Foliar phenolic compounds of ten wild species of Verbenacea as antioxidants and specific chemomarkers / Compostos fenólicos das folhas de dez especies selvagem de Verbenaceae como antioxidantes e quimiomarcadores específicos

Abstract The family Verbenaceae hosts important species used in traditional medicine of many countries. The taxonomic controversies concerning the specific delimitation of several of its species make it difficult to guarantee the botanical origin of herbal preparations based on species of this family. To contribute to the development of both specific chemomarkers and a quality control tool to authenticate the botanical origin of herbal preparations of Verbenacea species, we determined the foliar HPLC-DAD phenolic profiles and the antioxidant properties of 10 wild species of this family occurring in Mexico. The contents of phenols and flavonoids varied significantly among species. Priva mexicana showed the highest levels of total phenolics (53.4 mg g-1 dry tissue) and Verbena carolina had the highest levels of flavonoids (17.89 mg g-1 dry tissue). Relevant antioxidant properties revealed by antiradical and reducing power were found for the analyzed species. These properties varied significantly in a species-dependent manner. The phenolic compounds accumulated were flavones and phenolic acids. Flavones were the only type of flavonoids found. The results of a cluster analysis showed that the compounds were accumulated in species-specific profiles. The phenolic profiles are proposed as valuable chemomarkers that can become a useful tool for the quality control concerning the botanical origin of herbal medicinal preparations based on the species analyzed. In addition, phenolic profiles could contribute importantly to solve the taxonomic controversies concerning species delimitation in the family Verbenaceae.

Resumo A família Verbenaceae compreende importantes espécies utilizadas na medicina popular de muitos países. As dificuldades taxonômicas relativas à delimitação específica de muitas das suas espécies face difícil a verificar a origem botânico das preparações herbales baseadas nas espécies desta família. Para fazer uma contribuição ao desenvolvimento de indicadores taxonômicos e dum método de controle de qualidade para verificar a origem botânico de preparações herbales das espécies de Verbenaceae, os perfis fenólicos, obtidos pares HPLC-DAD, e as atividades antioxidantes das folhas de 10 espécies selvagens Mexicanas desta família foram determinados. Os conteúdos dos compostos fenólicos totais e dos flavonoides foram significativamente diferentes entre as espécies. Priva mexicana apresentou a maior quantidade de compostos fenólicos totais (53.4 mg g-1 amostra seca) e Verbena carolina apresentou a maior quantidade de flavonoides (17.89 mg g-1 amostra seca). Verifica-se importantes propriedades antioxidantes, como os resultados dos ensaios da capacidade antiradical e do poder redutor indicaram. As propriedades antioxidantes foram significativamente diferentes entre as espécies. Verificou-se que os compostos fenólicos conteúdos nas folhas das espécies analisadas foram só flavonas e ácidos fenólicos. Os resultados das análises de agrupamento provarãn que os perfiles fenólicos foram espécie-específicos. Estes perfis podem ser considerados como indicadores químicos da qualidade relativa à origem botânico de preparações medicinais baseadas nas espécies analisadas e podem fazer importantes contribuições para a delimitação específica na família Verbenaceae.

Foliar phenolic compounds of ten wild species of Verbenacea as antioxidants and specific chemomarkers.

The family Verbenaceae hosts important species used in traditional medicine of many countries. The taxonomic controversies concerning the specific delimitation of several of its species make it difficult to guarantee the botanical origin of herbal preparations based on species of this family. To contribute to the development of both specific chemomarkers and a quality control tool to authenticate the botanical origin of herbal preparations of Verbenacea species, we determined the foliar HPLC-DAD phenolic profiles and the antioxidant properties of 10 wild species of this family occurring in Mexico. The contents of phenols and flavonoids varied significantly among species. Priva mexicana showed the highest levels of total phenolics (53.4 mg g-1 dry tissue) and Verbena carolina had the highest levels of flavonoids (17.89 mg g-1 dry tissue). Relevant antioxidant properties revealed by antiradical and reducing power were found for the analyzed species. These properties varied significantly in a species-dependent manner. The phenolic compounds accumulated were flavones and phenolic acids. Flavones were the only type of flavonoids found. The results of a cluster analysis showed that the compounds were accumulated in species-specific profiles. The phenolic profiles are proposed as valuable chemomarkers that can become a useful tool for the quality control concerning the botanical origin of herbal medicinal preparations based on the species analyzed. In addition, phenolic profiles could contribute importantly to solve the taxonomic controversies concerning species delimitation in the family Verbenaceae.

