Pollutants and nutrition: Are methylmercury effects on blood pressure and lipoprotein profile comparable to high-fat diet in mice?

Human exposure to methylmercury (MeHg) due to contaminated fish intake as part of a high-fat (HFD), high-carbohydrate diets is a reality today for many populations. HFD is associated with hypertension and hyperlipidemia, primary cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors. Some studies suggest that MeHg induces those risk factors. We evaluated the effect of MeHg exposure in mice fed with HFD or control diet for eight weeks. In the last experimental 15 days, the half group received a MeHg solution (20 mg/L) replacing water. Blood pressure (BP), heart rate, lipoprotein concentrations, and paraoxonase activity were evaluated. Liver cholesterol, triacylglycerol, and IBA-1+ cells, as well as transcriptional levels of genes related to lipid metabolism and inflammatory response, were also assessed. HFD and both MeHg groups presented increased BP and total cholesterol (TC). In the liver, HFD but not MeHg was related to an increase in TC. Also, MeHg intoxication reduced paraoxonase activity regardless of diet. MeHg intoxication and HFD increased steatosis and the number of IBA-1+ cells and modified some gene transcripts associated with lipid metabolism. In conclusion, we demonstrated that MeHg effects on CVD risk factors resemble those caused by HFD.

Citrate shows protective effects on cardiovascular and renal function in ischemia-induced acute kidney injury.

BACKGROUND: Ischemia and reperfusion (I/R) is one of the major causes of acute kidney injury (AKI). Citrate reduces hypoxia-induced mitochondrial energetic deficits in isolated proximal tubules. Moreover, citrate anticoagulation is now frequently used in renal replacement therapy. In the present study a rat model of I/R-induced AKI was utilized to examine renal protection by citrate in vivo. METHODS: AKI was induced by bilateral renal clamping (40 min) followed by reperfusion (3 h). Citrate was infused at three different concentrations (0.3 mmol/kg/h; 0.6 mmol/kg/h and 1.0 mmol/kg/h) continuously for 60 min before and 45 min after ischemia. Plasma calcium concentrations were kept stable by infusion of calcium gluconate. The effect of citrate was evaluated by biomonitoring, blood and plasma parameters, histopathology and tissue ATP content. RESULTS: In comparison to the normoxic control group bilateral renal ischemia led to an increase of creatinine and lactate dehydrogenase activity and a decrease in tissue ATP content and was accompanied by a drop in mean arterial blood pressure. Infusion of 1.0 mmol/kg/h citrate led to lower creatinine and reduced LDH activity compared to the I/R control group and a tendency for higher tissue ATP content. Pre-ischemic infusion of 1.0 mmol/kg/h citrate stabilized blood pressure during ischemia. CONCLUSIONS: Citrate has a protective effect during I/R-induced AKI, possibly by limiting the mitochondrial deficit as well as by beneficial cardiovascular effects. This strengthens the rationale of using citrate in continuous renal replacement therapy and encourages consideration of citrate infusion as a therapeutic treatment for AKI in humans.

Velocity-Selective Arterial Spin Labeling Perfusion in Monitoring High Grade Gliomas Following Therapy: Clinical Feasibility at 1.5T and Comparison with Dynamic Susceptibility Contrast Perfusion.

MR perfusion imaging is important in the clinical evaluation of primary brain tumors, particularly in differentiating between true progression and treatment-induced change. The utility of velocity-selective ASL (VSASL) compared to the more commonly utilized DSC perfusion technique was assessed in routine clinical surveillance MR exams of 28 patients with high-grade gliomas at 1.5T. Using RANO criteria, patients were assigned to two groups, one with detectable residual/recurrent tumor ("RT", n = 9), and the other with no detectable residual/recurrent tumor ("NRT", n = 19). An ROI was drawn to encompass the largest dimension of the lesion with measures normalized against normal gray matter to yield rCBF and tSNR from VSASL, as well as rCBF and leakage-corrected relative CBV (lc-rCBV) from DSC. VSASL (rCBF and tSNR) and DSC (rCBF and lc-rCBV) metrics were significantly higher in the RT group than the NRT group allowing adequate discrimination (p < 0.05, Mann-Whitney test). Lin's concordance analyses showed moderate to excellent concordance between the two methods, with a stronger, moderate correlation between VSASL rCBF and DSC lc-rCBV (r = 0.57, p = 0.002; Pearson's correlation). These results suggest that VSASL is clinically feasible at 1.5T and has the potential to offer a noninvasive alternative to DSC perfusion in monitoring high-grade gliomas following therapy.

