Efectos de la yerba mate (Ilex paraguariensis) en los niveles plasmáticos de glucosa, lípidos, urea y creatinina de ratas Wistar / Effects of yerba mate (Ilex paraguariensis) in the plasma levels of glucose, lipids, urea and creatinine of Wistar rats

INTRODUCCIÓN: La yerba mate (Ilex paraguariensis) es un vegetal nativo de las regiones subtropicales de Sudamérica utilizada en la preparación de infusiones que se beben en ciertos países de la región. El objetivo del estudio fue determinar los efectos de extractos acuosos de Ilex paraguariensis en los niveles plasmáticos de glucosa, lípidos, urea y creatinina en ratas Wistar. MATERIALES Y MÉTODO: Estudio experimental. Se distribuyeron al azar 20 ratas Wistar en 2 grupos de 10 animales cada uno; el grupo control recibió como bebida agua y el grupo expuesto a yerba recibió como bebida una infusión de Ilex paraguariensis. El periodo de experimentación fue de 60 días, a cuyo término se determinaron las concentraciones plasmáticas de glucosa, colesterol, triglicéridos, urea y creatinina. Las medias de los parámetros fueron comparadas por la prueba U de Mann-Whitney, considerándose significativas las diferencias con p<0,05. RESULTADOS: El consumo de yerba mate disminuyó los niveles de glicemia en el grupo expuesto en comparación con el grupo control, siendo la diferencia altamente significativa (p<0,001). Se observaron niveles significativamente mayores de urea (p=0,04) y creatinina (p=0,02)en el grupo expuesto en comparación con el grupo control. No hubo diferencias significativas entre los niveles de colesterol y triglicéridos entre ambos grupos. DISCUSIÓN: Los resultados sugieren que el consumo de Ilex paraguariensis reduce los niveles plasmáticos de glucosa y podrían poseer un efecto nocivo en la función renal.

INTRODUCTION: yerba mate (Ilex paraguariensis) is a plant species native to subtropical regions of South America and is used to make tea in local countries. The aim of the study was to determine the effects of aqueous extracts of Ilex paraguariensis in plasmatic levels of glucose, lipids, urea and creatinine in Wistar rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Experimental study. 20 Wistar rats were randomized in two groups of ten animals each: control group received water while the exposed group received an infusion of Ilex paraguariensis. After 60 days of experiment, plasmatic concentrations of glucose, cholesterol, triglycerides,urea and creatinine were determined. Mann- Whitney U test was used to compare means, differences were considered statistically significant atp <0.05. RESULTS: Blood glucose levels were lower in the exposed group compared with the control group(p <0.001).Plasmatic levels of urea and creatinine were signiticantly higher in the exposed group (p=0.04 and p=0.02 respectively). No significant differences were observed in the levels of cholesterol and triglycerides among the groups. DISCUSSION: The results suggest that consumption of Ilex paraguariensis reduces plasma glucose levels and could have an adverse effect on renal function.

Nutritional status and adequacy of enteral nutrition in pediatric cancer patients at a reference center in northeastern Brazil.

INTRODUCTION: Individualized nutritional support is important to pediatric cancer patients and should be integrated to the overall treatment of these patients. OBJECTIVE: Analyze the nutritional status of cancer patients submitted to enteral nutrition (EN) and assess the adequacy of this form of nutrition. METHODS: A case series study was carried out at the Pediatric Oncology Unit of the Institute of Integrative Medicine Professor Fernando Figueira (IMIP, Brazil, Recife-PE) between January and December 2009. Clinical and anthropometric data were obtained from medical charts and nutritional follow-up charts. Z scores for height for age, weight for age and body mass index for age indicators (H/A, W/A and BMI/A, respectively) were calculated using the AnthroPlus program. Caloric and protein requirements were calculated based on the recommendations of the Brazilian National Council of Oncologic Nutrition. RESULTS: At the beginning of EN, 32.4% of the sample had short stature and 23.9% were underweight based on the BMI/A indicator. The assessment of EN adequacy demonstrated that 49.3% reached the caloric requirements and 76.1% reached the protein requirements, with maximal intakes of 65.6 Kcal/Kg/day and 1.95 g of protein/kg/day. Malnourished patients had greater mean Z scores for W/A and BMI/A at the end of EN, whereas no significant changes were found among patients with adequate nutritional status and significant reductions in these indicators were found among those with overweight or obesity. CONCLUSION: The patients either maintained or achieved a significant improvement in nutritional status, which demonstrates the importance of nutritional support and follow up during hospitalization.

Nutritional screening in clinical patients at a University Hospital in Northeastern Brazil.

OBJECTIVES: According to the Brazilian Hospital Nutritional Assessment Inquiry, malnutrition in hospitals reaches 48.1% in Brazil, with this figure reaching as high as 63.9% in the northern and northeastern regions of the country. Despite its high prevalence, hospital malnutrition is not well identified by the majority of professionals on healthcare teams. The aim of the present study was to identify nutritional risk in patients hospitalized for clinical conditions. METHOD: This study was conducted at a university hospital in northeastern Brazil. Data were collected using the NRS 2002 screening tool (score ≥ 3 for nutritional risk) within 48 hours after admission to hospital. RESULTS: Ninety-nine patients (44.4% men and 55.6% women; 58.6% elderly individuals and 41.4%) were studied between April and October 2010. Nutritional risk was identified in 39.4% upon admission to hospital. Reduced food intake and body mass index were associated with nutritional risk. CONCLUSIONS: A high percentage of clinical patients were at nutritional risk, which corroborates findings described in the literature. Low food intake was associated with nutritional risk. These results underscore the importance of nutritional care upon admission to hospital, which can contribute to improving or maintaining nutritional status and the avoidance of complications throughout the hospitalization period.

Evaluation of CSF neurotransmitters and folate in 25 patients with Rett disorder and effects of treatment.

BACKGROUND: Rett disorder (RD) is a progressive neurodevelopmental entity caused by mutations in the MECP2 gene. It has been postulated that there are alterations in the levels of certain neurotransmitters and folate in the pathogenesis of this disease. Here we re-evaluated this hypothesis. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We evaluated CSF folate, biogenic amines and pterines in 25 RD patients. Treatment with oral folinic acid was started in those cases with low folate. Patients were clinically evaluated and videotaped up to 6 months after therapy. RESULTS: CSF folate was below the reference values in 32% of the patients. Six months after treatment no clinical improvement was observed. Three of the four patients with the R294X mutation had increased levels of a dopamine metabolite associated to a particular phenotype. Three patients had low levels of a serotonin metabolite. Two of them were treated with fluoxetine and one showed clinical improvement. No association was observed between CSF folate and these metabolites, after adjusting for the patients age and neopterin levels. CONCLUSION: Our results support that folinic acid supplementation has no significant effects on the course of the disease. We report discrete and novel neurotransmitter abnormalities that may contribute to the pathogenesis of RD highlighting the need for further studies on CSF neurotransmitters in clinically and genetically well characterized patients.