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Possa, Gisele De Oliveira Krubniki;

Chopek, Solange;

Pereira, Airton Vicente;

Koga, Adriana Yuriko;

Oliveira, Marcia Regina Paes De;

Costa, Michele Dietrich Moura;

ABSTRACT Purpose: To assess the cytotoxicity and wound healing properties of an alginate hydrogel containing calendula glycolic extract. Methods: Cell viability in murine fibroblasts (3T3 cells) was evaluated using MTT and SRB assays. The wound healing effect was tested in an incisional wound model on 50 female Wistar rats, divided into two groups: rats treated with alginate hydrogel (n = 25), and rats treated with calendula-alginate hydrogel. Wound healing was assessed by measuring wound retraction rate and histological analysis of lesion tissues over a 28-day period. Histological analyses were performed on days 2, 7, 14, 21, and 28 post-surgery to examine inflammatory infiltrate, macrophage count, and angiogenesis. Picrosirius red staining was used to compare the relative abundance of collagen types I and III fibers. Results: Cytotoxicity tests on 3T3 cells revealed increased cell viability with the calendula-alginate hydrogel. The calendula-alginate hydrogel also demonstrated a significant improvement in wound closure, supported by histopathological analysis, showing reduced inflammation, increased macrophage activity, and enhanced collagen deposition. Conclusions: These findings evidenced the therapeutic potential of combining calendula extract and alginate for promoting enhanced wound healing.

Yang, Xiaofang;

Zheng, Xuebin;

Xiao, Xiangqian;

Li, Li;

ABSTRACT Purpose: This work aimed to investigate the effects of Tanshinone IIA (Tan IIA) on myocardial cell (MC) apoptosis in a rat model of heart failure (HF). Methods: Tan IIA was extracted from Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge (SMB) using an ethanol reflux method. Fifty rats were randomly divided into five groups: sham (no treatment), mod (HF model establishment), low dose (LD: 0.1 mL/kg Tan IIA), medium dose (MD: 0.3 mL/kg Tan IIA), and high dose (HD: 0.5 mL/kg Tan IIA), with 10 rats in each group. The effects of different doses of Tan IIA on cardiac function, MC apoptosis, and the levels of proteins associated with the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway were compared. Results: Mod group showed a significant decrease in systolic arterial pressure, mean arterial pressure, heart rate, left ventricular systolic pressure, left ventricular ejection fraction, left ventricular fractional shortening, and the levels of p-PI3K, p-Akt, and p-mTOR proteins versus sham group (p < 0.05). Additionally, the left ventricular end-diastolic diameter (LVIDd), end-systolic diameter, diastolic pressure, and MC apoptosis were significantly increased (p < 0.05). LD, MD, and HD groups exhibited significant improvements across various indicators of cardiac function and MC apoptosis versus mod group (p < 0.05). Conclusions: Tan IIA may improve cardiac function and inhibit MC apoptosis in rats with HF by modulating the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway.

Frezza, Bárbara Di Martino;

Rahal, Sheila Canevese;

Santos, Ivan Felismino Charas Dos;

Silva, Bruna Martins Da;

Silva Junior, José Ivaldo De Siqueira;

Ferreira, Gustavo Manea;

Vettorato, Michel De Campos;

Fogaça, Jéssica Leite;

Tsunemi, Miriam Harumi;

Fonseca-Alves, Carlos Eduardo;

Pellizzon, Claudia Helena;

Rosa, Vinicius Dos Santos;

ABSTRACT Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the effects of ozone therapy applied topically and/or by bagging on the healing of clean wounds induced in rat’s skin. Methods: One hundred and twenty male rats of about 16 weeks old was divided into five groups: G1) saline solution (0.9%); G2) sunflower oil; G3) ozonated sunflower oil; G4) ozone bagging; G5) association of ozonated sunflower oil and ozone bagging. The wounds were evaluated through macroscopic, morphometric, histopathologic, and tensile strength analyses. Results: Analysis among groups showed a lower percentage of wound contraction in G1 compared to G4 only in M7D. The tensile strength of the wounds showed differences among groups in the seventh (M7D) and the 14th (M14D) postoperative day, and among time points in G1 (M14D > M7D). The elongation of the wounds showed differences in G3 (M7D > M14D). Histological evaluation of the wounds showed significant change in bleeding, mixed to mononuclear infiltrate, congestion, and tissue disorganization for tissue organization between groups and time points. Conclusions: Ozone therapy applied topically and/or by bagging was not deleterious to the healing of clean wounds induced in rat’s skin, but ozone bagging showed the best contribution to the healing process.

