RESUMO
Introduction: Influenza viruses have been responsible for highly contagious acute respiratory illnesses with high mortality, mainly in the elderly, which encourages the development of new drugs for the treatment of human flu. The biotherapics are medicines prepared from biological products, which are not chemically defined. They are compounded following the homeopathic procedures indicated for infectious diseases with known etiology [1]. Aim: The purpose of the present study is to verify cellular alterations induced by a biotherapic prepared from the infectious influenza A virus. Methodology: This biotherapic was prepared for this study in the homeopathic potency of 30X according to the Brazilian Homeopathic Pharmacopeia [2]. The concentration of 10% was not cytotoxic to cells, as verified by neutral red assay. The cellular alterations observed in MDCK cells were analyzed by optical microscopy for the quantification of mitosis, nucleoli and lipid bodies. The mitochondrial activity was assessed by MTT assay and the phosphosfructokinase-1 (PFK-1) enzyme activity was analyzed on the MDCK cells treated for 5, 10 and 30 days. Macrophages J778.G8 were treated with this biotherapic to evaluate the immunostimulatory cytokine release. Results: The cellular alterations observed in MDCK cells were verified by optical microscopy. The number of lipid bodies present in MDCK cells stimulated for 10 days was significantly lower (p <0.05) when compared to controls. The biotherapic significantly increased (p <0.05) the number of mitosis and the mitochondrial activity of MDCK cells stimulated for 10 and 30 days. These changes were confirmed by a significant reduction (p <0.05) on the PFK-1 activity. These results suggest that the biotherapic was able to activate the Krebs cycle and pentosephosphate metabolism to the generation of amino acids and nucleotides, situations common to cells whose rate of mitosis is increased. The quantification of immunostimulatory cytokines by macrophages J774.G8 indicated that the tumor necrosis factor (TNF-?) production was higher (p <0.05) in the supernatant of the macrophages pre-treated with this biotherapic and infected with influenza virus, suggesting an activation of the macrophages by this biotherapic. Conclusion: This biotherapic is able to induce some cellular alterations, which show strong evidence that it might be a promising option for the human flu. New experiments are being developed to understand the mechanisms of action of this biotherapic.(AU)
Assuntos
Influenza Humana , Terapias ComplementaresRESUMO
Introduction: Influenza viruses have been responsible for highly contagious acute respiratory illnesses with high mortality, mainly in the elderly, which encourages the development of new drugs for the treatment of human flu. The biotherapics are medicines prepared from biological products, which are not chemically defined. They are compounded following the homeopathic procedures indicated for infectious diseases with known etiology [1]. Aim: The purpose of the present study is to verify cellular alterations induced by a biotherapic prepared from the infectious influenza A virus. Methodology: This biotherapic was prepared for this study in the homeopathic potency of 30X according to the Brazilian Homeopathic Pharmacopeia [2]. The concentration of 10% was not cytotoxic to cells, as verified by neutral red assay. The cellular alterations observed in MDCK cells were analyzed by optical microscopy for the quantification of mitosis, nucleoli and lipid bodies. The mitochondrial activity was assessed by MTT assay and the phosphosfructokinase-1 (PFK-1) enzyme activity was analyzed on the MDCK cells treated for 5, 10 and 30 days. Macrophages J778.G8 were treated with this biotherapic to evaluate the immunostimulatory cytokine release. Results: The cellular alterations observed in MDCK cells were verified by optical microscopy. The number of lipid bodies present in MDCK cells stimulated for 10 days was significantly lower (p <0.05) when compared to controls. The biotherapic significantly increased (p <0.05) the number of mitosis and the mitochondrial activity of MDCK cells stimulated for 10 and 30 days. These changes were confirmed by a significant reduction (p <0.05) on the PFK-1 activity. These results suggest that the biotherapic was able to activate the Krebs cycle and pentosephosphate metabolism to the generation of amino acids and nucleotides, situations common to cells whose rate of mitosis is increased. The quantification of immunostimulatory cytokines by macrophages J774.G8 indicated that the tumor necrosis factor (TNF-?) production was higher (p <0.05) in the supernatant of the macrophages pre-treated with this biotherapic and infected with influenza virus, suggesting an activation of the macrophages by this biotherapic. Conclusion: This biotherapic is able to induce some cellular alterations, which show strong evidence that it might be a promising option for the human flu. New experiments are being developed to understand the mechanisms of action of this biotherapic.
