Antimicrobial activity and substantivity of Uncaria tomentosa in infected root canal dentin

Abstract The aim of this study was to analyze the antimicrobial activity and substantivity of Uncaria tomentosa Willd DC (cat's claw, CC) in root dentin contaminated with Enterococcus faecalis. Forty-eight human premolars were contaminated with E. faecalis (ATCC 29212) and randomly divided into four groups according to the irrigant used during chemomechanical preparation (CMP): CC group: 2% CC gel; CHX group: 2% chlorhexidine digluconate gel (CHX); NaOCl group: 5.25% sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl); and SS group: sterile saline (SS). Microbiological samples were collected before (S1) and after (S2) CMP and after 7 days (S3). Colony-forming units (CFU/mL) at the different sampling times and comparisons among the groups were statistically analyzed by Wilcoxon and Kruskal-Wallis tests (p < 0.05). Significant bacterial reduction was achieved in all groups after CMP (p < 0.05). Results show no significant difference between S3 and S2 (p > 0.05) in the CC and CHX groups. Bacterial load was higher in S3 than in S2 samples (p < 0.05) in the NaOCl and SS groups. Our results suggest antibacterial effect of 2% CC gel against E. faecalis in infected dentin, in addition to antibacterial substantivity of 2% CC and 2% CHX up to 7 days.

Contraceptive effect of Uncaria tomentosa (cat's claw) in rats with experimental endometriosis / Efeito anticoncepcional da Uncaria tomentosa (unha-de-gato) em ratas com endometriose experimental

PURPOSE: Evaluate the histological changes in parenchyma´s epithelial layer of the uterus and ovarian of rats with induced endometriosis, treated with Uncaria tomentosa extract. METHODS: 29 rats with experimental endometriosis, were selected and divided in three groups: The uncaria group received 32mg/ml of Uncaria tomentosa extract, 1ml administered daily and the placebo group received 1ml of saline 0.9 percent per day, during for 14 days (both groups); the leuprolide group received leuprolide acetate 1mg/kg body weight applied single subcutaneous dose. In the 15th day of treatment the uterine horn and ovaries were removed for histopathological analysis. RESULTS: The uncaria group presented nine samples (90 percent) with immature ovarian follicles, whereas the placebo group did not present any case and in the leuprolide group there were eight rats (88 percent) with the same change. The placebo group showed mature corpus luteum in all animals, occurring less frequent in uncaria (10 percent) and leuprolide (22 percent) groups. The uterine epithelium showed weak proliferative in nine (90 percent) samples of the uncaria group, in two (20 percent) animals in the placebo group and seven (77.8 percent) rats in the leuprolide group. CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest that Uncaria tomentosa has contraceptive effect.

OBJETIVO: Avaliação histológica do útero e parênquima ovariano de ratas com endometriose induzida tratadas com extrato de Uncaria tomentosa. MÉTODOS: Foram selecionadas 29 ratas com endometriose experimental e formados três grupos: O grupo uncaria recebeu extrato de Uncaria tomentosa com 32mg/ml, administrado 1ml ao dia e o grupo placebo recebeu 1ml de solução salina a 0,9 por cento, ambos por 14 dias; o grupo leuprolida recebeu acetato de leuprolida 1mg/kg de peso corporal aplicado via subcutânea dose única. No 15° dia de tratamento realizou-se retirada de corno uterino e ovários para análise histopatológica. RESULTADOS: O grupo uncaria apresentou nove amostras (90 por cento) com maturação incompleta dos folículos ovarianos, já o grupo placebo não apresentou nenhum caso e no grupo leuprolida houve oito ratas (88 por cento) com a mesma alteração. O grupo placebo apresentou corpo lúteo maduro em todos os animais, acontecendo de forma menos freqüente nos grupos uncaria (10 por cento) e leuprolida (22 por cento). O epitélio uterino se mostrou fracamente proliferativo em nove (90 por cento) das amostras do grupo unacaria, em dois (20 por cento) casos do grupo placebo e sete (77.8 por cento) casos no grupo leuprolida. CONCLUSÃO: Os achados sugerem que a Uncaria tomentosa tem efeito anticoncepcional.

