RESUMO
Green tea [Camellia sinensis, Teacea family] contains antioxidant and antimicrobial agents,and has a protective effect on the health of teeth. The aim of this study was to make a stable formulation of green tea aqueous extract and to verify its antimicrobial effects on the oral aerobic bacterial load. A total of 25 female volunteer students whithin the age range of 20 through 25 years were evaluated by using 0.2, 0.5 and 1% plant tannin aqueous solution on their aerobic bacteria streptococcus mutan species and the kinds of staphylococcus living in mouth. In order to evaluate the specific role of alcohol, a green tea mouthwash containing 1% tannin plus 10% alcohol was compared with a same alcohol-free formulation. Also in a separate test, a comparative study was performed between the above alcoholic green tea mouthwash and the commercial chlorhexidine 0.2%. The aqueous extract containing 1% tannin was more effective than other concentrations [P<0.05]. There was no significant difference between any of the formulations of green tea mouthwashes whether or not alcohol was incorporated [P>0.05]. Also, no difference was observed between the herbal and chlorhexidine 0.2% mouthwashes in terms of their antibacterial activities on the aerobic mouth bacterial load. The results of this study suggest that tannin 1% aqueous green tea extract is as effective as chlorhexidine 0.2% mouthwash in reducing oral aerobic bacteria. The use of this herbal mouthwash may also be safer, especially in children and pregnant women
RESUMO
Introduction: Tuberculosis [TB] caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis remains a major worldwide health problem. The only TB vaccine currently available is an attenuated strain of mycobacterium bovis termed Bacillus Calmette -Guerin [BCG]. The efficacy of BCG remains controversial. Mycobacterium secretory proteins are generally considered important antigens for protection against TB. A major protein component of mycobacterial culture filtrate is Antigen 85 complex which is a promising potential vaccine candidate
Material and Methods: Antigen 85 complex was purified from Mycobacterium bovis [BCG] culture filtrate by sequential chromatography on phenyl Sepharose 4B, DEAE-Sephacel and Superdex G75. Purification was confirmed by SDS-PAGE and immunoblotting with a specific monoclonal antibody. The in vitro ability of Ag 85 complex to stimulate cell proliferation was compared with that of Purified Protein Derivative [PPD] and the polyclonal T cell mitogen PHA in a whole blood assay in which the target cells were derived from 25 healthy PPD-positive and 25 healthy PPD-negative subjects
Results: Antigen 85 complex was found to have a molecular weight of 30-32 KDa by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and reacted strongly by immunoblotting with the monoclonal antibody specified against Ag 85. The responses to Ag 85 and PPD were significantly higher in cells of PPD- positive than in cells of PPD-negative donors. Eighty eight percent [22/25] of the PPD- positive cells responded to Ag 85 whereas only 16% [4/25] of the PPD-negative cells responded
Conclusion: The cell proliferation response to Ag 85 complex is significantly different between cells of skin-test positive and skin- test negative subjects and may suggest an immuno-protective role for Ag 85 complex against M. tuberculosis infection