Phytochemical study and evaluation of the anti-inflammatory activity of some medicinal plants growing in Egypt

The anti-inflammatory activity of different extracts of five plants abundantly growing in Egypt, namely Ipomoea palmate Forsk. [Convolvulaceae], Alstonia scholaris R.Br. [Apocynaceae], Salix subserrata Willd., Salix tetrasperma Roxb, and Populus nigra Linn. [Salicaceae] has been studied. Phytochemical study on selected bioactive extracts was carried out as well as their possible mechanism of action. The results revealed a significant anti-inflammatory activity of the extracts under investigation to different degrees. A chromatographic study of the bioactive lipoidal extracts of A. scholaris and I. palmate was carried out and the results revealed the presence of unsaturated fatty acids [linoleic and linoleic]. Beta-sitosterol and campesterol were present in A. scholaris and I. palmate, respectively. Chromatographic and spectral investigation of the flavonoids in the bioactive aqueous extract of I. palmate revealed the presence of luteolin, quercetin 7-glycosie and apigenin. The anti-inflammatory activity may be due to the presence of these phytochemical constituents

Lipid formation and gama-linolenic acid production by Mucor circinelloides and Rhizopus sp., grown on vegetable oil / Formação de lipídeos e produção de ácido gama-linolênico por Mucor circinelloides e Rhizopus sp., em óleos vegetais

The fungi strains were tested in Bioscreen automated system to select the best nutritional source. Following, shaking submserse cultures were studied in media containing sole carbon or nitrogen source. The growth of these strains improved in media containing vegetable oil, with high concentration of lipids. The high concentration of γ-linolenic acid was obtained with M. circinelloides in culture containing sesame oil.

Linhagens de fungos foram testadas em sistema automatizado Bioscreen para selecionar melhor fonte nutricional. Em seguida, foram estudadas culturas submersas em meios contendo uma única fonte de carbono e de nitrogênio. As linhagens contendo alta concentração de lipídeos tiveram melhor crescimento em meio contendo óleos de gergelim ou de dendê. Maior concentração de ácido γ-linolênico foi obtida com M. circinelloides nas culturas em óleo de gergelim.

Evaluación de la situación de ácidos grasos esenciales y derivados de cadena larga en la dieta de lactantes menores de un año en Chile / Assessment of the status for essential fatty acids and long-chain derivatives in the diet of children younger than 1 year old from Chile

Los ácidos grasos esenciales (AGE) son precursores de ácidos grasos de muy larga cadena. Se concentran en el tejido nervioso, habiéndose sugerido que tienen un rol crítico en el desarrollo cerebral y visual. Se desconoce si la conversión de AGE a estos ácidos grasos es suficiente para sustentar una función óptima, por lo tanto es prioritario definir los requerimientos de AGE y sus derivados. Algunos autores sugieren incorporar estos ácidos grasos derivados en las fórmulas lácteas. Este artículo revisa y evalúa la ingesta aparente de ácidos grasos esenciales y derivados a partir de la fórmula láctea consumida por los lactantes beneficiarios del Programa Nacional de Alimentación Complementaria durante el primer año de vida, comparándola con las recomendaciones de lípidos recientemente propuestas. Se observó una ingesta deficitaria de ácido docosahexaenoico en lactantes alimentados con fórmulas lácteas no modificadas o sin adición de derivados de cadena larga.

Biometrical analyses of linolenic acid content of soybean seeds

The genetic reduction of linolenic acid levels increases the quality and stability of soybean oil. The objective of this study was to determine the inheritance and evaluate the nature and magnitude of gene effects on soybean seed linolenic acid level. Means and variances of F-1, F-2, and F-3 generations were made from the cross between accession BARC-12 (low linolenic acid content) and the commercial Brazilian cultivar CAC-1 (normal linolenic acid content). The results demonstrated that linolenic acid content in soybean is under the genetic control of a small number of genes. The additive model explained the means for the three generations and for the parents. Non-allelic gene interactions had little effect on the determination of genotypic values for the individuals. The generation means and population variation analyses demonstrated that the dominance deviations contribute little to the trait. These results showed that backcross breeding programs can be used to introduce the low linolenic acid content trait into soybean seeds, since it is possible to identify with very high accuracy the desired genotypes in segregating populations