RESUMO
The latex extracted from Euphorbia tirucalli, a plant popularly known as Aveloz, is used in complementary medicine to induce tumor regression. However, as this latex has toxic effects when administered orally in ponderal doses, the present study was designed to assess the effects of high dilutions in healthy mice over a period of 18 weeks. The Aveloz latex-high diluted solutions (latex-HD) were obtained through the interaction of two processes: 1:100 dilution in mass and succussion, using ethanol 70% as a solvent, in the homeopathic dilutions of 5, 15 and 30cH, following Farmacopéia Homeopática Brasileira. Control solutions without latex were compounded (ethanolic-HD) in the same dilutions and were administered simultaneously. The animals which received latex-HD 30cH showed a significant increase in food consumption (p < 0.05) without significant difference in weight gain. In regards to water consumption, no statistical difference was shown when different Aveloz latex-HD groups were compared, apart from the group that received 1 drop of pure latex in water, which presented a significant increase (p < 0.05) in this parameter.
O látex extraído de Euphorbia tirucalli, planta conhecida popularmente como Aveloz, é utilizado em medicina complementar para induzir regressão tumoral. No entanto, como este látex tem efeitos tóxicos quando administrado por via oral em doses ponderais, este estudo foi desenhado para avaliar os efeitos de altas diluições do mesmo em camundongos sadios por um período de 18 semanas. As altas diluições do látex do Aveloz (látex-HD) foram obtidas através da interação de dois processos: diluição 1:100 em massa e sucussão, utilizando etanol 70% como solvente, nas diluições homeopáticas 5, 15 e 30cH, de acordo com a Famracopéia Homeopática Brasileira. Soluções de controle sem o látex (etanol-HD) foram compostas nas mesmas diluições e ministradas simultaneamente. Os animais que receberam látex-HD 30cH mostraram aumento significativo no consumo de alimento (p < 0,05) sem diferença significativa em ganho de peso. A respeito do consumo de água, não foram observadas diferenças significativas entre os diferentes grupos látex-HD, enquanto que o grupo que recebeu 1 gota de látex puro em água apresentou aumento significativo neste parâmetro (p < 0,05).
Assuntos
Animais , Camundongos , Homeopatia , Látex , Medicamento Homeopático , ToxicologiaRESUMO
The latex extracted from Euphorbia tirucalli, a plant popularly known as Aveloz, is used in complementary medicine to induce tumor regression. However, as this latex has toxic effects when administered orally in ponderal doses, the present study was designed to assess the effects of high dilutions in healthy mice over a period of 18 weeks. The Aveloz latex-high diluted solutions (latex-HD) were obtained through the interaction of two processes: 1:100 dilution in mass and succussion, using ethanol 70% as a solvent, in the homeopathic dilutions of 5, 15 and 30cH, following Farmacopéia Homeopática Brasileira. Control solutions without latex were compounded (ethanolic-HD) in the same dilutions and were administered simultaneously. The animals which received latex-HD 30cH showed a significant increase in food consumption (p < 0.05) without significant difference in weight gain. In regards to water consumption, no statistical difference was shown when different Aveloz latex-HD groups were compared, apart from the group that received 1 drop of pure latex in water, which presented a significant increase (p < 0.05) in this parameter.(AU)
O látex extraído de Euphorbia tirucalli, planta conhecida popularmente como Aveloz, é utilizado em medicina complementar para induzir regressão tumoral. No entanto, como este látex tem efeitos tóxicos quando administrado por via oral em doses ponderais, este estudo foi desenhado para avaliar os efeitos de altas diluições do mesmo em camundongos sadios por um período de 18 semanas. As altas diluições do látex do Aveloz (látex-HD) foram obtidas através da interação de dois processos: diluição 1:100 em massa e sucussão, utilizando etanol 70% como solvente, nas diluições homeopáticas 5, 15 e 30cH, de acordo com a Famracopéia Homeopática Brasileira. Soluções de controle sem o látex (etanol-HD) foram compostas nas mesmas diluições e ministradas simultaneamente. Os animais que receberam látex-HD 30cH mostraram aumento significativo no consumo de alimento (p < 0,05) sem diferença significativa em ganho de peso. A respeito do consumo de água, não foram observadas diferenças significativas entre os diferentes grupos látex-HD, enquanto que o grupo que recebeu 1 gota de látex puro em água apresentou aumento significativo neste parâmetro (p < 0,05).(AU)
