Chitosan-PEG Gels Loaded with Jatropha mollissima (Pohl) Baill. Ethanolic Extract: An Efficient and Effective Biomaterial in Hemorrhage Control.

A lack of control over blood loss can have catastrophic implications, including death. Although several hemostatic medications have been employed to reduce bleeding, a vast majority of them are ineffective, expensive, or pose health risks to the patient. To overcome these constraints, chitosan-polyethylene glycol (CS-PEG) hemostatic gels loaded with ethanolic extract of Jatropha mollissima sap (EES) were prepared and their hemostatic, physicochemical, and cytotoxic properties were evaluated. The gels were produced by mixing CS with PEG (an external plasticizer) and EES. The phytochemical analysis revealed a significant concentration of total polyphenols and tannins content in the extract and catechin was identified as one of the key compounds of EES. Infrared spectroscopy analysis revealed the presence of EES in the gels, as well as the chemical interaction between CS and PEG. The gels were thermally stable between 25 and 37 °C (ambient and human body temperature range), had pseudoplastic deformation behavior (rheological properties preserved after shearing), were simple to inject (compression force 30 N), and were biocompatible. In vivo experiments showed that both CS-PEG-EES gels exhibited greater hemostatic action in preventing tail hemorrhage in Wistar rats, with decreased bleeding time and blood weight compared with unloaded CS-PEG gels (control groups) and Hemostank, a commercial product. However, the gel prepared with acetic acid was more efficient in controlling bleeding. These findings reveal that CS-PEG-EES gels can reduce hemorrhages and are a potent, simple, and safe hemostatic agent.

HDPE/Chitosan Blends Modified with Organobentonite Synthesized with Quaternary Ammonium Salt Impregnated Chitosan.

In this study, blends based on a high density polyethylene (HDPE) and chitosan (CS) were successfully prepared by melt processing, in a laboratory internal mixer. The CS biopolymer content effect (up to maximum of 40%), and, the addition of bentonite clay modified with quaternary ammonium salt (CTAB) impregnated chitosan as a compatibilizing agent, on the properties of the blends was analyzed by Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), wide angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetric analyses (TG), tensile strength, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The use of clay modified with CTAB impregnated chitosan, employing a method developed here, improved the compatibility of HDPE with chitosan, and therefore the thermal and some of the mechanical properties were enhanced, making HDPE/chitosan blends suitable candidates for food packaging. It was possible to obtain products of synthetic polymer, HDPE, with natural polymer, chitosan, using a method very used industrially, with acceptable and more friendly properties to the environment, when compared to conventional synthetic polymers. In addition, due to the possibility of impregnated chitosan with quaternary ammonium salt exhibit higher antibacterial activity than neat chitosan, the HDPE/chitosan/organobentonite blends may be potentially applied in food containers to favor the preservation of food for a longer time in comparison to conventional materials.

Experimental swainsonine poisoning in goats ingesting Ipomoea sericophylla and Ipomoea riedelii (Convolvulaceae)

Ipomoea sericophylla and Ipomoea riedelii cause a glycoprotein storage disease in goats. This paper reports the experimental poisoning in goats by dried I. sericophylla and I. riedelii containing 0.05 percent and 0.01 percent swainsonine, respectively. Three groups with four animals each were used. Group 1 received daily doses of 2g/kg body weight (bw) of dried I. sericophylla (150mg of swainsonine/kg). Goats from this group had clinical signs 36-38 days after the start of ingestion. Group 2 received dried I. riedelii daily doses of 2g/kg of I. riedelii (30mg of swainsonine/kg) for 70 days. No clinical signs were observed, therefore the swainsonine dose was increased to 60mg/kg for another 70 days. Goats from Group 2 had clinical signs 26-65 days after increase in swainsonine dose to 60mg/kg. Group 3 was used as control. In these experiments the minimum toxic dose was 60mg/kg which represents 0.0004 percent of the dry matter in goats ingesting 1.5 percent bw of the dry matter. For goats ingesting 2 percent-2.5 percent bw of dry matter this dose would be 0.00024 percent-0.0003 percent of the dry matter. After the end of the experiment two goats were euthanized and another six were observed for recovery of clinical signs. Four goats that continued to consume swainsonine containing plant for 39-89 days after the first clinical signs had non reversible signs, while two goats that ingested the plant for only 15 and 20 days after the first clinical signs recovered completely. These and previous results indicate that irreversible lesions due to neuronal loss occur in goats that continue to ingest the plants for about 30 days after the first clinical signs. Clinical signs and histological lesions were similar to those reported previously for goats poisoned by swainsonine containing plants. No significant alterations were found in packed cell volume, red and white blood cell counts, hemoglobin and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentrations, mean...

