Oral health management of 97 patients living with HIV/AIDS in Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil

Hamamelis virginiana L. extract presents antimicrobial and antibiofilm effects, absence of cytotoxicity, anti-inflammatory action, and potential to fight infections through the nitric oxide production by macrophages

The potential of H. virginiana L. was evaluated against Candida spp. (C. albicans, C. dubliniensis, C. glabrata, C. guilliermondii, C. krusei, and C. tropicalis) and bacteria (Acinetobacter baumannii, Escherichia coli, Enterococcus faecalis, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus, and Streptococcus mutans). Effect on murine macrophages (RAW 264.7) was also evaluated with respect to cytotoxicity and production of cytokines (IL-1β and TNF-α) and nitric oxide (NO). The most effective concentrations of the extract were determined by microdilution broth. These concentrations were analyzed on biofilms, after 5 min or 24 h exposure. Cytotoxicity was performed by MTT assay and quantification of cytokines and NO by ELISA and Griess reagent, respectively. The extract acted against the planktonic forms and provided significant reductions of all the microbial biofilms; besides, showed no cytotoxic effect, except at 100 mg/mL, after 24 h exposure. There was cytokine production; however, a modulatory effect was observed in groups exposed to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) from E. coli. NO production was similar or higher than the control group. Thus, H. virginiana L. extract showed antimicrobial and antibiofilm effects; absence of cytotoxicity for RAW 264.7; anti-inflammatory action; and potential to fight infections through the NO production.

Prevalence of oromucosal lesions in HIV positive patients receiving haart-A prospective clinical study

AIM

To determine the preponderance of oral mucosal lesions and conditions in patients receiving highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) for Human Immunodeficiency virus (HIV).

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Patient tested Seropositive for HIV and on HAART therapy were clinically examined to evaluate prevalence of oral lesions.

RESULTS

In the pool of 152 HIV positive patients in the study, age ranged from 7 to 71 years, 67 were males and 85 females. The duration of the HAART medication was 43 months. Oral lesion was present in 51.32% of patients related to infection. Oral lesions seen in descending order of frequency were periodontitis, mucosal hyperpigmentation, acute gingivitis, oral candidiasis, linear gingival erythema, stomatitis, and nonspecific ulcers. Totally, 48.68% of patients had no oral lesions.

CONCLUSION

Majority of the HIV patients on HAART exhibited periodontitis (30.77%), mucosal hyperpigmentation (17.44%), gingivitis (10.77%), anemic stomatitis (11.28%), and other oral lesions accounted to 29.74% which may be attributed to Anti Retro Viral Therapy.

Rosmarinus officinalis L. (rosemary) as therapeutic and prophylactic agent

Rosmarinus officinalis L. (rosemary) is a medicinal plant native to the Mediterranean region and cultivated around the world. Besides the therapeutic purpose, it is commonly used as a condiment and food preservative. R. officinalis L. is constituted by bioactive molecules, the phytocompounds, responsible for implement several pharmacological activities, such as anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antimicrobial, antiproliferative, antitumor and protective, inhibitory and attenuating activities. Thus, in vivo and in vitro studies were presented in this Review, approaching the therapeutic and prophylactic effects of R. officinalis L. on some physiological disorders caused by biochemical, chemical or biological agents. In this way, methodology, mechanisms, results, and conclusions were described. The main objective of this study was showing that plant products could be equivalent to the available medicines.