Estudo fitoquímico e análise mutagênica das folhas e inflorescências de Erythrina mulungu (Mart. ex Benth. ) através do teste de micronúcleo em roedores / Phytochemical and mutagenic analysis of leaves and inflorescences of Erythrina mulungu (Mart. Ex Benth. ) through micronucleus test in rodents

Este trabalho teve como objetivo investigar a composição química, estabelecer a dose letal média (DL50) e avaliar os potenciais efeitos mutagênicos do extrato hidroalcoólico de folhas e inflorescências de Erythrina mulungu Mart. ex Benth por meio do teste de micronúcleo em medula óssea de camundongos. Os ensaios fitoquímicos foram realizados através de reações preliminares com mudança de coloração e/ou formação de precipitado; a DL50, por meio da administração intraperitoneal de três concentrações dos extratos, avaliando-se o número de óbitos após 48 horas e o teste de micronúcleo foi feito por meio do método do esfregaço, após exposição dos animais a cinco dias de tratamento. Os resultados fitoquímicos demonstraram presença de açúcares redutores, fenóis e taninos, proteínas e aminoácidos, flavonóides, alcalóides, depsídeos e depsidonas e derivados de cumarina em ambos os órgãos; saponinas espumídicas e esteróides e triterpenóides nas folhas e glicosídeos cardiotônicos e antraquinônicos e alcalóides nas inflorescências. Para a DL50 a folha demonstrou-se atóxica e a inflorescência moderadamente tóxica. Para o teste de micronúcleo, os resultados indicaram ausência de citotoxicidade e genotoxicidade dose-dependente para as folhas e independente da dose para as inflorescências. Assim, esses resultados sugerem que a planta, nas condições analisadas, possui potencial para induzir danos ao DNA.

This study aimed to investigate the chemical composition, to establish the mean lethal dose (LD50) and to assess the potential mutagenic effects of hydroalcoholic extract of leaves and inflorescences of Erythrina mulungu Mart. ex Benth by using micronucleus test in bone marrow of mice. Phytochemical assays were carried out through preliminary reactions with color change and/or precipitate formation; the LD50 was obtained by intraperitoneal administration of three concentrations of the extracts, assessing the number of deaths after 48 hours, and the micronucleus test was done by the smear method, after exposure of animals to five days of treatment. Phytochemical results showed the presence of reducing sugars, phenols and tannins, proteins and amino acids, flavonoids, alkaloids, depsides, depsidones and coumarin derivatives in both organs; foaming and steroidal saponins and triterpenes in the leaves and cardiotonic and anthraquinonic glycosides and alkaloids in the inflorescences. Considering the LD50, the leaf was atoxic and the inflorescence was moderately toxic. As regards the micronucleus test, results indicated absence of cytotoxicity while genotoxicity was dose-dependent for leaves and dose-independent for inflorescences. Thus, these results suggest that the plant, under the tested conditions, has the potential to induce damages to the DNA.

Avaliação do potencial citotóxico e genotóxico de Plantago major L. em sistemas teste in vivo / Evaluation of the cytotoxic and genotoxic potential of Plantago major L. in test systems in vivo

A infusão das folhas de Plantago major (Plantaginaceae), conhecida como tansagem ou transagem, é usada como antibiótica, antiinflamatória, anti-séptica, anti-térmica, na prevenção de tumores e no tratamento de neoplasias. Este efeito é atribuído aos flavonóides encontrados em diversas espécies do gênero Plantago. O presente estudo objetivou avaliar os potenciais efeitos, tóxico e mutagênico, do extrato bruto hidroalcoólico de folhas de P. major, por meio dos testes in vivo de Allium cepa e do micronúcleo. Para o ensaio biológico vegetal, meristemas de raízes de A. cepa foram usados para o preparo de lâminas através da técnica de esmagamento. No ensaio do micronúcleo foram analisadas lâminas de células de medula óssea de roedores. As análises estatísticas seguiram o teste de Tukey (p<0,05) para o ensaio de Allium cepa e teste de Scott-Knott (p<0,05) para o ensaio do micronúcleo. Os resultados do teste de Allium cepa demonstram que houve redução significativa no índice de germinação em todas as concentrações testadas. P. major provoca alteração no ciclo celular pela inibição da divisão das células, como indica o índice mitótico. Os índices de efeitos clastogênico e aneugênico demonstram que, além de não determinar aumento de aberrações cromossômicas, o que indica ausência de ação genotóxica, P. major possui atividade anti-genotóxica. Os resultados do teste do micronúcleo reforçam a sugestão de que o extrato de P.major não possui atividade mutagênica, entretanto provoca alterações na divisão celular.

The infusion of leaves of Plantago major (Plantaginaceae), known as "tansagem" or "transagem", is used as antibiotic, anti-inflammatory, anti-septic, anti-thermal in the prevention of tumors and in the treatment of neoplasms. This effect is attributed to the flavonoids found in diverse species of the genus Plantago. The present study aimed to evaluate the potential toxic and mutagenic effects of the crude hydroalcoholic extract from P. major leaves by means of in vivo tests with Allium cepa and micronucleus. For the plant biological assay, meristems of A. cepa roots were used for the preparation of slides by adopting the crushing technique. In the micronucleus assay, slides of bone marrow cells from rodents were analyzed. Statistical analyses were carried out according to Tukey's test (ρ<0.05) for the Allium cepa assay and Scott-Knott test (ρ<0.05) for the micronucleus assay. Results of the A. cepa test demonstrate that there was a significant reduction in the germination index at all tested concentrations. P. major causes alteration in the cell cycle by inhibiting the division of cells, as indicated by the mitotic index. The indexes of clastogenic and aneugenic effects show that, in addition to not determining the increase in chromosomal aberrations, which indicates the absence of genotoxic action, P. major has anti-genotoxic activity. Results of the micronucleus test reinforce the suggestion that P. major extract does not have mutagenic activity but causes alterations in the cell division.

