Evaluation of tissue repair using phytotherapeutic gel from Plectranthus neochilus, Schlechter (boldo-gambá) and Cnidoscolus quercifolius Pohl (favela) in Wistar rats / [Avaliação da reparação tecidual do gel fitoterápico de Plectranthus neochilus, Schlechter (Boldo-gambá) e Cnidoscolus quercifolius Pohl (Favela) em ratos Wistar]

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of a gel formulation from the association of Plectranthus neochilus and Cnidoscolus quercifolius on tissue repair in cutaneous wounds in rats. A surgical wound was induced in 35 Wistar rats and treated according to group: G1 - commercial phytotherapeutic gel; G2 - Carbopol gel 1%; G3, 4, 5 - gel formulation from Boldo-gambá and Favela (FGBF) at 2.5%, 5%, and 10%, respectively. 1ml of the product was applied topically daily, for 14 days. Macroscopic evaluation of the wound showed inflammation, granulation, and epithelization in all groups. The FGBF 2.5% group showed greater angiogenic potential. There was a significant difference between the surgical area of the wounds treated with FGBF 2.5%, 5%, or 10% compared to the group with the commercial phytotherapeutic gel. On histomorphometry of the skin, there were reepithelization of the epidermis and superficial dermis, longitudinal collagen fibers, fibroblasts, and blood vessels, and in the deeper dermis, fibroblasts, transverse and longitudinal collagen fibers, blood vessels, and inflammatory cells. The 2.5% formulation had the greatest increase in fibroblast proliferation and most intense collagenization on day 14 of treatment.(AU)

Este trabalho objetivou investigar os efeitos de uma formulação em gel da associação da Plectranthus neochilus e da Cnidoscolus quercifolius no processo de reparação tecidual em feridas cutâneas de ratos. Foi induzida uma ferida cirúrgica em 35 ratos Wistar, sendo tratadas de acordo com os grupos: G1 - fitoterápico comercial; G2 - gel de carbopol 1%; G3, G4 e G5 - formulação gel boldo-gambá mais favela (FGBF) 2,5%, 5% e 10%, respectivamente. Aplicou-se 1mL do produto, via tópica, diariamente, durante 14 dias. Na avaliação macroscópica das feridas, verificou-se inflamação, granulação e epitelização em todos os grupos. O grupo FGBF 2,5% apresentou maior potencial angiogênico. Houve diferença significativa entre as áreas cirúrgicas das feridas tratadas com os FGBF 2,5%, 5% ou 10%, comparados ao grupo com o gel fitoterápico comercial. Na histomorfometria da pele, observou-se reepitelização da epiderme e da derme superficial, fibras colágenas longitudinais, fibroblastos e vasos sanguíneos e, na derme profunda, fibroblastos, fibras colágenas transversais e longitudinais, vasos sanguíneos e células inflamatórias. A formulação a 2,5% teve o maior aumento na proliferação de fibroblastos e mais intensa colagenização no dia 14 de tratamento.(AU)

Ultrastructural Aspects of The Intestinal Cells Surface of Angiostrongylus Cantonensis By Using of Transmission Electron Microscopy.

The rat lungworm Angiostrongylus cantonensis is a zoonotic parasite and the main cause of eosinophilic meningitis in the world. Its main source of nutrients originates from the degradation of host hemoglobin in blood-feeding helminths, such as A. cantonensis. The purpose of this study was to analyze the ultrastructure of the intestinal cells by using of transmission electron microscopy (TEM). A. cantonensis worms obtained from Rattus norvegicus (norway rats) from endemic area were used for TEM. The ultrastructural analysis was performed using fragments cut from the middle part of the worms, and the TEM study revealed the cells with microvilli and nuclei containing areas of loose and condensed chromatin and the presence of macrovesicles and microvesicles of digestion and it was observed in this study that intestinal epithelium is look like a syncytium. The ultrastructural aspects of the intestinal cells surface of A. Cantonensis the indicate that the intestinal epithelium is a multinucleate mosaic or syncytium.

Chronic exposure to inorganic mercury induces biochemical and morphological changes in the salivary glands of rats.

Mercury exposure is considered to be a public health problem due to the generation of toxic effects on human health as a result of environmental and occupational conditions. The inorganic form of mercury (HgCl2) can cause several biological changes in cells and tissues through its cumulative toxic potential, but little has been experimentally proven about the effects of inorganic mercury on salivary glands, an important modulator organ of oral health. This study analyzes the effects of prolonged low dose exposure to HgCl2 on the salivary glands of rats. Adult animals received a dose of 0.375 mg kg-1 day-1 over a period of 45 days. The parotid and submandibular glands were collected for analysis of the mercury levels and evaluation of oxidative stress, histological parameters and immunomodulation for metallothionein I and II (MT-I/II). In this investigation, biochemical and tissue changes in the salivary glands were verified due to the mercury levels, causing reduction in antioxidant capacity against peroxyl radicals, with consequent cellular lipid peroxidation and an increase in nitrite levels, volumetric changes and cytoskeletal damage in the submandibular glands, with less severe damage to the parotid glands. The results also have shown the occurrence of a cytoprotection mechanism due to increased MT-I/II expression, but not enough to avoid the morphology and oxidative damage. This evidence highlights, for the first time, that inorganic mercury is able to alter the morphology and oxidative biochemistry in salivary glands when exposed for a long time in low doses.

