Isohemigossypolone: Antiophidic properties of a naphthoquinone isolated from Pachira aquatica Aubl.

We investigated the antiophidic properties of isohemigossypolone (ISO), a naphthoquinone isolated from the outer bark of the Pachira aquatic Aubl. The inhibition of phospholipase A2, coagulant, fibrinogenolytic, hemorrhagic and myotoxic activities induced by Bothrops pauloensis venom (Pb) was investigated. For this, we use samples resulting from the incubation of Pb with ISO in different concentrations (1:1, 1:5 and 1:10 w/w), we also evaluated the condition of treatment using ISO after 15 min of venom inoculation. The activities of phospholipase A2, coagulant, fibrinogenolytic, hemorrhagic and myotoxic induced by the B. pauloensis venom were significantly inhibited when the ISO was pre-incubated with the crude venom. For in vivo neutralization tests, the results were observed even when the ISO was applied after 15 min of inoculation of the venom or metalloprotease (BthMP). Also, to identify the inhibition mechanism, we performed in silico assays, across simulations of molecular coupling and molecular dynamics, it was possible to identify the modes of interaction between ISO and bothropic toxins BmooMPα-I, Jararacussin-I and BNSP-7. The present study shows that naphthoquinone isohemigossypolone isolated from the P. aquatica plant inhibited part of the local and systemic damage caused by venom proteins, demonstrating the pharmacological potential of this compound in neutralizing the harmful effects caused by snakebites.

Comprehensive characterisation of polyphenols in leaves and stems of three anti-dengue virus type-2 active Brazilian Faramea species (Rubiaceae) by HPLC-DAD-ESI-MS/MS.

INTRODUCTION: The methanol (MeOH) leaf extracts of the species Faramea bahiensis, F. hyacinthina and F. truncata (Rubiaceae) have previously shown in vitro non-cytotoxic and anti-dengue virus serotype 2 (DENV2) activities in human hepatocarcinoma cell lineage (HepG2). Chemical studies have led to the isolation of major flavonoids, but quite complex fractions of phenolic compounds still remain. OBJECTIVE: To complete the study of phenolic compounds in the leaves and to access the presence of these compounds in the stems of these Faramea spp. by online high-performance liquid chromatography-diode array detector-electrospray ionisation tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-DAD-ESI-MS/MS), as well as to evaluate the in vitro cytotoxic and anti-DENV2 activities of their MeOH stem extracts. METHODOLOGY: The identification was performed by comparing retention times, UV and mass spectra with those of available standards and by using the mechanisms and fragmentation patterns established in previous studies. The effects of the extracts in DENV2 infected HepG2 cell viability was determined by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. The virus titer was quantified by plaque assay. RESULTS: The study led to the characterisation of 31 phenolic compounds including flavonoid O- and C-glycosides, phenolic acids and one coumarin. The stem extracts from F. hyacinthina and F. bahiensis presented a similar bioactivity to those of their leaves but a loss of cytoprotective activity of F. bahiensis and a higher cytotoxicity of F. truncata were observed. CONCLUSIONS: This research allowed a detailed phenolic composition of three bioactive Faramea species to be achieved, thus contributing to the study of this genus and providing valuable information for further phytotherapeutic applications.

La comodidad del paciente en cuidados intensivos - una revisión integradora / O conforto do doente em cuidados intensivos. revisão integrativa / Comfort care of the patient in intensive care - an integrative review

Objetivo - Identificar las necesidades y las medidas de comodidad del paciente internado en cuidados intensivos. Material y Método - Las preguntas de la investigación son: ¿cuáles son las necesidades de comodidad del paciente internado en cuidados intensivos? Y¿cuáles las medidas que promueven comodidad al paciente internado en cuidados intensivos? Se procedió al análisis de las palabras clave del DeCS y MeSH en el ámbito de la comodidad del paciente mayor en cuidados intensivos. Búsqueda booleana en los motores de búsqueda de bases de datos: EBSCO, PubMed, B-ON, RCAAP, BVS, Cochrane Library, SciELO. Se obtuvo un total de 6488 artículos, constituyendo la muestra 10 artículos. Se procedió al análisis del contenido del corpus (corresponde a los cuidados de enfermería), del que se obtuvieron 2 categorías con un total de 55 unidades de registro. Resultados - La distribución de los datos ha sido hecha de acuerdo con los presupuestos teóricos de la Teoría de Kolcaba: en la categoría de las Necesidades de Comodidad (28 unidades de registro) - 28% son de contexto fisico, 14% ambiental, 56% psico-espiritual y 14% social; de las Medidas de Comodidad (27 unidades de registro) - 18% son tipo alivio, 56% tranquilidad y 26% transcendencia. Conclusión - Las necesidades de comodidad derivan esencialmente del contexto fisico y psico-espiritual y las medidas de comodidad más a menudo adoptadas son para el alivio y la tranquilidad. La disciplina de Enfermería es la que más preocupación demostra por los cuidados de comodidad

