The influence of heat on biological activity and concentration of oleocanthal - a natural anti-inflammatory agent

Background – The olive oil phenolic, oleocanthal is a natural non-steroidal anti-inflammatory compound that irritates the oropharynx in a dose-dependent manner. It has been proposed that the biological activity of oleocanthal is partially responsible for the beneficial health effects of the Mediterranean diet. Virgin olive oil containing oleocanthal is often added as an ingredient in a number of cooked dishes and therefore it is of great importance to understand how best to preserve the putative health promoting benefits of this compound, as olive oil phenolics are
subject to heat degradation.

Objective – To investigate if oleocanthal is thermally degraded or its biological activity reduced during cooking.

Design – One extra virgin olive oil containing 54mg/kg oleocanthal was heated at varying temperatures (100°C, 170°C and 240°C) for set time periods (0, 1, 5, 20, 60, 90 min). Oleocanthal concentrations were quantified using HPLC and its biological activity determined with a taste bioassay measuring the intensity of throat irritation.

Outcomes – Results demonstrated that oleocanthal was heat stable compared with other olive oil phenolics, with a maximum loss of 16% as determined by HPLC analysis. In contrast, there was a significant decrease of up to 38% (p<0.05) in the biological activity of oleocanthal as determined by the taste bioassay.

Conclusions – Minimal degradation of oleocanthal concentration was observed upon heating however a significant decrease in the biological activity of this compound was noted with extended heating time. This has important implications for health in that, consumers may be unable to reap all of the putative health benefits associated with oleocanthal when adding virgin olive oil as an ingredient to dishes requiring prolonged heat treatment.

Sensory characterization of the irritant properties of oleocanthal, a natural anti-inflammatory agent in extra virgin olive oils

Oleocanthal is an olive oil phenolic possessing anti-inflammatory activity. Anecdotal evidence suggests that oleocanthal elicits a stinging sensation felt only at the back of the throat (oropharynx). Due to this compound possessing potentially health-benefiting properties, investigation into the sensory aspects of oleocanthal is warranted to aid in future research. The important link between the perceptual aspects of oleocanthal and health benefits is the notion that variation in sensitivity to oleocanthal irritation may relate to potential differences in sensitivity to the pharmacologic action of this compound. The current study assessed the unique irritant attributes of oleocanthal including its location of irritation, temporal profile, and individual differences in the perceived irritation. We show that the irritation elicited by oleocanthal was localized to the oropharynx (P < 0.001) with little or no irritation in the anterior oral cavity. Peak irritation was perceived 15 s postexposure and lasted over 180 s. Oleocanthal irritation was more variable among individuals compared with the irritation elicited by CO₂ and the sweetness of sucrose. There was no correlation between intensity ratings of oleocanthal and CO₂ and oleocanthal and sucrose (r = –0.15, n = 50, P = 0.92 and r = 0.17, n = 84, P = 0.12, respectively), suggesting that independent mechanisms underlie the irritation of CO₂ and oleocanthal. The unusual spatial localization and independence of acid (CO₂) sensations suggest that distinct nociceptors for oleocanthal are located in the oropharyngeal region of the oral cavity.

Clinical effectiveness of barrier preparations in the prevention and treatment of nappy dermatitis in infants and preschool children of nappy age

Nappy dermatitis is a broad term used to describe an acute inflammatory reaction of the skin in the nappy area because of irritation from urine, faeces, moisture or friction. The prevalence is estimated to be between 7% and 35% in infants. Regular application of a barrier preparation at every nappy change may be a valuable component of nappy dermatitis prevention and/or treatment.

Influence of heat on biological activity and concentration of oleocanthal : a natural anti-inflammatory agent in virgin olive oil

The olive oil phenolic oleocanthal is a natural nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory compound that irritates the oral pharynx in a dose-dependent manner. It has been proposed that the biological activity of oleocanthal is partially responsible for the beneficial health effects of the Mediterranean diet. Virgin
olive oil containing oleocanthal is often added as an ingredient in a number of cooked dishes, and therefore it is of great importance to understand how best to preserve the putative health-promoting benefits of this compound, as olive oil phenolics are subject to degradation upon heating in general. One extra virgin olive oil containing 53.9 mg/kg oleocanthal was heated at various temperatures (100, 170, and 240 °C) for set time periods (0, 1, 5, 20, 60, and 90 min). Oleocanthal concentrations were quantified using HPLC, and its biological activity was determined with a taste bioassay measuring the intensity of throat irritation. Results demonstrated that oleocanthal was heat stable compared with other olive oil phenolics, with a maximum loss of 16% as determined by HPLC analysis. However, there was a significant decrease of up to 31% (p < 0.05) in the biological activity of oleocanthal as determined by the taste bioassay. Although there was minimal degradation of leocanthal concentration, there was a significant decrease in the biological activity of oleocanthal upon extended heating time, indicating a possible loss of the putative health -benefiting properties of oleocanthal. Alternatively, the difference in the concentration and biological activity of oleocanthal after heat treatment could be a result of an oleocanthal antagonist forming, decreasing or masking the biological activity of oleocanthal.

