Antimicrobial activity of Anonna mucosa (Jacq.) grown in vivo and obtained by in vitroculture

Brazilian flora includes numerous species of medicinal importance that can be used to develop new drugs. Plant tissue culture offers strategies for conservation and use of these species allowing continuous production of plants and bioactive substances. Annona mucosa has produced substances such as acetogenins and alkaloids that exhibit antimicrobial activities. The widespread use of antibiotics has led to an increase in multidrug-resistant bacteria, which represents a serious risk of infection. In view of this problem, the aim of this work was to evaluate the antibacterial potential of extracts of A. mucosa obtained by in vitro techniques and also cultured under in vivo conditions. Segments from seedlings were inoculated onto different culture media containing the auxin picloram and the cytokinin kinetin at different concentrations. The calluses obtained were used to produce cell suspension cultures. The materials were subjected to methanol extraction and subsequent fractionation in hexane and dichloromethane. The antimicrobial activity against 20 strains of clinical relevance was evaluated by the macrodilution method at minimum inhibitory and minimum bactericidal concentrations. The extracts showed selective antimicrobial activity, inhibiting the growth of Streptococcus pyogenes and Bacillus thuringiensis at different concentrations. The plant tissue culture methods produced plant materials with antibacterial properties, as well as in vivo grown plants. The antibacterial activity of material obtained through biotechnological procedures of A. mucosa is reported here for the first time.

Ação dos medicamentos homeopáticos Arnica montana, Gelsemium sempervirens, Belladonna, Mercurius solubillis e nosódio sobre o crescimento in vitro da bactéria Streptococcus pyogenes / Action of homeopathic medicines Arnica montana, Gelsemium sempervirens,Belladonna, Mercurius solubillis and nosode on in vitro growth of Streptococcus pyogenes

Introdução: As bactérias são os micro-organismos com maior potencial patogênico para o ser humano. As infecções causadas por elas são na sua maioria graves e devem ser tratadas com drogas antibacterianas. Uma dessas bactérias patogênicas é Streptococcus pyogenes, causadora de diversas infecções, incluindo amigdalite, erisipela e ndocardite, sendo que em alguns pacientes ocorre febre reumática como complicação pós-infecção. Diversos trabalhos na literatura demonstram efeitos biológicos em bactérias após contato com soluções ultra-diluídas. Embasados nessas informações, propusemos avaliar o efeito dos medicamentos homeopáticos Belladonna (Bell), Mercurius solubillis (Merc), Gelsemium sempervirens (Gels) e nosódio de S. pyogenes no crescimento in vitro da bactéria S. pyogenes. Arnica montana (Arn) foi usado no presente trabalho como controle, por não ser, aparentemente, indicada no tratamento de infecções bacterianas. Materiais e métodos: Os medicamentos foram utilizados nas diluições de 12cH e 30cH, nas concentrações de 2, 4 e 6 gotas em 3 mL de meio BHI (Brain Heart Infusion) com 100µL da bactérias na concentração 0,5 da escala de McFarland. A solução foi incubada a 37ºC por 20 horas e submetida à leitura em espectrofotômetro a 600nm. Resultados: Os medicamentos nosódio e Bell nas diluições 12cH e 30cH com 2, 4 ou 6 gotas inibiram significativamente o crescimento in vitro de S. pyogenes, enquanto Arn 30cH na concentração de 6 gotas estimulou esse crescimento. Conclusão: Medicamentos homeopáticos podem ter ação sobre o crescimento in vitro de bactérias, sendo que essa ação pode estar relacionada a sua aplicação clínica.

Introduction: Bacteria are the microorganisms with greatest pathogenic potential for human beings. The infections caused by bacteria are usually serious and require treatment with antibacterial drugs. One of such pathogenic bacteria is Streptococcus pyogenes, which is associated with several infections diseases, including tonsillitis, erysipela and endocarditis, being that rheumatic fever might occur as a post-infection complication. There are records in the literature of biological effects in bacteria subjected to ultra-diluted solutions. On those grounds, we sought to test the effects of homeopathic medicines Belladonna (Bell), Mercurius solubillis (Merc), Gelsemium sempervirens (Gels) and S. pyogenes nosode on the in vitro growth of S. pyogenes. Arnica montana (Arn) was used as control, as it is believed not to have any effect in the treatment of infections. Materials and methods: The homeopathic medicines were used in dilutions 12cH and 30cH in concentration 2, 4 and 6 drops/3 mL of BHI (Brain Heart Infusion) with 100 µL of bacteria in concentration 0.5 McFarland scale. The solution was incubated at 37 ºC for 20 hours and read in spectrophotometer at 600 nm. Results: Medicines nosode and Bell in dilution 12cH and 30cH and concentration 2, 4 and 6 drops induced significant inhibition of the in vitro growth of S. pyogenes; Arn30cH in concentration 6 drops promoted bacterial growth. Conclusion: Homeopathic medicines might have an action on the in vitro growth of bacteria, which might be related with their clinical applications.

Induction, production and purification of streptolysin S. [SLS]

Strain C203S of Streptococcus pyogenes group A was examined for the production of Streptolysin S [SLS]. The strain under investigation produced the highest yield of Streptolysin S. The combined material [crude SLS] was further purified by hydroxylapatile column chromatography. The purified product had a specific activity 3.5 x 10[5] haemolytic units [mg protein]-1

Información sobre fascitis necrosante / Necrotizing fasciitis information

En consideración a que existen dudas sobre el término ®fascitis necrosante¼, tanto en su incidencia, etiología, patogenia y patología, principalmente en relación con algunos casos que se observaron y que produjeron comentarios periodísticos exagerados, pareció necesaria la exposición de datos pertinentes a los capítulos susodichos. Ello se realizó tomando como base las características patogénicas de los estreptococos beta hemolíticos del grupo A de Lancefield, a los que desde hace muchos años se les reconoce como causa de diversas patologías, entre ellas la correspondiente a la fascitis necrosante. La enfermedad no tiene alta incidencia o prevalencia, pero, en general, se le caracteriza por rápida evolución hacia la gravedad o por establecimiento crónico de recuperación tórpida

Cones de prata: avaliaçäo ®in vitro¼ do poder bacteriostático / Silver cones: evaluation \"in vitro\" of bacteriostatic power

Cones de prata de diversos calibres, empregados na obturaçäo de canais radiculares, tiveram sua açäo antimicrobiana testada, através da verificaçäo do halo de inibiçäo de crescimento de cepas de três diferentes bactérias (Staphylococcus, Streeptococcus viridans e Pseudomonas aeruginosa) em ágar nutritivo. Confirmou-se o poder bacteriostático. Consideraçöes sobre a utilizaçäo dos cones de prata como material obturador de canais radiculares foram feitas respaldadas em conflitante bibliográfica