Antinociceptive properties and acute toxicity of ethanol extract of Bromelia laciniosa Mart. ex Schult. f. (Bromeliaceae)

Purpose: To investigate the antinociceptive activity and acute toxicity of the ethanol extract of Bromelia laciniosa leaf.Methods: A high performance liquid chromatography HPLC fingerprint of phenolic compounds was developed. The antinociceptive effect of ethanol extract (Bl-EtOH) in mice was carried out using chemical (writhing and formalin) and thermal (hot plate) models of nociception. The acute toxicity of the extract was performed in mice using doses of 2.0 g/kg intraperitoneally and 5.0 g/kg orally. Blood was removed for laboratory analysis of hematological and biochemical parameters.Results: Bl-EtOH (100, 200 and 400 mg/kg, i.p.) reduced the number of writhing (91.80, 93.44 and 78.68 %, respectively) and the number of paw licks during the first (60.86, 62.84 and 66.79 %) and second phase (91.93, 82.18 and 88.73 %) of the formalin test. Naloxone (1.5 mg/kg, i.p.) antagonized the antinociceptive action of Bl-EtOH (100 mg/kg), and this finding suggests involvement of opioid mechanism. The effect of Bl-EtOH on hot plate response provides a confirmation of its central effect.Conclusion: B. laciniosa leaf extract has antinociceptive properties. Peripheral, and at least in part, central mechanisms, may be involved in this antinociceptive effect. The ethanol leaf extract apparently presents no significant toxicity.Keywords: Bromelia laciniosa, Nociception, Pain, Writhing, Acute toxicit

Mineralization of sheep manure and its influence on lettuce production

Diversos resíduos orgânicos são utilizados na agricultura sem o adequado conhecimento da sua dinâmica de mineralização. Avaliou-se a mineralização de esterco de ovinos e sua influência na produção de alface. Utilizou-se o delineamento experimental de blocos ao acaso com três repetições. Foram utilizadas 25 t ha-1 como dose de esterco para cada um dos seguintes tratamentos: 1) esterco de ovinos que se alimentaram de feno de mandioca (PAM); 2) esterco de ovinos que se alimentaram de subproduto de ervilha (ERV); 3) esterco de ovinos que se alimentaram de feno de capim coast-cross (FCC); 4) esterco de ovinos que se alimentaram de subproduto de saccharina (SAC) e 5) solo sem aplicação de esterco (testemunha). Foi determinada semanalmente a respiração basal do solo, utilizada como indicador de mineralização da matéria orgânica. A massa fresca de alface foi avaliada como medida de produção. Os tratamentos ERV, FCC e SAC apresentaram ganhos de massa fresca na ordem de 68, 65 e 62% em relação à testemunha e de 43, 39 e 33% em relação ao PAM, respectivamente. A produção menor promovida pelo PAM, em relação às demais, pode ser explicada pela forma de mineralização da matéria orgânica que apresentou elevada respiração microbiana cinco dias após o transplantio, com acentuado declínio, nas medições subseqüentes, ao longo do ciclo da cultura. Os demais tratamentos apresentaram mineralização sincronizada com conseqüente aumento na produção de massa fresca. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ABSTRACTSeveral organic wastes are used in agriculture with no precise knowledge about the mineralization dynamics of these materials. In this study the sheep manure mineralization and its influence on the lettuce production was evaluated. A randomized block design with three replications was used. Five treatments were studied using 25 t ha-1 as dose of manure: 1) sheep manure obtained from animals fed with cassava straw (PAM); 2) sheep manure obtained from animals fed with residue of pea crop (ERV); 3) sheep manure obtained from animals fed with Coast-Cross hay (FCC), 4) sheep manure obtained from animals fed with saccharin residue (SAC) and 5) soil without application of manure (control). Weekly the basal respiration was determined and used as an indicator of organic matter mineralization. Lettuce fresh mass was evaluated as a measure of production. Treatments ERV, FCC and SAC showed superior weight gains of 68, 65 and 62% compared to the control and 43, 39 and 33% compared to MAP, respectively. Lower production promoted by the MAP in relation to the other treatments can be explained by organic matter mineralization that showed a high microbial respiration five days after transplanting, with marked decline in subsequent measurements during the crop cycle. The other systems showed mineralization synchronized with the production increase of lettuce fresh mass

Arterial hypertension and associated factors in patients submitted to myocardial revascularization

OBJECTIVE To identify the prevalence of arterial hypertension and associated factors in patients submitted to myocardial revascularization. METHOD Cross-sectional study using the database of a hospital in São Paulo (SP, Brazil) containing 3010 patients with coronary artery disease submitted to myocardial revascularization. A multiple logistic regression was performed to identify variables independently associated with hypertension (statistical significance: p1.3: (OR=1.37;CI:1.09-1.72). CONCLUSION A high prevalence of arterial hypertension and association with both non-modifiable and modifiable factors was observed