RESUMO

Pseudobrickellia brasiliensis (Asteraceae) is a plant commonly known as arnica-do-campo and belongs to the native flora of the Brazilian Cerrado. The alcoholic extract of the plant has been used as an anti-inflammatory agent in folk medicine, but the biological mechanism of action has not been elucidated. The present study evaluated the composition of P. brasiliensis aqueous extract and its effects on pro-inflammatory cytokine production and lymphocyte proliferation. The extracts were prepared by sequential maceration of P. brasiliensis leaves in ethanol, ethyl acetate, and water. Extract cytotoxicity was evaluated by trypan blue exclusion assay, and apoptosis and necrosis were measured by staining with annexin V-FITC and propidium iodide. The ethanolic (ETA) and acetate (ACE) extracts showed cytotoxic effects. The aqueous extract (AQU) was not cytotoxic. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells stimulated with phorbol myristate acetate and ionomycin and treated with AQU (100 µg/mL) showed reduced interferon (IFN)-γ and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α expression. AQU also inhibited lymphocyte proliferative response after nonspecific stimulation with phytohemagglutinin. The aqueous extract was analyzed by liquid chromatography coupled with photodiode array detection and mass spectrometry. Quinic acid and its derivatives 5-caffeoylquinic acid and 3,5-dicaffeoylquinic acid, as well as the flavonoids luteolin and luteolin dihexoside, were detected. All these compounds are known to exhibit anti-inflammatory activity. Taken together, these findings demonstrate that P. brasiliensis aqueous extract can inhibit the pro-inflammatory cytokine production and proliferative response of lymphocytes. These effects may be related to the presence of chemical substances with anti-inflammatory actions previously reported in scientific literature.

Assuntos

RESUMO

We evaluated the effect of different treatment protocols against gastrointestinal nematodes in Nelore beef cattle during the growing phase in the municipality of Terenos, MS, in central Brazil from May 2013 to April 2014 and from May 2014 to April 2015. Ninety-six Nelore calves were kept on Brachiaria brizantha grass during each trial period and were distributed into six experimental groups (replicate paddocks for each group) based on live weight and the number of eggs per gram of feces (EPG): T1 (control)-treated in May, July and September with a saline solution; T2-treated in May and November with 700 µg/kg doramectin; T3-treated in May (doramectin), July (4.7 mg/kg levamisole phosphate) and September (doramectin); T4-treated in May (doramectin), July (200 µg/kg moxidectin) and September (doramectin); T5-treated in May (doramectin), August (levamisole phosphate) and November (doramectin) and T6-treated in May (doramectin), August (moxidectin) and November (doramectin). The calves were weighed and feces were collected (for faecal culture and EPG counts) from calves every 28 days, concomitantly with the collection of forage samples. The efficacies of doramectin, moxidectin and levamisole were low, at 69.2, 65.9 and 69.4% in the first and 13.8, 92.6, and 76.5% in the second experimental periods, respectively, but only the untreated animals lost weight during the dry season. Final weight gains did not differ significantly (p>0.05) among the animals in T2 (120.8 kg), T3 (131.4 kg), T4 (131.2 kg) and T5 (134.4 kg). T6 was the only group with a significantly higher final weight gain (140.9 kg) compared to the protocol with two annual dosages (T2). The weight gain was 31.9% higher in T6 than in the untreated animals (T1). None of the protocols affected the number of larvae on the pasture. Body weight was significantly and negatively (r=-0.65) correlated with EPG counts, which were significantly lower in June (T2, T3, T4 and T6), August (T3), September (T5 and T6), October (T5) and November (T5 and T6). Haemonchus, Cooperia, Trichostrongylus and Oesophagostomum were identified. Treatments in May and November, the most common practice in Brazil, did not increase the final weight gain, so an additional and intermediate treatment during the dry season (August) is recommended.

