Pfaffia paniculata (Brazilian ginseng) extract modulates Mapk and mucin pathways in intestinal inflammation.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Pfaffia paniculata is an endemic Brazilian plant traditionally used against fatigue, stress, inflammation and low immune system as well as with proven intestinal anti-inflammatory activity. AIM OF THE STUDY: To evaluate intestinal anti-inflammatory effects of P. paniculata on the mRNA abundance of Hsp70, Heparanase, Mapk1, Mapk3, Mapk6, Mapk9, Muc1, Muc2, Muc3, Muc4, and NF-κB, as well as the mucin content in colonic samples. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Intestinal inflammation was induced by TNBS and rats were divided into groups that received vehicle or 25, 50, 100, or 200mg/kg of P. paniculata extract, p.o., started 2h after inflammation induction and continued daily for 7 days. At the end of the procedure, the animals were killed and their colon samples were obtained for RT-qPCR analysis and mucin histochemical study with PAS/Alcian blue stain. The inflammatory process was confirmed with colon macroscopic analysis and myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity. RESULTS: P. paniculata at 200mg/kg significantly decreased macroscopic damage score, extension of lesion and colonic MPO activity. Besides, P. paniculata at a dose of 25mg/kg was also able to significantly decrease Hsp70, while treatment with 50mg/kg reduced Mapk3 and increased Muc4. At dose of 100mg/kg P. paniculata increased Mapk1, Muc3, Muc4, and decreased Mapk3. Finally, at the 200mg/kg P. paniculata reduced Mapk3. The heparanase, NF-κB, Mapk6, Mapk9, Muc1 and Muc2 mRNA abundances were not altered after P. paniculata treatments. CONCLUSION: Intestinal anti-inflammatory activity of P. paniculata was related to modulation of Mapks and mucin gene expression, as well as mucus secretion in intestinal inflammation.

Realization of Rectangular Artificial Spin Ice and Direct Observation of High Energy Topology.

In this work, we have constructed and experimentally investigated frustrated arrays of dipoles forming two-dimensional artificial spin ices with different lattice parameters (rectangular arrays with horizontal and vertical lattice spacings denoted by a and b respectively). Arrays with three different aspect ratios γ = a/b = [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] are studied. Theoretical calculations of low-energy demagnetized configurations for these same parameters are also presented. Experimental data for demagnetized samples confirm most of the theoretical results. However, the highest energy topology (doubly-charged monopoles) does not emerge in our theoretical model, while they are seen in experiments for large enough γ. Our results also insinuate that the string tension connecting two magnetic monopoles in a pair vanishes in rectangular lattices with a critical ratio γ = γ c = [Formula: see text], supporting previous theoretical predictions.

Anti-inflammatory effects of Brazilian ginseng (Pfaffia paniculata) on TNBS-induced intestinal inflammation: Experimental evidence.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic, relapsing, idiopathic inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract. Clinical studies suggest that the initiation of IBD is multifactorial, involving genetics, the immune system and environmental factors, such as diet, drugs and stress. Pfaffia paniculata is an adaptogenic medicinal plant used in Brazilian folk medicine as an "anti-stress" agent. Thus, we hypothesised that the P. paniculata enhances the response of animals subjected to colonic inflammation. Our aim was to investigate the intestinal anti-inflammatory activity of P. paniculata in rats before or after induction of intestinal inflammation using trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid (TNBS). The animals were divided into groups that received the vehicle, prednisolone or P. paniculata extract daily starting 14 days before or 7 days after TNBS induction. At the end of the procedure, the animals were killed and their colons were assessed for the macroscopic damage score (MDS), extent of the lesion (EL) and weight/length ratio, myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity and glutathione (GSH), cytokines and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels. Histological evaluation and ultrastructural analysis of the colonic samples were performed. Treatment with the 200mg/kg dose on the curative schedule was able to reduce the MDS and the EL. In addition, MPO activity was reduced, GSH levels were maintained, and the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines and CRP were decreased. In conclusion, the protective effect of P. paniculata was related to reduced oxidative stress and CRP colonic levels, and due to immunomodulatory activity as evidenced by reduced levels of IL-1ß, INF-γ, TNF-α and IL-6.

Neurobehavioral effect of essential oil of Cymbopogon citratus in mice.

Tea obtained from leaves of Cymbopogon citratus (DC) Stapf is used for its anxiolytic, hypnotic and anticonvulsant properties in Brazilian folk medicine. Essential oil (EO) from fresh leaves was obtained by hydrodistillation and orally administered to Swiss male mice 30 min before experimental procedures. EO at 0.5 or 1.0 g/kg was evaluated for sedative/hypnotic activity through pentobarbital sleeping time, anxiolytic activity by elevated plus maze and light/dark box procedures and anticonvulsant activity through seizures induced by pentylenetetrazole and maximal electroshock. EO was effective in increasing the sleeping time, the percentage of entries and time spent in the open arms of the elevated plus maze as well as the time spent in the light compartment of light/dark box. In addition, EO delayed clonic seizures induced by pentylenetetrazole and blocked tonic extensions induced by maximal electroshock, indicating the elevation of the seizure threshold and/or blockage of seizures spread. These effects were observed in the absence of motor impairment evaluated on the rotarod and open field test. Our results are in accord with the ethnopharmacological use of Cymbopogon citratus, and after complementary toxicological studies it can support investigations assessing their use as anxiolytic, sedative or anticonvulsive agent.

Leptin serum levels in the first year post-renal transplantation.

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the serum levels of leptin in the first year post-renal transplantation. Thirty-two patients and 19 healthy individuals were included. Serum leptin and biochemical markers were evaluated prospectively starting at transplant time (t(0)), and then every 3 months up to 1 year posttransplantation. The mean serum levels of leptin were higher in the pretransplant (t(0)) evaluation as compared with a control group of healthy volunteers (11.9 [9.2-25.2] and 7.7 [5.2-9.9] ng/mL, respectively; P < .0001). Leptinemia decreased significantly in the first 3 months after the renal transplantation (t(3)) (11.9 [9.2-25.2] to 7.1 [4.14-12.5] ng/mL; P < .0001) increased at t(6) to 10.6 (5.6-14.6) ng/mL and remained stable at t(9) (9.0 [5.2-18.3] ng/mL) and t(12) (9.3 [4.9-16.4] ng/mL). No correlation was found between leptin and renal function at any time during the study. In conclusion, during the first posttransplant year the serum leptin levels decreased significantly in relation to pretransplant period.