Espátulas rectas paralelas de Velasco: experiencia del servicio con un nuevo instrumento extractor del feto en el período expulsivo detenido / Velasco spatules: experience of the service with a new fetus extraction instrument

Se presentan las espátulas rectas y paralelas de Velasco (ERV), se describe el instrumento, sus características y se da a conocer una experiencia preliminar en un período de 3 años entre 1997 y 2000 y los resultados obtenidos en nuestro servicio de parto con fetos expulsivos detenidos y alteraciones de sus latidos cardíaco

A study of the chemical composition of Erythroxylum coca var. coca leaves collected in two ecological regions of Bolivia.

Coca-Erythroxylum coca Lamarck var. coca-remains one of the most common plants of the folk medicine of Bolivia used as a general stimulant. Aymara and Quechua natives prefer to chew the sweeter coca leaves from the Yungas (tropical mountain forests of the eastern slopes of the Andes) rather than those from the Chapare lowlands. The contents in cocaine and minor constituents of leaf samples cultivated in these regions does not rationalize this choice.

Phenomenological differences appearing with repetitive behaviours in obsessive-compulsive disorder and Gilles de la Tourette's syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is heterogeneous, with some forms related to Gilles de la Tourette's syndrome (GTS). This is a phenomenological study designed to investigate the nature of these possible OCD subtypes and the relationship between OCD and GTS. METHOD: We evaluated 20 adult outpatients with OCD, 21 with GTS, and 20 with OCD plus GTS using a semi-structured interview designed to assess cognitive, sensory and autonomic phenomena preceding repetitive behaviours. RESULTS: More cognitions and autonomic anxiety and fewer sensory phenomena were reported in OCD than in GTS. Like the GTS group, the OCD plus GTS group reported more sensory phenomena and fewer cognitions than the OCD group. CONCLUSIONS: The presence or absence of cognitions, sensory phenomena, and autonomic anxiety distinguishes repetitive behaviours in patients with OCD from those with OCD plus GTS, and GTS. These subjective experiences may be useful in subtyping OCD and may represent valid predictors of prognosis and treatment response.

Estudio químico y botánico de las diferentes formas de Erythroxylum coca var. coca cultivadas en Bolivia / Chemical and botanical study of the different forms of Erythroxylum coca var. coca grown in Bolivia

La coca es una de las plantas de cultivo más antiguo de los pueblos de Sur américa, constituyendo uno de los más importantes de Bolivia. Una parte de la producción es consumida tradicionalmente por los campesinos (principalmente bajo la forma del acullicu) alrededor de 10.000 toneladas sobre las 60.000 a 80.000 toneladas producidas anualmente en el país (Carter y Mamani, 1986). Las preguntas que habitualmente se hace la población boliviana sobre las cualidades de la hoja de coca son las siguientes: ¿Existen distintas variedades de coca cultivadas en Bolivia? ¿La hoja de coca en su estado natural, tiene o no cocaína? ¿Cuántos compuestos diferentes están presentes en la hoja de coca? ¿Cuál es el compuesto responsable de sus propiedades medicinales? (AU)

Alkaloids from Aspidosperma species from Bolivia.

Two Bolivian Aspidosperma species were investigated. The seed and stem bark of Aspidosperma macrocarpon Mart. contain six known alkaloids: (-)-vincadifformine, ervinceine, kopsanone, kopsinine, kopsanol in the seed, and kopsanone, kopsinine, kopsanol, 18-epikopsanol in the stem bark. The stem bark of Aspidosperma pyrifolium Mart. contains eleven known alkaloids: (-)-vincadifformine, O-demethylpalosine, haplocine, N-formylaspidospermidine, vallesine, demethoxyaspidospermine, palosine, (-)-aspidospermine, aspidospermidine, akuammicine, tubotaiwine, beside the two new bases dehydroxyhaplocidine and 10-methoxyaspidospermidine.

Triterpene saponins from Myrsine pellucida.

