Natural products: Perspectives in the pharmacological treatment of gastrointestinal anisakiasis.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the activity of different natural products against L3 larvae of Anisakis type I. METHODS: Information on investigations into the activity of natural products against the L3 larvae of Anisakis simplex was collected from scientific journals, books, theses and reports via a library and electronic search (using Pubmed, Scopus, Medline, Web of Science and ScienceDirect). The search terms included: natural products, medicinal plants, essential oils, terpenic derivatives, Anisakis, antinematodal activity. RESULTS: In the literature reviewed numerous papers were found concerning the in vitro and in vivo activity against Anisakis type I of various natural products (plant extracts, essential oils and their major components). Analysis of the results showed that in vitro tests the Melaleuca alternifolia essential oil and the ar-turmerone isolated from Curcuma longa displayed the greatest activity. In vivo, the most active compound was perillaldehyde, the main component of Perilla frutescens essential oil. CONCLUSIONS: This study shows that some natural products exhibited promising antianisakis properties.

Mantle cell lymphoma stage IV affecting lacrimal glands, retro-orbital tissue, optic nerve and ocular motor muscles

Mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) is an entity which exceptionally affects the ocular region and periorbital tissues, but which should be included in the differential diagnosis of lesions which affect the orbital region in a diffused manner. We report the case of a 60-year-old patient diagnosed with stage IV MCL, whose fi rst clinical manifestation was a result of the damage of lacrimal glands, retro-orbital tissue and ocular motor muscles. The patient was treated with rituximab and chemotherapy, achieving a complete response of those lesions (AU)

In vivo larvicidal activity of monoterpenic derivatives from aromatic plants against L3 larvae of Anisakis simplex s.l.

In view of the lack of an effective pharmacological treatment against human anisakiosis, a disease produced by L(3) larvae of the genus Anisakis present in raw fish, we studied the in vivo larvicidal effect of certain monoterpenic derivatives against L(3) of A. simplex s.l. The aldehydic monoterpene citral and the alcoholic citronellol, when they are administered together to the larvae of the nematode at the concentration of 46.90 mg/0.5 ml in olive oil, achieve 85.90% and 67.53% dead L(3), respectively, and also stop rats suffering gastrointestinal hemorrhages produced by the larvae.

Preparation of 2-mercaptobenzothiazole-derivatized mesoporous silica and removal of Hg(ii) from aqueous solution.

Mesoporous silicas (SBA-15 and MCM-41) have been functionalized by two different methods. Using the heterogeneous route the silylating agent, 3-chloropropyltriethoxysilane, was initially immobilized onto the mesoporous silica surface to give the chlorinated mesoporous silica Cl-SBA-15 or Cl-MCM-41. In a second reaction a multifunctionalized N,S donor compound (2-mercaptobenzothiazol) was incorporated to obtain the functionalized silicas denoted as MBT-SBA-15-Het and MBT-MCM-41-Het. Using the homogeneous route, the functionalization was achieved via the one step reaction of the mesoporous silica with an organic ligand containing the chelating functions, to give the modified mesoporous silicas denoted as MBT-SBA-15-Hom or MBT-MCM-41-Hom. The functionalized mesoporous silicas were employed as adsorbents for the regeneration of aqueous solutions at pH 6 contaminated with Hg(ii) at room temperature. Results obtained indicate that mercury adsorption was higher in the mesoporus silicas prepared by the homogeneous method, and the maximum adsorption value (0.24 +/- 0.02 mmol Hg(ii) g(-1)) was obtained for MBT-SBA-15-Hom. The chemically stability in acid medium of the functionalized silicas, possibility its regeneration washing with concentrate HCl, resulting in the reuse of the adsorbent material for several cycles.

Anisakid parasites of two forkbeards (Phycis blennoides and Phycis phycis) from the Mediterranean coasts of Andalucía (Southern Spain).

