Caracterização dos alcalóides em espécie comercializada como Rauwolfia sellowii Müll. Arg.

Rauwolfia sellowii Müll. Arg. was analysed concerning the alkaloid contents. The root bark showed five indole alkaloids: aricine, ajmaline, tetrahydroalstonine, ajmalicine and reserpine. From a species commercially sold as Rauwolfia sellowii were isolated the alkaloids chelerythrine, skimmianine, maculosidine and nitidine. This chemical composition indicates that this species does not belong to the Apocynaceae family. Some alkaloids were analysed by means of the SOS-chromotest as to their genotoxic activity in a prokaryotic system. Skimmianine showed positive response in presence of mixture of metabolization.Foi realizada análise química em espécie autêntica de Rauwolfia sellowii Müll. Arg. e em amostra comercial. O extrato das cascas das raízes da amostra autêntica mostrou a presença dos alcalóides aricina, ajmalina, tetraidroalstonina, ajmalicina e reserpina. Da amostra comercial foram isolados os alcalóides celeritrina, nitidina, es quimianina e maculosidina, indicando tratar-se de uma falsificação. Alguns alcalóides foram testados quanto ao aspecto tóxico-genético, sendo que a esquimianina mostrou resposta positiva

Performance of hydroxycinnamic esters during white wine vinification

O objetivo deste trabalho foi determinar o conteúdo de ácido caftárico e cutárico em mostos e vinhos brancos, nos vários estágios da vinificação. Foram utilizadas cultivares de uva branca, Chenin Blanc e Sauvignon Blanc (Vitis vinifera) cultivadas em Santana do Livramento, RS, e Niágara (Vitis labrusca), cultivada em Santa Maria, RS, das safras de 1997, 1998 e 1999. O conteúdo desses compostos foi determinado por meio de cromatografia líquida de alta eficiência, na fase de esmagamento da uva, durante a fermentação, e no vinho pronto para o consumo. Concentrações de ácido caftárico foram geralmente mais altas do que as de ácido cutárico, tanto em mosto quanto em vinho. A quantidade média de ácido caftárico no mosto, nas três cultivares, foi de 61,25 mg/L, enquanto no vinho correspondente, foi de 32,10 mg/L, comprovando a diminuição deste composto durante a fermentação. Comportamento semelhante foi observado em relação ao ácido cutárico (22,63 e 9,00 mg/L, respectivamente no mosto e no vinho). Em amostras coletadas seis meses após o engarrafamento, observou-se também uma diminuição dos dois compostos, porém em menor proporção.The objetive of this work was to quantify caftaric acid and cutaric acid in musts and wines during the vinification phases. White grape cultivars Chenin Blanc and Sauvignon Blanc (Vitis vinifera) cultivated in Santana do Livramento, RS, and Niágara (Vitis labrusca) cultivated in Santa Maria, RS, Brazil, were used in 1997, 1998 and 1999. Content of the compounds was determined through high performance liquid chromotography in grape crushing, during fermentation and when the wine was ready to be consumed. Generally, the caftaric acid concentrations were higher than the cutaric acid concentrations, in musts as much as in wine. The average quantity of caftaric acid in must, in the three cultivars, was 61.25 mg/L, while in the corresponding wine it was 32.10 mg/L, proving a decrease of this compound during fermentation. A similar performance was observed for cutaric acid (22.63 and 9.00 mg/L, respectively for must and wine). In samples collected six months after bottling, a decrease was also observed in these two compounds, but in a smaller proportion

