12 research outputs found

    Effects of Cymbopogon winterianus Jowitt ex Bor essential oil on the growth and morphogenesis of Trichophyton mentagrophytes

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    Trichophyton mentagrophytes is a fungus causative agent of dermatophytosis, affecting humans worldwide. This has driven the search for products for the treatment of these infections. Accordingly, the aim of this study was to investigate the antifungal activity of the Cymbopogon winterianus essential oil against T. mentagrophytes. The antifungal tests consisted of antifungal screening, determination of MIC and MFC, analysis of the essential oil's effects on mycelial growth, germination of fungal spores, fungal viability, morphogenesis, cell wall (test with sorbitol) and cell membrane (cell leakage test) of T. mentagrophytes. Upon screening, the oil inhibited all strains, with zones of growth inhibition of 24-28 mm in diameter. The MIC was 312 μg/mL and CFM was 2500 μg/mL for almost all the strains tested. There were morphological changes in the conidia group, form and pigmentation of hyphae. The antifungal action of the product does not involve the cell wall and its action may involve the fungal plasma membrane. It is concluded that C. winterianus essential oil constitutes a potential antifungal product, especially for the treatment of dermatophytosis.Trichophyton mentagrophytes é um fungo causador de dermatofitoses, afetando humanos em todo o mundo. Isto direciona a busca de produtos para o tratamento destas infecções. Assim, este estudo teve por objetivo investigar a atividade antifúngica do óleo essencial de Cymbopogon winterianus contra T. mentagrophytes. Os ensaios antifúngicos foram constituídos do screening antifúngico, da determinação CIM e CFM, da análise dos efeitos do óleo essencial no crescimento micelial, na germinação dos esporos, na viabilidade fúngica, na morfogênese, na parede celular (ensaio com sorbitol) e na membrana celular (ensaio de lise celular) de T. mentagrophytes. No screening, o óleo inibiu todas as cepas, com zonas de inibição de crescimento de 24-28 mm de diâmetro. A CIM foi de 312 μg/mL e a CFM foi de 2500 μg/mL para quase todas as cepas testadas. O óleo essencial inibiu o desenvolvimento micelial, a germinação dos esporos e a viabilidade fúngica. Houve alterações morfológicas no agrupamento dos conídios, na forma e pigmentação das hifas. A ação antifúngica do produto não envolve a parede celular e parece estar envolvida com a membrana celular fúngica. Pode-se concluir que o óleo essencial de C. winterianus se apresenta como um potencial produto antifúngico, especialmente para o tratamento das dermatofitoses

    Anxiolytic Effect of Citrus aurantium

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    The objective of this study was to investigate the anxiolytic effects of the essential oil (EO) of Citrus aurantium L. in patients experiencing crack withdrawal. This was developed with internal users in therapeutic communities in Paraíba, Brazil. The test population consisted of 51 volunteers, subdivided into three groups. To elicit anxiety, the Simulated Public Speaking (SPS) method was used. Physiological measures were assessed at specific phases during the experiment using appropriate equipment. Psychological measures of anxiety were assessed using the Trait-State Anxiety Inventory (IDATE) and the Analog Smoke Scale (HAS). EO was administered by nebulization. The experiment was developed in individual sessions and consolidated to four phases. The results demonstrated that the test subjects in the groups that were given the EO maintained controlled anxiety levels during SPS, when compared to the Control Group (no treatment). Subjects who used the EO also maintained levels of “discomfort” and “cognitive impairment” during SPS. It was concluded that individuals who are experiencing internal crack cocaine withdrawal present high anxiety traits and that nebulization of the EO of Citrus aurantium L. provided an acute anxiolytic effect in crack cocaine users exposed to SPS

    Actividad antinociceptiva del extracto de Erythroxylum caatingae

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    El género Erythoxylum es popularmente utilizado como agente anti-inflamatorio, antibacteriano y para el tratamiento de  problemas respiratorios. Este estudio tiene como objetivo investigar la actividad antinociceptiva del extracto metanólico Erythroxylum  caatingae (EcME), utilizando modelos químicos (prueba de la formalina y prueba de ácido acético) y térmico (prueba de la placa caliente)  de nocicepción. El pretratamiento EcME por la vía intraperitoneal (i.p.), fue capaz de reducir el número de contorsiones abdominales y el  tiempo de lamida en la segunda fase del test de formalina. EcME no tuvo efecto significativo en el test de la placa caliente, Rota-Rod y  Laberinto en Cruz Elevado, mostrando que el efecto antinociceptivo no está relacionado con un efecto depresor del sistema nervioso central  o miorelajante.  Los datos experimentales muestran que Erythroxylum caatingae posee una actividad antinociceptiva periférica que confirma  su uso popular, contribuyendo para el conocimiento científico de la especie

    Maternal supplementation with avocado (persea americana mill.) pulp and oil alters reflex maturation, physical development, and offspring memory in rats