Atividade antimutagênica de Carica papaya L. pelo ensaio do micronúcleo in vivo / Antimutagenic activity of Carica papaya L. assayed in vivo by micronucleus test

Há poucas informações sobre o efeito tóxico in vivo do extrato etanólico das folhas de Carica papaya (ECP). Portanto, esse estudo caracteriza quimicamente ECP por meio de HPLC-RP e avalia a atividade antimutagênica e citotóxica da fração aquosa de ECP422 Antimutagenic activity of Carica papaya L.Rev Ciênc Farm Básica Apl., 2011;32(3):419-423(CA), empregando ensaio do micronúcleo (MN). O extrato tem predominância de substâncias polares, entre elas a rutina. O ensaio do MN foi realizado em ratos Wistar. Grupos: Controle Negativo (CN), veículo; Controle Positivo (CP40), ciclofosfamida (40 mg/Kg i.p.), 24 horas; Grupo tratado (CA), ECP (500 mg/Kg, p.p.) 24h; Grupo Tratado (CACP40), CA (500 mg/Kg, p.o.) 48, 36 e 24 horas , a última dose de ECP foi administrada junto com ciclofosfamida (40 mg/Kg, i.p.). O índice de MN para CN e CA foi de 3,2 ± 1,79 e 1,6 ± 0,5, e razão PCE/NCE foi de 1,38 ± 0,52 e 1,13 ± 0,28, respectivamente, indicando baixa toxicidade. Por outro lado o índice de MN foi de 20 ± 4,9 para CP40 e 3,0 ± 1,6 para o CACP40, indicando efeito antimutagênico de ECP. Este estudo sugere que ECP possui efeito antimutagênico e baixa toxicidade e que a rutina pode estar envolvida nesse efeito.

There is little information about in vivo toxic effects of the ethanolic extract of leaves of Carica papaya L. (ECP). Therefore, in this study ECP was characterized chemically by HPLC-RP and the antimutagenic and cytotoxic activities of an aqueous solution of ECP (CA) were assessed by the micronucleus (MN) bioassay. The extract consisted mainly of polar substances, one of which was rutin. The MN test was performed on groups of Wistar rats, as follows: negative control (NC) - vehicle; positive control (CP40) - cyclophosphamide (40 mg/kg, ip), 24h; extract-treated (CA) - ECP (500 mg/kg, po), 24h; extract + cyclophosphamide-treated (CACP40) - ECP (500 mg/kg, po), 48, 36 and 24 h, plus cyclophosphamide (40 mg/kg, ip), 24h. The MN index was 3.2 ± 1.79 and 1.6 ± 0.5, for NC and CA, and the PCE-to-NCE ratio was 1.38 ± 0.52 and 1.13 ± 0.28, respectively, indicating low cytotoxicity of CA. CP40 showed a high MN index of 20 ± 4.9, but CACP40 only 3.0 ± 1.6, the same as NC, indicating an antimutagenic effect. The study suggests that ECP has low toxicity and possesses an antimutagenic protective effect in which rutin may be involved.

Cystic fibrosis Δf508 mutation screening in Brazilian women with altered fertility.

Cystic Fibrosis (CF) is an autosomal recessive disease, caused by mutations in the Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Regulator gene (CFTR). The most frequent mutation in CF is ΔF508. The disease is clinically characterized by elevated concentrations of sweat chlorides and abnormally thick mucus. It affects organs such as lung, pancreas, gastrointestinal and reproductive tract. Women with CF commonly present delayed puberty and amenorrhea due to malnutrition. Our objective was to screen the presence of ΔF508 mutation in 24 women with altered fertility. Nine of these women presented reduced fertility without a known cause, four showed polycystic ovaries and two had early menopause. One woman with early menopause was a carrier of the ΔF508 mutation. Our study demonstrates that it is possible that the frequency of CF mutations among patients with altered fertility may be higher than expected. Previous data showed that fibrocystic women can show reduced fertility, maternal mortality associated with pregnancy and increased incidence of spontaneous abortion. We therefore recommend that women with reduced fertility undertake genetic tests for a better evaluation of pregnancy risks and clinical monitoring.

Cardiovascular effects induced by the aqueous fraction of the ethanol extract of the stem of Solanum stipulaceum in rats

The cardiovascular effects induced by the aqueous fraction of the ethanol extract of the stem (AFS) of Solanum stipulaceum Roem. & Schult were studied in rats. In non-anesthetized rats, AFS injections produced significant and dosedependent hypotension associated with increase in heart rate. In isolated rat superior mesenteric rings, AFS was able to antagonize the contractions induced by phenylephrine and KCl. The vasorelaxant activity of AFS was not inhibited by either removal of vascular endothelium, L-NAME, atropine or indomethacine. In isolated rat atrial preparations, AFS produced concentration-related negative inotropic and chronotropic responses. These results suggest that the hypotensive effect of AFS is due to a peripheral vasodilation, which can not be attributed to the participation of vascular endothelium. Finally, AFS acts directly on the heart decreasing contractility and heart rate.