Tricomas secretores de Lippia stachyoides Cham. (Verbenaceae): estrutura, ontogênese e secreção

Uma característica da família Verbenaceae é a presença de tricomas secretores, geralmente produtores de óleos essenciais de grande valor medicinal. Muitas espécies de Lippia Houst. são utilizadas em programas fitoterápicos e de complementação alimentar no Brasil, sendo L. alba e L. sidoides as mais utilizadas e estudadas. O cerrado possui aproximadamente 33 espécies de Lippia cujo potencial farmacológico é desconhecido. Apesar da importância econômica como fonte de medicamentos e da representatividade de Lippia na flora aromática nativa, pouco se conhece sobre os aspectos estruturais e da secreção dos seus tricomas secretores. Neste trabalho foram estudados os tricomas secretores presentes em órgãos vegetativos e reprodutivos de L. stachyoides Cham. sob o ponto de vista morfológico, ontogenético, histoquímico e ultra-estrutural. Foram utilizadas técnicas convencionais em estudos anatômicos e ultra-estruturais; a identificação in situ da composição química das substâncias presentes nos tricomas foi realizada por meio de testes histoquímicos. Em L. stachyoides, os tricomas secretores são capitados e foram classificados em cinco tipos morfológicos, os quais são amplamente distribuídos no caule, folhas e inflorescências. A histoquímica revelou que nos tipos I e IV predominam substâncias hidrofílicas e nos tipos II e V, substâncias lipofílicas. De um modo geral, as características ultraestruturais observadas em cada tipo de tricoma corroboraram os resultados das análises histoquímicas. Os resultados do presente trabalho sugerem que as variações morfológicas dos tricomas secretores em L. stachyoides estão associadas com a composição química da secreçãoA feature of the family Verbenaceae is the presence of secretory trichomes, producers of essential oils with great medicinal value. Many species of Lippia Houst. are employed in phytotherapic and food complementation programs in Brazil, being L. alba and L. sidoides the most employed and studied species. The Brazilian cerrado has approximately 33 species of Lippia, whose pharmacological potential is unknown. Despite the economic importance of Lippia as a source of medicinal drugs and its representation in native aromatic flora, little is known about the structural and secretion features of its trichomes. In this work, the secretory trichomes, occurring in vegetative and reproductive organs of Lippia stachyoides Cham., were studied on the morphological, ontogenetic, histochemical and ultrastructural views. Usual techniques of vegetal anatomy and ultrastructure were employed; in situ identification of the chemical composition of the substances present in the trichomes was performed according to histochemical tests. In L. stachyoides, the secretory trichomes are capitate and classified according to five morphological types which are widely distributed in the shoot, leaves and inflorescences. The histochemistry revealed that in types I and IV, hydrophilic compounds are predominant and that lipophilic substances predominate in the types II and V. In general, the ultrastructural features observed in each trichome type corroborate the histochemical analysis. The results of this work suggest that morphological variations of secretory trichomes in L. stachyoides are associated to the chemical composition of the secretionFundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP

Glandular trichome diversity on leaves of Lippia origanoides and Lippia stachyoides (Verbenaceae): morphology, histochemistry, and ultrastructure

Despite the ecological and medicinal importance of glandular trichomes in Verbenaceae, information on their structure, mainly at the subcellular level, is sparse. We analyzed the morphology and histochemistry of glandular trichomes in Lippia origanoides Kunth and Lippia stachyoides Cham., using conventional methods in anatomy, histochemistry, scanning and transmission electron microscopy, and ultracytochemical techniques. Five morphotypes (I-V) of glandular trichomes were identified in L. origanoides, and four morphotypes (I, III-V) in L. stachyoides. Morphotype I is the most abundant in both species. Lipids were detected in all morphotypes except IV; terpenes in I, II, and V; phenolic compounds in all morphotypes except V; neutral polysaccharides and protein in all morphotypes; mucilage exclusively in IV; alkaloids only in III. Each glandular morphotype showed ultrastructural peculiarities compatible with the chemical compounds produced. An association between glandular morphotype, secretion composition, and ultrastructural features in Lippia species was revealed, suggesting functions specific to each glandular morphotype.Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq

