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Due to the increase of bacterial resistance, medicinal alternatives are being explored. Punica granatum L. is an effective herbal extract with broad spectrum of action and bactericidal, antifungal, anthelmintic potential and being able to modulate the immune response. The aim was to evaluate the antimicrobial activity of pomegranate glycolic extract (PGE) against the periodontal pathogen Porphyromonas gingivalis by using Galleria mellonella as in vivo model. Fifteen larvae were used per group. Injection of high concentration (200, 100, and 25 mg/mL) of PGE showed a toxic effect, leading them to death. A suspension of P. gingivalis (106 cells/mL) was inoculated in the left last proleg and PGE (12.5, 6.25, 3.1, and 2.5 mg/mL) were injected into the right proleg. The larvae were then kept at 37°C under the dark. Injection of PGE at any dose statistically improved larvae survival rates. The data were analysed (log-rank test, Mantel-Cox, P

This study evaluated the action of Pfaffia paniculata K., Juglans regia L., and Rosmarius officinalis L. extracts against planktonic form and biofilm of Klebsiella pneumoniae (ATCC 4352). Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum microbicidal concentration (MMC) values were determined for each extract by microdilution broth method, according to Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute. Next, antimicrobial activity of the extracts on biofilm was analyzed. For this, standardized suspension at 107 UFC/mL of K. pneumoniae was distributed into 96-well microplates (n=10) and after 48 h at 37°C and biofilm was subjected to treatment for 5 min with the extracts at a concentration of 200 mg/mL. ANOVA and Tukey tests (5%) were used to verify statistical significant reduction (p

This study aimed to evaluate the capacity of Lactobacillus rhamnosus and/or its products to induce the synthesis of cytokines (TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, and IL-12) by mouse macrophages (RAW 264.7). Three microorganism preparations were used: live L. rhamnosus (LLR) suspension, heat-killed L. rhamnosus (HKLR) suspension, and the supernatant of a heat-killed L. rhamnosus (SHKLR) suspension, which were cultured with macrophages (37°C, 5% CO2) for 2 h and 30 min. After that, cells were cultured for 16 h. The supernatants were used for the quantitation of cytokines, by ELISA. The results were compared with the synthesis induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and analysed, using ANOVA and Tukey test, 5%. LLR and HKLR groups were able to significantly increase the production of TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-10 (P0.05). All the L. rhamnosus suspensions were not able to produce detectable levels of IL-1β or significant levels of IL-4 and IL-12 (P>0.05). In conclusion, live and heat-killed L. rhamnosus suspensions were able to induce the synthesis of different cytokines with proinflammatory (TNF-α and IL-6) or regulatory (IL-10) functions, suggesting the role of strain L. rhamnosus ATCC 7469 in the modulation or in the stimulation of immune responses.