Tetradenia riparia leaves, flower buds, and stem essential oils to control of Aedes aegypti larvae

Abstract Tetradenia riparia (Hochst.) Codd (Lamiaceae) is a species native to the African continent and used as an insect repellent. The objective of the study was to evaluate the larvicidal potential of essential oils (EOs) from the leaves, flower buds, and stem of T. riparia, collected in winter against Aedes aegypti larvae. The EOs were extracted by hydrodistillation (3 h) and identified by GC/MS. The EOs were tested against larvae of A. aegypti at concentrations ranging from 12500 to 1.5 µg/mL for 24 h. The insecticide activity was evaluated by probit analysis, and the anticholinesterase activity was determined by bioautographic method. The results of the class projection indicated sesquiterpenes as the majority class, corresponding to 60.66% (leaves), 64.70% (flower buds) and 83.99% (stem), and the bioassays on A. aegypti larvae indicated LC50 of 1590, 675 and 665 µg/mL, respectively. The anticholinesterase activity indicated that the EO of the leaves inhibited the enzyme at a concentration of 780 µg/mL, and those from the flower buds and stem inhibited up to 1560 µg/mL. The results indicated weak activity of essential oils against A. aegypti larvae.

Essential Oil from the Stem Bark of Casuarina equisetifolia Exerts Anti-inflammatory and Anti-nociceptive Activities in Rats

Abstract Herein the chemical constituents and the anti-pain properties of the essential oil from the stem bark of Casuarina equisetifolia L. (Casuarinaceae) grown in Nigeria were evaluated. The essential oil was obtained by hydrodistillation method in an all glass Clevenger-type apparatus, and characterized by gas chromatography (GC-FID) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The hot plate method was used to determine the anti-nociceptive property whereas the anti-inflammatory activity was evaluated by carrageenan-induced and formalin experimental models. The pale-yellow essential oil was obtained in yield of 0.21% (v/w), calculated on a dry weight basis. The main constituents of the essential oil were methyl salicylate (30.4%), a-zingiberene (15.5%), (E)-anethole (9.5%), b-bisabolene (8.6%), b- sesquiphellandrene (6.9%), and ar-curcumene (6.2%). In the anti-nociceptive study, the rate of inhibition increases as the doses of essential oil increases with optimum activity at the 30th and 60th min for all tested doses. The essential oil displayed anti-nociceptive activity independently of reaction time at the highest tested dose (200 mg/kg). The essential oil of C. equisetifolia moderately reduced pain responses in early and late phases of the formalin test. The oil inhibited the paw licking in the neurogenic phase (60-63%) compared to the late phase of the formalin test. The carrageenan- induced oedema model revealed the suppression of inflammatory mediators within the 1st - 3rd h. Thus, C. equisetifolia essential oil displayed both anti-nociceptive and anti-inflammatory activities independent of the dose tested. The anti-inflammatory and anti-nociceptive activities of C. equisetifolia essential oil are herein reported for the first time

Trasplante de progenitores hematopoyéticos alogénico haploidéntico en aplasia medular, reporte del primer caso en Cuba / Allogenic hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation in marrow aplasia: the first case report in cuba

Introducción: La aplasia medular adquirida grave es una enfermedad hematológica infrecuente caracterizada por una disminución o ausencia de precursores hematopoyéticos en la médula ósea, lo cual se expresa con distintos grados de citopenias. Varios factores, infecciosos o no, pueden incidir en su origen. Su manejo es complejo y puede incluir tratamiento inmunosupresor y trasplante de progenitores hematopoyéticos alogénico. Objetivo: Demostrar la utilidad de la realización del trasplante de progenitores hematopoyéticos alogénico haploidéntico en pacientes con aplasia medular grave. Caso clínico: Paciente masculino de 21 años de edad, con antecedentes de salud, que en octubre del 2018 debutó con íctero, pancitopenia, lesiones purpúrico hemorrágicas en piel y mucosas, en el curso de una hepatitis aguda seronegativa. La biopsia de médula ósea mostró aplasia medular severa. Se inició tratamiento inmunosupresor con globulina antitimocίtica, ciclosporina A y metilprednisolona. Al cabo de los 6 meses mantenía trombocitopenia severa con necesidades transfusionales y en octubre de 2019 se decide realizar trasplante de progenitores hematopoyéticos alogénico con donante haploidéntico y empleando como tratamiento acondicionante globulina antitimocίtica, fludarabina, ciclofosfamida y bajas dosis de irradiación corporal total. En evaluación clίnica de julio de 2020 (dίa + 280 del trasplante) el paciente estaba asintomático y con parámetros hematológicos normales. Conclusiones: Se demostró que el trasplante de progenitores hematopoyéticos alogénico haploidéntico es un proceder realizable y útil en pacientes con aplasia medular grave, lo cual corrobora el beneficio clínico que puede aportar su ejecución en pacientes con esta enfermedad(AU)