Medical surveillance for ethylene oxide exposure : practices and clinical findings in Massachusetts hospitals

The medical surveillance requirements of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's (OSHA) ethylene oxide (EtO) standard became effective in 1985. However, little is known about the nature of the response of EtO users to this regulatory requirement. In an effort to begin to understand this, we conducted a survey of EtO health and safety in Massachusetts hospitals (n = 92). We determined the cumulative incidence of provision of EtO medical surveillance, the characteristics of the surveillance interventions provided, and the clinical findings of EtO medical surveillance efforts in Massachusetts hospitals. From 1985 to 1993, medical surveillance for EtO exposure was provided one or more times in 62% of EtO-using hospitals. Sixty-five percent of EtO medical surveillance providers reported performance of all five medical surveillance procedures required by OSHA's EtO standard. Medical surveillance provider certification in occupational medicine or nursing, and a greater extent of coverage of written medical surveillance policies, were related to higher likelihoods of fulfillment of OSHA-required procedures. Twenty-seven percent of medical surveillance providers reported detection of EtO-related symptoms or conditions, ranging from mucous membrane irritation to peripheral neuropathy. These findings reveal widespread implementation of OSHA-mandated EtO medical surveillance, with concomitant incomplete fulfillment of OSHA-specified procedures. From the provider-based survey, we estimate that one or more workers at 19% of EtO-using Massachusetts hospitals have experienced EtO-related health effects

The perceptual and anti-Inflammatory effects of oleocanthal, an olive oil phenolic

 Oleocanthal a virgin olive oil phenolic produces varying intensities of irritation in the oropharanx in individuals and is also a naturally occuring NSAID effective in reducing inflammatory markers and increasing protein synthesis in skeletal muscle cells. There may be a link between the variation in throat sensitivity to oleocanthal and its effects on muscle growth processes and inflammation.

Analgesia em pós-operatório de toratomias : estudo prospectivo e randomizado

Introdução: A dor é um importante fator de incremento da morbidade e mortalidade em pacientes submetidos a procedimentos cirúrgicos que incluem toracotomias. Diversos fatores contribuem para que esses pacientes apresentem um alto grau de dor no pós-operatório, entre os quais a secção da pele, músculos e pleura, retração dos músculos e ligamentos pelo afastador de Finochietto, irritação da pleura e nervos intercostais pelos drenos tubulares torácicos e fraturas ocasionais dos arcos costais. O aumento das taxas de morbidade e mortalidade é dado principalmente à respiração superficial decorrente da pouca mobilidade da parede torácica e conseqüente à dor e pela perda da efetividade do principal mecanismo de eliminação de secreções da árvore traqueobrônquica (tosse), resultando em atelectasias, inadequado gradiente ventilação / perfusão, hipoxemia e pneumonia. Uma vez caracterizada a necessidade de atenuação da dor como fator primordial na melhora dos índices de morbidade e mortalidade no período pós-operatório de cirurgia torácica, torna-se imperiosa uma análise das terapêuticas disponíveis na atualidade para tanto. Objetivos: Avaliar a utilização de três diferentes métodos de analgesia: 1. bloqueio peridural com morfina (BPM); 2. morfina parenteral (MP); e 3. bloqueio intercostal extrapleural contínuo com lidocaína” (BIC), em pacientes submetidos a procedimentos que incluíram toracotomias em sua execução, além de analisar o custo financeiro desses métodos. Materiais e métodos: Trata-se de um estudo prospectivo, randomizado, no qual foram analisados 79 pacientes, submetidos a toracotomias, subdivididos de forma aleatória em três grupos, de acordo com a modalidade terapêutica instituída: 25 pacientes no grupo BIC, 29 pacientes no grupo BPM e 25 pacientes no grupo MP. Cada paciente foi observado e analisado por profissionais de enfermagem previamente treinados. As variáveis analisadas foram a dor e a sedação. (quantificadas através de escores e analisadas através do método de Kruskal-Wallis com correção pelo teste de Dunn), além do custo financeiro de cada método e da necessidade de administração de opióides adicionais. Resultados: As variáveis dor e sedação foram obtidas através das seguintes medianas, respectivamente: grupos BIC (2,5 e 0); BPM (4 e 0) e MP (3,5 e 0). O custo financeiro foi de US$ 78,69 para o grupo BIC; US$ 28,61 para o grupo BPM e US$ 11,98 para o grupo MP. A necessidade adicional de opióide foi de 4,2 mg/dia para o grupo BIC; 5,7 mg/dia para o grupo BPM e 10,7 mg/dia para o grupo MP. Conclusões: A intensidade da dor foi significativamente menor no grupo BIC, quando comparado ao grupo MP. Não foram identificadas diferenças significativas de intensidade da dor quando comparados os grupos BIC versus BPM e BPM versus MP. A intensidade de sedação foi significativamente maior no grupo MP quando comparado aos grupos BIC e BPM. Não foram evidenciadas diferenças significativas quanto à sedação entre os grupos BIC e BPM. O custo financeiro do grupo MP foi sensivelmente menor quando comparado aos grupos BIC e BPM. A necessidade adicional de morfina foi significativamente maior no grupo MP, quando comparados aos grupos BIC e BPM.

