Optimization of Organogels prepared with turpentine oil and wax mixtures via response surface methodology and determination of vaporization kinetic parameters

BACKGROUND

The main aim of the study is to investigate the thermal, textural and vaporization behaviours of turpentine oil (representing essential oils) organogels prepared with wax mixtures (beeswax, BW; shellac wax, SHW) instead of one wax. The second aim was to determine the optimum level of wax addition to minimize vaporization of volatiles using response surface methodology.

RESULTS

Both weighing and thermogravimetric analyses showed that when the total wax concentration increased, the vaporization was decelerated. The variation of the hardness and melting point values depended on both wax types and amounts in the mixtures. Additionally, the kinetics of the vaporization of the volatile compounds at 37 °C were evaluated, and both first and second order reaction kinetic models fitted well for the vaporization with R2 values of 0.96 to 0.99. The organogelation increased the thermal stability and limited the release of the volatiles. The multiple response optimization results showed that the melting point, the reaction rate constant, and the weight loss of the organogels produced with 24.43%-BW and 17.68%-SHW were 44.40 °C, 4.00x10-3  day-1 and 30.02%, respectively.

CONCLUSION

As a result, essential oil organogels produced with wax mixture instead of one wax can provide controlled release of volatiles as well as tailored texture and melting range. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Inflammation alters iron distribution in bone and spleen in mice

Anemia of inflammation (or inflammation-associated anemia) decreases the quality of life in billions of patients suffering from various inflammatory diseases, such as infection, autoimmune diseases, and cancer, associated with a prolonged state of immune activation. While proper utilization of iron, a nutrient metal essential for erythropoiesis, is important for the prevention of anemia, the alteration of body iron homeostasis upon inflammation, which can contribute to the development of anemia, is not completely understood. Thus, we sought to examine temporal and spatial changes in the distribution of iron and iron-associated molecules during inflammation in mice. To induce inflammation, C57BL/6J mice were injected with turpentine oil weekly for 3 weeks, which resulted in anemia, decreased protein expression of ferroportin, a cellular iron exporter, in the spleen, duodenum, and liver, and increased iron stores in the duodenum and spleen. Tracer kinetic studies after oral administration of 59Fe revealed that more iron was found in the spleen and less in the femur bone in turpentine oil-injected mice compared to the saline-injected mice, indicating tissue-specific abnormalities in iron distribution during inflammation. However, there was no difference in the utilization of iron for red blood cell production after turpentine oil injection; instead, serum hemopexin level and lactate dehydrogenase activity were increased, suggesting increased red blood cell destruction upon inflammation. Our findings provide an improved understanding of temporal and spatial changes in the distribution and utilization of iron during inflammation.

Improving the Stability and Effectiveness of Immunotropic Squalene Nanoemulsion by Adding Turpentine Oil

Turpentine oil, owing to the presence of 7-50 terpenes, has analgesic, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, antibacterial, anticoagulant, antioxidant, and antitumor properties, which are important for medical emulsion preparation. The addition of turpentine oil to squalene emulsions can increase their effectiveness, thereby reducing the concentration of expensive and possibly deficient squalene, and increasing its stability and shelf life. In this study, squalene emulsions were obtained by adding various concentrations of turpentine oil via high-pressure homogenization, and the safety and effectiveness of the obtained emulsions were studied in vitro and in vivo. All emulsions showed high safety profiles, regardless of the concentration of turpentine oil used. However, these emulsions exhibited dose-dependent effects in terms of both efficiency and storage stability, and the squalene emulsion with 1.0% turpentine oil had the most pronounced adjuvant and cytokine-stimulating activity as well as the most pronounced stability indicators when stored at room temperature. Thus, it can be concluded that the squalene emulsion with 1% turpentine oil is a stable, monomodal, and reliably safe ultradispersed emulsion and may have pleiotropic effects with pronounced immunopotentiating properties.

