ABSTRACT
Tapirira guianensis (Stick pigeon), a widely-used herbal medicine, has been reported to possess various biological activities. The aim of this study was the phytochemical analysis of the fractions of extracts of T. guianensis and the investigation of the action of these extracts on the activity of gelatinases using zymography. Matrix metalloproteinases (gelatinases) have prognostic influences in human cancers, where higher expressions of these enzymes are associated with increased aggressiveness and biological behavior of tumors. Many natural products have been tested on several stages of carcinogenesis to demonstrate their effectiveness in the inhibition or activation of molecules that are important for tumor progression. This study identified the fractions obtained from the crude extract of T. guianensis (Stick pigeon), which efficiently inhibited gelatinases.
ABSTRACT
PURPOSE: To present the preliminary results of neuropsychological assessment for children with congenital and acquired hemiparesis with or not seizures. METHODS: Nine children at a age of 5 and 14 years old, were studied individually by one battery of test to neuropsychological assessment of cognitive function, language, gnosia, praxia visuo-motor and memory processing and emotional aspect. RESULTS: Children with hemiparesis demonstrated minimal or severe cognitive dysfuctions, impaired language abilities, poor visuo-motor and memory processing and alteration in emotional aspect. Acquired hemiparesis with seizures in childhood had a severe cognitive deficits, but congenital hemiparesis with or not seizures the neuropsychological assessment demonstrate minimal or moderate cortical deficits. CONCLUSIONS: Theses preliminary results demonstrated that congenital or acquired hemiparesis associated or not with seizures present cortical dysfuctions. The worst results was observed in acquired hemiparesis with epileptic seizures.
Subject(s)
Humans , Male , Female , Child, Preschool , Child , Adolescent , Child Development , Psychomotor Performance , Paresis/psychology , Epilepsy/physiopathology , Epilepsy/psychology , Neuropsychological Tests , Psychiatric Status Rating Scales , Paresis/congenital , Psychometrics/methods , Severity of Illness Index , Cognition Disorders/physiopathology , Cognition Disorders/psychology , Wechsler ScalesABSTRACT
Neurotensin (NT), n active neuropeptide, and bicuculline, a GABA-A receptor antagonist, were microinjected into the rat hypothalaamus (MH) or the dorsal periaqueductal gray matter (DPAG). Bicuculline (80 pmol) produced behavioral activation which included jumping and NT (1-20 nmol) caused a dose-dependent behavioral activation accompanied by catalepsy rather than jumping. These results suggest that the behavioral activation produced by NT may be due to an interaction of the neuropeptide with specific receptors while its cataleptic effect may be attributed to the blockade of dopamine receptors