Toxicokinetics and toxicological effects of single oral dose of fumonisin B1 containing Fusarium verticillioides culture material in weaned piglets

Toxicokinetics and the toxicological effects of culture material containing fumonisin B(1) (FB(1)) were studied in male weaned piglets by clinical, pathological, biochemical and sphingolipid analyses. The animals received a single oral dose of 5 mg FB(1)/kg of body weight. obtained from Fusarium verticillioides culture material. FB(1) was detected by H PLC in plasma collected at 1-h intervals up to 6 h and at 12-h intervals up to 96 h. FB(1) eliminated in feces and urine was quantified over a 96-h period and in liver samples collected 96 h post-intoxication. Blood samples were obtained at the beginning and end of the experiment to determine serum enzyme activity, total bilirubin, cholesterol, sphinganine (Sa), sphingosine (So) and the Sa/So ratio. FB(1) was detected in plasma between 30 min and 36 h after administration. The highest concentration of FB(1) was observed after 2 h, with a mean concentration of 282 mu g/ml. Only 0.93% of the total FB(1) was detected in urine between 75 min and 41 h after administration, the highest mean concentration (561 mu g/ml) was observed during the interval after 8 at 24 h. Approximately 76.5% of FB(1) was detected in feces eliminated between 8 and 84 h after administration, with the highest levels observed between 8 and 24 h. Considering the biochemical parameters, a significant increase only occurred in cholesterol, alkaline phosphatase and aspartate aminotransferase activities. In plasma and urine, the highest Sa and Sa/So ratios were obtained at 12 and 48 h, respectively. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Does the neuromotor abnormality type affect the salivary parameters in individuals with cerebral palsy?

Background: Previous studies reported alterations in salivary flow rate and biochemical parameters of saliva in cerebral palsy (CP) individuals; however, none of these considered the type of neuromotor abnormality among CP individuals, thus it remains unclear whether the different anatomical and extended regions of the brain lesions responsible for the neurological damage in CP might include disruption of the regulatory mechanism of saliva secretion as part of the encephalopathy. The aim of this study was to evaluate salivary flow rate, pH and buffer capacity in saliva of individuals with CP, aged 3-16 years, with spastic neuromotor abnormality type and clinical patterns of involvement. Methods: Sixty-seven individuals with CP spasticity movement disorder, were divided in two groups according to age (3-8- and 9-16-years-old) and compared with 35 sibling volunteers with no neurological damage, divided in two groups according to age (3-8- and 9-16-years-old). Whole saliva was collected under slight suction and pH and buffer capacity were determined using a digital pHmeter. Buffer capacity was measured by titration using 0.01N HCL, and flow rate was calculated in ml/min. Results: In both age groups studied, whole saliva flow rate, pH and buffer capacity were significantly lower in the spastic CP group (P < 0.05). The clinical patterns of involvement did not influence the studied parameters. Conclusion: These findings show that individuals with spastic cerebral palsy present lower salivary flow rate, pH and buffer capacity that can increase the risk of oral disease in this population.

Biochemical responses of earthworm Eisenia fetida exposed to cadmium-contaminated soil with long duration

The biochemical responses of the earthworms, Eisenia fetida, exposed to a series of Cd concentrations (0.00, 1.25, 2.50, 5.00 and 10.00 mg Cd2+ kg−1 soil) for up to 8 weeks were investigated, aiming to evaluate the sublethal effects of Cd with long exposure and to explore the potential for applying these responses as biomarkers to indicate the Cd-contaminated soil. The following biochemical parameters were determined: cytochrome P450 (CYP) contents and activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione-s-transferase (GST). Cadmium concentrations in all earthworms were apparently accumulated in 4 weeks, and showed minor changes in weeks 6–8 compared to the first 4 weeks. CYP presented a significant elevation in 2–4 weeks and a decline in 6–8 weeks in each treated group. The activities of SOD and CAT showed an obvious increase with exposure of 6–8 weeks while their levels were not affected in 4 weeks in each treated group. GST activity revealed significant activation starting from week 4. This study confirmed the significance of applying a suite of biomarkers rather than a selective choice to assess the impact of pollutants on organisms. It also indicated that the observed effects were more dependent upon exposure duration than dose.

Efeito sacietogênico de um novo inibidor de tripsina da paçoca do amendoim com aumento plasmático de colecistocinina (cck)

