Açäo vermífuga da farinha de semente de abóbora / Vermifuge effect of the pumpkinseed

Acredita-se que alguns vegetais, entre eles a semente de abóbora tenham efeito anti-helmíntico, mas säo raras as indicaçöes dos vermes sensíveis. O objetivo foi verificar os efeitos da semente de abóbora sobre a verminose, em crianças previamente identificadas como portadores de algum tipo de parasito (14 constituíram as unidades de observaçäo). A semente de abóbora foi oferecida sob a forma de farinha (5g) para as crianças de 2 a 3 anos; de biscoito (85g) para as de 4 anos e de paçoca (70g) para as de 5 anos. O produto teve efeito exclusivamente vermífugo em 14,29 por cento do grupo em foco, èxclusivamente estimulante em 35,71 por cento, ambos os efeitos em 21,43 por cento e nenhum efeito em 28,57 por cento. ANOVA para um fator discriminante aferiu se existia diferença significativa entre as médias das doses consecutivas e intermitente atuando como "vermífugo: ou "estimulante do aparecimento de parasitos no exame coprológico". A estatística F de Snedecor permitiu inferir que as médias näo diferem significativamente para um p-level de 0,89 e 0,83 para o efeito vermífugo e estimulante, respectivamente. O mesmo ocorreu para as doses intermitentes, com p-level de 0,88 e 0,76. Estes níveis de significância levam a concluir que a semente de abóbora apresentou discreto efeito como vermífugo e estimulante, em dosagem consecutiva e intermitente respectivamente.

Hypoglycemic action of Cucurbita ficifolia on Type 2 diabetic patients with moderately high blood glucose levels.

Ten Type 2 diabetic patients with moderately hyperglycemia, received a raw extract of Cucurbita ficifolia or potable water in a single dose of 4 ml/Kg body weight, in two different sessions at least separated by 1 week. Blood glucose levels were followed in both parts of the study by a period of 5 h. The patients had stopped their pharmacologic medication 24 h prior to each part of the study. As expected, no significant changes on blood glucose were observed after giving the vehicle; however, the oral administration of C. ficifolia was followed by a significant decrease in blood glucose levels, from 12.07+/-1.69 mM (217.2+/-30.4 mg/dl) to 9.42+/-1.96 mM (169.6+/-35.3 mg/dl) 3 h after and to 8.37+/-1.74 mM (150.8+/-31.3 mg/dl) 5 h after the extract administration. The hypoglycemic action of Cucurbita ficifolia agrees with its effects previously observed in laboratory animals. The results of this preliminary study do not give indications for the mechanism of this hypoglycemic effect.

Hypotriglyceridemic and hypocholesterolemic effects of anti-diabetic Momordica charantia (karela) fruit extract in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.

Momordica charantia (karela) is commonly used as an antidiabetic and antihyperglycemic agent in Asian, Oriental and Latin American countries. This study was undertaken to investigate the effects of long term feeding (10 weeks) of M. charantia fruit extract on blood plasma and tissue lipid profiles in normal and streptozotocin (STZ)-induced Type 1 diabetic rats. The results show that there was a significant (P < 0.05) increase in plasma non-esterified cholesterol, triglycerides and phospholipids in STZ-induced diabetic rats, accompanied by a decrease in high density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol. A moderate increase in plasma (LPO) product, malonedialdehyde (MDA), and about two-fold increase in kidney LPO was also observed in STZ-induced diabetic rats. The treatment of diabetic rats with M. charantia fruit extract over a 10-week period returned these levels close to normal. In addition, karela juice also exhibited an inhibitory effect on membrane LPO under in vitro conditions. These results suggest that M. charantia fruit extract exhibits hypolipidemic as well as hypoglycemic effects in the STZ-induced diabetic rat.

Ecbalium elaterium (squirting cucumber)--remedy or poison?

BACKGROUND: Ecbalium elaterium is a plant endemic to the Mediterranean basin. Its roots and cucumber-shaped fruit have been used in folk medicine since antiquity. The alleged uses of the fruit juice are as a potent cathartic, analgesic, and antiinflammatory agent. Cucurbitacin B, a triterpene derivative is the active antiinflammatory principal. PATIENTS: We present a series of 13 patients who were exposed to the juice of Ecbalium elaterium in its natural form. In 3 patients, exposure was intranasal for the treatment of sinusitis or liver cirrhosis. In 3 other cases, children ingested the fruit unwittingly. In 6 patients, exposure was ocular and, in one, dermal. Within minutes of exposure, the patients exhibited irritation of mucous membranes at various degrees of severity manifested as edema of pharynx, dyspnea, drooling, dysphagia, vomiting, conjunctivitis, corneal edema, and erosion, depending on the route of the exposure. Recovery began within several to 24 hours after administration of oxygen, steroids, antihistamines, and beta-2-agonists. Ocular exposures responded to topical steroid and antibiotic eyedrops within a few days. The toddler with the dermal exposure remained asymptomatic. CONCLUSION: Exposure to the juice of Ecbalium elaterium, mainly in its undiluted form, may cause irritation of mucous membranes, supposedly of inflammatory nature. Patients exposed orally or intranasally should be closely followed for upper airway obstruction. Patients exposed ocularly should have their eyes promptly irrigated to prevent corneal and conjunctival injury.

Anti-inflammatory effects of the products from Wilbrandia ebracteata on carrageenan-induced pleurisy in mice.

