The preventive effects of broccoli bioactives against cancer: Evidence from a validated rat glioma model.

The aggressive and incurable diffuse gliomas constitute 80% of malignant brain tumors, and patients succumb to recurrent surgeries and drug resistance. Epidemiological research indicates that substantial consumption of fruits and vegetables diminishes the risk of developing this tumor type. Broccoli consumption has shown beneficial effects in both cancer and neurodegenerative diseases. These effects are partially attributed to the isothiocyanate sulforaphane (SFN), which can regulate the Keap1/Nrf2/ARE signaling pathway, stimulate detoxifying enzymes, and activate cellular antioxidant defense processes. This study employs a C6 rat glioma model to assess the chemoprotective potential of aqueous extracts from broccoli seeds, sprouts, and inflorescences, all rich in SFN, and pure SFN as positive control. The findings reveal that administering a dose of 100 mg/kg of broccoli sprout aqueous extract and 0.1 mg/kg of SFN to animals for 30 days before introducing 1 × 104 cells effectively halts tumor growth and progression. This study underscores the significance of exploring foods abundant in bioactive compounds, such as derivatives of broccoli, for potential preventive integration into daily diets. Using broccoli sprouts as a natural defense against cancer development might seem idealistic, yet this investigation establishes that administering this extract proves to be a valuable approach in designing strategies for glioma prevention. Although the findings stem from a rat glioma model, they offer promising insights for subsequent preclinical and clinical research endeavors.

Conductas promotoras de salud en personas con diabetes mellitus II durante pandemia por COVID 19 / Health-promoting behaviors in people with diabetes mellitus II during the COVID 19 pandemic / Condutas promotoras de saúde eM pessoas com diabetes mellitus II durante pandemia por COVID 19

Objetivo: Identificar las conductas promotoras de salud de personas que padecen diabetes mellitus II en tiempos de pandemia. Materiales y métodos: Investigación cualitativa con diseño fenomenológico. Se realizó una entrevista semiestructurada a 12 personas mayores de edad, con diagnóstico de diabetes mellitus 2, residentes en la ciudad de Armenia- Quindío, quienes asistieron a controles de su patología por lo menos tres veces cada año, entre 2020 y 2021. La técnica de muestreo utilizada fue por saturación de categorías. Resultados: A partir del discurso de los participantes que padecen diabetes mellitus, se describen las con-ductas promotoras de salud, las cuales se agruparon en las siguientes categorías: Conductas y conocimientos adquiridos; efectos originados por las conductas; y, barreras para generar conductas promotoras de salud en tiempos de pandemia. De la información, emergió la cate-goría denominada "Necesidades de cuidado a la salud mental". Conclusiones: Es necesario repensar las prácticas de cuidado, de atención y de educación en salud a las personas que padecen diabetes. Por tanto, es importante realizar un abordaje holístico que garantice una atención integral de la salud y una educación emancipadora; es decir, que el conocimiento y las conductas adquiridas sean capaces de transformar la realidad vivida por cada persona.

Objective: To identify the health-promoting behaviors of people suffering from diabetes mel-litus II in times of pandemic. Materials and methods: qualitative research with a phenom-enological design. Semi-structured interview was conducted with 12 people of legal age, diagnosed with diabetes mellitus 2, residing in the city of Armenia-Quindío and who attended the controls for their pathology at least three times a year, from 2019 to 2020.The sampling technique used was saturation of categories. Results: from the discourse of the participants who live with diabetes mellitus, the health-promoting behaviors are described, which were grouped into the following categories: Acquired behaviors and knowledge; effects caused by behaviors and; Barriers to generating health-promoting behaviors in times of pandemic. From the information, the category called "Mental health care needs" emerged. Conclusions:It is necessary to rethink the practices of care, attention and health education for people who live with chronic diseases, intuiting to carry out a holistic approach that guarantees compre-hensive health care and emancipatory education, through in which the knowledge and behaviors acquired are capable of transforming the lived reality of each person

