Anticancer activity of flavonol and flavan-3-ol rich extracts from Croton celtidifolius latex.

CONTEXT: Croton celtidifolius Baill (Euphorbiaceae) is a tree found in the Atlantic Forest in Southern Brazil, where it is commonly known as "Sangue-de-Dragão". Its red latex is used traditionally for treating ulcers, diabetes and cancer. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate antitumor activities of Croton celtififolius latex in vitro and in vivo. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Phytochemical analyses were conducted using HPLC-DAD-MS. Cytotoxic, nuclease and pro-apoptotic properties were determined using the tetrazolium salt assay (MTT), plasmid DNA damage assay and ethidium bromide (EB)/acridine orange methods, respectively, and antitumor activity was determined in the Ehrlich ascites carcinoma (EAC) mouse model. RESULTS: Phytochemical studies indicated a high phenol content of flavonols (45.67 ± 0.24 and 18.01 ± 0.23 mg/mL of myricetin and quercetin, respectively) and flavan-3-ols (114.12 ± 1.84 and 1527.41 ± 16.42 mg/L of epicatechin and epigallocatechin, respectively) in latex. These compounds reduced MCF-7 and EAC cell viability in the MTT assay (IC50 = 169.0 ± 1.8 and 187.0 ± 2.2 µg/mL, respectively). Latex compounds caused significant DNA fragmentation and increased the number of apoptotic cells (negative control (NC), 12%; latex, 41%) as indicated by differential staining in the EB/acridine orange assay. The in vivo latex treatment at 3.12 mg/kg/day reduced the body weight by 7.57 ± 2.04 g and increased median survival time to 17.5 days when compared to the NC group (13.0 days). In addition, the highest latex concentration inhibited tumor growth by 56%. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: These results agree with ethno-pharmacological reports showing cytotoxicity and antitumor activity of C. celtidifolius latex. The mechanism of antitumor action may be related to direct DNA fragmentation that reduces survival and induces apoptosis.

Oxidative stress markers in adults 2 years after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass.

INTRODUCTION: Obesity is a chronic disease associated with oxidative stress. Bariatric surgery for the treatment of obesity may affect biomarkers of oxidative stress. OBJECTIVES: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) on blood markers of oxidative stress, such as vitamins C and E, ß-carotene, reduced glutathione (GSH), catalase (CAT), ferric reducing antioxidant potential (FRAP), and thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS). METHODS: A prospective controlled clinical trial was carried out. The participants were distributed into two groups: a control group (n=35), which was evaluated once, and a bariatric group (n=35), which was evaluated at baseline as well as 6, 12, and 24 months after surgery. RESULTS: After surgery, the BMI decreased from 47.05±1.46 to 30.53±1.14 kg/m (P<0.001), but 25.7% of the participants regained weight after 24 months. In relation to the baseline, postsurgery reductions were found in vitamin C (31.9±4.6%, P<0.001), ß-carotene (360.7±368.3%, P<0.001), vitamin E (22.8±4.1%, P<0.001), GSH (6.6±5.2%, P=0.090), CAT (12.7±5.6%, P=0.029), and FRAP (1.2±3.8%, P=0.085) 2 years after RYGB. TBARS levels decreased after 12 months (71.6±2.9%, P<0.001) in relation to the baseline but increased by 195.0±28.2% between the 12th and the 24th month (P<0.001). CONCLUSION: The present findings show that oxidative stress returned 2 years after RYGB. Concentrations of vitamin C, ß-carotene, GSH, CAT, and FRAP were decreased, whereas the concentration of TBARS decreased in the first year but increased in the following year, which may be partly explained by the imbalance between antioxidants and pro-oxidants.

Frequência de microcarcinoma papilífero em doenças benignas da tireóide / Frequency of papillary microcarcinoma in thyroid benign diseases

