Free radical scavenging and anti-edematogenic activities of essential oil obtained from trichilia silvatica dc. (meliaceae) leaves

The present study was focused in evaluating the chemical composition, the anti-edematogenic and antioxidant activities of essential oil obtained from Trichilia silvatica (EOTS) leaves. The EOTS was extracted by hydrodistillation and their analyses were performed by GC/MS. The main compounds identified in the EOTS were sesquiterpenes. Furthermore, the EOTS exhibited antioxidant and in vivo anti-inflammatory activity. The oral administration of EOTS (100 and 300 mg/kg), significantly inhibited the carrageenan (Cg) induced rat paw edema. The observed inhibitions were 54 ± 7 and 49 ± 6 % (100 mg/kg) for EOTS and 68 ± 6 % and 66 ± 11 % for dexamethasone after 2 and 4 h after Cg-injection, respectively. In conclusion, the present work showed for the first time, that the anti-inflammatory effects of essential oil seem to be mainly associated with the high levels of sesquiterpene in the leaves of this plant.Colegio de Farmacéuticos de la Provincia de Buenos Aire

Photobiomodulation reduces the cytokine storm syndrome associated with Covid-19 in the zebrafish model

Although the exact mechanism of the pathogenesis of COVID-19 is not fully understood, oxidative stress and the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines have been highlighted as playing a vital role in the pathogenesis of the disease. In this sense, alternative treatments are needed to reduce the inflammation caused by COVID-19. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the potential effect of red PBM as an attractive therapy to downregulate the cytokine storm caused by COVID-19 from a zebrafish model. RT-PCR analyses and protein-protein interaction prediction among SARS-CoV-2 and Danio rerio proteins showed that rSpike was responsible for generating systemic inflammatory processes with significantly increased pro-inflammatory (il1b, il6, tnfa, and nfkbiab), oxidative stress (romo1) and energy metabolism (slc2a1a, coa1) mRNA markers, with a pattern like those observed in COVID-19 cases in humans. On the other hand, PBM treatment decreased the mRNA levels of these pro-inflammatory and oxidative stress markers compared with rSpike in various tissues, promoting an anti-inflammatory response. Conversely, PBM promotes cellular and tissue repair of injured tissues and significantly increases the survival rate of rSpike-inoculated individuals. Additionally, metabolomics analysis showed that the most impacted metabolic pathways between PBM and the rSpike-treated groups were related to steroid metabolism, immune system, and lipids metabolism. Together, our findings suggest that the inflammatory process is an incisive feature of COVID-19, and red PBM can be used as a novel therapeutic agent for COVID-19 by regulating the inflammatory response. Nevertheless, the need for more clinical trials remains, and there is a significant gap to overcome before clinical trials.publishedVersio

Postharvest conservation of the tuberous roots of <italic>Pachyrhizus Ahipa</italic> (Wedd) Parodi

This paper aimed to evaluate the effects of storage periods on the conservation of Pachyrhizus ahipa roots at different temperatures and packaging materials. The roots were harvested, washed, packed in PVC, plastic bags, without wrappings (control) and stored in polystyrene trays in refrigerators, or cold chambers, or at room temperature. Total titratable acidity (TTA), total soluble solids (TSS), pH, as well as their ash, lipid, total carbohydrate and protein (dry basis) contents were analyzed. The lowest loss of root fresh weight was observed in the cold chamber and plastic bags. The TTA remained higher among roots stored in the cold chamber and in PVC packaging. The lowest TSS contents were observed for roots stored in the cold chamber, and these did not vary among the packing materials. The average carbohydrate content percentage for all treatments was 84.9%. The percentage of lipids was highest in roots stored at room temperature while protein and ash contents were highest in roots under refrigeration. The best storage conditions for roots are plastic bags packaging in a cold chamber, with the roots retaining appropriate quality for commercialization for up to 30 days.O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o per&#237;odo de armazenamento em diferentes temperaturas e embalagens na conserva&#231;&#227;o das ra&#237;zes de Pachyrhizus ahipa. As ra&#237;zes foram colhidas, lavadas e armazenadas em bandejas de isopor, no refrigerador, c&#226;mara fria e &#224; temperatura ambiente. As embalagens utilizadas foram PVC, saco pl&#225;stico e sem embalagem (controle). As bandejas foram retiradas do seu ambiente de armazenamento e analisadas quanto a acidez total titul&#225;vel, s&#243;lidos sol&#250;veis totais, pH, teores de cinzas, lip&#237;dios, carboidrato total e prote&#237;nas em base seca. A menor perda de massa das ra&#237;zes foi em c&#226;mara fria e em saco pl&#225;stico. A ATT manteve-se maior nas ra&#237;zes armazenadas em c&#226;mara fria e na embalagem de PVC; os menores teores de SST foram observados em c&#226;mara fria n&#227;o variando entre as embalagens. Em todos os tratamentos a porcentagem m&#233;dia de carboidratos foi 84,9%. A porcentagem de lip&#237;dios foi maior nas ra&#237;zes armazenadas em temperatura ambiente, entretanto, o teor de prote&#237;na e cinzas foram maiores nas armazenadas na geladeira. A melhor condi&#231;&#227;o para o armazenamento das ra&#237;zes &#233; em c&#226;mara fria e embaladas com saco pl&#225;stico, onde as ra&#237;zes mantiveram a qualidade apropriada para comercializa&#231;&#227;o durante at&#233; 30 dias de armazenamento.</p

