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Ethylcellulose microparticles containing metronidazole and propolis extractive solution were prepared and evaluated in vitro against periodontal pathogens. Scanning electron microscopy, particle size analysis, drug entrapment efficiency and drug release of microparticles were determined. The antimicrobial activity of microparticles was evaluated against microorganisms of periodontal importance (Enterococcus faecalis, Streptococcus pyogenes, Streptococcus mutans, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Escherichia coli). It was obtained particles with regular morphology, mean diameter of 1.23 µm, and entrapment efficiency for propolis and metronidazole were 91.41% and 22.23%, respectively. In vitro release studies of propolis and metronidazole from microparticles showed prolonged drug release and controlled by Fickian diffusion. Both propolis and metronidazole displayed activity against the tested strains. Moreover, the results showed that the strains of E. faecalis, S. pyogenes and S. mutans were more susceptible to the propolis and E. faecalis to the metronidazole. It was also observed that the amount of metronidazole to inhibit the microorganism strains in the physical mixture with propolis was smaller than in the metronidazole alone, suggesting potentiation effect between propolis and metronidazole. These microparticles would be useful for developing intermediary or eventual dosage form to be administered into the periodontal pocket more easily and safely.

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The rate of colonization by yeasts in PCRFH was high, and there was variability in species distribution and antifungal susceptibility profile. These results are little known in this group of patients and are important for controlling the risk of developing invasive fungal infections.

SUMMARYCandida albicans is an opportunistic human pathogen that is capable of causing superficial and systemic infections in immunocompromised patients. Extracts of Sapindus saponaria have been used as antimicrobial agents against various organisms. In the present study, we used a combination of two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (2D-PAGE) and matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) to identify the changes in protein abundance of C. albicans after exposure to the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) and sub-minimal inhibitory concentration (sub-MIC) of the butanolic extract (BUTE) of S. saponaria and also to fluconazole. A total of six different proteins with greater than 1.5 fold induction or repression relative to the untreated control cells were identified among the three treatments. In general, proteins/enzymes involved with the glycolysis (GPM1, ENO1, FBA1), amino acid metabolism (ILV5, PDC11) and protein synthesis (ASC1) pathways were detected. In conclusion, our findings reveal antifungal-induced changes in protein abundance of C. albicans. By using the previously identified components of the BUTE of S. saponaria (e.g., saponins and sesquiterpene oligoglycosides), it will be possible to compare the behavior of compounds with unknown mechanisms of action, and this knowledge will help to focus the subsequent biochemical work aimed at defining the effects of these compounds.