Paraguayan medicinal compositae.

A survey of the Compositae used in traditional medicine and as economic plants by Paraguayan country people was undertaken to identify the components of crude drugs traded by herbalists. Forty-five medicinal and economic species have been identified through field work in the rural areas and enquiries in the markets, as well as by examination of the literature in the Spanish language. Some crude drugs are shown to be mixtures of several closely-related species. The role of indigenous plant remedies within the local health care system is also discussed.

Plant-derived sweetening agents: saccharide and polyol constituents of some sweet-tasting plants.

Samples of the sweet-tasting species Acanthospermum hispidum DC. (Compositae) (aerial parts), Boscia salicifolia Oliv. (Capparidaceae) (stem bark), Hovenia dulcis Thunb. (Rhamnaceae) (peduncles) and Inga spectabilis Willd. (Leguminosae) (arils) were acquired as part of a continuing search for high-intensity natural sweeteners of plant origin. Following their preliminary safety evaluation, the sweetness of these plants was traced to large amounts of sugars and polyols by taste-guided fractionation, which were identified and quantified using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. The combined yields of sugars and polyols in the A. hispidum, B. salicifolia, H. dulcis, and I. spectabilis samples investigated were 6.9, 10.1, 18.4 and 12.1% w/w, respectively. These yields are much higher than the total saccharide and polyol content (2.4% w/w) of the sweet dried fruits of Thladiantha grosvenorii (Swingle) C. Jeffrey (Cucurbitaceae), a species which has previously been reported to contain more than 1% w/w of the intensely sweet triterpene, mogroside V. The dried leaves of Symplocos tinctoria (L.) L'Hérit. (Symplocaceae), which were not appreciably sweet, were found to contain only 2.0% w/w of sugars. The results of this investigation, therefore, suggest that unless the saccharide and/or polyol content of a plant part is well over 5% w/w, then it is unlikely to exhibit an overtly sweet taste, unless an intense sweetener is present.

Effect of copper sulfate on experimental atherosclerosis.

Serum copper concentration increases significantly (p < 0.01) in rats with experimental atherosclerosis compared to a control group. The serum zinc, the zinc, and copper concentration in abdominal aorta and in liver decreases significantly (p < 0.05) compared to the control group. Administration of copper sulfate for 100 d in these animals induces a significant increase of serum copper (p < 0.01), decrease of serum cholesterol (p < 0.05) and increase of liver copper concentration as compared with the group fed only a high cholesterol diet. In the aorta of these animals the copper concentration increases and edema and lipid infiltration are considerably less than in the group of animals fed only a high lipid diet.

Effect of cuprofilin on experimental atherosclerosis.

The effect of Cuprofilin, a newly synthesized C.(II)-chlorophyll complex, was assessed in rats with experimental atherosclerosis. The study was focused on changes in serum cholesterol, lipids, and triglycerides concentration as well as on serum and abdominal aorta Cu and Zn values. It has been ascertained that after 90 d in animals fed a rich lipid diet there was a statistically significant increase in serum cholesterol, triglycerides, and lipid concentration (p < 0.01). A significant augmentation of serum Cu values (p < 0.01) accompanied by a marked lowering of the same element in abdominal aorta (p < 0.01) was also found, as compared to the results registered in the control group. However, Cuprofilin, administered for 90 d in the group of animals with experimental atherosclerosis, significantly decreased the serum cholesterol, triglycerides, and serum lipid values (p < 0.01), increased copper content in aortic tissue (p < 0.01) and lowered serum copper concentration (p < 0.01) as compared to the untreated group. Moreover, in the aorta of administered animals the lipid infiltration has been demonstrated to be significantly diminished vs the untreated group.

Morphological changes of the hypophysis-adrenal system (HAS) in albino rats with experimental gastric ulcers, under the influence of aeroionotherapy (AIT).

The authors followed up certain changes occurring at the level of the hypophysis-adrenal axis, during the development of experimental ulcers induced by pylorus ligature in rats treated with negative air ions. Previous experiments have shown that negative aeroionotherapy had a favourable influence on the prevention and evolution of gastric ulcers. The results of the present experiment showed that, under the influence of aeroionotherapy, the number of gastric ulcers/animal, and the relative weight of the adenohypophysis and of the adrenals glands decreased; the width of the fascicular zone of the adrenal cortex, and the volume of the cell nuclei in this fascicular zone also decreased.

Influence of negative air ions on experimental ulcer induced by pylorus ligature in albino rat.

The authors studied the influence of negative aeroionotherapy (AIT) on the gastric ulcer induced by pylorus ligature. After 24 hours the ligature was removed and the stomach was studied with respect to number and aspect of ulcers (hemorrhagic or not), periulcerous mucosa (edema, folds), acidity and microhemorrhage of gastric secretion. The animals were divided into 4 groups: C1 and C2 (controls)--not treated with air ions; P--prophylactically exposed 10 days before the operation to AIT; T--submitted to AIT prophylactically 10 days before the operation--therapeutically 5 days after operation. The results showed a favourable influence of AIT: the number of gastric ulcers was smaller; the regeneration processes in the mucosa were ameliorated; the gastric acid secretion and microhemorrhage diminished.

Lead-induced experimental lesions of the testis and their treatment.

Thirty-six healthy albino rats were divided into three groups and the histologic structure of the testes was examined after treatment: group 'C'--10 healthy control rats were untreated; group 'Pb'--eight rats received intraperitoneal injections of 8.5 mg per kg body weight lead acetate for 154 days (15 doses in all); group 'PbA'--eight rats intoxicated with lead, like group 'Pb' but which, during the last 21 days before killing, were treated with 5 ml per kg body weight per day of a 2% injectable solution of sodium aspartate. As compared with the controls, group 'Pb' showed alteration of the histopathologic pattern and reduction in the size of seminiferous tubules, basal membrane separation and a decrease in the cell content of the germinal layer, lesions of the spermatocytes and spermatids, and slight oedematous dissociation in the interstice. In 75% of the group 'PbA' animals, normal aspects similar to those of group 'C' were found.

[The role of cysteine in cadmium- induced experimental testicular damage (author's transl)]. / Die Rolle der Thioaminsäuren bei durch Kadmium hervorgerufenen experimentellen Hodenschädigungen

Simultaneous administration of cysteine and DL-ethionine in food protects, and enhances, respectively, the tissue damage produced by parenteral administration of cadmium (CdCl2) in testicles of rats. The effects are explained as an inactivation of SH-groups by cadmium, and in interference in cysteine metabolism by ethionine, respectively.

Effects of ingestion of radioactive cesium on behavioral indices in rats.

The experiments were carried out on 35 male (M) and female (F) rats contaminated by ingestion of Cesium--137(Cs) for 38 or 84 days; the total Cs activity was 288 Bq 460 Bq, and respectively. The duration of forced swimming decreased significantly in the contaminated groups as compared with controls (n = 16). The active avoidance reaction in the shuttle-box shows an increase in F groups and a decrease in M groups. The total latency time of the same reaction was lower in F and M treated rats on the first day of learning. The score of aggressive behavior rose significantly, especially in group F. These results can be explained by the sex dependence of Cs accumulation and by the neurotoxic action of the radionuclide on several central neural areas including monoaminergic and endocrine mechanisms.