Avaliação da ação de antissépticos no processo de higienização das mãos de manipuladores de dietas enterais, em Hospital do Rio de Janeiro, RJ / Evaluation of the action of antiseptics in the process of cleaning the hands of manipulators of enteral diets in hospital of Rio de Janeiro, RJ

Este trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar a eficiência da ação de antissépticos utilizados no processo de higienização das mãos de manipuladores de alimentos de Dietas Enterais do Hospital Universitário Pedro Ernesto. A microbiota das mãos dos manipuladores do setor foi pesquisada durante o período de um mês com três coletas seqüenciais semanalmente, totalizando 36 amostras. A primeira coleta (T0) representa a microbiota sem a utilização de anti-sépticos. A segunda coleta (T1) representa a ação de sabão líquido antiséptico e a última (T2) o uso de solução etílica a 70 por cento após a lavagem com sabão. Os resultados demonstraram a eficácia da metodologia empregada no setor, já que os números de UFC´s reduzem em T1 cerca de 59 por cento e em T2 cerca de 85 por cento, quando comparados ao momento T0. Como conclusão do estudo podemos destacar a importância da higienização correta das mãos de manipuladores de dietas enterais na diminuição da contaminação cruzada e conseqüentemente a garantia de qualidade do produto desenvolvido no setor.(AU)

The aim of this study was evaluate the action efficiency of antiseptic used in the section of manipulation of enteral diets of the Hospital Universitário Pedro Ernesto. The natural occurrence microorganisms in the hand was evaluated weekly during one month. The first samples (TO) represent the normal flora, without treatment. The second sample (TV represents the flora from treated hands with anti-septical soap. The third ones (T2) represents theflora from pre-tread hands with anti-septical soap followed by treatment with ethanol 70%. The results showed a decrease of CFU from up to 85% in the third samples (T2) and 59% in the second ones (TV when compared with the moment TO. The conclusion of the study was the importance of correctly hand washing to prevent the good quality of enteral diet production avoiding cross-linked contamination. (AU)

Avaliação da ação de antissépticos no processo de higienização das mãos de manipuladores de dietas enterais, em Hospital do Rio de Janeiro, RJ / Evaluation of the action of antiseptics in the process of cleaning the hands of manipulators of enteral diets in hospital of Rio de Janeiro, RJ

Este trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar a eficiência da ação de antissépticos utilizados no processo de higienização das mãos de manipuladores de alimentos de Dietas Enterais do Hospital Universitário Pedro Ernesto. A microbiota das mãos dos manipuladores do setor foi pesquisada durante o período de um mês com três coletas seqüenciais semanalmente, totalizando 36 amostras. A primeira coleta (T0) representa a microbiota sem a utilização de anti-sépticos. A segunda coleta (T1) representa a ação de sabão líquido antiséptico e a última (T2) o uso de solução etílica a 70 por cento após a lavagem com sabão. Os resultados demonstraram a eficácia da metodologia empregada no setor, já que os números de UFC´s reduzem em T1 cerca de 59 por cento e em T2 cerca de 85 por cento, quando comparados ao momento T0. Como conclusão do estudo podemos destacar a importância da higienização correta das mãos de manipuladores de dietas enterais na diminuição da contaminação cruzada e conseqüentemente a garantia de qualidade do produto desenvolvido no setor.

Antileishmanial activity of Eugenol-rich essential oil from Ocimum gratissimum.

Leishmaniasis is a group of diseases with a large spectrum of clinical manifestations caused by protozoans of the genus Leishmania. Here we demonstrate the leishmanicidal activity of the essential oil of Ocimum gratissimum as well as its main constituent, eugenol. The eugenol-rich essential oil of O. gratissimum progressively inhibited Leishmania amazonensis growth at concentrations ranging from 100 to 1000 microg/ml. The IC50 (sub-inhibitory concentration) of the essential oil for promastigotes and amastigotes were respectively 135 and 100 microg/ml and the IC50 of eugenol was 80 microg/ml for promastigote forms. L. amazonensis exposed to essential oil at concentrations corresponding to IC50 for promastigotes and for amastigotes underwent considerable ultrastructural alterations, as shown by transmission electron microscopy. Two or more nuclei or flagella were observed in 31% and 23.3% of treated amastigote and promastigote forms, respectively, suggesting interference in cell division. Considerable mitochondrial swelling was observed in essential oil-treated promastigotes and amastigotes, which had the inner mitochondrial membrane altered, with a significant increase in the number of cristae; in some amastigotes the mitochondrial matrix became less electron-dense. The minimum inhibitory concentration for both promastigotes and amastigotes was 150 microg/ml. Pretreatment of mouse peritoneal macrophages with 100 and 150 microg/ml essential oil reduced the indices of association between promastigotes and the macrophages, followed by increased in nitric oxide production by the infected macrophages. The essential oil showed no cytototoxic effects against mammalian cells. This set of results suggests that O. gratissimum essential oil and its compounds could be used as sources for new antileishmanial drugs.

Screening of antifungal agents using ethanol precipitation and bioautography of medicinal and food plants.