Ipomoea sericophylla e Ipomoea riedelii causam uma doença de armazenamento de glicoproteínas em caprinos. Este trabalho relata a intoxicação experimental em caprinos por I. sericophylla e I. riedelii contendo 0,05 por cento e 0,01 por cento de swainsonina, respectivamente. Foram utilizados três grupos de quatro animais. O Grupo 1 recebeu doses diárias de 2g/kg peso vivo (pv) de I. sericophylla dessecada (150mg de swainsonina/kg). Os caprinos deste grupo apresentaram sinais clínicos 36-38 dias após o início da ingestão. O Grupo 2 ingeriu diariamente 2g/kg de I. riedelii dessecada (30mg de swainsonina/kg) por 70 dias. Como não foram observados sinais clínicos a dose de suainsonina foi aumentada para 60mg/kg por outros 70 dias. Os caprinos do Grupo 2 apresentaram sinais clínicos 26-65 dias após o aumento da dose de swainsonina para 60mg/kg. O Grupo 3 foi utilizado como controle. Neste experimento, a menor dose tóxica de swainsonina foi de 60mg/kg, que representa 0,0004 por cento da matéria seca, em caprinos ingerindo 1,5 por cento pv de matéria seca. Para caprinos ingerindo 2 por cento-2,5 por cento pv de matéria seca essa dose corresponderia a 0,00024 por cento-0,0003 por cento da matéria seca. Após o final do experimento dois caprinos foram eutanasiados e outros seis foram observados para conferir a recuperação dos sinais clínicos. Quatro caprinos que continuaram ingerindo as plantas contendo suainsonina por 39-89 dias após os primeiros sinais clínicos permaneceram com sinais clínicos irreversíveis, enquanto que dois caprinos que ingeriram as plantas por 15 e 20 dias após os primeiros sinais clínicos se recuperaram totalmente. Estes resultados e os de trabalhos anteriores sugerem que as lesões irreversíveis, devidas à perda neuronal, ocorrem quando os caprinos continuam ingerindo a planta por aproximadamente 30 dias após o início dos sinais clínicos. Os sinais clínicos e as lesões histológicas foram similares às descritas anteriormente...

Intoxicaçäo por nitratos e nitritos em bovinos por ingestäo de Echinochloa polystachya (capim-mandante) e Pennisetum purpureum (capim-elefante) no sertäo da Paraíba / Nitrate and nitrite poisoning in cattle caused by the ingestion of Echinochloa polystachya and Pennisetum purpureum in the semiarid region of the state of Paraíba

Descrevem-se três surtos de intoxicaçäo por nitratos e nitritos em bovinos na regiäo semi-árida do estado da Paraíba, nordeste do Brasil. O primeiro surto foi causado por Echinochloa polystachya (capim-mandante) e os demais por Pennisetum purpureum (capim-elefante) e ocorreram após um período prolongado de seca, após o início das primeiras chuvas. Em um dos surtos causado por Pennisetum purpureum, uma parte da área onde estava o pasto que continha níveis altos de nitratos havia sido fertilizada com esterco de bovino. No primeiro surto morreram 5 bovinos de um total de 11, no segundo morreram 21 de um total de 81 e no terceiro morreram 3 de um total de 19 bovinos. Os sinais clínicos se caracterizaram por anorexia, dispnéia, ranger de dentes, depressäo ou hiperexitabilidade, tremores, contraçöes abdominais, salivaçäo, corrimento nasal, andar cambaleante, mucosas cianóticas e, finalmente, decúbito. A presença de nitratos e nitritos foi detectada no sangue dos animais e nos pastos por meio da prova de difenilamina. Parece que o principal fator que determinou a concentraçäo de altos níveis de nitratos nas plantas foi a ocorrência de chuvas depois de um longo período de seca. Outro fator importante no surto causado por Pennisetum purpureum foi a fertilizaçäo do solo com esterco

Sudden bovine death from Mascagnia rigida in northeastern Brazil.

One outbreak of sudden death occurred in the Agreste region of Paraiba, Brazil in a herd of 129 cattle. When the herd was driven from the area, 40 cattle had clinical signs characterized by instability, staggering and lying down or falling. Twenty cattle died and the other 20 recovered. Dry Mascagnia rigida collected in the paddockwas administrated to 3 groups of 2 rabbits each at doses of 1.25, 2.5 or 5 g/kg bw. All rabbits ingesting 2.5 and 5 g/kg bw died acutely between 3 h 25 min and 16h 15 min after dosing. M rigida collected in another farm where the disease was not observed was given to 3 groups of 2 rabbits each at doses of 5, 10 or 20 g/kg bw. Only I rabbit died suddenly 3 h and 25 min after ingestion of 20 g/kg bw. These results tend to support M rigida as a cause of sudden death in cattle and rabbits They also demonstrate variations in the toxicity of the plant, which seems reflective of the variation in disease occurrence in different areas where it occurs.