Recently, glutamine and β-glucan have been demonstrated to play an important role in modulation of the immune system and in promoting intestinal health benefits. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of this intervention on inflammatory responses and intestinal health in mice orally pretreated with soluble Saccharomyces cerevisiae derived 1,3/1,6-β-glucan (80mg/kg) with or without glutamine (150mg/kg) and then challenged with cytarabine (Ara-C) (15mg/kg). Improvements in villi and crypts were not observed in the β-glucan group. The intestinal morphometry in the glutamine group showed the best results. β-glucan in combination with glutamine presented the highest values of IL-1β and IL-10 and lowest values for leukocytes and INF-γ. Based on these results, combined β-glucan and glutamine pretreatment reduced intestinal inflammation and improved the immune response after Ara-C challenge.

Papain is a proteolytic enzyme removed from the leaves of green papaya and/or latex. This enzyme is widely known as a medicinal fruit used extensively in human medicine for the treatment of wounds of various etiologies. However, studies and reports in veterinary medicine are scarce. Another herbal drug widely used in wound healing is Sunflower oil (Helianthus annus). It has inflammatory and antimicrobial properties which stimulate the local neovascularization, promoting tissue granulation, cell migration, fibroblast proliferation, and differentiation. Three dogs were treated with infected necrosis wounds, considered large, extent, and severe, with varied etiology. All cases were treated with papain gel with the exception of one dog, which was given the sunflower oil at the end of the treatment. Papain gel shows effectiveness in the treatment of wounds especially with wound debridement and removal of necrotic tissue. In addition, the healing time was shorter when compared to the treatment with sunflower oil. Finally, the herbal drugs have a low cost and high accessibility. This study contributes to create a new research regarding the use of this drug in animal wound healing.

Feline stomatitis or gingivostomatitis is a chronic inflammatory condition affecting approximately 0.7% of patients. The cause is multifactorial, involving infectious agents, genetic factors, and environmental influences. Therapeutic strategies include pharmacological and surgical interventions to controlling inflammation and enhancing patient quality of life. There are discussions in the literature regarding the potential involvement of adverse food reactions as a contributing factor to oral cavity lesions, without clear evidence. This case report describes the control of gingivostomatitis with a hypoallergenic diet in a cat that had oral lesions and who was refractory to conventional treatment with prednisolone and cyclosporine, even after periodontal treatment and partial tooth extraction. After 30 days of dietary change, there was complete remission of the lesions. The animal was then re-exposed to the previous food, with new lesions appearing after 7 days. Upon returning to the hypoallergenic food, there was new remission of the lesions. This report suggests that food sensitivity may play a role in the control of feline gingivostomatitis, as periods of hypoallergenic diet coincided with the remission of the condition, even without changes in medication. It reinforces the importance of investigating adverse food reactions as clinical signs in the oral cavity of cats.