Objetivo: Conhecer a frequência de microcarcinoma papilífero (MCP) em doenças benignas da tireóide. Métodos: Estudo transversal e retrospectivo, realizado no laboratório Alice de Patologia, na cidade de Criciúma, SC, no período de 1996 a 2006. Foram analisados 636 laudos anatomopatológicos de tireoidectomias totais, dos quais 409 preencheram os critérios de inclusão. Destes, estudou-se as seguintes variáveis: cidade de origem, gênero, idade, doenças benignas associadas ao MCP, tamanho dos tumores, lateralidade, focalidade, localização e invasão das bordas cirúrgicas. A análise estatística foi realizada através do programa EPIINFO versão 6.0. Resultados: Dos 636 laudos estudados, 409 preencheram os critérios de inclusão. Destes, 90,7% (371) eram mulheres e 9,3% (38) homens, sendo a média de idade 48,17 anos. A maioria (95,6%) dos pacientes estudados era de Criciúma. A frequência de MCP em doenças benignas da tireóide foi de 8,8%, sendo a doença de maior coexistência com MCP o bócio multinodular, seguido pelos adenomas foliculares. O diâmetro médio dos tumores foi de 4,7mm, sendo a maioria unilateral (88,9%) e unifocal (91,7%). A variante histológica do MCP encontrada com maior frequência foi a papilífera pura (61,11%). Não houve diferença significativa na localização dos tumores. Na maioria (88,9%) dos casos as bordas cirúrgicas estavam livres de doença. Conclusão: A frequência de MCP em doenças benignas da tireóide é alta no local de realização desta pesquisa, devendo chamar a atenção dos médicos para o seu possível diagnóstico, que na maioria das vezes acaba sendo um achado incidental na análise anatomopatológica de glândulas tireóideas retiradas por doenças aparentemente benignas.

Objective: To assess the frequency of papillary microcarcinoma in benign thyroid diseases. Methods: Retrospective cross-sectional study, conducted in the laboratory of Pathology Alice in the city of Criciúma, SC, from 1996 to 2006. We analyzed 636 reports of pathological total thyroidectomy, of which 409 met the inclusion criteria. Of these, the following variables were studied: city of origin, gender, age, benign diseases associated with papillary microcarcinoma, size of tumors, laterality, focus, location and invasion of the surgical margins. Statistical analysis was performed using the program EPIINFO version 6.0. Results: Of the 636 reports studied, 409 met the inclusion criteria. Of these, 90.7% (371) were women and 9.3% (38) men, with a mean age of 48.17 years. The majority (95.6%) of patients studied was Criciúma. The frequency of papillary microcarcinoma in benign thyroid disease was 8.8%, and the disease of greater coexistence with the papillary microcarcinoma was multinodular goiter, followed by follicular adenomas. The average diameter of tumors was 4.7 mm, the majority being unilateral (88.9%) and unifocal (91.7%). A histologic variant of papillary microcarcinoma found with more frequency was papillary pure (61.11%). There was no significant difference in the location of tumorsMost(88.9%) cases the surgical margins were free of disease. Conclusion: The frequency of MCP in benign thyroid diseases is high in the place of realization of this research, and should draw the attention of doctors for their possible diagnosis, which most often ends up being an incidental finding in the anatomopathological analysis of thyroid glands removed for apparently benign diseases.

Uso racional de medicamentos: relato de experiência no ensino médico da Unesc, Criciúma/SC / Rational use of medicines: report of an experience in medical education at Unesc Criciúma, Santa Catarina State, Brazil

O presente estudo objetivou disseminar entre os alunos do curso de Medicina da Unesc a lógica do Uso Racional de Medicamentos e suas aplicações na prática médica. Utilizou-se como modelo o curso de formação sobre Uso Racional de Medicamentos promovido pela OMS, por meio do método didático-pedagógico da aprendizagem baseada em problemas, a mesma concepção utilizada pelo curso de Medicina da Unesc. Com apoio e financiamento da Diretoria de Pesquisa e da Diretoria de Extensão e Ação Comunitária (Unesc), o trabalho foi desenvolvido a partir de duas vertentes: a primeira visou capacitar acadêmicos do curso de Medicina na lógica do Uso Racional de Medicamentos; a segunda vertente objetivou desenvolver ações educativas na comunidade dos bairros adjacentes à universidade, envolvendo temas como Uso Racional de Medicamentos. Foram capacitados 35 alunos e realizadas intervenções na comunidade que abrangeram 689 pessoas. Os acadêmicos envolvidos neste trabalho passaram a visualizar a prescrição de medicamentos de forma mais racional e ainda adquiriram a noção da importância de priorizar uma lista de medicamentos essenciais, tendo como base condutas pautadas nas melhores evidências disponíveis.

The current study aimed to disseminate the logic of rational use of medicines and its application in medical practice among medical students at UNESC, Santa Catarina State, Brazil. The study's model was the training course on Rational Use of Medicines promoted by the World Health Organization (WHO), using the problem-based teaching-learning method, a strategy adopted by the UNESC School of Medicine in general. With support and funding from the Office of the Dean for Research and the Office of the Dean for Extension and Community Action (UNESC), the project was developed along two lines: first, training undergraduate medical students in the logic of Rational Use of Medicines; second, develop educational activities in the community, in neighborhoods near the university, on themes related to Rational Use of Medicines. Thirty-five students were trained, and community interventions were conducted with a total of 689 community members. The medical students involved in this project began to view prescriptions more rationally and gained a notion of the importance of prioritizing a list of essential drugs, for treatment supported by the best available evidence.