Levantamento de plantas medicinais cultivadas no município de Solânea, agreste paraibano: reconhecimento e valorização do saber tradicional / A survey of cultivated medicinal plants from Solanea, dry area of Paraiba: recognition and recovery of the traditional knowledge

RESUMO Objetivou-se neste trabalho reconhecer e sistematizar o conhecimento tradicional sobre as espécies medicinais, as indicações terapêuticas, as formas de uso e as técnicas de produção e comercialização de plantas medicinais no agreste nordestino, no município de Solânea, Paraíba. Visitas, entrevistas e amostragem foram realizadas a agricultores familiares da região por meio de entrevistas semiestruturadas utilizando a técnica de turnê guiada. Após as visitas foi identificada uma atriz - informante. Foi feito um herbário com as plantas medicinais encontradas, nas quais foram identificadas e categorizadas quanto às indicações terapêuticas de acordo com a Classificação Estatística Internacional de Doenças e Problemas Relacionados à Saúde. Foram verificadas 59 espécies com propriedades medicinais distribuídas em 36 famílias botânicas, com o predomínio da família Lamiaceae. Enfermidades de afecções digestivas foram as mais indicadas. O chá foi o preparado de maior frequência.

ABSTRACT The aim of this work was to recognize and to order the traditional knowledge about the medicinal species, the therapeutic indications, the application forms, and the productions and marketing techniques of medicinal plants in the dry area of the northeast, in the city of Solanea, Paraíba. Visits, interviews and sampling were conducted to family farmers in the region through semi-structured interviews using the guided tour technique. A herbarium was built with the medicinal plants found and they were identified and classified regarding their therapeutic indications according to the Diseases International Statistical Classification and the Health Related Problems. 59 species with medicinal properties were identified and distributed in 36 different botanical families, with the Lamiaceae family predominance. The tea preparation was the more frequent one.

Occurrence of periodontal pathogens among patients with chronic periodontitis

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the presence of the periodontal pathogens that form the red complex (Tannerella forsythia, Porphyromonas gingivalis and Treponema denticola) and Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans in patients with chronic periodontitis. The sample consisted of 29 patients with a clinical and radiographic diagnosis of chronic periodontitis based on the criteria of the American Academy of Periodontology (3). Samples for microbiological analysis were collected from the four sites of greatest probing depth in each patient, totaling 116 samples. These samples were processed using conventional polymerase chain reaction, which achieved the following positive results: 46.6% for P. gingivalis, 41.4% for T. forsythia, 33.6% for T. denticola and 27.6% for A. actinomycetemcomitans. P. gingivalis and T. forsythia were more prevalent (p < 0.05) in periodontal pockets ≥ 8 mm. The combinations T. forsythia + P. gingivalis (23.2%) and T. forsythia + P. gingivalis + T. denticola (20.0%) were more frequent in sites with a probing depth ≥ 8 mm. Associations with the simultaneous presence of A. actinomycetemcomitans + P. gingivalis, A. actinomycetemcomitans + T. forsythia, P. gingivalis + T. forsythia and T. forsythia + T. denticola were statistically significant (p < 0.05). It was concluded that the red complex pathogens are related to chronic periodontitis, presenting a higher occurrence in deep periodontal pockets. Moreover, the simultaneous presence of these bacteria in deep sites suggests a symbiotic relationship between these virulent species, favoring, in this way, a further progression of periodontal disease.

Occurrence of periodontal pathogens among patients with chronic periodontitis.

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the presence of the periodontal pathogens that form the red complex (Tannerella forsythia, Porphyromonas gingivalis and Treponema denticola) and Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans in patients with chronic periodontitis. The sample consisted of 29 patients with a clinical and radiographic diagnosis of chronic periodontitis based on the criteria of the American Academy of Periodontology (3). Samples for microbiological analysis were collected from the four sites of greatest probing depth in each patient, totaling 116 samples. These samples were processed using conventional polymerase chain reaction, which achieved the following positive results: 46.6% for P. gingivalis, 41.4% for T. forsythia, 33.6% for T. denticola and 27.6% for A. actinomycetemcomitans. P. gingivalis and T. forsythia were more prevalent (p < 0.05) in periodontal pockets ≥ 8 mm. The combinations T. forsythia + P. gingivalis (23.2%) and T. forsythia + P. gingivalis + T. denticola (20.0%) were more frequent in sites with a probing depth ≥ 8 mm. Associations with the simultaneous presence of A. actinomycetemcomitans + P. gingivalis, A. actinomycetemcomitans + T. forsythia, P. gingivalis + T. forsythia and T. forsythia + T. denticola were statistically significant (p < 0.05). It was concluded that the red complex pathogens are related to chronic periodontitis, presenting a higher occurrence in deep periodontal pockets. Moreover, the simultaneous presence of these bacteria in deep sites suggests a symbiotic relationship between these virulent species, favoring, in this way, a further progression of periodontal disease.