Thiamine deficiency, oxidative metabolic pathways and ethanol-induced neurotoxicity: how poor nutrition contributes to the alcoholic syndrome, as Marchiafava-Bignami disease.

Ethanol is an important risk factor for the occurrence of several brain disorders that depend on the amount, period and frequency of its consumption. Chronic use of ethanol often leads to the development of neurodegenerative syndromes, which cause morphological and functional impairments such as foetal alcohol syndrome in newborns exposed to ethanol during pregnancy, Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome and, more rarely, Marchiafava-Bignami disease (MBD). MBD is characterized by primary degeneration of the corpus callosum, without inflammation and is associated with oxidative stress and hypovitaminosis, as well as altered mental status, to mention dementia, seizures, depression and so on. This review discusses MBD and poor nutrition as a risk factor for the development of such alcoholic syndrome, with focus on diagnosis, pathogenic aspects, signs and symptoms, as well as therapeutic perspectives. On the basis of the inclusion/exclusion criteria adopted, the performed search in scientific databases (Pubmed, Scielo and Google Scholar) resulted in 100 studies that are being presented and discussed in the present work. Review, case-control and cohort studies on alcoholism-associated hypovitaminosis, oxidative stress, MBD and ethanol metabolism pathways were admitted as relevant. We highlight that MBD is a poorly described, diagnosed, insidious and progressive condition, for which evidence suggests a synergism between ethanol-induced neurotoxic effects and hypovitaminosis B. Present treatment consists of vitamin B1(thiamine) supplementation. Nonetheless, other strategies such as the inclusion of antidepressants or steroidal anti-inflammatories as add-on therapies have been employed as an attempt to improve the damage. Indeed, both the diagnosis and treatment are difficult, and death occurs within few years.

Avaliação dos efeitos do aspartame sobre a ingestão alimentar, os parâmetros físicos, bioquímicos e histopatológicos em ratos Wistar / Evaluation of aspartame effects on food intake, physical, biochemical, and histopatological parameters in rats

Nos últimos anos, tem-se observado um aumento no consumo de alimentos diet e light por adolescentes ou por aqueles que estão à procura de uma alimentação com baixo teor calórico, surgindo, assim, diversos edulcorantes, como o aspartame. Porém, seu consumo ainda gera polêmica, devido a muitos dados contraditórios e inconclusivos. Diante disso, objetivou-se avaliar os efeitos da suplementação de aspartame sobre ingestão alimentar, parâmetros físicos, bioquímicos e histopatológicos em 18 ratos machos da linhagem Wistar, com cinco semanas de vida (ratos jovens), tratados durante 21 dias. Os animais foram distribuídos aleatoriamente em dois grupos: grupo controle (GC) - tratados com água destilada por gavagem, e o grupo aspartame (GA) - tratados diariamente com 2mL/100g/dia de aspartame. Todos os animais receberam ração comercial (Essence(r)) e água ad libitum. O controle da ingestão alimentar foi registrado semanalmente. Foram aferidos os parâmetros físicos por meio da análise do peso corporal, da circunferência toráxica, da circunferência abdominal, do comprimento vértice-cóccix, da gordura abdominal total e do cálculo do índice de massa corporal; os parâmetros bioquímicos foram analisados por meio da glicemia, da lipoproteína de alta densidade e dos triglicerídeos; além de tais análises, foi realizado o estudo histopatológico do fígado. Durante todo o experimento, os ratos tratados com aspartame apresentaram um aumento significativo no peso corpóreo e na ingestão alimentar quando comparados ao grupo controle. Não houve diferença nas demais análises tanto físicas, quanto bioquímicas e histopatológicas comparando-se o GA com o GC (P<0,05). Com base nos resultados obtidos, é possível inferir uma maior chance de desenvolvimento da obesidade, oriunda do consumo regular desse tipo de adoçante, já que ele comprovou ser capaz de estimular o consumo de alimentos e, consequentemente, o ganho de peso corpóreo.(AU)

Recent years have seen an increase in consumption of diet and light foods by teenagers or those who are looking for a low-calorie diet, thus resulting in several sweeteners such as aspartame. However, their consumption still generates controversy due to many contradictory and inconclusive data. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of aspartame supplementation on dietary intake, physical, biochemical, and histopathological parameters in 18 male Wistar rats, at five weeks old (young mice) treated for 21 days. The animals were randomly assigned into two groups: control group (CG) - treated with distilled water by gavage and aspartame group (GA) - treated with 2ml/100g/day of aspartame. All animals received commercial feed (Essence (r)) and water ad libitum. The control of food intake was recorded weekly. The physical parameters were measured by analyzing the body weight, chest circumference, waist circumference, vertex-coccyx length, total abdominal fat and calculating the body mass index; biochemical parameters were analyzed by glucose, high-density lipoprotein and triglycerides. Apart from such analysis the histopathological study of the liver was conducted. Throughout the experiment the rats treated with aspartame showed a significant increase in body weight and food intake compared to the control group. There was no difference in other analyzes such physical, biochemical, and histopathological comparing GA to GC (P<0.05). From the results we can infer a greater chance of developing obesity, coming from the regular consumption of this type of sweetener, as it proved able to stimulate food intake, and hence the gain of body weight.(AU)

Neurological disease in human and canine leishmaniasis--clinical features and immunopathogenesis.

