This study was undertaken to investigate the optimal conditions for challenge testing with DNCB in 3 vehicles applied to guinea pigs in standardized amount/ area (pg/cm2) The results are sumrnarized as follows: 1) All test reactions were negative when tested in 10 unsensitized animals. 2) There were significant difference in positive rate between 0. 05%, DNCB in alcohol and 0.1% DNCB in alcohol, but there were no significant difference between 0. l%, DNCB in alcohol and 0, 2% DNCB in alcohol. Same results were obtaincd when DNCR was dissolved in acetone. 3) Acetone gives the significantly higher degree of positive reactions, indicating that alcohol may be the safer vehicle in eliciting a response than acetone. 4) With DNCB in olive oil, relatively few animals reacted compared to the results obtained with alcohol and acetone. Furthermore, olive oil is slippery and difficult to utilize when attempting to delineate surface area. 5) With alcohol, we obtained a good correlation between the amount applied and the resulting response, showing that this vehicle might be a superior vehicle in eliciting contact allergy.
Acetone ; Animals ; Dinitrochlorobenzene* ; Guinea Pigs* ; Guinea* ; Hypersensitivity* ; Olea ; Olive Oil

ABSTRACT Phenolic compounds are secondary metabolites of plants metabolism and can be found in olive oil. They exhibit antimicrobial activity towards both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. However, little is known about the antibacterial activity of the compounds towards periodontopathogens. The study aimed to investigate the potential of these compounds as antibacterial agents towards pathogens, specifically Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, Porphyromonas gingivalis and Fusobacterium nucleatum. Phenolic compounds were extracted from extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) through liquid-liquid separation using methanol:water (70:30), and hexane. It was then prepared in various concentrations to determine its minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) against the periodontopathogens. The anti-adhesion activity was quantified using crystal violet staining while the effects on the morphology were examined through scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The MICs of the phenolic compounds on A. actinomycetemcomitans, P. gingivalis and F. nucleatum were 31.25 mg/mL, 62.5 mg/mL and 125 mg/mL, respectively. The MBCs of the phenolic compounds on A. actinomycetemcomitans and F. nucleatum were 62.5 mg/mL and 125 mg/mL, respectively suggesting this compound can eradicate these bacteria. There was no bactericidal effect on P. gingivalis. The adhesion of all the bacteria was interrupted by the compounds at the lowest concentration (1.95 mg/mL). SEM findings showed disruption of bacterial cell surfaces such as blebs and disintegration of cells after exposure to this extract. Phenolic compounds of olive oil exhibited antibacterial activity against the tested pathogens, with bactericidal effects on A. actinomycetemcomitans and F. nucleatum and bacteriostatic effects on P. gingivalis.
Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Phenols ; Periodontal Diseases ; Olive Oil

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the influence of high dose carbon tetrachloride (CCI4) on the hepatotoxic effect of dimethylnitrosamine (DMN) which induces acute hemorrhagic necrosis in liver. Rats were injected intraperitoneally DMN dissolved in physiologic saline by a dose of 40 mg/kg. For changes related to CCI⁴ pretreatment, rats were injected intraperitoneally CCI⁴ dissolved in olive oil by a dose of 0.4 mg/kg, and then injected DMN. The livers were extracted from the rats 3, 6, 12, 24, 48, 72, and 120 hours after CCI⁴ and/ or DMN injection. Liver tissues were examined with light and electron microscopes. The results were summarized as follows; Light microscopic findings: Severe centrilobular hemorrhagic necrosis developed from 12 hours after injection of DMN and continued to 120 hours. On injection of DMN after CCI4 pretreatment, Massive necrosis occurred early. But active regenerative changes were produced in 24 hours. In 120 hours, the liver recovered in almost normal appearance. The degree of necrosis in pretreated group was similar to that in DMN injection only, and the time of recovery was faster in pretreated group. Electron microscopic findings: The early change was mainly disorganization of RER in DMN injection, and clumping and vesicular dilatation of ER in injection of CCI4. In pretreatment group, the early change was similar in appearance with CCI4 group, but severer in degree. According to the results, it was revealed that acute toxic effect of DMN was recovered more rapidly in pretreatment group. Thus it was suggested that CCI4 had protective effect in DMN hepatotoxicity.
Animals ; Carbon Tetrachloride* ; Carbon* ; Dilatation ; Dimethylnitrosamine ; Hepatocytes* ; Liver ; Necrosis ; Olive Oil ; Rats

