In Vivo Antidepressant-Like Effect Assessment of Two Aloysia Species in Mice and LCMS Chemical Characterization of Ethanol Extract.

Medicinal plants belonging to the Verbenaceae family demonstrated antidepressant effects in preclinical studies. Depression is one of the largest contributors to the global health burden of all countries. Plants from the Aloysia genus are traditionally used for affective disorders, and some of them have proven anxiolytic and antidepressant activity. The aim of this work was to evaluate the antidepressant effect of the ethanolic extract of Aloysia gratissima var. gratissima (Agg) and Aloysia virgata var. platyphylla (Avp) in mice. A tail suspension test (TST) and forced swimming test (FST) were conducted after three doses in a period of 24 h and after 7 days of treatment. Imipramine was used as an antidepressant drug. The main results demonstrated that Agg extract reduced the immobility time in mice treated orally for 7 consecutive days when compared to the control group (reduced by about 77%, imipramine 70%). Animals treated with three doses of Avp in a 24-h period had reduced immobility time in the FST (60%), and after 7 days of treatment the reduction was greater (Avp 50, 100, and 200 about 85%; Avp 400, 96.5%; p < 0.0001, imipramine, 77%). LCMS analysis showed the presence of verbascoside, hoffmaniaketone, and hoffmaniaketone acetate in both, A. virgata var. platyphylla and A. gratissima var gratissima. The flavonoids nepetin and 6-hydroxyluteolin were also found in Agg. Both tested extracts demonstrated promising antidepressant-like activity in mice.

Effect of Prosopis ruscifolia on incretin and insulin secretion in alloxan-induced hyperglycemic rats / Efecto de Prosopis ruscifolia sobre la secreción de incretina e insulina de ratas hiperglicémicas por aloxano

Background: Diabetes mellitus treatment is based on oral hypoglycemic agents or insulin. Medicinal plants constitute an option, and the leaves of Prosopis ruscifolia (Pr) were shown to be effective in reducing glycemia in hyperglycemic animals. Objective: In this paper, we report the effect of P. rusciofolia (Pr) on insulin and incretin secretion in alloxan-induced hyperglycemic rats. Methodology: The effective dose was selected, and four groups (n=10) of Wistar rats were used. Two groups with normal glycemia received water or Pr (75 mg/Kg, per os, p.o.), and two groups with hyperglycemia induced by alloxan (intraperitoneal, ip), received water or Pr (75 mg/Kg, p.o.) for 2 weeks. Oral glucose tolerance test, and incretin and insulin levels were measured at the end of the experimental period. Results: The results showed that extract promotes better tolerance to oral glucose overload, in addition to a statistically significant (p<0.001) increase in blood levels of incretin and insulin, compared to the hyperglycemic rats. Conclusion: It is concluded that the ethanolic extract of P. ruscifolialeaves has a hypoglycemic effect in hyperglycemic animals by a mechanism that involves the incretin-insulin system

Antecedentes: la diabetes mellitus es una enfermedad metabólica cuyo tratamiento se basa en el uso de agentes hipoglicemiantes orales o insulina. Una opción al tratamiento son las plantas medicinales y en ese sentido, estudios previos en animales con hojas de Prosopis ruscifolia (Pr) han demostrado efecto hipoglicemiante. Objetivo: en este trabajo se reporta el efecto de P. rusciofolia (Pr) en la secreción de insulina e incretina, en ratas hiperglicémicas por aloxano. Metodología: se emplearon cuatro grupos de ratas Wistar (n=10). Dos grupos con glicemia normal que fueron tratadas con agua Pr (75 mg/Kg, per os, p.o.) y dos grupos con hiperglicemia inducida por la inyección intraperitoneal de aloxano recibieron agua Pr (75 mg/Kg, per os, p.o.) durante dos semanas. Se midieron la tolerancia oral a la glucosa, y los niveles de incretina e insulina al final del periodo de experimentación. Resultados: se encontró que el extracto promueve una mayor tolerancia a la sobrecarga de glucosa, y además un incremento significativo (p<0.001) de los niveles de incretina e insulina en sangre, comparados al grupo de ratas hiperglicémicas. Conclusión: se concluye que e l estracto etanólico de las hojas de P. ruscifolia tienen efecto hipoglicemiante en animales hiperglicémicos por un mecanismo que incluye al sistema incretina-insulina

Anxiolytic-like activity of Aloysia virgatavar. platyphylla leaves extract in mice / Actividad ansiolítica del extracto de hojas de Aloysia virgatavar. platyphylla en ratones