Foliar phenolic compounds of ten wild species of Verbenacea as antioxidants and specific chemomarkers

Abstract The family Verbenaceae hosts important species used in traditional medicine of many countries. The taxonomic controversies concerning the specific delimitation of several of its species make it difficult to guarantee the botanical origin of herbal preparations based on species of this family. To contribute to the development of both specific chemomarkers and a quality control tool to authenticate the botanical origin of herbal preparations of Verbenacea species, we determined the foliar HPLC-DAD phenolic profiles and the antioxidant properties of 10 wild species of this family occurring in Mexico. The contents of phenols and flavonoids varied significantly among species. Priva mexicana showed the highest levels of total phenolics (53.4 mg g-1 dry tissue) and Verbena carolina had the highest levels of flavonoids (17.89 mg g-1 dry tissue). Relevant antioxidant properties revealed by antiradical and reducing power were found for the analyzed species. These properties varied significantly in a species-dependent manner. The phenolic compounds accumulated were flavones and phenolic acids. Flavones were the only type of flavonoids found. The results of a cluster analysis showed that the compounds were accumulated in species-specific profiles. The phenolic profiles are proposed as valuable chemomarkers that can become a useful tool for the quality control concerning the botanical origin of herbal medicinal preparations based on the species analyzed. In addition, phenolic profiles could contribute importantly to solve the taxonomic controversies concerning species delimitation in the family Verbenaceae.

Resumo A família Verbenaceae compreende importantes espécies utilizadas na medicina popular de muitos países. As dificuldades taxonômicas relativas à delimitação específica de muitas das suas espécies face difícil a verificar a origem botânico das preparações herbales baseadas nas espécies desta família. Para fazer uma contribuição ao desenvolvimento de indicadores taxonômicos e dum método de controle de qualidade para verificar a origem botânico de preparações herbales das espécies de Verbenaceae, os perfis fenólicos, obtidos pares HPLC-DAD, e as atividades antioxidantes das folhas de 10 espécies selvagens Mexicanas desta família foram determinados. Os conteúdos dos compostos fenólicos totais e dos flavonoides foram significativamente diferentes entre as espécies. Priva mexicana apresentou a maior quantidade de compostos fenólicos totais (53.4 mg g-1 amostra seca) e Verbena carolina apresentou a maior quantidade de flavonoides (17.89 mg g-1 amostra seca). Verifica-se importantes propriedades antioxidantes, como os resultados dos ensaios da capacidade antiradical e do poder redutor indicaram. As propriedades antioxidantes foram significativamente diferentes entre as espécies. Verificou-se que os compostos fenólicos conteúdos nas folhas das espécies analisadas foram só flavonas e ácidos fenólicos. Os resultados das análises de agrupamento provarãn que os perfiles fenólicos foram espécie-específicos. Estes perfis podem ser considerados como indicadores químicos da qualidade relativa à origem botânico de preparações medicinais baseadas nas espécies analisadas e podem fazer importantes contribuições para a delimitação específica na família Verbenaceae.

Impacto del estrés oxidativo sobre las lesiones cutáneas causadas por radiaciones ionizantes / Impact of the oxidative stress on cutaneous lesions caused by ionizing radiations