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    Avocado (Persea americana Mill.) is an oleaginous fruit source of fatty acids with high levels of neuroprotective phytocomplexes. The objective of this study was to evaluate the development of reflex and somatic maturation, fatty acid profiles in the brain, and memory in different stages of life in the offspring of dams supplemented with avocado pulp and oil during gestation and lactation. The dams were randomly divided into three groups (n = 15 pups/group), and recieved by gavage supplementation: control group (CG)-distilled water; Avocado Oil (AO)-3,000 mg avocado oil/kg animal weight, and Avocado Pulp (AP)-3,000 mg avocado pulp/kg animal weight. We performed the following tests: Analysis of Somatic Development and Ontogeny of Postnatal Reflex (T0 to T21), the Open Field Habituation Test and the Object Recognition Test (ORT) in the adolescent (T45) and adult (190) phases. The cerebral fatty acids content was evaluated at times T0, T21, T45, and T90. The results were analyzed using the statistical program GraphPad Prism and significant statistics were considered when p < 0.05. Acceleration of reflex maturation and reflex ontogeny was observed in the offspring of AO and AP fed dams, with the results being more pronounced in the pulp fed group (p < 0.05). All groups presented a decrease in the ambulation parameter in the second exposure to the Open Field Habituation Test, at T45 and 190 (p < 0.05). In the ORT, the AO and AP offspring presented memory improvements in the short and long term in the adult and adolescent phases (p < 0.05). The results of the brain fatty acid profiles presented higher polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) content in the AO and AP groups at T21, T45, and 190. The docosahexaenoic fatty acid (DHA) content was higher at T21 (AO and AP), at T45 (AO and AP), and at T90 (AP) (p < 0.05). The arachidonic acid (ARA) content was higher at T45 (AO and AP), and at T90 (AO) (p < 0.05). Maternal supplementation with avocado oil and pulp anticipates reflex maturation and somatic postnatal development, and improves memory during the adolescent and adult phases.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

    Maternal Supplementation With Avocado (Persea americana Mill.) Pulp and Oil Alters Reflex Maturation, Physical Development, and Offspring Memory in Rats

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    Avocado (Persea americana Mill.) is an oleaginous fruit source of fatty acids with high levels of neuroprotective phytocomplexes. The objective of this study was to evaluate the development of reflex and somatic maturation, fatty acid profiles in the brain, and memory in different stages of life in the offspring of dams supplemented with avocado pulp and oil during gestation and lactation. The dams were randomly divided into three groups (n = 15 pups/group), and recieved by gavage supplementation: control group (CG)–distilled water; Avocado Oil (AO)−3,000 mg avocado oil/kg animal weight, and Avocado Pulp (AP)−3,000 mg avocado pulp/kg animal weight. We performed the following tests: Analysis of Somatic Development and Ontogeny of Postnatal Reflex (T0 to T21), the Open Field Habituation Test and the Object Recognition Test (ORT) in the adolescent (T45) and adult (T90) phases. The cerebral fatty acids content was evaluated at times T0, T21, T45, and T90. The results were analyzed using the statistical program GraphPad Prism and significant statistics were considered when p &lt; 0.05. Acceleration of reflex maturation and reflex ontogeny was observed in the offspring of AO and AP fed dams, with the results being more pronounced in the pulp fed group (p &lt; 0.05). All groups presented a decrease in the ambulation parameter in the second exposure to the Open Field Habituation Test, at T45 and T90 (p &lt; 0.05). In the ORT, the AO and AP offspring presented memory improvements in the short and long term in the adult and adolescent phases (p &lt; 0.05). The results of the brain fatty acid profiles presented higher polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) content in the AO and AP groups at T21, T45, and T90. The docosahexaenoic fatty acid (DHA) content was higher at T21 (AO and AP), at T45 (AO and AP), and at T90 (AP) (p &lt; 0.05). The arachidonic acid (ARA) content was higher at T45 (AO and AP), and at T90 (AO) (p &lt; 0.05). Maternal supplementation with avocado oil and pulp anticipates reflex maturation and somatic postnatal development, and improves memory during the adolescent and adult phases

    Chemical Composition and In Vitro and In Silico Antileishmanial Evaluation of the Essential Oil from <i>Croton linearis</i> Jacq. Stems

