RESUMO
CONTEXT: Methanol extracts obtained from eight species belonging to four families of the Lamiales order native to Mexico were investigated for biological action. OBJECTIVE: Cytotoxicity and antioxidant activity of methanol extracts have been investigated. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Cytotoxic activity was evaluated by the sulphorhodamine B protein staining assay against KB (nasopharyngeal), HEp-2 (larynx), HF-6 (colon), MCF7 (breast), PC-3 (prostate), and Ca Ski (cervix) carcinoma cell lines. To analyze the antioxidant activity, common stable radicals chromogens, 2,2-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS+) and DPPH (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl) were used. The ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) and the total phenolic content of the samples were also determined. RESULTS: Some of the extracts, such as Limosella aquatica L. (Scrophulariaceae), Mimulus glabratus Kunth. (Phrymaceae), Pedicularis mexicana Zucc. ex Benth. (Orobanchaceae), and Penstemon campanulatus (Cav.) Willd. (Plantaginaceae) displayed remarkably selective cytotoxic activity. However, the extract from Veronica americana (Raf.) Schwein (Plantaginaceae) showed the highest activity with IC50 values of 1.46 and 0.169 g/ µL on PC-3 and HF-6 cells, respectively. With the exception of M. glabratus, all the extracts showed different degrees of antioxidant activity with IC50 values from 0.89 up to 1.8 in the ABTS assay; from 0.49 up to 1.25 mg/mL in the DPPH assay and with the FRAP evaluation, 36 to 68 equivalents in mM of FeSO4. V. americana also showed the highest antoxidant activity with IC50 values from 0.491 and 0.892 mg/mL, on DPPH and ABTS assays, respectively. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: These findings demonstrated that the species studied have great potential cytotoxic and antioxidant activity.
Assuntos
Antineoplásicos Fitogênicos/farmacologia , Antioxidantes/farmacologia , Lamiaceae/química , Compostos de Bifenilo , Linhagem Celular Tumoral , Cromanos/química , Ensaios de Seleção de Medicamentos Antitumorais , Compostos Férricos/química , Sequestradores de Radicais Livres/farmacologia , Radicais Livres/química , Humanos , México , Oxirredução , Fenóis/química , Picratos , Extratos Vegetais/química , Extratos Vegetais/farmacologia , Espécies Reativas de Nitrogênio , Espécies Reativas de OxigênioRESUMO
The objective of this work was to identify some risk factors that women could present during pregnancy and that are associated with low birthweight (less than 2,500 g). A study was performed during 1994 with 378 cases and 649 controls at the Provincial Obstetric-Gynecologic Hospital of Sancti Spíritus, Cuba. The data were obtained from clinical histories, the registry of births, and personal interviews with mothers. A bivariate analysis was carried out and possible confounding factors were controlled utilizing dichotomous logistic regression, using the Epi Info 5 and SPSS software programs. With the final multivariate model, the following risk factors for low birthweight were identified as significant: hypertension during pregnancy, infrequent checkups during pregnancy, previous abortions, a period of less than 2 years since the last birth, and a maternal weight increase of less than 8 kg. Priority should be given to these last three variables in order to maintain the high standards of the maternal and child health program of Sancti Spíritus Province, Cuba.
Assuntos
Recém-Nascido de Baixo Peso , Unidade Hospitalar de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia , Cuba , Feminino , Humanos , Recém-Nascido , Masculino , Gravidez , Fatores de RiscoRESUMO
The peroxidative metabolism of the nonsteroid anti-inflammatory oxicams generates metabolites of the type expected from a dioxetane intermediate. Therefore, electronically excited metabolites may be expected. Consistent with this possibility, both direct and sensitized light emission are observed when tenoxicam is exposed to horseradish peroxidase or when added to leukocytes, where it undergoes a myeloperoxidase-catalyzed aerobic oxidation. The similarity between peroxidative metabolism with concomitant oxygen uptake and photodegradation brought about by singlet oxygen addition to the substrate is pointed out. As a whole, the results strengthen the view that electronically excited species should also be considered when analyzing the effect(s) of xenobiotics.
