Could paraprobiotics be a safer alternative to probiotics for managing cancer chemotherapy-induced gastrointestinal toxicities?

Clinical oncology has shown outstanding progress improving patient survival due to the incorporation of new drugs. However, treatment success may be reduced by the emergency of dose-limiting side effects, such as intestinal mucositis and diarrhea. Mucositis and diarrhea management is symptomatic, and there is no preventive therapy. Bacterial and fungal-based compounds have been suggested as an alternative for preventing the development of diarrhea in cancer patients. Using probiotics is safe and effective in immunocompetent individuals, but concerns remain during immunosuppressive conditions. Paraprobiotics, formulations composed of non-viable microorganisms, have been proposed to overcome such limitation. The present literature review discusses current evidence regarding the possible use of paraprobiotics as an alternative to probiotics to prevent gastrointestinal toxicity of cancer chemotherapy.

Farmacoeconomia: um instrumento para gestão em drogarias de bairro / Pharmacoeconomy: an instrument for the management of neighborhood drugstores

OBJETIVO: Analisar os conceitos básicos da FarE e sua possível utilização em drogarias de bairro para o incremento financeiro e competitividade destes estabelecimentos. MATERIAIS E MÉTODOS: Trata-se de um estudo teórico dos conceitos básicos da FarE, e análise desta ferramenta para utilização em drogarias de bairro. O levantamento bibliográfico foi realizado através das bases de dados: Scielo, Lilacs, Ibecs, Medline e Google Acadêmico, com os descritores "farmacoeconomia", "economia da saúde" e "farmacoeconomia e drogarias", nos vernáculos inglês e português. Foram incluídos trabalhos sobre análise dos conceitos básicos e formas de análise, e trabalhos experimentais realizados no Brasil que utilizaram a FarE. RESULTADOS E DISCUSSÃO: A comercialização de medicamentos em drogarias alcançam cifras na ordem de bilhões, porém é observada a crescente abertura e interiorização de grandes redes, o que dificulta o mercado para as drogarias conhecidas como "drogarias de bairro". Como estes estabelecimentos geralmente dispõem de baixo capital e estoques, as análises de FarE podem orientar a compra de produtos mais eficazes, menos onerosos e permitem a redução do estoque, a fim de evitar a retenção de grande capital em produtos que não teriam fácil comercialização. Isto possibilitaria ainda uma melhor orientação aos pacientes, o que resulta provavelmente em uma maior fidelização dos mesmos. CONCLUSÃO: Pode-se concluir com este estudo através da análise dos conceitos básicos da FarE que esta ferramenta pode ser utilizada pelas drogarias de bairro para organização tanto financeira da compra e venda de produtos como a uma melhor assistência farmacêutica e fidelização de clientes

OBJECTIVE: to analyze the basic concepts of pharmacoeconomy (PharmE) and its possible use in neighborhood drugstores as a way of enhancing these establishments financially and competitively. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This is a theoretical study on the basic concepts of PharmE and its use in neighborhood drugstores. Literature searches were performed on the databases: SciELO, Lilacs, IBECS, Medline and Google Scholar, using the keywords "pharmacoeconomics", "health economics" and "pharmacoeconomics and drugstores", in English and Portuguese. We included studies addressing basic definitions and analysis tools as well as experimental work carried out in Brazil using PharmE. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: the sale of medicines in drugstores accounts for billions. There has been an increasing establishment and internalization of big pharmacy chains, which makes difficult the market for drugstores known as "neighborhood drugstores". As these establishments generally have low capital and stock, analysis of PharmE can guide the purchase of more effective, less costly products. In addition, PharmE could drive the reduction of stocks in order to avoid large capital retention in products that would not have rapid commercialization. This would provide an even better orientation for patients, which probably results in increased loyalty. CONCLUSION: PharmE can be used by neighborhood drugstores for financial organization ­ purchase and sale of products ­ as well as for a better pharmaceutical care and customer loyalty

Investigation of the toxic potential of crude ethanol extract of Annona coriacea (araticum) seeds in acute exposed mice

In this study, Annona coriacea Mart., Annonaceae, was examined for possible toxic effects on brain, liver and kidney of mice exposed to crude extract of the seeds (CESAN) of this plant. CESAN was administered by gavage for four days at doses of 12.5, 25, 50, and 100 mg/kg/day. Significant changes on liver were observed, which showed reduction in the number of hepatocytes per area and increase the apoptotic index in the exposed groups, and changes in the cytoplasm and nucleus of these cells and reduced consumption of water and feed in these animals. For the other studied areas, brain and kidneys showed no changes in the parameters used in this study. The results suggest hepatotoxic effects of CESAN, but without damage to brain and kidneys in this experiment, showing a toxic potential to this species, as to the Annonaceae family.

Determinantes dietéticos da ingestão alimentar e efeito na regulação do peso corporal / Dietetic determinants on food intake and effects in body weight regulation

Obesity is a multifactorial pathology currently considered one of the main public health problems. Its prevalence is increasing dramatically in the last decades, reaching huge rates in Brazil and many other countries. Regardless of the factors associated with genetic predisposition, this pathology is often associated with abnormal food intake, and also with high consumption of caloric foods and sedentary habits. Thus, obesity is the result of an imbalance between food intake and energy expenditure. One of the greatest research interests in nutrition has currently been the dietetic determinants that may exert an influence on the process of food intake, as well as the role of foods on physiological, physical and chemical factors most related to the processes of satiation and satiety. Based on these aspects, this paper analyzes several research works to gain a better insight of the dietetic factors affecting food intake and body weight regulation.

Alguns dados sobre a pratica de medicina geral. / The practice of general medicine

Numa populacao periurbana brasileira sao estudados alguns dos elementos essenciais da demanda de pacientes por servicos medicos. Criancas de zero a quatro anos sao, em numeros absolutos, o maior grupo de pacientes. Criancas e velhos demandam uma frequencia maior de consultas (frequencia media de tres a quatro consultas/ano). Os problemas que com maior frequencia trazem pacientes a consulta: infeccoes respiratorias e diarreia aguda em criancas; e problemas emocionais em adultos. Foram encaminhados para hospitais ou especialistas 10,2% do total de pacientes vistos no periodo de um ano, sendo que 81% deles tratados sem a necessidade de exames complementares