Aspectos estruturais, farmacológicos e biológicos de fucanas da alga marrom sargassum vulgare

The present study examines the chemical composition and their effects on free radicals, inflammation, angiogenesis, coagulation, VEGF effects and cellular proliferation of a polysaccharides from alga Sargassum vulgare. The sulfated polysaccharide was extracted from brown seaweed by proteolysis with enzymes maxataze. The presence of proteins and sugars were observed in crude polysaccharides. Fractionation of this crude extract was made with growing concentration of acetone (0.3-1.5 v) and produced four groups of polysaccharides. Anionic polysaccharides from brown seaweed Sargassum vulgare, SV1and PSV1 were fractionated (SV1) and purified (PSV1), and displayed with high total sugars and sulfate content and very low level of protein. This fucan SV1 contains low levels of protein and high carbohydrate and sulfate content. This polysaccharides prolonged activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) at 50 μg (>240 s). SV1 was found to have no effect on prothrombin time (PT), corresponding to the extrinsic pathway of coagulation. SV1 exhibits high antithrombotic action in vivo, with a concentration ten times higher than heparin. Polysaccharides from S. vulgare promoted direct inhibition enzymatic activity of thrombin and stimulated enzymatic activity of FXa. SV1 showed optimal inhibitory activity of thrombin (50.2±0.28%) at a concentration of 25 μg/mL. Its antioxidant action on scavenging radicals by DPPH was (22%), indicating the polymer has no cytotoxic action (hemolytic) on ABO and Rh blood types in different erythrocyte groups and displays strong anti-inflammatory action on all concentrations tested in the carrageenan-induced paw edema model, demonstrated by reduced edema and cellular infiltration. Angiogenesis is a dynamic process of proliferation and differentiation. It requires endothelial proliferation, migration, and tube formation. In this context, endothelial cells are a preferred target for several studies and therapies. The antiangiogenic efficacy of polysaccharides was examined in vivo in the chick chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) model by using fertilized eggs. Decreases in the density of the capillaries were assessed and scored. The results showed that SV1 and PSV1 have an inhibitory effect on angiogenesis. These results were also confirmed by inhibition tubulogenesis in rabbit aorta endothelial cell (RAEC) in matrigel. These compounds were assessed in Apoptosis assay (Annexin V - FITC / PI) and cell viability by MTT assay of RAEC. These polysaccharides do not affect the viability and do not have apoptotic or necrotic action. RAEC cell when incubated with SV1 and PSV1showed inhibition of VEGF secretion, observed when compounds were incubated at 25, 50 and 100 μg/μL. The VEGF secretion with the RAEC cell line for 24 h, was more effective for PSV1 at 50 μg/μL(71.4%) than SV1 100 μg/μL (75.9%). SV1 and PSV1 had an antiproliferative action (47%) against tumor cell line HeLa. Our results indicate that these sulfated polysaccharides have antiangiogenic and antitumoral actions

Efeito de um extrato de Artemísia Vulgaris L. marcação in vitro de constituintes sanguíneos com tecnécio-99m em ratos wistar

Artemisia vulgaris L..is used in folk medicine and in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). This medicinal plant has been utilized as anticonvulsive, analgesic, antispasmodic effect, rheumatic pains, menstrual dyspepsia, asthenia, epilepsy, hepatitis, fevers, anemia and to expel parasites. In nuclear medicine, blood constituents are labeled with technetium-99m (99mTc) and used as radiopharmaceuticals (radiobiocomplexes). Authors have been described that synthetic and/or natural drugs could modify the labeling of blood constituents with 99mTc. The aim of this work was to evaluate the effects of an aqueous extract of Artemisia vulgaris L. on the labeling of blood constituents with 99mTc. Blood samples withdrawn of Wistar rats were incubated with Artemisia vulgaris L, stannous chloride and 99mTc, as pertechnetate ion. Aliquots of plasma (P) and blood cells (BC) were isolated. Aliquots of P and BC were also precipitated with trichloroacetic acid and soluble (SF) and insoluble (IF) fractions were separated. The radioactivity in each fraction was counted and the percentages of radioactivity (%ATI) were calculated. Artemisia vulgaris L. extract decreased significantly (p<0.05) the %ATI on BC and on IF-BC. The analysis of the results indicates that the extract could have substances that could interfere on the transport of stannous through the erythrocyte membrane altering the labeling of blood cells with 99mTc. Working in this study was a multidisciplinary group, with Phisical therapists, Biomedicals, Physicals, Pharmacists, Biologists, Statistics and Physicians.