Wilbrandia ebracteata Cogn. (Cucurbitaceae) is commonly known in Brazil as "Taiuia". The roots are employed in folk medicine for the treatment of several diseases, such as rheumatic disease. This study has evaluated the anti-inflammatory action of dicloromethane fraction (F-DCM), purified fraction (PFIII) and Cucurbitacin B extracted from crude extract of W. ebracteata in experimental models in vivo. The F-DCM (0.3 to 10 mg.kg(-1), i.p. or 3 to 30 mg.kg(-1) p.o.) produced significant but not dose-dependent inhibition of the carrageenan-induced cell influx and exsudate leakage in the pleural cavity of mice. The F-DCM 0.01 to 10 mg.kg(-1), i.p. or 0.1 to 10 mg.kg(-1) p.o.) decreased the levels of PGE2 in the exsudate leakage induced by carrageenan in the pleural cavity after 4 h with a calculated ID50 of 0.01 (0.002-0.09, i.p.) and 0.29 (0.05-1.45, p.o.) mg.kg(-1). The PFIII (3 mg.kg(-1), i.p.) inhibited 80% of cell migration (1.50 +/- 0.09 x 10(6) cells/cavity) and exsudate leakage by about 50% (3.09 +/- 0.71 microg/ml) in relation to the control group. Cucurbitacin B (0.1 mg.kg(-1), i.p.), the main compound of PFIII, reduced significantly the levels of PGE2 in the exsudate leakage by 40.7% (10.41 +/- 2.67 ng.ml(-1)). These data show that the active principle(s) present in the F-DCM of W. ebracteata elicited pronounced anti-inflammatory effects when assessed by i.p. or p.o. routes, as well as PFIII. The F-DCM was also able to prevent PGE2 formation in exsudate leakage induced by carrageenan, as well as Cucurbitacin B, its active principle. These results indicate that the anti-inflammatory activity of Wilbrandia ebracteata can be related with the inhibition of the production of PGE2.

The antihyperglycamic effect of Telfaria occidentalis in mice.

The hypoglycemic effect of Telfaria occidentalis was studied in mice. The effect of the aqueous extract of the leaves on blood glucose level were assessed in normoglycaemic, glucose induced hyperglycaemic and streptozotocin (STZ) induced diabetic mice. The aqueous extract given orally in 1 g/kg did not alter the blood glucose level in normoglycaemic mice. In glucose-induced hyperglycemia, antidiabetic activity was seen when the extract and glucose were administered simultaneously and when the extract was giving to the mice 60 minutes before glucose. In STZ-induced diabetic mice, a reduction in the blood glucose level was seen from day two of the administration of the extract. The hypoglycemic effect of the aqueous extract was compared with that of an oral dose of chlorpropamide (200 mg/kg) under the same conditions. The results of this study indicate that the aqueous extract of the leaves of Telfaria occidentalis possess hypoglycaemic activity.

Antidiabetic and hypolipidemic effects of Momordica cymbalaria Hook. fruit powder in alloxan-diabetic rats.

This study was undertaken to investigate the effect of Momordica cymbalaria fruit powder on blood glucose and other biochemical parameters in alloxan-induced diabetic rats. The treatment was given for 15 days. After the treatment, a significant reduction was observed in fasting blood glucose levels in the treated diabetic rats, but no hypoglycaemic activity in the treated normal rats. M. cymbalaria treatment showed considerable lowering of serum cholesterol and triglycerides in the treated diabetic group. There was a significant improvement in hepatic glycogen level in treated diabetic rats close to normal level after the treatment with M. cymbalaria. These results suggest that the M. cymbalaria fruit powder possesses antidiabetic and hypolipidemic effects in alloxan-induced diabetic rats.

Effect of gynostemma pentaphyllum mak on carcinomatous conversions of golden hamster cheek pouches induced by dimethylbenzanthracene: a histological study.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of gynostemma pentaphyllum mak (GP) on carcinomatous conversions of leukoplasia of the golden hamster cheek pouch induced by dimethylbenzanthracene (DMBA). METHODS: 284 golden hamsters, ranging from 4 to 8 weeks of age, 80 to 100 grams in weight were randomly divided into three groups: control, model and experimental groups. Control group (8 hamsters) were sacrificed at week 0 and week 12 for control. Model group (123 hamsters) were pasted in bilateral cheek pouches with 0.5% DMBA, 3 times a week for establishment of experimental leukoplasia, and sacrificed at week 2 to week 9 (12-22 hamsters were sacrificed a week). Experimental group (153 hamsters) were divided into three subgroups. Subgroup A underwent simultaneous DMBA pasting and oral taking of GP, and were sacrificed at week 6 and week 9. Subgroup B underwent oral taking of GP for 12 weeks after completion of DMBA pasting. Subgroup C underwent DMBA pasting after completion of oral taking of GP for 12 weeks. RESULTS: The earliest epithelial dysplasia and carcinoma in situ occurred at week 3 and week 6 after DMBA pasting. There were significant differences between subgroup B and model group for 3 weeks' administration of DMBA (P < 0.05), and between subgroup C and model group (P < 0.01), while there was no difference between subgroup B and model group for 6 week's administration of DMBA (P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: GP could inhibit and reverse the carcinomatous conversions of leukoplasia of golden hamster cheek pouches, indicating its positive anticarcinogenic effect.