The purpose of this study was to evaluate clinically and histopathologically the effects to the periodontal tissue in rats after Cyclosporin A(CsA) administration and to determine whether there is a relationship between dosage of CsA or blood CsA level and the severity of gingival overgrowth in rats. Twenty 6-week-old Sprauge-Dawley rats were randomized into 4groups. The control group received olive oil only and the test groups received daily CsA in olive oil via gastric feeding for 6weeks at a 3,10, and 30 mg/Kg. Rats were weighed to evaluate the systemic effect of drug and stone models were made from alginate impressions of upper and lower anterior region at 2-week interval. On completion of oral CsA administration, blood were collected and blood CsA levels were quantitated by TDxFLx analyzer. Rats were sacrificed and their upper and lower jaws were removed together with the surrounding gingiva and soft tissue for light microscopic examination. The results were as follows: 1. The weight gain of CsA-treated rats was much less than of the control group and central incisors were gradually displaced and separated in the test groups. 2. The extensive fibrovascular proliferation and scattered inflammatoy infiltrates in an edematous stroma were observed in enlarged gingiva of CsA-treated rats. 3. The increase in buccolingual, mesiodistal dimension of the anterior teeth and vertical height of the interdental papilla showed dose-dependent manner in CsA-treated rats. 4. Significant positive correlation exists between blood CsA level and the severity of gingival overgrowth in anterior teeth. This result indicates that the severity of gingival enlargement in CsA treated rats is correlated with dosage of CsA administration and blood CsA level.
Animals ; Cyclosporine* ; Gingiva ; Gingival Overgrowth* ; Incisor ; Jaw ; Olea ; Rats* ; Tooth ; Weight Gain ; Olive Oil

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the influence of phenobarbital (PB) on hepatotoxic effect of carbon tetrachloride (CCI4) which induces centrilobular necrosis in liver. Rats were injected intraperitoneally CCI4 dissolved in olive oil by a dose of 0.4 mg/kg. For change related to PB pretreatment, rats were injected CCI₄ 0.4mg/kg after PB pretreatment. The liver samples were taken in 6, 12, 24, 48, 72 and 120 hours after CCI₄ and/ or PB injection. Extracted liver tissue was examined with light and electron microscopes. The results were summarized as follows: 1. Light microscopic findings: In CCI₄ group, centrilobular necrosis developed from 6 hours after injection, was the most severe in 48 hours, and recovered after 72 hours. In addition to necrosis, fatty change and pale cell change were accompanied. In PB-CCI4 group, necrosis occurred from 6 hours after CCI₄ injection and continued to 72 hours, and the degree of necrosis was more severe than that of CCI₄ group and pale cell change was decreased. 2. Electron microscopic findings: In CCI4 group, the early principal change was clumping and vesicular dilatation of endoplasmic reticulum. In PB-CCI₄ group, the degenerative change of endoplasmic reticulum was aggravated and the mitochondria also revealed severe degenerative change. According to the results, it was revealed that CCI₄ hepatotoxicity primarily began with the damage of endoplasmic reticulum, then damage of other cell organelles and cell necrosis followed, and these cytotoxic effects were aggravated by PB pretreatment.
Animals ; Carbon Tetrachloride* ; Carbon* ; Dilatation ; Endoplasmic Reticulum ; Liver ; Mitochondria ; Necrosis ; Olive Oil ; Organelles ; Phenobarbital* ; Rats*

BACKGROUND: Although numerous culture conditions for Malassezia species were suggested, there were not so many objective evaluation articles in the literature. OBJECTIVES: We examined the various culture conditions for Malassezia globosa. METHODS: Malassezia globosa culture conditions were assessed by Dixon's agar, modified Leeming-Notman medium in diverse oil content and temperature conditions. RESULTS: Maximum growth rate of Malassezia globosa was achieved at 3% olive oil. The optimal temperatures for the maximal growth of M. globosa were observed at 32~34degrees C. CONCLUSION: In this study, we established the optimal culture condition for M. globosa, and confirmed its excellent utility for the antifungal susceptibility tests for M. globosa and M. restricta. Our results can help the investigators plan to do the prospective researches involving Malassezia species, such as the susceptibility test for newly developed antifungal agents.
Agar ; Antifungal Agents ; Humans ; Malassezia ; Olea ; Olive Oil ; Plant Oils ; Research Personnel

