Falta de habilidades culinárias é obstáculo para adolescentes terem uma alimentação saudável? / Is the lack of culinary skills an obstacle for teenagers to eat healthy?

O desenvolvimento de habilidades culinárias tem sido apontado como importante fator associado à melhor qualidade da alimentação e a diminuição da transmissão dessas habilidades entre gerações tem favorecido o maior consumo de produtos ultraprocessados. No entanto, ainda há escassez de estudos que avaliem as habilidades culinárias da população brasileira, e se ressalta que, até o momento, não foram encontrados estudos no Brasil que tenham avaliado tais habilidades em adolescentes. O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar a associação entre habilidades culinárias autopercebidas e qualidade do consumo alimentar de adolescentes. Trata-se de um estudo transversal com adolescentes da rede pública de ensino de Itaqui/RS. Foram investigadas variáveis demográficas e socioeconômicas, habilidades culinárias autopercebidas e frequência semanal de 22 itens alimentares, a qual deu origem ao índice de qualidade do consumo alimentar. As médias (DP) do índice de qualidade do consumo alimentar, de acordo com as habilidades culinárias autopercebidas, foram calculadas para toda a amostra e estratificadas por sexo, utilizando-se teste ANOVA ou Mann-Whitney. Calcularam-se IC95% e o nível de significância considerado foi de 5%. Observaram-se maiores médias (DP) do índice de qualidade do consumo alimentar entre adolescentes do sexo feminino que relataram saber "escolher os alimentos" [59,99 (9,43)] (p=0,027), "temperar" [60,53 (9,58)] (p=0,0109), e "combinar ingredientes ou preparações" [61,14 (9,64)] (p=0,0051). Já no sexo masculino, maior média (DP) do índice de qualidade do consumo alimentar foi observada entre adolescentes que referiram saber "lavar, descascar, cortar ou medir ingredientes" [(62,16 (10,69)] (p=0,0012). Ainda, observou-se associação positiva do índice de qualidade do consumo alimentar com número de habilidades culinárias autopercebidas no sexo feminino (p de tendência=0,003). Este estudo evidenciou que maior número de habilidades culinárias autopercebidas pode estar associado a melhor qualidade no consumo alimentar de adolescentes.

The development of culinary skills has been identified as an important factor associated with better food quality, and the reduction in the transmission of these skills between generations has favored a greater consumption of ultra-processed products. However, there is still a lack of studies that assess the culinary skills of the Brazilian population, and it is noteworthy that, so far, no studies have been found in Brazil that have evaluated such skills in adolescents. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between self-perceived culinary skills and the quality of food consumption in adolescents. This is a cross-sectional study with adolescents from public schools in Itaqui, RS. Demographic and socioeconomic variables, self-perceived cooking skills, and weekly frequency of 22 food items were investigated, which gave rise to the food consumption quality index. Means (SD) of the food consumption quality index, according to self-perceived cooking skills, were calculated for the entire sample and stratified by sex, using ANOVA or Mann- Whitney test. The 95%CI was calculated, and the significance level considered was 5%. Higher means (SD) of the food consumption quality index were observed among female adolescents who reported knowing how to "choose foods" [59.99 (9.43)] (p=0.027), "seasoning" [60, 53 (9.58)] (p=0.0109), and "combining ingredients or preparations" [61.14 (9.64)] (p=0.0051). Among males, the highest mean (SD) of the food consumption quality index was observed among adolescents who reported knowing how to "wash, peel, cut or measure ingredients" [(62.16 (10.69)] (p=0.0012). Furthermore, there was a positive association between the index of food consumption quality and the number of self-perceived culinary skills in females (p trend =0.003). This study showed that a greater number of self-perceived culiunary skills may be associated with better quality in adolescent food consumption.

The costs of coping: Different strategies to deal with social defeat stress might come with distinct immunologic, neuroplastic, and oxidative stress consequences in male Wistar rats.

