Action of AferBio (fermented food) in a rat inflammatory model.

BACKGROUND: AferBio is a fermented prebiotic food that contains beta-glucans, which are oligosaccharides capable of stimulating the proliferation of beneficial bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract. The aim of this study was to evaluate the possible effects of this functional food on the inflammatory response in rats. METHODS AND RESULTS: AferBio (900 mg/kg) inhibited edema formation by 34% compared to the control group. We also observed inhibition of the primary and secondary reactions of inflammation after the injection of Freund's adjuvant in the animals fed AferBio. Daily administration of AferBio for 6 d inhibited the formation of granulomatous tissue by 37%; additionally, inhibition of 31% of neutrophil migration downstream of carrageenan-induced peritonitis was observed. An ulcerogenic potency assay revealed that indomethacin produced a higher number of lesions compared to treatment with AferBio. Anti-inflammatory potency analysis showed that indomethacin inhibited 39% of carrageenan-induced edema but produced a higher number of lesions. However, animals treated with AferBio had areas of hyperemia without ulcerative lesions and 21% of edema was inhibited. CONCLUSION: Based on the results obtained in this study, AferBio appears to have anti-inflammatory activity during acute and chronic inflammatory processes.

Liver protective activity of a hydroethanolic extract of Arrabidaea chica (Humb. and Bonpl.) B. Verl. (pariri).

BACKGROUND: Folk medicine uses preparations of Arrabidaea chica (pariri) leaves to treat various liver pathologies. We evaluated the effects of the hydroethanolic extract of these leaves (CHEE) on an in vivo model of liver intoxication. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Different groups of rats were treated orally for 7 days with CHEE at doses of 300, 500 or 600 mg/kg or silymarin at 35 mg/kg. The control group received only 0.5 ml of distilled water. After 7 days of treatment, both the groups received CCl(4), and activities of glutamic pyruvic transaminase (GPT), glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (GOT) and bilirubin level were assessed. The ability of CHEE to suppress hepatic injury triggered by CCl(4) was evaluated based on suppression (%) of activities of GOT, GPT and bilirubin levels. RESULTS: The chromatograms of the CHEE obtained at 330 and 400 nm show features of two main classes of secondary metabolites: quinones and flavonoids. The administration of 300, 500 or 600 mg/kg of CHEE resulted in the reduction of GPT levels by 85.34%, 88.59% and 93.72%, respectively. The suppression of GOT levels was 56.86%, 65.27% and 68.95%, respectively, and that of plasma bilirubin was 83.81%, 83.12% and 84.14%, respectively. These results demonstrate the protective character of CHEE and its ability to maintain the functional integrity of hepatic cells. CONCLUSIONS: The results obtained are possibly due to the presence of quinones and flavonoids in A. chica CHEE, both detected using high performance liquid chromatography.

Anxiolytic and antidepressive effects of the homeopathic complex Homeo-pax® (pre-clinical study) / Anxiolytic and antidepressive effects of the homeopathic complex Homeo-pax® (pre-clinical study)

The homeopathic complex Homeo-Pax® has been used as an antidepressant and anxiolytic homeopathic medicine available in Brazil. It is a complex mixture prepared with Aconitum nap.6cH, Aurum met. 6cH, Phosphorus 6cH, Argentum nitricum 6cH, Arsenicum alb. 6cH, and Valeriana officinalis 3cH. This study had evaluated the behavior in rats after treatment with Homeo-Pax® in pre-clinical models of depression and anxiety. Elevated Plus Maze Test (EPM), Forced Swimming Test (FST), Open Field Test (OFT) and the Rota Rod Test (RRT) behavior assays were used to confirm its activity. In the EPM, the animals treated with Homeo-pax® on the 1st day and until the 20th day of treatment remained longer in the open arms of the maze than on 30th day. This result was statistically significant compared with the control group (p < 0.05). In the FST, the treatment with Homeo-pax® (0.5 ml, p.o) increased the swimming time, compared to the control group. This effect was dependent on treatment time, resulting in a similar effect to that presented by amfepramone (10 mg/kg, p.o). In the OFT, crossing by the animals was significantly increased by the treatment with amfepramone (10mg/kg, p.o), and also with the 30- day treatment with Homeo-pax® . In the RRT, the 30-day treatment with Homeo-pax® (0.5 ml, p.o) did not affect the animals? motor coordination, compared with the control group, which presented the same behavior. Based on the results obtained, it can be suggested that the homeopathic complex Homeo-pax® has anxiolytic and antidepressant properties without affecting motor coordination capacity.(AU)