Introduction: Acquired severe marrow aplasia is a rare hematological disease characterized by decrease or absence of hematopoietic precursors in bone marrow, which is expressed with different degrees of cytopenias. Several factors, infectious or not, can influence its origin. Its management is complex and may include immunosuppressive treatment and allogeneic hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation. Objective: To demonstrate the usefulness of performing haploidentical allogeneic hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation in patients with severe medullary aplasia. Clinical case: A 21-year-old male patient, with medical history, who first presented, in October 2018, with icterus, pancytopenia, as well as purpuric hemorrhagic lesions on the skin and mucosa, in the course of acute seronegative hepatitis. The bone marrow biopsy showed severe marrow aplasia. Immunosuppressive treatment was started with antithymocytic globulin, cyclosporine A, and methylprednisolone. After six months, he maintained severe thrombocytopenia under transfusion requirements and, in October 2019, the decision was to perform allogeneic hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation with a haploidentical donor and using antithymocyte globulin, fludarabine, cyclophosphamide, and low doses of total body irradiation as conditioning treatment. In the clinical assessment carried out in July 2020 (day +280 after transplantation), the patient was asymptomatic and with normal hematological parameters. Conclusions: Transplantation of haploidentic allogeneic hematopoietic progenitors was shown to be a feasible and useful procedure in patients with severe marrow aplasia, which corroborates the clinical benefit that its execution can bring in patients with this disease(AU)

Phytochemical and morpho-anatomical study of the vegetative organs of Psychotria fractistipula L. B.Sm., R.M. Klein & Delprete (Rubiaceae)

Psychotria fractistipula L.B.Sm, R.M. Klein & Delprete (Rubiaceae) is found in the existing Atlantic Forest in the South of Brazil, in the Paraná and Santa Catarina States. The members of Rubiaceae are characterized chemically by the presence of alkaloids, some pharmacological properties of which include antifungal, antibacterial, analgesic, antioxidant, antimutagenic, and antiviral activities. In this study, we report the results of anatomical, morphological, and histochemical analyses of the leaves and stems of the Rubiaceae family member, P. fractistipula. The anatomical analysis involved of light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Morpho-anatomical and histochemical characterization were made using standard methodology. The isolated compounds were identified by Nuclear Magnetic Resonance spectroscopic analysis. The following structures are highlighted as the distinctive features of the species: presence of petiolate leaves and a petiole base, leaf blade with smooth cuticle on both surfaces, paracytic stomata, and, dorsiventral mesophyll and presence of trichomes on the leaves and stems. Phytosteroids, identified as β-sitosterol and campesterol, were observed in the hexane fraction of the stem. Future studies should focus on the isolation of other fractions of interest and their characterization through specific biological and cytotoxicity assays.

Agrobacterium rhizogenes-mediated transformation of Hypericum sinaicum L. for the development of hairy roots containing hypericin

Hypericum sinaicum L. is an endangered Egyptian medicinal plant of high importance due to the presence of naphthodianthrones (hypericins), which have photodynamic properties and pharmaceutical potential. We sought to assess H. sinaicum ability to develop hairy roots that could be cultured in contained conditions in vitro and used as a source for hypericin production. We used four A. rhizogenes strains differing in their plasmids and chromosomal backgrounds to inoculate excised H. sinaicum root, stem and leaf explants to induce hairy root development. Additionally, inoculum was applied to shoots held in Rockwool cubes supporting their stand after removal of the root system. All explant types were susceptible to A. rhizogenes although stem explants responded more frequently (over 90%) than other explant types. The A4 and A4T A. rhizogenes strains were highly, and equally effective in hairy root induction on 66-72% of explants while the LBA1334 strain was the most effective in transformation of shoots. Sonication applied to explants during inoculation enhanced the frequency of hairy root development, the most effective was 60 s treatment doubling the percentage of explants with hairy roots. However, shoot transformation was the most effective approach as shoots developed hairy roots within 10 days after inoculation. Molecular analyses confirmed that the established hairy root cultures in vitro were indeed obtained due to a horizontal gene transfer from bacteria. These cultures grew fast and the hypericin content in hairy roots was about two fold higher than in H. sinaicum plants as determined by HPLC.