Assuntos
Anti-Inflamatórios não Esteroides/metabolismo , Peroxidase do Rábano Silvestre/metabolismo , Neutrófilos/metabolismo , Piroxicam/análogos & derivados , Animais , Luz , Consumo de Oxigênio , Peróxidos/metabolismo , Piroxicam/metabolismo , Ratos , Ratos WistarRESUMO
Light emission from the horseradish peroxidase-catalyzed aerobic or anaerobic oxidation of indole-3-acetic acid has been investigated under opposite extreme conditions of enzyme/substrate ratio. The O2-dependent chemiluminescent processes represent a minor part of the total oxygen consumption. Superoxide is involved in chemiexcitation as is evident from the observed inhibitory effect of superoxide dismutase. At high enzyme/substrate ratio, only a part of the emission is dependent on superoxide ion; at low ratio the dependence is extensive. At high ratio, some of the emission is independent of superoxide and O2. The identical quenching effects of D- and L-tryptophan are consistent with the formation of the quenching species only in bulk solution. The similarity of the emission spectra under extreme conditions indicates that the same main emitters are formed. This is also supported by the effect of quenchers. Possibly some of the emitters originate in the oxidative cleavage of the 2,3-double bond of the indole ring.
Assuntos
Peroxidase do Rábano Silvestre/metabolismo , Ácidos Indolacéticos/metabolismo , Consumo de Oxigênio , Aerobiose , Anaerobiose , Clorofila/farmacologia , Cinética , Modelos Teóricos , Oxirredução , Superóxido Dismutase/farmacologia , Superóxidos/metabolismo , Fatores de TempoRESUMO
The peroxidative metabolization of indole-3-acetic acid, a biologically important process, has been followed by EPR spectroscopy with the aim of obtaining information on the mechanism of generation of electronically excited species. The skatole-3-methylene radical detected during oxidation by horseradish peroxidase, does not appear to be involved in a major oxygen consuming process or in the generation of singlet oxygen. The chemiluminescence spectrum exhibits several maxima, which are also observed when the ethyl ester of indole-3-acetic acid is metabolized by horseradish peroxidase or by myeloperoxidase in neutrophils. When the ester is metabolically activated in either of these systems, the EPR spectrum indicates a tertiary carbon-centered radical. This radical centered on the carbon in the 3-position participates in a chemiexcitation/emissive route. Within the cell, this emissive process is responsible for a large part of the oxygen consumed. Some of the emitters originate in the cleavage of the 2,3 double bond. The ester, which is capable of penetrating into the cells, also emits with other myeloperoxidase-containing cells. This compound may have useful applications as an intracellular chemiluminescent probe for the presence of myeloperoxidase.
Assuntos
Peroxidase do Rábano Silvestre/metabolismo , Ácidos Indolacéticos/metabolismo , Neutrófilos/metabolismo , Animais , Espectroscopia de Ressonância de Spin Eletrônica , Ésteres , Radicais Livres , Peróxido de Hidrogênio/metabolismo , Consumo de Oxigênio , Ratos , Ratos WistarRESUMO
The addition of a precursor of the enol form of isobutanal to neutrophils results in formation of triplet acetone, as attested to by emission from appropriate acceptors and cell damage (Nascimento et al., 1986 Biochim. Biophys. Acta 888, 337-342). The present study confirms the formation of triplet acetone by detection of the direct emission (lambda max 430 nm) and differentiates between effects produced by triplet acetone and by the enol substrate itself. Thus, triplet acetone: (1) enhances the release of ribonucleic acid; (2) promotes lipid peroxidation (N3(-)-inhibitable formation of thiobarbituric acid reactive products and concomitant light emission peaking at 480-500 nm); (3) increases myeloperoxidase activity, presumable as a result of damage and consequent increased exposure of the enzyme. On the other hand, the enol greatly enhances the release of protein(s) into the medium. These results confirm the utility of the neutrophil as a model system for the study of chemiexcitation processes induced at the cellular level. They also provide the first demonstration that an excited species formed at the cellular level may induce release of nucleic acids, thus reflecting the occurrence of deleterious processes in situ.