BACKGROUND/AIMS: This study was designed to determine the effect of hepatic fibrotic severity on pharmacokinetics of propranolol in CCl4-treated rats. METHODS: 1 mL/kg of 10% CCl4 in olive oil was injected intramuscularly to rats twice weekly for 4, 6, 8 and 10 weeks, respectively (n=6). Control (n=6) was a sham-injected equal dose of olive oil for 10 weeks. After intravenous bolus injection of 2 mg/kg propranolol to rats, the serum propranolol concentrations were analyzed for 4 hours at various time points by a HPLC-fluorimetric system, and pharmacokinetic parameters such as C0, MRT, AUC, Vdss, t1/2( ) and CLp were determined. Then, a small amount of hepatic tissue was obtained and subjected to determination of the hepatic 4-hydroxyproline content, which confirmed the hepatic fibrotic severity. RESULTS: The serum concentrations of propranolol at 0.5, 1, 2 and 4 hours were significantly increased in CCl4-treated rats (p<0.01). In proportion to the duration of CCl4 treatment, C0 and AUC were significantly increased, and Vdss and CLp were significantly decreased (p<0.001). But MRT and t1/2( ) were not significantly changed. The hepatic 4-hydroxyproline content was gradually increased in CCl4-treated rats (p<0.001). CONCLUSION: Gradual changes in pharmacokinetic parameters of propranolol were seen to be dependent on the hepatic fibrotic severity. We suggest that gradual dosage modification, according to their hepatic fibrotic severity, is necessary for many drugs administered to patients with chronic liver disease.
Animals ; Area Under Curve ; Humans ; Hydroxyproline ; Liver Diseases ; Olea ; Pharmacokinetics ; Propranolol* ; Rats* ; Olive Oil

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of allergic conditions is increasing in most countries. One possible explanation may be childhood nutrition. OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to investigate the relationship between consumption of pre-specified types of food in school-aged children and presence of respiratory and allergic symptoms. METHODS: A total of 191 students aged 9–11 years were recruited from 5 schools to geographically cover all of Malta. Data was collected between October 2011 and February 2012. This was part of a bigger study which included clinical and environmental tests besides standardized health questionnaires. For the purposes of this part of the study only the health questionnaires were used. These standardized health questionnaires based on the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) were used to identify the presence of respiratory and allergic symptoms and to identify the types of foods and the frequency of consumption of various types of foods. RESULTS: We found that milk, meat, butter, olive oil, and yoghurt consumption had a negative association with allergic symptoms in children, whilst fish consumption had a detrimental effect. These relationships remained significant after correction for paternal level of education. CONCLUSION: The study highlights the fact that nutrition in early childhood may have a significant effect on the risk of allergic conditions. Our results, taken together with data in the literature, suggest that different types of fish might have had different effects. This is probably related to their different fatty acid constitution thus warranting further studies.
Asthma ; Butter ; Child ; Constitution and Bylaws ; Education ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Malta ; Meat ; Milk ; Olive Oil ; Prevalence ; Yogurt

Tyrosol, a phenylethanoid and a derivative of phenethyl alcohol, possesses various biological properties, such as anti-oxidative and cardioprotective activity. Olive oil is the principal source of tyrosol in the human diet. However, so far the anti-cancer activity of tyrosol has not yet been well defined. This study therefore undertakes to examine the cytotoxic activity and the mechanism of cell death exhibited by tyrosol in KB human oral cancer cells. Treatment of KB cells with tyrosol induced the cell growth inhibition in a concentration- and a time-dependent manner. Furthermore, the treatment of tyrosol induced nuclear condensation and fragmentation of KB cells. Tyrosol also promoted proteolytic cleavage of procaspase-3, -7, -8 and -9, increasing the amounts of cleaved caspase-3, -7, -8 and -9. In addition, tyrosol increased the levels of cleaved PARP in KB cells. These results suggest that tyrosol induces the suppression of cell growth and cell apoptosis in KB human oral cancer cells, and is therefore a potential candidate for anti-cancer drug discovery.
Apoptosis ; Caspase 3 ; Cell Death ; Diet ; Drug Discovery ; Humans* ; KB Cells ; Mouth Neoplasms* ; Olive Oil ; Phenylethyl Alcohol

Fecal impaction is a disorder characterized by a large mass of compacted feces in the rectum and/or colon, which cannot be evacuated. For mild and moderate fecal impaction, recommended treatments include stool softeners, oral mineral and olive oil, and edema; for severe fecal impaction, manual removal is needed and sometimes laparotomy may be indicated if medical therapies are not effective. Here we report a case with severe fecal impaction who did not defecate for 75 days. We treated this patient with vegetable oil, Chinese traditional medicine and enema in sequence. After 12 days of therapy, she evacuated hard fecal masses, and the symptoms were relieved.
Colon ; Enema ; Fecal Impaction ; Feces ; Humans ; Intestinal Obstruction ; Laparotomy ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Olea ; Plant Oils ; Rectum ; Vegetables ; Olive Oil