Timing of stereotactic radiosurgery within the first-line systemic treatment in non-small cell lung cancer brain metastases: a retrospective single-center cohort study.

Background: Stereotactic radiosurgery/radiotherapy (SRS/SRT) and novel systemic treatments, such as tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) and immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), have demonstrated to be effective in managing brain metastases in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, the optimal treatment sequence of SRS/SRT and TKI/ICI remains uncertain. This retrospective monocentric analysis addresses this question by comparing the outcomes of patients with NSCLC brain metastases who received upfront SRS/SRT versus those who were initially treated with TKI/ICI. Methods: All patients treated with SRS/SRT and TKI/ICI for NSCLC brain metastases were collected from a clinical database. The patients who received first-line TKI or ICI for the treatment of brain metastases were then selected for further analysis. Within this cohort, a comparative analysis between upfront SRS/SRT and patients initially treated with TKI/ICI was conducted, assessing key parameters such as overall survival (OS), intracranial progression-free survival (iPFS) and treatment-related toxicity. Both OS and iPFS were defined as the time from SRS/SRT to either death or disease progression, respectively. Results: The analysis encompassed 54 patients, of which 34 (63.0%) patients received SRS/SRT and TKI/ICI as their first-line therapy. Of the latter, 17 (50.0%) patients received upfront SRS/SRT and 17 (50.0%) were initially treated with TKI/ICI; 24 (70.6%) received SRS/SRT and ICI, and 10 (29.4%) received SRS/SRT and TKI. The cohorts did not significantly differ in the univariable analyses for the following parameters: sex, age, histology, molecular genetics, disease stage at study treatment, performance status, number of brain metastases, treatment technique, tumor volume, target volume, disease progression, radiation necrosis, dosimetry. While no significant differences were found in terms of iPFS and OS between patients treated with upfront SRS/SRT and patients initially treated with TKI, upfront SRS/SRT demonstrated significantly superior OS when compared to patients initially treated with ICI (median OS not reached vs. 17.5 months; mean 37.8 vs. 23.6 months; P=0.03) with no difference in iPFS. No significant differences in treatment-related toxicity were observed among the cohorts. Conclusions: In this retrospective, single-center cohort study, patients treated with upfront SRS/SRT demonstrated significantly longer OS compared to patients initially treated with ICI in the cohort receiving first-line therapy for brain metastases. However, given the retrospective design and the limited cohort size, definitive conclusions cannot be drawn from these findings. Nevertheless, the results suggest that the timing of SRS/SRT may play an important role in treatment outcomes. Further investigation, preferably through prospective randomized trials, is warranted to provide more conclusive answers to this important question.

Occurrence and Environmental Risk Assessment of Contaminants of Emerging Concern in Brazilian Surface Waters.

We investigated the occurrence and the environmental risk of eight contaminants of emerging concern (CECs; acetaminophen, naproxen, diclofenac, methylparaben, 17ß-estradiol, sulfathiazole, sulfadimethoxine, and sulfamethazine) in three Brazilian water bodies, namely, the Monjolinho River Basin (São Paulo State), the Mogi Guaçu River (São Paulo State), and the Itapecuru River (Maranhão State) in three sampling campaigns. The CECs were only quantified in surface water samples collected at the Monjolinho River Basin. Acetaminophen, naproxen, and methylparaben were detected in the range of <200 to 575.9 ng L-1, <200 to 224.7 ng L-1, and <200 to 303.6 ng L-1, respectively. The detection frequencies of the three measured compounds were between 33% and 67%. The highest concentrations of CECs were associated with intense urbanization and untreated sewage discharge. Furthermore, CEC concentrations were significantly correlated with total organic carbon, electrical conductivity, and dissolved oxygen levels, suggesting that domestic pollution from urban areas is an important source in the distribution of CECs in the Monjolinho River Basin. The environmental risk assessment indicated a high risk for acetaminophen (risk quotient [RQ] values between 2.1 and 5.8), a medium risk for naproxen (RQs between 0.6 and 0.7), and a low risk for methylparaben (RQs < 0.1) to the freshwater biota of the Monjolinho River Basin. Our findings show potential threats of CECs in Brazilian water bodies, especially in vulnerable areas, and reinforce the need for improvements in environmental regulations to include monitoring and control of these compounds in aquatic systems. Environ Toxicol Chem 2024;43:2199-2210. © 2024 SETAC.

