24 research outputs found
Role of free radicals and antioxidant defences in oral cavity-related pathologies.
No full textFree radicals play a key role in the development of several pathological conditions. Therefore, several methods have been developed to measure oxidative stress from bodily fluids including blood, urine and, more recently, saliva. Free radical and antioxidant defences within the oral cavity may play a key role in odontostomatological pathologies. This review provides an update of the literature concerning the association of oxidative stress with pathological conditions associated with the oral cavity. It focuses on the diagnostic and therapeutic importance of the tests based on saliva specimens in a preventive perspective
Er:YAG laser: tissue interaction and histomorphological characterization
No full textAuthors describe Er:YAG laser interaction with tissues, in particular their histomorphological characteristics to identify a specific clinic area for laser application through the examination of different clinical international trials. This study includes experimental trials about pig and rat skin laser application to know laser Er: YAG capability and limits; investigation is extended to laser application in human soft tissues as mucosa, periosteum and bones, its utility in cutaneous pathologies and in antiageing treatments
Laser in denstistry. Biostimulation and surgery
No full textLaser therapy has achieved an important rule in cosmetic dentistry especially in the treatment of several complications such as leukoplakia, oral lichen planus, glossitis, oral mucositis, labial herpes virus, stomatitis, frenulum and oral hemangioma. In our study we enrolled 40 patients affected by these diseases to treat them with a new infrared dental laser demonstrating that it is extremely safe and effective in pain and postoperative discomforts reduction
Laser in dentistry: Biostimulation and surgery
No full textLaser therapy has achieved an important rule in cosmetic dentistry especially in the treatment of several complications such as leukoplakia, oral lichen planus, glossitis, oral mucositis, labial herpes virus, stomatitis, frenulum and oral hemangioma. In our study we enrolled 40 patients affected by these diseases to treat them with a new infrared dental laser demonstrating that it is extremely safe and effective in pain and postoperative discomforts reduction
Neodymium: YAG laser treatment of lower leg telangiectasia: a new minimally invasive approach.
No full textThe aim of this study was to validate the safety and effectiveness of a new therapeutic procedure for the treatment of lower leg telangiectasia without clinical vein insufficiency. A group of 20 healthy women aged between 24 and 47 years (mean±sem 37.05 ± 1.47) with lower leg telangiectasia without clinical vein insufficiency, previously investigated by echo colour Doppler sonography, were recruited and were treated with neodymium:YAG laser (mean±sem 2.5 ± 0.11 sessions). Good or excellent results were obtained in 16 patients and the improvements were statistically significant (p < 0.01). Out of the 20 patients, 16 were satisfied with the procedure. We strongly support laser treatment of lower leg telangiectasia since it allows injection of chemicals to be avoided, and changes the stromal microarchitecture rearranging the fibroblast network into a more resistant pattern reducing the likelihood of relapse
A Preliminary Study to Assess the Efficacy of A New UVA1 Laser for Treatment of Psoriasis.
No full textAbstract Objective: The aim of the present study was to assess the effectiveness of an UVA1 355 nm laser (Alba 355) for treatment of mild, moderate, and severe psoriasis. Background data: Psoriasis is an immune-inflammatory and proliferative skin disease. During the past few years, the instrumental treatment by UV radiation has been successfully described, either alone or in combination with topical and/or systemic drug administration to treat several skin-related diseases. Materials and methods: Fourteen patients, aged between 25 and 50 years (37.7±2.3 [mean±SEM]), affected by mild-to-severe psoriatic plaques, were included in this study. Patients were treated with a new instrument, laser Alba 355, which administers energy in the UVA1 spectrum. This instrument is based on a 1064 wavelength neodymium-doped yttrium orthovanadate (Nd:YVO4) laser optically pumped using a 808 nm infrared beam able to achieve a third harmonic 355 nm wave delivery. The fluences administered were 80-140 J/cm(2) four times a week for a total of up to 12 sessions over selected psoriatic plaques in different areas of the patients' bodies. The patients rated their satisfaction with the outcome of the procedure as 1 not satisfied, 2 quite satisfied, 3 very satisfied. Results: Overall, laser treatment of psoriatic plaques produced a significant improvement in Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) score (F [3, 55]=57.86; p<0.001). The mean PASI score decreased from a baseline value of 24.5±2.9 to a value of 15.6±1.9 at 1 week (p<0.001), 9.1±1.2 at 2 weeks (p<0.001), and 5.8±1.2 at 3 weeks (p<0.001). All the patients were very satisfied with the outcome of procedure. No side effects were observed in this study. Conclusions: The present study outlines an original approach based on UVA1 355 nm laser therapy for treatment of mild, moderate, and severe psoriasis. In the present study, the high success rate was coupled with safety. Larger clinical trials are needed to definitely support the role of this medical device not only for treatment of psoriasis, but also for other skin-related diseases that share a similar pathophysiology. We speculate that in the near future, the use of this laser will grow in the dermatology clinic
New insights on the molecular mechanism of action of human renalase
No full textRenalase is a new human flavoprotein possibly involved in blood pressure and cardiac function regulation1. Despite the potential implications for human health, the biochemical properties of renalase have not been investigated so far, so that the molecular mechanism underlying its action is far from been understood. The low sequence identity with MAOs led to the hypothesis that renalase could represents a new class of monoamine oxidases, acting by degrading plasma catecholamines2,3. In order to elucidate the mechanism of action of human renalase at a molecular level, three recombinant forms of human renalase were produced in E. coli yielding amounts of protein suitable for its biochemical characterization4. Spectroscopic analyses revealed for the first time that renalase is a flavoprotein, with FAD as noncovalently-bound cofactor. At variance with MAOs, recombinant renalase was found to be devoid of any oxidase activity toward biogenic amines. Nevertheless, its unusual reactivity towards various compounds sheds a new light on the nature of the reaction catalyzed by this enzyme.
