusion on composite grafts survival, but this study suggests that there is a mechanical effect caused by distension which favored graft survival

Freqüência de alterações cérvico-vaginais em mulheres submetidas ao exame citopatológico

O Exame citopatológico é o método de triagem que auxilia na detecção precoce do câncer e de lesões pré-cancerosas da cérvix. No Brasil, o câncer cervical representa a segunda neoplasia maligna mais incidente em mulheres. O objetivo desse estudo foi avaliar a freqüência das alterações citopatológicas de acordo com a faixa etária. A seleção dos casos foi realizada através dos resultados dos exames citopatológicos, de mulheres na faixa etária entre 14 a 80 anos, obtidos no Centro de Atenção Integrada à Saúde da Mulher, Uberaba (MG), no período de 2001 a 2003. Dos 35.220 resultados obtidos, em 3,34% foram descritos alterações no epitélio cérvico-vaginal, sendo mais freqüentes as alterações escamosas e glandulares de significado indeterminado (53,7%) e as infecções pelo HPV (31%). As mulheres mais jovens (< 40 anos) foram significativamente mais acometidas por essas alterações (