Caffeic acid phenethyl ester protects against the dopaminergic neuronal loss induced by 6-hydroxydopamine in rats.

Caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) is a botanical compound abundant in honeybees' propolis. It has anti-inflammatory, antiviral, antioxidant, immunomodulatory and antitumor properties. Its beneficial effects against neurodegenerative diseases, including Parkinson's disease, have also been suggested and some mechanisms have been proposed. Mitochondrial damage and oxidative stress are critical events in neurodegeneration. Release of cytochrome c from mitochondria to cytosol and the downstream activation of caspase-3 have been suggested as targets of the protective mechanism of CAPE. Most of the studies addressing the protective effect of CAPE have been performed in cell culture. This is the first study to demonstrate the protective effect of CAPE against the dopaminergic neuronal loss induced by 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) in rats. It also demonstrates, for the first time, the inhibitory effect of CAPE on mitochondrial permeability transition (MPT), a mediator of neuronal death that triggers cytochrome c release and caspase-3 activation. Scavenging of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and metal chelation was demonstrated in the brain-affected areas of the rats treated with 6-OHDA and CAPE. Additionally, we demonstrated that CAPE does not affect brain mitochondrial function. Based on these findings and on its ability to cross the blood-brain barrier, CAPE is a promising compound to treat Parkinson's and other neurodegenerative diseases.

Survey of 13 trace elements of toxic and nutritional significance in rice from Brazil and exposure assessment.

Twenty-seven rice samples from Brazil, four parboiled brown, seventeen white and six parboiled white were analysed by ICP-MS for trace element determination. Concentrations of arsenic varied from 58.8 to 216.9 ng g(-1), for cadmium from 6.0 to 20.2 ng g(-1), for antimony from 0.12 to 1.28 ng g(-1), and for uranium from 0.025 to 1.28 ng g(-1). The estimated daily intake through rice consumption was 9.5 µg for As, 2.4 µg for Cd, 0.029 µg for Sb, 0.013 µg for U, 3.1 µg for Co, 0.2 µg for Cu, 85.6 mg for Mg, 1.9 mg for Mn, 333 mg for P, 3.0 µg for Se, 1.6 mg for Zn, 0.9 mg for Rb, and 0.3 µg for V. Found values represent a considerable percentage of the dietary reference intakes and provisional tolerable daily intake for essential and toxic elements, respectively.