Aqueous extract of Paullinia cupana attenuates renal and hematological effects associated with ketoprofen.

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of aqueous extract of Paullinia cupana (AEG) against ketoprofen side effects, through biochemical, hematological, and histological parameters. AEG showed antioxidant activity in the DPPH• scavenging (IC50  = 17.00 ± 1.00 µg/ml) and HPLC analysis revealed that this extract is constituted by antioxidants (caffeine, catechins, theobromine, and polyphenols). In vivo experiments in female Wistar rats demonstrated that alterations in urea, creatinine, and uric acid levels promoted (p < .05) by ketoprofen were reversed when AEG was co-administered. Ketoprofen significantly decreased the catalase levels of animal tissues (p < .05), which were restored when AEG was co-administered with the mentioned drug. Histological analysis showed that AEG protected tissues from damages caused by ketoprofen. Moreover, AEG reestablished the number of white blood cells, which had decreased when ketoprofen was administered. In conclusion, this study suggested that the association between ketoprofen and AEG may be an alternative to reduce health damages caused by this drug. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Paullinia cupana, popularly known as guaraná, is commonly consumed as a beverage in Brazil and exhibits pharmacological and beneficial effects to humans. Ketoprofen is an efficacious drug employed in the treatment of inflammatory processes. However, this drug can cause several side effects in humans. Thus, the usage of natural products and plant extracts that can reduce such undesirable effects consists in a valuable strategy to be applied in therapeutic interventions.

Preliminary in vitro and ex vivo evaluation of afzelin, kaempferitrin and pterogynoside action over free radicals and reactive oxygen species.

Biological activities of flavonoids have been extensively reviewed in literature. The biochemical profile of afzelin, kaempferitrin, and pterogynoside acting on reactive oxygen species was investigated in this paper. The flavonoids were able to act as scavengers of the superoxide anion, hypochlorous acid and taurine chloramine. Although flavonoids are naturally occurring substances in plants which antioxidant activities have been widely advertised as beneficial, afzelin, kaempferitrin, and pterogynoside were able to promote cytotoxic effect. In red blood cells this toxicity was enhanced, depending on flavonoids concentration, in the presence of hypochlorous acid, but reduced in the presence of 2,2'-azo-bis(2-amidinopropane) free radical. These flavonoids had also promoted the death of neutrophils, which was exacerbated when the oxidative burst was initiated by phorbol miristate acetate. Therefore, despite their well-known scavenging action toward free radicals and oxidants, these compounds could be very harmful to living organisms through their action over erythrocytes and neutrophils.

Avaliação preliminar da associação entre anfotericina e hesperina com oxidantes e células huvec / Preliminary assessment of the association between amphotericin and hesperetin with oxididants and huvec cells

A anfotericina B (AmB) é fármaco o “padrão ouro” para o tratamento de infecções fúngicas invasivas desde 1960, Entretanto, a anfotericina B apresenta elevada toxicidade, a qual manifesta-se mais frequentemente nos rins e no fígado, Sabe-se, desde 1985, que a auto-oxidação da AmB origina diferentes formas de espécies reativas oxidativas e estas, por serem tóxicas para a célula, seriam responsáveis, em parte, pela toxicidade, Diferentes estudos indicam que a hesperidina contribui por meio do decréscimo do estresse oxidativo, para a proteção renal e contra a injúria gerada pela isquemia, Tal fato e o envolvimento da AmB na geração de radicais livres tornam interessante a avaliação preliminar do efeito da hesperidina e AmB (isoladamente ou associadas) frente a espécies reativas do oxigênio e radicais livres, bem como o estudo das mesmas em modelos de citoxicidade, Frente ao ABTS•+, a AmB apresentou IC50 igual a 0,0124mg/mL, mas quando associada à hesperidina este valor caiu para 0,0003mg/mL, Frente ao HOCl, a Amb apresentou IC50 igual a 0,0056, mas quando associada à hesperidina este valor caiu para 0,0023mg/mL, No ensaio com DPPH• e radical ânion superóxido as amostras não foram efetivas, No ensaio com células endoteliais em cultivo (HUVEC), as associações reduziram a viabilidade celular, Estes resultados preliminares evidenciam a interação dos compostos com espécies reativas bem como indicam possibilidade de exacerbação do dano pela AmB na presença dos antioxidantes em um modelo in vitro...

Amphotericin B (AmB) is drug “gold standard” for the treatment of invasive fungal infections since 1960. However, amphotericin B has high toxicity, which manifests itself most often in the kidneys and in the liver. It is known, since 1985, that self-oxidation of AmB gives different forms of reactive oxidative species and these, being toxic to the cell, would be responsible, in part, by its toxicity. Different studies indicate that hesperidin contributes, through the reduction of oxidative stress, to protect against renal injury generated by ischemia. This fact and the involvement of AmB in the generation of free radicals make it interesting the preliminary evaluation of the effect of hesperidin and AmB (alone or associated) against reactive oxygen species and free radicals, as well as the study on models of cytotoxicity. Front ABTS•+, AmB presented IC50 equal to 0.0124 mg/mL, but when it was associated to hesperidin this value has decreased to 0.0003 mg/mL. Front HOCl, Amb presented IC50 equal to 0.0056, but when it was associated to hesperidin this value has decreased to 0.0023 mg/mL. In the trials with DPPH• and the superoxide anion radical samples were not effective. In the assay with endotelial cell culture (HUVEC cells), the association has decreased cell viability. These preliminary results demonstrate the interaction of the compounds with reactive species as well as indicate the possibility of damage exacerbation by AmB in the presence of antioxidants in an in vitro model...