Occurrence of relevant mycotoxins in food commodities consumed in Chile.

The aims of this study were to analyse the occurrence of aflatoxins, aflatoxin M1 (AFM1), fumonisins, ochratoxin A (OTA), patulin (PAT), zearalenone (ZEN) and deoxynivalenol (DON) in foodstuffs consumed in Chile between 2008 and 2017 and to estimate the contribution of main contaminated foodstuff in human exposure by the probable daily intake (PDI) estimation. In 9 years of surveillance, 2020 food samples were analysed with an occurrence of 18.2% and with 2.7% of the samples being over the Chilean regulation. The occurrence of mycotoxins in food were 16% for aflatoxins, 6% for AFM1, 30% for OTA, 12% for DON, 7% for PAT, 21% for fumonisins and 2% for ZEN. The estimated median PDI of DON because of bread consumption was 129.2 ng/kg bw/day for children and 96.0 ng/kg bw/day in adults. Median PDI because of capsicum consumption was 0.006 ng/kg bw/day for OTA and 0.005 ng/kg bw/day for aflatoxins. Median PDI of aflatoxins was estimated at 0.02 ng/kg bw/day for spices and 0.04 ng/kg bw/day for nuts consumption. In children, the median PDI of AFM1 for dairy consumption was 0.07 ng/kg bw/day. The derived margin of exposure (MoE) values ranged from 1133 to 8500 suggested that aflatoxins would be of public health concern. The PDI of the other mycotoxins did not show a health risk. This is the first survey of mycotoxins in food made in Chile; further research is needed to improve surveillance and guidelines based on national risk assessments and considering sensitive population groups.

Mycotoxin production by different ochratoxigenic Aspergillus and Penicillium species on coffee- and wheat-based media.

Ochratoxin A (OTA) is one of the most widespread mycotoxins, and is produced by several Aspergillus or Penicillium species. Human exposure to OTA is mainly by intake of contaminated food, with cereal products, followed by coffee and red wine as the main sources of OTA. In this study, the OTA production of four ochratoxigenic fungi (two Aspergillus and two Penicillium species) was investigated in four different media, i.e. wheat and coffee model media as food-based media and two standard laboratory media (malt extract glucose agar, MEA and yeast extract sucrose agar, YES). Colony growth was documented and OTA concentrations in cultures were determined at day 2, 4 and 8 of incubation at 25°C by high-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC) and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). OTA production clearly depended upon time of incubation, fungal species, and medium composition. On coffee based medium, moderate OTA levels were produced by A. ochraceus BFE635 (9.8 µg/g) and by A. niger BFE632 (10.6 µg/g) on day 8 of incubation. In wheat-based medium, these strains produced much more OTA than in coffee. The highest OTA concentration (83.8 µg/g on day 8) was formed by A. ochraceus BFE635 followed by the other Aspergillus niger BFE632 (49 µg/g). Lower OTA levels were produced by P. verrucosum BFE550 and P. nordicum BFE487, in both wheat and in YES medium, whilst OTA was hardly detectable in coffee and in MEA in case of P. nordicum. Colony growth of the tested strains on different media was not indicative of OTA production. Guttation droplets developed on wheat-based medium with the Aspergillus strains within a week, and this phenomenon coincided with the high OTA amounts formed by these species. Results from this study add to our knowledge on the behaviour of ochratoxigenic fungal species when cultured on food based media.