Safety and efficacy of a feed additive consisting of an essential oil obtained from the oleoresin of Pinus pinaster Aiton (pine white oil) for use in all animal species (FEFANA asbl)

Following a request from the European Commission, EFSA was asked to deliver a scientific opinion on the safety and efficacy of an essential oil obtained from the oleoresin of Pinus pinaster Aiton (pine white oil, also known as turpentine oil), when used as a sensory additive in feed and water for drinking for all animal species. The Panel on Additives and Products or Substances used in Animal Feed (FEEDAP) concluded that the essential oil under assessment is safe up to the maximum proposed use levels of 35 mg/kg for laying hens, piglets, pigs for fattening, sows, rabbits, salmonids, 50 mg/kg for veal calves (milk replacer), cattle for fattening, dairy cows, horses, dogs and ornamental fish, 20 mg/kg for cats. For the other species, the calculated safe concentrations in complete feed were 25 mg/kg complete feed for chickens for fattening, 33 mg/kg for turkeys for fattening and 14 mg/kg for ornamental birds. These conclusions were extrapolated to other physiologically related species. For any other species, the additive was considered safe at 20 mg/kg complete feed. No concerns for consumers were identified following the use of pine white oil up to the maximum proposed use levels in feed. The additive under assessment should be considered as irritant to skin and eyes, and as a skin and respiratory sensitiser. The use of pine white oil at the proposed use level in feed was not expected to pose a risk for the environment. Pine white oil was recognised to flavour food. Since its function in feed would be essentially the same as that in food, no further demonstration of efficacy was considered necessary.

Micellization of Pluronic P123 in Water/Ethanol/Turpentine Oil Mixed Solvents: Hybrid Particle-Field Molecular Dynamic Simulation

The hybrid particle–field molecular dynamics simulation method (MD-SCF) was applied to study the self-assembly of Pluronic PEO₂₀-PPO₇₀-PEO₂₀ (P123) in water/ethanol/turpentine oil- mixed solvents. In particular, the micellization process of P123 at low concentration (less than 20%) in water/ethanol/turpentine oil-mixed solvents was investigated. The aggregation number, radius of gyration, and radial density profiles were calculated and compared with experimental data to characterize the structures of the micelles self-assembled from P123 in the mixed solvent. This study confirms that the larger-sized micelles are formed in the presence of ethanol, in addition to the turpentine oil-swollen micelles. Furthermore, the spherical micelles and vesicles were both observed in the self-assembly of P123 in the water/ethanol/turpentine oil-mixed solvent. The results of this work aid the understanding of the influence of ethanol and oil on P123 micellization, which will help with the design of effective copolymer-based formulations.

Synthesis of 99m Tc-roxithromycin: A novel diagnostic agent to discriminate between septic and aseptic inflammation

Roxithromycin is a second-generation macrolide antibiotic derived from erythromycin. In the current study, roxithromycin (ROX) was successfully labeled with technetium-99m for early diagnosis of bacterial infection and discrimination between septic and aseptic inflammation. The highest radiochemical purity of ≥95% was achieved by investigating different labeling parameters such as pH, ligand/reducing agent concentration, temperature, and amount of stabilizing agent. For this purpose, 0.3-0.5 mg ligand, 2-6 μg SnCl₂ ·2H₂ O as a reducing agent at basic pH (8-10 pH) and 2 mg mannitol used as a stabilizing agent, in the end, 370 MBq ^99m Tc added into the reaction vials and incubated for a wide range of temperature (-4 to 65°C). The percent radiochemical purity of ^99m Tc-roxithromycin was assessed with the help of the radio-thin-layer chromatography technique. The characterization studies were carried out using electrophoresis and Radio-HPLC techniques as well as saline stability and serum stability studies were also performed. Furthermore, biodistribution study was also performed in an inflamed animal model to discriminate between septic (heat-killed Staphylococcus aureus) and aseptic (turpentine oil) inflammatory lesions. The results were elaborated that ^99m Tc-roxithromycin (^99m Tc-ROX) was clearly bounded at the septic inflammation site (T/NT ratio of 7.08 ± 1.14) at 30 min postadministration, and maximum accumulation was seen in heart, lungs, liver, stomach, kidneys, and intestine. The results were suggested that ^99m Tc-ROX might be used to discriminate between septic and aseptic inflammatory lesions at an early stage.

Oral myiasis in paralytic patients with special needs: A report of three cases

Oral myiasis is invasion of the soft tissues of oral cavity by the parasitic larvae of the flies. This condition affects debilitated, mentally challenged individuals. These patients are not physically or mentally endowed to ward off flies or complain about worms burrowing their way into oral wounds. This study describes three cases of orofacial myiasis, removal of the live maggots, supportive treatment, and management of the cases with application of turpentine oil and also highlights oral health care in the patients with special needs.