Assuntos

RESUMO

Objetivou-se com este estudo, caracterizar os aspectos epidemiológicos das intoxicações humanas, ocasionadas por plantas no Estado de Pernambuco (PE), através de uma abordagem transversal e descritiva a partir de notificações obtidas no Centro de Assistência Toxicológica deste Estado, no período de 1992 a 2009. Foram analisados 214 prontuários com base nas variáveis: sexo, faixa etária, agente tóxico vegetal, sazonalidade, zona de ocorrência, local do acidente, via de exposição, circunstância, tipo de atendimento, evolução clínica. As intoxicações predominaram no sexo feminino (52,34%), faixa etária de 1 a 4 anos (42,52%), e a maioria ocorreu nos meses de fevereiro, agosto e outubro. A maioria das intoxicações foi na área urbana (74,30%), em acidentes nas residências (72,90%), através de plantas, sendo que 85% por via oral. A família Araceae foi responsável por 35,98% das intoxicações, seguida das famílias Euphorbiaceae 23,83% e Solanaceae com 5,60% dos casos. Os pacientes foram atendidos e a gravidade dos casos, em sua maioria, evoluiu para melhora de saúde, não sendo possível fazer o registro de cura, pelo fato de os mesmos deixarem o hospital sem a devida alta. Espera-se alertar os profissionais de saúde da importância das plantas, como fator de risco de intoxicação, possibilitando o estabelecimento de políticas públicas de prevenção e promoção da saúde.(AU)

The objective of this study was to characterize the epidemiological aspects of human poisoning caused by plants in the State of Pernambuco. This is a cross-sectional descriptive study from notifications obtained in the Toxicological Assistance Centre of Pernambuco (CEATOX), between 1992-2009. 214 records were analyzed using these variables: sex, age group, vegetal toxic agent, seasonality, occurrence zone locations, poisoning site, way of contamination, circumstances of poisoning, type of treatment, and the outcome. Poisoning predominated in females (52.34%) aged 1 to 4 years (42.52%) and the majority occurred in February, August and October. Most poisonings took place in the urban zone (74.30%), caused by home accidents (72.90%) by the oral ingestion of the toxic agent (85%). The family Araceae accounted for (35.98%) of poisonings, followed by Euphorbiaceae families (23.83%) and Solanaceae with (5.60%). Patients were treated and mostly evolved into health improvement, but we lack data regarding cure due to the fact that the patients left the hospital without proper medical release. We hope to alert health professionals of the importance of poisonous plants as a risk factor, enabling the establishment of new public policies for health promotion and prevention for the general public.(AU)

Assuntos

RESUMO

ABSTRACT Pseudobrickelliabrasiliensisis aspecies endemic toBrazil, popularlyknown as “arnica”/ “arnica-do-campo”/ “arnica-do-mato” and used for itsanalgesicand anti-inflammatoryproperties. The objective of this research was thephytochemical studyof the essential oilandhexaneandethyl acetateextracts of the leaves of this species. The essential oilwasextracted byhydrodistillation using a Clevengerapparatusand was analyzed byGC/MS, 25components were identified, with a predominance ofmonoterpenes. The extractswere subjected toclassicalchromatographyand the fractionswere analyzed byGC/MS, 1D 1H-NMR, 13C-NMR and 13C-NMR-DEPT 135.α-amyrin, α-amyrin acetate, β-amyrin, β-amyrin acetate, lupeol, lupeolacetate, pseudotaraxasterol andtaraxasterol (triterpenes), andkaurenoicacid (diterpene) were identified.Theseterpenesarechemo-taxonomicallyrelated to theEupatorieaetribe(Asteraceae) and may be responsible for the anti-inflammatory activity attributed to the plant.

RESUMO Pseudobrickellia brasiliensis é uma espécie endêmica do Brasil, popularmente conhecida como “arnica”/ “arnica-do-campo”/ “arnica-do-mato” e usada por suas propriedades analgésica e antiinflamatória. O objetivo do trabalho foi o estudo fitoquímico do óleo essencial e dos extratos hexânico e em acetato de etila das folhas dessa espécie. O óleo essencial foi extraído por hidrodestilação em aparato de Clevenger e foi analisado por CG/EM, sendo identificados 25 componentes, com predomínio de monoterpenos. Os extratos foram submetidos a cromatografia clássica, e as frações foram analisadas por CG/EM, 1D 1H-RMN, 13C-RMN e 13C-RMN-DEPT 135. Foram identificados α-amirina, acetato de α-amirina, β-amirina, acetato de β-amirina, lupeol, acetato de lupeol, pseudotaraxasterol e taraxasterol (triterpenos) e o ácido caurenóico (diterpeno). Estes terpenos estão quimiotaxonomicamente relacionados a tribo Eupatorieae (Asteraceae) e podem ser responsáveis pela atividade antiinflamatória atribuída a planta.

Assuntos