Hydroalcoholic extract of Brazilian green propolis modulates inflammatory process in mice submitted to a low protein diet.

The occurrence of inflammation and protein malnutrition is an aggravating risk factor for morbidity and mortality in the clinical setting. The green propolis, a natural product made by Apis mellifera bees from Baccharis dracunculifolia resin, has therapeutic potential to modulate chronic inflammation. However, its effect on inflammation in an impaired nutritional status is not known. The aim of this study was to characterize the effects of the administration of the hydroalcoholic extract of the green propolis in the chronic inflammatory process of mice submitted to a low-protein diet. For this, we used the subcutaneous implantation of sponge disks as an inflammatory model and the animals were distributed in the following groups: standard protein diet (12% protein content), control treatment; standard protein diet, propolis treatment; low-protein diet (3% protein content), control treatment; low-protein diet, propolis treatment. Propolis was given daily at a dose of 500?mg/kg (p.o.) during a period of 7 or 15 days. Our main findings show that animals fed with standard protein diet and treated with propolis had low levels of red blood cells, hemoglobin, and hematocrit, with the subsequent reestablishment of these levels, in addition to monocyte count elevation and higher TNF levels after one week of treatment. In the low-protein diet group, the propolis treatment provided a significant recovery in weight and maintenance of total serum protein levels at the end of two weeks of treatment. Histological analysis showed propolis reduced the inflammatory infiltrate in the sponges of both standard and low-protein diet groups. In addition, the propolis extract presented antiangiogenic effect in both groups. Therefore, our data suggests that the hydroalcoholic extract of the green propolis promotes weight recovery and avoid the reduction of protein levels, in addition to inhibit inflammation and angiogenesis in animals fed with a low-protein diet

Efeitos da administra??o do extrato hidroalc?olico de prop?lis verde no processo inflamat?rio de camundongos submetidos a dieta hipoproteica.

