Cardiovascular Activity of the Chemical Constituents of Essential Oils

Cardiovascular diseases are a leading cause of death in developed and developing countries and decrease the quality of life, which has enormous social and economic consequences for the population. Recent studies on essential oils have attracted attention and encouraged continued research of this group of natural products because of their effects on the cardiovascular system. The pharmacological data indicate a therapeutic potential for essential oils for use in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases. Therefore, this review reports the current studies of essential oils chemical constituents with cardiovascular activity, including a description of their mechanisms of action

Finasteride promotes worsening of the cardiac deleterious effects of nandrolone decanoate and protects against genotoxic and cytotoxic damage

Metabolism of anabolic androgenic steroids is important for its physiological effects. The aim was to investigate the effects of finasteride (a 5α-reductase inhibitor - 5αR) on cardiac and mutagenic effects promoted by ND. Male Wistar rats were separated into three groups: CONT, received the vehicles of ND and finasteride (Peanut oil+Saline); DECA group, received ND (20 mg.kg.week-1, i.m.), and DECAF received ND and finasteride (100 μg.kg-1, i.p.), for four weeks. After, hypertrophy, cytokines and Angiotensin Converting Enzyme (ACE) activity was determined in heart. Bone marrow was used for micronucleus evaluation. Treatment with ND promotes increase in cardiac hypertrophy, ACE activity and disbalance among pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines, and combination with finasteride worsened those effects. Association with finasteride ameliorates the toxic effects of ND on bone marrow cells, as was observed by a normalization of the number of micronucleate polychromatic erythrocytes and the mitotic index. Our data demonstrates that deleterious effects promoted by ND are depend, at least in part, of its metabolization. Also, inhibition of 5αR by finasteride present variated effects dependent on organ studied. It can promote increase on cardiac damage and a reduction on mutagenic effects of ND, which demonstrated that dehydronandrolone has diverse role on ND effects

Pretreatment with water kefir reduces the development of acidified ethanol-induced gastric ulcers

To evaluate the gastroprotective and antioxidant effects of pretreatment with water kefir on ulcers induced with HCl/ethanol. All pretreatments lasted 14 days. Male mice were separated into five groups: the control (C) group received vehicle without ulcer induction; the ulcerated (U) group received vehicle; the lansoprazole (L) group received 30 mg/kg/day lansoprazole; the water kefir (WK15 and WK30) groups received WK at a dose of 0.15 or 0.30 ml/kg/day, respectively. Gastroprotection was measured by ulcer area, ulcer index and ulcer reduction percentage. Antioxidant effects were quantified by measuring advanced oxidized protein products (AOPPs), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase activity in the stomach. Pretreatment with WK at both doses promoted gastroprotection against HCl/ethanol-induced ulcers much like the pretreatment with lansoprazole. In addition, WK decreased protein oxidation while increasing SOD and catalase activity. We concluded that pretreatment with water kefir increases the activity of antioxidant enzymes, preventing gastric lesions induced by HCl/ethanol by maintaining the antioxidant performance in gastric tissue

Probiotic treatment with Kefir reduces vascular oxidative stress while suppressing COX2 mediated relaxation in intestinal arteries of an animal model of menopause

284-289Functional foods such as probiotics are known to have benefits in various diseases including metabolic disorders and cardiovascular disease (CVD). In women, CVD has been shown to be linked with their gut microbiota and hormones. Here, we have evaluated the effects of chronic Kefir, a fermented milk beverage in Russia, Central Asia, Middle East and Eastern Europe, on mesenteric artery, using an animal model of menopause focusing on the superoxide anion and COX2 pathways. Two-month-old female Wistar rats were ovariectomized and treated by gavage with Kefir (5 % w/v, 3 mL/kg/day) or milk (Control) during two months. After this period, third-order mesenteric artery segments were isolated and mounted in a myograph system for evaluation of concentration-response curves to acetylcholine. We performed western blot analyses and measured oxidative stress through dihydroethidium (DHE) staining. Kefir reduced vascular oxidative stress, despite not changing SOD2 levels. COX2 levels were not changed by kefir, despite an apparent tendency towards reduction. However, in the functional experiments, under incubation with a COX2 inhibitor, a suppression of this pathway was observed in the kefir group, which suggests an interaction between inflammatory pathways and oxidative stress in this model. The effect of acute incubation with a superoxide anion scavenger on vascular responsiveness was equal in both groups. Kefir reduces vascular oxidative stress levels while suppressing COX2-mediated relaxation in mesenteric vessels in an animal model of menopause; which appears to involve an interplay between these two factors