Assuntos
Acetona/análogos & derivados , Aldeídos/farmacologia , Neutrófilos/fisiologia , Propanóis , 1-Propanol/metabolismo , 1-Propanol/farmacologia , Aldeídos/metabolismo , Animais , Ciclização , Peróxido de Hidrogênio/farmacologia , Luminescência , Neutrófilos/efeitos dos fármacos , Ratos , Ratos EndogâmicosRESUMO
UNLABELLED: A simplified gravimetric method is proposed for fibrinogen estimation in plasma. Technic: 0.5 ml plasma (citrated) are diluted to up 5 ml with saline. A stick, 5 to 6 cm long, made of a glass capillary tube, or, aluminium foil, with ends bended as a hock, are weighted up to 0.001 g. Introduce one stick previously weighted in diluted plasma. Place two drops of thrombin (10 U/ml), and mix. In seconds, all fibrinogen is transformed in fibrin, deposited around the stick. Remove the stick with the fibrin, and press gently with the fingers, expelling the liquid in excess. Hang the stick with the fibrin, on the rim of a dry centrifuge tube. Centrifuge at 3.000 rpm for 10 minutes (dry centrifugation). Centrifugal forces acting on the fibrin clot expell all liquid particles. Fibrin consist of a very thin layer adhered on the stick. The weight difference (initial and final), represents the solid fibrin. CALCULATION: difference of weight added by 0.1 of the difference (anticoagulant dilution) x 200 to convert in dl. The method is highly reproductible, and takes about 20 minutes to be completed.
Assuntos
Fibrinogênio/análise , Métodos , Gravidade EspecíficaRESUMO
One hundred eighty children hospitalized for acute respiratory disease were studied in Cali, Colombia. In the majority of patients, pneumonia was the reason for hospitalization and remained the final diagnosis. Fifty-one cases of pneumonia of indeterminate etiology comprised the largest single diagnostic category, followed by 38 cases of pneumonia associated with measles, and 22 cases assocaited with serologic evidence of infection with other viral agents or Mycoplasma pneumoniae. Etiologic diagnosis could be assigned with a reasonable degree of confidence in 116 of the 180 patients (64%). The laboratory procedure found most likely to provide the etiologic diagnosis in this series was paired sera specimens for demonstration of rise in antibody titer against the common viral respiratory pathogens. Those most frequently implicated serologically as etiologic agents in the cases studied were, in order of decreasing frequency, measles, influenza, parainfluenza, and adenoviruses.
Assuntos
Doenças Respiratórias/etiologia , Adolescente , Asma/diagnóstico , Broncopatias/diagnóstico , Broncopneumonia/diagnóstico , Criança , Pré-Escolar , Colômbia , Crupe/diagnóstico , Difteria/diagnóstico , Feminino , Humanos , Lactente , Masculino , Sarampo/diagnóstico , Tuberculose/diagnóstico , Coqueluche/diagnósticoRESUMO
In this study of 99 tuberculous meningitis patients from Cali, Colombia, treatment with steroids (in conjunction with antituberculous drugs) was shown to be more effective in reducing mortality than treatment with antibacterial drugs alone. Results further suggest that low dosages of steroids (1 mg/kg of prednisone daily for r 30 days) are equally effective in treating the disease as high dosages (10 mg/kg of prednisone at the start of treatment, gradually reduced over a 30-day period). These results are band 4(-43 and -kk mg/100 ml) demonstrated cerebral release. Arterial blood hyperammonemia can be detoxified safely in the brain as long as the levels do not exceed approximately 300 mug/100 ml. Beyond that level lactic acidosis is observed, particularly in cerebral venous drainage. Arterial blood hyperammonemia was also related to the extent of alveolar hyperventilation. These findings are very similar to those seen in experimental hyperammonemia and support the concept that neurotoxicity in children with Reye's syndrome is at least partly due to impaired oxidative metabolism secondary to hyperammonemia.
Assuntos
Prednisona/uso terapêutico , Tuberculose Meníngea/mortalidade , Adolescente , Antituberculosos/uso terapêutico , Criança , Pré-Escolar , Ensaios Clínicos como Assunto , Colômbia , Países em Desenvolvimento , Relação Dose-Resposta a Droga , Esquema de Medicação , Avaliação de Medicamentos , Quimioterapia Combinada , Humanos , Lactente , Recém-Nascido , Prednisona/administração & dosagem , Tuberculose Meníngea/tratamento farmacológicoRESUMO
Thirty-three children were hospitalized for pneumonia associated with measles. Eight did not have rash but had serologic evidence of measles infection and an otherwise compatible clinical picture. Lung puncture and tracheal aspirations were performed on 21 of the patients. Mortality was 15.2% (five patients) and was not associated with the use of these procedures.