Background: Medicinal plants are part of traditional medicine and should be considered a therapeutic alternative for mental diseases. Several plants belonging to the Verbenaceae family have proved useful in treating general anxiety disorders, the most prevalent psychiatric disorders. Objective: This research aimed to verify the extract's safety, the effect on general behavior, and the effect on sleeping time, as well as to evaluate the anxiolytic-like effect of the methanol extract of Aloysia virgata var. platyphylla (Avp), in mice. Methodology: The toxicity test was done according to the OECD guide (mice groups n=5), and general behavior was observed during the assay. Sleeping time was assessed using the pentobarbital-induced hypnosis method (n=8). Male Swiss albino mice (n=6) were treated with 50 to 400 mg/kg of Avp extract and diazepam as a control. The anxiolytic-like effect was tested through the hole board and elevated plus-maze test. Results: The Avp extract has no side effects in tested doses, and no central nervous system depressant activity was noted. A. virgatavar. platyphyllaincreased exploration (number and time) in the hole board. In the elevated plus-maze, increased number and time into open arms were evidenced compared to the control group. Conclusion: With all these results, we concluded that the Avp extract is safe and has a potential anxiolytic-like activity in the animal model used

Antecedentes: Las plantas medicinales forman parte de la medicina tradicional y deben ser consideradas una alternativa terapéutica para las enfermedades mentales. Varias plantas pertenecientes a la familia Verbenaceae han demostrado su utilidad en el tratamiento de los trastornos de ansiedad, uno de los trastornos psiquiátricos más prevalentes. Objetivo: Esta investigación tuvo como objetivo verificar la seguridad del extracto, el efecto sobre el comportamiento general y el efecto sobre el tiempo de sueño, así como evaluar el efecto tipo ansiolítico del extracto metanólico de Aloysia virgata var. platyphylla(Avp), en ratones. Metodología: La prueba de toxicidad se realizó de acuerdo con la guía de la OCDE (grupos de ratones n=5), y se observó el comportamiento general durante el ensayo. El tiempo de sueño se evaluó mediante el método de hipnosis inducida por pentobarbital (n=8). Se trataron ratones albinos suizos macho (n=6) con 50 a 400 mg/kg de extracto de Avp y diazepam como control. El efecto ansiolítico se probó a través de la placa perforada y prueba del laberinto en cruz elevado. Resultados: El extracto de Avp no tiene efectos secundarios en las dosis probadas y no se observó actividad depresora del sistema nervioso central. A. virgata var. platyphylla aumentó la exploración (número y tiempo) en el tablero de agujeros. En el laberinto en cruz elevado, se evidenció un mayor número y tiempo en los brazos abiertos en comparación con el grupo de control. Conclusión: Con todos estos resultados, concluimos que el extracto de Avp es seguro y tiene una potencial actividad ansiolítica en el modelo animal utilizado

Uranium and thorium in weathering and pedogenetic profiles developed on granitic rocks from NW Spain.

Uranium and thorium were analyzed in seven weathering and pedogenetic soil profiles developed on granitic rocks from NW Spain. Concentrations were measured by X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (XRF) and the U- and Th-bearing minerals were studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry (EDS). Both elements were determined in rock, bulk soil and in different grain-size fractions (sand: 2000-50 microm, silt: 50-2 microm, and clay: <2 microm). U concentrations in the rock varied between 5.3 and 27.7 mg kg(-1) and Th concentrations from 5.5 to 50.7 mg kg(-1). The most alkalic rocks can be considered as U-rich granites. Bulk soil U and Th concentrations are similar to those of the rocks (4.8-29.2 and 7.4-56.7 mg kg(-1), respectively), but in the grain-size fractions both elements show the lowest concentrations in the sand and the highest in the clay. In the latter, concentrations are always higher than those of the rocks, particularly in the C horizons with enrichments up to 4 times for U and 5 times for Th. The concentration profiles and the ratios to the parent rock suggest that U and Th are leached from the surface soil and accumulate in the deeper horizons. Mass balance calculations, using Ti as a reference immobile element, also support U and Th leaching in the solum and supergene enrichment in bottom horizons. Leaching seems to be more intense on horizons with gravel content higher than 20%. The leaching of U and Th in the topmost horizons and the accumulation in the bottom soil horizons can be considered as a natural attenuation of the impact of these radiogenic elements in the environment. But their enrichment in the potentially airborne fraction poses some risk of redistribution in the ecosystems.