Ganado vacuno recibido por Pedro Santillán

Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency is an enzymopathy in which reduced NADPH concentrations are not maintained, resulting in oxidative damage. We evaluated G6PD activity, oxidative stress levels and Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity in individuals with the A-(202G>A) mutation for G6PD deficiency. Five hundred and forty-four peripheral blood samples were screened for G6PD deficiency; we also analyzed lipid peroxidation products measured as thiobarbituric acid reactive species and Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity. Men with the A-(202G>A) mutation had lower G6PD activity than women with the same mutation. Individuals with the A-(202G>A) mutation also differed in mean Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity values but not for thiobarbituric acid reactive species values. We concluded that A-(202G>A) mutation is associated with reduced G6PD activity and increased Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity. ©FUNPEC-RP

Vitamin E-analog Trolox prevents endoplasmic reticulum stress in frozen-thawed ovarian tissue of capuchin monkey (Sapajus apella)

Ovarian fragments were exposed to 0.5 M sucrose and 1 M ethylene glycol (freezing solution; FS) with or without selenium or Trolox. Histological and ultrastructural analyses showed that the percentages of normal follicles in control tissue and in tissue after exposure to FS+50 μM Trolox were similar. Trolox prevented endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-related vacuolization, which is commonly observed in oocytes and stromal tissue after exposure to FS. From the evaluated stress markers, superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) was up-regulated in ovarian tissue exposed to FS+10 ng/ml selenium. Ovarian fragments were subsequently frozenthawed in the presence of FS with or without 50 μM Trolox, followed by in vitro culture (IVC). Antioxidant capacity in ovarian fragments decreased after freeze-thawing in Troloxfree FS compared with FS+50 μMTrolox. Although freezing itself minimized the percentage of viable follicles in each solution, Trolox supplementation resulted in higher rates of viable follicles (67 %), even after IVC (61 %). Furthermore, stress markers SOD1 and ERp29 were up-regulated in ovarian tissue frozen-thawed in Trolox-free medium. Relative mRNA expression of growth factors markers was evaluated after freeze-thawing followed by IVC. BMP4, BMP5, CTGF, GDF9 and KL were down-regulated independently of the presence of Trolox in FS but down-regulation was less pronounced in the presence of Trolox. Thus, medium supplementation with 50 μMTrolox prevents ER stress and, consequently, protects ovarian tissue from ER-derived cytoplasmic vacuolization. ERp29 but not ERp60, appears to be a key marker linking stress caused by freezing-thawing and cell vacuolization.http://link.springer.com/journal/441hb201

Anti-malarial activity and toxicity assessment of Himatanthus articulatus, a plant used to treat malaria in the Brazilian Amazon

Background: Plasmodium falciparum has become resistant to some of the available drugs. Several plant species are used for the treatment of malaria, such as Himatanthus articulatus in parts of Brazil. The present paper reports the phyto-chemistry, the anti-plasmodial and anti-malarial activity, as well as the toxicity of H. articulatus. Methods: Ethanol and dichloromethane extracts were obtained from the powder of stem barks of H. articulates and later fractionated and analysed. The anti-plasmodial activity was assessed against a chloroquine resistant strain P. falciparum (W2) in vitro, whilst in vivo anti-malarial activity against Plasmodium berghei (ANKA strain) was tested in mice, evaluating the role of oxidative stress (total antioxidant capacity - TEAC; lipid peroxidation – TBARS, and nitrites and nitrates - NN). In addition, cytotoxicity was evaluated using the HepG2 A16 cell-line. The acute oral and sub-chronic toxicity of the ethanol extract were evaluated in both male and female mice. Results: Plumieride was isolated from the ethyl acetate fraction of ethanol extract, Only the dichloromethane extract was active against clone W2. Nevertheless, both extracts reduced parasitaemia in P. berghei-infected mice. Besides, a significant reduction in pulmonary and cerebral levels of NN (nitrites and nitrates) was found, as well as in pulmonary TBARS, indicating a reduced oxidative damage to these organs. The ethanol extract showed low cytotoxicity to HepG2 A16 cells in the concentrations used. No significant changes were observed in the in vivo toxicity studies. Conclusions: The ethanol extract of H. articulatus proved to be promising as anti-malarial medicine and showed low toxicity

Uma revisão bibliográfica sobre Araceae com foco nos gêneros Pistia, Philodendron e Montrichardia: aspectos botânicos, fitoquímicos e atividades biológicas

