Hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives isolated from hempseed and their effects on central nervous system enzymes.

New neuroprotective treatments of natural origin are being investigated. Both, plant extracts and isolated compounds have shown bioactive effects. Hempseed is known for its composition of fatty acids, proteins, fibre, vitamins, as well as a large number of phytochemical compounds. After a defatting process of the seeds, hydroxycinnamic acids and its amine derivatives are the majoritarian compounds in an ethyl acetate fraction (EAF). In the present study, we investigated in vitro effect on neuronal enzymes: MAO-A, MAO-B, tyrosinase and acetylcholinesterase. Besides, the effect of EAF on striatal biogenic amines in mice was evaluated. Both, EAF and isolated compounds (N-trans-caffeoyltyramine and N-trans-coumaroyltyramine), showed inhibitory action on MAO-A, MAO-B and tyrosinase. Furthermore, an increasing of biogenic amines was observed in the corpus striatum of the mice, after administration of EAF. These findings show that EAF and the hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives may represent a potential treatment in degenerative neuronal diseases.

Potential therapeutic applications of the genus Annona: Local and traditional uses and pharmacology.

ETHNO-PHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Annona species (Annonaceae) have long been used as traditional herbal medicines by native peoples in tropical areas. In different countries they are used against a large variety of illnesses, such as parasitic and infectious diseases, cancer, diabetes, peptic ulcers, and mental disorders. AIM OF THE STUDY: This review aims to achieve a comprehensive understanding of the research conducted so far on the local and traditional uses, pharmacological activities, mechanism of actions of active compounds, toxicity, and possible interactions with other drugs of the Annona species. Through analysis of these findings, evidences supporting their applications in ethno-medicines are described. We discuss the possible research opportunities and stand out the weak points in our knowledge that deserves further investigation. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Information on ethno-medicinal uses and pharmacological activities of the Annona genus was collected. The main scientific biomedical literature databases (Cochrane, PubMed, Scopus, Lilacs, SeCiMed, Elsevier, SpringerLink, Google Scholar, SciFinder) were consulted. The search covered all the literature available until September 2017. National and regional databases of Herbal Medicine and Complementary and Alternative Medicine were also revised in order to explore further data. For a better understanding of the therapeutic importance of these species, we have classified the pharmacological activities within each group of disorders. The International Classification of Diseases (ICD), used from WHO Member States, was chosen as the reference classification. RESULTS: From among the 27 species revised, four species are highlighted for their important pharmacological activities in most of the groups of illnesses: A. muricata, A. squamosa, A. senegalensis, and A. cherimola. Many investigations have been performed with extracts from the leaves, bark, fruit and seeds and have shown a wide range of pharmacological activities, such as antiprotozoal, antitumoural, antidiabetic, hepato-protective, anti-inflammatory and anxiolytic activities. The chemistry on the annonaceous acetogenins (ACGs) has been extensively investigated due to their potent antitumoural activity. Many of the assays were carried out with the isolated acetogenins in different lines of tumour culture cells and were found effective at very low doses even in multidrug-resistant tumours, and hence constitute promising compounds in the treatment of different types of cancers. No studies were found with extracts rich in acetogenins in the clinical field. CONCLUSIONS: The experimental results from the pharmacological research enable the validation of their traditional uses in several of the groups of diseases in the countries of origin and reveal these plants to be a valuable source for therapeutic molecules. However, more toxicity assays and clinical trials would be necessary to establish optimal and safe doses of consumption on the application of these medicinal plants.

Hemp ( Cannabis sativa L.) seed oil: analytical and phytochemical characterization of the unsaponifiable fraction.

Non-drug varieties of Cannabis sativa L., collectively namely as "hemp", have been an interesting source of food, fiber, and medicine for thousands of years. The ever-increasing demand for vegetables oils has made it essential to characterize additional vegetable oil through innovative uses of its components. The lipid profile showed that linoleic (55%), α-linolenic (16%), and oleic (11%) were the most abundant fatty acids. A yield (1.84-1.92%) of unsaponifiable matter was obtained, and the most interesting compounds were ß-sitosterol (1905.00 ± 59.27 mg/kg of oil), campesterol (505.69 ± 32.04 mg/kg of oil), phytol (167.59 ± 1.81 mg/kg of oil), cycloartenol (90.55 ± 3.44 mg/kg of oil), and γ-tocopherol (73.38 ± 2.86 mg/100 g of oil). This study is an interesting contribution for C. sativa L. consideration as a source of bioactive compounds contributing to novel research applications for hemp seed oil in the pharmaceutical, cosmetic food, and other non-food industries.

Antioxidant and cytotoxic activities of Sideritis perezlarae (Borja) Roselló, Stübing and Peris.