Consideraciones anestésicas en la Espondilitis Anquilosante; a propósito de un caso y revisión de la bibliografía / Anesthetic considerations in the Espondilitis Anquilosante; with regard to a case and revision of the bibliography

La Espondilitis Anquilosante es una entidad reumatológica poco frecuente, que se define como una artritis inflamatoria de la columna que siempre involucra las articulaciones sacroilíacas. Con frecuencia la inflamación y la anquilosis también involucran articulaciones periféricas, y estos pacientes necesitan cirugías mayores ortopédicas como el Reemplazo de Rodilla, pues su actividad diaria se encuentra limitada por la afección articular. Presentamos el caso de una paciente joven con estadío avanzado de esta patología, quien requirió este procedimiento quirúrgico y por lo tanto nuestra intervención anestésica. La evaluación preanestésica mostraba claros predictores de dificultad para el manejo de la vía aérea y para la aplicación de técnicas anestésicas regionales. Las deformidades no le permitían el reposo horizontal completo sobre la mesa de operaciones. Se decidió llevar a cabo el procedimiento bajo anestesia general, luego de intubación con fibroscopía óptica dada la peculiaridad de la vía aérea. Aprovechamos la oportunidad para discutir los hallazgos y las complicaciones de esta enfermedad que pueden conducir a dificultades en el manejo perioperatorio, la importancia de la visita preanestésica, y las diferentes modalidades propuestas en la literatura para el manejo anestésico de estos pacientes...

Preliminary study of Ochratoxin A in human plasma in agricultural zones of Chile and its relation to food consumption.

Ochratoxin A (OTA) is a mycotoxin produced by different species of Aspergillus and Penicillium fungi. The presence of OTA in human blood has been reported in many studies, especially in Europe, however none have been done in South America. In this study, 88 blood samples from healthy donors from two different Chilean agricultural zones were analyzed. In parallel with sample collection, the donors filled a questionnaire regarding food intake during the last three months. The blood samples were collected in Colbún in March and July of 2004 and in San Vicente de Tagua--Tagua in October of 2004. The extraction procedure was done in the solid phase with a Sep-Pak RP-18 cartridge and a final purification with immunoaffinity Ochraprep columns. The presence of OTA was confirmed by the formation of Ochratoxin A methyl ester. Fifty four percent of the samples collected in Colbún and 91% of samples from San Vicente de Tagua - Tagua were positive to OTA at ranges of 0.07-2.75 ppb and 0.22-2.12 ppb, respectively. The OTA levels in serum did not show a good correlation with normal dietary consumption.

Estabilidad del inyectable de fosfato de disopiramida (13 mg/mL) / Stability of disopyramide phosphate injectable product (13 mg/mL)

Entre los fármacos utilizados actualmente en el tratamiento de las afecciones cardiovasculares, se encuentran el fosfato de disopiramida, un agente antiarrítmico tipo I, estabilizante del potencial de membrana en reposo. Una de las formas farmacéuticas en que este se presenta es la de inyectable, con una dosificasión de 13 mg/mL para la base, por lo que en este trabajo se realizó el estudio acelerado de estabilidad y el estudio de vida útil de 3 lotes de este innyectable. En las condiciones ensayadas, el medicamento resultó estable, por lo que se propuso una fecha de vencimiento de 2 años

Estabilidad de las tabletas de clorodiazepóxido 10 mg

Se estudió la estabilidad de las tabletas de clorodiazepóxido 10 mg que fueron elaboradas con un almidón modificado (GECLYN-ER2) de bajo costo en sustitución de la gelatina, aglutinante tradicional. Se emplearon como métodos analíticos para la cuantificación e identificación de clorodiazepóxido: cromatografía líquida de alta resolución, cromatografía en capa delgada y espectrofotometría. Los resultados obtenidos para las tabletas expuestas en condiciones variables de temperatura, humedad y de vida en estante confirman la factibilidad del empleo de este almidón, modificado para la fabricación de las tabletas de clorodiazepóxido 10 mg.

The stability of chlordiazepoxide 10 mg tablets, which were made with low cost modified starch (GECLYN-ER2) to substitute gelatine, the traditional agglutinant, was studied. The following analytical methods were used for the quantification and identification of chlordiazipoxide: high pressure liquid chromatography thin layer chromatography, and spectrophotometry. The results attained for the tablets exposed to different conditions of temperature, humidity and shelf life confirmed the feasibility of this starch that was modified to make chlordiazepoxide 10 mg tablets.