Endovascular thrombectomy is cost-saving in patients with acute ischemic stroke with large infarct.

Objective: Endovascular thrombectomy (EVT) is the standard of care for acute large vessel occlusion stroke. Recently, the ANGEL-ASPECT and SELECT 2 trials showed improved outcomes in patients with acute ischemic Stroke presenting with large infarcts. The cost-effectiveness of EVT for this subpopulation of stroke patients has only been calculated using data from the previously published RESCUE-Japan LIMIT trial. It is, therefore, limited in its generalizability to an international population. With this study we primarily simulated patient-level costs to analyze the economic potential of EVT for patients with large ischemic stroke from a public health payer perspective based on the recently published data and secondarily identified determinants of cost-effectiveness. Methods: Costs and outcome of patients treated with EVT or only with the best medical care based on the recent prospective clinical trials ANGEL-ASPECT, SELECT2 and RESCUE-Japan LIMIT. A A Markov model was developed using treamtment outcomes derived from the most recent available literature. Deterministic and probabilistic sensitivity analyses addressed uncertainty. Results: Endovascular treatment resulted in an incremental gain of 1.32 QALYs per procedure with cost savings of $17,318 per patient. Lifetime costs resulted to be most sensitive to the costs of the endovascular procedure. Conclusion: EVT is a cost-saving (i.e., dominant) strategy for patients presenting with large ischemic cores defined by inclusion criteria of the recently published ANGEL-ASPECT, SELECT2, and RESCUE-Japan LIMIT trials in comparison to best medical care in our simulation. Prospective data of individual patients need to be collected to validate these results.

Complications of cochlear implants with MRI scans in different body regions: type, frequency and impact.

OBJECTIVES: The aim was to assess the type, frequency and impact of MRI-related complications in patients with cochlear implants (CI) and MRI indications in different body regions. METHODS: For that purpose, the institutional radiology database of a single tertiary hospital was searched for patients with a CI who underwent MRI between 2001 and 2018. The number of MRI examinations and complications were retrieved from the patient record. Examinations were categorized into five distinct body regions or combinations thereof. Records of CI artifacts in the head also included basic information on diagnostic image quality. RESULTS: Out of 1017 MRI database entries (examinations) of patients with a CI, 91 records were after implantation (71 patients) and 66 were attempted (no contraindications, 49 patients). In four cases (4/66, 6.1%), the magnet was dislocated and had to be replaced surgically. Three out of four severe complications occurred for examination regions outside the head. Thirteen MRI examinations were aborted due to pain (19.7%) and one because of artifacts-resulting in 48 scans (72.7%) completed successfully (36 patients). All cranial scans featured device artifacts in all sequences, but the majority of them did not affect proper imaging diagnostics in the respective region. CONCLUSION: This retrospective, single-center analysis of patients with MRI-conditional cochlear implants shows that MRI-related complications were common, at least in models with a fixed magnet, despite appropriate precautions and compliance with the manufacturers' guidelines. MRI examinations of CI patients should therefore be indicated strictly until the exact causes have been clarified.

Stereotactic radiosurgery and combined immune checkpoint therapy with ipilimumab and nivolumab in patients with melanoma brain metastases: A retrospective monocentric toxicity analysis.

Purpose and objective: Adding stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) to combined immune checkpoint therapy with ipilimumab and nivolumab (IPI + NIVO) has led to promising results for patients with melanoma brain metastases (MBM). This study retrospectively analyzes the toxicity profile depending on the timing of SRS with regard to IPI + NIVO. Materials and methods: For this study, the clinical database was searched for all patients with MBM who were treated with SRS and IPI + NIVO. The patients were separated into three groups: group A completed IPI + NIVO (usually up to four cycles) >14 days before SRS, in group B IPI + NIVO was initiated>14 days after SRS, and group C received SRS concurrently to IPI + NIVO. Treatment related toxicity was obtained from clinical and neuroradiological records. Analyses were performed using the Fisher-Yates-test. Results: 31 patients were assessed including six (19.4 %), seven (22.6 %) and 18 (58.1 %) patients, in groups A, B and C, respectively. Baseline prognostic markers between groups were balanced. In total, five (16.1 %) patients experienced neurological grade 3 toxicities related to SRS. All of these five patients were in group C, which was near-significantly correlated with a risk for grade 3 toxicities (p = 0.058). Post-hoc analyses showed that a maximum time period of seven days between SRS and IPI + NIVO was significantly correlated with grade 3 toxicity (p = 0.048). Conclusion: Application of SRS to IPI + NIVO within a seven-day span was related to higher toxicity rates in this retrospective analysis. After previous studies focused on immune checkpoint monotherapies with SRS and declared it as safe, this study indicates that concomitant application of IPI + NIVO and SRS might increase side effects. Prospective validation is warranted to corroborate these findings.

