Antiinflammatory and antioxidant activity of plants used in traditional medicine in Ecuador

Ethanolic extracts from 15 plant species, representing eight different families, used in traditional medicine in Ecuador were evaluated for antiinflammatory and antioxidant activities. Conyza floribunda, Eupatorium articulatum, Bonafousia longituba, Bonafousia sananho, Tagetes pusilla and Piper lenticellosum extracts showed a significant antiinflammatory activity in vivo in the carrageenan-induced paw oedema model in mice. The extracts were also tested in vitro for their ability to inhibit lipid peroxidation and to scavenge superoxide and hydroxyl radicals. E. articulatum extract possesses both activities. Baccharis trinervis, E. articulatum and Phytolacca rivinoides extracts were active as antioxidants.

Analysis of the leaching and toxicity of new amine activators for the curing of acrylic bone cements and composites

The comparative reactivity of new tertiary amine activators with the basic chemical structure of N,N-dimethyl-4-toluidine, but reduced toxicity, is analysed. The leaching of the amine compounds from cured cements was studied by analysis of the concentration of the corresponding amine in a physiological saline solution after 3 months of immersion, giving lower values for the new amine compounds as compared to N,N-dimethyl-4-toluidine. The acute toxicity was determined by intravenous injection of saline solutions of the corresponding chlorhydrates in mice and the cytotoxicity by the evolution of specific culture media. The results obtained demonstrate a lower acute toxicity and cytotoxicity of the new activators, even with a noticeable antiseptic action, which makes these materials very interesting from a practical point of view as activators of the curing process of acrylic bone cements for orthopaedic surgery and dentistry.

Application of tertiary amines with reduced toxicity to the curing process of acrylic bone cements

4-Dimethylaminobenzyl alcohol (DMOH) and 4-dimethylaminobenzyl methacrylate (DMMO) were used as the activators in the benzoyl peroxide initiated redox polymerization for the preparation of acrylic bone cement based on poly(methylmethacrylate) beads of different particle size. The residual monomer content of the cured cements was about 2 wt %, independent of the redox system used in the polymerization, indicating that the activating effect of the tertiary aromatic amines DMOH or DMMO was sufficient to reach a polymerization conversion similar to that obtained with the benzoyl peroxide (BPO) N,N-dimethyl-4-toluidine (DMT) system. The BPO/DMOH and BPO/DMMO redox systems provided exotherms of decreasing peak temperature and increasing setting time, and the cured materials presented higher average molecular weight and similar glass transition temperatures in comparison with those obtained when DMT was used as the activator. In addition, these activators are three times less toxic than the classical DMT.

Polymeric drugs derived from ibuprofen with improved antiinflammatory profile

A new methacrylic monomeric compound bearing Ibuprofen (MIA) and the respective polymethacrylic macromolecular derivative (polyMIA) were evaluated for antiinflammatory properties in order to study their pharmacological activity profile. The macromolecular drug is constituted of Ibuprofen residues linked covalently to a polymethacrylic support, as a side substituent of the repeating unit, by means of a spacer group (p-aminophenoxy) that, in addition, is the most representative metabolite of Paracetamol. The Ibuprofen is slowly released from the polymeric support by hydrolysis of the ester bond in a biological medium. Different antiinflammatory testing methods were used; and the results obtained indicate that the monomeric and polymeric forms display higher potency to inhibit acute inflammatory processes than the traditional Ibuprofen form, even doubling the power of Ibuprofen. In addition, they present higher activity against chronic experimental processes, as well as an excellent antinociceptive behavior to inhibit the pain associated with arthritic diseases. According to previous reports and results presented in this article, we can conclude that the new polymethacrylic structures show higher analgesic, antipiretic, and antiinflammatory activities due to the possible activity of the macromolecular drug as well as to the controlled Ibuprofen release from the macromolecular delivery system. After releasing of the side active residue, a derivate of poly(sodium methacrylate) is formed, which is cleared from the body easily by the normal pathway of kidney metabolism.