Quercitol, five saponins and 3-O-(6'-O-palmitoyl) beta-D-glucopyranosyl stigmasterol were isolated from the stem bark of Myrisine pellucida. These compounds are described for the first time in this plant and their structures were determined using a combination of 1H and 13C NMR, and mass spectroscopy. The two saponins are new compounds, 3-O-(alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl (1-->2) beta-D-glucopyranosyl (1-->4) alpha-L-arabinopyranosyl) cyclamiretin A and 3-O-(beta-D-xylopyranosyl) (1-->2) beta-D-glucopyranosyl (1-->4) [beta-D-glucopyranosyl (1-->2)] alpha-L-arabinopyranosyl) cyclamiretin D.

Isolation of bis-indole alkaloids with antileishmanial and antibacterial activities from Peschiera van heurkii (syn. Tabernaemontana van heurkii).

Extracts from leaves and stem bark of Peschiera van heurkii (Muell. Arg.) L. Allorge (syn. Tabernaemontana van heurkii Muell. Arg., Apocynaceae) have been assayed for antileishmanial and antibacterial activities. The activities were concentrated in the alkaloid fractions which yielded 20 indole and bisindole alkaloids. The strongest leishmanicidal and antibacterial activities were observed with the dimeric alkaloids conodurine (1), N-demethylconodurine (= gabunine) (2), and conoduramine (3). Weak toxicity towards macrophage host cells and strong activity against the intracellular amastigote form of Leishmania were observed for compounds 1 and 2. In vivo, 1 was less active than glucantime (= N-methylglucamine antimonate), the drug of reference, while 2 was devoid of activity at 100 mg/kg.

Antimalarial activity of cedronin.

Cedronin was isolated from Simaba cedron Planchon (Simaroubaceae), a species popularly believed in South America to have antimalarial properties. It was examined for in vitro and in vivo antimalarial activities and for cytotoxicity against KB cells. Experimental results showed that cedronin was active against chloroquine-sensitive and resistant strain, with an IC50 of 0.25 micrograms/ml (0.65 mumol/ml). It was also found to be active in vivo against Plasmodium vinkei with an IC50 of 1.8 mg/kg (4.7 nM/kg) in the classic 4-day test. Cedronin belongs to the small group of quassinoids with a C19 basic skeleton and shows a rather low cytotoxicity against KB cells (IC50 = 4 micrograms/ml, 10.4 microM) as compared with C20 biologically active quassinoids; however its toxic/therapeutic ratio (10/1.8) remains lower than chloroquine (10/0.5).

[Antimalarial effect of n-hentriacontanol isolated from Cuatresia sp (Solanaceae)]. / Activité antipaludique du n-hentriacontanol isolé de Cuatresia sp (Solanaceae).

The antimalarial activity of the fatty alcohol, n-hentriacontanol, isolated from the bolivian Solanaceae, Cuatresia sp, is investigated in vivo through a classical four-day suppressive test against Plasmodium berghei and P. vinckei in mice. This product markedly reduced the virulence of experimentally induced P. vinckei infection. n-Hentriacontanol belongs to a new class of antimalarial natural compounds to be exploited for therapeutic purposes.

Two new quassinoids from Simaba multiflora fruits.

Two new quassinoids, 13, 18-dehydro-6 alpha-senecioyloxychaparrin (4) and 12-dehydro-6 alpha-senecioyloxychaparrin (5), have been isolated from Simaba multiflora fruits. Their structures were deduced from spectral data. 1H-13C 2-D chemical-shift correlation nmr was applied to the structural elucidation of the antileukemic quassinoid 4.

[The "nivrées", or ichthyotoxic plants of French Guyana]. / Les nivrées ou plantes ichtyotoxiques de la Guyane Française.

An attempt to clarify the taxonomy, the biogeography and the ethnobotany of the fishing poisons of Guiana and adjacent countries is presented. Collections have been made for every drug and field-notes concerning all ethnic groups of Guiana. Data are compared with published sources, particularly those of the past centuries. Ichthyotoxic plants have been classified into three groups: rotenone-yielding plants (Lonchocarpus, Derris, Tephrosia), saponin-yielding plants (Sapindaceae), and the "kunami" group of plants (Compositae, Euphorbiaceae). For each drug the vernacular names, the synonyms still used, the most notable morphological characteristics are specified, as well as ethnological observations and active constituents when known. Drugs and fishing-related techniques were selected long ago by Amerindians then often diffused through Amazonian countries by mixed-blood populations.