Capnocytophaga canimorsus as Cause of Fatal Sepsis.

A rare consequence of dog bites is the infection with Capnocytophaga canimorsus, and only a few cases have been documented. We describe a 41-year-old, formerly healthy woman who died from septic shock and multiorgan failure. It is the first case of a young individual without obvious immunosuppression.

Polyoxygenated steroids from the octocoral Leptogorgia punicea and in vitro evaluation of their cytotoxic activity.

Five new polyoxygenated marine steroids-punicinols A-E (1-5)-were isolated from the gorgonian Leptogorgia punicea and characterized by spectroscopic methods (IR, MS, 1H, 13C and 2-D NMR). The five compounds induced in vitro cytotoxic effects against lung cancer A549 cells, while punicinols A and B were the most active, with IC50 values of 9.7 µM and 9.6 µM, respectively. The synergistic effects of these compounds with paclitaxel, as well as their effects on cell cycle distribution and their performance in the clonogenic assay, were also evaluated. Both compounds demonstrated significant synergistic effects with paclitaxel.

Chemical and biological aspects of octocorals from the Brazilian coast

This review explores the chemical and biological aspects/results reported in the literature of the octocoral species collected at the Brazilian Coast. This article summarizes the biological activities (including pharmacological, antifouling and others related to chemical ecology) for the compounds and/or extracts described elsewhere. Data and references of compounds isolated from species belonging to the same genus, which have not been investigated in Brazil yet, are presented, emphasizing the importance for research in this area.

Anti HSV-1 activity of halistanol sulfate and halistanol sulfate C isolated from Brazilian marine sponge Petromica citrina (Demospongiae).

The n-butanol fraction (BF) obtained from the crude extract of the marine sponge Petromica citrina, the halistanol-enriched fraction (TSH fraction), and the isolated compounds halistanol sulfate (1) and halistanol sulfate C (2), were evaluated for their inhibitory effects on the replication of the Herpes Simplex Virus type 1 (HSV-1, KOS strain) by the viral plaque number reduction assay. The TSH fraction was the most effective against HSV-1 replication (SI = 15.33), whereas compounds 1 (SI = 2.46) and 2 (SI = 1.95) were less active. The most active fraction and these compounds were also assayed to determine the viral multiplication step(s) upon which they act as well as their potential synergistic effects. The anti-HSV-1 activity detected was mediated by the inhibition of virus attachment and by the penetration into Vero cells, the virucidal effect on virus particles, and by the impairment in levels of ICP27 and gD proteins of HSV-1. In summary, these results suggest that the anti-HSV-1 activity of TSH fraction detected is possibly related to the synergic effects of compounds 1 and 2.

Anti-infective potential of marine invertebrates and seaweeds from the Brazilian coast.

This manuscript describes the evaluation of anti-infective potential in vitro of organic extracts from nine sponges, one ascidian, two octocorals, one bryozoan, and 27 seaweed species collected along the Brazilian coast. Antimicrobial activity was tested against Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 25923), Enterococcus faecalis (ATCC 29212), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (ATCC 27853), Escherichia coli (ATCC 25922) and Candida albicans (ATCC 10231) by the disk diffusion method. Antiprotozoal activity was evaluated against Leishmania braziliensis (MHOM/BR/96/LSC96-H3) promastigotes and Trypanosoma cruzi (MHOM/BR/00/Y) epimastigotes by MTT assay. Activity against intracellular amastigotes of T. cruzi and L. brasiliensis in murine macrophages was also evaluated. Antiviral activity was tested against Herpes Simplex Virus type 1 (HSV-1, KOS strain) by the plaque number reduction assay (IC50). Cytotoxicity on VERO cells was evaluated by the MTT assay (CC50). The results were expressed as SI = CC50/IC50. The most promising antimicrobial results were obtained against S. aureus and C. albicans with Dragmacidon reticulatum. Among the seaweeds, only Osmundaria obtusiloba showed moderate activity against P. aeruginosa. Concerning antiprotozoal activity, Bugula neritina, Carijoa riseii, Dragmaxia anomala and Haliclona (Halichoclona) sp. showed the most interesting results, mainly against extracellular promastigote forms of L. braziliensis (66, 35.9, 97.2, and 43.6% inhibition, respectively). Moreover, six species of seaweeds Anadyomene saldanhae, Caulerpa cupressoides, Canistrocarpus cervicornis, Dictyota sp., Ochtodes secundiramea, and Padina sp. showed promising results against L. braziliensis (87.9, 51.7, 85.9, 93.3, 99.7, and 80.9% inhibition, respectively), and only Dictyota sp. was effective against T. cruzi (60.4% inhibition). Finally, the antiherpes activity was also evaluated, with Haliclona (Halichoclona) sp. and Petromica citrina showing the best results (SI = 11.9 and SI > 5, respectively). All the active extracts deserve special attention in further studies to chemically characterize the bioactive compounds, and to perform more refined biological assays.