Los efectos inducidos por exposición de manera accidental o terapéutica a dosis de radiaciones ionizantes inducen varios eventos celulares que afectan el proceso de cicatrización de la piel, y tiene gran impacto en la prognosis y supervivencia de individuos afectados. La información existente sobre los efectos nocivos por altas exposiciones a radiaciones proviene a partir de los accidentes ocurridos por las bombas atómicas en Hiroshima y Nagasaki produciendo problemas de salud por leucemias y linfomas en los sobrevivientes. El síndrome de radiación aguda (SRA) generalmente inicia durante las dos horas inmediatas posteriores a la exposición, y la severidad de las lesiones depende de la dosis y del tiempo de exposición. El desarrollo de las lesiones por el daño como efectos tardíos a exposiciones por radiaciones es más complejo y determina no únicamente el daño al parénquima celular sino también se presentan daños en el tejido vascular y en otros tejidos de soporte. Al menos parcialmente estos eventos se presentan a consecuencia del estrés oxidativo generado por el excesivo incremento de especies reactivas del oxígeno (EROs). Se han estado estudiando componentes comerciales como blancos potenciales para la prevención de los daños causados por radiaciones en piel que tienen una amplia actividad contra múltiples citocinas involucradas en los procesos de la lesión cutánea y por otro lado se están estudiando fármacos que reaccionan con los radicales libres o indirectamente inhiben la expresión de las enzimas que generan la producción de EROs o bien aumentan la expresión de enzimas antioxidantes intracelulares

Cáncer mamario triple negativo: ¿cómo se ve en imágenes? / Triple receptor-negative breast cancer: how is it seen on imaging findings?

Introduction. Triple-negative cancers (TNC) refers to any breast cancer that does not express the genes for estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR) or human epidermal grow factor, receptor type 2. Herceptin (HER2). They tend to be more aggressive; often being diagnosed in young patients, sometimes as interval cancers, they can grow to be large in size and patients frequently present initially with axillary metastases. They show a worse prognosis compared to other breast cancer tumors, with an increased risk of distant recurrence and death, especially in the first 5 years after diagnosis. Patients and methods. We conducted a descriptive, retrospective observational study of TNC cases diagnosed at our institution between March 2005 and June 2012 in order to identify their imaging features. Results. TNC may not be seen on mammography (Mx) if the parenchyma is dense (ACR types 3 and 4), mainly because they appear as masses or focal asymmetries without microcalcifications. Both on mammography and ultrasound (US) they can evoke a benign lesion. On US studies they frequently manifest as a solid single nodule, markedly hypoechoic with posterior acoustic enhancement and well-defined contours. They appear hypo/ avascular on color Doppler examinations (or vascularized in the periphery without central vessels) and various afferent pedicles may be present. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) clearly identifies suspicious lesions with some characteristic features: mass preferably with posterior and prepectoral location, markedly hyperintense on T2- weighted images with a ring-like pattern of contrast agent uptake, presenting washout curve, sometimes with septa increased uptake in the lesion center. Conclusion. Triple receptor-negative cancers often exhibit imaging features that distinguish them from other types of tumors.

Introducción. Los cánceres triple negativo (CTN) son aquellos que no presentan receptores de estrógeno, progesterona ni human epidermal grow factor, receptor type 2. Herceptin (HER2). Tienden a ser más agresivos; a menudo se diagnostican en pacientes jóvenes, a veces como cánceres de intervalo, llegan a ser de gran tamaño y más frecuentemente presentan metástasis axilares al momento del diagnóstico. Su pronóstico es peor que otros cánceres mamarios, existiendo una mayor probabilidad de recurrencia a distancia y de muerte, especialmente en los primeros 5 años. Pacientes y métodos. Se efectuó una revisión retrospectiva descriptiva de los casos de CTN diagnosticados en nuestra institución (periodo entre marzo de 2005 y junio de 2012) con el fin de identificar sus características imaginológicas. Resultados. Los CTN pueden quedar ocultos en mamografía (Mx) si el parénquima es denso (tipo ACR 3 y 4), puesto que aparecen principalmente como masas o asimetrías focales, sin microcalcificaciones. Tanto en Mx como en ultrasonido (US) pueden evocar una lesión de morfología benigna. En US se manifiestan frecuentemente como un nódulo sólido único, marcadamente hipoecogénico con refuerzo posterior, de contornos bastante circunscritos y que aparece hipo/avascular al Doppler color (o vascularizado en la periferia sin vasos centrales) y varios pedículos aferentes. La resonancia magnética (RM) identifica hallazgos claramente sospechosos con algunos elementos característicos: masa cuya localización es preferentemente posterior, pre-pectoral, marcadamente hiperintensa en T2 que capta el contraste en anillo y presenta curva de lavado, a veces con septos hipercaptantes en el centro de la lesión. Conclusión. Los CTN presentan a menudo características en imágenes que los diferencian de otros tipos de tumores.

