RÉSUMÉ
@#The aqueous extracts of thirty-four (34) tropical plants were tested in vitro for potential anti-marine leech (Zeylanicobdella arugamensis) activity. The anti-leech activity was determined by exposing 8 adult leeches (Z. arugamensis) (9.3 ± 1.5 mm, aged 15 days) to 20 μl of plant extract (0.5 g/ml) for 5 min in a 24-well plate. After 5 min of exposure, the leeches were rinsed and transferred into seawater, to enable them to revive from the effect of the extract. Leech movements were observed from time to time and the numbers of paralyzed or dead leeches were recorded at 5, 20, 30 and 240 min. The efficacy of the plant extract in killing the adult Z. arugamensis during the 5 min exposure is reflected on the anti-leech property of the extract. The anti-leech property of positive plant extracts was also determined at different exposure time (1, 3, 5 min) and dilutions (1/2 (0.25 g/ml), 1/5 (0.1 g/ml) and 1/10 (0.05 g/ml). The extracts of 4 plants (Melastoma malabathricum, Piper betle, Tetracera indica and Etlingera coccinea) demonstrated anti-leech activity. The effects of M. malabathricum, P. betle and E. coccinea extracts on the leeches were very rapid causing death as early as a few seconds upon exposure. However, all four positive plant extracts were found not effective in killing the leeches at 1/10 dilution (0.05 g/ml). A Scanning Electron Microscopy examination on leeches exposed to the positive plant extracts exhibited effects such as protruding proboscis and shrunken or swollen bodies.
RÉSUMÉ
Benznidazole, a drug with specific anti-Trypanosoma cruzi activity, is used in the treatment of Chagas' disease. The radiopharmaceutical sodium pertechnetate (Na99mTcO4) is used to obtain diagnostic images of the stomach, thyroid, parathyroids, salivary glands, brain and in the study of esophageal reflux and blood flow. This study aimed at evaluating in vivo the influence of benznidazole treatment on the sodium pertechnetate biodistribution in Wistar rats. The percentage of radioactivity per gram (%ATI/g) of various organs (brain, heart, esophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine, spleen, liver, muscle and blood) was determined. Comparing the treated rats with the controls, we observed that sodium pertechnetate biodistribution did not change when administered to rats treated for thirty days with benznidazole.
O benzonidazol é um quimioterápico com atividade específica anti-T. cruzi utilizado por milhares de pessoas para tratamento da doença de Chagas. O radiofármaco pertecnetato de sódio (Na99mTcO4) é utilizado na obtenção de imagens diagnósticas do estômago, tireóide, paratireóides, glândulas salivares, plexo coróide, cérebro e de estudos de refluxo esofágico e de fluxo sanguíneo. Esse trabalho objetivou avaliar in vivo a influência do tratamento crônico com o benzonidazol na biodistribuição do radiofármaco pertecnetato de sódio em ratos Wistar. O percentual de radioatividade por grama (%ATI/g) de vários órgãos (cérebro, coração, esôfago, estômago, intestino delgado, intestino grosso, baço, fígado, músculo e sangue) foi determinado. Comparando-se o grupo controle e o tratado observou-se que o pertecnetato de sódio não possui sua biodistribuição alterada quando administrado em ratos tratados por trinta dias com a droga benzonidazol, mostrando não prejudicar a interpretação de diagnósticos por imagem.
RÉSUMÉ
La ascariasis es una parasitosis cosmopolita, frecuente en la población infantil a nivel mundial, dado que no requiere factores climáticos o ambientales especiales. Ingresa al organismo por ingesta de huevos, cumpliendo un ciclo hístico-tisular trans-alveolocapilar en su desarrollo para retomar al yeyuno como parásito adulto, etapa en la cual tiene una movilidad exagerada cuando se altera la homeostasis (sobre todo fiebre en los niños), pudiendo migrar a diferentes sitios originando diversas complicaciones entre las que destaca la migración a vía biliar y su enclavamiento. Presentamos el caso de una escolar de 8 años de edad, procedente de Beni, que consulta por dolor abdominal severisimo en flanco derecho de diez días de evolución, irradiado a epigastrio. Se interna en el Hospital de San Borja y al no ser controlado el cuadro, es remitido al Hospital del Niño de la ciudad de La Paz , donde se encuentran dos Ascaris móviles en interior de vesícula y colédoco en la ecografía. Se administra pamoato de pirantel, sin disminución inicial del dolor, mismo que por su intensidad, tiempo de evolución, se decide programarla para cirugía; ante ls atenuación del dolor se solicita control ecográfico en el que se evidencia la salida espontánea de los parásitos, por lo que se continua con una conducta conservadora, con buena evaluación.
The Ascaris is a cosmopolitan parasite, frequent in children inthe whole world, since it does not need any special climatic orenvironmental factors for its growth and development.It enters the organism by intake of eggs, completing a histicaltissuetransalveolar capillary cycle in its development returning tothe jejunum as adult parasite. In this stage it has an exaggeratedmobility when the homoeostasis is altered (principally fever inchildren), being able to migrate to different locations causing diversecomplications, among which the migration to bilious conducts standsout with the ascaris´ enclosure.We present the case of an 8 year-old school boy, who came from theBeni with extremely severe abdominal pain on the right side with anevolution of 10 days and irradiation to the epigastrium. The boy hadbeen admitted to the hospital of San Borja, and since his problemwas not solved, he was transferred to the Hospital del Niño in la Paz,where two mobile ascaris were found inside the gall bladder and thecholedoco in the echography. Pamoato of pirantel was administered,without initial decrease of the pain. Due to the intensity, and the timeof evolution of the pain, surgery was considered. When the pain wasattenuated an echographic control was made that showed thespontaneous exit of the parasites. For this reason, the conservativetreatment was continued with a positive evolution.