Incidence of different pork quality categories in a Portuguese slaughterhouse: A survey.

This study was designed to evaluate the incidence of the PSE/DFD status in a Portuguese pig slaughterhouse, covering two seasons of the year (spring and summer) in order to find out if the proportions of those poor meat quality categories were sufficient to concern the meat industry. Meat quality classification was based on the measurements of the pH(60), pH(24), drip losses and colour (L, a, b) in the longissimus dorsi muscle (between the last third and fourth ribs) of 380 pigs randomly chosen from the line. The high global incidence of PSE and likely PSE (30%) as well as DFD (10%) carcasses and the enormous variation of the meat quality between the different days of analysis proves that the pig population presents a great variation of halothane genotype and that handling procedures have to be optimized in order to decrease stress and glycogen store depletion. The percentage of PSE carcasses during the summer season was double that found in the spring, probably due to a higher environmental temperature and relative humidity.

Measurements of pH(60) in pork using ISFET/REFET and glass electrode methods.

pH values of 180 pork longissimus dorsi muscles were obtained using different measurement methods. A glass combined penetration electrode and an ISFET/REFET pH sensor system were used directly in the muscle, whereas in the homogenate, pH was assessed with a glass combined electrode. The results showed that no statistically significant differences were obtained between the methods in all tested samples. However, samples where pH(60) stood below 5·9, produced a better agreement between methods. Comparing the values obtained from the two direct puncture methods in the first group of samples (pH<5·9) the I/R probe appeared to agree with those obtained from the homogenates. While working, the ISFET/REFET system proved to be a good device to detect carcasses with fast post mortem pH decline. Nevertheless, the excessive time required display stabilisation prohibits its use for continuous measurements on high speed slaughter-lines.

Muscle pH(60), colour (L, a, b) and water-holding capacity and the influence of post-mortem meat temperature.

The use of the pH(60) and colour parameters (L, a, b) as chilled pork drip loss predictors 24 h post-mortem as well as the influence on this meat characteristic of an early blast cooling regime (90 min post-mortem) were investigated. Despite the best correlation found with pH(60) (-0·647), both indicators were found to be poor for this purpose, it being impossible to use them alone for pork quality classification (PSE/DFD status). Comparing the evolution between the drip losses on chilled and early deep frozen (-60°C) longissimus dorsi pork cuts, the results indicate that both the thawing regime and the time the samples stay in refrigeration, influence the observed trends significantly. The general drip loss enhancement seen after thawing as well as the increasing meat toughness, judged subjectively, must be due to cold-shortening and/or thaw rigor phenomena.

[Comparison between lovastatin and gemfibrozil in treatment of primary hyperlipidemias]. / Comparação entre a lovastatina e o gemfibrozil no tratamento de hiperlipidemias primárias.

PURPOSE: To compare the effects of lovastatin and gemfibrozil in patients with primary hyperlipidemias. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Forty patients with cholesterolemia over 200 mg/dl and triglyceridemia not higher than 350 mg/dl, excluded secondary causes, were selected. Twenty patients received lovastatin and 20 gemfibrozil. In order to establish the lipid profile, blood samples were taken after 2 months without medication, after 4 weeks of diet and placebo and after 6 and 12 weeks of active treatment. Biochemical profile was determined before and after the treatment with active drug. RESULTS: Thirty nine patients completed the study. Total and LDL-cholesterol were significantly reduced (p less than 0.05) by both drugs but lovastatin had greater effect. Only gemfibrozil reduced triglycerides significantly. Neither drug had significant effects on HDL-cholesterol. The tolerance was satisfactory; only one patient (using gemfibrozil) needed to stop the treatment due to gastrointestinal side effects. The biochemical profile did not present any significant alteration. CONCLUSION: Both drugs produced useful effects on the lipid profile. Lovastatin produced greater reductions of total and LDL-cholesterol, while gemfibrozil was more active reducing triglycerides. Neither drug changed significantly the HDL-cholesterol.