Educação ambiental em praças públicas no município de Botucatu/SP

Os espaços urbanos arborizados mostram-se cada vez mais sugestivos para atividades de educação ambiental, por estarem inseridos no contexto escolar devido a sua localização geográfica. Dessa maneira, atividades intra e extra-classes podem se alternar propiciando ao aluno e professor maior chance de transmissão dos conhecimentos através de atividades lúdicas no espaço externo. O presente trabalho tem por objetivo desenvolver atividades de educação ambiental em praças públicas e também sinalizar para o professor do ensino médio e fundamental essas possibilidades, incentivando-os a exercer esse tipo de atividade extra-classe. Antes da visita à praça é ministrada aula sobre os aspectos históricos da cidade de Botucatu e da praça a ser visitada. Posteriormente, já tendo despertado interesse pelo local, nos alunos, estes são encaminhados até a praça, onde são abordados alguns aspectos de botânica e ecologia, discutindo-se entre outros assuntos, a importância da preservação ambiental na praça, na vegetação do município, do Brasil e do mundo. A praça pública, com seus prédios antigos, vegetação e animais, possibilita o envolvimento e aprendizado dos alunos, e também a abordagem interdisciplinar das áreas de humanas , exatas e biológicas . Após as atividades intra e extra-classe pode se notar através da atitude dos alunos, que as informações recebidas possibilitam uma mudança de atitude frente ao ambiente. O trabalho possibilita também o exercício da profissão para os alunos do curso de Ciências Biológicas/Licenciatura, envolvidos no projeto

Effects of Nandrolone Decanoate on Skeletal Muscle and Neuromuscular Junction of Sedentary and Exercised Rats

Background and Objectives: Nandrolone decanoate (ND) is the most widely used among the anabolic androgenic steroids (AAS), synthetic substances derived from testosterone, to improve muscular and health gains associated with exercises. The AAS leads to physical performance enhancement and presents anti-aging properties, but its abuse is associated with several adverse effects. Supraphysiological doses of AAS with or without physical exercise can cause morphological and functional alterations in neuromuscular interactions. This study aims to investigate the effects of ND supraphysiological doses in neuromuscular interactions, focusing on the soleus muscle and its neuromuscular junctions (NMJs) in rats, associated or not with physical exercise. Materials and Methods: Forty male Sprague Dawley rats were divided into four groups: sedentary and exercised groups, with or without ND at the dose of 10 mg/kg/week. The animals were treated for eight weeks, with intramuscular injections, and the soleus muscle was collected for morphological analyses. Results: The supraphysiological doses of ND in the sedentary group caused muscle degeneration, evidenced by splitting fibers, clusters of small fibers, irregular myofibrils, altered sarcomeres, an increase in collagen deposition and in the number of type I muscle fibers (slow-twitch) and central nuclei, as well as a decrease in fibers with peripheral nuclei. On the other hand, in the ND exercise group, there was an increase in the NMJs diameter with scattering of its acetylcholine receptors, although no major morphological changes were found in the skeletal muscle. Thus, the alterations caused by ND in sedentary rats were partially reversed by physical exercise. Conclusions: The supraphysiological ND exposure in the sedentary rats promoted an increase in muscle oxidative pattern and adverse morphological alterations in skeletal muscle, resulting from damage or post-injury regeneration. In the ND-exercised rats, no major morphological changes were found. Thus, the physical exercise partially reversed the alterations caused by ND in sedentary rats

RECOMBINANT HUMAN INTERLEUKIN-1 RECEPTOR ANTAGONIST IN THE TREATMENT OF PATIENTS WITH SEPSIS SYNDROME - RESULTS FROM A RANDOMIZED, DOUBLE-BLIND, PLACEBO-CONTROLLED TRIAL

Objective.-To further define the safety and efficacy of recombinant human interleukin 1 receptor antagonist (rhlL-1ra) in the treatment of sepsis syndrome. Study Design.-Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter, multinational clinical trial. Population.-A total of 893 patients with sepsis syndrome received an intravenous loading dose of rhIL-1ra, 100 mg, or placebo followed by a continuous 72-hour intravenous infusion of rhIL-1ra (1.0 or 2.0 mg/kg per hour) or placebo. Outcome Measure.-Twenty-eight-day all-cause mortality. Results.-There was not a significant increase in survival time for rhIL-1ra treatment compared with placebo among all patients who received the study medication (n=893; generalized Wilcoxon statistic, P=.22) or among patients with shock at study entry (n=713; generalized Wilcoxon statistic, P=.23), the two primary efficacy analyses specified a priori for this trial. Results from secondary analyses suggest an increase in survival time with rhIL-1ra treatment among patients with dysfunction of one or more organs (n=563; linear dose-response, P=.009). Retrospective analysis demonstrated an increase In survival time with rhIL-1ra treatment among patients with a predicted risk of mortality of 24% or greater (n=580; linear dose-response, P=.005) as well as among patients with both dysfunction of one or more organs and a predicted risk of mortality of 24% or greater (n=411; linear dose-response, P=.002). Conclusions.-There was not a statistically significant increase in survival time for rhIL-1ra treatment compared with placebo among all patients who received the study medication or among patients with shock at study entry. Secondary and retrospective analyses of efficacy suggest that treatment with rhIL-1ra results in a dose-related increase in survival time among patients with sepsis who have organ dysfunction and/or a predicted risk of mortality of 24% or greate