Effect of an extract of cauliflower (leaf) on the labeling of blood elements with technetium-99m and on the survival of Escherichia coli AB1157 submitted to the treatment with stannous chloride.

The labeling of red blood cells (RBC) with technetium-99m (99mTc) depends on a reducing agent and stannous chloride (SnCl(2)) and is widely utilized. This labeling may also be altered by drugs, and SnCl(2) reduces the survival of Escherichia coli cultures. Cauliflower (Brassica oleracea L. var. botrytis) is used in folk medicine and we evaluated its influence on (i) the labeling of blood elements with 99mTc, and (ii) on the survival of an E. coli strain. Blood was withdrawn from rats that drank the extract of cauliflower (15 days). Blood was incubated with SnCl(2) and with 99mTc, as sodium pertechnetate, centrifuged and plasma (P) and RBC were isolated. Samples of P and RBC were also precipitated, centrifuged and soluble and insoluble fractions isolated. E. coli culture was treated with SnCl(2) in the presence of cauliflower. The extract of cauliflower did not alter the fixation of 99mTc on blood fractions; however, it abolished the lethal effect of SnCl(2) on the E. coli culture. We suggest that the substances present in the extract of cauliflower probably, would have redox property with different mechanisms of action. The oxidant action of the substances of the extract would not be strong enough to oxidise the stannous ions altering the 99mTc-labeling. However, the referred substances could oxidise these ions sufficiently to protect the E. coli culture against the lethal effect of the stannous ion.

Effect of eggplant (Solanum melongena) extract on the in vitro labeling of blood elements with technetium-99m and on the biodistribution of sodium pertechnetate in rats.

The use of eggplant has been suggested to treat different diseases. We studied the effect of eggplant extract on the labeling of red blood cells (RBC) and plasma proteins with technetium-99m (Tc-99m) and on biodistribution of sodium pertechnetate (Tc-99m) in rats. Blood was incubated with an eggplant extract (final concentrations 3.12 to 250.00 mg/ml) for 60 min. Then, stannous chloride (SnCl2) (0.06 or 1.2 microg/ml) and Tc-99m, as sodium pertechnetate, were added. Samples of RBC and plasma (P) were separated and also precipitated and soluble (SF) and insoluble (IF) fractions were isolated. The percent of radioactivity (%ATI) in the fractions was calculated. In the biodistribution study, Wistar rats were treated with eggplant extract (300 mg/ml) for 4 weeks, in drinking water. Tc-99m was administered in the rats, after 90 min they were sacrificed and organs and blood were isolated. When 0.06 microg/ml SnCl2 was used, eggplant extract: i/ inhibited the label of RBC (97.14 +/- 2.01 to 52.21 +/- 3.97%ATI), ii/ decreased the labeling in IF-P from 38.79 +/- 11.73 to 5.49 +/- 2.65%ATI, and iii/ diminished the labeling in IF-RBC from 90.04 +/- 2.65 to 46.17 +/- 9.49%ATI. This inhibitory effect was not observed with SnCl2 1.2 microg/ml. In the biodistribution study, the %ATI: i/ increased in the liver from 2.15 +/- 0.54 to 3.11 +/- 1.29 and ii/ in the other organs the Tc-99m uptake was not modified. The uptake of Tc-99m in red blood cells protein (IF-RBC) decreased from 66.62 +/- 19.67 to 31.66 +/- 8.84%. It is possible to suggest that some components of the eggplant extract present an oxidation power able to alter the fixation of the Tc-99m on the blood elements. Moreover, as eggplant is metabolized in the liver, this fact could justify the alteration of the uptake in this organ.