Volatile compounds and antioxidative activity of Porophyllum tagetoides extracts.

Porophyllum tagetoides is an annual warm-weather herb that has an intense typical smell. Its leaves are commonly used in soup preparation and traditional medicine for treatment of inflammatory diseases. Its volatile compounds and antioxidant properties were evaluated in crude, aqueous and ethanol leaf extract and an oil emulsion using different antioxidant assays in vitro, such as: DPPH radical scavenging activity, redox potential, polyphenol content, reducing power and optical density. A high antioxidative activity was found when comparing leaves with stems. The crude extract from leaves showed a very high reducing power (2.88 ± 0.20 O.D.) and DPPH radical-scavenging activity (54.63 ± 4.80%), in concordance with a major concentration of vitamin C (23.97 ± 0.36 mg/100 g). Instead, the highest polyphenol content (264.54 ± 2.17 mg GAE/g of sample) and redox potential (561.23 ± 0.15 mV) were found by the ethanol and aqueous extract, respectively. Aldehydes and terpenes such as nonanal, decanal, trans-pineno, ß-myrcene and D-limonene were the major volatiles found. This study suggests that Porophyllum tagetoides extracts could be used as antioxidants.

Aesthetic otoplasty with remodeling of the antihelix for the correction of the prominent ear: criteria and personal technique.

A brief account of some important aspects of the embryological formation of the external ear is presented. Family and patient motivations to correct the aesthetic aspect of the prominent ear caused by the lack of development of the antihelix are discussed. The criteria for the selection of the patients and the ideal age for the surgical procedure are analyzed. The objectives of otoplasty for the correction of this deformity and the personal technique of the author are described. Emphasis is placed on the author's original contributions to this procedure and the results. The possible postoperative complications are discussed. Arch Facial Plast Surg. 2000;2:57-61