Novel polymeric dressing to the treatment of infected chronic wound.

Natural rubber latex (NRL) is a natural polymer which has arisen large interest in the biomedical field, mostly, due to its ability to facilitate angiogenesis and therefore, tissue repair. Moxifloxacin (MXF) is a broad-spectrum antibiotic orally administrated. Considering the biological properties of the NRL and its ability to deliver a wide range of compounds, the present study aimed to develop a novel device for infected chronic wound treatment. MXF-loaded NRL was obtained by a casting method. The results demonstrated that the incorporation of MXF in NRL did not promote any molecular interaction, preserving the integrity of the compounds. The mechanical properties of the biomaterial did not show any significant change, indicating enough elasticity for dermal application. The microbiological assays confirmed the ability of the polymer to deliver the drug without influencing its pharmacological properties. Moreover, it has expressed activity against major bacterial strains presented in wound infections. Finally, the biomaterial shown biocompatibility from the in vitro study. Thus, the present work has shown that MXF-loaded NRL membrane is a promising biomaterial to infected wound treatment.

Antifungal activity of fluconazole-loaded natural rubber latex against Candida albicans.

AIM: This work aimed to produce a membrane based on fluconazole-loaded natural rubber latex (NRL), and study their interaction, drug release and antifungal susceptibility against Candida albicans. MATERIALS & METHODS: Fluconazole-loaded NRL membrane was obtained by casting method. RESULTS: The Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy showed no modifications either in NRL or fluconazole after the incorporation. Mechanical test presented low Young's modulus and high strain, indicating the membranes have sufficient elasticity for biomedical application. The bio-membrane was able to release the drug and inhibit the growth of C. albicans as demonstrated by disk diffusion and macrodilution assays. CONCLUSION: The biomembrane was able to release fluconazole and inhibit the growth of C. albicans, representing a promising biomaterial for skin application.

Cell therapy in experimental model of inflammatory bowel disease / Terapia celular em modelo experimental de doença inflamatória intestinal

Inflammatory bowel disease, which mainly involves Crohn's disease and ulcerative rectocolitis, is an inflammatory condition of the mucosa that can afflict any segment of the gastrointestinal tract. Despite the fact that the existing therapies result in improvement in patient's symptomatology and quality of life, there is no curative treatment. Surgical treatment involves complex procedures associated with high morbidity and mortality rates. In this context, cell therapy with stem cells has emerged as a treatment with broad potential applicability. In this study, we intended to verify the efficacy of transplantation of adipose tissue-derived stem cells in rats with intestinal inflammation induced by trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid. The cell population was isolated from the adipose tissue of inguinal region of rats and processed for culture by mechanical dissociation. The animals were evaluated with respect to clinical and biochemical aspects, as well as by macroscopic, microscopic and histological analyses. In the experimental model of bowel inflammation by 2,4,6-trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid, the infusion of adipose tissue significantly reduced the presence of adhesions in the colon and adjacent organs and decreased the activity of myeloperoxidase, a marker of neutrophil infiltration in the injured mucosa. The results suggest that cell therapy with adipose tissue can promote and/or accelerate the regeneration of damaged intestinal mucosa. It is concluded that the presence of adhesions and the determination of myeloperoxidase activity provide indications that adipose tissue can promote and/or accelerate the regeneration of inflammatory bowel mucosa. (AU)

A Doença Inflamatória Intestinal (DII), consistindo principalmente da doença de Crohn e retocolite ulcerativa, é uma condição inflamatória da mucosa que pode acometer qualquer segmento do trato gastrointestinal. Apesar das terapias existentes resultarem na melhora dos sintomas e da qualidade de vida dos pacientes, não há nenhum tratamento curativo. O tratamento cirúrgico envolve procedimentos complexos associados a altas taxas de morbimortalidade. Neste contexto, a terapia celular com células-tronco desponta como opção de tratamento potencialmente promissora. Em função destes aspectos, pretendeu-se, no presente estudo, verificar a eficácia do transplante de células-tronco derivadas do tecido adiposo (ASC) em ratos com inflamação intestinal induzida por ácido trinitrobenzenosulfonico (TNBS). As ASCs foram obtidas por dissociação mecânica do tecido adiposo da região inguinal de ratos e processadas para cultivo. Os animais foram avaliados, considerando-se os aspectos clínicos e bioquímicos, além de análises macroscópica, microscópica e histológica. No modelo de inflamação intestinal induzida por TNBS, a infusão de ASCs reduziu significativamente a presença de aderências entre o cólon e órgãos adjacentes, bem como diminuiu a atividade da mieloperoxidase (MPO), um marcador da infiltração de neutrófilos na mucosa lesada. Os resultados obtidos permitem concluir que a terapia celular com ASCs pode promover e/ou acelerar o processo de regeneração da mucosa intestinal inflamada. (AU)