Leishmaniasis is a vectorborne disease caused by Leishmania protozoa, which is a major health problem and a neglected disease common in many regions of the world. Leishmania is an intracellular parasite transmitted by sand flies that causes clinical manifestations ranging from a severe and potentially fatal disease named visceral leishmaniasis to less severe but in many cases disfiguring diseases that mainly affect the skin or mucosal tissues, known as cutaneous leishmaniasis. Despite the detection of Leishmania parasites in the brain and cerebrospinal fluid of human patients and dogs, epidemiological data, as well as information about the mechanisms of central and peripheral nervous system alterations, are poorly described. This review is focused on the current knowledge about the neurological manifestations and immunopathogenic mechanisms in human patients and animals infected with Leishmania.

Integrated multi-trophic culture of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) and Amazon river prawn (Macrobrachium amazonicum) in brackish water / Cultivo multi-trófico integrado de tilápia-do-nilo (Oreochromis niloticus) e camarão da Amazônia (Macrobrachium amazonicum) em água salobra

The aim of this study was to assess the feasibility of integrated multi-trophic culture of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) and Amazon River prawn (Macrobrachium amazonicum) in brackish water by evaluating its limnological characteristics and economic performance. The experiment was completely randomized with four treatments and four repetitions: control treatment with Nile tilapia only, stocked with 2 tilapias/m² (P2C0) and three integrated multi-trophic culture treatments stocked with 2 tilapias/m² and prawns at densities of 4, 8 and 16 prawns/m² (P2C04, P2C08 and P2C16, respectively). The limnological variables of temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, turbidity, ammonia, orthophosphate and chlorophyll "a" were evaluated and throughout the experiment remained within the limits recommended for culture. The experiment lasted 150 days with monthly animal sampling. No significant differences were observed for total fish biomass or for fish and prawn total survival rates. However, prawn individual weight decreased as stocking density increased. Gross revenue was not significantly different between treatments, as well as profitability. The profitability was 40.1% (P2C0), 36.7% (P2C04), 41.2% (P2C08) and 50.1% (P2C16). It is concluded that although feasible from the view point of husbandry, the integrated multi-tropic culture of M. amazonicum and O. niloticus did not influence significantly profitability compared to the monoculture system.

O objetivo deste estudo foi verificar a viabilidade do cultivo multitrófico integrado da tilápia-do-nilo (Oreochromis niloticus) e do camarão-da-amazônia (Macrobrachium amazonicum) em água salobra, mediante a avaliação de suas características limnológicas e de seu desempenho econômico. O experimento foi inteiramente ao acaso, com quatro tratamentos e quatro repetições: tratamento controle somente com tilápia-do-nilo, estocado com duas tilápias/m² (P2C0) e três tratamentos de cultivo multitrófico integrado, estocados com duas tilapias/m² e camarões nas densidades de quatro, oito e 16 camarões/m² (P2C04, P2C08 e P2C16, respectivamente). As variáveis limnológicas temperatura, pH, oxigênio dissolvido, turbidez, amônia, ortofosfato e clorofila "a" foram avaliadas e, durante todo o experimento, mantiveram-se dentro dos limites recomendados para o cultivo. O experimento durou 150 dias, com amostragem mensal dos animais. Diferenças significativas não foram observadas para a biomassa total de peixe nem para a taxa de sobrevivência total em peixes e camarões. Entretanto, o peso individual do camarão diminuiu à medida que a densidade de estocagem aumentou. A receita bruta não foi significativamente diferente entre os tratamentos, assim como a rentabilidade. A rentabilidade foi 40,1% (P2C0), 36,7% (P2C04), 41,2% (P2C08) e 50,1% (P2C16). Conclui-se que, apesar de viável do ponto de vista da larvicultura, o cultivo multitrófico integrado de M. amazonicum e O. niloticus não influenciou significativamente a rentabilidade quando comparado com o sistema de monocultura.

Solid lipid nanoparticles as drug carriers for topical glucocorticoids.

Recent investigations both in vitro and in human subjects proved the benefit/risk ratio of prednicarbate (PC) to exceed those of halogenated topical glucocorticoids about 2-fold. To obtain a further highly desired increase by drug targeting to viable epidermis, PC was incorporated into solid lipid nanoparticles (SLN). Keratinocyte and fibroblast monolayer cultures, reconstructed epidermis and excised human skin served to evaluate SLN toxicity and PC absorption. Well-tolerated preparations (e.g. cellular viability 94.5% following 18 h incubation of reconstructed epidermis) were obtained. PC penetration into human skin increased by 30% as compared to PC cream, permeation of reconstructed epidermis increased even 3-fold. The present study shows the great potential of SLN to improve drug absorption by the skin.