Valores de referência para cobre e zinco no plasma e no eritrócito em adultos universitários na cidade de Natal-RN

This study aimed builds reference values for copper and zinc, of healthy adults in Natal-RN, and to identify the influence of the gender, age, body mass index (BMI) and diet, on those values. They were assessed 123 healthy students of the Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), both genders, with age between 19 and 41 years. The project was approved by the Ethics Committee in Research of UFRN. BMI was determined and the food consume was accomplished through a 24h recordatory. Dietary was evaluated as the energy, macronutrients, copper and zinc, according to the recommendations of National Academy of Sciences (2001; 2002). Analyses of the copper and zinc concentrations in the plasma and erythrocytes were accomplished by flame atomic absorption spectrometry. The casuistic came quite homogeneous as for the distribution for gender and age, being the largest number of individuals between the 19 and 24 years old. Most of the volunteers presented anthropometric nutritional state inside of the normality patterns. Chronic diseases family antecedents and sedentarysm were observed. Diet was characterized with low consumption of zinc, appropriate of copper and of lipids. Average concentrations of plasma copper (p=0,002), erythrocyte copper (μg/dL, p=0,036; μg/gHb, p=0,038), and plasma zinc (p=0,022) were different among the genders, what was demonstrated by the largest values of copper in the female gender and larger of zinc in the masculine. Plasma copper values still suffered interference of the variables: energy, carbohydrate and copper consumption, all classified in agreement with the median, besides the protein classified according to the percentage contribution for the dietary total energy. The study allowed to establish reference values for erythrocyte zinc (1.261,6-1.344,0 μg/dL e 51,0-54,3 μg/gHb) and to suggest "indicative" of reference values for plasma (108,4 130,2 μg/dL) and erythrocyte (female = 85,0 91,4 μg/dL; masculine = 80,2 86,5 μg/dL) copper and plasma zinc (female = 98,8 105,8 μg/dL; masculine = 104,6 111,6 μg/dL)

Avaliação in vitro e in vivo da Atividade Antioxidante do Extrato Hidroetanólico de Folhas de Turnera ulmifolia Linn. var. elegans (Turneraceae)

Recently, it has been a increasing interest in the antioxidative role of natural products to aid the endogenous protective biological systems against the deleterious effects of oxygen (ROS) and nitrogen (RNS) reactive species. Many antioxidant compounds, naturally occurring from plant sources. Natural antioxidants can protect and prevent the human body from oxidative stress and retard the progress of many diseases in which free radical are involved. Several plants used in the folk medicine to treat certain disorders that are accompanied by inflammation and other pharmacological properties have been proved their attributed properties, such antioxidant activity. Turnera ulmifolia Linn. var. elegans (Turneraceae), frequently employed by population as a medicinal plant, demonstrated antioxidant activity by in vitro and in vivo assays, using its leaf hydroethanolic extract (10%) he in vitro DPPH radical-scanvenging activity showed a strong antioxidant activity (86.57% ± 0.14), similar to Carduus marianus and catequine effects. For the in vivo assays, adult female Wistar rats (n=48) with carbon tetrachloride hepatic injury induced (2,5mL/kg i.p.) were used, Six groups or rats were uses (n=8) [G1 = control (1,25 mL/kg i.p. vehicle); G2 = CCl4 (2,5 mL/kg i.p.); G3 = CCl4 + extract 7 days (500 mg/kg p.o.); G4 = CCl4 + Legalon® 7 days (50 mg/kg p.o.), G5 = CCl4 + extract 21 days (500 mg/kg p.o.) e G6 = CCl4 + Legalon® 21 days (50 mg/kg p.o.)]. The hepatic oxidative injury was evaluated through biochemical parameters [alanine amino transferase (ALT), aspartate amino transferase (AST)] histopathological study, while thiobarbituric acid reactive products (TBAR), glutathione (GSH), catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) levels were used to evaluate proantioxidant parameters. The plant extract tested was found effective as hepatoprotective as evidenced by a decreasing in the ALT and AST activities (p<0.001) and TBAR (plasma, p<0.001 and liver, p<0.001). Levels of GSH (blood, p<0.001 and liver, p<0.001) and antioxidant enzymes [CAT erythrocyte (p<0.05) and hepatic (p<0.01); SOD erythrocyte (p<0.001) and hepatic (p<0.001); GPx erythrocyte (p<0.001) and hepatic (p<0.001)] were also significantly increased. Histopathological changes induced by CCl4 were significantly reduced by the extract treatment. The data obtained were comparable to that of Legalon®, a reference hepatoprotective drug. The results showed that T. ulmifolia leaf extract protects against CCl4 induced oxidative damage. Therefore, this effect must be associated to its antioxidant activity, attributed to the phenolic compounds, present in these extract, which can act as free radical scavengers

Avaliação do status de zinco e da expressão gênica de metalotioneínas em pacientes com aterosclerose tratados com rosuvastatina

