Drug Therapy in Otology
John C Watkinson, Raymond W Clarke, Louise Jayne Clark, Adam J Donne, R James A England, Hisham M Mehanna, Gerald William McGarry, Sean Carrie in Basic Sciences Endocrine Surgery Rhinology, 2018
Acetic acid 2% has antifungal and antibacterial properties and can be used to treat mild otitis externa. Aluminium acetate is an astringent that can be applied as drops or onto a gauze wick. An astringent is an agent that causes shrinkage or constriction and is usually applied topically. The hydroscopic effect reduces oedema in the inflamed ear canal, opening the meatus. Aluminium acetate has a tendency to form crystals in the ear. Regular aural toilet is required to remove both the crystals that form as well as the debris produced by the inflammatory process. This treatment can be safely used in pregnancy. Boric acid has been used in the past for its weak fungistatic and bacteriostatic activity and is used as a mild disinfectant in lotions, ointments and powders in concentrations of up to 5%. It is absorbed through damaged skin and may cause systemic toxicity. Acute and chronic toxicity can occur, presenting with gastrointestinal disturbance, rash, central nervous system and renal involvement that may result in death. Slow excretion of boric acid can lead to cumulative toxicity during repeated use.
Pharmacological actions of chemical constituents
C. P. Khare in Evidence-based Ayurveda, 2019
As astringents, when applied topically, tannins help heal venous leg ulcers, make the wound more resilient to micro-organisms because they have difficulties attaching and infecting it. Astringent herbs have long been used as hemostatics to stop bleeding. When applied topically, stop bleeding by forming cross-linking with the proteins present in the damaged tissue and this tightens the skin and close wounds. Astringent herbs help reduce inflammation by inhibiting a number of enzymes involved in inflammation. Both hydrolyzable tannins and condensed tannins (anthocyanins) exert significant anti-inflammatory effects. Free tannin is astringent, anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial to the oral cavity. Free tannin and tannin-protein complexes are astringent, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial and hemostatic to the stomach. Tannins alter the permeability of the mucous membranes thereby exerting an antisecretory effect. This reduces the influx of water into the lumen of the bowel and reduces watery stools. By altering the surface of the intestines, toxins and microorganisms have difficulties attaching to the cells. Furthermore, tannins neutralize protein-based exotoxins produced by diarrhea-causing micro-organism including Vibro cholerae and Esch. coli.
Catalog of Herbs
James A. Duke in Handbook of Medicinal Herbs, 2018
Used in folk medicine for tumors and cancers, especially of the kidneys, mammaries, or stomach.4 A mild astringent formerly employed as a vulnerary and styptic. Used in some countries of Europe as a home remedy for cancer, chancroids, diabetes, diarrhea, dysentery, dysuria, gonorrhea, gout, hemorrhoids, hypertension, malaria, nephrosis, night sweats, rheumatism, stones, tonsillitis, tuberculosis, and vaginitis.32 Toward the end of the 19th century, Hemero tea derived from it was esteemed for asthma and bronchitis in Germany and Austria.8 Said to be a good gargle and remedy for inflammatory diseases of the tissues.2 Used for gonorrhea in Malaya.16 In China, where considered anthelmintic, antidiarrheic, astringent, diuretic, and emollient the plant is employed for chancroid, cholera, eczema, fever, hemorrhoids, jaundice, menorrhagia, pruritis, stomachache, and sunstroke.12,16 The herb has been classified anodyne, antiperiodic, antiseptic, astringent, cholagogue, demulcent, diuretic, emetic, emollient, expectorant, hemostat, laxative, tonic, vasoconstricting, vermifuge, and vulnerary.27, 32, 33
Left out in the cold: Serving wines chilled
Published in Temperature, 2019
Although also perceived in the mouth, astringency and irritation are not tastes. In wine, astringency is the rough or drying sensation that occurs when tannins interact with salivary proteins to reduce lubrication within the oral cavity, whereas irritation is the burning sensation elicited by high concentrations of ethanol. Both astringency and irritation are temperature-dependent. Chilling reduces perceived astringency albeit the effects are fairly small [4]. Suppression of astringency may be due to (a) decreased solution viscosity of the refrigerated solution, (b) a higher salivary flow rate in response to cold solutions, or (c) reduced tannin-protein interactions resulting from colder temperatures. Solution viscosity, salivary flow rate, and the degree of protein-compound interaction have all been shown to affect perceived astringency. When some wines (particularly red varietals) are consumed above optimal serving temperatures, connoisseurs will often characterize them as “hot”. This “hot” sensation is typically evoked in wines with relatively high alcohol content. Ethanol elicits this sensation by activating a temperature-sensitive receptor (TRPV1) normally responsive to hot temperatures [5]. Cooling reduces the likelihood of TRPV1 being activated. Not surprisingly, chilling a wine therefore, will decrease the activation of TRPV1 by ethanol and consequently reduce the “hot”, irritant sensation from the wine.