Programa de P?s-Gradua??o em Sa?de e Nutri??o. Escola de Nutri??o, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto.Inflama??o e desnutri??o, quando ocorrem de forma associada, s?o consideradas um fator agravante do risco de morbimortalidade no ambiente cl?nico. Em fun??o disto, h? uma busca incessante por novas terapias como poss?veis estrat?giasterap?uticas para modular a inflama??o cr?nica. Dentre estas estrat?gias, uma que se destaca ? a pr?polis verde. A pr?polis verde ? um produto natural, produzido pelas abelhas Apis melliferas, cuja esp?cie fornecedora da resina ? a Baccharis dracunculifolia. Apesar das suas a??es j? evidenciadas pela literatura, n?o h? esclarecimentos sobre o efeito antiinflamat?rio da pr?polis verde frente a um estado nutricional comprometido. Neste trabalho, propomos caracterizar os efeitos da administra??o do extrato hidroalco?lico da pr?polis verde no processo inflamat?rio cr?nico de animais submetidos a dieta hipoproteica. Foram utilizados 80 camundongos, divididos aleatoriamente em 8 grupos, considerando-se dois tempos de implanta??o e administra??o da pr?polis (7 e 15 dias): dieta normoproteica tratamento controle (NC); dieta normoproteica tratamento com pr?polis (NP); dieta hipoproteica tratamento controle (HC); dieta hipoproteica tratamento com pr?polis (HP). Foram ofertadas dietas artesanais com 3% (hipoproteica) e 12% de prote?na (normoproteica), durante todo o per?odo experimental. Na 4? semana da dieta, realizou-se o procedimento cir?rgico para a implanta??o subcut?nea das esponjas nos animais e indu??o da resposta inflamat?ria. Neste mesmo momento foi iniciada a administra??o di?ria, via oral, do extrato hidroalco?lico da pr?polis verde, na dose de 500mg/kg aos grupos tratados. A eutan?sia ocorreu p?s 7 e 15 dias da implanta??o das esponjas. Os resultados indicam que os animais que receberam a dieta hipoproteica em ambos os tempos avaliados, apresentaram uma redu??o significativa de peso corporal e ainda houve uma redu??o de prote?nas totais s?ricas no tempo de 15 dias, no grupo HC. Os par?metros hematol?gicos demonstraram que os animais que receberam a pr?polis, grupos NP e HP, sofreram altera??es significativas nos valores de eritr?citos, hemoglobina e hemat?critos, entretanto, os animais nutridos e tratados com pr?polis (NP) foram capazes de restabelecer estes valores no tempo de 15 dias. O tratamento com pr?polis tamb?m alterou n?veis circulantes de plaquetas, mon?citos e eosin?filos. A contagem de vasos nas esponjas implantadas revela, no tempo de 7 dias, uma maior contagem nos grupos com dieta hipoproteica (HC e HP); enquanto que, no tempo de 15 dias, houve uma menor contagem nos grupos tratados com pr?polis (NP e HP). A an?lise dos par?metros inflamat?rios, an?lise histopatol?gica, contagem total de c?lulas no microambiente das espojas e a dosagem dos n?veis da citocinas TNF-?, indicaram que os grupos tratados com pr?polis apresentaram significativa redu??o de infiltrado inflamat?rio em ambos os tempos e aumento de TNF-? no tempo de 7 dias. Conclui-se portanto, que o extrato hidroalco?lico da pr?polis verde exerceu atividade sobre peso, par?metros hematol?gicos e leucocit?rio, perfil proteico, e ainda, a??o antiangiog?nica e antiinflamat?ria nos grupos com dieta normoproteica e hipoproteica, mas neste ?ltimo, com menos efic?cia.Inflammation and malnutrition, as associated factors, are considered an aggravating factor in the risk of morbidity and mortality in the clinical setting. Because of this, there is an incessant search for new therapies as possible therapeutic strategies for chronic inflammation. Among them is the green propolis, produced by honeybees Apis, whose species supplying the resin is Baccharis dracunculifolia. Despite its actions already evidenced in the literature, there is no clarification about the antiinflammatory effect of green propolis against a compromised nutritional status. In this work, we propose to characterize the effects of the administration of the hydroalcoholic extract of the green propolis in the inflammatory process of animals submitted to a hypoprotein diet. We used 80 mice, randomly divided into 8 groups, considering two times of implantation and administration of propolis (7 and 15 days): normoproteic diet control treatment (NC); diet norprotein treatment with propolis (NP); Hypoproteic diet control treatment (HC); diet hypoproteic treatment with propolis (HP). Handmade diets were offered with 3% (hypoproteic) and 12% protein (normoproteic), throughout the experimental period. In the 4th week of the diet, the surgical procedure was performed for subcutaneous implantation of the sponges in the animals and induction of the inflammatory response. At the same time, daily administration of the hydroalcoholic extract of green propolis was initiated by oral administration at a dose of 500mg / kg to the treated groups. Euthanasia occurred after 7 and 15 days after sponge implantation. The results indicate that the animals that received the hypoprotein diet in both evaluated times presented a significant reduction in body weight; there was still a reduction of total serum proteins at the time of 15 days in the HC group. Hematological parameters demonstrated that the animals that received propolis, NP and HP groups, had significant alterations in erythrocyte, hemoglobin and hematocrit values. However, the animals fed and treated with propolis (NP) were able to restore these values in the time of 15 days; the treatment with propolis also altered circulating levels of platelets, monocytes and eosinophils. The vessel count in the implanted sponges revealed, in 7 days, a higher count in the groups with hypoproteic diet (HC and HP); while in the 15 days time there was a lower counting in the groups treated with propolis (NP and HP). The analysis of the inflammatory parameters, histopathological analysis, total cell count in the esophageal microenvironment and the levels of TNF-? cytokines indicated that the groups treated with propolis had a significant reduction of inflammatory infiltrate at both times and increased TNF- ? at the time of 7 days. It was concluded, therefore, that the hydroalcoholic extract of green propolis exerted activity under weight, hematological parameters, protein profile, and also, antiangiogenic and antiinflammatory action in the groups with normoproteic and hypoproteic diet, but in the latter, less effective

Tacrolimus delivered from polymeric implants suppressed inflammation and angiogenesis in vivo without inducing nephrotoxicity, hepatotoxicity, and myelosuppression.

Implants containing tacrolimus and poly(?-caprolactone) (tacrolimus PCL implants) were designed to release the drug directly into the inflammatory and angiogenesis site without inducing systemic toxicity. A non-biocompatible sponge, inserted into the subcutaneous tissue of mice, functioned as a frame for inducing inflammatory and angiogenic responses. After 4 days post-insertion of sponges, PCL implants loaded with tacrolimus were inserted adjacent to the pathological site, and the cellular and molecular components of inflammation were monitored. PCL implants constantly released tacrolimus into the target site. Tacrolimus limited the expression of TNF-?, a pro-angiogenic and pro-inflammatory cytokine. As a result, the neovascularization was inhibited. It also limited the neutrophil migration at the early stage of inflammation and the monocyte/macrophage infiltration at the proliferative phase due to the reduced activities of myeloperoxidase (MPO) and N-Acetyl-?-D-Glucosaminidase (NAG), respectively. Tacrolimus released from PCL implants did not induce toxicity in the liver and kidney, since the biomarkers of functionality of these organs showed normal levels. In addition, the drug did not promote myelosuppression. It was suggested that the controlled tacrolimus release from implantable devices directly into the pathological site could provide the remission of the inflammatory and angiogenic responses without carrying out organ toxicity

Methotrexate locally released from poly (caprolactone) implants : inhibition of the inflammatory angiogenesis response in a murine sponge model and the absence of systemic toxicity.