The study had as objective to evaluate the zinc status by means of dietary intake, zinc in plasma and in erythrocytes and the metallothionein gene expression in patients with atherosclerosis in use of rosuvastatin. The research involved 27 adult and elderly patients of both genders with atherosclerosis that were treated with rosuvastatin (10mg/day) during 4 months. We performed the dosage of lipids, glucose, AST and ALT, ultrasensitive C-reactive protein (hsCRP), plasmatic and erythrocyte zinc and 1 and 2 metallothionein gene expression. The assessment of body mass index (BMI) and abdominal circumference (AC) was performed, besides the analysis of dietary intake of patients. The majority of the evaluated patients presented overweight, before and after the treatment, with no significant difference between the times of the study. It was identified that the AC was significantly reduced in the group (p<0.05) after the intervention. The majority of the patients had intake below the recommendation of calories and fibers and above recommendation of proteins. The mono and polyunsaturated fats were adequate for the majority of the patients, however, the saturated fat and cholesterol were consumed in excess by a great part of the individuals. The intake of zinc was inadequate, being noticed an inadequacy of 100% in the male gender and of 84% in the female. After the treatment with rosuvastatin there was a significant reduction in the total cholesterol (TC) and LDL-c (p<0.01) and no alterations were observed in the HDL-c and triacylglycerols. It was also verified that the reduction of glycemia (p<0.05) and of hsCRP (p<0.01). The analysis did not demonstrate significant differences in the plasmatic and erythrocyte zinc concentration after the treatment. There was, after the treatment, reduction of the MT1F gene (p<0.05) without, however, occurring significant alterations in the MT2A gene. The treatment with rosuvastatin was effective in the reduction of TC and LDL-c, and promoted the reduction of inflammatory marker hsCRP. The zinc in the plasma and erythrocyte was not altered by the use of the medication and there was a reduction in the MT1F gene, possibly due to the reduction of inflammation. The majority of patients presented inadequate intake of zinc and this inadequacy did not have relation with the mineral parameters in plasma and erythrocytes or with the metallothionein gene expression

Avaliação do status antioxidante, expressão gênica e polimorfismos dos genes SOD1, SOD2 e GPx1 em crianças, adolescentes e adultos jovens com diabetes tipo 1

Studies report that the pathophysiological mechanism of diabetes complications is associated with increased production of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS)-induced by hyperglycemia and changes in the capacity the antioxidant defense system. In this sense, the aim of this study was to evaluate changes in the capacity of antioxidant defense system, by evaluating antioxidant status, gene expression and polymorphisms in the genes of GPx1, SOD1 and SOD2 in children, adolescents and young adults with type 1 diabetes. We studied 101 individuals with type 1 diabetes (T1D) and 106 normoglycemic individuals (NG) aged between 6 and 20 years. Individuals with type 1 diabetes were evaluated as a whole group and subdivided according to glycemic control in DM1G good glycemic control and DM1P poor glycemic control. Glycemic and metabolic control was evaluate by serum glucose, glycated hemoglobin, triglycerides, total cholesterol and fractions (HDL and LDL). Renal function was assessed by measurement of serum urea and creatinine and albumin-to-creatinine ratio (ACR) in spot urine. Antioxidant status was evaluate by content of reduced glutathione (GSH) in whole blood and the activity of erythrocyte enzymes glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and superoxide dismutase (SOD). We also analyzed gene expression and gene polymorphisms of GPx1 (rs1050450), SOD1 (rs17881135) and SOD2 (rs4880) by the technique of real-time PCR (Taqman®). Most individuals with DM1 (70.3%) had poor glycemic control (glycated hemoglobin> 8%). Regarding the lipid profile, individuals with type 1 diabetes had significantly elevated total cholesterol (p <0.001) and LDL (p <0.000) compared to NG; for triglycerides only DM1NC group showed significant increase compared to NG. There was an increase in serum urea and RAC of individuals with DM1 compared to NG. Nine individuals with type 1 diabetes showed microalbuminuria (ACR> 30 mg / mg). There was a decrease in GSH content (p = 0.006) and increased erythrocyte GPx activity (p <0.001) and SOD (p <0.001) in DM1 group compared to NG. There was no significant difference in the expression of GPx1 (p = 0.305), SOD1 (.365) and SOD2 (0.385) between NG and DM1. The allele and genotype frequencies of the polymorphisms studied showed no statistically significant difference between the groups DM1 and NG. However, the GPx1 polymorphism showed the influence of erythrocyte enzyme activity. There was a decrease in GPx activity in individuals with type 1 diabetes who had a polymorphic variant T (p = 0.012). DM1 patients with the polymorphic variant G (AG + GG) for polymorphism of SOD2 (rs4880) showed an increase in the RAC (p <0.05). The combined data suggest that glucose control seems to be the predominant factor for the emergence of changes in lipid profile, renal function and antioxidant system, but the presence of the polymorphisms studied may partly contribute to the onset of complications

Respostas morfogênicas e estruturais de gramíneas tropicais em regime de corte no nordeste brasileiro

The production of forage grasses is directly related to the morphogenesis. The knowledge of the morphogenetic and structural variables of forage plants is important for determining appropriate conditions of grazing livestock to ensure efficient and sustainable. Thus the objective of this study was to evaluate morphogenetic and structural responses of three genera of grasses, Brachiaria, Panicum and Cenchrus in a cutting regime. The experimental design was randomized blocks with three replications and six treatments. After each section were evaluated for forage production, appearance and elongation rates of leaves and stem, phyllochron, final leaf length, number of living leaves, leaf lifespan, leaf senescence rate, tiller density and tiller dynamics. On forage yield the highest values were obtained in cultivars Xaraes, Piata and Massai. The tiller density was higher for cv Massai. It is concluded that the cultivars of Panicum and Brachiaria had a higher tillering dynamics in increasing the turnover rate of tissues that are indicators of forage production, assuming that the cultivars of these genera are predisposed to use forage in the Northeast