Obesity is increasing, reaching epidemic levels in many regions of the world. Studies have shown that consumption of peanuts influences on weight control and this influence may be due to the action of trypsin inhibitors sacietogênica that condition increased plasma colescistocinina (CCK). Moreover, the peanut has other health benefits, and these assignments are guaranteed to increase their production and consumption of several of its products, including the paçoca peanut. The aim of this study was to identify the presence of a trypsin inhibitor in paçoca peanut and evaluate its effect on food intake, weight gain and histomorphological changes in swiss mice (n = 8) and Wistar rats (n = 6). Experimental diets were prepared based on the AIN-93G and supplemented with tack or peanut trypsin inhibitor partially purified paçoca peanut (AHTI). After each treatment, the animals were anesthetized and euthanized, their bloods were collected by cardiac puncture for the determination of CCK and other biochemical parameters (glucose, triglycerides, total cholesterol, high density lipoprotein, low density lipoprotein, glutamic-pyruvic transaminase, glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase and albumin) and their pancreas removed for histologic and morphometric analysis. The supplementation with paçoca peanut and the AHTI showed a decrease of body weight gain and food intake in both mice and rats, due to the satiety, since the animals showed no evidence of impairment of nutritional status conditioned by consumption the AHTI. There were also observed biochemical or morphological important when compared with controls. However, AHTI led to increased secretion of CCK, a peptide sacietogênico. Thus, these results indicate that AHTI present in paçoca peanut, is able to enhance the secretion of plasma CCK and thereby reduce the weight gain associated with lower food intake of experimenta animals

Ação Sacietogênica de um inibidor de tripsina da semente de tamarindo (Tamarindus indica L.)

The seeds are excellent sources of proteinase inhibitors and have been highlighted owing to various applications. Among these applications are those in effect on food intake and weight gain that stand out because of the increasing number of obese individuals. This study evaluated the effects of trypsin inhibitor present in the seed of tamarind (Tamarindus indica L.) reduction in weight gain, biochemical and morphological alterations in Wistar rats. For this, we partially purified a trypsin inhibitor tamarind seed. This inhibitor, ITT2 at a concentration of 25 mg / kg body weight, over a period of 14 days was able to reduce food intake in rats (n = 6) by approximately 47%, causing a reduction in weight gain approximately 70% when compared with the control group. With the evaluation of the in vivo digestibility was demonstrated that the animals lost weight due to satiety, presented by the reduction of food intake, since there were significant differences between true digestibility for the control group (90.7%) and the group treated with inhibitor (89.88%). Additionally, we checked the deeds of ITT2 on biochemical parameters (glucose, triglycerides, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein, low-density lipoprotein, glutamic-pyruvic transaminase, glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase, gamma glutamyl transferase albumin, globulin, total protein and C-reactive protein) and these, when assessed in the study groups showed no statistically significant variations. We also evaluate the histology of some organs, liver, stomach, intestine, and pancreas, and showed no changes. And to evaluate the effect of trypsin inhibitor on food intake due to the satiety is regulated by cholecystokinin (CCK) were measured plasma levels, and it was observed that the levels of CCK in animals receiving ITT2 were significantly higher ( 20 + 1.22) than in animals receiving only solution with casein (10.14 + 2.9) or water (5.92 + 1.15). Thus, the results indicate that the effect caused ITT2 satiety, reducing food intake, which in turn caused a reduction in weight gain in animals without causing morphological and biochemical changes, this effect caused by the elevation of plasma levels CCK

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

Pharmacokinetic and safety evaluation of the use of ciprofloxacin on an isoniazid-rifampicin regimen in rabbits

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Influence of rutin treatment on biochemical alterations in experimental diabetes

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

EFFECTS OF CYCLOSPORINE-A IMMUNOSUPPRESSION ON PANCREATICODUODENAL TRANSPLANTATION IN ALLOXAN-DIABETIC RATS

1. Forty-five outbred Wistar rats were randomly assigned to three experimental groups: GI, 10 non-diabetic control rats; GII, 10 alloxan-diabetic control rats; GIII, 25 alloxan-diabetic tats which received pancreaticoduodenal transplantation (PDT) from normal Wistar donor rats and were immunosuppressed with cyclosporin A (Cy-A), 10 mg kg body weight-1 day-1, administered intraperitoneally for 30 days.2. In parallel, 15 alloxan-diabetic inbred Wistar rats received isogeneic PDT from normal Wistar donor rats.3. Cy-A prevented graft rejection in the 15 surviving animals in group III. These observations were confirmed by clinical and biochemical parameters (body weight, urine output, water and food intake, blood and urinary glucose and plasma insulin) and by histology and immunohistochemistry of the pancreas.4. However, Cy-A was associated with 60% of the infectious complications in transplanted rats leading to 40% mortality. Pulmonary infections were the main cause of death. There were no side effects of immunosuppression on the pancreas. Infections were not significant in inbred rats submitted to PDT.

CLINICAL BIOCHEMICAL DETERMINATIONS IN THE MANGALARGA-PAULISTA HORSE - REFERENCE VALUES

Biochemical values are widely related with environmental agents, sex and age, and are used in disease diagnosis. Numerous reports have been published on the biochemical parameters of different breeds of horses. However, there is a paucity of information concerning Cu-Zn superoxide dismutase (SOD), ceruloplasmin, copper and zinc determinations in the serum. Blood samples from a total of 60 horses of the Mangalarga-Paulista breed, representing three age groups (0 to 4 months old, 6 to 18 months old and adult) were examined. Male horses have a higher mean value of SOD, ceruloplasmin and copper than do females. No significant sex-related difference was observed in serum zinc content of weaned and adult horses. SOD activity was significantly higher in adult animals. Since SOD has a protective effect against superoxide free radical toxicity and possesses anti-inflammatory activity, it is reasonable to assume that the increased activity of this enzyme may be due to an adaptation mechanism which protects the adult animal against oxygen toxicity.