O complexo homeopático Homeo-Pax® tem sido usado no Brasil como um medicamento homeopático de ação antidepressiva e ansiolítica. O Homeo-Pax® é um complexo preparado com Aconitum nap. 6cH, Aurum met. 6cH, Phosphorus 6cH, Argentum nitricum 6cH, Arsenicum alb. 6cH e Valeriana officinalis 3cH. Este estudo avaliou o comportamento de ratos após o tratamento com Homeo-Pax® em modelos pré-clínicos de depressão e ansiedade. Testes de labirinto em cruz elevado (EPM), nado forçado (FST), campo aberto (OFT) e Rotarod (RRT) foram usados para avaliar a atividade dos animais. No EPM, os animais tratados com Homeo-pax® permaneceram mais tempo nos braços abertos do labirinto, durante do 20 primeiros dias de tratamento, em relação ao 30º dia. Este resultado foi estatisticamente significativo quando comparado com o grupo controle (p < 0.05). No FST, o tratamento com Homeo-pax® (0.5 ml, p.o) aumentou o tempo de nado, comparado ao grupo controle. Este efeito foi dependente o tempo de tratamento, resultando similar ao efeito da amfepramona (10 mg/kg, p.o). No OFT, o movimento dos animais foi significativamente aumentado pelo tratamento com amfepramona (10mg/kg, p.o) e também no 30º dia de tratamento com Homeo-pax® . No RRT, o tratamento por 30 dias com Homeo-pax® (0.5 ml, p.o) não afetou a coordenação motora dos animais, em relação ao grupo controle. Baseado nesses resultados, pode ser sugerido que o complexo homoepático Homeo-pax® tem propriedades ansiolíticas e antidepressivas sem afetar a coordenação motora.(AU)

El complejo homeopático Homeo-pax® viene siendo usado en Brasil como un medicamento homeopático de acción antidepresiva y ansiolítica. El Homeo-pax® es un complejo preparado con Aconitum nap 6cH, Aurum Met 6cH, Phosphorus 6cH, Argentum Nitricum 6cH, Arsenicum Alb 6cH y Valeriana officinalis 3cH. Este estudio evaluó el comportamiento de camondongos después del tratamiento con Homeo-pax® en modelos preclinicos de depresión y ansiedad. Testes de laberinto en cruz elevado (EPM) nado forzado (FST), campo abierto (OFT) y Rotarod (RRT) fueron usados para evaluar la actividad de los animales. En el EPM los animales tratados com Homeo-pax® permanecieron mas tiempo en los brazos abiertos del laberinto durante los 20 primeros dias de tratamiento en relación al 30º dia. Este resultado fue estadísticamente significativo si comparado con el grupo control (p<0.05). En el FST, el tratamiento con Homeo-pax® (0.5 ml,p.o) aumentó el tiempo de nado, comparado al grupo control. Este efecto fue dependiente del tiempo de tratamiento, resultando similar al efecto de la anfepramona (10 mg/kg, p.o). En el OFT, el movimiento de los animales fue significativamente aumentado por el tratamiento con anfepramona (10mg/kg, p.o) y tambien en el 30º dia de tratamiento con Homeo-pax® . En el RRT el tratamiento por 30 dias con Homeo-pax® (0.5 ml, p.o) no afectó la coodinación motora de los animales, en relación al grupo control. Basado en esos resultados puede ser sugerido que el complejo homeopático Homeo-pax® tiene propiedades ansiolíticas y antidepresivas sin afectar la coordinación motora.(AU)

Anxiolytic and antidepressive effects of the homeopathic complex Homeo-pax® (pre-clinical study) / Anxiolytic and antidepressive effects of the homeopathic complex Homeo-pax® (pre-clinical study)