Objetivo: Identificar os comportamentos promotores de saúde de pessoas com diabetes mellitus II em tempos de pandemia. Materiais e métodos: Pesquisa qualitativa com delineamento fenom-enológico, foi realizada entrevista semiestruturada com 12 pessoas maiores de idade, diagnosti-cadas com diabetes mellitus 2, residentes na cidade de Armênia- Quindío e que frequentaram aos controles de sua patologia pelo menos três vezes ao ano, de 2019 a 2020. A técnica de amostr-agem utilizada foi a saturação de categorias. Resultados: a partir do discurso dos participantes que convivem com o diabetes mellitus, descrevem-se os comportamentos promotores da saúde, os quais foram agrupados nas seguintes categorias: Comportamentos e conhecimentos adquiri-dos; efeitos causados por comportamentos e; Barreiras para gerar comportamentos promotores de saúde em tempos de pandemia. A partir das informações, emergiu a categoria denominada "Necessidades de cuidados em saúde mental". Conclusões: É necessário repensar as práticas de cuidado, atenção e educação em saúde para as pessoas que convivem com doenças crônicas, com a finalidade de realizar uma abordagem holística que garanta uma atenção integral à saúde e educação emancipatória, por meio da qual os conhecimentos e comportamentos adquiridos sejam capaz de transformar a realidade vivida de cada pessoa

Surgery through time. Saturn extract: an 18th century medical prescription.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze a medical prescription from the 18th century in the New Kingdom of Granada, nowadays Colombia, used in the treatment of soft tissue injuries, specifically wounds and skin ulcers. METHOD: A documentary search was conducted in the Cipriano Rodríguez Santamaria Historical Archive of the Octavio Arizmendi Posada Library, at Universidad de La Sabana (Chía, Colombia), and a review of the literature available in electronic databases. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The colonial medical prescription mentions the benefits of lead acetate in poultice for inflammatory processes in general and skin alterations. However, its use is not recommended due to its potential cytotoxic effect at tissue level in various organs.

OBJETIVO: Analizar una receta médica del siglo XVIII en el Nuevo Reino de Granada, hoy República de Colombia, utilizada para el tratamiento de las lesiones de tejidos blandos, específicamente heridas y úlceras en la piel. MÉTODO: Se realizó una búsqueda documental en el Archivo Histórico Cipriano Rodríguez Santamaría de la Biblioteca Octavio Arizmendi Posada, en la Universidad de La Sabana (Chía, Colombia), y se hizo una revisión de la literatura disponible en bases de datos electrónicas. RESULTADOS Y CONCLUSIÓN: En la receta médica colonial se mencionan los beneficios del uso de lo que se interpreta como acetato de plomo en cataplasma para procesos inflamatorios en general y alteraciones de la piel. Sin embargo, en la actualidad se conoce su potencial efecto citotóxico tisular en diversos órganos.

Analgesic and neuromotor effects of two extracts of Zanthoxylum rhoifolium (Rutaceae) in the Swiss albino mouse (Mus musculus) / Efectos analgésicos y neuromotores de dos extractos de Zanthoxylum rhoifolium (Rutaceae) en el ratón albino suizo (Mus musculus)

Background: Colombia has a high diversity of medicinal plants, including Tachuelo (Zanthoxylum rhoifolium), a tree belonging to the family Rutaceae, which has been attributed an analgesic use by communities of the Colombian southwest. Nevertheless, this species has been scarce studied in Colombia. The studies have been limited to the isolation of compounds with antifungal and insecticide activity, using the leaves, branches, and bark of the plant in aqueous, and organic extracts. Neither pharmacological tests have been carried out, nor the analgesic and neuromotor activity have been tested from preparations with this plant's fruits. Objectives: To evaluate the analgesic and neuromotor effect of the aqueous and hexane extract of the fruits of Z. rhoifolium.Methods: As there were no preliminary reports of this study, the first observation was made through Irwin's test. The formalin and the rotarod test were performed to determine the analgesic and motor coordination effects, respectively. Results: All the evaluated treatments demonstrated to generate analgesia, anesthesia, passivity, reduction in the alarm reaction, and have antinociceptive activity in the formalin test; while only the high dose of the nonpolar extract generated a deficit in the motor performance of the rodents in the rotarod test. Conclusions: the antinociceptive effect of the aqueous and hexane extracts of this species' fruits was demonstrated. The hexane extract generated a neuromotor effect, which validates the ethnobotanical reports on Z. rhoifolium fruits.