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    Croton linearis Jacq. is an aromatic shrub that has been utilized in traditional medicine in the Bahamas, Jamaica, and Cuba. Recent studies have revealed the antiprotozoal potential of its leaves. The present work is aimed to identify the volatile constituents of essential oil from the stems of C. linearis (CLS-EO) and evaluate its in vitro antileishmanial activity. In addition, an in silico study of the molecular interactions was performed using molecular docking. A gas chromatographic–mass spectrometric analysis of CLS-EO identified 1,8-cineole (27.8%), α-pinene (11.1%), cis-sabinene (8.1%), p-cymene (5.7%), α-terpineol (4.4%), epi-γ-eudesmol (4.2%), linalool (3.9%), and terpinen-4-ol (2.6%) as major constituents. The evaluation of antileishmanial activity showed that CLS-EO has good activity on both parasite forms (IC50Promastigote = 21.4 ± 0.1 μg/mL; IC50Amastigote = 18.9 ± 0.3 μg/mL), with a CC50 of 49.0 ± 5.0 μg/mL on peritoneal macrophages from BALB/c mice (selectivity index = 2 and 3 using the promastigote and amastigote results). Molecular docking showed good binding of epi-γ-eudesmol with different target enzymes of Leishmania. This study is the first report of the chemical composition and anti-Leishmania evaluation of CLS-EO. These findings provide support for further studies of the antileishmanial effect of this product

    Choline Metabolites, Hydroxybutyrate and HDL after Dietary Fiber Supplementation in Overweight/Obese Hypertensive Women: A Metabolomic Study

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    Metabolomics has been increasingly used to evaluate metabolic changes associated with morbidities. The objective of this study is to assess the metabolic profile before and after intervention with mixed dietary fiber in overweight and obese hypertensive women. This is an intervention study, and the sample consists of 14 women aged 28 to 58 years. An intervention with 12 g of mixed soluble and insoluble fiber is performed for a period of eight weeks. Serum metabolites are identified using a Bruker 1H NMR spectrometer at 400 MHz. Multivariate data analysis, including principal component analysis (PCA), is used to differentiate the two groups. After supplementation with dietary fiber, there is a significant increase in the peak intensity values of the metabolites HDL-C (0.0010*), choline (0.0012*) and hydroxybutyrate (0.0010*) as well as a decrease in systolic (0.0013*) and diastolic (0.0026*) blood pressure. The analysis of the metabolomic profile allows the identification of metabolites that have been associated in the literature with hypertension and excess weight (choline, hydroxybutyrate and amino acids) and with fiber intake (choline, hydroxybutyrate and amino acids) in addition to an increase in HDL-C. The increase in the detection of the described metabolites possibly occurs due to the presence of pathologies and the use of fiber in the intervention, which also contributes to elevated HDL-c and reduced blood pressure

    Consumption of clarified goat butter added with turmeric (Curcuma longa L.) increase oleic fatty acid and lipid peroxidation in the liver of adolescent rats

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    The present study investigated the consumption of clarified goat butter (with or without turmeric) on physical, hepatic, biochemical parameters and lipid peroxidation in the livers of male adolescent Wistar rats aged 35 days. Four groups were formed: control (CONT) – treated with distilled water; Turmeric (CM): treated with 60 mg/kg of turmeric; Clarified goat butter (BT): treated with 2000 mg/kg of goat butter and Goat butter mixed with turmeric (BTCM): received 2000 mg/kg of goat butter added with turmeric. Data showed a reduction in the liver fat in CM and BT in relation to the CONT and BTCM. Aspartate aminotransferase was decreased in the CM, BT and BTCM compared to CONT. CM presented reduced glucose, total cholesterol, LDL and triglycerides (TC) and increased HDL. The BT presented decreased in TC and LDL. BTCM showed reduction in TC, LDL, and HDL. Lipid peroxidation increased in all experimental groups. There was a reduction in the saturated fatty acids in CM liver; BT and BTCM showed higher deposition of mono and polyunsaturated fatty acids in the liver. In conclusion, the consumption of clarified goat butter improved plama lipids but reduced HDL, did not elevated fat liver or liver enzimes but lipid peroxidation was increased. Thus, combined supplementation with clarified goat butter complemented with turmeric did not result in additional benefits when the treatment occurred during adolescence.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

    Toxicological evaluation <i>in silico</i> and <i>in vivo</i> of secondary metabolites of <i>Cissampelos sympodialis</i> in <i>Mus musculus</i> mice following inhalation

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    <p>The ethanolic extract of the leaves of <i>Cissampelos sympodialis</i> showed great pharmacological potential, with inflammatory and immunomodulatory activities, however, it showed some toxicological effects. Therefore, this study aims to verify the toxicological potential of alkaloids of the genus <i>Cissampelos</i> through <i>in silico</i> methodologies, to develop a method in LC-MS/MS verifying the presence of alkaloids in the infusion and to evaluate the toxicity of the infusion of the leaves of <i>C. sympodialis</i> when inhaled by Swiss mice. Results <i>in silico</i> showed that alkaloid 93 presented high toxicological potential along with the products of its metabolism. LC-MS/MS results showed that the infusion of the leaves of this plant contained the alkaloids warifteine and methylwarifteine. Finally, the <i>in vivo</i> toxicological analysis of the <i>C. sympodialis</i> infusion showed results, both in biochemistry, organ weights and histological analysis, that the infusion of <i>C. sympodialis</i> leaves presents a low toxicity.</p
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