Benzodiazepine partially reverses tonic-clonic seizures induced by thiocolchicoside.

Seizures are a disorder caused by structural brain lesions, life-threatening metabolic derangements, or drug toxicity. The present study describes the behavior related to proconvulsant activity induced by thiocolchicoside (TCC) in rats and investigates the electrocorticographic patterns of this behavior and the effectiveness of classic antiepileptic drugs used to control these seizures. Forty-nine adult male Wistar rats were used and divided into two phases of our experimental design: 1) evaluation of seizure-related behavior and electrocorticographic patterns induced by TCC and 2) evaluation of the efficacy of classical antiepileptic drugs to control the proconvulsive activity caused by TCC. Our results showed that TCC induced tonic-clonic seizures that caused changes in electrocorticographic readings, characteristic of convulsive activity, with average amplitude greater than that induced by pentylenetetrazole. Treatment with anticonvulsants, especially diazepam, reduced the electrocorticographic outbreaks induced by TCC. The results suggested that TCC caused seizures with increased power in brain oscillations up to 40 Hz and that diazepam may partially reverse the effects.

Benzodiazepine partially reverses tonic-clonic seizures induced by thiocolchicoside

Seizures are a disorder caused by structural brain lesions, life-threatening metabolic derangements, or drug toxicity. The present study describes the behavior related to proconvulsant activity induced by thiocolchicoside (TCC) in rats and investigates the electrocorticographic patterns of this behavior and the effectiveness of classic antiepileptic drugs used to control these seizures. Forty-nine adult male Wistar rats were used and divided into two phases of our experimental design: 1) evaluation of seizure-related behavior and electrocorticographic patterns induced by TCC and 2) evaluation of the efficacy of classical antiepileptic drugs to control the proconvulsive activity caused by TCC. Our results showed that TCC induced tonic-clonic seizures that caused changes in electrocorticographic readings, characteristic of convulsive activity, with average amplitude greater than that induced by pentylenetetrazole. Treatment with anticonvulsants, especially diazepam, reduced the electrocorticographic outbreaks induced by TCC. The results suggested that TCC caused seizures with increased power in brain oscillations up to 40 Hz and that diazepam may partially reverse the effects.

Utilización de dos soportes para la inmovilización de la papaína / Use of two supports for inmobilizing papain

Con la intención de preparar suplementos dietéticos de bajo coste, se inmovilizó papaína en carbón activado (CA) y en alúmina, utilizando suero como fuente de proteínas hidrolizadas. Para determinar el índice de inmovilización se cuantifi caron las enzimas no adsorbidas mediante el método de Lowry. Se analizó el efecto del tiempo de contacto y la temperatura, considerándose 30 min. a 25 ºC como la condición óptima para inmovilizar la papaína en ambos soportes. El CA presentó unos índices de inmovilización muy superiores (entre 95% y 99%) a los de la AL (entre 4% y 13%). Para evaluar la capacidad de reutilización de la papaína se midió la actividad residual de la enzima después de haber sido utilizada hasta 20 veces. Para determinar la actividad de la enzima se cuantifi có el índice de exposición de la fenilalanina mediante espectrofotometría de derivada segunda. En este caso, la AL presentó mejores resultados que el CA, ya que la actividad de la papaína seguía siendo la misma después de haber sido utilizada 15 y 5 veces, respectivamente

Papain was immobilized on activated carbon (AC) and on alumina (AL), with the aim of preparing low cost dietary supplements, using whey as hydrolysed protein source. The quantifi cation of the non-adsorbed enzyme, using Lowry’s method was used to determine the immobilization rate. The effect of the contact time and the temperature was tested, and 30 min at 250C was considered the best condition for immobilizing papain in both supports. AC showed much higher immobilization rates (from 95% to 99%) than AL (from 4% to 13%). The reusability of papain was evaluated by measuring the residual activity of the enzyme after it has been used for up to 20 times. The quantifi cation of exposure rate of phenylalanine by second derivative spectrophotometry was used to determine the enzyme activity. In this case, AL showed better results than AC, since the activity of papain remained unchanged after 15 and 5 times, respectively