Antecedentes: Colombia tiene una alta diversidad de plantas medicinales, incluyendo al Ta chuelo (Zanthoxylum rhoifolium), un árbol de la familia Rutaceae al que se le ha atribuido un potencial analgésico debido al uso por parte de las comunidades del Suroccidente Colombiano. Sin embargo, esta especie ha sido poco estudiada en Colombia, limitándose al aislamiento de compuestos con actividad antifúngica e insecticida, empleando las hojas, ramas y corteza de la planta en extractos acuosos y orgánicos; sin embargo, no se han realizado ensayos farmacológicos ni se han probado la actividad analgésica y neuromotora a partir de preparaciones con los frutos de esta planta. Objetivos: Evaluar el efecto analgésico y neuromotor del extracto acuoso y en hexano de los frutos de Z. rhoifolium. Métodos: Al no haber reportes preliminares de este estudio, se realizó la primera observación mediante el test de Irwin. Para determinar el efecto analgésico y neuromotor se realizó el test de formalina y el test de rotarod, respectivamente. Resultados: Todos los tratamientos evaluados demostraron generar analgesia, anestesia, pasividad, reducción en la reacción de alarma, tener actividad antinociceptiva en el test de formalina, mientras que solo la dosis alta del extracto apolar generó un déficit en el rendimiento motor de los roedores en el test de rotarod. Conclusiones: Se demostró el efecto antinociceptivo del extracto acuoso y en hexano de los frutos de esta especie y el efecto neuromotor generado por el extracto en hexano, validando los reportes etnobotánicos sobre los frutos de Z. rhoifolium.

Cannabinoids: A New Perspective on Epileptogenesis and Seizure Treatment in Early Life in Basic and Clinical Studies.

Neural hyperexcitability in the event of damage during early life, such as hyperthermia, hypoxia, traumatic brain injury, status epilepticus, or a pre-existing neuroinflammatory condition, can promote the process of epileptogenesis, which is defined as the sequence of events that converts a normal circuit into a hyperexcitable circuit and represents the time that occurs between the damaging event and the development of spontaneous seizure activity or the establishment of epilepsy. Epilepsy is the most common neurological disease in the world, characterized by the presence of seizures recurring without apparent provocation. Cannabidiol (CBD), a phytocannabinoid derived from the subspecies Cannabis sativa (CS), is the most studied active ingredient and is currently studied as a therapeutic strategy: it is an anticonvulsant mainly used in children with catastrophic epileptic syndromes and has also been reported to have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects, supporting it as a therapeutic strategy with neuroprotective potential. However, the mechanisms by which CBD exerts these effects are not entirely known, and the few studies on acute and chronic models in immature animals have provided contradictory results. Thus, it is difficult to evaluate the therapeutic profile of CBD, as well as the involvement of the endocannabinoid system in epileptogenesis in the immature brain. Therefore, this review focuses on the collection of scientific data in animal models, as well as information from clinical studies on the effects of cannabinoids on epileptogenesis and their anticonvulsant and adverse effects in early life.

Electroacupuncture Reduces Seizure Activity and Enhances GAD 67 and Glutamate Transporter Expression in Kainic Acid Induced Status Epilepticus in Infant Rats.