Advanced MRI Findings in Medulloblastomas: Relationship to Genetic Subtypes, Histopathology, and Immunohistochemistry.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: For diagnosis of medulloblastoma, the updated World Health Organization classification now demands for genetic typing, defining more precisely the tumor biology, therapy, and prognosis. We investigated potential associations between magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) parameters including apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) and neuropathologic features of medulloblastoma, focusing on genetic subtypes. METHODS: This study was a retrospective single-center analysis of 32 patients (eight females, median age = 9 years [range, 1-57], mean 12.6 ± 11.3) from 2012 to 2019. Genetic subtypes (wingless [WNT]; sonic hedgehog [SHH]; non-WNT/non-SHH), histopathology, immunohistochemistry (p53, Ki67), and the following MRI parameters were correlated: tumor volume, location (midline, pontocerebellar, and cerebellar hemisphere), edema, hydrocephalus, metastatic disease (presence/absence and each), contrast-enhancement (minor, moderate, and distinct), cysts (none, small, and large), hemorrhage (none, minor, and major), and ADCmean . The ADCmean was calculated using manually set regions of interest within the solid tumor. Statistics comprised univariate and multivariate testing. RESULTS: Out of 32 tumors, three tumors were WNT activated (9.4%), 13 (40.6%) SHH activated, and 16 (50.0%) non-WNT/non-SHH. Hemispherical location (n = 7/8, P = .003) and presence of edema (8/8; P < .001, specificity 100%, positive predictive value 100%) were significantly associated with SHH activation. The combined parameter "no edema + no metastatic disease + cysts" significantly discriminated WNT-activated from SHH-activated medulloblastoma (P = .036). ADCmean (10-6 mm2 /s) was 484 for WNT-activated, 566 for SHH-activated, and 624 for non-WNT/non-SHH subtypes (P = .080). A significant negative correlation was found between ADCmean and Ki67 (r = -.364, P = .040). CONCLUSION: MRI analysis enabled noninvasive differentiation of SHH-activated medulloblastoma. ADC alone was not reliable for genetic characterization, but associated with tumor proliferation rate.

Oral methylmercury intoxication aggravates cardiovascular risk factors and accelerates atherosclerosis lesion development in ApoE knockout and C57BL/6 mice.

Methylmercury (MeHg) intoxication is associated with hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, and atherosclerosis by mechanisms that are not yet fully understood. We investigated the effects of MeHg intoxication in atherosclerosis-prone (ApoE-KO) and resistant C57BL/6 mice. Mice were submitted to carotid stenosis surgery (to induce atherosclerosis faster) and received water or MeHg solution (20 mg/L) for 15 days. Tail plethysmography was performed before and after MeHg exposure. Food and MeHg solution intakes were monitored weekly. On the 15th day, mice were submitted to intravital fluorescence microscopy of mesenteric vasculature to observe in vivo leukocyte rolling and adhesion. Results showed that despite the high hair and liver Hg concentrations in the MeHg group, food and water (or MeHg solution) consumption and liver function marker levels were similar to those in controls. MeHg exposure increased total cholesterol, the atherogenic (non-HDL) fraction and systolic and diastolic blood pressure. MeHg exposure also induced inflammation, as seen by the increased rolling and adhered leukocytes in the mesenteric vasculature. Atherosclerosis lesions were more extensive in the aorta and carotid sites of MeHg-ApoE knockout mice. Surprisingly, MeHg exposure also induced atherosclerosis lesions in C57BL/6 mice, which are resistant to atherosclerosis formation. We concluded that MeHg intoxication might represent a risk for cardiovascular diseases since it accelerates atherogenesis by exacerbating several independent risk factors.