The impact of stress on health and well-being is determined by the ability of an individual to cope with challenges imposed by the stressor. Animals exposed to social defeat stress show different patterns of response during confrontations, leading to distinct stress-induced consequences. Using an established resident-intruder paradigm, we explored the outcomes of adopting active or passive coping strategies during a social defeat protocol over peripheral and central nervous system (CNS) levels of inflammatory cytokines, growth factors, glucocorticoid, and oxidative stress markers in male Wistar rats. Animals that presented short latency to assume a defeated posture during confrontation-considered as susceptible to stress-exhibited increased levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in the amygdala (AMY) and in the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST), and decreased lipid peroxidation in the CNS, suggesting changes in antioxidative defenses as well as stress-induced neuroadaptations. On the other hand, animals with longer latencies to assume a submissive posture-considered to be resilient to stress-presented lower levels of CNS BDNF compared to short-latency animals and decreased enzymatic antioxidant defenses in the CNS in comparison to controls, which might indicate an increased risk of central oxidative damage. From the results, behavioral reactivity cannot be considered a predictor of success in responding to stress; however, the findings of this study reinforce the idea that exposure to stress has no predetermined negative effects. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

Aleitamento materno e quimiocinas: diferenças entre esquizofrenia e controles / Breastfeeding and chemokines: differences in schizophrenia and controls

Introdução: Avaliar a associação entre níveis plasmáticos da quimiocina CCL11, coeficiente de inteligência e prática da amamentação em homens com esquizofrenia em condições psiquiátricas estáveis sob acompanhamento ambulatorial em um serviço de saúde pública. Métodos: Foi realizado estudo caso-controle com 60 indivíduos: 30 pacientes com esquizofrenia e 30 controles saudáveis, dos quais 15 de cada grupo foram expostos ao aleitamento materno e 15 não foram. Foi aplicado questionário abordando questões socioeconômicas, história ao nascer, dados clínicos e alimentação ao nascer. Foi dosada a quimiocina CCL11 e aplicados testes psicológicos para avaliar quociente de inteligência, funcionalidade, sintomas psiquiátricos, curso da doença e diagnóstico. Para os controles, foi utilizada uma escala para descartar doença psiquiátrica. Resultados: A quimiocina CCL11 apresentou valores significativamente mais altos (> 0,5) em pacientes com esquizofrenia quando comparados aos controles. No grupo de amamentados, os esquizofrênicos apresentaram valores significativamente mais altos a nível intermediário (entre 0.106 e 0.5). Não houve correlação da CCL11 com o número de hospitalizações, idade, tempo de diagnóstico e escolaridade. Não foi evidenciada correlação entre tempo de aleitamento materno em relação aos fatores do Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale. Houve uma tendência de correlação entre a idade de início da doença e o aleitamento materno. Foi encontrada correlação positiva do CCL11 com o tempo de aleitamento materno. Ao comparar os pacientes esquizofrênicos que foram aleitados com os que não foram, foi encontrada diferença estatisticamente significativa apenas para o quociente de inteligência. Conclusão: O aleitamento materno está associado a níveis mais baixos de CCL11, escores mais altos de quociente de inteligência e a esquizofrenia. A quimiocina CCL11 é mais alta em quem não amamentou, especialmente nos esquizofrênicos. (AU)

Introduction: To evaluate the association between plasma levels of chemokine CCL11, intelligence quotient, and exposure to breastfeeding in men with schizophrenia under stable psychiatric condition and monitored as outpatients in a public health care unit. Methods: A case-control study of 60 individuals, 30 patients with schizophrenia and 30 healthy controls; in each group, 15 were exposed to breastfeeding and 15 were not. A questionnaire addressing socioeconomic issues, history at birth, clinical data, and feeding at birth was administered. Chemokine CCL11 levels were measured, and psychological tests were applied to assess intelligence quotient, functional status, psychiatric symptoms, disease course, and diagnosis. A scale to rule psychiatric illness was used for the controls. Results: Chemokine CCL11 levels were significantly higher (> 0.5) in patients with schizophrenia than in controls. In the breastfed group, patients with schizophrenia also had significantly higher CCL11 levels, but at an intermediate level (between 0.106 and 0.5). There was no correlation between CCL11 and number of hospitalizations, age, time since diagnosis, or level of education, nor between duration of breastfeeding and the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale factors. A trend toward a correlation was observed between age at disease onset and breastfeeding. There was a positive correlation between CCL11 and duration of breastfeeding. The comparison of patients with schizophrenia who were breastfed vs those who were not breastfed showed a statistically significant difference only in intelligence quotient. Conclusion: Breastfeeding is associated with lower CCL11 levels, higher intelligence quotient scores, and schizophrenia. Chemokine CCL11 levels are higher in those not exposed to breastfeeding, especially in patients with schizophrenia. (AU)

Reduction of hippocampal IL-6 levels in LPS-injected rats following acute exendin-4 treatment.