In this study, the methotrexate (MTX) was incorporated into the poly(?-caprolactone) (PCL) to design implants (MTX PCL implants) aiming the local treatment of inflammatory angiogenesis diseases without causing systemic side effects. Sponges were inserted into the subcutaneous tissue of mice as a framework for fibrovascular tissue growth. After 4 days, MTX PCL implants were also introduced, and anti-inflammatory, antiangiogenic, and antifibrogenic activities of the MTX were determined. MTX reduced the vascularization (hemoglobin content), the neutrophil, and monocyte/macrophage infiltration (MPO and NAG activities, respectively), and the collagen deposition in sponges. MTX reduced tumor necrosis factor-_ and IL-6 levels, demonstrating its local antiangiogenic and anti-inflammatory effects. Furthermore, hepatotoxicity, nephrotoxicity, and myelotoxicity, which could be induced by the drug, were evaluated. However, MTX did not promote toxicity to these organs, as the levels of AST and ALT (hepatic markers) and creatinine and urea (renal markers) were not increased, and the complete blood count was not decreased. In conclusion, MTX PCL implants demonstrated to be effective in regulating the components of the inflammatory angiogenesis locally established, and presented an acceptable safety profile. C _ 2015Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association J Pharm Sci

Vasoactive intestinal peptide reduces the inflammatory profile in mice infected with Trypanosoma cruzi.

Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) has gained great prominence because of its therapeutic potential, which is ascribed to its ability to regulate innate immunity, inhibit antigen-specific Th1 cell responses, and generate T regulatory cells. Additionally, VIP may act as a natural antimicrobial peptide, killing bacteria, fungi, and infective forms of Trypanosoma brucei. Despite the possible relevance of VIP during the course of Chagas disease, studies regarding this in human and experimental Trypanosoma cruzi infections remain poorly characterized. In this work, we evaluated the effects of VIP on systemic and cardiac immune responses during experimental acute infection. C57BL/6 mice were infected with 5000 trypomastigotes of the VL-10 strain of T. cruzi and treated with intraperitoneal VIP injection every other day for one month. After 30 days, we observed no reduction in parasitemia levels. However, we observed a reduction in serum levels of IFN-gamma and IL-2 and an increase in that of IL-4. These data suggest that VIP treatment modified immune responses to favor the Th2 response, which had no impact on parasitemia levels although the serum level of IFN-gamma was reduced. However, this change in immune balance reduced heart damage, as noted by the smaller cardiac volume and the moderate inflammatory

NEOTROPICAL XENARTHRANS: a data set of occurrence of xenarthran species in the Neotropics

Xenarthrans—anteaters, sloths, and armadillos—have essential functions for ecosystem maintenance, such as insect control and nutrient cycling, playing key roles as ecosystem engineers. Because of habitat loss and fragmentation, hunting pressure, and conflicts with domestic dogs, these species have been threatened locally, regionally, or even across their full distribution ranges. The Neotropics harbor 21 species of armadillos, 10 anteaters, and 6 sloths. Our data set includes the families Chlamyphoridae (13), Dasypodidae (7), Myrmecophagidae (3), Bradypodidae (4), and Megalonychidae (2). We have no occurrence data on Dasypus pilosus (Dasypodidae). Regarding Cyclopedidae, until recently, only one species was recognized, but new genetic studies have revealed that the group is represented by seven species. In this data paper, we compiled a total of 42,528 records of 31 species, represented by occurrence and quantitative data, totaling 24,847 unique georeferenced records. The geographic range is from the southern United States, Mexico, and Caribbean countries at the northern portion of the Neotropics, to the austral distribution in Argentina, Paraguay, Chile, and Uruguay. Regarding anteaters, Myrmecophaga tridactyla has the most records (n = 5,941), and Cyclopes sp. have the fewest (n = 240). The armadillo species with the most data is Dasypus novemcinctus (n = 11,588), and the fewest data are recorded for Calyptophractus retusus (n = 33). With regard to sloth species, Bradypus variegatus has the most records (n = 962), and Bradypus pygmaeus has the fewest (n = 12). Our main objective with Neotropical Xenarthrans is to make occurrence and quantitative data available to facilitate more ecological research, particularly if we integrate the xenarthran data with other data sets of Neotropical Series that will become available very soon (i.e., Neotropical Carnivores, Neotropical Invasive Mammals, and Neotropical Hunters and Dogs). Therefore, studies on trophic cascades, hunting pressure, habitat loss, fragmentation effects, species invasion, and climate change effects will be possible with the Neotropical Xenarthrans data set. Please cite this data paper when using its data in publications. We also request that researchers and teachers inform us of how they are using these data