Effect of the aqueous extract of Ginkgo biloba L., Ginkgoaceae, in induced osteoporosis in Wistar rats

The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of a 20 day treatment with extract of Ginkgo biloba (EGb) in glucocorticoid-induced-osteoporosis. 36 rats were divided into six groups (n=6): control, osteoporosis, positive control, EGb1 (14 mg EGb/kg/day), EGb2 (28 mg EGb/kg/day) and EGb3 (56 mg EGb/kg/day). Treatments were conducted for twenty days, after osteoporosis was induced. Following euthanasia the femur and mandible of all animals were removed. The left mandible was radiographed to evaluate the cortical and the periodontal bone support (PBS). The histomorphometric analysis was performed on the right mandible and the right femur. The control group was compared with the osteoporosis group (Student's t-test). The other groups were analyzed through ANOVA test followed by Dunnett post-hoc test. There was a significantly reduction in the mesial PBS, in the percentage of the alveolar bone (PAB) of the mandible and percentage of the trabecular bone (PTB) of the femur in the osteoporosis group. There was an increase in the mesial PBS in the positive control group, EGb2 and EGb3. The PAB of the mandible and the PTB of the femur increased in the EGb2 and EGb3 groups. The EGb in the 28 mg/kg and 56 mg/kg doses were effective to increase the mesial PBS, the PAB of the mandible and the PTB of the femur.Este trabalho investigou os efeitos do tratamento por vinte dias com extrato de Ginkgo biloba (EGb) na osteoporose induzida por glicocorticóides. Foram utilizadas 36 ratas divididas em seis grupos (n=6): Controle, osteoporose, controle positivo, EGb1 (14 mg EGb/mg/kg/dia), EGb2 (28 mg EGb/kg/dia) e EGb3 (56 mg EGb/kg/dia). Os tratamentos foram realizados por vinte dias, após a indução da osteoporose. Após a eutanásia foram removidos o fêmur e a mandíbula de todos os animais. A mandíbula esquerda foi radiografada digitalmente para avaliação da cortical e do suporte ósseo periodontal (SOP). A análise histomorfométrica foi realizada no fêmur e mandíbula direitos. O grupo controle foi comparado ao grupo osteoporose (Teste t de Student) e os demais grupos foram submetidos a ANOVA, seguido do teste post-hoc de Dunnett. Houve redução significava do SOP mesial, percentual ósseo alveolar (POA) mandibular, percentual ósseo trabecular (POT) do fêmur no grupo osteoporose. Houve aumento do SOP mesial no grupo controle positivo, EGb2 e EGb3. O POA da mandíbula e o POT do fêmur aumentaram nos grupos EGb2 e EGb3. O EGb nas doses de 28 mg/kg e 56 mg/kg recuperou de forma significativa o SOP mesial, o POA da mandíbula e o POT do fêmur

In Vivo Antigenotoxicity of Baccharin, an Important Constituent of Baccharis dracunculifolia DC (Asteraceae)

Baccharin (3-prenyl-4-(dihydrocinnamoyloxy)cinnamic acid) is an important chemical compound isolated from the aerial parts of Baccharis dracunculifolia DC (Asteraceae), a native plant of South America, and the most important plant source of Brazilian green propolis. The present study was designed to investigate the ability of baccharin to modulate the genotoxic effects induced by doxorubicin and methyl methanesulphonate in male Swiss mice using the micronucleus and comet assays, respectively. The different doses of baccharin [0.12, 0.24 and 0.48 mg/kg body-weight (b.w.)] were administered simultaneously to doxorubicin (micronucleus test; 15 mg/kg b.w.) and to methyl methanesulphonate (comet assay; 40 mg/kg b.w.). The results showed a significant decrease in the frequency of micronucleated polychromatic erythrocytes in animals treated with baccharin and doxorubicin compared to animals that received only doxorubicin. This reduction ranged from 39.8% to 50.7% in the micronucleus test. The extent of DNA damage in liver cells was significantly lower in animals treated with different concentrations of baccharin combined with methyl methanesulphonate in comparison with the damage observed for animals treated only with methyl methanesulphonate. These differences resulted in a significant reduction in the extent of DNA damage, which ranged from 47.8% to 60.6%.Fundacao de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado de Sao Paulo (FAPESP), Brazil[2007/07211-6]FAPESP[2009/12019-2