Preclinical evidence on the role of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor (GLP-1r) agonists in the brain led to an increased interest in repurposing these compounds as a therapy for central nervous system (CNS) disorders and associated comorbidities. We aimed to investigate the neuroprotective effects of acute treatment with exendin (EX)-4, a GLP-1r agonist, in an animal model of inflammation. We evaluated the effect of different doses of EX-4 on inflammatory, neurotrophic, and oxidative stress parameters in the hippocampus and serum of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-injected animals. Male Wistar rats were injected with LPS (0.25 mg/kg i.p.) and treated with different doses of EX-4 (0.1, 0.3, or 0.5 µg/kg i.p.). Sickness behavior was assessed by locomotor activity and body weight, and depressive-like behavior was also evaluated using forced swim test (FST). Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), thiobarbituric acid reactive species (TBARS), and interleukin (IL)-6 were quantified in the serum and hippocampus. Glycemia was also analyzed pre- and post-EX-4 treatment. LPS groups exhibited decreased frequency of crossing and reduced body weight (p < 0.001), while alterations on FST were not observed. The higher dose of EX-4 reduced IL-6 in the hippocampus of LPS-injected animals (p = 0.018), and EX-4 per se reduced TBARS serum levels with a modest antioxidant effect in the LPS groups (p ≤ 0.005). BDNF hippocampal levels seemed to be increased in the LPS+EX-4 0.5 group compared with LPS+Saline (p > 0.05). Our study provides evidence on acute anti-inflammatory effects of EX-4 in the hippocampus of rats injected with LPS, contributing to future studies on repurposing compounds with potential neuroprotective properties.

Anhedonic-like behavior correlates with IFNγ serum levels in a two-hit model of depression.

Stress is implicated in the etiology of major depressive disorder (MDD) and leads to the activation of proinflammatory pathways, which are recognized to induce depressive symptoms. For instance, depression is commonly observed in patients with hepatitis C and cancer under IFN therapy, and high levels of inflammatory cytokines are described in the serum of individuals with MDD - which indicate a multi-system aspect of psychiatric disorders. Thus, we evaluated the effects of a two-hit model of depression on peripheral and CNS inflammatory, neurotrophic, and oxidative stress parameters and behavior. Male Wistar rats were submitted to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) injections, followed by a chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) protocol. Rats exposed to CUMS (CUMS + groups) exhibited reduced body weight, sucrose consumption and preference as well as an increased score of coat state and locomotor behavior. Interestingly, higher IFNγ serum levels were observed in the LPS/CUMS + group, which were further correlated with reduced sucrose consumption. Hypertrophy of adrenal gland was also observed in CUMS+, and splenic hypertrophy was exclusive of LPS-injected animals. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels were decreased in the serum of CUMS + animals, while no differences were found in the hippocampus and on lipid peroxidation levels. Besides corroborating the effectiveness of the CUMS model on inducing depressive-like behavior, our findings suggest that the combination of different etiological and pathophysiological components of MDD may provide with a more translational approach. Also, the correlation of increased IFNγ peripheral levels with an anhedonic-like phenotype reinforce the contemporary concept of psychiatric disorders being considered multi-system inflammatory diseases.

Proinflammatory and anti-inflammatory biomarkers in schizophrenia and influence of simvastatin on the interleukin-6.

The present study sought to assess biomarkers of inflammation in stable patients with schizophrenia (SZ) on clozapine therapy. We recruited 60 outpatients with SZ and 60 healthy controls, matched for sex and age. Compared with controls, patients had significantly increased concentrations of interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor-α. Interestingly, patients on simvastatin had lower interleukin-6 levels compared with patients not on simvastatin and controls. This study corroborated previous evidence for increased inflammatory biomarkers in SZ and detected a potential anti-inflammatory action of simvastatin in patients with a clinical diagnosis of SZ on clozapine therapy.

DNA methylation in adolescents with anxiety disorder: a longitudinal study.

