A new proposal of pharmaceutical application of xylitol produced by chemical and biotechnological means at the atopic dermatitis control: phase 1: pre-clinical assays

• Grant number: 06/02867-8
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Duration: February 01, 2007 - October 31, 2008
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Microbiology - Applied Microbiology
• Principal Investigator: Silvio Silvério da Silva
• Grantee: Silvio Silvério da Silva
• Host Institution: Escola de Engenharia de Lorena (EEL). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Lorena , SP, Brazil

Abstract

This work belongs to the Applied Microbiology and Bioprocess Group (GMBio) of the Engineering Chemical Faculty of Lorena. Due to promising results obtained from this research group after years studying the xylitol production by biotechnological means, now, in this stage of technological development, there is an emerging necessity to look into pharmacological applications to this bioproduct, to give up the xylitol aggregate added-value. So, the aim of this project is to investigate pharmacological properties of xylitol in the atopic dermatitis control, an important pathology in Brazil, which has few options of treatment and is arising in occurrences at all ages. This is an inflammatory process in which 95 % of the cases the bacteria Staphylococcus aureus colonize the area and these fact considerably get worst the clinical square. At an initial phase, in this project, in vitro assays to test xylitol properties in this bacterium have done and promising results were obtained, which motivated the continuity of this research. In vivo assays will be conducted in the next stage. Acute dermal toxicity with repeated dosis will be conducted on New Zealand albinos adults rabbits and photossensibility assays will be conducted on Dunkin-Hartley adults guinea pigs. These tests will be done to assure the safety of the pharmaceutical preparations that contains xylitol as the main component and will be done in accordance with recommendations in POP no 65.3330.003, 26/07/02 National Health Quality Control Institute (INCQS). The experimental protocols have been approved by Animals Ethical Committee in the Federal University of Juiz de Fora. We look for the results of this project will contribute to a strategic option to atopic dermatits treatment and control, using a bioproduct obtained by fermentative processes. (AU)