Análisis botánico y químico de la corteza de Uncaria tomentosa (Willd. ex Roemer & Schultes) DC / Botanical and chemical analysis of the bark of Uncaria tomentosa (Willd. Ex Roemer & Schultes) DC

La corteza de Uncaria tomentosa (Willd. ex Roemer & Schultes) DC ("uña de gato"), es utilizada en la medicina tradicional de México para el tratamiento del cáncer. El propósito de este trabajo fue llevar a cabo el análisis químico y botánico de diferentes muestras de corteza de Uncaria tomentosa para concluir acerca de la calidad de las mismas. El análisis botánico consistió en determinar sus características macroscópicas (tamaño, color, características de la superficie, textura, fractura, olor y sabor) y microscópicas (vasos aislados, radios, cristales de oxalato de calcio, células de colénquima, células de parénquima y tubos cribosos). Mediante pruebas histológicas y reacciones químicas cualitativas se detectaron taninos condensados e hidrosolubles y alcaloides, los cuales contribuyen a las actividades inmunoestimulante y anticancerígena de la especie. El análisis químico cuantitativo consistió en la determinación del contenido promedio de alcaloides totales (0.7%), cenizas totales (32.9%), cenizas insolubles en ácido (27.2%), cenizas solubles en agua (25.3%), material extraíble en caliente (3.0%), pérdida por secado (9.6%) y arsénico (0.5 µg/ml). La metodología descrita en este trabajo puede constituir una base para establecer algunos parámetros de calidad de la droga cruda derivada de U. tomentosa, con miras a la elaboración de las monografías tipo OMS.

Antimicrobial activity of Uncaria tomentosa against oral human pathogens

Uncaria tomentosa is considered a medicinal plant used over centuries by the peruvian population as an alternative treatment for several diseases. Many microorganisms usually inhabit the human oral cavity and under certain conditions can become etiologic agents of diseases. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the antimicrobial activity of different concentrations of Uncaria tomentosa on different strains of microorganisms isolated from the human oral cavity. Micropulverized Uncaria tomentosa was tested in vitro to determine the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) on selected microbial strains. The tested strains were oral clinical isolates of Streptococcus mutans, Staphylococcus spp., Candida albicans, Enterobacteriaceae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The tested concentrations of Uncaria tomentosa ranged from 0.25-5 percent in Müeller-Hinton agar. Three percent Uncaria tomentosa inhibited 8 percent of Enterobacteriaceae isolates, 52 percent of S. mutans and 96 percent of Staphylococcus spp. The tested concentrations did not present inhibitory effect on P. aeruginosa and C. albicans. It could be concluded that micropulverized Uncaria tomentosa presented antimicrobial activity on Enterobacteriaceae, S. mutans and Staphylococcus spp. isolates.

Uncaria tomentosa é uma planta medicinal usada por vários séculos pela população peruana como alternativa de tratamento para diversas doenças. Muitos microrganismos que usualmente não habitam a cavidade bucal humana podem se tornar agentes etiológicos de doenças sob certas condições. O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar a atividade antimicrobiana de diferentes concentrações de Uncaria tomentosa sobre diferentes cepas de microrganismos isolados de cavidades bucais humanas. Uncaria tomentosa micropulverizada foi testada in vitro para determinar a concentração inibitória mínima (CIM) em isolados microbianos selecionados. Cepas de Streptococcus mutans, Staphylococcus spp., Candida albicans, Enterobacteriaceae e Pseudomonas aeruginosa avaliadas foram isoladas de cavidades bucais humanas. Foram preparadas as concentrações de Uncaria tomentosa entre 0.25 e 5 por cento em ágar Müeller-Hinton. Uncaria tomentosa a 3 por cento inibiu 8 por cento de Enterobacteriaceae, 52 por cento de S. mutans e 96 por cento de Staphylococcus spp. As concentrações testadas não apresentaram efeito inibitório sobre P. aeruginosa e C. albicans. Concluiu-se que Uncaria tomentosa micropulverizada apresenta atividade antimicrobiana sobre cepas de Enterobacteriaceae, S. mutans e Staphylococcus spp.

Effect of oral ingestion of an extract of the herb Uncaria tomentosa on the biodistribution of sodium pertechnetate in rats

The aim of the present study was to determine the effect of the oral ingestion of an extract of the herb Uncaria tomentosa (cat's claw) on the biodistribution of the radiobiocomplex sodium pertechnetate (Na99mTcO4) in rats. The animals (male Wistar rats, 2 months old, 180-220 g), were treated (1 mL) with an U. tomentosa extract (32 mg/mL, N = 5) or 0.9 percent NaCl solution (control, N = 5) for 7 days. After this period, Na99mTcO4 (3.7 MBq, 0.3 mL) was injected through the ocular plexus and after 10 min the rats were killed, the organs isolated and counted in a well-gamma counter. A significant (P < 0.05) alteration in Na99mTcO4 uptake i) from 0.57 ± 0.008 to 0.39 ± 0.06 percentATI/organ (P < 0.05) and from 0.57 ± 0.17 to 0.39 ± 0.14 percentATI/g (P < 0.05) was observed in the heart, ii) from 0.07 ± 0.02 to 0.19 ± 0.07 percentATI/g in the pancreas, and iii) from 0.07 ± 0.01 to 0.18 ± 0.07 percentATI/g (P < 0.05) in muscle after treatment with this extract. Although these results were obtained with animals, caution is advisable in the interpretation of the nuclear medicine examination when the patient is using this herb. This finding is probably an example of drug interaction with a radiopharmaceutical, a fact that could lead to misdiagnosis of the examination in clinical practice with unexpected consequences for the patient.