Anxiety disorders (AD) typically manifest in children and adolescents and might persist into adulthood. However, there are still few data concerning epigenetic mechanisms associated with onset, persistence or remission of AD over time. We investigated a cohort of adolescents and young adults at baseline (age; 13.19 ± 2.38) and after 5 years and classified them according to the AD diagnosis and their longitudinal trajectories into 4 groups: (1) Typically Developing Comparisons (TDC; control group, n = 14); (2) Incident (AD in the second evaluation only, n = 11); (3) Persistent (AD in both evaluations, n = 14) and (4) Remittent (AD in the first evaluation only, n = 8). DNA methylation was evaluated with the Infinium HumanMethylation450 BeadChip from saliva samples collected at both evaluations. Gene set enrichment analysis was applied to consider biological pathways. We found decreased DNA methylation in TDC group while the chronic cases of AD presented hypermethylation in central nervous system development pathways. Moreover, we showed that this persistent group also presented hypermethylation while the other three groups were associated with hypomethylation in nervous system development pathway. Incidence and remission groups were associated with increased and decreased methylation in neuron development pathways, respectively. Larger studies are likely to detect specific genes relevant to AD.

Oxidative stress markers imbalance in late-life depression.

BACKGROUND: Oxidative stress has been implicated in the pathophysiology of mood disorders in young adults. However, there is few data to support its role in the elderly. The primary aim of this study was to evaluate whether subjects with late-life depression (LLD) presented with changes in oxidative stress response in comparison with the non-depressed control group. We then explored how oxidative stress markers associated with specific features of LLD, in particular cognitive performance and age of onset of major depressive disorder in these individuals. METHODS: We included a convenience sample of 124 individuals, 77 with LLD and 47 non-depressed subjects (Controls). We measure the plasma levels of 6 oxidative stress markers: thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), protein carbonil content (PCC), free 8-isoprostane, glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activity, glutathione reductase (GR) activity, and glutathione S-transferase (GST) activity. RESULTS: We found that participants with LLD had significantly higher free 8-isoprostane levels (p = 0.003) and lower glutathione peroxidase activity (p = 0.006) compared to controls. Free 8-isoprostane levels were also significantly correlated with worse scores in the initiation/perseverance (r = -0.24, p = 0.01), conceptualization (r = -0.22, p = 0.02) sub-scores, and the total scores (r = -0.21, p = 0.04) on the DRS. CONCLUSIONS: Our study provides robust evidence of the imbalance between oxidative stress damage, in particular lipid peroxidation, and anti-oxidative defenses as a mechanism related to LLD, and cognitive impairment in this population. Interventions aiming to reduce oxidative stress damage can have a potential neuroprotective effect for LLD subjects.

Juventude feminina do meio rural: sentidos sobre educação e perspectivas sobre futuro / Women youth from countryside areas: directions on education and perspectives on the future / Juventud femenina del medio rural: sentidos sobre educación y perspectivas sobre futuro

Este artigo tem como objetivo promover reflexões a respeito da educação e das perspectivas de futuro de jovens mulheres do meio rural residentes em diferentes municípios do interior do Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil. Foram realizadas entrevistas e composições fotográficas, ambas entendidas como produções narrativas, com quarenta e oito jovens. Seguindo um processo analítico embasado nos pressupostos da Teoria Fundamentada, sete entrevistas foram selecionadas e estudadas em profundidade, tendo em vista dois aspectos: serem representativas das mesoregiões do estado e indicarem conteúdos transversais: trajetória educacional, projetos de vida, profissão e futuro. Este estudo aponta que a escola desempenha uma função para além da aprendizagem formal, consistindo em um espaço de lazer e convivência, de construção de identificações e também de projeção para o futuro para além do campo profissional, entretanto, também evidencia a falta de um trabalho de orientação particularizado a essas juventudes.

This article aims to promote reflections about the education and future perspectives of young rural women living in different cities in the countryside of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Interviews and photographic compositions were carried out, both understood as narrative productions, with forty - eight young people. Following an analytical process based on the assumptions of Grounded Theory, seven interviews were selected and studied in depth, considering two aspects: to be representative of the state mesoregions and to indicate transversal contents: educational trajectory, life projects, profession and future. This study points out that the school has a function beyond formal learning, consisting of a space of leisure and coexistence, of construction of identifications and also of projection for the future beyond the professional field, however, also evidences the lack of a work of particularized orientation to those youths.

