Using Medicinal Plants in Valmalenco (Italian Alps): From Tradition to Scientific Approaches

This ethnobotanical survey was carried out in Caspoggio (Valmalenco, SO, Italy) with the purpose of investigating the traditional uses of medicinal plants. Moreover, a bibliographic research meant to validate or refute the uses, focusing on the potentially responsible compounds, was performed. Fifty-nine species, attributable to 30 families (Asteraceae, Pinaceae, Malvaceae, and Lamiaceae the most cited), were mentioned. Arnica montana, anti-inflammatory for traumas and musculoskeletal pains; Pinus mugo, expectorant; Malva sylvestris, anti-inflammatory and soothing; Achillea moschata, digestive. The compounds, responsible for the therapeutic activities, are often polyphenols and terpenoids: helenanin in A. montana, -pinene, -3-carene, and limonene in P. mugo, gossypin and malvin in M. sylvestris, luteolin and apigenin in A. moschata. Scientific evidence for at least one of the traditional activities described was found for 50 species but only in 26 out of 196 works consulted, it is possible to make a comparison between investigated extracts and traditional preparations. This study is thus a stimulus to new phytochemical investigations, mimicking as much as possible the traditional preparations. This work is part of the European Interreg Italy-Switzerland B-ICE project, aimed at creating a management model for the ongoing climate change and searching for new sources of territory valorization as attractions for tourists

Kinetic Study of Laboratory Mutants of NDM-1 Metallo-beta-Lactamase and the Importance of an Isoleucine at Position 35.

peer reviewedTwo laboratory mutants of NDM-1 were generated by replacing the isoleucine at position 35 with threonine and serine residues: the NDM-1(I35T)and NDM-1(I35S)enzymes. These mutants were well characterized, and their kinetic parameters were compared with those of the NDM-1 wild type. Thekcat,Km, andkcat/Kmvalues calculated for the two mutants were slightly different from those of the wild-type enzyme. Interestingly, thekcat/Kmof NDM-1(I35S)for loracarbef was about 14-fold higher than that of NDM-1. Far-UV circular dichroism (CD) spectra of NDM-1 and NDM-1(I35T)and NDM-1(I35S)enzymes suggest local structural rearrangements in the secondary structure with a marked reduction of alpha-helix content in the mutants

Adrenocortical Carcinoma and CT Assessment of Therapy Response: The Value of Combining Multiple Criteria

We evaluated tumor response at Computed Tomography (CT) according to three radiologic criteria: RECIST 1.1, CHOI and tumor volume in 34 patients with metastatic adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) submitted to standard chemotherapy. These three criteria agreed in defining partial response, stable or progressive disease in 24 patients (70.5%). Partial response (PR) was observed in 29.4%, 29.4% and 41.2% of patients according to RECIST 1.1, CHOI and tumor volume, respectively. It was associated with a favorable prognosis, regardless of the criterion adopted. The concordance of all the 3 criteria in defining the disease response identified 8 patients (23.5%) which displayed a very good prognosis: median progression free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) 14.9 and 37.7 months, respectively. Seven patients (20.6%) with PR assessed by one or two criteria, however, still had a better prognosis than non-responding patients, both in terms of PFS: median 12.3 versus 9.9 months and OS: 21 versus 12.2, respectively. In conclusions, the CT assessment of disease response of ACC patients to chemotherapy with 3 different criteria is feasible and allows the identification of a patient subset with a more favorable outcome. PR with at least one criterion can be useful to early identify patients that deserve continuing the therapy

Salvia uliginosa Benth.: glandular trichomes as bio-factories of volatiles and essential oil

Micromorphological, histochemical and ultrastructural investigations on the indumentum of vegetative and reproductive organs were carried out for Salvia uliginosa Benth. (Lamiaceae). Besides non-glandular hairs, two types of glandular trichomes (peltate and short-stalked capitate) are described and compared with trichomes in other Lamiaceae species. The histochemical findings evidence a similar, complex chemical nature of the secretory products for both types of trichomes: lipids, terpenes, phenols and flavonoids. TEM investigation allows to confirm the preliminary histochemical results. In addition, we report for the first time the phytochemical characterization of the leaf and flower volatile emission profiles and the analysis of the essential oil obtained from the aerial parts. Leaf volatile profile resulted more complex, presenting a total number of constituents almost double compared to that found in the flowers (50 vs 27 compounds, respectively). Leaf VOC profile is characterized by 30 exclusive compounds, dominated by 1,8-cineole (3.84%) and trans-γ-cadinene. Flower VOC profile Exhibits 7 exclusive compounds, among which germacrene D (8.65%) is the most abundant one. Sesquiterpene hydrocarbons represent the major chemical class in both profiles (90.13% in leaves and 92.18% in flowers) and 20 common compounds have been detected: among them δ-elemene, β-caryophyllene, α-humulene and bicyclogermacrene are the dominant constituents, with relative percentages in the range of about 5.00-17.00% for the leaves and of about 9.00-31.00% for the flowers. 49 different compounds were identified in the essential oil obtained from the aerial parts. The extraction yield is 0,02%. Sesquiterpenes represent the most abundant terpene fraction (89.56%). The main compound is bicyclogermacrene (16.30%) followed by germacrene D (14.81%), β-caryophyllene (8.57%) and δ-cadinene (8.47%), among the hydrocarbons. Spathulenol (12.66%) dominates the oxygenated sesquiterpenes