Chemical composition and larvicidal activity of the essential oil of Pimenta dioica leaves / Composición química y actividad larvicida del aceite esencial de hojas de Pimenta dioica

In this study, we investigated the main constituent, the predominant class and biological activity of the essential oil extracted from the leaves of Pimenta dioica and the pattern of the major constituent against larvae in the third stage of Aedes aegypti. For this reason, we extracted the oil by hydrodistillation, identified its components by gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC/MS) and calculated the lethal concentration (LC50) of the larvicidal activity using the Reed-Muench method. The results show that the oil consists mainly of eugenol, in which the phenylpropanoid class predominated and the lethal concentration, LC50, was 38.86 µg mL-1at a confidence level of 2.25 µg mL-1, while the eugenol standard presented LC5079.75 µg mL-1at a confidence level of 2.10 µg mL-1. Given the facts, we conclude that the oil is more active than the standard and that it has the potential to replace chemical larvicides.

En este estudio, investigamos el constituyente principal, la clase predominante y la actividad biológica del aceite esencial extraído de las hojas de Pimenta dioica y el patrón del constituyente principal contra las larvas en la tercera etapa de Aedes aegypti. Por este motivo, extrajimos el aceite por hidrodestilación, identificamos sus componentes mediante cromatografía de gases acoplada a espectrometría de masas (GC/MS) y calculamos la concentración letal (CL50) de la actividad larvicida mediante el método Reed-Muench. Los resultados muestran que el aceite está constituido principalmente por eugenol, en el que predominó la clase fenilpropanoide y la concentración letal, CL50, fue de 38,86 µg.mL-1 a un nivel de confianza de 2,25 µg.mL-1, mientras que el estándar de eugenol presentó CL50 79,75 µg.mL -1 a un nivel de confianza de 2,10 µg.mL-1. Dados los hechos, concluimos que el aceite es más activo que el estándar y que tiene el potencial de reemplazar los larvicidas químicos.

Chemical composition and larvicidal activity of essential oil of the bark of Citrus sinensis (L.) Osbeck / Composição Química e atividade larvicida do óleo essencial das cascas do Citrus sinensis (L.) Osbeck / Composición química y actividad larvicida del aceite esencial de corteza de Citrus sinensis (L.) Osbeck

SUMMARY Aim: We determined the chemical composition and larvicidal activity of the essential oil distilled from the Citrus sinensis (L.) Osbeck husks and the pattern of the major constituent. Materials and methods: For this, we distill the oil by hydrodistillation, identify the components by gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC-MS), test the larvicidal activity against Aedes aegypti and calculate the lethal concentration at 50% (LC50) by the Reed-Muench method and the confidence interval by the Pizzi method for both oil and standard. Results: It showed that the oil consists mostly of limonene and showed larvicidal activity (LC50 of 199.01 (± 2.10) μg-mL-1) greater than the lemonade standard (126.03 (± 2.09) μg-mL-1). Conclusion: Therefore, we conclude that distilled oil has the potential to replace chemical larvicides.

RESUMO Objetivo: Determinamos a composição química e a atividade larvicida do óleo essencial destilado das cascas do Citrus sinensis (L.) Osbeck e do padrão do constituinte majoritário. Materiais e métodos: Para isso, destilamos o óleo por hidrodestilação, identificamos os componentes por cromatografía gasosa acoplada à espectrometria de massas (CG-EM), testamos a atividade larvicida contra o Aedes aegypti e calculamos a concentração letal a 50% (CL50) pelo método Reed-Muench e o intervalo de confiança pelo método de Pizzi tanto para o óleo quanto para o padrão. Resultados: O óleo é constituído em sua maior parte por limoneno e apresentou atividade larvicida (CL50 de 199.01 (± 2,10) μg-mL-1) maior que o padrão limonento (126,03 (± 2,09) μg-mL-1). Conclusões: Portanto, concluímos que o óleo destilado tem potencial para substituir os larvicida químicos.

RESUMEN Objetivo: Determinamos la composición química y actividad larvicida del aceite esencial destilado de las cáscaras de Citrus sinensis (L.) Osbeck y el patrón del constituyente mayoritario. Materiales y métodos: Para ello destilamos el aceite por hidrodestilación, identificamos los componentes mediante cromatografía de gases acoplada a espectrometría de masas (CG-EM), testeamos la actividad larvicida frente a Aedes aegypti y calculamos la concentración letal al 50% (CL50) por el método Reed- Muench y el intervalo de confianza por el método de Pizzi tanto para aceite como para la muestra estándar. Resultados: El aceite consiste principalmente en limoneno y mostró actividad larvicida (CL50 de 199,01 (± 2,10) μg-mL-1) mayor que el estándar de limonada (126,03 (± 2,09) μg-mL-1). Conclusiones: Por lo tanto, concluimos que el aceite destilado tiene el potencial de reemplazar los larvicidas químicos.

