Investigation of Antibacterial and Antiinflammatory Activities of Proanthocyanidins from Pelargonium sidoides DC Root Extract.

The study explores antibacterial, antiinflammatory and cytoprotective capacity of Pelargonium sidoides DC root extract (PSRE) and proanthocyanidin fraction from PSRE (PACN) under conditions characteristic for periodontal disease. Following previous finding that PACN exerts stronger suppression of Porphyromonas gingivalis compared to the effect on commensal Streptococcus salivarius, the current work continues antibacterial investigation on Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans and Escherichia coli. PSRE and PACN are also studied for their ability to prevent gingival fibroblast cell death in the presence of bacteria or bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS), to block LPS- or LPS + IFNγ-induced release of inflammatory mediators, gene expression and surface antigen presentation. Both PSRE and PACN were more efficient in suppressing Staphylococcus and Aggregatibacter compared to Escherichia, prevented A. actinomycetemcomitans- and LPS-induced death of fibroblasts, decreased LPS-induced release of interleukin-8 and prostaglandin E2 from fibroblasts and IL-6 from leukocytes, blocked expression of IL-1ß, iNOS, and surface presentation of CD80 and CD86 in LPS + IFNγ-treated macrophages, and IL-1ß and COX-2 expression in LPS-treated leukocytes. None of the investigated substances affected either the level of secretion or expression of TNFα. In conclusion, PSRE, and especially PACN, possess strong antibacterial, antiinflammatory and gingival tissue protecting properties under periodontitis-mimicking conditions and are suggestable candidates for treatment of the disease.

Management of maxillofacial fractures within three years of empirical findings.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate which treatment of maxillofacial fractures is more effective and what type of complications is the most common after observed treatment. The second aim is to explore relationship between treated facial bone fractures and temporomandibular joint (TMJ) pathology. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Cases with TMJ pathology in Lithuanian University of Health Sciences (LUHS) in the Department of Maxillofacial Surgery (MS) during 2012-2014 were analysed to research the occurrence of TMJ disorders after facial bone fracture treatment. Moreover, the clinical data of patients that were treated in LUHS in the Department of MS during 2012-2014 was collected and analysed. RESULTS: Male patients had higher fracture ratio (zygomatic and maxillary - 84%, mandibular - 89.72%). Complications occurred in 6% of the patients in a zygomatic and maxillary fractures group, mainly as an infraorbital nerve injury. Closed reduction and indirect fixation were performed for mandibular patients 49.7%. The ratio of complications for mandibular fractures was 6.1%. There were complications in group with the open reduction and direct fixation (24.2%, mostly osteomyelitis), when in the closed reduction and indirect fixation group (42.4%, mostly bone healing complications). There were no patients with TMJ pathology as a complication after facial bone fracture treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Fractures treatment technique differs in all cases because of individual characteristics and treatment variations. In the open reduction and direct fixation group complications occurred in fewer cases than in the closed reduction and indirect fixation group. Well-timed facial bone fracture treatment leads to non-occurrence of TMJ complications.