Efficacy of ethyl-4-bromophenyl carbamate on different Rhipicephalus microplus stages implanted in cattle.

The effect of ethyl-4-bromophenyl carbamate on different Rhipicephalus microplus stages implanted in cattle was evaluated using the pen test with infestation chambers. Twelve steers were distributed into four groups (n = 3), each with four chambers (12 chambers per group), where approximately 1,000 R. microplus larvae were placed in each chamber. The chambers of the first group were sprayed with a solution of ethyl-4-bromophenyl carbamate (0.668 mg/mL) on day 2 post-infestation (PI) (exposed larvae). The chambers of the second group were sprayed with the same solution on day 8 PI (exposed nymphs), and the chambers of the third group were sprayed on day 16 PI (exposed adults) with the same solution. The chambers of the fourth group were used as controls. The percentages of engorged females, egg laying, egg production and egg hatching were evaluated in all groups. The percentage of cumulative reduction of hatched larvae was 98.3, 96.1 and 94.4% when larvae, nymph and adult stages were treated, respectively. The average cumulative reduction of hatched larvae, considering the three treated stages, was 96.3%, whereby the reproductive potential of this tick was drastically reduced. In conclusion, ethyl-4-bromophenyl carbamate acted as an ixodicide (lethal effect) when larval stages were sprayed and as a growth regulator when nymphal and adult stages were sprayed. The sum of these effects had a direct impact on the efficacy of the product in the pen test, and future studies will indicate the potential use of this product for tick control.

In Vivo and In Silico Studies of the Hepatoprotective Activity of Tert-Butylhydroquinone.

Tert-butylhydroquinone (TBHQ) is a synthetic food antioxidant with biological activities, but little is known about its pharmacological benefits in liver disease. Therefore, this work aimed to evaluate TBHQ during acute liver damage induced by CCl4 (24 h) or BDL (48 h) in Wistar rats. It was found that pretreatment with TBHQ prevents 50% of mortality induced by a lethal dose of CCl4 (4 g/kg, i.p.), and 80% of BDL+TBHQ rats survived, while only 50% of the BDL group survived. Serum markers of liver damage and macroscopic and microscopic (H&E staining) observations suggest that TBHQ protects from both hepatocellular necrosis caused by the sublethal dose of CCl4 (1.6 g/kg, i.p.), as well as necrosis/ductal proliferation caused by BDL. Additionally, online databases identified 49 potential protein targets for TBHQ. Finally, a biological target candidate (Keap1) was evaluated in a proof-of-concept in silico molecular docking assay, resulting in an interaction energy of -5.5491 kcal/mol, which was higher than RA839 and lower than monoethyl fumarate (compounds known to bind to Keap1). These findings suggest that TBHQ increases the survival of animals subjected to CCl4 intoxication or BDL, presumably by reducing hepatocellular damage, probably due to the interaction of TBHQ with Keap1.

Genotoxicity and cytotoxicity assessment of new ethyl-carbamates with ixodicidal activity.

The mammalian erythrocyte micronucleus test was used on the peripheral blood of Wistar rats exposed to two new ethyl-carbamates: ethyl-4-bromophenyl-carbamate (LQM 919) and ethyl-4-chlorophenyl-carbamate (LQM 996) to analyze their genotoxic potential. The mitotic index and cell proliferation kinetics in human lymphocyte cultures in the presence of these ethyl-carbamates were used to evaluate cytotoxicity and cytostaticity respectively. Exposure to greater acute doses (300mg/kg) and to all of the subchronic doses (12.5, 25 and 50mg/kg daily for 90 days) of these ethyl-carbamates induced an increased frequency (p<0.05) of micro-nucleated polychromatic erythrocytes (MN-PCE) compared with rats not exposed to the ethyl-carbamates. Increases in MN-PCE was higher in males than in females exposed to LQM 996 50mg/Kg (p<0.05). All observed changes in rats return 21days after suspending ethyl-carbamate exposure. The highest concentration (0.3mM) of both ethyl-carbamates in lymphocyte cultures increased the percentage of cells in first division metaphase and decreased the percentage of cells in third division metaphase, indicating an increase in cell cycle length or a possible cell cycle arrest in metaphase (cytostatic effect). The results of this study show that the evaluated ethyl-carbamates may induce genotoxic damage in rats and alterations in the human lymphocyte cell cycle.