In the search for bioactive compounds, bioautography and ethanol precipitation of macromolecules (proteins, polysaccharides, etc.) of plant aqueous extracts were associated in an antifungal screening. Thus, the supernatants, precipitates (obtained by ethanol precipitation) and aqueous extracts were investigated of medicinal and fruit bearing plants used against skin diseases by the Brazilian population. The agar diffusion and broth dilution methods were used to assess the activity against three fungi: Candida albicans, Trichophyton rubrum and Cryptococcus neoformans. The results, evaluated by the diameter of the inhibition zone of fungal growth, indicate that six plant species, among the 16 investigated, showed significant antifungal activity. The minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) was determined on plant extracts that showed high efficacy against the tested microorganisms. The most susceptible yeast was Trichophyton rubrum and the best antifungal activity was shown by Xanthosoma sagittifolium supernatant. The bioautography was performed only for the aqueous extracts and supernatants of those plants that showed antifungal activity against Candida albicans and Cryptococcus neoformans, using n-butanol/acetic acid/water (BAW) 8:1:1 to develop silica gel TLC plates. Clear inhibition zones were observed for aqueous extracts of Schinus molle (R(f) 0.89) and Schinus terebinthifolius (R(f) 0.80) against Candida albicans, as for supernatant of Anacardium occidentale (R(f) 0.31) against Cryptococcus neoformans. The separation of macromolecules from metabolites, as in the case of Anacardium occidentale, Solanum sp. and Xanthosoma sagittifolium, enhances antifungal activity. In other cases, the antifungal activity is destroyed, as observed for Momordica charantia, Schinus molle and Schinus terebinthifolius.

A monoclonal antibody to glucosylceramide inhibits the growth of Fonsecaea pedrosoi and enhances the antifungal action of mouse macrophages.

Fungal glucosylceramides (GlcCer) are conserved lipid components in a large variety of pathogenic and non-pathogenic fungal species, but their biological functions are still unclear. Recent studies demonstrate that GlcCer are immunologically active components inducing the production of antifungal antibodies. In this work, a major GlcCer was purified and characterized from mycelial forms of Fonsecaea pedrosoi, the most frequent causative agent of chromoblastomycosis. As determined by fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry (FAB-MS) analysis, the purified molecule was identified as the conserved structure N-2'-hydroxyhexadecanoyl-1-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-9-methyl-4,8-sphingadienine. A monoclonal antibody (Mab) against this structure was used in indirect immunofluorescence with the different morphological stages of F. pedrosoi. Only the surface of young dividing cells was recognized by the antibody. Treatment of F. pedrosoi conidia with the Mab against GlcCer resulted in a clear reduction in fungal growth. In addition, the Mab also enhanced phagocytosis and killing of F. pedrosoi by murine cells. These results suggest that, in F. pedrosoi, GlcCer seem to be cell wall components targeted by antifungal antibodies that directly inhibit fungal development and also enhance macrophage function, supporting the use of monoclonal antibodies to GlcCer as potential tools in antifungal immunotherapy.

Leishmanicidal activity of polyphenolic-rich extract from husk fiber of Cocos nucifera Linn. (Palmae).

The available therapy for leishmaniasis, which affects 2 million people per annum, still causes serious side effects. The polyphenolic-rich extract from the husk fiber of Cocos nucifera Linn. (Palmae) presents antibacterial and antiviral activities, also inhibiting lymphocyte proliferation, as shown by our group in previous works. In the present study, the in vitro leishmanicidal effects of C. nucifera on Leishmania amazonensis were evaluated. The minimal inhibitory concentration of the polyphenolic-rich extract from C. nucifera to completely abrogate parasite growth was 10 microg/ml. Pretreatment of peritoneal mouse macrophages with 10 microg/ml of C. nucifera polyphenolic-rich extract reduced approximately 44% the association index between these macrophages and L. amazonensis promastigotes, with a concomitant increase of 182% in nitric oxide production by the infected macrophage in comparison to nontreated macrophages. These results provide new perspectives on drug development against leishmaniasis, since the extract of C. nucifera at 10 microg/ml is a strikingly potent leishmanicidal substance which inhibited the growth of both promastigote and amastigote developmental stages of L. amazonensis after 60 min, presenting no in vivo allergenic reactions or in vitro cytotoxic effects in mammalian systems.

Antileishmanial activity of a linalool-rich essential oil from Croton cajucara.

The in vitro leishmanicidal effects of a linalool-rich essential oil from the leaves of Croton cajucara against Leishmania amazonensis were investigated. Morphological changes in L. amazonensis promastigotes treated with 15 ng of essential oil per ml were observed by transmission electron microscopy; leishmanial nuclear and kinetoplast chromatin destruction, followed by cell lysis, was observed within 1 h. Pretreatment of mouse peritoneal macrophages with 15 ng of essential oil per ml reduced by 50% the interaction between these macrophages and L. amazonensis, with a concomitant increase by 220% in the level of nitric oxide production by the infected macrophages. Treatment of preinfected macrophages with 15 ng of essential oil per ml reduced by 50% the interaction between these cells and the parasites, which led to a 60% increase in the amount of nitric oxide produced by the preinfected macrophages. These results provide new perspectives on the development of drugs with activities against Leishmania, as linalool-rich essential oil is a strikingly potent leishmanicidal plant extract (50% lethal doses, 8.3 ng/ml for promastigotes and 8.7 ng/ml for amastigotes) which inhibited the growth of L. amazonensis promastigotes at very low concentrations (MIC, 85.0 pg/ml) and which presented no cytotoxic effects against mammalian cells.