Dehydrocrotonin and its beta-cyclodextrin complex: Cytotoxicity in V79 fibroblasts and rat cultured hepatocytes

Trans-dehydrocrotonin has antiulcerogenic and antitumor activities. A complex of beta-cyclodextrin with dehydrocrotonin was developed to improve the delivery of dehydrocrotonin. Complex in solid state was evaluated using X-ray diffraction (XRD), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy studies showed that dehydrocrotonin exists in a semicrystalline state in the complexed form with beta-cyclodextrin. Differential scanning calorimetry studies showed the existence of a complex of dehydrocrotonin with beta-cyclodextrin. The thermal gravimetric analysis studies confirmed the differential scanning calorimetry results of the complex. Free dehydrocrotonin and the dehydrocrotonin/ beta-cyclodextrin inclusion complex were assayed in freshly isolated rat hepatocytes and in V79 cells. Cytotoxicity was determined using nucleic acid content, methylthiazoletetrazolium (MTT) reduction and neutral red uptake assays. In all assays, there was a large reduction (3.5-16.1-fold) in the cytotoxicity of dehydrocrotonin in hepatocytes when complexed with p-cyclodextrin, whereas for V79 cells the decrease in cytotoxicity was 1.7- and 1.87-fold for MTT reduction and nucleic acid content assays, respectively. The lower cytotoxicity of the dehydrocrotonin/beta cyclodextrin complex compared to free dehydrocrotonin in rat hepatocytes and V79 cells suggests that such a complex may be useful for the administration of dehydrocrotonin in vivo. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.51041671172

Modulation of intercellular communication in macrophages: possible interactions between GAP junctions and P2 receptors

Gap junctions are connexin-formed channels that play an important role in intercellular communication in most cell types. In the immune system, specifically in macrophages, the expression of connexins and the establishment of functional gap junctions are still controversial issues. Macrophages express P2X(7) receptors that, once activated by the binding of extracellular ATP, lead to the opening of transmembrane pores permeable to molecules of up to 900 Da. There is evidence suggesting an interplay between gap junctions and P2 receptors in different cell systems. Thus, we used ATP-sensitive and -insensitive J774.G8 macrophage cell lines to investigate this interplay. To study junctional communication in J774-macrophage-like cells, we assessed cell-to-cell communication by microinjecting Lucifer Yellow. Confluent cultures of ATP-sensitive J774 cells (ATP-s cells) are coupled, whereas ATP-insensitive J774 cells (ATP-i cells), derived by overexposing J774 cells to extracellular ATP until they do not display the phenomenon of ATP-induced permeabilization, are essentially uncoupled. Western-blot and reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction assays revealed that ATP-s and ATP-i cells express connexin43 (Cx43), whereas only ATP-s cells express the P2X(7) receptor. Accordingly, ATP-i cells did not display any detectable ATP-induced current under whole-cell patch-clamp recordings. Using immunofluorescence microscopy, Cx43 reactivity was found at the cell surface and in regions of cell-cell contact of ATP-s cells, whereas, in ATP-i cells, Cx43 immunoreactivity was only present in cytosolic compartments. Using confocal microscopy, it is shown here that, in ATP-s cells as well as in peritoneal macrophages, Cx43 and P2X(7) receptors are co-localized to the membrane of ATP-s cells and peritoneal macrophages

Teor, rendimento e composição química do óleo essencial de manjericão sob doses de cama de frango Content, yield and chemical composition of the essential basil oil under chicken manure levels