Thermoregulatory effects of guava leaf extract-menthol toner application for post-exercise use
Published in Pharmaceutical Biology, 2021
Titeyut Wongsanao, Wipavadee Leemingsawat, Vipaporn Panapisal, Thanomwong Kritpet
Guava leaves [Psidium guajava L. (Myrtaceae)], which contain phytochemical phenolic compounds (Morais-Braga et al. 2017), are regionally used as an alternative medicine for disinfecting the human gastrointestinal tract (Daswani et al. 2011; de Souza et al. 2014). Moreover, guava leaf extracts have astringent properties resulting from tannin phenolics (Ashok and Upadhyaya 2012) and can be utilised as a skin toner for tightening skin pores and decreasing oily skin (Pongsakornpaisan et al. 2019). Further, menthol, at various concentrations, is generally used as a cosmetic cooling agent in healthcare products (Kamatou et al. 2013). Currently, it is known that applying menthol can excite the transient receptor potential melastatin 8 (TRPM8) that can cause cutaneous vasodilation (Craighead and Alexander 2016) and increase the process of convection heat dissipation through the skin (Wong and Hollowed 2017). To date, it remains unknown whether the proven astringent effects of guava leaf extract and cutaneous vasodilation, and heat-convection of menthol can be extrapolated during the post-exercise recovery period. Specifically, there is inadequate research on the utilisation of both substances to develop alternative skincare and healthcare products suitable for post-exercise application to resolve problems associated with post-exercise perspiration without affecting heat dissipation.
Physiological and histopathological alterations in male Swiss mice after exposure to titanium dioxide (anatase) and zinc oxide nanoparticles and their binary mixture
Published in Drug and Chemical Toxicology, 2022
Opeoluwa Ogunsuyi, Olusegun Ogunsuyi, Olubukola Akanni, Okunola Alabi, Chibuisi Alimba, Oluwatosin Adaramoye, Sebastien Cambier, Santhana Eswara, Arno C. Gutleb, Adekunle Bakare
Some inorganic NPs, such as iron oxide, titanium dioxide (TiO2), zinc oxide (ZnO), cerium oxide, and copper oxide exhibit unique features where they serve as anti-cancer agents via the selective induction of cytotoxic effects on cancer cells (Wason et al. 2013, Orel et al. 2015). TiO2 and ZnO are widely used inorganic NPs that have gained increasing attention, especially in biomedical applications (Palanikumar et al. 2013). TiO2 NPs are applied as a photosensitizer for photodynamic therapy in clinical medicine, drug delivery and as carrier vectors and for targeting strategies. They are also found in food products including confectioneries, nondairy products, salad dressings, sauces, and personal care products (sunscreens, shampoos, and deodorants). The daily average intake of TiO2 in humans is approximately >5.4 mg/d (Lomer et al. 2000). Likewise, ZnO NPs are applied in the medical field due to their antibacterial activity against both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria and their antineoplastic, angiogenic, and wound-healing properties in veterinary sciences. They are useful in cancer therapy, drug/gene delivery, tissue engineering, biosensors, and as an astringent (for eczema, excoriation, wounds, and hemorrhoids). They are used as supplements in human and livestock diets due to their anti-inflammatory properties (Noori et al. 2014). The recommended daily intake of zinc ion (Zn2+), an indispensable trace element in adult men and women in the United States, is 11 and 9 mg, respectively (Zhang et al. 2013). Therefore, the accumulation of TiO2 NPs and ZnO NPs may be non-negligible through human consumption and use.