Antibacterial Effect of Copaifera duckei Dwyer Oleoresin and Its Main Diterpenes against Oral Pathogens and Their Cytotoxic Effect

This study evaluates the antibacterial activity of the Copaifera duckei Dwyer oleoresin and two isolated compounds [eperu-8(20)-15,18-dioic acid and polyalthic acid] against bacteria involved in primary endodontic infections and dental caries and assesses the cytotoxic effect of these substances against a normal cell line. MIC and MBC assays pointed out the most promising metabolites for further studies on bactericidal kinetics, antibiofilm activity, and synergistic antibacterial action. The oleoresin and polyalthic acid but not eperu-8(20)-15,18-dioic provided encouraging MIC and MBC results at concentrations lower than 100 μg mL−1. The oleoresin and polyalthic acid activities depended on the evaluated strain. A bactericidal effect on Lactobacillus casei (ATCC 11578 and clinical isolate) emerged before 8 h of incubation. For all the tested bacteria, the oleoresin and polyalthic acid inhibited biofilm formation by at least 50%. The oleoresin and polyalthic acid gave the best activity against Actinomyces naeslundii (ATCC 19039) and L. casei (ATCC 11578), respectively. The synergistic assays combining the oleoresin or polyalthic acid with chlorhexidine did not afford interesting results. We examined the cytotoxicity of C. duckei oleoresin, eperu-8(20)-15,18-dioic acid, and polyalthic acid against Chinese hamster lung fibroblasts. The oleoresin and polyalthic acid were cytotoxic at concentrations above 78.1 μg mL−1, whereas eperu-8(20)-15,18-dioic displayed cytotoxicity at concentrations above 312.5 μg mL−1. In conclusion, the oleoresin and polyalthic acid are potential sources of antibacterial agents against bacteria involved in primary endodontic infections and dental caries in both the sessile and the planktonic modes at concentrations that do not cause cytotoxicity

Synthesis, Characterization, Cytotoxic Activity, and Interactions with CT-DNA and BSA of Cationic Ruthenium(II) Complexes Containing Dppm and Quinoline Carboxylates

The complexes cis-[Ru(quin)(dppm)2]PF6 and cis-[Ru(kynu)(dppm)2]PF6 (quin = quinaldate; kynu = kynurenate; dppm = bis(diphenylphosphino)methane) were prepared and characterized by elemental analysis, electronic, FTIR, 1H, and 31P{H1} NMR spectroscopies. Characterization data were consistent with a cis arrangement for the dppm ligands and a bidentate coordination through carboxylate oxygens of the quin and kynu anions. These complexes were not able to intercalate CT-DNA as shown by circular dichroism spectroscopy. On the other hand, bovine serum albumin (BSA) binding constants and thermodynamic parameters suggest spontaneous interactions with this protein by hydrogen bonds and van der Waals forces. Cytotoxicity assays were carried out on a panel of human cancer cell lines including HepG2, MCF-7, and MO59J and one normal cell line GM07492A. In general, the new ruthenium(II) complexes displayed a moderate to high cytotoxicity in all the assayed cell lines with IC50 ranging from 10.1 to 36 µM and were more cytotoxic than the precursor cis-[RuCl2(dppm)2]. The cis-[Ru(quin)(dppm)2]PF6 were two to three times more active than the reference metallodrug cisplatin in the MCF-7 and MO59J cell lines

Lipoxygenase inhibitory activity of <i>Cuspidaria pulchra</i> and isolated compounds

<div><p>This work evaluated the <i>in vitro</i> inhibitory activity of the crude ethanolic extract from the aerial parts of <i>Cuspidaria pulchra</i> (Cham.) L.G. Lohmann against 15-lipoxygenase (15-LOX). The bioassay-guided fractionation of the <i>n</i>-butanol fraction, which displayed the highest activity, led to the isolation of three compounds: caffeoylcalleryanin (<b>1</b>), verbascoside (<b>2</b>) and 6-hydroxyluteolin-7-<i>O</i>-β-glucoside (<b>3</b>). Assessment of the ability of the isolated compounds to inhibit 15-LOX revealed that compounds <b>1</b>, <b>2</b> and <b>3</b> exerted strong 15-LOX inhibitory activity; IC₅₀ values were 1.59, 1.76 and 2.35 μM respectively. The XTT assay showed that none of the isolated compounds seemed to be significantly toxic.</p></div