Crucial role of carbon monoxide as a regulator of diarrhea caused by cholera toxin: Evidence of direct interaction with toxin.

The present study evaluated the role of heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1)/carbon monoxide (CO) pathway in the cholera toxin-induced diarrhea and its possible action mechanism. The pharmacological modulation with CORM-2 (a CO donor) or Hemin (a HO-1 inducer) decreased the intestinal fluid secretion and Cl- efflux, altered by cholera toxin. In contrast, ZnPP (a HO-1 inhibitor) reversed the antisecretory effect of Hemin and potentiated cholera toxin-induced intestinal secretion. Moreover, CORM-2 also prevented the alteration of intestinal epithelial architecture and local vascular permeability promoted by cholera toxin. The intestinal absorption was not altered by any of the pharmacological modulators. Cholera toxin inoculation also increased HO-1 immunoreactivity and bilirubin levels, a possible protective physiological response. Finally, using fluorometric technique, ELISA assay and molecular docking simulations, we show evidence that CO directly interacts with cholera toxin, forming a complex that affects its binding to GM1 receptor, which help explain the antisecretory effect. Thus, CO is an essential molecule for protection against choleric diarrhea and suggests its use as a possible therapeutic tool.

Acolhimento acadêmico e reconfiguração dos modelos educacionais durante a pandemia de COVID-19: relato de experiência / Recepción académica y reconfiguración de modelos educativos durante la pandemia COVID-19: relato de experiencia / Academic reception and reconfiguration of educational models during the COVID-19 Pandemic: experience rep

O presente artigoobjetiva relatar a experiência da aplicação de ferramentas digitais em encontros virtuais para o acolhimento de alunos ingressantes do curso de Odontologia da Universidade Estadual do Piauí (UESPI)durante a fase de isolamento social advinda da pandemia do novo coronavírus no ano de 2020. A ação extensionista foi realizada em cinco encontros virtuais por meio da plataforma de reuniões Google Meete foram aplicadas ferramentas colaborativas como Padlet, Mentimetere Google Formspara integração do grupo. A participação dos ingressantes foi integral, 100% dos estudantes matriculados no primeiro período do curso se fizeram presentes nos encontros. Diante das incertezas relativas ao início do período letivo no ano de 2020, a proposta realizada obteve êxito no objetivo principal de acolher os ingressantes e estabelecer o vínculo com a família do curso de Odontologia da UESPI. Desta forma a experiência mostrou-se positiva, proporcionando uma acolhida dos discentes durante o período mais crítico da pandemia de COVID-19 e forte isolamento social (AU).

Este artículo tiene como objetivo relatar la experiencia de aplicación de herramientas digitales en reuniones virtuales de bienvenida a estudiantes que ingresan a la carrera de Odontología de la Universidad Estadual de Piauí (UESPI) durante la fase de aislamiento social derivada de la pandemia del nuevo coronavirus en 2020. La acción de extensión se llevó a cabo en cinco reuniones virtuales utilizando la plataforma de reuniones Google Meet y se aplicaron herramientas colaborativas como Padlet, Mentimeter y Google Forms para la integración del grupo. La participación de los estudiantes de primer año fue plena, en las reuniones estuvo presente el 100% de los estudiantes matriculados en el primer periodo del curso. Ante las incertidumbres respecto al inicio del periodo académico del año 2020, la propuesta realizada tuvo éxito en su objetivo principal de dar la bienvenida a nuevos estudiantes y establecer un vínculo con la familia de carreras de Odontología de la UESPI. De esta manera, la experiencia resultó positiva, brindando a los estudiantes una acogida durante el período más crítico de la pandemia de COVID-19 y de fuerte aislamiento social (AU).

The present article aims to report the experience of applying digital tools in virtual meetings to welcome students entering the Dentistry course at the State University of Piauí (UESPI) during the social isolation phase resulting from the new coronavirus pandemic in 2020. The extension action was carried out in five virtual meetings using the Google Meet meeting platform and collaborative tools such as Padlet, Mentimeter and Google Forms were applied to integrate the group. The participation of freshmen was full, 100% of students enrolled in the first period of the course were present at the meetings. Given the uncertainties regarding the start of the academic period in 2020, the proposal made was successful in its main objective of welcoming new students and establishing a bond with the UESPI Dentistry course family. In this way, the experience proved to be positive, providing students with a welcome during the most critical period of the COVID-19 pandemic and strong social isolation (AU).

Antidiarrheal activity of farnesol in rodents: Pharmacological actions and molecular docking.

Diarrhea is a condition in which the individual has about three or more daily bowel movements, followed by changes in stool consistency. It is currently considered as one of the worst public health problems due to the number of cases and deaths involved and difficulty of treatment. Thus, the use of natural products is an alternative for new treatments. Among these possibilities is Farnesol (C15H26O), a sesquiterpene found in different herbal species that has known biological activities. The objective of this study was to evaluate the antidiarrheal activity of Farnesol (FOH). Initially, FOH activity was evaluated in models of diarrhea and enteropooling induced by castor oil and PGE2. To evaluate motility, the opioid and cholinergic pathways were studied. In addition, the effect of FOH was investigated in the secretion model in intestinal loops treated with cholera toxin. FOH was evaluated for the ability to absorb fluids in intestinal loops and interact with GM1 receptors using the ELISA method and molecular docking. The dose of 50 mg/kg of FOH showed the best results in all antidiarrheal activity tests with castor oil and PGE2, being considered as the standard dose, reducing motility by anticholinergic mechanisms. There was a reduction in fluid secretion when FOH interacted directly with GM1 receptors; cholera toxin and molecular docking showed strong interaction between farnesol and these targets. In view of the results presented, the antidiarrheal activity occurs through anticholinergic, anti-inflammatory and anti-secretory action, making farnesol a potential candidate for the development of a new drug to treat diarrheal diseases.

Antidiarrheal effects of water-soluble proteins from Plumeria pudica latex in mice.

The water-soluble protein fraction obtained from Plumeria pudica (LPPp) latex has previously been demonstrated to have anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive effects. In the present study, LPPp was tested for activity against diarrhea induced by castor oil, prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) or cholera toxin. Different doses of LPPp (10, 20 or 40mg/kg) significantly inhibited the percentage of diarrheal stools (31.18%, 42.97% and 59.70%, respectively) induced by castor oil. This event was followed by significant reduction of both intestinal fluid accumulation (31.42%; LPPp 40mg/kg) and intestinal transit (68.4%; LPPp 40mg/kg). The pretreatment of animals with LPPp (40mg/kg) prevented glutathione and malondialdehyde alterations induced by castor oil. The effects of LPPp against diarrhea induced by castor oil were lost when the fraction was submitted to protein denaturing treatment with heat. LPPp (40mg/kg) also inhibited the average volume of intestinal fluid induced by PGE2 (inhibition of 46.0%). Furthermore, LPPp (40mg/kg) prevented intestinal fluid secretion accumulation (37.7%) and chloride ion concentration (50.2%) induced by cholera toxin. In parallel, colorimetric assays demonstrated that proteinases, chitinases and proteinase inhibitors were found in LPPp. Our data suggest that the antidiarrheal effect of LPPp is due to its protein content and is probably associated with its anti-inflammatory properties.