Eurytrema coelomaticum infection: correlation between parasite burden and impairment of pancreatic exocrine enzyme secretion / Eurytrema coelomaticum: correlação entre carga parasitária e insuficiência pancreática exócrina

Eurytrema coelomaticum is a trematode reported in the pancreatic ducts of ruminants. It is conjectured that may cause disorders in the pancreas, as well as digestive and metabolic processes dependent on them. This study, determined if there is an impairment of exocrine pancreatic function, and correlated it with parasite burden. Pancreas, blood, and fecal samples were collected from 119 bovines at a abattoir. Stool samples were subjected to the gelatin and x-ray film digestion tests (to detect the presence of trypsin in feces). Using blood samples, the following biochemical tests were performed: amylase, lipase, glucose, fructosamine, cholesterol, triglycerides, total protein, albumin, and globulins. Analyses were correlated with pancreatic parasite burden. Cattle with a high parasitic load presented higher incidence of negative tests in both gelatin digestion and x-ray film digestion tests (P < 0.001) when compared to non-parasitized animals and those with a low parasitic load. Changes in those tests only occurred if the parasitemia was moderate or severe. The activity of the amylase and lipase enzymes was significantly higher in animals with low parasitemia (P < 0.05), compared to non-parasitized animals and with a high parasitic burden. In this study, in cases of high parasitemia, negative results were observed in both gelatin and x-ray film in the feces digestion tests. However, the low infection of E. coelomaticum, higher levels of serum amylase and lipase that also indicated loss of pancreatic exocrine functions were reported.

Eurytrema coelomaticum, um trematódeo de ductos pancreáticos de ruminantes. Conjectura-se que possa ocasionar transtornos nas funções pancreáticas, mais especificamente nos processos digestivos e metabólicos dependentes destas. Neste estudo, o objetivo foi determinar se há comprometimento da função pancreática exócrina, correlacionado-a a carga parasitária. Foram utilizados pâncreas e respectivas amostras de sangue e fezes de 119 bovinos. As amostras de fezes foram submetidas aos testes de digestão da gelatina em tubo e digestão de filme radiográfico, ambos para detecção de tripsina nas fezes. Foram realizados os seguintes exames bioquímicos em amostras de sangue: amilase, lipase, glicemia, frutosamina, colesterol, triglicerídeos, proteínas totais, albumina e globulinas. Após isto, as análises bioquímicas foram correlacionadas com a quantidade numérica de parasitas encontrados no pâncreas (post-mortem). Houve maior quantidade de testes negativos (digestão do filme radiográfico e prova de digestão da gelatina) nos animais com alta carga parasitária (P < 0.001), quando comparados aos animais não parasitados e com baixa carga parasitária. Portanto, os exames supracitados se alteram somente se a quantidade de parasitas for moderada ou severa. As atividades das enzimas amilase e lipase foram significativamente maiores nos animais que apresentavam baixa parasitemia (P < 0.05), em comparação com os animais com alta carga parasitária e não parasitados. Conclui-se que em quadros de alta parasitemia há alteração significativa nos testes de digestão nas fezes, e que em quadros de baixa parasitemia há alterações significativas nos valores de amilase e lipase séricas, ambos comprovando alterações pancreáticas importantes, de acordo com o quadro de parasitemia.

Campomanesia spp. native fruits as potential source of health-promoting compounds

Campomanesia xanthocarpa var. littoralis, Campomanesia xanthocarpa (Berg), and Campomanesia eugenioides are native fruit plants found in Brazil. Due to the scarce number of controlled scientific studies comparing different native Campomanesia species, this study sought to determine their bioactive compounds and antioxidant properties. C. eugenioides proved to be a rich source of total phenolic compounds, also showing the best antioxidant capacity by the ABTS, DPPH and molybdenum reduction power methods. On the other hand, C. xanthocarpa var. littoralis showed the best results for total flavonoids content, and Iron(II) chelation power. The phenolic compounds contents present in C. eugenioides could be responsible for the best antioxidant activity. This study provides key scientific data regarding the use of valuable fruits from different edible Campomanesia species to produce bioactive ingredients, as well as natural preservatives for food products. Thus, our results contribute to the discovery of the potential application of these native Campomanesia Brazilian fruits, as a natural product with functional and antioxidant properties.

Medida computadorizada da evolução da área cicatricial tratada com ultrassom terapêutico e citrato de sildenafila / Computerized measurement of the evolution of cicatricial area treated with ultrasound and sildenafil citrate

Objetivou-se comparar a evolução da cicatrização de feridas cirúrgicas com cinco protocolos de tratamento através de análise planimétrica. Grupos de 12 ratos Wistar, foram alocados em cinco estudos experimentais: A- controle negativo; B- ferida cirúrgica, tratada com ultrassom terapêutico (UST) desligado ; C- ferida tratada somente com citrato de sildenafila ; D- ferida tratada com citrato de sildenafila e UST e grupo E-ferida tratada somente com UST. A evolução cicatricial foi acompanhada diariamente e avaliada por imagem fotográfica computadorizada aos sete, 14 e 21 dias. A aplicação do UST pulsado, com doses 1MHZ e 0,4Wcm2 reduziu o tempo de cicatrização epitelial em condições experimentais, favorecendo precocemente a reparação tecidual com efeitos qualitativos superiores ao tratamento com citrato de sildenafila (CS). A mensuração computacional para evolução da cicatrização de ferida dérmica mostrou-se um recurso de fácil aplicação sendo de baixo custo e eficiente para a aplicabilidade na rotina médica veterinária.

This study aimed at comparing the evolution of healing of surgical wounds with five treatment protocols through planimetric measurement. Groups of 12 Wistar rats were allocated in five experimental studies: A ­ negative control; B ­ surgical wound treated with therapeutic ultrasound turned off; C ­ surgical wound treated with sildenafil citrate; D ­ wound treated with sildenafil citrate and therapeutic ultrasound; and group E ­ wound treated only with therapeutic ultrasound. The healing progress was monitored daily and assessed by computed photographic image at seven, 14 and 21 days. It was concluded that the application of pulsated therapeutic ultrasound on surgical wounds at 1 MHz and 0.4Wcm2 doses reduces the epithelial healing time in experimental conditions, favoring the early repair of tissue with qualitative effects superior than the ones found in the treatment with sildenafil citrate (SC). The computational measurement for the evolution of the dermal wound healing proved to be an easy-to-apply resource, with a low cost and great efficiency for the applicability in the veterinary medical routine.