248 research outputs found
Enhancement of antibiotic activity by Cordia verbenacea DC
Escherichia coli is known to produce enterotoxins whose properties and its role in diarrheal disease has been extensively investigated. Some species of Staphylococcus are often recognized as etiological agents of many animal and human opportunistic infections. This study is the first test of change in resistance of antibiotic activity by Cordia verbenacea DC. against multiresistant strains of Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. In this study, the hexane and methanol extract of Cordia verbenacea DC. were tested for antibacterial activity alone and in combination with aminoglycosides against bacterial strains. The synergy of the methanolic and hexane were verified by microdilution method. A synergistic effect of both extracts combined with the aminoglycosides was demonstrated. It is therefore suggested that the extracts from Cordia verbenacea DC. could be used as a source of natural products derived from this plant with resistance-modifying antibacterial activity, providing a new weapon against the problem of bacterial resistance to antibiotics.Colegio de Farmacéuticos de la Provincia de Buenos Aire
Enhancement of antibiotic activity by Cordia verbenacea DC
Escherichia coli is known to produce enterotoxins whose properties and its role in diarrheal disease has been extensively investigated. Some species of Staphylococcus are often recognized as etiological agents of many animal and human opportunistic infections. This study is the first test of change in resistance of antibiotic activity by Cordia verbenacea DC. against multiresistant strains of Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. In this study, the hexane and methanol extract of Cordia verbenacea DC. were tested for antibacterial activity alone and in combination with aminoglycosides against bacterial strains. The synergy of the methanolic and hexane were verified by microdilution method. A synergistic effect of both extracts combined with the aminoglycosides was demonstrated. It is therefore suggested that the extracts from Cordia verbenacea DC. could be used as a source of natural products derived from this plant with resistance-modifying antibacterial activity, providing a new weapon against the problem of bacterial resistance to antibiotics.Colegio de Farmacéuticos de la Provincia de Buenos Aire
Key endothelial cell angiogenic mechanisms are stimulated by the circulating milieu in sickle cell disease and attenuated by hydroxyurea
As hypoxia-induced inflammatory angiogenesis may contribute to sickle cell disease manifestations, we compared the angiogenic molecular profiles of plasma from sickle cell disease individuals and correlated these with in vitro endothelial cell-mediated angiogenesis-stimulating activity and in vivo neovascularization. Bioplex demonstrated that plasma from steady-state sickle cell anemia patients presented elevated concentrations of pro-angiogenic factors (Angiopoietin-1, basic fibroblast growth factor, vascular endothelial growth factor, vascular endothelial growth factor-D and placental growth factor) and displayed potent pro-angiogenic activity, significantly augmenting endothelial cell proliferation, migration and capillary-like structure formation. In vivo neovascularization of Matrigel plugs was significantly greater in sickle cell disease mice, compared with non-sickle cell disease mice, consistent with an upregulation of angiogenesis in the disease. In plasma from patients with hemoglobin SC disease without proliferative retinopathy, anti-angiogenic endostatin and thrombospondin-2 were significantly elevated. In contrast, plasma from hemoglobin SC individuals with proliferative retinopathy displayed a pro-angiogenic profile and had more significant effects on endothelial cell proliferation and capillary formation than plasma of patients without retinopathy. Hydroxyurea therapy was associated with significant reductions in plasma angiogenic factor profile, in association with an inhibition of endothelial cell-mediated angiogenic mechanisms and neovascularization. Thus, sickle cell anemia and retinopathic hemoglobin SC individuals present a highly angiogenic circulating milieu, capable of stimulating key endothelial cell-mediated angiogenic mechanisms. Combination anti-angiogenic therapy for preventing progression of unregulated neovascularization and associated manifestations in sickle cell disease, such as pulmonary hypertension, may be indicated; furthermore, the benefits and drawbacks of the potent anti-angiogenic effects of hydroxyurea should be clarified.As hypoxia-induced inflammatory angiogenesis may contribute to sickle cell disease manifestations, we compared the angiogenic molecular profiles of plasma from sickle cell disease individuals and correlated these with in vitro endothelial cell-mediated an1006730739FAPESP - FUNDAĂĂO DE AMPARO Ă PESQUISA DO ESTADO DE SĂO PAULOCNPQ - CONSELHO NACIONAL DE DESENVOLVIMENTO CIENTĂFICO E TECNOLĂGICO2008/57441-0; 2009/16334-0565036/201
Essential oil from Ageratum fastigiatum reduces expression of the pro-inflammatory cytokine tumor necrosis factor-alpha in peripheral blood leukocytes subjected to in vitro stimulation with phorbol myristate acetate
