In the present work, we studied the effect of the hydroalcoholic extract (HAE) from Punica granatum (pomegranate) fruits on dental plaque microorganisms. The study was conducted on 60 healthy patients (33 females and 27 males, with age ranging from 9 to 25 years) using fixed orthodontic appliances, and randomly distributed into 3 groups of 20 patients each. The first group (control) used distilled water, while the second and third groups used chlorhexidine (standard) and HAE as mouth-rinses, respectively. The dental plaque material was collected from each patient, before and after a 1-min mouth-rinse with 15 ml of either distilled water, chlorhexidine or HAE. In both dental plaque collections, the material was removed from patients without oral hygiene, for 24 h (no tooth brushing). Dental plaque samples were diluted in phosphate buffered saline (PBS) plated on Mueller-Hinton agar, and incubated for 48 h, at 37 degrees C. Results, expressed as the number of colony forming units per milliliter (CFU/mL), show that the HAE was very effective against dental plaque microorganisms, decreasing the CFU/ml by 84% (CFU x 10(5)), before mouth-rinse: 154.0 +/- 41.18; after mouthrinse: 25.4 +/- 7.76). While similar values were observed with chlorhexidine, used as standard and positive control (79% inhibition), only an 11% inhibition of CFU/ml was demonstrated in the distilled water group, negative control (CFU x 10(5)), before mouth-rinse: chlorhexidine, 208.7 +/- 58.81 and distilled water, 81.1 +/- 10.12; after mouth-rinse: chlorhexidine, 44.0 +/- 15.85 and distilled water, 71.9 +/- 8.68). The HAE presented also an antibacterial activity against selected microorganisms, and may be a possible alternative for the treatment of dental plaque bacteria.

Punica granatum (Pomegranate) Extract Is Active Against Dental Plaque

Schistosomiasis is a major disease of public health importance in humans occurring in over 70 countries of the tropics and sub-tropics In this chapter, the history of the control of schistosomiasis is briefly discussed and current methods of control of schistosomiasis are reviewed; including mollusciciding, biological control of the intermediate snail hosts, the development of drugs to kill the adult worms, provision of clean water and health education, with a focus on the African situation Since an effective vaccine against schistosomiasis is lacking, the emphasis today is placed on the drug praziquantel (PZQ) The marked reduction in the cost of PZQ together with the support of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has enabled the drug to be used more widely in sub-Saharan Africa Nevertheless, with the possibility of resistance to praziquantel emerging, the potential role of other drugs, such as artemether, in the control of schistosomiasis is examined The World Health Organization (WHO) anticipates that at least 75% of all schoolchildren at risk of morbidity from schistosomiasis will be treated by 2010, with the aim of reversing morbidity The importance of recent international initiatives such as the Schistosomiasis Control Initiative (SCI) working in Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso, Zambia, Tanzania and Uganda is recognised There are benefits to integrating the control of schistosomiasis with other disease control programmes, such as gastrointestinal helminths and/or lymphatic filariasis (LF), since this markedly reduces the cost of delivery of the treatment Countries that are situated on the perimeter of the distribution of schistosomiasis have either achieved or have made progress towards the elimination of the disease For control programmes to be successful in areas such as sub-Saharan Africa, it is absolutely essential that these programmes are sustainable Thus, it will be vital for Ministries of Health and Education to budget for the control of diseases of poverty in addition to school health, and to utilise funds from a range of sources, such as, government funds, pooled donor contributions, or bilateral and international agencies

Implementation of Human Schistosomiasis Control: Challenges and Prospects

Changes in liver enzyme activity in the teleost Sparus aurata in response to cadmium intoxication.

Snails are well known as carriers of diseases and vectors of pests. Being largely herbivorous, land snails cause immense damage to both cultivated and useful non-cultivated plants. A large population of snails, however, inhabits freshwaters, where the larvae of parasitic trematodes also pass part of their life. Many aquatic snails act as vectors for the larvae of trematodes and thereby cause a number of diseases. Two diseases carried by aquatic snails, fascioliasis and schistosomiasis cause immense harm to man and his domestic animals. Snails are next only to insects in the harm they cause to mankind. The World Health Organization has tested thousands of synthetic compounds for the eradication of snails. Though effective, these pesticides have so far not proved themselves to be entirely satisfactory. With a growing awareness of environmental pollution which such compounds can cause, efforts are being made to find molluscicidal products of plant origin. Being the products of biosynthesis, these ar...

Molluscicides of Plant Origin

Toxicity of Moringa oleifera seed extract on some hematological and biochemical profiles in a freshwater fish, Cyprinus carpio.

Possibility of using latex of Euphorbiales for snail control

Molluscicidal and anti-cholinesterase activity of Euphorbiales.

Organic p e s t i c i d e s though e x t e n s i v e l y used fo r the control . of insec t and snai l pe s t s a r e a s e r i ous env i ronmenta l h a z a r d . S y n t h e t i c p y r e t h r o i d s , which came a f t e r o r g a n o c h l o r i n e s , c a r b a mates and o r g a n o p h o s p h a t e s , became p o p u l a r not only because of t h e i r e f f e c t i c a c y but a l so due to t h e i r r e l a t i v e l y f a s t e r b i o d e g r a d a b i l i t y and low mammalian t o x i c i t y (Khan 1983). Singh and Agarwal (1986 and 1991); Singh and Agarwal (1990) r e p o r t e d tha t the s y n t h e t i c p y r e t h r o i d s a r e potent m o l l u s c i c i d e s as t h e i r t o x i c i t y to the sna i l s Lymnaea acumina ta and I n d o p l a n o r b i s exus tus is many t imes h i g h e r than c a r b a m a t e and o r g a n o p h o s p h o r u s compounds .

Rashmi Agarwal

Papers

Molluscicides of Plant Origin

Possibility of using latex of Euphorbiales for snail control

Molluscicidal and anti-cholinesterase activity of Euphorbiales.

Effect of cypermethrin on lactate and succinic dehydrogenase and cytochrome oxidase of snail and fish.

Effect of cypermethrin, mexacarbate, and phorate on phospholipid and lipid peroxidation in the snail Lymnaea acuminata