Antimutagenic and antioxidant properties of the aqueous extracts of organic and conventional grapevine Vitis labrusca cv. Isabella leaves in V79 cells.

Grapes are one of the most commonly consumed fruit, in both fresh and processed forms; however, a significant amount is disposed of in the environment. Searching for a use of this waste, the antigenotoxic, antimutagenic, and antioxidant activities of aqueous extracts from organic and conventional Vitis labrusca leaves were determined using V79 cells as model. The antigenotoxic activity was analyzed by the alkaline comet assay using endonuclease III and formamidopyrimidine DNA glycosylase enzymes. The antimutagenic property was assessed through the micronucleus (MN) formation, and antioxidant activities were assessed using 2',7'-dichlorodihydrofluorescin diacetate (DCFH-DA) assay and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH(●)) radical scavenging, as well as with superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activity assays. In addition, phenolic content and ascorbic acid levels of both extracts were determined. Data showed that both organic and conventional grapevine leaves extracts possessed antigenotoxic and antimutagenic properties. The extract of organic leaves significantly reduced intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels in V79 cells, and displayed greater ability for DPPH(●) scavenging and higher SOD and CAT activities than extract from conventional leaves. Further, the extract from organic leaves contained higher phenolic and ascorbic acid concentrations. In summary, extracts from organic and conventional grape leaves induced important in vitro biological effects.

Vasorelaxant Effect of a Baccharis trimera Infusion on Precontracted Rat Aortic Rings.

Baccharis trimera (Less.) DC is a South American plant that in folk medicine is considered to produce reduction in blood pressure. One aspect of this putative effect is the vasorelaxation. The aim of this work was to evaluate the ability of a B. trimera extract to relax rat aortic rings precontracted with noradrenaline. As the infusion is the usual way of intake of this plant, an infusion of B. trimera was prepared using 100 g of the plant (leaves) boiled in water, frozen and lyophilized. Working solutions were prepared using different concentrations of the dried extract diluted in Krebs Henseleit solution. It was proved that the infusion relaxed the aortic rings in a dose dependent manner 100 minutes after adding the exract to the bath. Considering as 100% the maximum contraction achieved with noradrenaline, a relaxation of 101.1 ± 2.3% was observed with the highest dose of the infusion used in these experiments (0.32 mg/mL). While in control rings relaxation was 12.9 ± 2.4%. In aortic rings denuded from endothelium the percentage of vasoralaxation did not show statistically significant differences when compared to intact rings. These data support the hypothesis of a vasorelaxant effect of this plant and constitutes the first approach to the scientific basis of a potential antihypertensive effect.

Enfermedad autoinmune y neoplasias / selfimmune disease and neoplasms

La asociación entre enfermedades autoinmunes y un mayor riesgo de desarrollar neoplasias es aún controvertida. La impresión general es que en pacientes con lupus y artritis reumatoide existe un incremento en el riesgo relativo de desarrollar neoplasias hematológicas, especialmente linfoma no Hodgkin, y leucemia, además de cáncer mama, cervix y pulmón. Incluimos en este artículo una serie de pacientes con artritis reumatoide y lupus eritematoso sistémico y su relación con neoplasias. Se presentan también las frecuencias de algunos factores relacionados con el desarrollo de neoplasias entre ellos el uso de inmunosupresores. Los resultados muestran una frecuencia de neoplasias de 8,16 por ciento, una mayor frecuencia de tabaquismo y mayor dosis acumulativa de ciclofosfamida en este grupo de pacientes. Estos hallazgos sugieren que factores de riesgo tradicionales y relacionados con la enfermedad como el uso de inmunosupresores podrían facilitar el desarrollo de neoplasias en estos pacientes...