In-office tooth bleaching with 38% hydrogen peroxide promotes moderate/severe pulp inflammation and production of ll-1ß, TNF-ß, GPX, FGF-2 and osteocalcin in rats.

OBJECTIVES: To study the intensity of inflammatory infiltrate and production of interleukin-1ß (ll-1ß), tumor necrosis factor-ß (TNF-ß), fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF-2), glutathione peroxidase (GPX), and osteocalcin in response to in-office tooth bleaching in rats. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Twenty male Wistar rats were randomized into four groups (n=5) according to the received treatment (tooth bleaching or no treatment - control) and the period of euthanasia after treatment (24 h or 10 days). We performed tooth bleaching using a 38% hydrogen peroxide gel on maxillary and mandibular incisors. After euthanasia, incisors (20 per group) were processed for histological analysis, immunohistochemistry staining of ll-1ß, TNF-ß, FGF-2 and GPX and osteocalcin by immunofluorescence. We analyzed data using the Mann-Whitney and Kruskal-Wallis/Dunn tests (p<0.05). RESULTS: The bleached groups presented statistically significant differences regarding the pulp inflammation stage compared with the control groups. Bleached teeth showed moderate/severe inflammatory infiltrate and control groups presented absent inflammatory cells or a negligible number of mononuclear cells (p<0.001) at two times (24 h and 10 days). There was strong staining for ll-1ß, TNF-ß, and GPX in bleached groups at 24 h and strong staining for ll-1ß, TNF-ß, GPX and FGF-2 at 10 days. After 10 days of tooth bleaching, the bleached group showed a statistically superior amount of osteocalcin than the other groups (p<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Tooth bleaching with 38% hydrogen peroxide causes severe pulp inflammation, but characteristics of tissue repair after 10 days.

Phenolic compounds, carotenoids and antioxidant activity in plant products / Compostos fenólicos, carotenóides e atividade antioxidante em produtos vegetais

The respiratory process and several aerobic cells oxidative reactions lead to the formation of free radicals which contribute to the appearance of different diseases. The human cells depend on their antioxidant ability to provide protection against the prejudicial effects of free radical and reactive oxygen species that are inevitable consequences of aerobic life. Several epidemiologic studies indicate that high plant products ingestion is associated to a reduction in the hazard of a variety of cronical diseases such as arteriosclerosis and cancer. These effects have been specifically attributed to the plant compounds that have antioxidant activity: vitamin C and E, phenolic compounds, specially flavonoids, and carotenoids. Phenolic compounds act as antioxidants, not only for their ability to donate hydrogen atoms or electrons, but also because of their stable intermediary radicals, that prevent the oxidation of many food ingredients, especially lipids. Carotenoids are built by polyene chains in a long conjugated double bonds system, electron rich, which is responsible for the antioxidant activity of these compounds, by the absorption of singlet oxygen and free radicals, to interrupt the chain reaction they are involved in. This paper had as a goal to review the different qualitative and quantitative evaluation methods of the main non-nutrient antioxidants in plant originated f

O processo respiratório e diversas reações oxidativas das células aeróbicas levam à formação de radicais livres, que contribuem para o aparecimento de diversas doenças. As células humanas dependem de sua capacidade antioxidante para fornecer proteção contra os efeitos prejudiciais de radicais livres e espécies reativas do oxigênio, que são conseqüências inevitáveis da vida aeróbica. Vários estudos epidemiológicos indicam que a alta ingestão de produtos vegetais está associada com uma redução no risco de uma variedade de doenças crônicas como aterosclerose e câncer, efeitos que têm sido particularmente atribuídos aos compostos que possuem atividade antioxidante nos vegetais: vitaminas C e E, os compostos fenólicos, especialmente os flavonóides, e os carotenóides. Compostos fenólicos agem como antioxidantes, não somente por sua habilidade em doar hidrogênio ou elétrons, mas também em virtude de seus radicais intermediários estáveis, que impedem a oxidação de vários ingredientes do alimento, particularmente de lipídios. Carotenóides são constituídos de cadeias de polienos, em um longo sistema de duplas ligações conjugadas, rico em elétrons, responsável pela atividade antioxidante desses compostos: tanto na absorção do oxigênio singlet quanto de radicais livres, para interromper as reações em cadeia onde eles estão envolvidos. Este trabalho teve por finalidade revisar as diferentes