Biological activity of bicyclic and tricyclic diterpenoids from Salvia species of immediate pharmacological and pharmaceutical interest

Diterpenoids are a class of compounds that derive from the condensation of four isoprene units that leads to a wide variety of complex chemical structures, including acyclic bi-, tri-and tetra-cyclic compounds; in Salvia species, only bi-, tri-and tetra-cyclic compounds have been found. This review covers a wide range of biological activities and mode of action of diterpenoids isolated from Salvia species that might raise some pharmacological and pharmaceutical interest. We have produced a synoptic table where the biological activities of the main active principles are summarized. Our analysis emphasizes that diterpenoids from Salvia species continue to be a plant defence system since their antimicrobic activity. Experimental studies show that most of diterpenoids considered have cytotoxic and / or antiproliferative activity. Some of them have also cardiovascular and central effects. In a less extended manner, diterpenoids from Salvia species show gastrointestinal, urinary, antinflammatory, antidiabetic, ipolipidemic and antiaggregating effects. In the last decade, several clinical trials have been developed in order to investigate the real value of Salvia extracts treatment; results obtained are promising and confer scientific basis in the use of medicinal plants from folk medicine

Embalagens ativas: papel no combate às doenças de origem alimentar

Introdução: Muitas das doenças de origem alimentar são causadas pela presença de microrganismos patogénicos nos alimentos. Segundo os dados da Organização Mundial de Saúde, anualmente, cerca de 600 milhões de pessoas são afetadas por estas doenças e 420 mil chegam mesmo a perecer [1]. Estes dados tornam o combate aos microrganismos patogénicos uma prioridade da indústria alimentar. A capacidade antimicrobiana das plantas aromáticas está comprovada em vários estudos. Estas plantas são utilizadas deste os primórdios da civilização humana na conservação de alimentos, tendo na sua constituição compostos com ação antimicrobiana, pelo que têm grande interesse por parte da indústria alimentar. Objetivo: O objetivo deste trabalho foi a avaliação antimicrobiana de um extrato de planta aromática, no seu estado puro e, após incorporação num filme à base de proteína de soro de leite, contra alguns microrganismos.N/

Characterization of rosemary and thyme extracts for incorporation into a whey protein based film

Active packaging is designed to interact with foods by releasing active components with biological properties, allowing the extension of foods shelf-life, being aromatic plants a source of active compounds. The main goal of this research was to develop a biodegradable whey protein based film, incorporated with an aromatic plant extract. Ethanolic extracts from rosemary and thyme were obtained from three commercial brands. The DPPH• scavenging activity assay showed that the rosemary extracts presented the highest antioxidant capacity. Thyme acetone extract had the highest antioxidant activity in the β-carotene bleaching assay. Three different mixtures of rosemary and thyme extracts with the highest antioxidant capacity showed a lower antioxidant capacity than the single extracts. The content of carnosic acid, carnosol and rosmarinic acid was determined in the three rosemary extracts, having the extract from the brand C shown the highest phenolics content. The extract showed antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Listeria monocytogenes and Clostridium perfringens. For the active film, 1% of the rosemary extract was incorporated into the whey protein film. The film presented antimicrobial activity against L. monocytogenes and S. aureus.Highlights: Antioxidant activity of rosemary and thyme extracts was evaluated; Rosmarinic acid, carnosol and carnosic acid were quantified in rosemary extract; Rosemary extract was incorporated into a whey protein-based active film.This work was supported by the research project “Development of an edible film based on whey protein with antioxidant and antimicrobial activity using essential oils” (2012DAN807) funded by the National Institutes of Health Dr. Ricardo Jorge, I.P. (Lisbon, Portugal). Regiane Ribeiro dos Santos (BEX 8754/14-4) is grateful for her research grant funded by Brazilian Federal Agency for Support and Evaluation of Graduate Education (CAPES).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

