Anti-hemorrhagic effect of hydro-alcoholic extract of the leaves of Mikania glomerata in lesions induced by Bothrops jararaca venom in rats

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)PURPOSE: To investigate the effects of hydroalcoholic leaf extract of Mikania glomerata Spreng (Asteraceae) on the activity of Bothrops jararaca snake venom in Wistar rats. METHODS: Fifty four rats Wistar were divided into six groups of nine animals in each: control treated with saline; control treated with B. jararaca venom; control treated with M. glomerata extract; B. jararaca venom incubated with M. glomerata extract at proportions of 1:1, 1:2, and 1:4. RESULTS: Histopathological and morphometric analysis showed that intradermal administration of snake venom incubated with the hydroalcoholic extract at proportions of 1:1, 1:2 and 1:4 promoted a significant reduction in the number of inflammatory cells and a marked decrease in edema after the third hour. There was also a significant reduction in the intensity of the hemorrhagic halo in animals receiving the snake venom incubated with the extract, with the observation of a progressive and parallel inhibition with increasing proportion of M. glomerata. CONCLUSION: The Mikania glomerata hydroalcoholic extract exerted effective anti-inflammatory and antihemorrhagic activity against the effects induced by Bothrops jararaca snake venom.2913037Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)CNPq [108113/2010-8

Modulatory effects of the antioxidant ascorbic acid on the direct genotoxicity of doxorubicin in somatic cells of Drosophila melanogaster

In this study two different crosses involving the wing cell markers mwh and flr³ (standard (ST) cross and high bioactivation (HB) cross, the latter being characterized by a high constitutive level of cytochrome P450 which leads to an increased sensitivity to a number of promutagens and procarcinogens) were used to investigate the modulatory effects of ascorbic acid (AA) combined with the antitumor agent doxorubicin (DXR) in Drosophila melanogaster. We observed that the two different concentrations of AA (50 or 100 mM) had no effect on spots frequencies, while DXR treatments (0.2 or 0.4 mM) gave positive results for all types of spots, when compared to negative control. For marker-heterozygous (MH) flies, a protective effect was observed with the lower concentration of AA (50 mM) that was able to statistically decrease the frequency of spots induced by DXR (0.2 mM), while an enhanced frequency of spots induced by DXR was observed with the higher concentration of AA (100 mM), when compared to DXR treatment (p < 0.05). These results suggest that AA may interfere with free radicals generated by DXR and with other possible reactive metabolites. The efficiency of AA in protecting the somatic cells of D. melanogaster against mutation and recombination induced by DXR is dependent on the dose used and the protection is directly related to the activity of cytochrome P450 enzymes

Validação de material informativo a pacientes em tratamento quimioterápico e aos seus familiares Validación del material informativo a los pacientes en tratamiento de quimioterapia y a sus familiares Validation of the informative material for patients and their families undergoing chemotherapeutical treatment

O objetivo deste estudo foi a validação do conteúdo e a compreensibilidade do Material informativo a pacientes em tratamento quimioterápico e aos seus familiares. Para avaliar se as informações do material informativo sobre câncer, quimioterapia, cuidados com paciente, alimentação e medicação eram suficientemente esclarecedoras e claras, foram contatados 23 cuidadores principais de crianças com câncer. Os entrevistados responderam a um questionário contendo nove questões fechadas e uma aberta. A avaliação foi positiva e as informações foram consideradas esclarecedoras pela maioria dos participantes, dos quais alguns contribuíram com sugestões, que foram acrescentadas ao material. Após completa finalização, o material servirá como apoio aos pacientes com câncer e aos familiares. O intuito do material é melhorar a qualidade de assistência de enfermagem, pois acredita-se que, quando os responsáveis estão orientados sobre a maneira mais adequada de cuidar, a adesão do paciente ao tratamento aumenta, a informação os torna mais seguros, e colabora-se para o sucesso do tratamento.<br>Refiérase a la validación del contenido y a la comprensibilidad del material informativo a los pacientes en tratamiento de quimioterapia y a sus familiares. Fueron contactados 23 cuidadores que responderán a un instrumento con nueve cuestiones cerradas y una abierta para evaluar si las informaciones del material informativo sobre cáncer, quimioterapia, cuidados con el paciente, alimentación y medicación fueron esclarecedoras, suficientes y claras. La evaluación fue positiva y las informaciones fueron consideradas satisfactorias y esclarecedoras para la mayoría de las personas. Algunas hicieron sugerencias que fueron incluidas en el material. El material informativo pretende ser implantada con el objetivo de mejorar la cualidad de la asistencia de enfermería, pues se cre que cuando los responsables estan orientados sobre la manera más adecuada de cuidar, mejora la adesión al tratamiento, la información los deja más seguros y colabora para el suceso del tratamiento.<br>The objective of this study was to validate the content and comprehensibility of the informative material for patients and their families undergoing chemotherapy, while describing its utility as a written tool of communication between healthcare provider and healthcare consumers. The informative material draws on information derived from twenty-three interviews of caretakers. The data were collected via surveys involving nine closed questions plus one open-ended question to analyze if the material's content was self-explanatory, sufficient and clear. The analyses of the informative material was positive and the information within was considered satisfactory and explanatory to the majority of the interviewees. Some of the people interviewed contributed with suggestions, which were added to the material. The informative material will be introduced, aimed at improving the quality of nursing assistance provided to cancer patients, as it is believed that when health professionals are well oriented regarding the most adequate way to care, patients adhere to their treatment more seriously; in other words, the information makes them feel more secure and fosters collaboration, leading to successful treatment