Scutellaria brevibracteata subsp. subvelutina (Rech.f.) Greuter & Burdet: morphological and phytochemical characterization

A micromorphological and phytochemical survey was performed on Scutellaria brevibracteata subsp. subvelutina cultivated in Italy. The indumentum of the vegetative and reproductive organs was investigated: peltate, short-, medium- and long-stalked capitates were described. Histochemistry evidenced similar results for peltates and long-stalked capitates, differences for short and medium capitates. For the first time, this work reported the characterization of volatile organic compounds from leaves and flowers, along with the first analysis of the essential oil obtained from the aerial parts of Italian samples. The floral profile resulted more complex than the foliar one, due to the higher number of the total compounds (40 vs 27) and of the exclusive constituents (24 vs 11). 16 common compounds were detected, with β-caryophyllene as the most abundant. The essential oil was characterized by 23 compounds, with β-caryophyllene dominating. The peltates, the medium and the long-stalked capitates resulted the producers of the investigated compounds

Platelet Count and Volume and Pharmacological Closure with Paracetamol of Ductus Arteriosus in Preterm Infants

Background: Low platelet count might promote resistance to pharmacological closure with indomethacin and ibuprofen of a hemodynamically significant patent ductus arteriosus (hsPDA). However, no studies have investigated if this occurs with paracetamol. Methods: We retrospectively assessed the correlation between platelet count, mean platelet volume (MPV), and plateletcrit (PCT), as well as the effectiveness of paracetamol in closing hsPDA in infants born at 23+0–31+6 weeks of gestation who were treated with 15 mg/kg/6 h of i.v. paracetamol for 3 days. Results: We studied 79 infants: 37 (47%) Had closure after a course of paracetamol and 42 (53%) did not. Platelet count and PCT did not correlate with paracetamol success or failure in closing hsPDA, while MPV was lower at birth (10.7 ± 1.4 vs. 9.5 ± 1.1; p p = 0.079) in refractory infants. Regression analysis confirmed that the low MVP measured prior to starting the treatment increased the risk of hsPDA paracetamol closure failure (OR 1.664, 95% CI 1.153–2.401). Conclusions: The greater MPV correlated positively with the effectiveness of paracetamol in closing hsPDA, while platelet count and PCT did not influence closure rates. Additional studies are needed to confirm our results

A Three-Domain Scoring System to Customize the Risk of Relapse of Differentiated Thyroid Carcinoma

Purpose: the validation of a new scoring model considering the principal risk factors of differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) relapse. Methods: we evaluated all DTC patients treated with thyroidectomy and radioactive iodine (RAI) therapy. Three domains were considered: the demographic domain (age and gender), the surgical domain (histology and the American Thyroid Association risk categories), and the RAI-related domain (pre-RAI thyroglobulin and post-therapeutic 131I whole-body scan). The progression-free survival was assessed. The patients’ sample was randomly split into a training and validation set. The three-domain score was calculated as the weighted sum of the levels of each significant factor, then scaled to an integer range (0–100) and, finally, stratified into terciles: mild risk 0–33, moderate risk 34–66, and severe risk 67–100. Results: 907 DTC patients were included. The RAI-related domain was the most relevant factor in the score calculation. The tercile stratification identified significantly different survival curves: patients within the two upper terciles showed approximately 6 to 30 times more progressive risk than patients at mild risk. Conclusion: we have validated a three-domain scoring system and the principal impact on this score is provided by the peri-RAI findings, whose prognostic role seems to be essential in risk identification

Actinic keratosis: Review of the literature and new patents

Actinic Keratoses (AK) are considered a worldwide problem with continuously increasing incidence. They clinically present as rough or scaly plaques and are histologically characterized by a proliferation of atypical keratinocytes limited to the epidermis. AK are considered as an early step in the continuum of transformation from normal skin to invasive squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). These lesions develop on a background of field cancerization in which chronically UV- damaged-areas accumulate molecular changes, but remain clinically normal for prolonged periods. The presence of certain clinical features of AK, such as large size, ulceration, or bleeding, suggests an increased risk of disease progression. The risk is also increased by evidence of extensive solar damage, advanced age, and immune-suppression. Many treatment modalities are available, although recent developments have focused on the management of the whole actinically damaged field. In this regard, several topical drugs have been approved, differing in efficacy, side effects, application and cost. Research continuingly aims to develop the "ideal" treatment which combines high clearance rates with few side effects, short treatment duration and low costs. Herein, we aim to give an overview on current treatment modalities including their mechanism of action, application scheme and common side effects. Furthermore, recent patents in the field and future aspects are discussed in this review. © 2013 Bentham Science Publishers