Protective effect of bromelain on corrosive burn in rats

IntroductionIn some cases, the tongue and oesophagus tissues are damaged by the corrosive burn. Surgical interventions may cause scar formation, and severe burns treatment methods are limited. This study aims to investigate bromelain, a phytotherapeutic product, on the corrosive burn as a non-surgical option and as an adjunctive therapy, insofar as the treatment of corrosive wounds is not limited only to the treatment of oxidative stress and inflammatory reactions.MethodsOn the tongues of Wistar albino rats, chemically produced oral ulcers were created by topical application of NaOH (40%) solution, and in the distal oesophagus same mixture was applied to produce a corrosive oesophageal burn. For a week, they were treated orally by bromelain (100 mg/kg/day) or saline solution. At the end of seven days, animals were decapitated to remove the tongue and oesophagus, and blood samples were collected to obtain serum. Myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity, malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione (GSH), interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β) and tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) concentrations were measured in serum, and luminol and lucigenin chemiluminescence (CL) were measured in tissue samples.ResultsMDA and CL values were significantly increased, and GSH levels in tissue significantly decreased due to the corrosive burns. Saline treated corrosive burn group measured higher in the serum cytokines in according to the control group.ConclusionsBromelain administration decreased oxidant and inflammatory parameters and increased antioxidant levels in NaOH-induced corrosive burns. Thus, we concluded that bromelain may protect the tongue and oesophagus tissues with its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects.     

Engraftable neural crest stem cells derived from cynomolgus monkey embryonic stem cells

Neural crest stem cells (NCSCs), a population of multipotent cells that migrate extensively and give rise to diverse derivatives, including peripheral and enteric neurons and glia, craniofacial cartilage and bone, melanocytes and smooth muscle, have great potential for regenerative medicine. Non-human primates provide optimal models for the development of stem cell therapies. Here, we describe the first derivation of NCSCs from cynomolgus monkey embryonic stem cells (CmESCs) at the neural rosette stage. CmESC-derived neurospheres replated on polyornithine/laminin-coated dishes migrated onto the substrate and showed characteristic expression of NCSC markers, including Sox10, AP2α, Slug, Nestin, p75, and HNK1. CmNCSCs were capable of propagating in an undifferentiated state in vitro as adherent or suspension cultures, and could be subsequently induced to differentiate towards peripheral nervous system lineages (peripheral sympathetic neurons, sensory neurons, and Schwann cells) and mesenchymal lineages (osteoblasts, adipocytes, chondrocytes, and smooth muscle cells). CmNCSCs transplanted into developing chick embryos or fetal brains of cynomolgus macaques survived, migrated, and differentiated into progeny consistent with a neural crest identity. Our studies demonstrate that CmNCSCs offer a new tool for investigating neural crest development and neural crest-associated human disease and suggest that this non-human primate model may facilitate tissue engineering and regenerative medicine efforts.     

Preoperative intra-arterial chemotherapy with docetaxel,cisplatin, and peplomycin combined with intravenous chemotherapy using 5-fluorouracil for oral squamous cell carcinoma

The objectives of this study were to evaluate survival in 141 patients with stage II–IV oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) treated with preoperative intra-arterial chemotherapy with docetaxel, cisplatin, and peplomycin combined with intravenous chemotherapy using 5-fluorouracil (IADCPIVF) via the superficial temporal artery, and to clarify the prognostic factors. The study population included 59 patients with stage II OSCC, 34 with stage III, and 48 with stage IV. After IADCPIVF, 139 patients underwent surgery; minimally invasive surgeries (MIS) including excisional biopsy were performed on 96 patients with a remarkably good response to IADCPIVF. The primary tumour response rate was 99.3% (complete response rate 56.7%, good partial response rate 17.0%, fair partial response rate 25.5%). Additionally, there were no serious adverse events associated with IADCPIVF. The 5-year overall survival rate was 74.6% (stage II 83.6%, stage III 72.7%, stage IV 64.8%). In the multivariate analysis of survival, T classification and clinical tumour response were significant prognostic factors. Eight (8.3%) of the patients who received MIS had primary recurrence and six were salvaged. In conclusion, IADCPIVF is safe and efficacious for treating OSCC, and MIS could reduce the extent of primary tumour resection in the case of a remarkably good response.     

