Products For Therapeutic Purposes Research Articles

Molecular characterization and evaluation of phytochemical constituents of endophytic fungi derived from Mitracarpus scaber Zucc. (Rubiaceae)

In quest to ameliorate the issues of recurring incidences of multidrug-resistant organisms and over-exploration of plants, researchers have delved into researches involving endosymbiotic microorganisms, known as endophytes. These are microorganisms inhabiting the internal part of plants, which have been verified to possess great potentials of bioengineering novel products for therapeutic purposes. The aim of this study was to isolate and identify endophytic fungal species present in Mitracarpus scaber, molecularly characterize the pure isolates, and test for phytochemical compounds present. Freshly collected non-diseased leaves of M. scaber were subjected to a four-step surface sterilization. Thereafter, they were sliced into fragments of 1 cm-length, exposing the leaf blades and the midribs, and were aseptically inoculated on sterilized malt extract agar, containing chloramphenicol (500 mg/l), in Petri dishes. Hyphal tips of actively growing fungi from the plant material were harvested and further sub-cultured for purification and isolation. Segments were aseptically cut from the actively growing pure isolates, on malt extract agar and inoculated onto the fermentation medium (sterilized local rice), in 500 ml Erlenmeyer flasks, which were properly sealed with sterile cotton and kept at static condition at 25 oC for 21 days. Ethyl acetate was used to extract the metabolites from the end products of the fermentation processes. Four isolates obtained from the endophytic fungi (EDF), present in the leaf of M. scaber, were subjected to molecular identification. The DNA extraction was done using Zr fungal/bacterial DNA miniprep. The extracted DNA was amplified through PCR, and sequenced. The resultant sequences were compared with GenBank database, using Basic Local Alignment Search Tool. The result of phytochemical screening of the extracts revealed the presence of flavonoids, tannins and phenols, in large amounts; terpenoids, alkaloids and cardiac glycosides, in moderate amounts; steroids, hydrogen cyanide and saponins in very low quantities, while that of molecular characterization identified four organisms: Penicillium sclerotiorum, Clasporium cladosporiodies, Cryptococcus nemorosus, and Phyllosticta capitalensis.

Uso de propóleo con hidróxido de calcio como medicación intraconducto en periodontitis apical asintomática. Reporte de caso

Various civilizations have used honey and its products for therapeutic purposes throughout history because of their healing effects. There is a renewed interest in the use of apitherapy as an adjunct in various medical treatments. Propolis stands out for its bactericidal, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer properties, among others. This paper aims to describe the case of a lower left first molar diagnosed with pulp necrosis and asymptomatic periapical periodontitis that was managed with a mixture of propolis and calcium hydroxide as an intracanal medicament between appointments. A bone repair process was observed during this period. It is concluded that propolis is a viable alternative as a calcium hydroxide adjuvant when intracanal medication is indicated.

The Use of Crude Extract of Alhagi graecorum and Urtica pilulifera in the Treatment of Chronic Inflammation of Seminal Fluid: A Case Study

The use of herbal products for therapeutic purposes has begun since prehistoric times [1,2].

Use of medicines and other products for therapeutic purposes among children in Brazil.

ABSTRACTOBJECTIVE To assess the prevalence of the use of medicines and other products for therapeutic purposes in the Brazilian pediatric population and test whether demographic, socioeconomic and health factors are associated with use.METHODS A cross-sectional population-based study (National Survey on Access, Use and Promotion of Rational Use of Medicines – PNAUM), including 7,528 children aged 12 or younger, living in urban areas in Brazil. Medicine use to treat chronic or acute diseases was reported by the primary caregiver present at the household interview. Associations between independent variables and medicine use were investigated by Poisson regression.RESULTS The overall prevalence of medicine use was 30.7% (95%CI 28.3–33.1). The prevalence of medicine use for chronic diseases was 5.6% (95%CI 4.7–6.7) and for acute conditions, 27.1% (95%CI 24.8–29.4). The factors significantly associated with overall use were five years old or under, living in the Northeast region, having health insurance and using health services in the last 12 months (emergency visits and hospitalizations). The following were associated with drug use for chronic diseases: age ≥ 2 years, Southeast and South regions, and use of health services. For drug use in treating acute conditions, the following associated factors were identified: ≤ 5 years, North, Northeast or Midwest regions, health insurance, and one or more emergency visits. The most commonly used drugs among children under two years of age were paracetamol, ascorbic acid, and dipyrone; for children aged two years or over they were dipyrone, paracetamol, and amoxicillin.CONCLUSIONS The use of medicine by children is considerable, especially in treating acute medical conditions. Children using drugs for chronic diseases have a different demographic profile from those using drugs for acute conditions in relation to gender, age, and geographic region.