Occupational Exposure to Coal, Genotoxicity, and Cancer Risk

Coal is a heterogeneous mixture containing large quantities of organic and inorganic matter, including carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, sulfur, nitrogen, and organometallic forms. The presence of mineral matter in coal may result in a number of environmental and human health problems related to its mining, preparation, and combustion. During coal mining activities, large quantities of coal dust, ashes, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and heavy metals are released into the environment, forming a complex mixture. This mixture becomes one of the most important occupational risks for the health and safety of workers due to its synergistic, additive, and enhancing effects. Once inside the organism, this cocktail-like mixture can interact with cellular mechanisms related to the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and can cause damage in important macromolecules such as DNA, lipids, and proteins. In this review, human populations exposed to coal and coal burning were analyzed. Data from different studies were evaluated in relation to the effect of complex mixture exposure on DNA damage and mechanisms, and the background factors, such as gender, age, or smoking habit. The high temperatures that occur in combustion processes affect the characteristics of the resulting particles. The coal fly ash is released by combustion and its composition varies depending on the coal type and the method of collection used such as electrostatic precipitators. Compounds such as PAHs once activated by the organisms have been shown to have mutagenic and carcinogenic activity due to its ability to form adducts with purines. Moreover, metals that commonly are evaporated during the cooling process increase its toxicity. The particles when inhaled can pass from the alveoli into the bloodstream and affect extrapulmonary organs. Several studies have described the inflammatory cascade that triggers exposure to coal and coal fly ash particles; they have a complex composition capable of generating a persistent inflammatory process, resulting in diseases widely described as emphysema, bronchitis, pneumoconiosis, asthma, and cancer. Several human biomonitoring studies have been conducted evaluating the inflammatory process and the release of cytokines, polymorphisms involved in detoxification mechanisms, different biomarkers associated with occupational exposure, DNA damage, and the influence of oxidative stress in disease development. The relationship between chronic exposure to coal and coal ash particles and cancer is still widely debated. This review gave us a broad assessment about the associated mechanisms between cancer and exposure to coal and different findings around the world

Grape juice increases the BDNF levels but not alter the S100B levels in hippocampus and frontal cortex from male Wistar rats

Several studies have shown that a high consumption of vegetables and fruits is consistently associated with a low risk of oxidative stress-induced diseases, which includes some degenerative diseases such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Alzheimer and Parkinson. Therefore, the objective of this study is to verify the effects of conventional and organic grape juice in the modulation of the neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and astrocytic markers protein (S100B) in hippocampus and frontal cortex of Wistar rats. In this study, 24 male Wistar rats were divided into three groups. To the first one, it was given organic purple grape juice; to the second, conventional grape juice, while the last one received only saline. After 30 days, all rats were sacrificed and hippocampus and frontal cortex were dissected. The animals that received organic and conventional grape juice showed, in frontal cortex, an elevated BNDF levels in relation to saline group. However, S100B levels did not change. These results showed that grape juices are able to modulate important marker in brain tissue, and could be an important factor to prevent brain diseases

Sensibilidade da linhagem KIN3/NEK1 de Saccharomyces cerevisae a diferentes agentes mutagênicos

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A UTILIZAÇÃO DO MEXILHÃO DOURADO (Limnoperna fortunei (Dunker, 1857)) COMO BIOMONITOR DE GENOTOXICIDADE AMBIENTAL

Os testes de genotoxicidade são importantes na avaliação da ação do homem sobre os corpos d’água,complementando os critérios legalmente exigidos para verificar a qualidade de águas. Neste sentido, opotencial genotóxico de amostras de água superficial e sedimento da bacia do Lago Guaíba foi avaliadoutilizando o bivalve Limnoperna fortunei como organismo bioindicador. Foram coletadas amostras noParque Estadual de Itapuã, consideradas como ponto de referência, na foz do arroio Dilúvio e no lagoGuaíba próximo à foz do Dilúvio. Para avaliar a resposta genotóxica, foram utilizados o ensaio cometa ea freqüência de micronúcleos nas células da hemolinfa do molusco. As amostras de água e sedimentodesses três locais de coleta induziram aumento de danos ao DNA nas células avaliadas, detectado porambos os ensaios, quando comparadas com a amostra referência.Palavras-chave: genotoxicidade, biomonitoramento, contaminação ambiental, bacia do lago Guaíba,Limnoperna fortunei