Guidelines for the use and interpretation of assays for monitoring autophagy (4th edition)1.

In 2008, we published the first set of guidelines for standardizing research in autophagy. Since then, this topic has received increasing attention, and many scientists have entered the field. Our knowledge base and relevant new technologies have also been expanding. Thus, it is important to formulate on a regular basis updated guidelines for monitoring autophagy in different organisms. Despite numerous reviews, there continues to be confusion regarding acceptable methods to evaluate autophagy, especially in multicellular eukaryotes. Here, we present a set of guidelines for investigators to select and interpret methods to examine autophagy and related processes, and for reviewers to provide realistic and reasonable critiques of reports that are focused on these processes. These guidelines are not meant to be a dogmatic set of rules, because the appropriateness of any assay largely depends on the question being asked and the system being used. Moreover, no individual assay is perfect for every situation, calling for the use of multiple techniques to properly monitor autophagy in each experimental setting. Finally, several core components of the autophagy machinery have been implicated in distinct autophagic processes (canonical and noncanonical autophagy), implying that genetic approaches to block autophagy should rely on targeting two or more autophagy-related genes that ideally participate in distinct steps of the pathway. Along similar lines, because multiple proteins involved in autophagy also regulate other cellular pathways including apoptosis, not all of them can be used as a specific marker for bona fide autophagic responses. Here, we critically discuss current methods of assessing autophagy and the information they can, or cannot, provide. Our ultimate goal is to encourage intellectual and technical innovation in the field

Guidelines for the use and interpretation of assays for monitoring autophagy (4th edition)

In 2008, we published the first set of guidelines for standardizing research in autophagy. Since then, this topic has received increasing attention, and many scientists have entered the field. Our knowledge base and relevant new technologies have also been expanding. Thus, it is important to formulate on a regular basis updated guidelines for monitoring autophagy in different organisms. Despite numerous reviews, there continues to be confusion regarding acceptable methods to evaluate autophagy, especially in multicellular eukaryotes. Here, we present a set of guidelines for investigators to select and interpret methods to examine autophagy and related processes, and for reviewers to provide realistic and reasonable critiques of reports that are focused on these processes. These guidelines are not meant to be a dogmatic set of rules, because the appropriateness of any assay largely depends on the question being asked and the system being used. Moreover, no individual assay is perfect for every situation, calling for the use of multiple techniques to properly monitor autophagy in each experimental setting. Finally, several core components of the autophagy machinery have been implicated in distinct autophagic processes (canonical and noncanonical autophagy), implying that genetic approaches to block autophagy should rely on targeting two or more autophagy-related genes that ideally participate in distinct steps of the pathway. Along similar lines, because multiple proteins involved in autophagy also regulate other cellular pathways including apoptosis, not all of them can be used as a specific marker for bona fide autophagic responses. Here, we critically discuss current methods of assessing autophagy and the information they can, or cannot, provide. Our ultimate goal is to encourage intellectual and technical innovation in the field