Effects of Ilex paraguariensis A. St. Hil. (yerba mate) on herpes simplex virus types 1 and 2 replication.

The antiherpes effects of the crude extract obtained from Ilex paraguariensis leaves (yerba mate) and their purified fractions were investigated. The most active fraction was selected and assayed to determine the viral multiplication steps upon which it acted. In order to detect the major components of this fraction, thin layer chromatography (TLC) analysis was performed. The antiviral activity was evaluated against HSV-1 and HSV-2 by a viral plaque number reduction assay (IC(50) ) and the cytotoxicity by a MTT assay (CC(50) ). According to the obtained results, all tested samples showed antiherpes activity at noncytotoxic concentrations, and the ethyl acetate fraction was the most active (SI = CC(50) /IC(50) = 188.7 and 264.7 for HSV-1 and HSV-2, respectively). The results also demonstrated that this fraction exerts antiviral activity by the reduction of viral infectivity, the inhibition of virus entry into cells and cell-to-cell virus spread, as well as by the impaired levels of ICP27, ICP4, gD and gE proteins of HSV-1. The TLC analysis showed that this fraction contains monodesmosidic triterpenoid saponins, matesaponin-1 (a bidesmosidic one), caffeic and chlorogenic acids and rutin, which suggests that they could act synergistically and be responsible for the detected antiherpes activity.

The anti-inflammatory modulatory role of Solidago chilensis Meyen in the murine model of the air pouch.

The aim of this study was to investigate the anti-inflammatory efficacy of an aqueous extract (AE), and its butanolic (BuOH) and aqueous residual (AR) fractions, derived from the rhizome of Solidago chilensis in inflammation caused by carrageenan in mice. Solidago chilensis Meyen rhizome was extracted using hot water at 90 degrees C under infusion. The extract was filtered and lyophilized. Part of the aqueous extract was fractionated with n-BuOH, resulting in butanolic (BuOH) and aqueous residual (AR) fractions. Adult Swiss mice were used in the in-vivo experiments. We evaluated the effect of rhizome aqueous extract of Solidago chilensis and these two derived fractions on the inflammation induced by carrageenan in the mouse model of the air pouch. The aqueous extract and its derived fractions significantly inhibited leucocytes, neutrophils, exudation, myeloperoxidase and adenosine deaminase activity, as well as nitric oxide, interleukin-1 beta (IL-1beta), neutrophil chemokine (KC) and tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) levels (P < 0.05). Indometacin and dexamethasone inhibited all the studied inflammatory parameters (P < 0.01) with the exceptions that indometacin did not inhibit TNF-alpha levels and dexamethasone did not inhibit KC levels (P > 0.05). These results indicate that Solidago chilensis has a significant anti-inflammatory action on acute inflammatory responses and that its inhibitory activity may be due not only to the inhibition of proinflammatory mediators, but also to the inhibition of leucocyte infiltration.

Anti-inflammatory evaluation of Solidago chilensis Meyen in a murine model of pleurisy.

UNLABELLED: The aim of this study was to investigate the anti-inflammatory effects and the mechanism of action of the aqueous extracts obtained from rhizomes, leaves and inflorescences of Solidago chilensis in the mouse model of pleurisy. The extracts were prepared by infusion and were lyophilized. RESULTS: The aqueous extracts of rhizomes, leaves or inflorescences inhibited leukocytes, neutrophils and exudation (P<0.05) in the inflammation induced by carrageenan. The rhizomes aqueous extract, butanolic and aqueous residual fractions inhibited leukocytes, neutrophils, myeloperoxidase, adenosine-deaminase, and tumor necrosis factor alpha levels in the inflammation induced by carrageenan (P<0.05). The rhizome aqueous extract and butanolic fraction also inhibited exudation, nitric oxide, and interleukin-1 beta levels (P<0.05). The rhizomes aqueous extract and its two derived fractions reduced leukocytes and mononuclears in the pleurisy induced by bradykinin, histamine, or substance P (P<0.05) and neutrophils in the pleurisy induced by histamine or substance P (P<0.05). Only aqueous residual fraction inhibited neutrophils induced by bradykinin (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Solidago chilensis aqueous extracts from leaves, inflorescences and rhizomes demonstrated an important anti-inflammatory effect, inhibiting cells in the inflammation caused by carrageenan. In addition, the rhizomes aqueous extract and its derived fractions also decreased pro-inflammatory mediators release into the site of the inflammatory process. The rhizomes aqueous extract and the butanolic fraction showed more evident anti-inflammatory actions.