Estudo da composição química, toxicidade e atividade moluscicida do óleo essencial Citrus sinensis (L.) Osbeck / Study of the chemical composition, toxicity and molluscicidal activity of the essential oil Citrus sinensis (L.) Osbeck

RESUMO Determinamos a composição química e testamos a toxicidade e a atividade moluscicida do óleo essencial extraído das cascas do Citrus sinensis (L.) Osbeck. Para isso, o óleo essencial foi extraído quantitativamente por hidrodestilação. Em seguida, as quantificações de seus componentes foram realizadas por cromatografía gasosa acoplada à espectrometria de massas (CG-MS) e a toxicidade e atividade moluscicida foram testadas, respectivamente, contra Artemia salina e caramujos Biomphalaria glabrata. Os resultados mostraram que o óleo contém 81,50% de D-limoneno (constituinte principal) e 0,06% de citronelal (componente menor) e este possui atividade moluscicida com concentração letal (CL50) de 100,08 mg.L-1 e atoxicidade, com CL50 de 321,84 mg.L-1 a um nível de confiança de 95%. Portanto, o óleo é ativo contra o caramujo Biomphalariaglabrata e atóxico para outros seres vivos.

SUMMARY In this present study, we determined the chemical composition and we tested the toxicity and the molluscicidal activity of the essential oil extracted from the barks of Citrus sinensis (L.) Osbeck. For this, the essential oil was extracted quantitatively by hydrodistillation. Then, quantifications of its components were performed by gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (CG-MS) and the toxicity and molluscicidal activity were tested, respectively, against Artemia salina and snails Biomphalaria glabrata. The results showed that the oil contains 81.50% of D-limonene (main constituent) and 0.06% of citronellal (minor component) and it has lethal activity (LC50) of 100.08 mg.L-1 and a toxicity, with LC50 of321.84 mg.L -1 at a 95% confidence level. Therefore, the oil is active against the snail Biomphalaria glabrata and non-toxic to other living bein.

Chemical composition and biological activity of the essential oil of the fruits Pimenta dioica against formae speciales of fungus Fusarium oxysporum / Composición química y actividad biológica del aceite esencial de los frutos Pimenta dioica contraformae speciales del hongo Fusarium oxysporum

SUMMARY We determined the chemical composition and explored the hypothesis that the essential oil of the fruits of Pimenta dioica inhibits the mycelial development of fungi Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici, F. oxysporum f. sp. passiflorae, F. subglutinans f. sp. ananas, F. oxysporum f. sp. vasinfectum e F. oxysporum f. sp. Cubense. To do this, we extracted the oil by hydrodistillation, identified its components by gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and determined the fungal activity against five special forms of Fusarium species. The results showed that the oil had 76.88% of eugenol and inhibited the mycelial development of fungi up to 97.78% in an average of 7.2 days. Therefore, oil is a potential natural fungicide.

RESUMEN Determinamos la composición química y exploramos la hipótesis de que el aceite esencial de los frutos de Pimenta dioica inhibe el desarrollo micelial de los hongos Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici, F. oxysporum f. sp. passiflorae, F. subglutinans f. sp. ananas, F. oxysporum f. sp. vasinfectum e F. oxysporum f. sp. Cubense. Para hacer esto, extrajimos el aceite por hidrodestilación, identificamos sus componentes por cromatografía de gases acoplada a espectrometría de masas (GC-EM) y determinamos la actividad fúngica contra cinco formas especiales de especies de Fusarium. Los resultados mostraron que el aceite tenía 76,88% de eugenol e inhibió el desarrollo micelial de hongos hasta 97,78% en un promedio de 7,2 días. Por lo tanto, el aceite es un potencial fungicida natural.

Determinação espectrofotométrica de Cobre(II) em aguardente de mandioca (Tiquira) / Spectrophotometric determination of Copper (II) in manioc spirit (Tiquira)

RESUMO A pesquisa descreve a reação espectrofotométrica do complexo Cu(II)-PAN (1-(2-piridilazo)-2-naftol) e determina a concentração de cobre (II) em aguardente de mandioca (Tiquira). Para isso, dimensionamos a reação para os estudos de absorção do complexo, pH, estabilidade, proporção estequiométrica, interferentes, correlação e recuperação. Após essa etapa, determinamos a concentração de cobre(II) em cinco amostras de bebidas destiladas artesanalmente de cinco municípios do Estado do Maranhão. O resultados mostram que o complexo absorve em 548 nm em pH 6, é estável em um tempo de 7 horas em proporções estequiométrica mínima de 1:1 do ligante e metal, possui limite de detecção em 3,3 X 10-2 mg L-1, faixa de linearidade de 1 X 10-6 a 1 X 10-5 mol L-1, correlação (R2= 0,9990), desvio padrão=0,0035 e recuperação em 104,54 ± 7,01 e os principais íons interferentes são o ferro (III) e o cobalto (II). Na aguardente, constatamos que o teor de cobre está acima do permitido pela legislação brasileira.