Objetivo - Identificar as necessidades e as medidas de conforto do internado em cuidados intensivos. Material e Método - As questões de investigação são: quais as necessidades de conforto do doente internado em cuidados intensivos? e quais as medidas que promovem o conforto do doente internado em cuidados intensivos? Procedeu-se à análise dos descritores no DeCS e MeSH no âmbito do conforto do idoso nos cuidados intensivos. Pesquisa booleana nos motores de busca de bases de dados: EBSCO, PubMed, B-ON, RCAAP, BVS, Cochrane Library, SciELO. Obteve-se uma população de 6488 artigos, constituindo a amostra 10 artigos. Realizada análise de conteúdo ao corpus (corresponde aos cuidados enfermagem), do qual se obteve 2 categorias com um total de 55 unidades de registo. Resultados - A distribuição dos dados foi de acordo com os pressupostos teóricos da Teoria de Kolcaba: na categoria das Necessidades de Conforto (28 unidades registo) - 28% são do contexto físico, 14% do ambiental, 56% psico-espiritual e 14% do social; das Medidas de Conforto (27 unidades de registo) - 18% são do tipo alivio, 56% de tranquilidade e 26% transcendência. Conclusão - As necessidades de conforto decorrem essencialmente do contexto físico e psico-espiritual e as medidas de conforto mais frequentemente adotadas destinam-se ao alívio e à tranquilidade. A disciplina de Enfermagem é a que mais preocupação demonstra pelos cuidados de conforto

Aims - To identify comfort needs and measures of the patient admitted in intensive care units. Material and Method - The investigation questions are: wthat are the comfort needs of the patient admitted in intensive care and which measures should be undertaken to promote comfort to the patient admitted in intensive care units? It was carried out an analysis of the descriptors (keywords) in DeCS and MeSH within the scope of comfort care to elderly patient in intensive care units. Boolean research through data base searching engines: EBSCO, PubMed, B-ON, RCAAP, BVS, Cochrane Library, SciELO. It was obtained a 6488 article population of which 10 articles composed the sample. It was analysed the content of the corpus (corresponding to nursing care) allowing to obtain 2 categories totalizing 55 registration unities. Results - Data distribution was according to theoretical assumptions of Kolcaba Theory: in the category of Comfort Needs (28 registration unities) - 28% are of physical order, 14% environmental, 56% psycho-spiritual and 14% of social order; as far as Comfort Measures are concerned (27 registration unities) - 18% concern suffering relieve, 56% peaceful atmosphere and 26% transcendence. Conclusion - Comfort needs concern essentially physical and psycho-spiritual context and the comfort measures more frequently adopted are aim to relieve suffering and promote a peaceful atmosphere. Nursing disciplin is the one that shows more concern towards comfort care

Expression of a new serine protease from Crotalus durissus collilineatus venom in Pichia pastoris and functional comparison with the native enzyme.

Snake venom serine proteases (SVSPs) act primarily on plasma proteins related to blood clotting and are considered promising for the treatment of several hemostatic disorders. We report the heterologous expression of a serine protease from Crotalus durissus collilineatus, named collinein-1, in Pichia pastoris, as well as the enzymatic comparative characterization of the toxin in native and recombinant forms. The complementary DNA (cDNA) encoding collinein-1 was amplified from cDNA library of C. d. collilineatus venom gland and cloned into the pPICZαA vector. The recombinant plasmid was used to transform cells of KM71H P. pastoris. Heterologous expression was induced by methanol and yielded 56 mg of recombinant collinein-1 (rCollinein-1) per liter of culture. The native collinein-1 was purified from C. d. collilineatus venom, and its identity was confirmed by amino acid sequencing. The native and recombinant enzymes showed similar effects upon bovine fibrinogen by releasing preferentially fibrinopeptide A. Although both enzymes have induced plasma coagulation, native Colinein-1 has shown higher coagulant activity. The serine proteases were able to hydrolyze the chromogenic substrates S-2222, S-2238, and S2302. Both enzymes showed high stability on different pH and temperature, and their esterase activities were inhibited in the presence of Zn2+ and Cu2+. The serine proteases showed similar k cat/K m values in enzyme kinetics assays, suggesting no significant differences in efficiency of these proteins to hydrolyze the substrate. These results demonstrated that rCollinein-1 was expressed with functional integrity on the evaluated parameters. The success in producing a functionally active recombinant SVSP may generate perspectives to their future therapeutic applications.

Carbon-13 and proton NMR assignments of a new agathisflavone derivative.

The (1)H and (13)C NMR spectra of 5-acetyl-7,4'-dimethoxyflavone-(6-8'')-5''-acetyl-7'',4'''-dimethoxyflavone, a new agathisflavone derivative, were completely assigned on the basis of 1D and 2D NMR techniques.