Efeitos da eletroestimulação do músculo vasto medial oblíquo em portadores de síndrome da dor patelofemoral: uma análise eletromiográfica

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Anestesia subaracnóidea em crianças

JUSTIFICATIVA E OBJETIVOS: Tem aumentado muito o emprego da anestesia subaracnóidea em crianças, principalmente neonatos com risco de desenvolver apnéia neonatal. O objetivo deste trabalho foi rever as diferenças anatômicas, fisiológicas e farmacológicas desta técnica em crianças. CONTEÚDO: A anestesia subaracnóidea em crianças, apesar de ter sido técnica empregada desde o início do século XX, teve sua popularidade diminuída com o advento dos anestésicos inalatórios e bloqueadores neuromusculares, para ser novamente resgatada em 1979. As características favoráveis desta técnica em pediatria são relativas à estabilidade cardiovascular, em crianças de até 8 anos de idade, à analgesia satisfatória e ao relaxamento muscular. Os anestésicos mais utilizados em crianças são a tetracaína e a bupivacaína, cujas doses são ajustadas tomando-se por base o peso corporal. Esta técnica é limitada pela duração relativamente curta, devendo ser utilizada para procedimentos cirúrgicos que não ultrapassem 90 minutos e também pela analgesia não abranger o pós-operatório. As complicações são as mesmas encontradas no paciente adulto, incluindo cefaléia por punção dural e irritação radicular transitória. As indicações são várias: cirurgias de abdômen inferior, genitália, membros inferiores, região perineal e, em alguns casos, até em cirurgias torácicas. Seu emprego tem particular interesse nos recém-nascidos prematuros, pelo risco de apresentarem a apnéia da prematuridade. CONCLUSÕES: A anestesia subaracnóidea em crianças é técnica relativamente segura, com poucas complicações e pode ser considerada como opção para anestesia geral, principalmente nos recém-nascidos prematuros com risco de apresentarem complicações respiratórias no pós-operatório.

Dimensional analysis of burden in family caregivers of patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder

Aims: Obsessivecompulsive disorder (OCD) also generates emotional burden in the patient's family members, but no study has evaluated the specific dimensions of burden. The objectives were to evaluate the dimensions of the Zarit Burden Interview (ZBI) and possible correlates. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study involving 47 patients and 47 caregivers, using a sociodemographic questionnaire; the ZBI; the Self Reporting Questionnaire; the Family Accommodation Scale; and the YaleBrown ObsessiveCompulsive Scale. The ZBI factor analysis was conducted using Varimax Rotation. Results: Six factors were identified, explaining 74.2% of the total variance: factor 1, interference in the caregiver's personal life (36.6% of the variance); factor 2, perception of patient's dependence (10.8%); factor 3, feelings of irritation or intolerance (9.2%); factor 4, guilt (7.2%); factor 5, insecurity (5.6%); and factor 6, embarrassment (4.8%). The six ZBI factors were associated with greater OCD severity and with greater accommodation to the patient's symptoms, and factors 1, 2, 5 and 6 with caregiver's psychological morbidity. Caregiver's sex (female) was associated with factors 5 and 6, relationship with the patient (being a parent or son/daughter) with factor 5, higher educational level with factor 6, living with the patient with factor 3, worse self-evaluation of health with factors 1, 5 and 6, and occupational status (not working) with factors 1, 2, 5 and 6. Conclusion: The dimensions of burden identified indicate the most affected aspects of a caregiver's life and could guide the planning of more specific interventions. Thus, the caregiver could participate more effectively in the OCD patient's treatment, with a lower impact on his/her life.

