Antifungigrama para comprovar o potencial de ação dos extratos vegetais hidroglicólicos sobre Candida sp. (Berkhout) / Etest to confirm the action potential of plant hydroglycol extracts on Candida sp. (Berkhout)

A candidíase vaginal é uma doença causada, na maioria das vezes, pelo fungo do gênero Candida sp, que habita o trato gastrintestinal e geniturinário da espécie humana e pode tornar-se patogênico sob determinadas condições. A maioria dos indivíduos desenvolve defesas imunológicas que impedem a proliferação e desenvolvimento de candidíase localizada ou disseminada. Embora a causa exata do aumento de espécies não-albicans seja desconhecida, há evidências de que a própria terapia antifúngica possa estar contribuindo para o processo. Linhagens de C. glabrata são mais resistentes aos imidazólicos do que a C. albicans, sendo necessária uma concentração 10 vezes superior de miconazol para eliminar a C. glabrata quando comparada a C. albicans. Foi realizado um antifungigrama testando o potencial de ação de produtos vegetais sobre o fungo Candida sp. Foi observado que, ocorreu inibição do fungo no contato com os extratos hidroglicólicos das plantas Arctium lappa L., Calendula officinalis L., Stryphnodendron adstringens (Mart.) Coville e Tabebuia avellanedae Lorentz ex Griseb. A importância deste trabalho reside na possibilidade de desenvolvimento de tratamento complementar, menos agressivo, de menor custo e sem toxidade, o que possibilitaria melhor qualidade de vida para portadoras de candidíase vaginal recorrente ou não.

Vaginal candidiasis is a disease caused, in most cases, by the fungus of the genus Candida sp., which inhabits the gastrointestinal and genitourinary tracts of the human species and can become pathogenic under certain conditions. Most individuals develop immune defenses that prevent the proliferation and the development of localized or disseminated candidiasis. Although the exact cause of the increase in non-albicans species is unknown, there is evidence that antifungal therapy itself may have contributed to it. Strains of C. glabrata are more resistant to imidazole than C. albicans, and a 10-fold higher concentration of miconazole is required to eliminate C. glabrata compared to C. albicans. Etest was performed by testing the action potential of plant products on the fungus Candida sp. Inhibition of the fungus occurred when it was in contact with the hydroglycol extracts of plants Arctium lappa L., Calendula officinalis L., Stryphnodendron adstringens (Mart.) Coville and Tabebuia avellanedae Lorentz ex Griseb. The importance of this study lies in the possibility of developing a complementary treatment, less aggressive, of lower cost and without toxicity, which would allow better life quality for women with vaginal candidiases that are recurrent or not.

Clinical Safety Test of the Long Term Intake of Tabebuia Avellanedae (Taheebo) in Cancer Patients / 日本補完代替医療学会誌

60 cancer patients between the ages of 20 and 80 who had completed a main treatment were randomly administered Tabebuia Avellanedae (Taheebo) extract 2.0 g/day (usual dosage), 4.0 g/day (2 times dosage), or 6.0 g/day (3 times dosage) for 6 months. A blood biochemical exam, urinalysis, adverse effects, several immunological parameters, urine 8-OHdG and QOLsurvey were evaluated. Five patients dropped out, but there was no direct cause and effect between the extract and dropout. Although several items of the blood biochemical exam revealed slight variation within the normal limits, distinct abnormities were not detected. Furthermore, side effects like allergic symptoms were not found. Immune parameters and urine 8-OHdG did not change significantly. CRP, which is a sensitive marker of inflammation, was significantly improved, and this may suggest the possibility of this extract helping to prevent hardening of blood vessels due to arteriosclerosis. In Japan, long-term food safety tests have rarely been done, therefore we recommend that more of these exams be carried out.<br>

The Inhibitory Effect of Taheebo Extract on Histamine Release from Rat Peritoneal Mast Cells / 日本補完代替医療学会誌

The effect of hot water extract of <i>Tabebuia avellanedae</i> (Taheebo) in rat peritoneal mast cells during stimulation of histamine release was studied. Taheebo at concentrations of over 5 μg/ml caused an decrease in histamine release stimulated by C48/80 in a dosage-dependent manner. In the Ca²⁺ free medium, Taheebo caused a decrease in histamine release too. The effect of Taheebo was suppressed by high concentrations of C48/40 competitively. Taheebo at concentrations of over 10 μg/ml caused an decrease in histamine release stimulated by concanavalin A in a dosage-dependent manner, but the inhibition was non-competitive. These results suggested that Taheebo caused a decrease in the histamine release, which led to a decrease in the allergy symptoms.<br>