Bromelain as a natural anti-inflammatory drug: a systematic review.

Inflammation is a complex and necessary mechanism of an organ's response to biological, chemical and/or physical stimuli. In recent years, investigations on natural compounds with therapeutic actions for the treatment of different diseases have increased. Among these compounds, bromelain is highlighted, as a cysteine protease isolated from the Ananas comosus (pineapple) stem. This review aimed to evaluate the anti-inflammatory activity of bromelain, as well as its pathways on inflammatory mediators, through a systematic review with in vitro studies on different cell lines. The search was performed in PubMed, Science Direct, Scopus, Cochrane Library and Web of Science databases. Bromelain reduced IL-1ß, IL-6 and TNF-α secretion when immune cells were already stimulated in an overproduction condition by proinflammatory cytokines, generating a modulation in the inflammatory response through prostaglandins reduction and activation of a cascade reactions that trigger neutrophils and macrophages, in addition to accelerating the healing process.

Antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and cytotoxic/antitumoral bioactives from the phylum Basidiomycota and their possible mechanisms of action.

Biologically active compounds from species of the phylum Basidiomycota have been shown a wide range of pharmacological activities and provide a vast reservoir of potential innovational drugs. The aim of this review is to discuss some mechanisms of action involved in antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and cytotoxic/antitumoral activities attributed to the bioactive compounds from species of the phylum Basidiomycota. We show that isolated compounds from extracts, secondary metabolites and polysaccharides that presented antioxidant properties have mechanisms of action involved in the elimination/capture of free radicals and reduction of lipid peroxidation. Also, some bioactives with anti-inflammatory activity were reported to enhance innate and cell-mediated immune responses. Finally, compounds that presented cytotoxic/antitumoral activity induces increased free radical production, collapse of the mitochondrial membrane potential and increased expression of proteins responsible for cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. Investigating the mechanisms of action of biologically active compounds will facilitate further efforts to accelerate the discovery of novel therapeutic strategies.

Toxicity in food flavorings at the cellular level associated with each other at different doses / Toxicidade em nível celular de aromatizantes alimentares associados entre si em diferentes doses

This study aimed to examine the cytotoxicity and genotoxicity of synthetic flavorings, nature identical, Chocolate, Strawberry and Condensed Milk. This evaluation was performed in root meristem cells of Allium cepa L., in exposure times of 24 and 48 hours and using doses of 0.2; 0.4 and 0.6 mL, in combination, in which one of the three doses of a flavoring was combined with a different dose of one of the two other flavor additives studied. Roots were fixed in Carnoys solution, hydrolyzed in hydrochloric acid, stained with acetic orcein and then analyzed, under light microscopy, 5,000 cells for each treatment. For data analysis, it was used Chi-square test at 5%. All the treatments with combinations between the flavorings Chocolate/Strawberry and Strawberry/Condensed Milk reduced, in both exposure times considered, cell division of A. cepa roots, proving to be cytotoxic. In turn, the treatments with the association of Chocolate/Condensed Milk did not change significantly the mitotic index of the cells analyzed. The Strawberry flavoring was the most cytotoxic among the additives tested. None of the evaluated associations was genotoxic under the study conditions.

Objetivou-se nesta pesquisa avaliar a citoxicidade e genotoxicidade de aromatizantes alimentares sintéticos de chocolate, morango e leite condensado. Esta avaliação ocorreu por meio das células meristemáticas de raízes de A. cepa L., nos tempos de exposição de 24 e 48h e nas doses de 0,2; 0,4 e 0,6 mL, em associação, em que para uma das três doses de um dos aromatizantes associou-se uma dose diferente de um dos outros dois aditivos de aroma em estudo. Em seguida, as raízes foram fixadas em solução de Carnoy, hidrolisadas em ácido clorídrico e coradas com orceína acética. Analisaram-se, em microscópio óptico, 5.000 células para cada grupo tratamento, e utilizou-se o teste estatístico Qui-quadrado a 5% para análise dos dados. A partir dos resultados, verificou-se que todos os tratamentos decorrentes das associações entre chocolate/morango e morango/leite condensado reduziram, nos dois tempos de exposição considerados, a divisão celular das raízes A. cepa, mostrando-se citotóxicos. Já os tratamentos provenientes da associação chocolate/leite condensado não alteraram de forma significativa os índices mitóticos das células do tecido em análise. Foi possível inferir que o aditivo de morango foi o mais citotóxico dos aditivos em estudo. Nenhuma das associações avaliadas foi genotóxica nestas condições de estudo.

Cytotoxicity of erythrosine (E-127), brilliant blue (E-133) and red 40 (E-129) food dyes in a plant test system / Citotoxicidade dos corantes alimentares erythrosine (E-127), azul brilhante (E-133) e red 40 (E-129) em sistema-teste vegetal

The objective of this work was to evaluate the cytotoxic effect of the food dyes erythrosine, brilliant blue and red 40 on the cell cycle of Allium cepa L. Each dye was evaluated at doses of 0.4 and 4.0 ml, at exposure times of 24 and 48 hours, in onion root tip cells. Cells and the presence of chromosomal aberrations were analyzed throughout the whole cell cycle, totaling 5,000 cells for each group of bulbs. The mitotic index was calculated and the statistical analysis was conducted through the Chi-square test (p < 0.05). From the obtained results, it was verified that the food additives erythrosine and brilliant blue were not cytotoxic to the cells of the test system. However, the red 40 dye, at the two evaluated doses and the two exposure times used in this bioassay have promoted a significant reduction in cell division and induced the emergence of anaphasic and telophasic bridge aberrations and micronucleated cells. Additional cytotoxicity studies should be conducted to add information to these and other previously obtained results in order to evaluate, with property, the action of these three dyes on a cellular level.

Este trabalho teve por objetivo avaliar o efeito citotóxico dos corantes alimentares eritrosina, azul brilhante e vermelho 40 sobre o ciclo celular de Allium cepa L. Cada corante foi avaliado nas doses de 0,4 e 4,0mL, nos tempos de exposição de 24 e 48h, em células meristemáticas de raízes de cebolas. Foram analisadas células em todo o ciclo celular e a presença de aberrações cromossômicas, totalizando 5.000 células para cada grupo de bulbos. Calculou-se o índice mitótico e a análise estatística foi feita por meio do teste Qui-quadrado (p < 0,05). A partir dos resultados obtidos, verificou-se que os aditivos alimentares eritrosina e azul brilhante não foram citotóxicos às células do sistema-teste em questão. Já o corante vermelho 40, nas duas doses avaliadas e nos dois tempos de exposição estipulados para este bioensaio, promoveu redução significativa da divisão celular e induziu o aparecimento de aberrações dos tipos ponte anafásica, ponte telofásica e célula micronucleada. Estudos adicionais de citotoxicidade devem ser conduzidos para se somar a estes para assim avaliar, com propriedade, a ação destes três corantes em nível celular.