A Compound Isolated from Phyllanthus tenellus Demonstrates Metabolic and Vascular Effects In Vitro.

Common chronic conditions such as metabolic syndrome and diabetes are increasingly associated to metabolic and cardiovascular complications. Although Phyllanthus tenellus leaves have been used in decoctions as a popular remedy to control blood glucose levels and hypertension, its use needs a scientific basis. This study was therefore undertaken to report a phytochemical analysis of P. tenellus leaves and to test if the main active compound has potential to simultaneously tackle several pathophysiological features of metabolic syndrome and diabetes-related metabolic and vascular disorders such as hyperglycaemia, increased platelet activation, and endothelial dysfunction. We performed a partition of the methanolic extract of P. tenellus leaves among different organic solvents followed by chromatographic separation guided by the rat liver microsomal glucose-6-phosphatase assay. Two known tannins were identified by spectroscopic methods as pinocembrin-7-O-[3″-O-galloyl-4″,6″-(S)-hexahydroxydiphenoyl]-α-D-glucose, named P7OG by us, and gemin D. The structural determination of the isolated compounds was based on spectral data. The ability of the main active component, P7OG, to inhibit human platelet aggregation and to modify vascular reactivity of rat aortic rings incubated with high glucose (D-glucose 55 mM) was then evaluated. P7OG was further able to inhibit platelet aggregation induced by adenosine 5'-diphosphate and collagen, showed vasorelaxant effects in arteries precontracted with phenylephrine, and reverted the endothelium-dependent impairment effect of high glucose in rat aortic rings. In conclusion, one tannin isolated from P. tenellus showed promising metabolic, antiaggregant, and vascular effects, which suggests the potential beneficial use of P. tenellus to tackle complex cardiometabolic diseases.

Composición nutricional de pan con salchicha disponible en el campus central de la USAC / Nutritional composition of bread sausage available in the central campus of the USAC

Se estudiaron doce panes con salchicha obtenidos en el campus central de la Universidad de San Carlos de Guatemala, se registró su peso y se determinó su contenido de macronutrientes y minerales. También se registró la información de la etiqueta nutricional de las bebidas con que se consume el pan con salchicha.

Antidiabetic and antiradical activities of plants from Venezuelan Amazon / Atividades antidiabética e anti-radicalar de plantas da Amazônia venezuelana

Os extratos aquoso e etanólico derivados de doze espécies coletadas na Amazônia venezuelana foram testados quanto à atividade antioxidante utilizando um radical DPPH e o efeito inibitório sobre a hidrólise de glicose-6-fosfato nos microssomas intactos e perturbados. Sem exceção, todos os extratos inibiram, em maior ou menor grau, a atividade enzimática microssomal de G-6-Pase, resultando em maior inibição nos microssomas intactos do que nos perturbados. Efeitos marcantes foram observados para os extratos aquoso e etanólico de: Tontelea ovalifolia, Gustavia pulchra, Phthirusa verruculosa, Phthirusa castillana, Psittacanthus acimarius, Tetrapterys styloptyera e Vismia japurensis. Os extratos etanólicos foram seqüestradores do radical DPPH mais eficazes do que os correspondentes extratos aquosos em todos os casos. O extrato etanólico de Endlicheria anomala e o extrato aquoso de Phthirusa verruculosa exibiram as melhores CI50 com 100 e 250.0 ppm, respectivamente. Os valores de Kobs calculados para os extratos alcoólicos foram mais baixos do que os dos extratos aquosos das mesmas espécies, exceto Psittacanthus acimarius. Estes resultados poderiam estar relacionados a diferentes concentrações, ou mais provavelmente a diferentes composições de princípios ativos em ambos extratos.

The aqueous and ethanol extracts derived from twelve plant species collected in the Venezuelan Amazon have been tested for antioxidant activity using a DPPH radical and inhibitory effect on the hydrolysis of glucose-6-phosphate in intact and disrupted microsomes. Without exception, all the extracts inhibited, to a greater or lesser degree, microsomal G-6-Pase enzymatic activity, resulting in greater inhibition on intact microsomes than on disrupted ones. Marked effects were observed for aqueous and ethanol extracts of: Tontelea ovalifolia, Gustavia pulchra, Phthirusa verruculosa, Phthirusa castillana, Psittacanthus acimarius, Tetrapterys styloptyera and Vismia japurensis. Ethanol extracts were more effective DPPH radical scavengers than the corresponding aqueous extracts in all the cases. The ethanol extract of Endlicheria anomala and the aqueous extract of Phthirusa verruculosa, showed the best IC50 with 100 and 250.0 ppm, respectively. The Kobs calculated for the alcoholic extracts were lower than those of the aqueous extracts for the same species, except Psittacanthus acimarius. These results could be related to different concentrations, or more likely different compositions of active principles in both extracts.