Occupational risk assessment of oxidative stress and genotoxicity in workers exposed to paints during a working week

Objectives: Paints are complex mixtures of solvents and metals that can induce health damages in workers exposed to them. The aim of the present work was to evaluate possible oxidative and genotoxic effects in workers exposed to paints. Material and Methods: Peripheral blood and buccal cell samples were collected from 33 workers exposed to paints and 29 non-exposed workers (controls) during an ordinary working week (Monday morning and Friday evening). Oxidative markers were assessed using thiobarbituric acid assay, carbonylated proteins, superoxide dismutase and catalase activities. Hippuric acid and delta-aminolevulinic acid were determined as biomarkers of toluene and lead exposure, respectively. Genotoxicity was measured through comet assay and micronucleus (MN) frequencies. Results: The exposed group showed higher hippuric acid and delta-aminolevulinic acid levels (Friday samples) and lower superoxide dismutase activity (Monday samples) in relation to control group. DNA damage index (comet assay) was higher in the exposed group, both in Monday and Friday samples, compared to the control group. No differences were observed in frequency of micronuclei (MN) between the groups, either in lymphocytes or buccal cells. However, the exposed group presented an increase (Monday samples) in nuclear buds frequency in lymphocytes — a marker of gene amplification — as well as an increase in condensed chromatin in the buccal cells (Monday and Friday samples), suggesting induction of apoptosis. Furthermore, a decrease in the nuclear division index (Friday samples) was observed in the exposed group, indicating that paint exposure induces cytostatic effects in lymphocytes. Conclusion: The results suggest that individuals exposed to paints have increased levels of DNA damage

Mutagenic activity of plant extracts used in popular medicine

Foi determinada a atividade mutagênica em extratos aquosos de sete espécies de plantas utilizadas na medicina popular (E. peltata, M. ilicifolia, B. anomala, D. incanum, T. asperior, I. rhombifolia, L. divaricata) em teste de Ames, linhagens TA100 e TA98. Respostas positivas foram obtidas para as espécies L. divaricata e B. anomala na linhagem TA98 de S. typhimurium (com ativação metabólica) a qual detecta mutagênicos que ocasionam erro no quadro de leitura.Aqueous extracts of seven species of plants used in popular medicine (E. peltata, M. ilicifolia, B. anomala, D. incanum, T. asperior, I. rhombifolia, L. divaricata) were tested forthe presence ofmutagenic activity inAmes test TA100 and TA98 strains. A positive response was obtained for L. divaricata and B. anomala in TA98 strain of S. typhimurium (with metabolic activation) which detects frameshift mutation

Adipose tissue-derived stem cell autologous grafts: a new approach to application in the treatment of burn victims and reconstructive plastic surgery

In Brazil, 1 million burn accidents occur annually, and subsequent wound infections account for 75% cases of deaths among these patients, in addition to inducing deformities in the affected areas. Therefore, the aim of this study was to discuss the current status of mesenchymal stem cells, with an emphasis on adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs), in combination with plasma gel, glue fibrin, and membranes (scaffold). The use of gels and membranes supports cell growth, and aims at potential application in reconstructive plastic surgery for the treatment of burn patients or individuals requiring skin grafts. This study explores and discusses the role of mesenchymal stem cells, adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells, glue fibrin, plasma gel, and the scaffold. This research collected information from the Virtual Health Library (VHL) and PubMed. A considerable number of articles have been published on burn treatment. However, there is little research on burn treatment with ADSCs, glue fibrin, plasma gel, and scaffold. An ADSC autograft combined with a biological dressing is promising in reconstructive plastic surgery for the treatment and recovery of burn patients or individuals with other injuries that require skin grafts. These features can reduce pain and aid in drying of the lesion, thus promoting neovascularization and wound reepithelialization