Campomanesia adamantium extract induces DNA damage, apoptosis, and affects cyclophosphamide metabolism.

Campomanesia adamantium (Cambess.) O. Berg. is originally from Brazil. Its leaves and fruits have medicinal properties such as anti-inflammatory, antidiarrheal and antiseptic properties. However, the mutagenic potential of this species has been reported in few studies. This study describes the mutagenic/antimutagenic, splenic phagocytic, and apoptotic activities of C. adamantium hydroethanolic extract with or without cyclophosphamide in Swiss mice. The animals orally received the hydroethanolic extract at doses of 30, 100, or 300 mg/kg with or without 100 mg/kg cyclophosphamide. Mutagenesis was evaluated by performing the micronucleus assay after treatment for 24, 48, and 72 h, while splenic phagocytic and apoptotic effects were investigated after 72 h. Short-term exposure of 30 and 100 mg/kg extract induced mild clastogenic/aneugenic effects and increased splenic phagocytosis and apoptosis in the liver, spleen, and kidneys. When the extract was administered in combination with cyclophosphamide, micronucleus frequency and apoptosis reduced. Extract components might affect cyclophosphamide metabolism, which possibly leads to increased clearance of this chemotherapeutic agent. C. adamantium showed mutagenic activity and it may decrease the effectiveness of drugs with metabolic pathways similar to those associated with cyclophosphamide. Thus, caution should be exercised while consuming these extracts, especially when received in combination with other drugs.

Angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors versus calcium antagonists in the treatment of diabetic hypertensive patients.

Angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors and calcium antagonists are effective agents for controlling high blood pressure in diabetic patients. We selected 30 type II diabetic patients with proteinuria and evaluated the effect of these drugs on renal function and proteinuria. In a double-blind trial, patients received either 40 mg/day enalapril or 40 mg/day nifedipine during 12 months. They also received a hypoproteic diet with 0.8 g/kg wt/day of protein. In the enalapril group (10 men and eight women), mean arterial blood pressure was 112.0 +/- 12 mm Hg, creatinine clearance was 58.6 +/- 12.4 ml/min, and 24-hour proteinuria was 4.36 +/- 3.23 g/24 hr before treatment. After treatment, mean arterial blood pressure was 82.0 +/- 8.30 mm Hg (p less than 0.001), creatinine clearance was 66.6 +/- 13.8 ml/min (NS), and 24-hour proteinuria was 0.56 +/- 0.78 g/24 hr (p less than 0.001). In the nifedipine group (six men and six women), mean arterial blood pressure was 114.0 +/- 8.0 mm Hg, creatinine clearance was 67.8 +/- 19.6 ml/min, and 24-hour proteinuria was 2.84 +/- 1.31 g/24 hr before treatment. After treatment, mean arterial blood pressure was 86.0 +/- 7.0 mm Hg (p less than 0.001), creatinine clearance was 51.4 +/- 7.9 ml/min (p less than 0.001), and 24-hour proteinuria was 2.66 +/- 0.89 g/24 hr (NS). These results show a similar hypotensive action and different renal effects between these two drugs after 12 months of treatment.