Effects of uracil calculi on cell growth and apoptosis in the BBN-initiated Wistar rat urinary bladder mucosa

The different potential of initiated and non-initiated urinary bladder mucosa (UBM) to develop neoplasia was quantitatively evaluated in the male Wistar rat. Initiation of carcinogenesis was accomplished with N-butyl-N- (4-hydroxybutyl) -nitrosamine (BBN). Stimuli for cell proliferation and apoptosis were obtained by exposure followed by withdrawal of 3% Uracil in the diet. The proliferation index (PI) was estimated in UBM immunostained for the proliferating nuclear cell antigen (PCNA). The apoptotic index (AI) and the density of papillary/nodular hyperplasia (PNH) were estimated in hematoxilin-eosin stained sections. PNH was the main proliferative response to the mechanical irritation by uracil, irrespective of previous initiation with BBN. Uracil exposure induced higher PI and PNH density in the initiated rats. After uracil withdrawal, there was a significant increase of the AI in both uracil-treated groups, which correlated well to the respective PNH density. However, at the end of the experiment, PNH incidence and density were significantly higher in the BBN-initiated mucosa, which also presented 18% incidence of papillomas and 27% of carcinomas. Therefore, under prolonged uracil calculi trauma, the UBM of BBN-initiated Wistar rats gives rise to epithelial proliferative lesions that progress to neoplasia through acquired resistance to apoptosis. (C) 1999 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Ectopic ossification presenting as osteoid metaplasia in a salivary mucocele in a Shih Tzu dog

Background: Salivary mucocele is an accumulation of saliva in a single or multiloculated cavity lined by connective tissue that is contiguous to a salivary gland-duct complex and is the most common condition affecting the salivary glands in dogs. Occasionally, different types of metaplastic lesions, such as squamous and osseous metaplasia - which are rare lesions in animals - can be observed in association with salivary mucocele.Case presentation: A right facial enlargement was suddenly observed in a 4-year-old non-spayed female Shih-Tzu dog. The lesion presented itself as a soft and fluctuant mass located in the right side of the face near to the neck. Histologically, the mass consisted of a cavitary formation without an epithelial lining. Additionally, microscopic examination revealed the presence of osteoid-producing cells which gave rise to areas of bone formation, probably induced by irritation due to the presence sialoliths. Such cells and bone formations were also present in the cavity wall, consequently leading us to classify the condition as a salivary mucocele with osseous metaplasia.Conclusions: In the present case, the pathogenesis was probably associated with the presence of sialoliths, which can behave as etiological agents for the metaplastic lesion. The occurrence of osteoid metaplasia is a rare peculiar condition in the canine salivar y gland, and due to the rarity and lack of information about this specific disease, no clinical data can yet be associated with the development of salivary mucocele with osseous metaplasia in dogs.

Toad poisoning in three dogs: case reports

Toad poisoning is frequent in dogs, but has been infrequently addressed in published case reports and review articles. Dogs can be poisoned when they bite a toad or otherwise ingest the venom. The venom effects manifest soon after the accident, since the toxin is rapidly absorbed by the mucous membrane of the digestive system. Hospital records of three dogs, diagnosed with toad poisoning, were retrospectively reviewed from January 2005 to July 2007. Poisoned dogs may present only local irritation or systemic signs in the gastrointestinal, cardiac and neurological systems. All three cases presented herein had clinical signs of gastrointestinal alterations including vomiting, sialorrhea and diarrhea. Two dogs developed abnormal cardiac rhythm and two exhibited neurological signs. A poisoned animal requires emergency care and symptomatic therapy with intense monitoring of its clinical parameters. Although there have been reports on the low mortality of dogs poisoned by toads, one animal died even after appropriate therapy. The severity of clinical signs and the risk of death must be considered by the veterinarian.

Rehabilitation with ear prosthesis linked to osseointegrated implants

Background: The absence of an ear, which can be the result of a congenital malformation, surgical tumour resection or traumatic injury, is a significant aesthetic problem. Attachment of ear prostheses with adhesives can cause local irritation for the wearer and affect the colour of the prostheses. Use of implants in craniofacial reconstruction can improve the retention and stability of prostheses giving to patient greater comfort and security relative to adhesive attachment.Objective: The aim of this report was to present a clinical case of a mutilated patient who was rehabilitated by means of installing an ear prosthesis fixed through osseointegrated implants.Materials and methods: The patient had two implants installed in the mastoid region that were linked by a bar, and a clip-type system was used. The ear prosthesis was constructed from medical-use silicone, pigmented to match the patient's skin colour and linked to the retention system.Conclusion: The patient's rehabilitation was satisfactory from both a functional and an aesthetic point of view, making it possible for the patient to return to a normal social life and regain lost self-esteem.

Uso do colírio de Citrus lemon em úlceras de córnea induzidas em coelhos

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)