Sideritis perezlarae is a plant widely used in folk medicine in the South of Andalusia (Cádiz, Spain). In this work, a phytochemical analysis has led to the isolation and identification of the flavonoid 7-O- ß -glucosyl-luteolin from a methanol extract. The total phenol content estimated by Folin-Ciocalteau assay and expressed as gallic acid equivalent per gram of dried fraction, was 102.54 ± 2.10 mg phenols per gram dry residue. The flavonoid content, investigated by AlCl3 reagent, was 23.49 ± 0.90 mg flavonoids gram dry residue. The methanol extract has been evaluated for antioxidant (DPPH and TEAC assays) and cytotoxic (SRB assay) properties. In the DPPH radical scavenging assay, the IC50 was 360 µg mL(-1). In the total antioxidant activity, calculated by the Trolox equivalent antioxidant activity (TEAC, mg g(-1) of dried fraction), the extract showed a high antioxidant capacity (TEAC value of 0.59 ± 0.02 mg g(-1)). The cytotoxic activity of the extract against a human adenocarcinoma cell line HT-29 presented an IC50 = 69.47 ± 4.64 µg mL(-1).

Hypocholesterolemic and hepatoprotective effects of "triguero" asparagus from andalusia in rats fed a high cholesterol diet.

The cultivated species of the wild autochthonous Asparagus officinalis in Andalusia in Spain is commonly called "triguero" asparagus. This vegetable has traditionally been very much appreciated for its organoleptic and nutritional characteristics. This study has been designed to evaluate the potential effect of different concentrations of freeze-dried asparagus (500, 250, and 125 mg/Kg of body weight/day) on oxidative status and lipid profile in rats fed a cholesterol-rich diet. After five weeks of treatment, doses of 250 and 500 mg/Kg of asparagus were able to significantly reduce total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol levels. Atherogenic index was also significantly reduced in a dose-dependent manner by administrating freeze-dried asparagus. A beneficial effect was observed in the HDL cholesterol levels in asparagus-fed groups although the increase was not significant. Consumption of asparagus also improved antioxidant status, assayed superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) enzymes, and protected against lipid peroxidation. These results show that the intake of green asparagus from Andalusia (Spain) helps to regulate plasma lipid levels and prevents oxidative damage in hypercholesterolemic conditions.

Evaluación del cumplimiento terapéutico en pacientes mayores institucionalizados. Efectividad de la actuación farmacéutica / Evaluation of treatment complance in elderly institutionalized patients: effectiveness of actions on the part of the pharmacist

Objetivo. Detectar y cuantificar el grado de cumplimiento terapéutico en pacientes mayores, residentes en una institución geriátrica asistida y valorar el seguimiento farmacoterapéutica y la interención por parte del farmacéutico como herramienta útil para mejorar dicho cumplimiento. Método: El estudio se realizó en pacientes fueron entrevistados por un farmacéutico, individualmente, utilizando un cuestionario validado. El grado de incumplimiento se calculó comparando las respuestas de las encuestas de los pacientes frente a las prescripciones médicas, facilitadas por los facultativos. Posteriormente, se efectuó una intervención informativa/educativa. Resultados: el grado de incumplimiento fue del 57%, relacionado directamente con grupos terapéuticos más afectados, éstos resultaron ser, de mayor a menor, los siguientes: antihipertensivos, antiácidos, analgésicos, antagonistas del calcio, psicoclépticos, hipolipemiantes, activos en terapia cardiaca y antitrombóticos. Entre las causas de incumplimiento destacaron las siguientes: olvido (34,1%), dosificación incorrecta (28,4%), desconocimiento del objetivo del tratamiento (23,9%), despreocupación sobre el propio estado de salud (9,1%) y aparición de reacciones adversas (4,6%). En el 100% de los casos intervenidos se consiguió un cumplimiento correcto o una mejora. Conclusiones: En los pacientes mayores institucionalizados, la ayuda farmacéutica consistente en el seguimiento, la información y el asesoramiento sobre sus tratamientos favorece el cumplimiento terapéutico, lo que conduce a mejorar la efectividad, reducir los riesgos y disminuir el gasto, lo que sin duda contribuye a un uso más racional del medicamento (AU)

Objective: To detect and quantify the degree of compliance with treatment among elderly residents of an assisted-living facility and to assess the utility of the follow-up of pharmaceutical care and the intervention on the part of the pharmacist as a tool to improve adherence to treatment. Methods: The study involve the residents of the Heliópolis Geriatric Institution over 65 years of age (n=77) of both sexes. The subjects were interviewed individually by a pharmacist, who employed a validated questionnaire. The degree of noncompliance was calculated by comparing the responses to the surveys with the drug prescriptions provided by the attending physician. Subsequently, an informative/educational intervention was carried out. Results: The rate of noncompliance was 57% and was directly related to the age of the individual and the number of drugs prescribed; there was also a minor association with the female sex. The drug treatments most widely affected, in descending order of importance, were antihypertensive agents, antacids, calcium antagonists, tranquilizers, lipid-lowering agents, cardiac medications and, finally, antithrombotic agents. The major reasons for noncompliance were forgetfulness (34.1%), dosing errors (28,4%), lack of knowledge about the purpose of the treatment (23,9%), lack of concern as to the health status of the patient himself (9.1%) and the development of adverse reactions (4.6%). Correct compliance and an improvement in adherence to treatment were achieved in 100% of the cases. Conclusions. In elderly institutionalized patients, pharmaceutical care consists of follow-up, information and advice on their treatments. In favors treatment compliance, which leads to an improvement in the efficacy of therapy, reduces risks and lowers costs, outcomes that undoubtedly contribute to a more rational use of medications (AU)