A course for non technical skills improvement in the Emergency Department

People who work closely in high risk situations are likely to get in the condition of handle potential errors with serious consequences. Recent studies showed that almost 50% of medical errors are due a lack on Non Techinical Skills (NTSs). NTSs are \u2018the cognitive, social and personal resource skills that complement technical skills and contribute to safe and efficient task performance (management, teamwork, situation awareness and leadership). In this regard, even in the health sector, it is increasing the need of training programs for developing NTSs in order to increase reliability and safety levels. In fact lack of NTSs is increasingly recognized as an important underlying cause of adverse events in healthcare. Until now, the medical areas that demonstrate a strong attention to these issues that are mainly surgery and anesthesia. More recently analysis of adverse events in the Emergency Department reveals that factors contributing usually relate to a lack of NTSs such situational awareness, decision making, communication and teamwork, and leadership. In order to improve task management of the Emergency Department of the Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Integrata in Verona (Italy), we developed a 30 hours course for improving physicians\u2019 and nurses\u2019 NTSs. Our experience our experience is inspired by what has been done in recent years in the aviation sector particularly the Crew Resource Management (CRM). The course, divided in three parts, involves 5 physicians and 5 nurses and active learning plays a pivotal role. In the first part the student learns the role and importance of the NTSs and their components: decision making, situation awareness, decision making, communication and team working, leadership. In this part of the course are also analyzed threats and error management. The following step is the analysis of evaluation grids in medical fields and the NOTECHS grid. In the aftermath an evaluation grid for NTSs in the emergency department is developed. The role playing with interactive simulating dummy constitutes the final part of the course. The purpose is to strengthen the assessment capacity of the learner. In fact, by the end of the course each student has to be able to evaluate NTSs of Emergency Department components in order to achieve improvement of their NTSs. In the Italian context, this type of training, is still struggling to take off. The topics related to clinical risk and, in particular, the non-technical skills continue to remain on the sidelines of the institutionalized training courses and are a benefit of a few. The importance of these components in mostly evident in emergency situations, like the Emergency Department is, with high interaction with the patient. The impact of NTSs is crucial not only for the patient \u2013 physician interaction but also in the relationships between colleagues and with others units, as they facilitate the establishment of a fluid relationship that improve operational quality and the results to be achieved. Emergency, especially in overcrowded setting, is an unforeseeable event, characterized by a strong emotional impact, and timeliness of actions for which it is essential that everyone knows who does what, how, when and why. We believe that improving NTSs is important for the specific characteristics of the Emergency Department, different from other hospital units. Health activities are not programmable in any way, but are carried out mostly justin- time mostly at the moment and respecting the needs of urgency. The emergency room personnel, in fact, work in unusual situations in which the health of the individual patient, threatened by an acute event, must be protected in a race against time and against the difficulties caused by the continuous influx of other users. The operator does not know the patient who will visit, information available are lacking or incomplete with respect to the patient's medical history. As highlighted in previous studies, the peculiar context of the emergence increases the possibility of error. Our challenge lies in the ability to identify solutions, strategies or tools that facilitate overcoming these risk factors. These solutions can be at individual level, through the adoption of techniques limiting the problems related to decision making and attention to the collection of information. The acquisition of skills related to teamwork and communication and leadership will improve the group working of the Emergency Department

Platelet Antiaggregating Activity and Chemical Constituents of Salvia x jamensis J. Compton

A phytochemical study has been carried out on the surface exudate of Salvia x jamensis, which showed a significant platelet antiaggregatingactivity. The known compounds isopimaric acid (2), 14-alpha-hydroxy-isopimaric acid (3), 3 beta-hydroxy-isopimaric acid (4), 7,8 beta-dihydrosalviacoccin (5), betulinic acid (6), and ursolic acid (7) were isolated together with the new diterpene 1. The structure of 1 was determined as 15,16-epoxy-cleroda-3-en-7 alpha,10 beta-dihydroxy-12,17;19,18-diolide on the basis of spectroscopic data analysis. Among all tested compounds, 2 showed a significant concentration-dependent antiaggregating activity when ADP (3 mu M) was used as agonist on rat platelets. Conversely, 1 increased ADP-induced plateletaggregation

White blood cell count may identify abnormal cardiometabolic phenotype and preclinical organ damage in overweight/obese children

