Subject. The tendency of growing antibiotic resistance causes scientific medical community to develop new antimicrobial treatment protocols. Recently, the increased interest in photodynamic therapy has been noted. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a non-surgical method of treatment patients with inflammatory diseases and neoplasms in the maxillofacial region, based on the interaction between special light-sensitive chemical compounds — photosensitizers and light radiation. The literature reports the existence of synthetic and natural photosensitizers. Despite the higher stability present by the synthetic photosensitizers, they are more prone to collateral effects. Recently, a growing body of evidence shows the promising applications of curcumin against different diseases, including the pathologies in maxillofacial region. Curcumin is a bioactive compound isolated from the roots of Curcuma longa that has antibacterial, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties. The disadvantage of curcumin is that it is unstable at physiological pH, has low water solubility and is rapidly metabolized by the body.
The objective of this work is to review current research aimed at improving curcumin as a photosensitizer used for photodynamic therapy.
Methodology. The analysis of scientific articles from databases of medical and biological publications — scientific electronic library (Elibrary), PubMed and Web of Science, dedicated to the use of curcumin in photodynamic therapy.
Results and conclusion. The results of modern research in the field of laser technologies presented in this review indicate that photodynamic therapy with curcumin, as a photosensitizer is a promising treatment option in many fields of medicine. The aforementioned scientific studies give the understanding that the study and improvement of delivery systems for curcumin photosensitizer by combining it with nanoparticles is a scientific interest.
BACKGROUND: Premedication in outpatient dental interventions normalizes pain sensitivity and emotional state of patients. Inhalation of xenon-oxygen mixture can be an effective means for it. AIM: To study the effect of xenon premedication on pain sensitivity in patients with outpatient dental interventions. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty patients were studied. Emotional and personal characteristics of patients were determined using the Eysenck test, Spielberger–Khanin personal anxiety scale, and hospital scale of anxiety and depression. Pain sensitivity was assessed using pain thresholds and somatosensory evoked potentials of the brain before and after inhalation of xenon-oxygen mixture at a concentration of 30/70 for 3 minutes. RESULTS: According to the results of psychological testing, all examined patients were characterized by a stable psychological sphere and predominantly lowered anxiety and constituted a group with insignificantly different emotional and personal characteristics. Before inhalation, pain sensitivity in patients varied significantly. After inhalation, multidirectional changes in pain sensitivity occurred, which were expressed in a decrease and an increase in pain sensitivity thresholds and the degree of activation of brain structures. CONCLUSION: Preoperative stress can both exacerbate and reduce pain sensitivity in patients. The use of inhalation of a xenon-oxygen mixture at a concentration of 30/70 for 3 minutes as a premedication causes multidirectional changes in the sensitivity of tissues and organs in the maxillofacial region in patients before outpatient dental interventions, which may be caused by a change in the activity of endogenous antinociceptive (analgesic) system.
