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Introduction: Phenolic compounds, due to their chemical structure, can absorb ultraviolet energy and reduce the formation of free radicals. Aim: To evaluate the photoprotective and antioxidant activity of phenolic compounds from the observation of in vitro results and to verify the importance of the use of biological models in this perspective. Methodology: A search for articles published in the Pubmed database was carried out between 2010 and 2020, which met the objectives of this work, 44 articles were selected. Results: According to the literature, the instrumental methods used to assess independent photoprotective activity, good correlation in vivo, and demonstrating rapid and effective determination of the sun protection factor. In addition to these, biological methods have been provided for the evaluation of aspects not measured by physical-chemical methods, related to DNA damage, resulting from sun exposure. For the evaluation of antioxidant activity, the DPPH radical method was registered in 92.6 % of published studies and it was observed that antioxidants can increase sun protection and also help in the stability of synthetic sunscreens. Conclusion: Phenolic compounds, especially with antioxidant properties, can be used as photoprotective agents in topical formulations to reduce skin damage induced by UV radiation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Up to date drug-based treatments for COVID-19 have not been approved. The most effective way to face this public health problem is prevention with adequate nutrition, hygiene, and protection measures. Food has historically been used by people to improve their nutrition and complement the treatment or prevention of diseases. The various bioactive compounds of some foods are known, which in experimental studies demonstrated their antiviral and immunomodulatory action. Objective: To identify bioactive compounds of foods or food preparations with potential immunomodulatory, immunostimulatory, and antiviral effects against coronavirus. Material and Methods: A search was carried out in Google Scholar, Scopus, and Virtual Health Library on Traditional Complementary and Integrative Medicine using the terms food, immunomodulatory, immunostimulatory, and antiviral in four successive searches. Results: 93 articles were obtained, and further evidence of antiviral and immunological effect against coronavirus was identified on nine foods: Allium sativum, Cinnamomum zeylanicum, Citrus sinensis, Zingiber officinale, Vitis vinifera, Allium cepa, Curcuma longa, Punica granatum, and Sambucus nigra. The first four of them showed activity against SARS-CoV-2. Conclusions: The immunological and antiviral effect against coronavirus of nine foods was evidenced; however, they are in silico and in vitro studies, therefore it is required further preclinical and clinical research to confirm this. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Currently there is a marked interest in the search for antioxidants from natural sources, including seaweed. For approximately twenty years, the Pharmacology and Toxicology Group of Faculty of Biology (UH) has investigated several species of seaweed, including the red algae Bryotahmnion triquetrum (S. G. Gmelin) Howe, as natural antioxidants. The objective of this work was to analyze the set of these results, which will allow us to define the antioxidant properties of the red seaweed B. triquetrum, propose possible mechanisms of action and, in turn, relate these mechanisms to the chemical composition. In the studies of the chemical composition, the phenolic acids t-cinnamic, p-coumaric and ferulic were identified, molecules that could explain the antioxidant activity. The antioxidant properties were studied with in vitro techniques, in total 7 experimental procedures, which allowed defining these properties and postulating possible mechanisms of action. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The efficient compounds' design taking advantage of the molecule's structural characteristics and efficient search for therapeutic targets has provided effective tools for the research of new treatments when this is focused on disease cellular mechanisms. Phenotypic changes produced by in vitro interaction between molecules and targets can be monitored quantitatively by live cell imaging. To guarantee adequate interaction, it is necessary to consider different crucial elements: 1. Structural characteristics and molecular dynamics of the evaluated compound. 2. Target relevance for the concern physiopathology. However, overview's ignorance of the drug discovery, from structural and cellular problems, has slowed the new treatments research. This literature review presents some important structural aspects for compounds' characterization as therapeutic candidates and experimental approaches for cellular systems development. Subjects discussed are focused on live cell imaging and we also provide relevant examples. Phenotypic monitoring of interactions' produced effects between the chemical candidate and therapeutic target in a cellular system can favor the efficient search of potentially therapeutic molecules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, there has been increased interest in the use of natural jaws for better results in bone fixation studies. Thus, the sheep mandible has been chosen for such studies. The aim of this study was to evaluate the length and resistance of the sheep mandible when submitted to a compression test with freedom in the three axes of space. Seventy fresh sheep (Ovis aries) mandibles were used in this study. Initially, the soft tissues were removed, and measurements of the mandible size were performed. Fifty mandibles were selected for mechanical testing based on the mean values from this assessment. The mandibles were joined by fixation in the symphyseal region and were tridimensionally deformed. A metallic support suitable for study of the mandible under efforts with freedom in the three axes in space was used. For this test, three displacement cycles were applied. Based on the mean stiffness, 35 mandibles were selected. The mean value of the sheep mandible mensuration was 13.6 cm ± 0.53 cm. The mean value of the sheep mandible stiffness was 153.5N ± 54.0 N. These data are useful for future studies on fixation systems for fractures and orthognathic surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Phonophoresis