SUMMARY The search describes the spectrophotometric reaction of the Cu (II)-PAN (1-(2-pyridilazo) -2-naphthol) complex and determines the concentration of copper (II) in manioc spirit (Tiquira). For this, we dimensioned the reaction for the studies of complex absorption, pH, stability, stoichiometric ratio, interferences, correlation, and recovery. After this step, we determined the concentration of copper (II) in five samples of beverages distilled artisanal from five municipalities of the State of Maranhão. The results show that the complex absorbs at 548 nm at pH 6, is stable at a time of 7 hours in minimum 1:1 stoichiometric proportions of the binder and metal, has a detection limit in 3.3 X 10-2 mg L-1, range (R2= 0.9990), standard deviation= 0.0035 and recovery at 104.54 ± 7.0, and the main interfering ions are iron (III) and cobalt (II). In the brandy, we find that the copper content is above that allowed by Brazilian legislation.

Toxicity and molluscicidal activity of the essential oil Pimenta dioica against the snail Biomphalaria glabrata / Toxicidad y actividad molusccidal del aceite esencial Pimenta dioica contra el caracol Biomphalaria glabrata

This work evaluated the toxicity and molluscicidal effect of the oil extracted from Pimenta dioica leaves against the snail Biomphalaria glabrata (Say, 1818). For this, the essential oil was extracted quantitatively by hydrodistillation. Then quantifications of its components were performed by gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (CG-MS) and the toxicity and molluscicidal activity were tested, respectively, against Artemia salina and snails Biomphalaria glabrata (Say, 1818). The lethal concentration (LC50) was calculated from the Reed-Muench & Pizzi methods, respectively, for toxicity and molluscicide testing. The results of the chromatographic analysis showed that the oil contains 85.67% eugenol (major constituent) and 0.88% linalool (minor component). In the toxicity evaluation, the oil was considered highly toxic with a LC50 of 14.13 mg∙L-1, in a 95% confidence interval, while the molluscicidal activity presented a lethal concentration (LC50) of 18.62. mg∙L-1 at a 95% confidence interval. Therefore, the oil is active against the snail Biomphalaria glabrata.

Este trabajo evaluó la toxicidad y el efecto molusquicida del aceite extraído de las hojas de Pimenta dioica contra el caracol Biomphalaria glabrata (Say, 1818). Para esto, el aceite esencial se extrajo cuantitativamente por hidrodestilación. Luego se realizaron cuantificaciones de sus componentes mediante cromatografía de gases acoplada a espectrometría de masas (CG-MS) y se analizaron la toxicidad y la actividad molusquicida, respectivamente, contra Artemia salina y los caracoles Biomphalaria glabrata (Say, 1818). La concentración letal (CL50) se calculó a partir de los métodos de Reed-Muench y Pizzi, respectivamente, para pruebas de toxicidad y molusquicidas. Los resultados del análisis cromatográfico mostraron que el aceite contiene un 85,67% de eugenol (constituyente principal) y un 0,88% de linalool (componente secundario). En la evaluación de toxicidad, el aceite se consideró altamente tóxico con una CL50 de 14.13 mg∙L-1, en un intervalo de confianza del 95%, mientras que la actividad molusquicida presentó una concentración letal (CL50) de 18.62. mg∙L-1 en un intervalo de confianza del 95%. Por lo tanto, el aceite es activo contra el caracol Biomphalaria glabrata.