Este artículo tiene como objetivo promover reflexiones a respecto de la educación y de las perspectivas de futuro de jóvenes mujeres del medio rural residentes en distintos municipios del interior de Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil. Se realizaron entrevistas y composiciones fotográficas, ambas entendidas como producciones narrativas, con cuarenta y ocho jóvenes. Siguiendo un proceso analítico basado en los presupuestos de la Teoría Fundamentada, siete entrevistas fueron seleccionadas y estudiadas en profundidad, teniendo en vista dos aspectos: ser representativas de las mesorregiones del estado e indicar contenidos transversales: trayectoria educacional, proyectos de vida, profesión y futuro. Este estudio apunta que la escuela desempeña una función para más allá del aprendizaje formal, consistiendo en un espacio de ocio y de convivencia, de construcción de identificaciones y también de proyección para el futuro para más allá del campo profesional, sin embargo, también evidencia la falta de un trabajo de orientación particularizado a esas juventudes.

Reduced serum concentrations of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in transsexual Brazilian men.

Serum BDNF levels are significantly decreased in transsexual Brazilian women when compared to cis-sexual men. Since transsexual men are also exposed to chronic social stress and have a high prevalence of associated psychopathologies, it is plausible to inquire if BDNF serum levels are altered in transsexual men as well. Therefore, our objective was to evaluate differences in BDNF serum level of transsexual men when compared to cis-sexual men and women. Our sample comprises 27 transsexual men, 31 cis-sexual women and 30 cis-sexual men recruited between 2011 and 2015. We observed that BDNF serum concentration is decreased in transsexual men comparing to cis-sexual men and women. Cross-sex hormone treatment, chronic social stress or long-term gender dysphoria (GD) could explain the variation found in BDNF serum levels.

Telomere length in subjects with schizophrenia, their unaffected siblings and healthy controls: Evidence of accelerated aging.

Schizophrenia (SZ) is associated with broad burden. The clinical manifestations of SZ are related to pathophysiological alterations similar to what is seen in normal aging. Our aim was to evaluate the differences in telomere length (TL), a biomarker of cellular aging, in subjects with SZ (n=36), unaffected siblings (SB, n=36) and healthy controls (HC, n=47). SZ had shorter TL compared to HC, but no difference was found in SB comparing to SZ. These findings indicate that a pathological accelerated aging profile could be present in the course of SZ and further studies are needed to confirm TL as potential endophenotype, especially in at risk populations.

Could BDNF be involved in compensatory mechanisms to maintain cognitive performance despite acute sleep deprivation? An exploratory study.

BACKGROUND: Neuroimaging studies suggest that acute sleep deprivation can lead to adaptations, such as compensatory recruitment of cerebral structures, to maintain cognitive performance despite sleep loss. However, the understanding of the neurochemical alterations related to these adaptations remains incomplete. OBJECTIVE: Investigate BDNF levels, cognitive performance and their relations in healthy subjects after acute sleep deprivation. METHODS: Nineteen sleep deprived (22.11±3.21years) and twenty control (25.10±4.42years) subjects completed depression, anxiety and sleep quality questionnaires. Sleep deprived group spent a full night awake performing different playful activities to keep themselves from sleeping. Attention, response inhibition capacity and working memory (prefrontal cortex-dependent) were assessed with Stroop and Digit Span tests. Declarative memory (hippocampus-dependent) was assessed with Logical Memory test. Serum BDNF was measured by sandwich ELISA. Data were analyzed with independent samples T-test, ANOVA, ANCOVA and curve estimation regressions. p<0.05 was deemed statistically significant. RESULTS: The sleep deprived group showed higher BDNF levels and normal performance on attention, response inhibition capacity and working memory. However, declarative memory was impaired. A sigmoidal relation between BDNF and Stroop Test scores was found. CONCLUSIONS: Increased BDNF could be related, at least in part, to the maintenance of normal prefrontal cognitive functions after sleep deprivation. This potential relation should be further investigated.

What can HPA axis-linked genes tell us about anxiety disorders in adolescents?