Pharmaceutical services in primary health care: dissatisfaction among users, managers and pharmacists

To assess the performance indicators for pharmaceutical services (PS) in primary health care (PHC), the level of satisfaction with pharmacy services among users and managers / pharmacists’ impressions in relation to the findings were evaluated. The study used mixed methods, including a retrospective and descriptive study of the performance indicators for PS in PHC, an observational study on the level of satisfaction and a qualitative study of users’ perception of pharmacy services at Health Units. Managers and pharmacists’ impressions of the study results were also collected. Only 44.4% of pharmacies had a full-time pharmacist. From the establishments visited, 5.3% did not have an air-conditioned environment, and only 33.3% of the items essential to the Good Practices of Storage of Medicines and Supplies criteria were fulfilled. Although 77.9% of the prescribed medicines were dispensed, it did not reach the 80% standard. The satisfaction level of users was 3.2±0.6, indicating dissatisfaction with pharmacies’ services. By means of an evaluation of each item within the questionnaire, it was possible to observe that variables related to pharmaceutical care presented low scores in relation to other domains, thus evidencing the fragility of the pharmaceutical- patient relationship in users’ perception. Managers and pharmacists suggested that these results were related to the inadequate physical infrastructure of pharmacies, work overload, lack of recognition and undervaluation of pharmacists, lack of interaction within the PHC team, high turnover of pharmacists, and lack of PS prioritization by the administration. PS in PHC has structural and organizational weaknesses that require changes. In general, users are dissatisfied with pharmacies’ services, especially with pharmaceutical care

Chronic and acute effects of kefir: the role of angiotensin converting enzyme inhibition instead of nitric oxide balance

Probiotic consumption promotes numerous health benefits. The aim of this study is 1) to evaluate the antihypertensive effect of kefir in a hypertension rat model caused by the administration of the nitric oxide synthesis inhibitor, L-NAME, and 2) to evaluate the acute angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory activity of the soluble nonbacterial fraction (SNBF) of kefir. To develop the first aim, male rats were separated into three groups: control group (C) treated with 0.3 mL/100 g of milk; L-NAME group (LN) received 10 mg/kg of said inhibitor; and Kefir group (K) treated with 0.3 mL/100 g of kefir plus L-NAME (10 mg/kg of said inhibitor). The treatments were given by oral gavage twice a day for four weeks. For the second aim”instead additionally, male rats received angiotensin I (in bolus) in three doses (Ang I: 0.03, 3 and 300 µg/kg) and were separated into two groups: a) received captopril (30 mg/kg i.v.) and b)received SNBF of kefir (5 mL/kg i.v.). Blood pressure were evaluated before and after Ang I. After treatment, hemodynamic parameters were evaluated, heart weight was recorded, and body weight gain was calculated. SNBF of kefir did not decrease the blood pressure for L-NAMEtreated animals, and no changes were observed in the cardiac parameters. However, the SNBF of kefir demonstrated acute inhibition of ACE in vivo similar to that of captopril. Thus, our results suggest that kefir may improve human cardiovascular systems by using mechanisms independent of nitric oxide syntheses. Additionally, the renin angiotensin system is probably the most important system involved in kefir effect regarding hypertension