ABSTRACT
The studies on chemical composition and biological activity of propolis had focused mainly on species Apis mellifera L. (Hymenoptera: Apidae). There are few studies about the uncommon propolis collected by stingless bees of the Meliponini tribe known as geopropolis. The geopropolis from Scaptotrigona postica was collected in the region of Barra do Corda, Maranhão state, Brazil. The chemical analysis of hydromethanolic extract of this geopropolis (HMG) was carried out through HPLC-DAD-ESI-MS/MS and the main constituents found were pyrrolizidine alkaloids and C-glycosyl flavones. The presence of alkaloids in extracts of propolis is detected for the first time in this sample. The antiviral activity of HMG was evaluated through viral DNA quantification experiments and electron microscopy experiments. Quantification of viral DNA from herpes virus showed reduction of about 98% in all conditions and concentration tested of the HMG extract. The results obtained were corroborated by transmission electron microscopy, in which the images did not show particle or viral replication complex. The antiviral activity of C-glycosyl flavones was reported for a variety of viruses, being observed at different points in the viral replication. This work is the first report about the antiviral activity of geopropolis from Scaptotrigona postica, in vitro, against antiherpes simplex virus (HSV).
Subject(s)
Viruses , Bees , ChemistryABSTRACT
The effect of cholesterol on fetal rat enterocytes and IEC-6 cells (line originated from normal rat small intestine) was examined. Both cells were cultured in the presence of 20 to 80 æM cholesterol for up to 72 h. Apoptosis was determined by flow cytometric analysis and fluorescence microscopy. The expression of HMG-CoA reductase and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARgamma) was measured by RT-PCR. The addition of 20 æM cholesterol reduced enterocyte proliferation as early as 6 h of culture. Reduction of enterocyte proliferation by 28 and 41 percent was observed after 24 h of culture in the presence and absence of 10 percent fetal calf serum, respectively, with the effect lasting up to 72 h. Treatment of IEC-6 cells with cholesterol for 24 h raised the proportion of cells with fragmented DNA by 9.7 percent at 40 æM and by 20.8 percent at 80 æM. When the culture period was extended to 48 h, the effect of cholesterol was still more pronounced, with the percent of cells with fragmented DNA reaching 53.5 percent for 40 æM and 84.3 percent for 80 æM. Chromatin condensation of IEC-6 cells was observed after treatment with cholesterol even at 20 æM. Cholesterol did not affect HMG-CoA reductase expression. A dose-dependent increase in PPARgamma expression in fetal rat enterocytes was observed. The expression of PPAR-gamma was raised by 7- and 40-fold, in the presence and absence of fetal calf serum, respectively, with cholesterol at 80 mM. The apoptotic effect of cholesterol on enterocytes was possibly due to an increase in PPARgamma expression.
Subject(s)
Animals , Male , Female , Rats , Apoptosis , Cholesterol , Enterocytes , Cell Culture Techniques , Fetus , Flow Cytometry , Microscopy, Fluorescence , Rats, Wistar , Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain ReactionABSTRACT
Os autores realizaram uma revisäo da literatura sobre o cisto folicular inflamatório, enfocando etiologia, aspectos clínicos, radiográficos e de tratamento da lesäo. Foi relatado um caso envolvendo o segundo pré-molar inferior de uma paciente de 10 anos de idade
Subject(s)
Humans , Female , Child , Bicuspid/physiopathology , Dentigerous Cyst/diagnosis , Dentigerous Cyst/etiology , Dentigerous Cyst , Dentigerous Cyst/therapyABSTRACT
O comportamento dos parametros do eritrograma foi estudado em 79 gravidas consideradas clinicamente normais, distribuidas em diferentes periodos gestacionais (4 entre as 10 primarias semanas; 32 entre a 11a. e a 20a. semana; 25 entre a 21a. e a 30a. e 18 entre 31 e 40 semanas),comparando-se os resultados aos obtidos para um grupo controle constituido de 39 nao-gravidas normais. Encontrou-se diminuicao significativa nos valores de globulos vermelhos, hemoglobina e hamatocrito, que se manifesta precocemente ao redor da 10a.semana, alcancando valores minimos ao redor da 20a. semana e com discreto aumento a partir dai. Em relacao aos indices corpusculares, verificou-se diminuicao significativa para o volume corpuscular medio entre a 11a. e a 20a. semana e a 30a. 40a.semana, aumento nos valores de hemoglobina corpuscular media e da concentracao de hemoglobina corpuscular media (esta ultima com significancia entre a 11a. e a 20a.semana). Ha ainda, aumento do numero de reticulocitos para todos os periodos analisados, embora sem significancia estatistica. Tecem-se consideracoes sobre tais modificacoes, e os autores sugerem que os indices corpusculares, principalmente o volume corpuscular, sejam tomados preferentemente como indicadores de anemia na gravidez
Subject(s)
Pregnancy , Humans , Female , Erythrocyte Indices , Gestational Age , HemoglobinsABSTRACT
Discute-se a conduta do grupo formado por cardiologista e obstetras, da Santa Casa de Sao Paulo, diante da paciente gravida e cardiopata. Sao abordadas as valvulopatias, miocardiopatias, cardiopatias congenitas e arritmias. Finalmente sao feitas consideracoes sobre a anticoncepcao neste grupo particular de pacientes