An epidemiological survey of anisakids was carried out on 209 specimens of greater forkbeard (Phycis blennoides) and 58 of forkbeard (Phycis phycis) captured off the Mediterranean coasts of Andalucía (southern Spain). Four species of nematodes were identified: Anisakis simplex s.l., Anisakis physeteris, Hysterothylacium aduncum and Hysterothylacium fabri. The total prevalence was 62.06% in the forkbeard and 58.85% in the greater forkbeard. The highest values of prevalence (56.90%), mean intensity (5.21) and mean abundance (2.96) were all obtained for H. fabri in the forkbeard. The most frequent parasite in the greater forkbeard was H. aduncum with 51.20% prevalence and values of 3.00 and 1.53 for mean intensity and mean abundance, respectively. The infestation parameters were also analyzed according to the host length, observing a maximum of parasitized fish (91.67%) in samples of P. blennoides longer than 40 cm, while in P. phycis, the highest prevalence (82.35%), conditioned by H. fabri parasitization, was found in fish with lengths between 30 and 35 cm.

Action of different monoterpenic compounds against Anisakis simplex s.l. L3 larvae.

Different natural monoterpenes (geraniol, citronellol, citral, carvacrol, cuminaldehyde and eugenol) are studied in vitro against Anisakis simplex s.l. L3 larvae, employing perillaldehyde as a reference substance. Final concentrations used were: 12.50, 6.25 and 3.12 microg/ml for each of the tested products. The parameters average survival, survival 50 and maximum survival were determined at 4, 8, 24 and 48 hours after the start of the experiment. All tested products, except eugenol, were active at the highest concentration (12.50 microg/ml). The damage caused to A. simplex s.l. L3 was by examining histological sections. The antioxidant activity of the tested products by DPPH free radical scavenging does not appear to be associated with their larvicide activity against A. simplex s.l. L3.

Merkel cell (neuroendocrine) carcinoma of the vulva. A case report with immunohistochemical and ultrastructural findings and review of the literature.

A new case of primary Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) of the vulva is reported and the literature reviewed for noting its clinical presentation, microscopic, immunohistochemical and ultrastructural features, as well as for establishing the role of immunohistochemistry in the ultimate diagnosis of this uncommon and aggressive tumor. The lesion occurred in a 79 year old patient. Histologically, the tumor was composed of intradermal small cells with high mitotic index and frequent apoptosis. The immunohistochemical study showed positivity for wide spectrum and low molecular weight cytokeratins, epithelial membrane antigen, neurofilaments, neuron specific enolase and chromogranin A. Electron microscopy revealed intermediate filaments in a typical globular paranuclear arrangement. The coexpression of cytokeratins (including cytokeratin 20) and neurofilaments, both in typical globular paranuclear arrangement, made possible the diagnosis of MCC, differentiating it from other malignant small cell tumors such as neuroendocrine metastatic carcinoma.

Pérdida de inmunorreactividad de p53 en cortes de parafina almacenados sin teñir de carcinoma urotelial de vejiga urinaria / Loss of immunoreactivity of p53 in paraffin cross sections of urothelial carcinoma of the urinary bladder stored without staining

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[Usefulness of nuclear morphometry as predictive factor of progression in bladder papillary carcinoma]. / Utilidad de la morfometría nuclear como factor predictivo de progresión en los carcinomas papilares de vejiga.

Lately, nuclear morphometry methods are being used to analyze the malignant potential of tumoral cells. This paper presents a retrospective study of a series of 163 patients with the three histological grades (WHO), of superficial papillary transitional cell carcinoma (pTa-pT1) of the bladder with a mean follow-up of 60 months. A morphometric analysis of the initial tumour biopsies was made. Mean nuclear area (NA) and its standard deviation (NASD) were measured in a semi-automatic image analyzer (MOP-videoplan, Kontron). NA and NASD show increasingly higher values with increased grade (p < or = 0.0001). NA and NASD values raise in those progressing to muscle-infiltrant stage; tumours were, then, divided into two morphometric groups: small NA (< 50 microns 2) and large NA (> 50 microns 2); the difference between them being statistically significant. The likelihood of no tumoral progression at 30, 60 and 90 months was, respectively, 96, 94 and 92 percent, form small NAs, and 76, 65 and 64 percent for large NA (p < or = 0.0001).