Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders show inflammatory components, heavily impacting on quality of life. Abelmoschus esculentus is largely cultivated in Northeastern Brazil for medicinal purposes, having it shown anti-inflammatory activity. We evaluated A. esculentus lectin (AEL) efficacy in reducing zymosan-induced temporomandibular joint inflammatory hypernociception in rats along with the mechanism of action through which it exerts anti-inflammatory activity. Animals were pre-treated with AEL (0.01, 0.1 or 1mg/kg) before zymosan (Zy) injection in the TMJ to determine anti-inflammatory activity. To analyse the possible effect of the hemeoxygenase-1 (HO-1) and the nitric oxide (NO) pathways on AEL efficacy, animals were pre-treated with ZnPP-IX (3mg/kg), a specific HO-1 inhibitor, or aminoguanidine (30mg/kg), a selective iNOS inhibitor, before AEL administration. Von Frey test evaluated inflammatory hypernociception, synovial fluid collection was performed to determine leukocyte counting and myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity 6h after Zy injection, and Evans Blue extravasation determined vascular permeability. TMJ tissue was collected for histopathological analysis (H&E) and immunohistochemistry (TNF-α, IL-1β, HO-1). In addition, TMJ tissue and trigeminal ganglion collection was performed for TNF-α and IL-1β dosage (ELISA). AEL increased inflammatory nociceptive threshold, reduced leukocyte influx along with MPO activity, leukocyte influx into the synovial membrane, and Evans Blue extravasation. It promoted HO-1 overexpression whilst decreased TNF-α and IL-1β expression in the TMJ tissue. AEL reduced TNF-α and IL-1β levels in TMJ tissue and trigeminal ganglion. AEL effects, however, were not observed in the presence of ZnPP-IX. These findings suggest that AEL efficacy depends on TNF-α/IL-1β inhibition and HO-1 pathway integrity.
Objective: To examine the relationship between nutritional status and dental caries of schoolchildren from Sobral, Ceará, Braszil. Methods: Dental health and nutritional status of 92 children studying in two different schools and aging 5 years old were evaluated. The nutritional status was evaluated using the Body Mass Index (BMI), and the dental health status was evaluated using the Decayed, Missing, and Filling Tooth Index (DMFT-index). An interview with the parents of the children was also performed to investigate the socioeconomic profile and nutritional habits of the children. Results: A DMFT-index of 1.97 was found, and 39.6% of the childrenpresented overweight. Higher prevalence of dental caries was associated with low income, public schools, and less schooled parents. The variable overweight presented the inverse situation found for dental caries. Moreover, it was observed lower prevalence of caries in overweight children. Conclusion: Dental caries and nutritional status exhibited different behaviors in the population studied, which were driven by the sociodemographic profile of the family.
Temporomandibular Disorders (TMDs) is a group of musculoskeletal and neuromuscular conditions involving the temporomandibular joints (TMJs), the masticatory muscles and all associated tissues. As there are no records on the activity related to proteins derived from goat milk involving inflammation in the TMJs, this study investigated the antinociceptive activity of casein (FCN), obtained by isoelectric precipitation of goat milk at pH 4.1, and its hydrolysates, obtained by hydrolysis with pepsin and trypsin (HDP and HDT, respectively). Pre-treatment with casein (1 mg/kg), HDP (1 mg/kg), or HDT (1 mg/kg) significantly reduced the nociceptive behavioral response (56.8 ± 9.17; 78 ± 8.28; and 86.0 ± 5.91, respectively) significantly reduced the nociceptive behavioral response, when compared to formalin group (177.7 ± 3.96). Although the efficacy of hydrolysates is independent of the HO-1 and NO pathways, their antinociceptive efficacy appear to depend on TNFα, IL-1β and IL-10 involvement. In fact, both HDP and HDT reduced TNF-α and Il-1β immunistaining in synoviocytes from synovial membranes and in trigeminal ganglion. Regarding IL-10, HDP increased IL-10 immunistaining in the synoviocytes from the TMJ synovial membrane and in the intercellular matrix. Also, HDT increased IL-10 immunistaining in both synovial membrane and trigeminal ganglion. Taken together our data suggest that the efficacy of casein fraction and its hydrolysates of goat milk in formalin-induced TMJ inflammatory hypernociception in rats involves, at least in part, TNF-α and IL-1β inhibition, and IL-10 secretion. Thus, considering the safety profile of goat milk, we postulated that CNF, HDP, and HDT, could offer a novel way to treat TMJ pain.
Cough is a common pediatric complaint, resulting in frequent doctor's office or hospital visits. In Brazil, the leaves of chambá (Justicia pectoralis) have been used extensively in herbal preparations for the treatment of many respiratory problems such as cough, bronchitis, and asthma. Thus, this study aimed to assess the effectiveness of chambá syrup for the treatment of cough and respiratory symptoms in children. Between November 2017 and February 2018, patients aged 1 to 12 years with respiratory symptoms and cough, and onset of symptoms greater than 48 h were enrolled in this trial. Participants were randomized to receive either chambá syrup in three daily doses or placebo. Effectiveness was assessed through a questionnaire, to measure the intensity of cough and respiratory symptoms, before the intervention and 48 h after, using Likert scale responses. A total of 114 children, 56 in the chambá group and 58 in the placebo group, participated in the study. After 48 h, there was a significant reduction in frequency of cough, severity of cough, severity of nasal congestion, and in improvement in the ability to sleep for both the child and caregiver in the chambá group (p< .0001 for all variables); for participants in the placebo group, there were no significant differences after intervention, in comparison with baseline. In this study population, chambá syrup was effective in the treatment of cough and respiratory symptoms, providing an overall improvement of symptoms when compared to placebo, as well as improving the ability to sleep.
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