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Subclinical inflammation is a central component of cardiometabolic disease risk in obese subjects. The aim of the study was to evaluate whether the white blood cell count (WBCc) may help to identify an abnormal cardiometabolic phenotype in overweight (Ow) or obese (Ob) children. METHODS AND RESULTS: A cross-sectional sample of 2835 Ow/Ob children and adolescents (age 6-18 years) was recruited from 10 Italian centers for the care of obesity. Anthropometric and biochemical variables were assessed in the overall sample. Waist to height ratio (WhtR), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), lipids, 2 h post-load plasma glucose (2hPG), left ventricular (LV) geometry and carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT) were assessed in 2128, 2300, 1834, 535 and 315 children, respectively. Insulin resistance and whole body insulin sensitivity index (WBISI) were analyzed using homeostatic model assessment (HOMA-IR) and Matsuda's test. Groups divided in quartiles of WBCc significantly differed for body mass index, WhtR, 2hPG, HOMA-IR, WBISI, lipids, ALT, cIMT, LV mass and relative wall thickness. Children with high WBCc ( 658700 cell/mm(3)) showed a 1.3-2.5 fold increased probability of having high normal 2hPG, high ALT, high cIMT, or LV remodeling/concentric LV hypertrophy, after adjustment for age, gender, pubertal status, BMI and centers. CONCLUSIONS: This study shows that WBCc is associated with early derangements of glucose metabolism and preclinical signs of liver, vascular and cardiac damage. The WBCc may be an effective and low-cost tool for identifying Ow and Ob children at the greatest risk of potential complications

Long-term survival in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: A population-based study

Objective To determine the long-term survival in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and identify predictors of prolonged survival in a population-based cohort of newly diagnosed patients. Methods An incident cohort from a population-based registry during the years 1998 through 2002 in Lombardy, Italy was followed until death or to February 28, 2013. Age, sex, date of onset of symptoms, site of onset, date of diagnosis, and El Escorial diagnostic category were collected. Survival was assessed using Kaplan-Meier curves. Cox proportional hazards function was used to identify independent prognostic predictors. Standardized mortality ratios (SMRs) were used to assess the 5-year and 10-year excess mortality of ALS patients. Results Included were 280 men and 203 women aged 18 to 93 years. Spinal onset ALS was present in 312 cases (64.6%). Definite ALS was diagnosed in 213 cases (44.1%), probable ALS in 130 (26.9%), possible ALS in 93 (19.3%), and suspected ALS in 47 (9.7%). The cumulative time-dependent survival at 1, 5, and 10 years from diagnosis was 76.2%, 23.4%, and 11.8%, respectively. Independent predictors included younger age, the diagnosis of possible/suspected ALS, spinal onset, and symptoms having started >12 months previously at diagnosis. SMR was 9.4 at 5 years and 5.4 at 10 years. SMR at 10 years was higher until age 75 year, predominating in women, and became nonsignificant for males thereafter. Interpretation The outcome in ALS varies with phenotype. Longer survival is predicted by younger age, spinal onset, male gender, and suspected ALS. After age 75 years, 10-year survival in men with ALS is similar to the general population

Is firstly diagnosed ALS really ALS? Results of a population-based study with long-term follow-up

OBJECTIVE: To revise the first diagnosis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) in patients from a well-defined population. METHODS: Patients diagnosed with ALS in the years 1998-2002 and resident of Lombardy Region, Northern Italy were followed until death or April 30 2016 to assess long-term survival. During follow-up, the caring neurologists were asked to confirm the first diagnosis. Revised diagnoses were classified as confirmed and unconfirmed motor neuron disease (MND) with further specification where available. The two groups were compared for age, sex, disease duration at diagnosis, site of onset, and El Escorial category. Survival with predictors were also compared. RESULTS: Included were 280 men and 203 women aged 18-93 years. During follow-up, 25 cases (5.2%) received a diagnosis different from MND. Diseases of spinal roots and peripheral nerves and vascular encephalopathy predominated. Patients with definite (OR 0.15; 95%CI 0.04-0.52) and probable (OR 0.15; 95%CI 0.04-0.62) ALS were least likely to have an unconfirmed MND diagnosis. At end of follow-up, 2.2% of patients with confirmed MND and 44.0% of patients with unconfirmed MND were reported alive (HR 0.14; 95%CI 0.08-0.25). CONCLUSIONS: At the time of a first diagnosis of ALS, the possibility still exists that another, less severe clinical condition, is present