ABSTRACT
Aims: To evaluate the effect of an organotherapic drug, produced from the pancreas of a young pig, on glycemic alterations in AIDS patients. Methodology: Current study was carried out in a double-blind, placebo controlled and randomized design. AIDS patients who had high fasting glucose (>110 mg/dL) were selected so that the effect of the organotherapic drug could be evaluated. The patients were divided into two groups: Group I comprised patients who received the organotherapic drug diluted in 1x1012 alcohol/ water 8%, once a day, with a sublingual-administered fasting dose of 10 drops, during four months. Group II consisted of patients receiving placebo once a day at the same dosage. Glucose oxidase method and ELISA, following the manufacturer’s instructions, respectively determined levels of glucose and insulin before treatment and monthly until four months after the start of treatment. Results: Results registered hyperglycemia in 30% of the patients (60/200), higher than in the population at large (7-15%). This fact could be related to the time of infection (10.0±4.78 years) and treatment (9.3±3.76 years) of the patients. On the other hand, patients who underwent treatment with organotherapic medicine showed a significant reduction (p<0,001) in blood glucose levels (from 204.5±86.63 to 86.63±16) and lower insulin levels after four months of treatment (organotherapic group with 8.02±3.598 versus placebo with 23.83±3.670 p<0,001) within normality, regardless of age, time of infection and time of treatment. This fact suggests that the organotherapic drug was effective to stabilize blood glucose levels in patients. Conclusion: Current study evidences that the organotherapic drug obtained from the pancreas of a young pig, diluted 1x1012 in alcohol/ water 8% improves blood glucose levels in patients with hyperglycemia keeping within the normal range after four months of treatment. Considering the HAART therapy that significantly increases the life expectancy of AIDS patients but with significant metabolic alterations this study shows the possibility of utilization of complementary and alternative therapies. Although results indicate a significant effect of the organotherapic drug, additional studies are needed to evaluate the long-term effects.
ABSTRACT
Biomedical investigations still rely on the use of laboratory animals, mice and rats are the most commonly used on experimentations. Past experimentations with these animals showed that they could be affected by environmental conditions and infections, causing interferences on researches. Colonies of mice and rats can be parasitized by ectoparasites. Ectoparasites may interfere with scientific researches, typically exacerbated when the animals are immunosuppressed, however, is not common to cause mortality on mice. The plant known as Delphinium staphisagria has been used for years on the treat of skin wounds caused by insects and other parasites such as scabies. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of the plant Delphinium staphisagria on Myocoptes musculinus infections on mice (Mus muscullus), the experimental animal. The mice of the Parasitology Lab / DBS / UEM with four weeks of age, weighing approximately 28-30 g were evaluated for clinical diagnosis of infection Myocoptes musculinus. Once confirmed, the parasitic animals were divided into experimental groups consisting of 10 animals each as: (I) infected animals with Myocoptes musculinus untreated, (II) infected animals treated with Delphinium staphisagria, once daily added in drinking water, (III) animalsco-infected with strain of low lethality of Trypanosoma cruzi and treated with Delphinium staphisagria. (IV) animalsco-infected with low lethality strain of T. cruzi and untreated. The clinical and parasitological evaluation was conducted for 90 days. All animals treated with Delphinium staphisagria showed clinical and parasitological cure for the infection of Myocoptes musculinus.
ABSTRACT
The frequency of eggs and cysts of intestinal parasites in domiciled dogs that lived in the city of Maringá, Brazil, was studied. From November 2006 to November 2007, stools of 81 dogs were examined, of which 44.4% were positive for some kind of enteric parasite. The most frequent was Ancylostoma spp. with 18.5% (15/81) followed by Giardia lamblia with 11.1% (9/81). There was association of parasites in 11.0% of the samples, being the most frequent Ancylostoma spp. and Trichuris vulpis (6.2%) (5/81). There were sources of contamination where the animals lived which were responsible for maintaining the parasite in the environment.