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Ixeris chinensis (Thunb.) Nakai (Taiwan) is a traditional herbal medicine used for treating various ailments, such as stomach ache, common cold and diarrhoea. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the antioxidative, anti-inflammatory and anti-adhesive effect of I. chinensis on Helicobacter pylori ( H. pylori )-induced gastric adenocarcinoma in an AGS cell model. Three types of I. chinensis extract were used: boiling water extract (BWE), ethanol extract (EE) and chloroform extract (CE) to check anti- H. pylori activity on the AGS cell line. Phytochemical and HPLC analysis were performed. In vitro antioxidant activity, including TEAC, DPPH and H 2 O 2 scavenging abilities, was evaluated. In addition, the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) were determined, and an MTT assay determined survival rate. Furthermore, interleukin-8 (IL-8), tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α) and nitric oxide (NO) levels were measured. The BWE showed better antioxidative activity than the EE and CE. The lag time of human low-density lipoprotein (LDL) oxidation was significantly increased by BWE, EE and CE. However, CE showed maximum antibacterial (MIC, MBC), anti-adhesive (urease test) and anti-inflammatory (IL-8, NO, TNF-α) activities. Based on the above findings, I. chinensis extract (BWE and CE) clearly shows antioxidative, anti-inflammatory and anti-adhesive effects on H. pylori -induced gastric adenocarcinoma in the AGS cell model. Hence, I. chinensis might be used to combat against H. pylori- induced gastric cancer with standard chemotherapeutic agents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report on preparation of substrates with dual function coatings, i.e. bacterial anti-adhesive and antibacterial agent releasing polymer films of zwitterionic block copolymer micelles (BCMs). BCMs were obtained by pH-induced self-assembly of poly[3-dimethyl (methacryloyloxyethyl) ammonium propane sulfonate- b -2-(diisopropylamino)ethyl methacrylate] (βPDMA- b -PDPA), resulting in BCMs with zwitterionic βPDMA-coronae and pH-responsive PDPA-core. These zwitterionic BCMs were then used as building blocks to construct mono- and multi-layer films. We found that the number of layers in the film was critical for the anti-adhesive property and 3-layer films were the most anti-adhesive against a model Gram-positive bacterium, Staphylococcus aureus . Antibacterial activity could be introduced to the films by loading Triclosan into βPDMA- b -PDPA micelles. Triclosan containing films were effective against Triclosan-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus specifically at moderately acidic conditions due to pH-induced disintegration of the micellar core blocks and release of Triclosan from the surface. Three-layer films also exhibited anti-adhesive property at physiological pH against a model Gram-negative bacterium, Escherichia coli . At moderately acidic pH, the coatings showed a contact antibacterial effect against an isolate of Escherichia coli with low sensitivity to Triclosan only when micellar cores were loaded with Triclosan. Such dual function films can be promising to combat biofouling at the non-homogeneous and/or defective parts of an anti-adhesive coating. Moreover, considering the moderately acidic conditions around an infection site, these multilayers can be advantageous due to their property of pH-induced antibacterial agent release. Statement of Significance This study presents preparation of substrates with dual function ultra-thin coatings of zwitterionic block copolymer micelles which show bacterial anti-adhesive properties against a Gram-positive and a Gram-negative bacterium. Such coatings are also capable of releasing antibacterial compounds in response to pH changes. Films were prepared by self-assembly of polymers at the surface. Our findings showed that zwitterionic micellar coronae introduced bacterial anti-adhesive property to the films, whereas pH-responsive micellar cores enabled release of an antibacterial agent from the surface at acidic pH. Considering the moderately acidic conditions around an infection site, such multilayers can be promising for the coating of implants/medical devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The objective of the study was to find out if human amniotic membrane could be used for corrective surgery after trauma to the orbital wall. Because of its proposed antiadhesive qualities, it seemed to be potentially suitable. We studied 8 men (mean age 37 (range 19–74) years) who had deficient ocular movement after fractures of the orbital floor. Five of them had already been operated on. Inclusion criteria were trauma dating back more than 4 months and a soft tissue stricture in the orbital floor diagnosed by magnetic resonance imaging. Patients were treated secondarily with lysis of adhesions and insertion of allogeneic human amniotic membrane laminated on to polyglactin 910/polydioxanone foil, which functioned as the carrier material. Patients were followed up for 3 months, by which time disorders of motility of the ocular bulb had disappeared completely in 5. Two patients had improved motility and a reduction in both their subjective and objective symptoms. One patient had no improvement. The considerable reduction in adhesions and scarring after insertion of the membrane confirms previous assumptions, according to which the epithelial side of the human amniotic membrane has an antiadhesive effect because of its smooth surface. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]