Production of 68Ga-citrate Based on a SnO2 Generator for Short-Term Turpentine Oil-Induced Inflammation Imaging in Rats

INTRODUCTION

Gallium-68 citrate has been successfully applied in the PET imaging of infections and inflammation in some centers; however further evaluation of the tracer in inflammation models is of great importance.

METHODS

68Ga-citrate prepared from [68Ga]GaCl3 (eluted form an SnO2 based 68Ge/68Ga generator) and sodium citrate at optimized conditions followed by quality control tests was injected to normal and turpentine-oil induced rats PET/CT imaging studies up to 290 min.

RESULTS

68Ga-citrate was prepared with acceptable radiochemical purity (>99 ITLC, >99% HPLC), specific activity (28-30 GBq/mM), chemical purity (Sn, Fe <0.3 ppm; Zn<0.2 ppm) in 15 min at 50°C. PET/CT imaging of the tracer demonstrated early detection of inflamed site in animal models in 60-80 min.

CONCLUSION

This study demonstrated possible early detection of inflammation foci in vivo using 68Ga-citrate prepared using commercially available 68Ge/68Ga generators for PET imaging.

Oral myiasis in a maxillofacial trauma patient

Myiasis is a rare disease primarily caused by the invasion of tissue by larvae of certain dipteran flies. Oral myiasis is still more “rare” and “unique” owing to the fact that oral cavity rarely provides the necessary habitat conducive for a larval lifecycle. Common predisposing factors are poor oral hygiene, halitosis, trauma, senility, learning disabilities, physically and mentally challenged conditions. Oral myiasis can lead to rapid tissue destruction and disfigurement and requires immediate treatment. Treatment consists of manual removal of maggots from the oral cavity after application of chemical agents. Good sanitation, personal and environmental hygiene and cleanliness and special care for debilitated persons are the best methods to prevent oral myiasis. This case report describes the presentation of oral myiasis caused by musca nebulo (common house fly) in a 40-year-old male patient, with recent maxillofacial trauma. The patient was treated by manual removal larvae by topical application of turpentine oil, followed by surgical debridement of the wound and open reduction and internal fixation of the fracture.

Oral myiasis in a maxillofacial trauma patient

Oral Myiasis is a rare disease that is mostly reported in developing countries. It is primarily caused by the invasion of the human body by fly larvae. The phenomenon is well-documented in the skin, especially among animals. This case report describes the presentation of Oral Myiasis caused by Musca Nebulo (common house fly), in a 28-year-old patient, with recent maxillofacial trauma. The patient was treated by manual removal of the larvae, after topical application of turpentine oil, followed by surgical debridement and oral therapy with Ivermectin.

Antiarthritic activity of majoon suranjan (a polyherbal Unani formulation) in rat

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVES

Majoon Suranjan (MS) is a polyherbal formulation used in Unani system of medicine for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The present study evaluates the antiarthritic efficacy of this formulation in three different experimental models.

METHODS

The anti-inflammatory activity of MS (in doses of 450, 900 and 1800 mg/kg body wt) was evaluated using the turpentine oil induced paw oedema model and the antiarthritic efficacy was evaluated using the formaldehyde and complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA) induced arthritis models. Aspirin (100 mg/kg body wt) was used as the standard drug in all the models. In order to assess the safety of the test drug, oral acute and 28 day toxicity studies were also carried out.

RESULTS

MS produced a dose dependent protective effect in all the experimental models. Its antiarthritic efficacy was comparable to aspirin in formaldehyde induced arthritis and was superior to aspirin in turpentine oil induced paw oedema and CFA induced arthritis. MS also inhibited the delayed increase in joint diameter as seen in control and aspirin treated animals in CFA induced arthritis. Oral LD 50 of MS was found to be >5000 mg/kg in rats. Chronic administration did not produce any significant physiological changes in the tested animals.

INTERPRETATION & CONCLUSIONS

Results of the present study suggest that the antiarthritic activity of MS was due to the interplay between its anti-inflammatory and disease modifying activities, thus supporting its use in traditional medicine for the treatment of RA.