An experimental study on the effects of postburn dietary supplementation of enhanced nutrients / 中华烧伤杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate the effects of postburn dietary supplementation of arginine (Arg), omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (omega-3PUFA) and glutamine (Glu) on the metabolism, immunology and wound healing in scalded rats.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Thirty Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats inflicted with 30% total body surface area deep partial thickness scald on the back after the gastrostomy catheter was placed were employed as the model. The rats were randomly divided into A and B groups, and all of them received continuous isonitrogenous (25% protein, 12% fat, 63% carbohydrate), isocaloric (175 kcal/kg/day), and isovolemic intragastric tube feedings. The contents of Arg, omega-3PUFA, Glu in the dietary of B group were enriched. The parameters were measured on the 10th day after injury, including the response of spleen cells to ConA, the plasma levels of PGE(2), IL-2, albumin, transferrin, glucagons, cortisol in blood, the urinary content of vanillylmandelic acid (VAM) in 24-hour urine, the content of hydroxyproline, the ratio of type I to type III collagen in burn wounds, and the nitrogen content in the liver and in the jejunal mucosa, as well as the weight changes, skin delayed hypersensitivity test, and wound healing time.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>It was revealed that the serum level of albumin, the nitrogen content in the liver and in the jejunal mucosa were obviously higher in B than those in A group. At the same time, there was no statistical difference in the plasma levels of cortisol and glucagons and urinary content of VAM between the two groups, nor in body weight changes. Meanwhile, the response of spleen cells to ConA and the skin delayed hypersensitivity induced by DNFB 14 days after injury in group B were also enhanced compared with those in group A. Although the expression of PGE2 from peritoneal macrophages was lower, the content of hydroxyproline from burn wounds in group B was significantly higher than that in group A, and the ratio of type l to type III collagen in group B was significantly lower than that in group A. Compared with group A, the wound healing time in group B was significantly shortened (P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The low-fat and high-protein feeding diet with enriched arginine, omega-3 PUFA, glutamine could benefit the nutritional status after burn injury, thus improve the immunological function and promote wound healing.</p>

Manganese-induced Oxidative Stress in the Corpus Striatum of the Rat Brain / 대한산업의학회지

OBJECTIVES: This study was undertaken to identify the effect of oxidative stress on the pathology of manganese intoxication through an analysis of manganese concentrations, superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities, malondialdehyde (MDA) concentrations, and the compositional changes of fatty acids from the corpus striatum of the rat brain. METHODS: Ten Sprague-Dawley rats were equally divided into two groups. Five rats in the experimental group were administered MnCl2 intraperitoneally for 4 weeks (4 mg/kg once daily, 5 days per week) and another five rats from the control group were given normal saline. Twenty-four hours after the last injection, the rats were decapitated and, the corpus striatum was isolated from the brain. RESULTS: In the corpus striatums of the experimental group, manganese concentrations increased significantly by 139 % (p<0.01). The SOD activities decreased significantly by 81 % (p<0.01) and the MDA concentrations increased significantly by 138 % (p<0.01) as compared to the control group. Among fatty acids, total n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) increased significantly by 325 % (p<0.01) as compared with the control group. Arachidonic acids (AA) increased by 341 % (p<0.01), and these increases were composed mostly of n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA). Among n-3 PUFAs, with the exception of linolenic acids, eicosapentanoic acid (EPA) decreased significantly by 72 % (p<0.05) and docosahexanoic acids (DHA) decreased by 67 % (p<0.05) as compared with the control group. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that the oxygen free radicals produced by manganese may cause compositional changes of fatty acids in the corpus striatum of the rat brain. The characteristics of the fatty acids'compositional changes by manganese were a decrease of EPAs and DHAs (n-3 PUFAs), and an increase of AAs (n-6 PUFAs). These changes coupled with the decrease of SOD activity and the increase of MDA, suggest that manganese neurotoxicity is caused by lipid peroxidation mediated with oxygen free radicals, particularly superoxide radicals.

Effects of Manganese on Lipid Peroxidation and Compositional Changes of Fatty Acids in Hippocampus of Rat Brain

BACKGROUND: To investigate the effect of manganese on lipid peroxidation and compositional changes of fatty acids in hippocampus of rat brain. METHODS: Seven rats in experimental group were given with MnCl2 intraperitoneally for 4 weeks (4 mg/kg once daily, 5 days per week). Twenty four hours after the last injection, rats were decapitated and, hippocampus were separated from the rat brain. RESULT: In Mn-treated group, manganese concentrations increased significantly in the hippocampus by 222% compared with control group (P<0.01). MDA concentrations increased significantly by 149% compared with control group (P<0.05). Among fatty acids, total n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) increased significantly by 237% compared with control group (P<0.05). Linoleic acid (LA) and arachidonic acids (AA) increased by 213%, 238% (P<0.05, P<0.01, respectively). Among n-3 PUFAs except linolenic acids, eicosapentanoic acid(EPA) and docosahexanoic acids (DHA) decreased significantly by 70%, 50% respectively compared with control group (both P<0.01). CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that manganese may cause compositional changes of fatty acids in hippocampus of rat brain. Characteristics of fatty acids compositional changes by manganese were the decrease of EPAs and DHAs (n-3 PUFAs), and increase of AA and LA (n-6 PUFAs). These changes with the increase of MDA, suggest that manganese neurotoxicity is caused by lipid peroxidation.