Iron-related markers of inflammation in horses with colic.

The aim of the study was to compare and correlate levels of ferritin, transferrin, iron and APPs in healthy horses and those surgically treated for strangulating colic. On admission, measurements of inflammatory markers related to iron and total protein, fibrinogen, albumin, haptoglobin and ceruloplasmin were made. The study comprised 22 horses, divided into a control group (CG) of healthy horses (n = 10) and horses with surgically treated acute abdomen (n = 12), obstruction group (OG). The OG was subdivided according to the affected intestinal segment (small vs. large) and according to outcome (survivors vs. non survivors). The OG had higher haptoglobin (34.8±14.2 mg/dL vs 20.8±7.21 mg/dL) and transferrin (487±161 mg/dL vs 369±71.4 mg/dL) values and lower iron (96.9±65 µg/dL vs 218±105 µg/dL) values than the CG. The OG horses with large intestine obstruction had lower values of transferrin (374.6±130 mg/dL) than horses with small intestinal obstruction (598.6±98.9 mg/dL). There was no difference in outcome between horses with large and small intestinal obstruction. Ferritin levels were moderately correlated with total protein (r = 0.594; P = 0.042) and albumin (r = 0.584; P = 0.046) in OG. In the multivariate exploratory analysis, fibrinogen levels were higher in animals that did not survive. In conclusion, haptoglobin, transferrin and iron were useful inflammatory markers for colic in horses. The correlation of ferritin with other APPs shows a possible role of ferritin as an APP in horses. Fibrinogen levels are higher in horses with greater risk of death from strangulating obstructions.

Qualidade microbiológica das plantas medicinais produzidas no Estado do Paraná / Microbiological quality of medicinal plants produced by the State of Paraná (Brazil)

Foram analisadas 72 amostras de plantas medicinais, enviadas por produtores de sete regiões do Estado do Paraná, segundo metodologia preconizada pela Organização Mundial da Saúde (OMS). Os resultados das análises microbiológicas realizadas (contagem de microrganismos aeróbios viáveis, contagem de bolores e leveduras, pesquisa de enterobactérias, Escherichia coli, Salmonella sp., Staphylococcus aureus e Pseudomonas aeruginosa indicaram que a maioria das amostras (79 por cento) não atendia os parâmetros estabelecidos pela OMS, tanto para utilização da planta medicinal na forma de chá ou para uso tópico quanto para uso interno. A maioria das amostras foi reprovada pelo fato de apresentar contagens de microrganismos aeróbios e de bolores e leveduras elevadas. Tal reprovação evidencia a necessidade de um programa de treinamento dos produtores, envolvendo as diversas etapas de produção e o posterior processamento.

72 samples of medicinal plants produced at seven different regions of Paraná State, Brazil, were analysed according to the World Health Organization methodology. The results of the microbiological analysis (total viable aerobic count, yeasts and moulds count, detection of Enterobacteriaceae and other Gram-negative bacteria: Escherichia coli, Salmonella sp., Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus indicated that the majority of the samples (79 percent) is not in accord to World Health Organization parameters for medicinal plants to be used for herbal tea or topic and internal uses. The main reason of this poor microbiological quality was due to aerobic microrganisms and yeasts and moulds counting. It is an evidence that producers must be orientated by capable professionals in every stage of production in order to provide the necessary quality of the raw material to further medicinal usage.