Avaliação da toxicidade e atividade moluscicida do óleo essencial Cinnamomum zeylanicum Blume contra o caramujo Biomphalaria glabrata (Say, 1818) / Evaluation of toxicity and molluscicidal activity of the essential oil Cinnamomum zeylanicum Blume against the snail Biomphalariaglabrata (Say, 1818)

RESUMO Este trabalho determina a toxicidade e o efeito moluscicida do óleo extraído das folhas de Cinnamomum zeylanicum Blume contra o caramujo Biomphalaria glabrata (Say, 1818). Para isso, o óleo essencial foi extraído quantitativamente por hidro-destilação. Em seguida, quantificações de seus componentes foram realizadas por cromatografia gasosa acoplada a espectrometria de massas (CG-MS) e a toxicidade e atividade moluscicida do óleo foram testadas, respectivamente, contra Artemia salina e caramujos Biomphalaria glabrata (Say, 1818). A concentração letal (CL50) foi calculada a partir dos métodos Reed-Muench & Pizzi, respectivamente, para toxicidade e teste moluscicida. Os resultados das análises cromatográficas mostraram que o óleo possui 83% de eugenol (constituinte majoritário) e 2,5% de humuleno (componente minoritário). Na avaliação de toxicidade, o óleo foi considerado moderadamente tóxico com uma CL50 de 162,1 mg.L-1 ± 2,80, com intervalo de confiança de 95%, enquanto a atividade moluscicida apresentou concentração letal de 50% (CL50) de 18,62 mg.L-1 ± 2,18, com intervalo de confiança de 95%. Portanto, o óleo é ativo contra o caramujo Biom-phalaria glabrata.

SUMMARY This work determines the toxicity and the molluscicidal effect of the oil extracted from the leaves of Cinnamomum zeylanicum Blume against the snail Biomphalaria glabrata (Say, 1818). For this, the essential oil was extracted quantitatively by hydrodistillation. Then, quantifications of its components were performed by gas chro-matography coupled to mass spectrometry (CG-MS) and the toxicity and mollus-cicidal activity of the oil were tested, respectively, against Artemia salina and snails Biomphalaria glabrata (Say, 1818). The lethal concentration (LC50) was calculated from the Reed-Muench & Pizzi methods, respectively, for toxicity and molluscicide testing. The results of the chromatographic analysis showed that the oil has 83% eugenol (majority constituent) and 2.5% humulene (minority component). In the toxicity evaluation, the oil was considered to be moderately toxic with a LC50 of 162.1 mg.L-1 ± 2.80, with a 95% confidence interval, while the molluscicidal activity presented a lethal concentration of 50% (LC50) of 18.62 mg. L-1 ± 2.18, with a 95% confidence interval. Therefore, the oil is active against the snail Biomphalaria glabrata.

Utilização dos métodos automáticos em fluxos com detecção espectrofotométrica na determinação de diclofenaco de sódio em formulações farmacêuticas e fluidos corporais / Use of automatic methods in fluxes with spectrophotometric detection in the determination of diclofenac sodium in pharmaceutical formulations and body fluids

RESUMO Este trabalho descreveu e comparou quatro estudos entre si que utilizaram métodos automáticos em fluxo com detecção espectrofotométrica e a reação de oxidação do diclofenaco para determinar diclofenaco em formulações farmacêuticas e fluidos corporais. Para isso, utilizamos os seguintes artigos: Versatility of a multicommuted flow system in the spectrometric determination of three analytes, Sequential injection spectrophotometric method for the assay of anti-inflammatory diclofenac sodium in pharmaceutical preparations, Screening of conditions controlling spectrophotometric sequential injection analysis e Sequential injection spectrophotometric determination of diclofenac in urine and pharmaceutical formulations e detalhamos as metodologias empregadas, os resultados, conclusões obtidas e comparamos entre eles os limites de detecção, desvio padrão relativo e a frequência analítica. Os resultados mostraram diferenças significativas entre métodos empregados e a utilização do Sistema automático do tipo Análise por Injeção Sequencial, apesar deste possuir menor frequência analítica.

SUMMARY This study described and compared four studies that used automatic flow methods with spectrophotometric detection and the oxidation reaction of diclofenac to determine diclofenac in pharmaceutical formulations and body fluids. For this, the following articles were used: Versatility of a multicommuted flow system in the spectrometric determination of three analytes, Sequential injection spectrophotometric method for the assay of anti-inflammatory diclofenac sodium in pharmaceutical preparations, Screening of conditions controlling spectrophotometric sequential injection analysis and Sequential injection spectrophotometric determination of diclofenac in urine and pharmaceutical formulations and we detail the methodologies used, the results, the conclusions obtained and compare the limits of detection, relative standard deviation and analytical frequency. The results showed significant differences between the employed methods and the use of the Automatic System of the Sequential Injection Analysis type, although this one has a lower analytical frequency.