Made available in DSpace on 2017-06-01T19:29:34Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 license.txt: 1748 bytes, checksum: 8a4605be74aa9ea9d79846c1fba20a33 (MD5) 1.pdf: 490087 bytes, checksum: 6905e527ea66ab28e49e81ec60c1d713 (MD5) Previous issue date: 13Universidade Federal do Pará. Instituto de Ciências da Saúde. Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Farmacêuticas. Belém, PA, Brasil.Universidade Federal do Pará. Instituto de Ciências da Saúde. Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas. Belém, PA, Brasil.Universidade Federal do Pará. Instituto de Ciências da Saúde. Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas. Belém, PA, Brasil.Universidade Federal do Pará. Instituto de Ciências da Saúde. Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Farmacêuticas. Belém, PA, Brasil.Universidade Federal do Pará. Instituto de Ciências da Saúde. Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Farmacêuticas. Belém, PA, Brasil.Universidade Federal do Pará. Instituto de Ciências Biológicas. Belém, PA, Brasil.O presente estudo teve como objetivo realizar uma ampla revisão bibliográfica sobre a família Araceae. Esta revisão enfocou os gêneros Pistia, Philodendron e Montrichardia com alegação popular de uso medicinal. A pesquisa foi realizada em diferentes bases de dados, periódicos e livros especializados sobre o tema. A família Araceae é constituída por espécies ornamentais, tóxicas e medicinais. Pistia stratiotes conhecida popularmente como erva-de-santa-luzia, repolho-d’água, alface-d’agua e golfo, é usada como diurético, antifebrífugo, para tratamento de estrangúria, hematúria, diabetes, hemoptise, hidropsia, artrite, afecções hepáticas e escorbuto. Entretanto, estas alegações populares carecem de estudos de validação. Em termos químicos, foram isolados esteroides. O gênero mais estudado desta família, em termos de atividades biológicas, é o Montrichardia, sendo avaliadas suas atividades antiplasmódica, antibacteriana, antifúngica e antinociceptiva. Entretanto, existe uma carência de estudos fitoquímicos deste gênero. Para Philodendron, as principais alegações populares são tratamento da mordida de serpentes, analgésica, purgante, hemostática e vermífuga. Estudos fitoquímicos levaram ao isolamento de sitosteol e outras substâncias. Estudos biológicos confirmaram atividades em Trypanossoma cruzi e Trichomonas vaginalis, porém os mecanismos envolvidos na toxicidade ainda não estão completamente elucidados. Em síntese, esta família possui diferentes espécies com potencial terapêutico, sendo urgentes estudos que validem os usos medicinais descritos.The present paper reports a broad literature review on the Araceae family, focusing the genera with popular allegation of medicinal use. The review was carried through different databases, specialized periodicals and books. The Araceae family comprises ornamental, toxic and medicinal plants. Species with allegations of popular use against serpent bites and scurvy, as well as vermifuge, laxative, and hemostatic, among other uses, are described. The Pistia genus includes P. stratiotes, popularly known as santa-luzia with, repolho-d’água, alface-d’agua and golfo, with popular allegations of activity as diuretic, antipyretics, stranguria, hematuria, diabetes, hemoptysis, hydropsy, arthritis, liver affections, and treatment of scurvy. However, these popular allegations lack of validation studies. Phytochemically, steroids have been isolated from this species. Certainty the mostly studied genus of this family in terms of biological activities is Montrichardia that has been evaluated for antiplasmodial, antibacterial, antifungal, and antinociceptive activities. Another genus of this family with allegation of popular use is Philodendron, with the following allegations: treatment of serpent bites and pain killer, laxative, hemostatic and vermifuges. Phytochemical studies led to the isolation of sitosteol and other substances. Biological studies confirmed activities against Trypanosoma cruzi and Trichomonas vaginalis, but the mechanisms involved in toxicity are still not completely elucidated. In summary, this family includes different species with therapeutical potential that deserve validation studies

Trolox enhances follicular survival after ovarian tissue autograft in squirrel monkey (Saimiri collinsi)

The aim of this study was to evaluate ovarian tissue pre-treatment with 50 µM Trolox followed by heterotopic transplantation in squirrel monkeys (Saimiri collinsi) and to assess tissue functionality via immunohistochemical analysis of the stroma and ovarian follicles. Five healthy and sexually mature squirrel monkey (Saimiri collinsi) females were used. Heterotopic autografting of fresh ovarian tissue with or without previous exposure to the antioxidant Trolox was performed and grafts were recovered for analysis 7 days later. Tissue vascularisation was confirmed by both macroscopic inspection and cluster of differentiation 31 (CD31) staining. Trolox prevented massive follicular activation and kept the percentages of morphologically normal follicles higher than in untreated grafts. Expression of anti-Müllerian hormone in developing follicles was observed only in controls and Trolox-treated grafts. Also, immunostaining for growth differentiation factor-9 was positive only in primordial follicles from controls and from Trolox-treated grafts. Although Trolox improved follicular quality and avoided apoptosis in stromal cells, ovarian tissue fibrosis was increased in Trolox-treated grafts, mainly due to an increase in collagen Type I synthesis

Oxidative Stress in Malaria

Malaria is a significant public health problem in more than 100 countries and causes an estimated 200 million new infections every year. Despite the significant effort to eradicate this dangerous disease, lack of complete knowledge of its physiopathology compromises the success in this enterprise. In this paper we review oxidative stress mechanisms involved in the disease and discuss the potential benefits of antioxidant supplementation as an adjuvant antimalarial strategy