Arquivos do Mês: March 2022

From depression to epilepsy, multiple sclerosis to chronic pain, phobia to menstrual cramps — never has science advanced so far in discovering the medicinal properties of cannabis, the marijuana plant. It is estimated that the effects of cannabidiol, a substance found in small volumes in the stem and leaf of the herb, are being tested in at least twenty diseases in large reference centers around the world. One of the most extraordinary works is Brazilian. Researchers from the University of São Paulo (USP), in Ribeirão Preto, identified the therapeutic action of the compound in burnout, the syndrome of professional burnout.

Published in the journal JAMA, of the American Medical Association, the study evaluated 120 health professionals on the front lines of the response to Covid-19. Daily doses of 300 mg of the drug reduced symptoms of emotional fatigue by 25% in the volunteers, depression by 50%, and anxiety by 60%.

Well, now the group of scientists is studying the action of cannabidiol on Covid-19.

— We are evaluating, in partnership with the USP Institute of Psychiatry in São Paulo, the effect of cannabidiol in preventing the neurological and general medical consequences of coronavirus infection — says the leader of the research, psychiatrist José Alexandre Crippa.

Scientists have discovered that cannabidiol acids can bind to the Spike protein, the structure that the coronavirus uses to enter cells. With this, cannabis compounds could prevent infection. The work, published in the Journal of Natural Products, was developed in a laboratory and still needs to go through new steps, such as testing on humans.

Source: O Globo

Scientists from the Federal University of Paraíba (UFPB) created an adhesive capable of curing, in 24 hours, the lesion caused by the herpes simplex virus. The very low-cost dressing, moldable to the size of the lesion, and which requires constant replacement, works through the controlled release of the drug Acyclovir in the region of the skin or mucosa affected by this category of the infectious agent.

How is it developed

Developed from a mixture of bioabsorbable and biodegradable synthetic polymers, the regenerative adhesive has a small dimension and high surface area, facilitating the addition of pharmacological agents, mainly Acyclovir, and aesthetic comfort.

Both the size and shape and the concentration of drug available are easily adaptable to the needs of a patient, unlike the current treatment through the use of Acyclovir tablets or ointment.

Kaline Ferreira, one of the inventors of the patent, explains that the characteristics of the adhesive can be modified as the proportion of polymers that make up its structure is varied. It is also possible to change the release of Acyclovir by modifying the structural dimensions of the dressing by controlling the polymer concentrations used and the production process parameters.

She points out that, even though it can be sold in any pharmacy, the Ministry of Health reinforces that any antiviral drug needs a prescription.

How the herpes sore patch can be made available

The regenerative adhesive was developed between 2015 and 2017. The patent was filed in June 2018, with the Brazilian Patent Office (BPTO). The dressing development process will be published soon. The articles are undergoing peer review in international journals.

The creators of the patent intend to talk to pharmaceutical companies to evaluate the cost-benefit for large-scale production of the adhesive.

Source: Portal Correio