AbstractAgeratum fastigiatum (Gardner) R.M. King & H. Rob., a member of the Asteraceae family popularly known in Brazil as âmatapastoâ, is indicated in folk medicine as anti-inflammatory and analgesic. Despite its popular use, little is known about its potential effect on the parameters involved in an inflammatory response. The objective of this study was to characterize the chemical composition of the essential oil from A. fastigiatum and to evaluate the frequency of tumor necrosis factor alpha and interferon gamma producing cells in peripheral blood lymphocytes stimulated with phorbol myristate acetate in the presence of essential oil from A. fastigiatum. Non-toxic concentrations of essential oil from A. fastigiatum were evaluated in cultures of peripheral blood leucocytes using the trypan blue exclusion assay by flow cytometry. GCâMS analysis revealed that the prevalent compounds identified in the essential oil from A. fastigiatum sample were α-pinene, limonene, trans-caryophyllene, α-humulene, caryophyllene oxide, 1,2-humulene-epoxide, 1,6-humulanodien-3-ol, and α-cadinol. Results showed that exposure to essential oil from A. fastigiatum at concentrations of 0.5Ă10â2 and 1Ă10â2ÎŒl/ml caused no alterations in leukocyte viability as compared to the control group. Both concentrations lowered the percentage of tumor necrosis factor alpha (+)-lymphocytes and neutrophils. There were no changes in the percentage of lymphocytes positive for the interferon gamma cytokine. Our results suggest that part of the anti-inflammatory activity attributed to A. fastigiatum may be due to the effect of some of its components in decreasing the number of cells that produce the pro-inflammatory cytokine tumor necrosis factor alpha
Transverse Ising Model: Markovian evolution of classical and quantum correlations under decoherence
The transverse Ising Model (TIM) in one dimension is the simplest model which
exhibits a quantum phase transition (QPT). Quantities related to quantum
information theoretic measures like entanglement, quantum discord (QD) and
fidelity are known to provide signatures of QPTs. The issue is less well
explored when the quantum system is subjected to decoherence due to its
interaction, represented by a quantum channel, with an environment. In this
paper we study the dynamics of the mutual information , the
classical correlations and the quantum correlations
, as measured by the QD, in a two-qubit state the density matrix
of which is the reduced density matrix obtained from the ground state of the
TIM in 1d. The time evolution brought about by system-environment interactions
is assumed to be Markovian in nature and the quantum channels considered are
amplitude damping, bit-flip, phase-flip and bit-phase-flip. Each quantum
channel is shown to be distinguished by a specific type of dynamics. In the
case of the phase-flip channel, there is a finite time interval in which the
quantum correlations are larger in magnitude than the classical correlations.
For this channel as well as the bit-phase-flip channel, appropriate quantities
associated with the dynamics of the correlations can be derived which signal
the occurrence of a QPT.Comment: 8 pages, 7 figures, revtex4-1, version accepted for publication in
Eur. Phys. J.
Enhancement of antibiotic activity by Cordia verbenacea DC
Escherichia coli is known to produce enterotoxins whose properties and its role in diarrheal disease has been extensively investigated. Some species of Staphylococcus are often recognized as etiological agents of many animal and human opportunistic infections. This study is the first test of change in resistance of antibiotic activity by Cordia verbenacea DC. against multiresistant strains of Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. In this study, the hexane and methanol extract of Cordia verbenacea DC. were tested for antibacterial activity alone and in combination with aminoglycosides against bacterial strains. The synergy of the methanolic and hexane were verified by microdilution method. A synergistic effect of both extracts combined with the aminoglycosides was demonstrated. It is therefore suggested that the extracts from Cordia verbenacea DC. could be used as a source of natural products derived from this plant with resistance-modifying antibacterial activity, providing a new weapon against the problem of bacterial resistance to antibiotics.Colegio de Farmacéuticos de la Provincia de Buenos Aire
ATIVIDADE ANTIFĂNGICA DE EXTRATOS VEGETAIS E ANIMAIS DA REGIĂO DO CARIRI
Fungos dermatofĂticos sĂŁo patĂłgenos oportunistas, cujos agentes etiolĂłgicos pertencem aos gĂȘneros Trichophyton, Microsporum e Epidermophyton. O gĂȘnero Trichophyton Ă© composto por diversas espĂ©cies, dentre as quais Trichophyton rubrum se destaca pela frequĂȘncia com que Ă© isolado, podendo produzir praticamente todos os quadros clĂnicos de dermatofitose. Suas caracterĂsticas principais sĂŁo a tendĂȘncia Ă cronicidade e a resistĂȘncia aos tratamentos convencionais. Este estudo foi realizado com o objetivo de avaliar o efeito antifĂșngico atravĂ©s da tĂ©cnica de diluição em HIA de extratos de Croton campestris A., Ocimum gratissimum L. e produtos naturais de Rhinella jimi. Os extratos de C. campestris e O. gratissimum demonstraram atividade antifĂșngica, assim como os extratos, fraçÔes e solução de R. jimi, com exceção da fração hexĂąnica do extrato metanĂłlico. Estes resultados indicam que os organismos testados devem ser estudados como uma possĂvel fonte de produtos naturais com atividade antifĂșngica, principalmente contra dermatĂłfitos
In vivo assessment of possible probiotic properties of Zymomonas mobilis in a Wistar rat model
In recent years the incorporation of probiotic bacteria into foods has
received increasing scientific interest for health promotion and
disease prevention. The safety and probiotic properties of Zymomonas
mobilis CP4 (UFPEDA-202) was studied in a Wistar rat model fed the
109 colony forming units (cfu)/mL-1 of the assayed strain for 30 days.
No abnormal clinical signs were noted in the group receiving viable
cells of Z. mobilis and water (control) during the period of the
experiment. There were no significant difference (p > 0.05) in feed
intake and weight gain among mice fed the Z. mobilis in comparison to
the control group. No bacteria were found in blood, liver and spleen of
any animals. Mice receiving Z. mobilis showed significantly differences
(p < 0.05) in total and differential leucocytes count, excepting for
neutrophils, after the experimental period. Otherwise, it was not found
in control group. Histological examination showed that feeding mice
with Z. mobilis caused no signs of adverse effects on gut, liver and
spleen. From these results, Z. mobilis CP4 (UFEPEDA-202) is likely to
be nonpathogenic and safe for consumption, and could have a slight
modulating effect on immunological performance in mice
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