Medicinal plants from Mexico used in the treatment of scorpion sting.

Scorpion sting envenomation is a major public health in Mexico. Rural communities rarely have antivenoms in the health centers, therefore, the people commonly resort to using medicinal plants to treat the symptoms of envenoming caused by scorpion venom, but this knowledge has not yet been reported in detail. In this review, we carry out a review of the medicinal plants used in Mexico against scorpion stings. PubMed, Google, Science Direct, and the Digital Library of Mexican Traditional Medicine (DLMTM) were used to collect data. The results showed the use of at least 48 medicinal plants distributed in 26 families, where Fabaceae (14.6%), Lamiaceae (10.4%), and Asteraceae (10.4%) have the maximum representation. The application of leaves (32%) was preferred followed by roots (20%), stem (17.3%), flowers (16%), and bark (8%). In addition, the most common method of use to treat scorpion stings is decoction (32.5%). The oral and topical routes of administration have similar percentages of use. In vitro and in vivo studies of Aristolochia elegans, Bouvardia ternifolia, and Mimosa tenuiflora were found, which showed an antagonistic effect on the contraction of the ileum caused by the venom of C. limpidus, likewise, they increased the LD50 of said venom and even B. ternofila showed reduced albumin extravasation. The results of these studies demonstrate the promising use of medicinal plants for future pharmacological applications; nevertheless, validation, bioactive compound isolation and toxicity studies are necessary to support and improve therapeutics.

Vorinostat as potential antiparasitic drug.

OBJECTIVE: Vorinostat is a drug used to treat cutaneous T cell lymphoma whose action mechanism is based on Histone Deacetylase inhibition. Histone Deacetylases are a family of enzymes that remove acetyl groups from histone and non-histone proteins that control many crucial processes, such as gene regulation, cell cycle progression, differentiation, and apoptosis. Histone Deacetylase homologues are also expressed in parasites of the genus Plasmodium, Leishmania, Cryptosporidium, Schistosoma, Entamoeba, and others. In this way, antiparasitic properties of Vorinostat have been explored. The aim of this review is to report the current state knowledge of Vorinostat as antiparasitic drug against Plasmodium, Leishmania, Cryptosporidium, Schistosoma and Entamoeba in order to support future investigation in this field. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The authors revised the recent and relevant literature concerning the topic and discussed advances and limitations of studies on Vorinostat as potential drug to treat human parasitic diseases. RESULTS: Vorinostat has been efficient in vitro and, in some cases, in vivo, against parasites that cause parasitic diseases, such as malaria, leishmaniasis, cryptosporidiosis, amoebiasis, and schistosomiasis. CONCLUSIONS: In vitro and in vivo models have demonstrated the antiparasitic activity of Vorinostat, however, the challenge is to assay its activity in animal models and to evaluate if Vorinostat is safe for humans as new alternative to treat human parasitic infections.

Actin, RhoA, and Rab11 participation during encystment in Entamoeba invadens.

In the genus Entamoeba, actin reorganization is necessary for cyst differentiation; however, its role is still unknown. The aim of this work was to investigate the role of actin and encystation-related proteins during Entamoeba invadens encystation. Studied proteins were actin, RhoA, a small GTPase involved through its effectors in the rearrangement of the actin cytoskeleton; Rab11, a protein involved in the transport of encystation vesicles; and enolase, as an encystment vesicles marker. Results showed a high level of polymerized actin accompanied by increased levels of RhoA-GTP during cell rounding and loss of vacuoles. Cytochalasin D, an actin polymerization inhibitor, and Y27632, an inhibitor of RhoA activity, reduced encystment in 80%. These inhibitors also blocked cell rounding, disposal of vacuoles, and the proper formation of the cysts wall. At later times, F-actin and Rab11 colocalized with enolase, suggesting that Rab11 could participate in the transport of the cyst wall components through the F-actin cytoskeleton. These results suggest that actin cytoskeleton rearrangement is playing a decisive role in determining cell morphology changes and helping with the transport of cell wall components to the cell surface during encystment of E. invadens.

Estudio comparativo in vitro del diagnóstico de las caries de fosas, surcos y fisuras de dientes del sector posterior, por examen visual y un sistema de fluorescencia producida por láser / Comparative study in vitro in the diagnostic of fissure caries. groores and teeth fissures in the posterior area by visual examination and a lase fluorescence system

Se estudian in vitro 63 dientes del sector posterior, sin caries aparente o con caries no cavitadas de fosas, surcos fisuras, por examen visual y un Sistema de Fluorescencia producida por Láser. Se confirma la falta de fiabilidad de los criterios clínicos para la detección de caries en estas localizaciones y se proponen valores que se correlacionan con el grado de profundidad de las lesiones. Se concluye que la exploración clínica sola no es suficiente para detectar caries de fosas, surcos y fisuras, pero que el Sistema de Fluorescencia producida por Láser puede ser una técnica de exploración adecuada para establecer el grado de profundidad de estas lesiones (AU)

Correlación clínico-citogenética de 37 pacientes estudiados en el laboratorio de citogenética durante un semestre / Clinico-cytogenetical correlation of 37 patients studied in the laboratory of cytogenetics during one semester

Se analizan 37 cariotipos en sangre periférica realizados durante el primer semestre del actual año en el laboratorio de citogenética del ISCM de Villa Clara, a pacientes eviados de las consultas de Genética Clínica de Santa Clara y Sancti Spiritu, así como de las consultas de Endocrinología y Ginecología. Del total, 17 cariotipos resultaron alterados, ocupado la trisomia 21 verdadera la mayor frecuencia seguida del síndrome de Turner. Se analiza la correlación clínico-citogenética de los casos descritos(AU)

Distribución de la heterocromatina estructural de los cromosonas 1, 9, 16, y Y, en niños portadores de hemoglobina S / Distribution of the structural heterochromatin of chromosomes 1, 9, 16 and Y in children carrying S hemoglobine

Se comparan las características de la distribución de la heterocromatina de los pares cromosomicos 1, 9, 16 y y en niños sanos y portadores de hemoglobina S. los segmentos C de los cromosomas se evidenciaron en cultivos de sangre periferica y su análisis se realizó por el método policuantitativo de cinco puntos, desarrollado por el grupo de citogenética del Instituto de Genética Médica de la Academia de Ciencias de la URSS. El análisis comparativo del polimorfismo de los segmentos C de los cromosomas 1, 9, 16 y y, no reflejó diferencias significativas (p > 0.05) en la distribución de la heterocromatina entre el grupo control y el portador de hemoglobina S. Se discuten los resultados obtenidos y se enfatizan sobre la necesidad de localizar estudios poblacionales de este polimorfismo en nuestra población negroide sana