Chemical composition, cytotoxicity and larvicidal activity against Aedes aegypti of essential oils from Vitex gardineriana Schauer

Vitex gardneriana Schauer (Lamiaceae) popularly known as “jaramataia”, is a shrub commonly found in caatinga biome located in Northeast Brazil. In folk medicine, its leaves have been used as analgesic and anti-inflammatory agents. The chemical composition of the essential oil from leaves obtained by hydrodistillation was analyzed and identified by GC-MS and GC-FID and showing a total of 26 constituents (95.9%) being 2 monoterpenes (0.4%) and 24 sesquiterpenes (95.4%). The main constituents identified were cis-calamenene (29.7%), 6,9-guaiadiene (14.5%) and caryophyllene oxide (14.0%). The essential oil has been demonstrated high larvicidal activity againstAedes aegypti (LC50 = 28.0 μg/mL). In the evaluation of the bioassay with Artemia salina the essential oil showed LC50 = 98.11 μg/mL. Inaddition, the essential oil did not show cytotoxicity (IC50 > 2.50 mg/mL) by the hemolysis assay

Graph based study of allergen cross-reactivity of plant lipid transfer proteins (LTPs) using microarray in a multicenter study.

The study of cross-reactivity in allergy is key to both understanding. the allergic response of many patients and providing them with a rational treatment In the present study, protein microarrays and a co-sensitization graph approach were used in conjunction with an allergen microarray immunoassay. This enabled us to include a wide number of proteins and a large number of patients, and to study sensitization profiles among members of the LTP family. Fourteen LTPs from the most frequent plant food-induced allergies in the geographical area studied were printed into a microarray specifically designed for this research. 212 patients with fruit allergy and 117 food-tolerant pollen allergic subjects were recruited from seven regions of Spain with different pollen profiles, and their sera were tested with allergen microarray. This approach has proven itself to be a good tool to study cross-reactivity between members of LTP family, and could become a useful strategy to analyze other families of allergens

The involvement of thaumatin-like proteins in plant food cross-reactivity: a multicenter study using a specific protein microarray.

Cross-reactivity of plant foods is an important phenomenon in allergy, with geographical variations with respect to the number and prevalence of the allergens involved in this process, whose complexity requires detailed studies. We have addressed the role of thaumatin-like proteins (TLPs) in cross-reactivity between fruit and pollen allergies. A representative panel of 16 purified TLPs was printed onto an allergen microarray. The proteins selected belonged to the sources most frequently associated with peach allergy in representative regions of Spain. Sera from two groups of well characterized patients, one with allergy to Rosaceae fruit (FAG) and another against pollens but tolerant to food-plant allergens (PAG), were obtained from seven geographical areas with different environmental pollen profiles. Cross-reactivity between members of this family was demonstrated by inhibition assays. Only 6 out of 16 purified TLPs showed noticeable allergenic activity in the studied populations. Pru p 2.0201, the peach TLP (41%), chestnut TLP (24%) and plane pollen TLP (22%) proved to be allergens of probable relevance to fruit allergy, being mainly associated with pollen sensitization, and strongly linked to specific geographical areas such as Barcelona, Bilbao, the Canary Islands and Madrid. The patients exhibited mayor que50% positive response to Pru p 2.0201 and to chestnut TLP in these specific areas. Therefore, their recognition patterns were associated with the geographical area, suggesting a role for pollen in the sensitization of these allergens. Finally, the co-sensitizations of patients considering pairs of TLP allergens were analyzed by using the co-sensitization graph associated with an allergen microarray immunoassay. Our data indicate that TLPs are significant allergens in plant food allergy and should be considered when diagnosing and treating pollen-food allergy

Avaliação da segurança não clínica da chalcona (E)-1-(2-hidroxi-3,4,6- trimetoxifenil)-3-(4-nitrofenil) prop-2-en-1-ona frente a zebrafish (Danio rerio) adulto / Non-clinical safety assessment of chalcone (E) -1- (2-hydroxy-3,4,6-trimethoxyphenyl) -3- (4-nitrophenyl) prop-2-en-1-one in zebrafish (Danio rerio) adult

A avaliação da toxicidade de um produto químico, é essencial para identificar os parâmetros toxicológicos e suas relações dose-resposta, e assim elucidar os mecanismos de toxicidade e determinar a toxicodinâmica do composto químico. Chalconas são cetonas ?,?-insaturadas. Foi avaliado a segurança não clínica da chalcona sintetizada (E)-1-(2-hidroxi-3,4,6-trimetoxifenil) -3-(4-nitrofenil) prop-2-en-1-ona (4-nitro). O zebrafish (D. rerio), que é muito usado predominantemente na biologia e na genética molecular, mostrou seu valor na toxicologia de compostos químicos, bem como na descoberta de novas drogas. O presente trabalho reporta o potencial toxicológico e atividade locomotora de uma chalcona sintética 4- nitro frente à zebrafish (D. rerio) adulto. Para o teste de campo aberto e avaliação da toxicidade, a amostra foi preparadas com DMSO 3% (0,1, 0,3 e 1 mg/mL; 20 ?L i.p). Após 30 min. dos tratamentos, os animais foram adicionados em placas de Petri de vidro (10 x 15 cm), contendo a mesma água do aquário, marcadas com quatro quadrantes e analisada a atividade locomotora (0-5 min) através da contagem do número de cruzamento de linhas (CL).  No teste de toxicidade, foi calculada a concentração letal para matar 50% (CL50) dos ZFa em até 96h.A chalcona não se mostrou tóxica. As três concentrações diminuíram a atividade locomotora (AL) dos ZFa (AL= 53,33% a 56%). Assim, sugere-se investigar outros testes farmacológicos de doenças que alteram o comportamento animal

“Se viveres como louco, sabes que hás de morrer sem juízo”: as orientações para o bem morrer na literatura cristã portuguesa do século XVIII

Resumo Orientar os fiéis para uma vida santificada e instruí-los para uma boa morte foram objetivos muito comuns na literatura religiosa portuguesa do período moderno, especialmente aquela divulgada no século XVIII e que se propunha a definir e propagar virtudes morais e comportamentos que garantissem o bem morrer. Nosso objetivo, neste artigo, é o de analisar as orientações que todo fiel católico deveria observar como preparação prévia para a morte nas obras Sermão da Missão da quarta tarde da quaresma (1734), Terceiro Instruído na Virtude (1742) e Mestre da Virtude(1745), produzidas pelo padre dominicano português João Franc

Graph based study of allergen cross-reactivity of plant lipid transfer proteins (LTPs) using microarray in a multicenter study.

The study of cross-reactivity in allergy is key to both understanding. the allergic response of many patients and providing them with a rational treatment In the present study, protein microarrays and a co-sensitization graph approach were used in conjunction with an allergen microarray immunoassay. This enabled us to include a wide number of proteins and a large number of patients, and to study sensitization profiles among members of the LTP family. Fourteen LTPs from the most frequent plant food-induced allergies in the geographical area studied were printed into a microarray specifically designed for this research. 212 patients with fruit allergy and 117 food-tolerant pollen allergic subjects were recruited from seven regions of Spain with different pollen profiles, and their sera were tested with allergen microarray. This approach has proven itself to be a good tool to study cross-reactivity between members of LTP family, and could become a useful strategy to analyze other families of allergens