Estudio fitotoxicológico preliminar de diez especies vegetales utilizadas en medicina tradicional

Se realizó un análisis fitoquímico preliminar y un estudio de la letalidad sobre larvas de A. salina y toxicidad en Daphnia magna, de doce extractos etanólicos obtenidos de  diez plantas utilizadas por algunas comunidades indígenas y campesinas de Colombia.  Se encontró que todas poseen varios grupos de  metabolitos secundarios y que la mayoría de los extractos, presentaron una alta toxicidad frente a los organismos de prueba, evidenciándose de esta forma la actividad biológica de las especies estudiadas y la posible correlación de las mismas con su uso en la medicina tradicional.It was accomplished a Preliminary phytochemicals screening and a study of the Artemia salina (brine shrimp) lethality  as  well as  Daphnia magna toxicity of  twelve ethanolic extracts obtained of ten plants used by some indigenous communities and peasantes from Colombia.  It was found that all possess several groups of secondary metabolites and most of the extracts, presented a high toxicity as compared to the test organisms, being evidenced in this way the biological activity of the studied species and the possible relation of the same with its  use in the traditional medicine

Reduction of cardiac imaging tests during the COVID-19 pandemic: The case of Italy. Findings from the IAEA Non-invasive Cardiology Protocol Survey on COVID-19 (INCAPS COVID)

Background: In early 2020, COVID-19 massively hit Italy, earlier and harder than any other European country. This caused a series of strict containment measures, aimed at blocking the spread of the pandemic. Healthcare delivery was also affected when resources were diverted towards care of COVID-19 patients, including intensive care wards. Aim of the study: The aim is assessing the impact of COVID-19 on cardiac imaging in Italy, compare to the Rest of Europe (RoE) and the World (RoW). Methods: A global survey was conducted in May–June 2020 worldwide, through a questionnaire distributed online. The survey covered three periods: March and April 2020, and March 2019. Data from 52 Italian centres, a subset of the 909 participating centres from 108 countries, were analyzed. Results: In Italy, volumes decreased by 67% in March 2020, compared to March 2019, as opposed to a significantly lower decrease (p < 0.001) in RoE and RoW (41% and 40%, respectively). A further decrease from March 2020 to April 2020 summed up to 76% for the North, 77% for the Centre and 86% for the South. When compared to the RoE and RoW, this further decrease from March 2020 to April 2020 in Italy was significantly less (p = 0.005), most likely reflecting the earlier effects of the containment measures in Italy, taken earlier than anywhere else in the West. Conclusions: The COVID-19 pandemic massively hit Italy and caused a disruption of healthcare services, including cardiac imaging studies. This raises concern about the medium- and long-term consequences for the high number of patients who were denied timely diagnoses and the subsequent lifesaving therapies and procedures