Determinación de fenoles totales en la corteza de la especie Uncaria tomentosa (Willd) de Nicaragua / Determination of total phenols in the bark of the species Uncaria tomentosa (Willd) of Nicaragua

En Nicaragua se han desarrollado pocos estudios sobre la Uncaria tomentosa conocida como la uña de gato que se comercializa en los diferentes establecimientos farmacéuticos y/o botánicos. Los estudios sobre los polifenoles presentes en ella (Uncaria tomentosa (Willd.)) ya se han realizado pero no se han cuantificados, por lo cual va ser el primer trabajo investigativo de esta categoría. Con el presente trabajo investigativo se quiere contribuir a la población en general en brindar más información sobre las ventajas del uso de plantas medicinales que contienen gran poder medicinal especialmente la Uncaria tomentosa.

Effect of 3 plant extracts on b16-bl6 melanoma cell growth and metastasis in C57bl/6 mice

En el presente estudio, se investigaron los posibles efectos de extractos acuosos de tres plantas amazónicas, Uncaria tomentosa (UT), Petiveria alliacea (PA) y Phyllantus niruri (PN), sobre el crecimiento y la metástasis de células de melanoma B16/BL6 en ratones C57BL/6, y sobre los niveles séricos del factor de necrosis tumoral alfa (TNF-iÀ), la interleucina-6 (IL-6) y el componente amiloide P (SAP). Ninguno de los tres extractos inhibió el crecimiento de las células B16/BL6, ni de las líneas celulares tumorales humanas, HT 29 y Caco-2, in vitro. Los niveles séricos de IL-6 y SAP, y la respuesta de TNF-¡À sérico a LPS resultaron elevados en los animales inoculados i.v. con las células de melanoma. Sólo el UT, inyectado i.p., redujo significativamente la metástasis a pulmón de un inóculo i.v. de células B16/BL6, y produjo un retardo en el crecimiento de un tumor primario. Además, sólo el extracto de UT produjo disminución de la respuesta sérica de las dos citocinas proinflamatorias, TNF-¡À e IL-6. UT amerita futuros estudios como potencial agente anticáncer.

Several useful anticancer drugs have been derived from plants. The growth and metastasis of tumours in the mousemay be used to study plant extracts with therapeutic potential. In the present study we investigated the possible effects of aqueous extracts of three Amazonian plants (Uncaria tomentosa [UT], Petiveria alliacea [PA] and Phyllantus niruri [PN]) on the growth and metastasis of B16/BL6 melanoma cells in the C57BL/6 mouse, and on the serum levels of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-a), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and serum amyloid P component (SAP). None of the three extracts inhibited the growth of the B16/BL6 cells in vitro, or of two other tumor cell lines, HT-29 and Caco-2. Serum levels of IL-6 and SAP, and the TNF-¦Á serum response to LPS rose in the animals inoculated i.v. with melanoma cells. Only UT, when injected i.p. every other day for 14 days, was able to significantly reduce lung metastases after an i.v. inoculation of melanoma cells or to delay the appearance and growth of solid tumors after s.c. inoculation. In addition, only UT was able to reduce the serum response of the two proinflammatory cytokines, TNF-a and IL-6. No effect on SAP levels was observed. UT merits further study as an anticancer agent.

Identificación de vitaminas liposolubles (A, E y D) e hidrosolubles (B1, B12 y C) en la corteza del género Uncaria en la especie tomentosa nicaragüense / Identification of liposoluble vitamins (A, E and D) and water-soluble vitamins (B1, B12 and C) in the bark of the genus Uncaria in the Nicaraguan tomentosa species

El presente trabajo de investigación trata de identificar la presencia de vitaminas liposolubles e hidrosolubles en la corteza del género Uncaria en la especie tomentosa nicaragüense. Vitaminas liposolubles (A, E y D) e hidrosolubles (B1, B12 y C) a través de técnicas colorimétricas y mediante cromatografía en capa fina