1. Xu J. et al. (2005) J. Clin. Invest. 115, 1275-1280
2. Li G. et al. (2008) Circulation 117, 1277-1282
3. Wang J. et al. (2008) Mol. Biol. Rep. 35, 613-620
4. Pandini V. et al. (2010) Protein Expr. Purif. 72, 244-5
Bisphosphonates: focus on inflammation and bone loss
No full textBisphosphonates are pharmacological compounds that have been used for the prevention and treatment of several pathological conditions including osteoporosis, primary hyperparathyroidism, osteogenesis imperfecta, and other conditions characterized by bone fragility. Many studies have been performed to date to analyze their effects on inflammation and bone remodelling and related pathologies. The aim of this review is, starting from a background on inflammatory processes and bone remodelling, to give an update on the use of bisphosphonates, outlining the possible side effects and proposing new trends for the future. Starting from a brief introduction on inflammation and bone remodelling, we collect and analyze studies involving the use of bisphosphonates for treatment of inflammatory conditions and pathologies characterized by bone loss. Selected articles, including reviews, published between 1976 and 2011, were chosen from Pubmed/Medline on the basis of their content. Bisphosphonates exert a selective activity on inflammation and bone remodelling and related pathologies, which are characterized by an excess in bone resorption. They improve not only skeletal defects, but also general symptoms. Bisphosphonates have found clinical application preventing and treating osteoporosis, osteitis deformans (Paget's disease of bone), bone metastasis (with or without hypercalcaemia), multiple myeloma, primary hyperparathyroidism, osteogenesis imperfecta, and other conditions that feature bone fragility. Further clinical studies involving larger cohorts are needed to optimize the dosage and length of therapy for each of these agents in each clinical field in order to be able to maximize their properties concerning modulation of inflammation and bone remodelling. In the near future, although "old" bisphosphonates will reach the end of their patent life, "new" bisphosphonates will be designed to specifically target a pathological condition
Effectiveness and Safety of Arnica montana in Post-Surgical Setting, Pain and Inflammation
No full textArnica montana has been widely used as a homeopathic remedy for the treatment of several inflammatory conditions in pain management and postoperative settings. This review gives an overview of the therapeutic use of Arnica montana in the above-mentioned fields also focusing on its mechanisms of action learned from animal models and in vitro studies. Arnica montana is more effective than placebo when used for the treatment of several conditions including post-traumatic and postoperative pain, edema, and ecchymosis. However, its dosages and preparations used have produced substantial differences in the clinical outcome. Cumulative evidence suggests that Arnica montana may represent a valid alternative to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, at least when treating some specific conditions
Corticosteroid transdermal delivery to target swelling, edema and inflammation following facial rejuvenation procedures
No full textT Iannitti,1,2 V Rottigni,2,3 B Palmieri2,31School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK; 2Poliambulatorio del Secondo Parere, Modena, Italy; 3Department of General Surgery and Surgical Specialties, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia Medical School, Surgical Clinic, Modena, ItalyBackground and aim: The use of transdermal therapeutic systems has spread worldwide since they allow effective local drug delivery. In the present study, we investigated the efficacy and safety of a new betamethasone valerate medicated plaster (Betesil®) to manage facial swelling, edema, inflammation, ecchymosis, and hematoma, when applied immediately after a facial rejuvenation procedure.Materials and methods: We applied the plaster to the skin of 20 healthy patients for 12 hours immediately after hyaluronic acid-based procedure performed with the aim of erasing facial wrinkles of perioral and nasolabial folds and improving chin and eye contour. A further 20 patients underwent the same cosmetic procedure, but they were treated with an aescin 10% cream (applied immediately after the procedure, in the evening, and the morning after) and served as control group.Results: Betesil® application resulted in a significant improvement in swelling/edema/inflammation score, if compared with aescin 10% cream (P < 0.01). As for facial ecchymosis and hematoma around the needle injection track, only two patients in the active treatment group displayed minimal ecchymosis and hematoma. In the control group, two patients presented minimal ecchymosis and three slight hematoma. However, using the ecchymosis/hematoma score, no significant difference between Betesil® and aescin 10% cream groups was observed. Patients’ satisfaction was significantly higher among subjects receiving Betesil®, if compared to patients receiving aescin 10% cream (P < 0.01).Conclusion: The present study supports the use of Betesil® plaster immediately after facial cosmetic procedures in order to safely control swelling, edema, and inflammation.Keywords: aesthetic medicine, transdermal therapeutic system, betamethasone valerate, hyaluronic aci