Effects of antithyroid drug on the rectal temperature and metabolic parameters of ducks (Cairina moschata).

The effect of propylthiouracil oral treatment (400 mg/day per bird for 20 days) on body and thyroid weight, rectal temperature and plasma metabolic parameters of ducks (Cairina moschata) was determined. Propylthiouracil treatment produced a reduction (P less than .01) in body weight and an increase (P less than .01) in thyroid weight. The antithyroid drug also produced a decrease in rectal temperature starting from the 15th day of treatment, but did not significantly change blood glucose. Plasma free fatty acids and cholesterol concentrations progressively increased from the 5th and 10th day, respectively, in treated animals.

Haematological and biochemical alterations in leprosy patients already treated with dapsone and MDT

Dapsone (DDS) is useful in the treatment of a number of inflammatory conditions which are characterized by neutrophil infiltration. It is the drug of choice for the treatment of leprosy and prophylaxis of malaria. Haematological side effects of methaemoglobinaemia and haemolysis have been long recognized. However, the frequency and severity of these side effects in patients already treated with DDS as a single drug or as part of a multidrug therapy (MDT) have not been well documented. We report herein an investigation of the effect of dapsone long-term treatment on the haematological and biochemical alterations in leprosy patients undergoing dapsone as a single drug (DDS group) or as part of a multidrug therapy in combination with rifampin and clofazimine (MDT group). Methaemoglobinaemia and haemolytic anaemia were the principal side effects observed. Reticulocytes were found to be elevated (> 1.5%) in 90% of the patients. Heinz bodies were also detected (6.6% of the patients). The osmotic fragility test showed a reduction in cell resistance and in the evaluation of white cells a severe eosinophilia was found. Hepatic, pancreatic and renal evaluation by the determination of biochemical parameters showed rare and occasional changes of no apparent clinical significance. We conclude that haematological side effects of dapsone are significant even at doses currently used to treat leprosy (100 mg/day) and that rifampin and clofazimine do not increase the incidence of these effects during long-term treatment.

Influence of protein intake on weight loss in obese cats

The effects of two hypocaloric diets were evaluated, one with 29% and the other with 42% crude protein, on the body composition, nitrogen balance (NB), and some biochemical parameters of obese cats. A total of 16 castrated adult cats were used and divided into two groups of eight animals each. Body composition, determined by dual-energy x-ray absortiometry scanning, and biochemical examinations, were performed at the onset of the experiment (M0), at 10% of weight loss (M10), and at 20% of weight loss (M20) for each cat. The weekly weight loss (0.98 ± 0.37% for group 1; 0.94 ± 0.31% for group 2) and the ingestion of metabolizable energy (33.7 ±3.3 kcal/kg/day for group 1; 35.1 ±3.20 kcal/kg/day for group 2) did not differ between the groups. The NB was different at M0 (-70 ±110 mg/kg/day for group 1 ; 340 ±110 mg/kg/day for group 2) but roughly similar at M20 (140 ±170 mg/kg/day for group 1; 330 ± 410 mg/kg/day for group 2). The lean body mass (LM) loss was significant for group 1 (P < .05) in that it decreased from 2.789 ±198 g at M0 to 2.563 ±188 g at M20; for group 2, the changes in LM were not significant (P > .05). Reduction in body fat was significant between M0 and M20 for both diets (P < .05), without differences between treatments. The ingestion of digestible protein was greater (P < .05) for group 2 (3.20 ±0.29 g/kg/day) than for group 1 (2.21 ± 0.22 g/kg/day). There was a significant correlation between NB and ingestion of digestible protein at M0 (P < .05; r = 0.65), but this correlation was not observed at M20 (P > .05; r = 0.31). A significant reduction in plasma urea was observed for group 1 and in high-density lipoprotein cholesterol for group 2, but the other biochemical parameters did not change. The diet with higher protein content prevented LM loss. However, the lower-protein diet seems to maintain animal health and improve the cats' NB after weight loss.

The effect of age on hematological and serum biochemical values on juvenile ring-necked pheasants (Phasianus colchicus)

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Influence of treatment with quercetin on lipid parameters and oxidative stress of pregnant diabetic rats

Among the numerous coadjuvant therapies that could influence the incidence and progression of diabetic complications, antioxidants and flavonoids are currently being tested in clinical trials. We investigated the effect of quercetin on biochemical parameters in streptozotocin-induced (60 mg/kg body mass, by intraperitoneal injection) diabetic rats. A total of 32 female Wistar rats were distributed among 4 groups as follows: control (G1); control treated with quercetin (G2); diabetic (G3); and diabetic treated with quercetin (G4). Quercetin administered to pregnant diabetic rats controlled dyslipidemia and improved lipid profiles in diabetes mellitus, regulated oxidative stress by reducing the generation of lipid hydroperoxides, and increased the activity of the antioxidant enzyme glutathione peroxidase.