Coelho, Marcelle Simões;

Lopes, Gabriel Cirone;

Sichi, Luigi Giovanni Bernardo;

Rode, Sigmar De Mello;

Araújo, Rodrigo Máximo De;

ABSTRACT Purpose: To evaluate the influence of patients’ serum vitamin D levels on muscle strength characteristics and whether it impacts the durability of botulinum toxin (BT) treatment. Methods: The muscle strength of the frontal and corrugator muscles was evaluated before and after the application of TB with pre- and post-application control measurements, and at weeks 2, 5 and 12. The effect of vitamin D on muscle strength and its interaction with BT were investigated in 20 patients. The muscle contraction force was measured by surface electromyography. Results: The results revealed statistically significant differences between the frontal measurement groups at weeks 2 and 5, as well as for the corrugator in the same weeks and at week 12. Regarding vitamin D, significant differences were observed only in the initial group with vitamin D > 30 ng/mL compared to < 30 ng/mL for the frontal muscles. Patients with higher levels of vitamin D had higher average muscle strength compared to those with lower levels in all evaluations. Conclusions: It was observed that vitamin D influences muscle strength and the necessary dosage of BT.

Abate, Juan Cruz;

Marinoff, Ivana Ivanoff;

Arnal, Nathalie;

Machuca, Mariana;

Papa-Gobbi, Rodrigo;

Vecchio, Leandro;

Rumbo, Martín;

Stringa, Pablo;

Lausada, Natalia Raquel;

ABSTRACT Purpose: To mitigate ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) triggered in solid organ transplant procedures, we aimed to evaluate the effects of multi-organ abdominal ischemic preconditioning (MAIP) in the context of renal IRI. Methods: An experimental kidney transplant model was conducted. Rats were divided into three groups: an intervention free basal group from which physiological data was collected; a control group (CT), which consisted of transplanted animals without MAIP; and a treated group, in which a MAIP protocol was implemented in the donor during the procurement of the left kidney, monitoring the recipient for 24 hours. Results: Urea, creatinine, and lactate dehydrogenase, as well as histopathological analysis (Banff: CT 1,66 ± 0,57 vs. basal 0, and MAIP 1), showed a clear trend in favor of MAIP group. Similar results were observed for tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-6 and CXCL10, as well as indicators of oxidative stress, with statistically significant levels for CXCL10 [0,295 ± 0,0074 arbitrary units (AU) CT and 0,0057 ± 0,0065 AU MAIP] and TBARS (2,93 ± 0,08 nmol/μg CT; and 2,49 ± 0,23 nmol/μg MAIP; p 0.05). Conclusion: The findings indicated that the MAIP exerts a protective influence on the transplanted kidneys, functioning as an IRI-protective strategy and enhancing the parameters associated with renal graft functionality.

Figueiredo Filho, Carlos Alberto;

Castro, Celia Maria Machado Barbosa;

Mascena, Guilherme Veras;

Maior, Gustavo Ithamar Souto;

Oliveira, Tharcia Kiara Beserra;

Marquis, Valéria Wanderley Pinto Brandão;

Brandt, Carlos Teixeira;

ABSTRACT Purpose: To evaluate the peritoneal histopathological changes and culture after the use of intravenous meropenem and intra-abdominal inoculation of 10% aqueous extract of anacardiaceae, in elderly rat model after autogenous fecal peritonitis induced. Methods: Thirty 18-month-old Wistar rats received induction of autogenous fecal peritonitis and then were stratified into two groups: study I, treated with meropenem (40 mg/kg); and study II, treated with meropenem (40 mg/kg) and intraperitoneal 10% aqueous extract of anacardiaceae. Animals were monitored for 15 days until euthanasia. Peritoneal fragments were collected for histopathological and culture. The study was approved by Ethics Committee. Results: None study-II animals died, while in study I, one died before euthanasia. In study II, 20% of the animals showed histopathological changes, none positive peritoneal culture, but one blood culture was positive (10%). In study I, 50% of the animals presented histopathological changes, 40% positive peritoneal cultures, and 50% positive blood cultures. All results when evaluated in the morbidity score showed better outcome for study-II group (p = 0,175). Conclusion: The use of meropenem associated with intraperitoneal 10% aqueous anacardiaceae extract after induction of autogenous fecal peritonitis in elderly rats showed better outcome in the set of histopathological changes, negative peritoneal and blood cultures, when compared with the use of meropenem isolated.