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Among remarkable discoveries concerning propolis, such as antifungal, antiviral, and antioxidant activities, its anti-inflammatory, and mainly its antibacterial, properties deserve special attention when skin wound healing is concerned. Based on this and knowing the distinctive performance of bacterial (BC) membranes on wound healing, in this work it is proposed to demonstrate the potent antimicrobial activity and wound healing properties of a novel propolis containing biocellulose membrane. The obtained pro-polis/BC membrane was able to adsorb propolis not only on the surface, but also in its interstices demonstrated by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, and thermogravidimetric assays. Additionally, the polyphenolic compounds determination and the prominent antibacterial activity in the membrane are demonstrated to be dose dependent, supporting the possibility of obtaining propolis/BC membranes at the desired concentrations, taking into consideration its application and its skin residence time. Finally, it could be suggested that propolis/BC membrane may favor tissue repair in less time and more effectively in contaminated wounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the beginning of propolis research, several groups have studied its antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral properties. However, most of these studies have only employed propolis ethanolic extract (PEE) leading to little knowledge about the biological activities of propolis water extract (PWE). Based on this, in a previous study, we demonstrated the anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory activities of PWE. In order to better understand the equilibrium between effectiveness and toxicity, which is essential for a new medicine, the characteristics of PWE were analyzed. We developed and validated an RP-HPLC method to chemically characterize PWE and PEE and evaluated the in vitro antioxidant/antimicrobial activity for both extracts and the safety of PWE via determining genotoxic potential using in vitro and in vivo mammalian micronucleus assays. We have concluded that the proposed analytical methodology was reliable, and both extracts showed similar chemical composition. The extracts presented antioxidant and antimicrobial effects, while PWE demonstrated higher antioxidant activity and more efficacious for the most of the microorganisms tested than PEE. Finally, PWE was shown to be safe using micronucleus assays. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of Periogard® (Colgate-Palmolive) and Plax® (Colgate-Palmolive) in inhibiting biofilm formation of mutans streptococci (MS) on toothbrush bristles used just once for 2 minutes with no dentifrice. Methods: This study was performed into 3 phases in which mouthrinses and sterile distilled water (control group) were sprayed 6 times (to standardize the method) on toothbrush bristles used by 53 university students. Toothbrushes were kept at room temperature for 3 hours and put into test tubes each containing bacitracin sucrose broth (selective enrichment for MS). After incubation at 37°C for 3 to 4 days, MS biofilm on the bristles were analyzed and colony-forming units (CFU) were counted by stereomicroscope under reflected light. Results: 41 students completed the 3 phases of this study and 38 (92.7%) control group toothbrushes had CFU of MS that varied from 1 to uncountable. Periogard® and Plax® inhibited biofilm formation on the bristles of 97.4% and 84.2% toothbrushes, respectively. Conclusion: Periogard® and Plax®, in spray, reduced/eliminated biofilm formation of MS on the toothbrush bristles. However, Periogard® was more efficacious than Plax® for this purpose. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]