CYP2C9 allele frequency differences between populations of Mexican-Mestizo, Mexican-Tepehuano, and Spaniards.

Earlier we had found that the CYP2C9*2 allelic frequency was lower in Mexican-Americans living in California than in Spaniards (SP). This was assumed to be related to the low CYP2C9*2 and *3 allele frequencies in Orientals. This study was therefore aimed at analyzing whether there were also differences in CYP2C9 allele frequencies between Mexican-Tepehuanos (MT) and Mexican-Mestizos (MM) living in northwestern Mexico and SP. The CYP2C9*2 frequency was expected to be lower in the indigenous MT than in the two other groups, and lower in MM than in SP as in our earlier study. CYP2C9 genotypes and allele frequencies of two populations of healthy volunteers, MT (n=99) and MM (n=102), were compared with a population of SP (n=327). The data were also compared with our previously published population of Mestizo-Mexican-Americans (MA). The CYP2C9 genotypes among the studied populations were in equilibrium. The frequencies of CYP2C9*2 were 0.01, 0.07, 0.08, and 0.16 for MT, MM, MA, and SP subjects, respectively. In agreement with our hypothesis, CYP2C9*2 was significantly lower in the Mexican populations than in the SP (P<0.05), and among Mexicans in the MT than in the MM and MA groups (P<0.05), which presented similar frequencies. Moreover, the frequency of CYP2C9*3 was found to be lower (P<0.05) in MM (0.015) and MT (0.015) than in MA (0.06) and SP (0.08). Finally, the CYP2C9*6 allele was present just in one MM subject, and CYP2C9*4 and *5 were not found in the studied populations. Therefore, these findings add further evidence about CYP2C9 genetic diversity within Hispanic populations with regard to their ancestry. Considering that CYP2C9*2 and CYP2C9*3 alleles have altered catalytic activities relative to CYP2C9*1, the present data suggest the need for pharmacogenetic studies to optimize drug dosages in different populations.

Alpha-thalassemia in a selected population of Mexico.

OBJECTIVE: To identify by molecular biology the alleles of alpha-Thal in selected hospital populations. METHODS: Eighteen propositi with hematological and biochemical data suggestive of alpha-thalassemia, selected from 356 patients of four hospitals in two cities with probable hemoglobinopathy were investigated for six common alpha-Thal alleles. Molecular studies were done by PCR and digestion with specific restriction enzymes. RESULTS: The alpha 3.7 allele was identified in two cases and the family study revealed the same allele in the mother; HbS heterozigocity was also detected in one of them. An analysis with Apa I demonstrated a class I deletion in both patients. The present study showed 2/356 (0.6%) of alpha 3.71 carriers which is a low frequency as compared with other countries. As no other common alpha-thalassemia alleles were found, we suspect that alpha-Thal in Mexico is as heterogeneous at a molecular level as beta-Thal.

Hypergonadotrophic hypogonadism in an XX female subject due to 17,20 steroid desmolase deficiency.

A 22 year old XX female patient with primary amenorrhoea and sexual infantilism was studied. Persistently elevated serum LH and FSH concentrations and exaggerated LRH pituitary responsiveness indicated deficient ovarian hormonal production. Serum levels of C21 and C19 steroids measured by specific radioimmunoassays before and after appropriate stimulations demonstrated an impairment of adrenal and ovarian steroid biosynthesis. Baseline levels of androstenedione (delta 4-A), testosterone (T), and oestradiol-17 beta (E2) were persistently below the normal range for healthy women at early follicular phase, whereas progesterone (P) and 17 alpha-OH-progesterone (17-OH-P) serum levels were significantly higher than those observed for normal women. Adrenal and gonadal stimulation with ATCH and hCG, respectively, resulted in a considerable rise in serum P and 17-OH-P without any significant change in circulating levels of delta 4-A, T, and E2. These findings were consistent with the diagnosis of 17,20 steroid desmolase deficiency at both adrenal and ovarian levels. This is the first report of a 17,20 desmolase deficiency in an XX individual, and is in line with previous suggestions that familial occurrence of the disorder would fit an autosomal recessive pattern of inheritance.