Therapeutic potential of Smilax fluminensis ethanolic extract: antitumoral activity in murine melanoma cells.

The aim of the study was to investigate the in vitro and in vivo antitumor activity of leaves ethanol extract from Smilax fluminensis on murine melanoma. The extract was performed by ethylic alcohol and submitted to classical chemical analysis. Cytotoxicity test were performed on neoplastic cells, where antitumor activity was expressed in GI50 (concentration that inhibits 50% of cell growth) and the determination of selectivity index using a normal cell line. In addition, BALB/c mice models were used to evaluate the in vivo antitumor activity of extract in two different concentrations against B16-F10 melanoma cells. The tumor inhibition ratio was determined and the histopathological analyses of nodules and liver were compared. The chemical analysis indicated a major presence of phenolic compounds and flavonoids. Cytotoxicity test results that S. fluminensis extract was active in B16-F10 line (GI50: 4.37 µg/mL), being the extract considered a promising antineoplastic agent. In the experimental model, the inhibition percentage of tumoral growth was between 78.77 and 83.49%. Histopathology analysis of nodules showed necrotic cells reduction, adipocytes presence, melanin deposition, vascularization, and inflammatory process in a concentration-dependent manner. On the liver, the animals treated with the extract on both concentrations showed normal hepatic organization, normal hepatocytes, and absence of inflammatory focus. The results indicate that S. fluminensis extract demonstrated both in vitro and in vivo antitumor activity, reducing the tumoral growth in B16-F10 and could therefore be a promising antineoplastic agent.

Efeitos da Dieta Paleolítica nos Parâmetros Comportamentais, Bioquímicos e Teciduais em Camundongos Sadios / The Effects the Paleolithic Diet in Biochemical, Behavioral and Tissue Parameters in HealthyMice

A obesidade está associada aos riscos para a saúde, devido a sua relação com o aumento da pressão arterial, dos níveis de colesterol e triglicerídeos sanguíneos e também a resistência à insulina. A causa principal da obesidade está intrinsecamente relacionada aos hábitos alimentares e interações do material genético do indivíduo e, também, está ligada aos fatores sociais, ambientais e comportamentais. Atualmente, são utilizadas muitas dietas com diferentes parâmetros, dentre estas a Dieta Paleolítica. A Dieta Paleolítica tem o propósito de usar como classes principais de alimentos: proteínas, vegetais, frutas e gorduras não-industrializadas, excluindo não-inteiramente o consumo de hidratos de carbono, sendo este o grande diferencial da Dieta Paleolítica, quando comparada às dietas modernas para perda de peso. O objetivo do presente trabalho foi avaliar os efeitos da dieta paleolítica nos níveis comportamentais em camundongos C57BL/6 sadios. O estudo foi realizado na unidade Uniderp Agrárias, na cidade de Campo Grande ­ MS. Foram utilizados camundongos C57BL/6, organizados aleatoriamente em oito grupos e foi realizado o monitoramento dos parâmetros comportamentais, de peso e ingesta de ração, pelos períodos de 15 ou 30 dias de tratamento. Os resultados demonstraram que os grupos que receberam a Dieta Paleolítica por 15 ou 30 dias não apresentaram diferença significativa nos parâmetros comportamentais e ingesta de água e ração. Por tanto, é possível concluir que a Dieta Paleolítica não altera o comportamento, o consumo de ração e peso corporal. (AU).

The obesity is associated to health risks, due to its relation in increasing the blood pressure, cholesterol and triglycerides levels and also to its increase in insulin resistance. The main cause of obesity is intrinsically related to eating habits and interactions of genetics and, also, bounded to social, environmental e behavioral factors. Nowadays, many diets with different parameters have been used, among them is the Paleolithic Diet. The Paleolithic Diet has as purpose to use as main food groups: proteins, vegetables, fruits and non-industrialized fat, excluding not entirely the intake of carbohydrates, this being the great differential in comparison to modern weight loss diets. The objective of the present paper is to evaluate the effects of the Paleolithic Diet in behavioral levels in C57BL/6 healthy mice. The experiment was carried out in UNIDERP Agrárias, in Campo Grande ­ MS. C57BL/6 mice were divided randomly in 8 groups, and the monitoring of behavior, weight and food intake were done during 15 or 30 days of diet. The results demonstrated that the groups that took the Paleolithic Diet for 15 or 30 days did not present any important difference in behavioral, food and water intake parameters. Therefore, it is possible to conclude that the Paleolithic Diet does not alter the, behavioral, food intake and weight parameters. (AU)

Low-level laser therapy promotes vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-1 expression in endothelial and nonendothelial cells of mice gastrocnemius exposed to snake venom.