Óleo essencial de manjericão (Ocimum basilicum L.) com alta concentração de linalol é valorizado no mercado internacional e amplamente usado nas indústrias de condimentos e cosméticos. Há poucas informações a respeito do cultivo de manjericão e, portanto o presente trabalho teve o objetivo de avaliar o teor, o rendimento e a qualidade de óleo essencial de genótipos de manjericão em função de níveis de adubação orgânica com cama de frango nas condições de inverno sob irrigação. O experimento foi conduzido na Fazenda Experimental do Glória, pertencente à Universidade Federal de Uberlândia. Foram testados cinco níveis de adubação, sendo 2; 4; 6; 8 e 10 kg de cama de frango por m². O delineamento experimental utilizado foi de blocos ao acaso em esquema fatorial 5 x 2, com quatro repetições. Foram semeados os genótipos Manjericão PI 197442-S3 (G1) e Manjericão NSL 6421-S3 (G2). O óleo essencial foi extraído por hidrodestilações com aparelho tipo Clevenger modificado. Avaliou-se a altura da planta; comprimento e largura de folha; relação comprimento/largura (C/L); teor e rendimento de óleo essencial, e teor de linalol no óleo essencial extraído de folhas e inflorescências frescas e secas. As doses de adubo influenciaram significativamente o teor de linalol do óleo essencial destilado a partir de parte aérea fresca e seca dos genótipos 1 e 2. As outras variáveis não apresentaram diferenças significativas.<br>Basil (Ocimum basilicum L.), essential oil with high linalool content, is appreciated in the international market and widely used in spice and cosmetics industries. There are few informations available for basil cultivation, and therefore, the aim of this work was to evaluate the content, yield and quality of the essential oil of basil genotypes depending on organic fertilizer levels in the winter and using irrigation. The experiment was carried out in the Universidade Federal de Uberlândia. Five fertilizer levels were evaluated: 2; 4; 6; 8 and 10 kg of chicken manure per m². A completely randomized blocks design in factorial scheme was used with four replications. Two basil genotypes were sown: PI 197442-S3 (G1) and NSL 6421-S3 (G2). Hydrodistillation with a modified Clevenger was realized for essential oil extraction. We evaluated the plant height; length and width of leaves; length/width relation (C/L); content and yield of essential oil; and linalool content in the essential oil extracted from fresh and dry leaves and flowers. The chicken manure levels had significantly influenced the linalool content in the distilled essential oil from fresh and dry leaves and flowers of both genotypes. The other variables did not present significant difference

Sentimentos vivenciados pelos profissionais de enfermagem que atuam em unidade de emergência Sentimientos de profesionales de enfermería que trabajam en unidad de urgencia Feelings of nursing professionals who work in emergency units

OBJETIVO: conhecer o significado do trabalho em uma unidade de emergência para os profissionais de enfermagem. MÉTODO: tratou-se de pesquisa qualitativa com abordagem fenomenológica. A coleta de dados foi obtida por meio de 14 entrevistas com profissionais de enfermagem. RESULTADOS: os profissionais de enfermagem convivem com sentimentos díspares, como cansaço, esgotamento, angústia e revolta pela sobrecarga e limitações dos recursos frente às situações que envolvem risco de morte. CONCLUSÃO: apesar do estresse que esses profissionais enfrentam durante o cotidiano de trabalho, eles mantêm o compromisso de prestar uma assistência com qualidade e humanização, havendo tendência para exaustão emocional, desânimo e sentimentos de angústia, o que reafirma a importância da prevenção de saúde no ambiente de trabalho.<br>OBJETIVO: conocer el significado del trabajo en una unidade de urgencia para los profesionales de enfermería. MÉTODO: se trató de una investigación cualitativa con abordaje fenomenologica. La recogida de datos fue por medio de 14 entrevistas con profesionales de enfermería. RESULTADOS: los profesionales de enfermería tienen los sentimientos de fatiga, agotamiento, angustia y rebelión para la sobrecarga de trabajo y las limitaciones de recursos frente a las situaciones que implican riesgo de muerte. CONCLUSIÓN: a pesar del estrés que los profesionales pasan en el dia al dia de trabajo ellos mantienen el compromiso en asistir con calida y humanización, existindo una tendencia para el agotamiento emocional, desaliento emocional y angustia lo qué reafirma la importancia de la prevención en salud en el ambiente de trabajo.<br>OBJECTIVE: to know the meanings fo the work in an emergency unit for nursing professionals. METHOD: qualitative research with phenomenological approach. Data collection was obtained by means of 14 interviews with nursing professionals. RESULTS: coexisting feelings of nursing professionals are fatigue, exhaustion, anguish and revolt for the work overload and resources limitations face the situations that involve death risk. CONCLUSION: although stress faced by nursing professionals during the daily work, they keep the commitment in assisting with quality and humanization, existing a trend for emotional exhaustion, loss of heart and feelings of anguish, what reaffirms the importance of heath prevention in work environment