Study of anti-diabetic, beta-carotene-bleaching inhibiting and iron chelating properties of Carissa opaca root extracts

Abstract Degenerative diseases diabetes and oxidative stress constitute a major health concern worldwide. Medicinal plants are expected to provide effective and affordable remedies. The present research explored antidiabetic and antioxidant potential of extracts of Carissa opaca roots. Methanolic extract (ME) was prepared through maceration. Its fractions were obtained, sequentially, in hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate and n-butanol. An aqueous decoction (AD) of the finely ground roots was obtained by boiling in distilled water. The leftover biomass with methanol was boiled in water to obtain biomass aqueous decoction (BAD). The extracts and fractions showed considerable porcine pancreatic α-amylase inhibitory activity with IC50 in the range of 5.38-7.12 mg/mL while acarbose had 0.31 mg/mL. The iron chelating activity in terms of EC50 was 0.2939, 0.3429, 0.1876, and 0.1099 mg/mL for AD, BAD, ME, and EDTA, respectively. The EC50 of beta-carotene bleaching activity for AD, BAD, ME, and standard BHA were 4.10, 4.71, 3.48, and 2.79 mg/mL, respectively. The total phenolic content (TPC) and total flavonoid content (TFC) of AD and BAD were also considerable. In general, ethyl acetate fraction proved to be the most potent. Thus, the C. opaca roots had excellent antioxidant activity while having moderate α-amylase inhibitory potentia

Dietary iron chelate for sows and effects on iron supplementation in piglets.

In order to evaluate iron chelate in diets for sows during gestation and lactation and its effects on iron supplementation for piglets, a total of 50 pregnant sows in the third parity order were distributed according to a randomized block design with two treatments: diet without iron chelate supplementation (n=20); diet supplemented with 0.15% of iron chelate (n=30). The litters of sows were distributed into five different treatments: sows without iron chelate supplementation and piglets receiving intramuscular iron-dextran; sows without iron chelate supplementation and piglets receiving oral iron supplementation; sows supplemented with iron chelate and piglets receiving intramuscular iron-dextran; sows supplemented with iron chelate and piglets receiving oral iron supplementation; sows supplemented with iron chelate and piglets without iron supplementation. No influence of dietary supplementation of iron chelate was verified on the productive parameters of the sows. For the piglets, iron-dextran supplementation promoted higher weaning weight in comparison to non-supplemented piglets, although not differing to those received oral iron supplementation. Thus, iron chelate supplementation did not improve the productive parameters of sows, but it increased iron excretion in the feces, thus requiring iron supplementation for the piglets after birth.

Factors associated with satisfaction at work in Psychosocial Care Centers / Fatores associados à satisfação no trabalho em Centros de Atenção Psicossocial / Factores asociados a la satisfacción en el trabajo en Centros de Atención Psicosocial

OBJECTIVES: to analyze the prevalence of satisfaction at work and identify associated factors in Psychosocial Care Centers. METHOD: cross-sectional study involving 546 workers from 40 Psychosocial Care Centers in the South of Brazil. The satisfaction was identified based on the Assessment Scale of Satisfaction in the Mental Health Team and a logistic regression model was used for the adjusted data analysis. RESULTS: the prevalence of satisfaction at work corresponded to 66.4%. Factors directly associated with satisfaction: higher-level function (except physicians and psychologists), work time of six months or less, making a larger number of home visits, good supervision by the team, possibility to make collective choices and take courses. CONCLUSIONS: the satisfaction is associated with the work organization and conditions and demonstrates the need to invest in team supervisions, in process that democratize the services and in the workers' training. .

OBJETIVOS: analisar a prevalência de satisfação no trabalho e identificar fatores associados em Centros de Atenção Psicossocial. MÉTODO: estudo transversal com 546 trabalhadores de 40 Centros de Atenção Psicossocial, da Região Sul do Brasil. A satisfação foi identificada a partir da Escala de Avaliação da Satisfação da Equipe de Saúde Mental e a análise ajustada dos dados, realizada por modelo de regressão logística. RESULTADOS: prevalência de satisfação no trabalho de 66,4%. Fatores diretamente associados à satisfação: função de nível superior (excetuando médicos e psicólogos), tempo de trabalho menor ou igual a seis meses, realização de maior número de visitas domiciliares, boa supervisão pela equipe, possibilidade de fazer escolhas coletivas e cursos. CONCLUSÕES: a satisfação está associada à organização e às condições do trabalho e demonstra necessidade de se investir em supervisão pelas equipes, em processos que democratizem os serviços e, também, na formação de seus trabalhadores. .

OBJETIVOS: analizar la prevalencia de satisfacción en el trabajo e identificar factores asociados en Centros de Atención Psicosocial. MÉTODO: estudio trasversal con 546 trabajadores de 40 Centros de Atención Psicosocial de la región Sur de Brasil. La satisfacción fue identificada a partir de la Escala de Evaluación de la Satisfacción del Equipo de Salud Mental y el análisis ajustado de los datos efectuado mediante un modelo de regresión logística. RESULTADOS: prevalencia de satisfacción en el trabajo de 66,4%. Factores directamente asociados a la satisfacción: función de nivel superior (excepto médicos y psicólogos), tiempo de trabajo menor o igual a seis meses, efectuar mayor número de visitas a domicilio, boa supervisión por el equipo, posibilidad de hacer opciones colectivas y cursos. CONCLUSIONES: la satisfacción está asociada a la organización y a las condiciones del trabajo y demuestra la necesidad de invertir en supervisión por los equipos, en procesos que democraticen los servicios y también en la formación de sus trabajadores. .

The exploration of the antibacterial mechanism of fe3+ against bacteria

This study demonstrated that the bacteria could adsorb Fe3+ and reduce Fe3+ to Fe2+. Iron had significant bacteriostatic effects, which were directly proportional to the iron concentration and under the influence of pH and chelator. It presumed that the inhibition of Fe3+ acts through the formation of hydroxyl free radicals.

Milk inhibits and ascorbic acid favors ferrous bis-glycine chelate bioavailability in humans.

The chemical properties of ferrous bis-glycine chelate allow for its use as a fortificant in fluid, high fat vehicles. This chemical form may also protect iron from the inhibitory or enhancing effects of the diet on iron absorption. Alternatively, iron bis-glycine chelate may be absorbed by a mechanism independent of an individual's iron stores. To test these hypotheses, the bioavailability of iron bis-glycine chelate added to water and milk was studied using a double-isotopic method in two groups of 14 women. Iron absorption from aqueous solutions of 0.27 mmol/L (15 mg/L) of elemental iron as either iron bis-glycine or ferrous ascorbate was not significantly different (34.6 and 29.9%, respectively). There were significant correlations between (log) iron absorption of iron bis-glycine with (log) serum ferritin (r = -0.60, P < 0.03) and with (log) iron absorption from ferrous ascorbate (r = 0.71, P < 0.006), suggesting that iron bis-glycine chelate bioavailability is indeed affected by iron stores. Iron absorption of iron bis-glycine given in milk was significantly lower (P < 0.002) than when given in water, with values of 11.1 and 46.3%, respectively (standardized to 40% absorption of the reference dose). With the addition of 0.57 mmol/L ascorbic acid (100 mg/L), iron absorption of iron bis-glycine given in milk increased significantly from 11.1 to 15.4% (P < 0.05). These findings show that milk and ascorbic acid affect iron bis-glycine chelate bioavailability and also demonstrate that iron stores may influence its bioavailability as well. The good bioavailability of iron bis-glycine makes this compound a suitable alternative to be considered in iron fortification programs.