INTRODUCTION: Anxiety disorders (AD) share features of both anxiety and fear linked to stress response. The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis is considered the core biological pathway of the stress system and it is known that an inappropriate response to environmental stimuli may be related to individual genetic vulnerability in HPA-linked genes. Despite the biological plausibility of a relationship between the HPA axis and AD, few studies have investigated associations between genetic polymorphisms linked to the HPA axis and this complex disorder. OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether AD are associated with genetic polymorphisms in HPA-linked genes in adolescents. METHODS: Our study consisted of a cross-sectional evaluation of a community sample comprising a total of 228 adolescents (131 cases of AD). We extracted DNA from saliva and genotyped polymorphisms in HPA-linked genes (FKBP5: rs3800373, rs9296158, rs1360780, rs9470080 and rs4713916; NR3C1: rs6198; CRHR1: rs878886; and SERPINA6: rs746530) with real time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The instruments used to diagnose and assess the severity of AD were the Schedule for Affective Disorder and Schizophrenia for School-Age Children - Present and Lifetime (K-SADS-PL) and the Screen for Child and Anxiety related Emotional Disorders (SCARED). RESULTS: We failed to detect any associations between AD and genetic polymorphisms in HPA-linked genes (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: To our knowledge, this is the first study evaluating these specific polymorphisms in relation to AD in adolescents, which encourages us to design further research on the subject.

Right hippocampus size is negatively correlated with leptin serum levels in bipolar disorder.

Obesity is more frequent in bipolar disorder. Adipokines are associated with depression and obesity via the inflammatory process. Twenty-six DSM-IV patients with BD and 39 controls were enrolled to assess the relationship between serum leptin and adiponectin with hippocampal volumes. Among patients, there was a significant negative correlation between right hippocampal volume and serum leptin levels. This result sum for the hypothesis of a pro-inflammatory state associated with BD and the prevalent co-morbid obesity.

Mineralocorticoid receptor genotype moderates the association between physical neglect and serum BDNF.

The objective of this study is to investigate if a polymorphism in the NR3C2 gene moderates the association between childhood trauma on serum levels of brain derived neurothrophic factor (sBDNF). sBDNF was used here as a general marker of alteration in brain function. This is a community cross sectional study comprising 90 adolescents (54 with anxiety disorders). DNA was extracted from saliva in order to genotype the MR-2G/C (rs2070951) polymorphism using real time PCR. Blood was collected for sBDNF Elisa immunoassay. The Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ) was used to evaluate childhood abuse and neglect. Main effects and gene environment interactions were tested using linear regression models. Anxiety disorders were not associated with the MR-2G/C polymorphism or with sBDNF levels, but the number of C alleles of the MR-2G/C polymorphism was significantly associated with higher sBDNF levels (b = 8.008; p-value = 0.001). Subjects with intermediate and high exposure to physical neglect showed higher sBDNF levels if compared to subjects non-exposed (b = 11.955; p = 0.004 and b = 16.186; p = 0.009, respectively). In addition, we detected a significant physical neglect by MR-2G/C C allele interaction on sBDNF levels (p = 0.005), meaning that intermediate and high exposure to childhood neglect were only associated with increased sBDNF levels in subjects with the CC genotype, but not in subjects with other genotypes. Our findings suggest that genetic variants in NR3C2 gene may partially explain plastic brain vulnerability to traumatic events. Further studies are needed to investigate the moderating effects of NR3C2 gene in more specific markers of alteration in brain function.

Towards an efficient prodrug of the alkylating metabolite monomethyltriazene: synthesis and stability of N-acylamino acid derivatives of triazenes.

A series of 3-[alpha-(acylamino)acyl]-1-aryl-3-methyltriazenes 6a-l, potential cytotoxic triazene prodrugs, were synthesised by coupling 1-aryl-3-methyltriazenes to N-acylamino acids. Their hydrolysis was studied in isotonic pH 7.4 phosphate buffer and in human plasma, while hydrolysis of the derivative 6a was studied in more depth across a range of pH values. Prodrugs 6a-l hydrolyse by cleavage of the triazene acyl group to afford the corresponding monomethyltriazenes. Studies in human plasma demonstrate that acylation of the alpha-amino group of the amino acid carrier is an effective means of reducing the chemical reactivity of the alpha-aminoacyl derivatives while retaining a rapid rate of enzymatic hydrolysis. These derivatives displayed logP values that suggest they should be well absorbed through biological membranes.