Dry mouth: saliva substitutes which adsorb and modify existing salivary condition films improve oral lubrication

Clinical Oral Investigations - The aims of this study are to assess different saliva substitutes for their efficacy to lubricate the oral cavity, and to relate this oral lubrication to the ability...     

Helicobacter pylori and gastric hyperacidity,and their association with recurrent aphthous stomatitis

Helicobacter pylori is an established cause of gastric ulcers. Its role in causing recurrent aphthous stomatitis (RAS) remains controversial. Fifty-two RAS patients and 52 sex-matched controls were recruited in this case–control study. All subjects were screened for hematinic deficiencies and H. pylori. The latter was assessed quantitatively using the ¹⁴C-urea breath test. The χ² test and Wilcoxon signed ranks test were used to compare H. pylori and hematinic indices between cases and controls, while conditional logistic regression was used to assess the associations between the occurrence of RAS and independent factors. H. pylori was positive in 56.7% of the overall sample, with no difference between RAS patients (50.8%) and controls (49.2%) (P = 0.843). The median H. pylori and haematological indices values did not show any association with ulcer diameter, number, or frequency. Interestingly, gastric hyperacidity was significantly associated with RAS, and this association was independent from tobacco smoking, alcohol drinking, and H. pylori (odds ratio 14.99, 95% confidence interval 2.47–90.95; P = 0.003). This study found no association between H. pylori and RAS. The association between RAS and gastric hyperacidity suggests that gastric refluxate, not H. pylori, has an effect on the oral mucosa that favours an ulcerative change.     

Gastrodin relieved complete Freund's adjuvant-induced spontaneous pain by inhibiting inflammatory response

The analgesic effects of gastrodin (GAS), an active component derived from the Chinese herb Tian ma (Gastrodia elata Blume), on chronic inflammatory pain of mice and the involved molecular mechanisms were investigated. GAS significantly attenuated mice chronic inflammatory pain induced by hindpaw injection of complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA) and the accompanying anxiety-like behaviors. GAS administration reduced CFA-induced up-regulation of GluR1-containing α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA) receptors, GluN2A- and GluN2B-containing N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptors, and Ca^2 +/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II-alpha (CaMKII-α) in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC). The GluN2A and GluN2B subunits of NMDA receptors, the GluR1 type of AMPA receptor, and CaMKII-α are key molecules responsible for neuroplasticity involved in chronic pain and the accompanying anxiety. Moreover, GAS administration reduced the activation of astrocyte and microglia and the induction of TNF-α and IL-6 in the ACC of the CFA-injected mice. Therefore, GAS administration relieved chronic pain, exerted anxiolytic effects by regulating neuroplasticity molecules, and attenuated the inflammatory response by reducing the induction of TNF-α and IL-6 in the ACC of the CFA-injected mice.     

The scope of computerized simulation in competency-based maxillofacial training: a systematic review

Oral and maxillofacial surgery (OMS) teaching is set to undergo a paradigm shift towards competency-based training. With increasing focus on resident skill development and patient safety, computerized simulators are likely to play a more mainstream role in OMS training. A systematic review of the available literature was conducted, in accordance with the PRISMA guidelines, to highlight the scope of computerized simulation in OMS teaching. A PubMed search was performed by two independent reviewers, and 35 articles published in English between 2010 and 2021 that reported the use of computerized simulation for teaching maxillofacial procedures were included in the analysis. Eight articles on minor oral surgery, seven on orthognathic surgery, five on maxillofacial trauma, five on cleft lip and palate surgery, three articles each on nerve block techniques, endoscopic procedures, and reconstructive surgery, and one article on fibre-optic intubation reported the use of computerized simulation that can be applied to OMS training. Ten randomized controlled trials were identified in the search. However there was marked heterogeneity among the studies. Simulator training for skill acquisition mentored by an expert OMS educator could offer holistic resident training; however more studies that test common themes of resident training such as knowledge acquisition and skill development are necessary.