Age- related structural changes in the cerebellar cortex of the albino rats and the possible protective role of melatonin

It was reported that the cerebellum undergoes extensive atrophic changes with advanced age. The free radicals derived species are considered to be highly responsible for the aging process. Recently, melatonin was found to be a potent free radical scavenger. The aim of the current work was to demonstrate the age- related alterations in the structure of the cerebellar cortex in rals and 10 study the possible beneficial role of long - term melatonin administration to ameliorate these changes. In this work, a total number of 40 male albino rats were used, They were equally divided into 4 groups. Group I [young adult rats], it included 3-month- old rats. Croup II [middle -aged rats], it included 12- month - old rats. Group III [control old rats], it included 22- month- old rats. Group IV [melatonin- treated old rats], the animals of this group were treated with melatonin in a dose equal to 1mg/kg/day subcutaneously for 10 months. Their treatment began when they were 12 months old [middle -aged] and continued until they became 22 months old. At the end of the experiment the animals were sacrificed, and their cerebella were processed for light and transmission electron microscopic studies. In addition, the thickness of the molecular layer and the number of thepurkinje cells and granule cells per area [1800 um[2]] in their corresponding layers were measured in all the studied groups and statistically analyzed. The organization of the cerebellar cortex in the middle- aged rat group appeared to he closely similar to that of the young adult rats. In the old control rat group, examination of the cerebellar cortex revealed the presence of degenerative changes affecting the purkinje and the granule cells. These changes were associated with extensive cell loss. Marked decrease in the extent and branching of the dendrites of the purkinje cells could also be observed. In addition, there 'was a significant reduction in the thickness of the molecular layer. The old rat group treated with melatonin showed that the majority of the purkinje and granule cells had normal appearance. Only few cells had darkly stained nuclei. Furthermore, melatonin administration to the old rats markedly reduced aging- induced cell loss in the cerebellar cortex. The purkinje cells appeared to have many dendritic branches but still their extent was not reaching to the I'ial surface. The presynaptic nerve fiber terminals making contact with the granule cells and their dendrites showed the presence of considerable amount of synaptic vesicles. This study suggested that melatonin might have a potential role for attenuation of the age -related changes in the structure of the cerebellar cortex. It would he considered as a promising prophylactic or therapeutic agent for age -related neurological disorders

Estudo histopatológico da retina de coelhos após injeção intravítrea de lidocaína / Histopathologic study of the retina in rabbits after intravitreous injection of lidocaine

Objetivo: Estudar em olhos de coelhos as alterações retinianas após injeção intravítrea de lidocaína nas concentrações 0,5, 1,0 e 2,0 por cento por meio de análise histopatológica com microscopias de luz e eletrônica de transmissão. Métodos: Foram utilizados 40 olhos de 20 coelhos albinos da raça Nova Zelândia, submetidos à injeção intravítrea de lidocaína a 0,5 por cento (grupo II),1,0 por cento (grupo 111) e 2,0 por cento (grupo IV) nos olhos direitos e solução salina nos olhos esquerdos (grupo I-controle) após anestesia geral. Foi realizada oftalmoscopia binocular indireta, antes, durante, imediatamente e uma hora após a injeção intravítrea e nos dias primeiro , terceiro, sétimo e décimo quinto de evolução. Nos mesmos períodos um olho do grupo II, dois olhos do grupo III, um olho do grupo IV e todos olhos contralaterais (grupo I), foram enucleados e examinados sob microscopia de luz e eletrônica de transmissão. Resultados: A observação por oftalmoscopia binocular indireta antes e durante a injeção intravítrea não apresentou alteração em todos os olhos examinados. Após a injeção intravítrea observou-se a retina com aspecto esbranquiçado difuso, elevação da interface vítreo-retiniana, focal e próximo ao local de injeção, edema de retina e anel de condensação vítrea tanto no grupo controle quanto nos olhos com injeção de lidocaína. A análise histológica por microscopia de luz e eletrônica de transmissão não evidenciou alterações em nenhum dos olhos examinados. Conclusões: A injeção intravítrea de lidocaína nas concentrações de 0,5, 1,0 e 2,0 por cento demonstrou ser atóxica para a retina, considerando os estudos de microscopia de luz e eletrônica de transmissão.