Status epilepticus (SE) is one of the most significant complications in pediatric neurology. Clinical studies have shown positive effects of electroacupuncture (EA) as a therapeutic alternative in the control of partial seizures and secondary generalized clonic seizures. EA promotes the release of neurotransmitters such as GABA and some opioids. The present study aimed to evaluate the anticonvulsive and neuromodulatory effects of Shui Gou DM26 (SG_DM26) acupuncture point electrostimulation on the expression of the glutamate decarboxylase 67 (GAD67) enzyme and the glutamate transporter EAAC1 in an early SE model. At ten postnatal days (10-PD), male rats weighing 22-26 g were divided into 16 groups, including control and treatment groups: Simple stimulation, electrostimulation, anticonvulsant drug treatment, and combined treatment-electrostimulation and pentobarbital (PB). SE was induced with kainic acid (KA), and the following parameters were measured: Motor behavior, and expression of GAD67 and EAAC1. The results suggest an antiepileptic effect derived from SG DM26 point EA. The possible mechanism is most likely the increased production of the inhibitory neurotransmitter GABA, which is observed as an increase in the expression of both GAD67 and EAAC1, as well as the potential synergy between the neuromodulator effects of EA and PB.

Chronic toxicity, genotoxic assay, and phytochemical analysis of four traditional medicinal plants.

Four medicinal plants--Tecoma stans, Ligusticum porteri, Monarda austromontana, and Poliomintha longiflora, which are distributed in tropical and subtropical countries of the American continent--are widely used in folk medicine to treat diseases such as diarrhea and dysentery. In addition, T. stans and P. longiflora are extensively used as hypoglycemic agents, and M. austromontana and P. longiflora are used as condiments. The plants were collected, identified, dried, and pulverized. Solvent extraction was prepared by maceration of the plant samples, and the phytochemical composition of the extracts was determined by using standard analysis procedures. Phytochemical analysis showed the presence of triterpenoids/steroids, flavonoids, and phenols/tannins and, in L. porteri, traces of alkaloids. After the elimination of solvents in vacuo, the extracts were administrated to Drosophila larvae to test their toxicity and genotoxicity. Third instar larvae were chronically fed with the phytoextracts. The extract from L. porteri was toxic, whereas those from T. stans, P. longiflora, and M. austromontana were not. Genotoxic activities of the 4 plants were investigated by using the wing-spot assay of D. melanogaster. Mitomycin C was used as a positive control. No statistically significant increase was observed between treated sample series and a concurrent negative (water) or solvent control sample series.

Psychophysiological effects of preperformance massage before isokinetic exercise.

Sports massage provided before an activity is called pre-event massage. The hypothesized effects of pre-event massage include injury prevention, increased performance, and the promotion of a mental state conducive to performance. However, evidence with regard to the effects of pre-event massage is limited and equivocal. The exact manner in which massage produces its hypothesized effects also remains a topic of debate and investigation. This randomized single-blind placebo-controlled crossover design compared the immediate effects of pre-event massage to a sham intervention of detuned ultrasound. Outcome measures included isokinetic peak torque assessments of knee extension and flexion; salivary flow rate, cortisol concentration, and α-amylase activity; mechanical detection thresholds (MDTs) using Semmes-Weinstein monofilaments and mood state using the Profile of Mood States (POMS) questionnaire. This study showed that massage before activity negatively affected subsequent muscle performance in the sense of decreased isokinetic peak torque at higher speed (p < 0.05). Although the study yielded no significant changes in salivary cortisol concentration and α-amylase activity, it found a significant increase in salivary flow rate (p = 0.03). With the massage intervention, there was a significant increase in the MDT at both locations tested (p < 0.01). This study also noted a significant decrease in the tension subscale of the POMS for massage as compared to placebo (p = 0.01). Pre-event massage was found to negatively affect muscle performance possibly because of increased parasympathetic nervous system activity and decreased afferent input with resultant decreased motor-unit activation. However, psychological effects may indicate a role for pre-event massage in some sports, specifically in sportspeople prone to excessive pre-event tension.