Pimentas do gênero Capsicum: propriedades e ações terapéuticas / Pimientos del género Capsicum: propiedades y acciones terapéuticas / Capsicum peppers: properties and therapeutic actions

As especies do genero Capsicum L. vem sendo estudadas por pesquisadores do mundo inteiro. A pungencia e o atributo principal das pimentas e as substancias responséveis por esta ardencia sao denominadas de capsaicinoides. O mais estudado ea capsaicina, sua rota biossintetica e atraves da via dos fenilpropanoides e écidos graxos. A capsaicina e um agonista exogeno do receptor TRPV1(transient receptor potential vanilloid type-7). O TRPV1 contem uma subunidade sensivel ao calor responsével pela sensaçao de queimadura causada pela capsaicina. Quando aplicada na pele, promove uma resposta analgesica devido a dessensibilizaçao dos neuronios sensoriais causados pelo esgotamento da substancia P. A meia vida da capsaicina e vinte e quatro horas quando utilizada por via oral. Sua concentraçao maxima atinge o figado, rins e intestino ern uma hora apos administraçao oral. A capsaicina e principalmente eliminada pelos rins, com uma pequena proporçao nao transformada excretada nas fezes e na urina. Na aplicagao topica, a biotransformaçao da capsaicina foi considerada lenta e a maior parte da mesma permaneceu inalterada. A capsaicina e seus anélogos tem sido utilizados em cremes e patches para tratar sindromes de dor cronica como neuralgia pos-herpetica, dores musculoesqueleticas, neuropatia diabetica, osteoartrite e artrite reumatoide. A capsaicina tambem tem atividade antihiperlipidemica, propiedades anti-inflamatorias, antioxidantes e e efetiva no tratamento da dor associada com artrite e cistite. O capsiato, presente nas pimentas vermelhas nao pungentes tambem estimula o receptor TRPV1, sendo capaz de aumentar o metabolismo por estimulagao do sistema nervoso simpético, alem de ser provido de agao antiinflamatoria, porem por mecanismo ainda desconhecido (AU)

Las especies del género Capsicum, han sido estudiadas por los investigadores de todo el mundo. La pungencia es el principal atributo de los pimientos picantes y las sustancias responsables son los capsaicinoides. La capsaicina es la mas estudiada, su ruta biosintética es a través de la vía de fenilpropanoides y ácidos grasos. La capsaicina es un receptor TRPV1 agonista exógeno (receptor de potencial transitorio vaniloide tipo 1). El TRPV1 contiene una subunidad sensible al calor responsable de la sensación de ardor causada por la capsaicina. Cuando se aplica a la piel se promueve una respuesta analgésica debido a la desensibilización de las neuronas sensoriales causadas por el agotamiento de la sustancia P. La Vida media de la capsaicina es de 24 horas cuando se usa por via oral. Su distribución máxima alcanza el hígado, el riñón y el intestino en una hora después de la administración oral. La capsaicina se elimina principalmente por via renal, con una pequefia proporción no transformada excretada en las heces y en la orina. En la aplicación tópica de capsaicina la biotransformación se consideró lenta, y la mayor parte de la misma permaneció inalterada. La capsaicina y sus análogos han sido utilizados en cremas y apósitos para el tratamiento de síndromes de dolor crónico, tales como neuralgia postherpética, dolor musculo esquelético, neuropatía diabética, la osteoartritis y artritis reumatoide. La capsaicina también tiene actividad hipolipemiante, antiinflamatoria, antioxidante y es eficaz en el tratamiento del dolor asociado a artritis y cistitis. El capsiato, presente en pimientos rojos no picantes, también estimula el receptor TRPV1, siendo capaz de aumentar el metabolismo mediante la estimulación del sistema nervioso simpático, y presentando, además, acción antiinflamatoria, por un mecanismo aun desconocido (AU)

The species of the genus Capsicum have been studied by researchers worldwide. Pungency is the main attribute of peppers and it is due to the capsaicinoids. The most studied is capsaicin, biosynthetised through the phenylpropanoid and fatty acid pathway. Capsaicin is an exogenous agonist of TRPV1 receptor (transient receptor potential vanilloid type-1). The TRPV1 contains a subunit sensitive to heat, responsible for the burning sensation caused by capsaicin. When applied to the skin it promotes an analgesic response due to desensitization of sensory neurons caused by the depletion of substance P. The half-life of capsaicin is twenty-four hours when used orally. Its maximum concentration reaches the liver, kidney and intestine one hour after oral administration. Capsaicin is eliminated primarily by kidneys, with a small proportion of untransformed excreted in faeces and urine. After topical application, the biotransformation of capsaicin was considered slow, and it was mostly unchanged. Capsaicin and its analogues have been used in creams and patches to treat chronic pain syndromes, such as postherpetic neuralgia, musculoskeletal pain, diabetic neuropathy, osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Capsaicin also has antihyperlipidemic, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities, being effective in the treatment of pain associated with arthritis and cystitis. The capsiate, present in non-pungent red peppers, also stimulates the TRPV1 receptor, being able to increase metabolism by stimulating the sympathetic nervous system, and showing, in addition, anti-inflammatory activity by a mechanism still unknown (AU)

Evaluation of effects of prenatal exposure to the cyanide and thiocyanate in wistar rats.

A study was performed at term and at weaning to verify the toxic effects of the prenatal exposure to potassium cyanide (KCN) and potassium thiocyanate (KSCN) in pregnant Wistar rats. Females received daily in drinking water the doses: 1, 3 and 30mg KCN/kg or 0.8, 2.4 and 24mg KSCN/kg from GD 6 to GD 20 and were euthanized on GD 20 (trial A) or one day after weaning (trial B). Skeletal and visceral analyses of the fetuses (trial A) were performed and samples of blood and different organs, from both dams (trials A and B) and weaned pups (trial B), were collected in order to perform the biochemical evaluation and histopathology. Results showed high thiocyanate levels in dams of the different experimental groups from both trials. The intensity of the histological lesions observed in dams of trial B was similar to that of trial A, except those lesions found in the pancreas. The histopathological study of this organ revealed loss of cells in the Islets of Langerhans from dams of trial A which received the highest dose of cyanide (CN). There was an increase in the number of biliary ducts in animals treated with the highest doses of both thiocyanate and cyanide. The histopathological study of the spleen and the lungs of experimental and control groups did not reveal any significant alteration. In relation to fetuses (trial A), the visceral and skeletal evaluations did not reveal any significant malformation; on the other hand, pups from trial B showed some histological alterations similar to those observed in their dams. It is concluded that the cyanide and/or thiocyanate promoted toxic effects in the fetuses some of which could also be observed at weaning.