Crotalinae snake venoms cause severe local myonecrosis and microvasculature failure at the bite site. We evaluated whether low-level laser therapy (LLLT) could accelerate angiogenesis and myoregeneration in male Swiss mice injected with Bothrops moojeni venom through immunohistochemistry of the vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-1 (VEGFR-1). Envenomed gastrocnemius was either unirradiated (V) or irradiated with HeNe (VHN, 632.8 nm) or GaAs (VGA, 904 nm, 10000 Hz). Animals sacrificed at 3 and 12 h were irradiated once (4 J cm(-2)), at 24 h (twice) and at 3, 7, 21 days (4, 8, 22 times, respectively). At 3 days, LLLT increased angiogenesis (80%:HeNe vs 40%:GaAs), decreased neutrophils and increased proliferation of regenerating cells. However, after 21 days, myoregeneration observed in the VHN group appeared delayed compared with the V group. As LLLT improved revascularization, the suggestive delay in myoregeneration could be a dose-response inhibitory effect caused by multiple irradiations in myogenesis. The immunodetection of VEGFR-1 in neutrophils, macrophages, satellite cells, fibroblasts, Schwann cells and skeletal and smooth muscle fibers (not seen in saline-controls) at only the acute stages of envenoming suggests a mediator role for VEGFR-1 in local alterations. This is the first time that VEGFR-1 expression, and its modulation by photostimulation, has been demonstrated in endothelial and nonendothelial cells of snake envenomed skeletal muscle.

The effect of sub-lethal doses of Azadirachta indica (Meliaceae) oil on the midgut of Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae) / Efeito de doses subletais do óleo de Azadirachta indica (Meliaceae) no mesêntero de Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith) (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae)

The fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda, is one of the major field pests for maize production. It is mainly controlled by means of synthetic, and more recently by resistant cultivar of maize expressing Bt toxins. The neem tree, Azadirachta indica, is a plant that can potentially control insects with the advantage of being food and environmental safe. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of neem oil on the development and survival of S. frugiperda caterpillars by assessing histological alterations caused on their midgut. Newly hatched caterpillars were submitted to three neem oil concentrations: 0.006; 0.05; 0.4 percent, which were added to their artificial diet. Ten 3rd instar caterpillars, taken from each treatment, were submitted to histological analysis. The alimentary canals from the specimens were fixed in Baker for 12 hours, desiccated and diaphanized in alcohol/xylol (1:1) and xylol. After placing the samples in paraffin, they were sliced in 8 µm sections and stained with hematoxylin-eosin stain. The neem oil added to the diet of S. frugiperda caused total mortality at dose of 0.4 percent whilst still in the first instars, prolonged the larval and pupal stages, and reduced the pupal weight. Histo-physiological alterations such as degeneration of the epithelial lining of the midgut and in the peritrophic matrix were found at all concentrations of neem oil.

A lagarta-do-cartucho, Spodoptera frugiperda, é a mais importante praga da cultura do milho. Esta é usualmente, controlada por inseticidas sintéticos e mais atualmente por meio de variedades resistentes de milho com a toxina Bt. O nim Azadirachta indica é planta com potencial no controle de insetos, que possui as vantagens de segurança alimentar e ambiental. Objetivou-se com este estudo avaliar o efeito do óleo do nim no desenvolvimento e sobrevivência de lagartas de S. frugiperda em decorrência das alterações no mesêntero. As lagartas recém nascidas foram submetidas a três concentrações do óleo de nim: 0,006; 0,05; 0,4 por cento, adicionadas à dieta artificial. Dez lagartas do 3º instar, retiradas de cada tratamento, foram submetidas à análise histológica. O canal alimentar dos indivíduos foi fixado em Baker por 12 horas, desidratado, diafanizado em álcool/xilol (1:1) e xilol. Após a inclusão em parafina, as amostras foram seccionadas em 8 µm e coradas pela técnica de hematoxilina-eosina. Observou-se que o óleo de A. indica adicionado à dieta de S. frugiperda causa: mortalidade total na dosagem 0,4 por cento nos primeiros instares, aumento na duração do período larval e pupal, redução no peso de pupas. Alterações histofisiológicas, como degeneração do epitélio do revestimento do mesêntero, da matriz peritrófica foram registradas em todas as concentrações do óleo de neem.

Effects of the Ga-As laser irradiation on myonecrosis caused by Bothrops Moojeni snake venom.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Viper snake envenoming induces in the victims systemic coagulopathy, and severe local tissue damage such as edema, hemorrhage, intense pain, and myonecrosis. Serumtherapy and other first-aid managements are ineffective in neutralizing these local effects. The effects of the gallium-arsenide (Ga-As) laser irradiation on mice gastrocnemius injected intramuscularly (i.m.) with Bothrops moojeni snake venom were investigated. STUDY DESIGN/MATERIALS AND METHODS: Macroscopical, histopatological, and myonecrosis quantification through serum creatine kinase (CK) evaluation was done at 3, 12, and 24 hours (two, five, and eight irradiation sessions, 4 J/cm(2), 1 minute 32 seconds per period, respectively), were done after the venom or saline injection, and in venom-unirradiated mice. RESULTS: In unirradiated gastrocnemius, the venom induced massive hemorrhage, vascular congestion, time-progressing myonecrosis, edema, abundant inflammatory infiltrate, and high CK serum levels. Ga-As irradiation significantly decreased the amount of myonecrosis in all the periods tested (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The laser treatment significantly inhibited the ability of B. moojeni venom to rapidly disrupt the integrity of the plasma membrane.