is based on the disruption of tissue that generates fast moving particles, facilitating drug absorption. Objective: The aim of this study is to measure the release of hydrocortisone by the application of in vitro phonophoresis in continuous and pulsed mode. Materials and Methods: In order to perform the evaluations, hydrocortisone in gel, manipulated in compounding pharmacy, was used. Analysis were made in cellulose acetate membrane associated with hydrocortisone with and without the application of phonophoresis, applying continuous and pulsed ultrasound at the 0, 5, 10, 15 and 20 minute application times. The analyzes were performed in triplicate. Results: The results suggest a greater release of hydrocortisone when associated to the therapeutic sonic wave. It was also found that the ultrasound in the continuous mode is more effective when compared to the pulsed mode after 5 minutes of application. At 10, 15 and 20 minutes the ultrasound adjusted in the continuous mode was more effective. Drug release has increased, when compared to the pulsed mode, in 585, 302 and 260%, respectively. Conclusion: Continuous-mode ultrasound is more effective when compared to pulsed mode at 5%, from 5 minutes of application, for release and permeation of 1% hydrocortisone in a vertical diffusion system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Over 170 municipalities in Colombia have been invaded by Lissachatina fulica, an African snail that can carry larvae of nematodes of interest in human and veterinary health. Nematodes enter the host snail as larvae L1 and then change to L2 and L3, the infectious form for vertebrates. Objective: To standardize culture in vitro of L3 carried by L. fulica from Santa Fe de Antioquia. Materials and methods: Between July and November, 2014, 10 snails were collected, killed, and conserved with HCl 0.7%. Larvae were recovered using the Baermann technique and cultured for 36 days in Schneider, DMEM and RPMI media, with and without SFB 20% and distilled water with SFB 20%. Replacements were made every 36 hours; larvae were measured with an ocular micrometer on a microscope. Summary statistics were estimated; box and whisker plots were made; the t Student test was performed in SPSS 18™. A p-value below 0.05 was assumed as significant. Results: Fifty per cent of the larvae survived. The highest survival and growth was 85% in supplemented DMEM. The final average length of larvae in supplemented media exceeded the initial one. There were significant differences between the average length of larvae cultured in supplemented media and the initial length. The initial width of larvae did not change. Conclusions: The best medium for the culture of L3 larvae was supplemented DMEM. The length provided more information than the width for the larval growth evaluation. The larvae studied did not correspond to Angiostrongylus cantonensis, A. costaricensis or Aelurostrongylus abstrusus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In vitro and in vivo studies show that SARS-CoV-2 induces a suppressed antiviral immune response, which may be one of the reasons the infection causes more severe damage in immunocompromised and elderly patients. Also, it is suggested that the BCG vaccine could be an alternative to stimulate the suppressed antiviral response in patients infected with SARS-CoV-2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In vitro and in vivo studies show that SARS-CoV-2 induces a suppressed antiviral immune response, which may be one of the reasons the infection causes more severe damage in immunocompromised and elderly patients. Also, it is suggested that the BCG vaccine could be an alternative to stimulate the suppressed antiviral response in patients infected with SARS-CoV-2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objetivo: Streptococcus mutans se adhiere a superficies formando biopelículas, evadiendo las defensas del hospedero y la quimioterapia antimicrobiana. Durante la infección existen enzimas encargadas de fijar proteínas de superficie a la pared bacteriana, entre ellas la Sortasa A (SrtA). Estudios previos determinaron la interacción de esta enzima y la quercetina-3-o-arabinoside como un blanco terapéutico efectivo. Por ello, se profundizó en estudiar dicha interacción molecular para mejorar las futuras terapias antimicrobianas. Método: el estudio in silico, partió de la búsqueda de las secuencias de esta enzima proveniente de S. mutans (Uniprot: Q8CM62). Empleando dicha información se determinaron sus principales parámetros bioquímicos, dominios conservados, predicción de estructuras secundarias y modelamiento tridimensional empleando las herramientas ProtParam, MMBD, PHD Secondary Structure Prediction y el servidor SWISS-MODEL. Una vez obtenidos los modelos tridimensionales, éstos fueron optimizados mediante el campo de fuerza GAFF y para el ligando respectivo se usó el campo de fuerza MMFF94(s). Los ensayos de docking molecular fueron realizados empleando AutoDock Vina y MGLTools respectivamente. Resultados: la SrtA presentó 206 aminoácidos, peso molecular de 22.71kDa y punto isoeléctrico de 9.01. Según sus dominios conservados, SrtA pertenece a la superfamilia de cisteintransferasas clase A, con un dominio formado por los aminoácidos Cys205/ His139/Arg213 que reconocen el motivo LPXTG. A partir de la predicción de su estructura secundaria, su conformación presentó 30.49% de alfa hélices y 26.42% de láminas beta, siendo su estructura tridimensional del tipo mixta (alpha-beta). De la búsqueda de motivos conservados, presentó solo una cadena de tipo A, naturaleza química de la triada catalítica (hidrofóbica/hidrofílica/hidrofílica) que interactúan con pequeños ligandos. Del modelamiento proteico, empleando la SrtA de Streptococcus pyogenes (PDB:3FN5), se observó que la triada catalítica es muy conservada. De la optimización geométrica de la proteína y ligando, se obtuvo valores de energía de -3462.51kJ/ mol y 643.564kJ/mol, respectivamente. De los templados proteína-ligando, se escogió el valor de mayor afinidad (?G=-5.7kcal/mol) y menor RMSD=0. Conclusiones: se concluye que la enzima Sortasa A wild type de Streptococcus mutans, es una molécula básica que mediante su triada catalítica, actúa específicamente con el flavonol, un tipo de flavonoide, quercetin-3-o-arabinoside optimizada; por lo cual se considera de relevancia para la salud oral. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]