The homeopathic complex Homeo-Pax® has been used as an antidepressant and anxiolytic homeopathic medicine available in Brazil. It is a complex mixture prepared with Aconitum nap.6cH, Aurum met. 6cH, Phosphorus 6cH, Argentum nitricum 6cH, Arsenicum alb. 6cH, and Valeriana officinalis 3cH. This study had evaluated the behavior in rats after treatment with Homeo-Pax® in pre-clinical models of depression and anxiety. Elevated Plus Maze Test (EPM), Forced Swimming Test (FST), Open Field Test (OFT) and the Rota Rod Test (RRT) behavior assays were used to confirm its activity. In the EPM, the animals treated with Homeo-pax® on the 1st day and until the 20th day of treatment remained longer in the open arms of the maze than on 30th day. This result was statistically significant compared with the control group (p < 0.05). In the FST, the treatment with Homeo-pax® (0.5 ml, p.o) increased the swimming time, compared to the control group. This effect was dependent on treatment time, resulting in a similar effect to that presented by amfepramone (10 mg/kg, p.o). In the OFT, crossing by the animals was significantly increased by the treatment with amfepramone (10mg/kg, p.o), and also with the 30- day treatment with Homeo-pax® . In the RRT, the 30-day treatment with Homeo-pax® (0.5 ml, p.o) did not affect the animals? motor coordination, compared with the control group, which presented the same behavior. Based on the results obtained, it can be suggested that the homeopathic complex Homeo-pax® has anxiolytic and antidepressant properties without affecting motor coordination capacity.

O complexo homeopático Homeo-Pax® tem sido usado no Brasil como um medicamento homeopático de ação antidepressiva e ansiolítica. O Homeo-Pax® é um complexo preparado com Aconitum nap. 6cH, Aurum met. 6cH, Phosphorus 6cH, Argentum nitricum 6cH, Arsenicum alb. 6cH e Valeriana officinalis 3cH. Este estudo avaliou o comportamento de ratos após o tratamento com Homeo-Pax® em modelos pré-clínicos de depressão e ansiedade. Testes de labirinto em cruz elevado (EPM), nado forçado (FST), campo aberto (OFT) e Rotarod (RRT) foram usados para avaliar a atividade dos animais. No EPM, os animais tratados com Homeo-pax® permaneceram mais tempo nos braços abertos do labirinto, durante do 20 primeiros dias de tratamento, em relação ao 30º dia. Este resultado foi estatisticamente significativo quando comparado com o grupo controle (p < 0.05). No FST, o tratamento com Homeo-pax® (0.5 ml, p.o) aumentou o tempo de nado, comparado ao grupo controle. Este efeito foi dependente o tempo de tratamento, resultando similar ao efeito da amfepramona (10 mg/kg, p.o). No OFT, o movimento dos animais foi significativamente aumentado pelo tratamento com amfepramona (10mg/kg, p.o) e também no 30º dia de tratamento com Homeo-pax® . No RRT, o tratamento por 30 dias com Homeo-pax® (0.5 ml, p.o) não afetou a coordenação motora dos animais, em relação ao grupo controle. Baseado nesses resultados, pode ser sugerido que o complexo homoepático Homeo-pax® tem propriedades ansiolíticas e antidepressivas sem afetar a coordenação motora.

El complejo homeopático Homeo-pax® viene siendo usado en Brasil como un medicamento homeopático de acción antidepresiva y ansiolítica. El Homeo-pax® es un complejo preparado con Aconitum nap 6cH, Aurum Met 6cH, Phosphorus 6cH, Argentum Nitricum 6cH, Arsenicum Alb 6cH y Valeriana officinalis 3cH. Este estudio evaluó el comportamiento de camondongos después del tratamiento con Homeo-pax® en modelos preclinicos de depresión y ansiedad. Testes de laberinto en cruz elevado (EPM) nado forzado (FST), campo abierto (OFT) y Rotarod (RRT) fueron usados para evaluar la actividad de los animales. En el EPM los animales tratados com Homeo-pax® permanecieron mas tiempo en los brazos abiertos del laberinto durante los 20 primeros dias de tratamiento en relación al 30º dia. Este resultado fue estadísticamente significativo si comparado con el grupo control (p<0.05). En el FST, el tratamiento con Homeo-pax® (0.5 ml,p.o) aumentó el tiempo de nado, comparado al grupo control. Este efecto fue dependiente del tiempo de tratamiento, resultando similar al efecto de la anfepramona (10 mg/kg, p.o). En el OFT, el movimiento de los animales fue significativamente aumentado por el tratamiento con anfepramona (10mg/kg, p.o) y tambien en el 30º dia de tratamiento con Homeo-pax® . En el RRT el tratamiento por 30 dias con Homeo-pax® (0.5 ml, p.o) no afectó la coodinación motora de los animales, en relación al grupo control. Basado en esos resultados puede ser sugerido que el complejo homeopático Homeo-pax® tiene propiedades ansiolíticas y antidepresivas sin afectar la coordinación motora.