Óleos essenciais de Origanum majorana L. (manjerona), Illicium verum Hook. f. (anis estrelado) e Cinnamomum zeylanicum Blume (canela) foram obtidos pela técnica de arraste a vapor d'água com aparelho de Clevenger modificado. Foram avaliadas as atividades antimicrobianas de cada um sobre as bactérias Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli e para os fungos Aspergillus flavus e Aspergillus parasiticus, observando o crescimento e/ou inibição micelial, comparando-se estes com a placa-padrão (sem óleo). Os óleos essenciais foram analisados em cromatógrafo gasoso acoplado a espectrômetro de massa para a identificação e cromatógrafo gasoso com detector de ionização de chamas para a quantificação dos compostos. Os principais constituintes dos óleos essenciais de manjerona, anis-estrelado e canela foram o 4-terpineol, trans-anetol e aldeído cinâmico, respectivamente. Nos testes in vitro, os óleos essenciais de manjerona e canela promoveram efeito inibitório sobre as bactérias S. aureus e E. coli, enquanto o óleo essencial de anis estrelado apresentou atividade apenas frente E. coli. Os óleos de manjerona, anis estrelado e canela foram efetivos sobre os fungos estudados, apresentando efeito inibitório. A concentração mínima inibitória pra o crescimento micelial de A. parasiticus foi de 1 e 0,01 µL mL-1 para os óleos de anis-estrelado e canela, respectivamente. Enquanto a concentração mínima inibitória para A. parasiticus foi de 0,25; 2 e 2 µL mL-1 para os óleos de canela, anis-estrelado e manjerona, respectivamente.

Essential oils of Origanum majorana L. (marjoram), Illicium verum Hook. f. (star-anise) and Cinnamomum zeylanicum Blume (cinnamon) were obtained by steam distillation using a modified Clevenger device. The antimicrobial activity of each oil was evaluated against the bacteria Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and the fungi Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus by observing their growth and/or mycelial inhibition through comparison with the standard dish (without oil). The essential oils were analyzed using a gas chromatograph coupled to a mass spectrometer for identification and coupled to a flame ionization detector for quantification. The major constituents of marjoram, star-anise and cinnamon essential oils were 4-terpineol, trans-anetole and cinnamic aldehyde, respectively. In in vitro tests, essential oils of marjoram and cinnamon promoted an inhibitory effect on the bacteria S. aureus and E. coli, while the essential oil of star-anise presented activity only against E. coli. Marjoram, star-anise and cinnamon oils were effective against the studied fungi, presenting an inhibitory effect. The minimal inhibitory concentration for the mycelial growth of A. parasiticus was 1 and 0.01 µL mL-1 for star-anise and cinnamon oils, respectively. The minimal inhibitory concentration for A. parasiticus was 0.25, 2 and 2 µL mL-1 for cinnamon, star-anise and marjoram oils, respectively.

This paper briefly analyses the results of the Infant Dental Care Program (PADI) of the Basque Country (1990) and Navarra (1991), aimed at children aged from 6 and 15 years. At the age 12, the lack of caries rose from 31% in 1988 to 57% in 1998 in the Basque Country, while it was 58% in Navarra (1997); the number of caries fell in Navarra by some 64% and by some 54% in the Basque Country, and the index of restoration was 81% in Navarra and 73% in the Basque Country (it was 17% in 1988). Emphasis is placed on the importance of a good evaluation of these programs and the opportunities that are opened up by the comparative analysis between Spanish autonomous communities for analysing the contribution of factors that are different, and for evaluating the impact of the programs on social inequalities in health. The results of the PADI exceed the initial aims of the Health Plans of Navarra (1991) and of the Basque Country (1990), and endorse the adoption of these programs by the Spanish autonomous communities. The development of these programs raises new objectives in dental health policy in Navarra and the Basque Country and, above all, makes it necessary to reflect on the need for Spain to include public dental health in its health policy and for the National Health System as a whole to include dental services within its services.

Este trabajo analiza brevemente los resultados del Programa de Atención Dental Infantil (PADI) del País Vasco (1990) y Navarra (1991) dirigido a niños de 6 a 15 años. A los 12 años, la ausencia de caries pasó en el País Vasco del 31 % en 1988 al 57 % en 1998, siendo del 58 % en Navarra (1997); el número de caries se redujo en Navarra en un 64 %, y un 54% en el País Vasco, y el índice de restauración fue del 81 % en Navarra y del 73 % en el País Vasco (era 17 % en 1988). Se destaca la importancia de una buena evaluación de estos programas y las oportunidades que abre el análisis comparado entre las comunidades autónomas españolas, para analizar la contribución de factores que son distintos, y valorar el impacto de los programas en las desigualdades sociales en salud. Los resultados del PADI superan los objetivos iniciales de los Planes de Salud de Navarra (1991) y del País Vasco (1990) y avalan la adopción de estos programas por parte de comunidades autónomas españolas. El desarrollo de estos programas plantea nuevos objetivos en la política de salud dental de Navarra y del País Vasco y, sobre todo, obliga a reflexionar sobre la necesidad de que España incluya la salud pública dental en su política de salud y de que el Sistema Nacional de Salud en su conjunto incluya los servicios dentales dentro de sus prestaciones.