Antimutagenic Effect of Hibiscus sabdariffa L. Aqueous Extract on Rats Treated with Monosodium Glutamate.

Hibiscus sabdariffa L. is a plant of the Malvaceae family, commonly known as roselle. H. sabdariffa is known to contain antioxidant, cholesterol-lowering, antiobesity, insulin resistance reduction, antihypertensive, and skin cancer chemopreventive properties. This study evaluated the effects of H. sabdariffa aqueous extract against cyclophosphamide (CPA, 25 mg/Kg) induced damage to DNA in male Wistar rats by micronucleus test. Samples of H. sabdariffa calyx were obtained in the municipality of Barra do Garças, Mato Grosso, Brazil. The aqueous extract was prepared by infusion and each animal received a daily dose of 400 mg/Kg by gavage for 15 consecutive days of treatment. The presence of anthocyanins was confirmed by ferric chloride test and phenolic compounds using high-performance liquid chromatography, with emphasis on the identification of rutin. The animals were sacrificed by deepening of anaesthesia to obtain bone marrow and determination of the frequency of micronucleated polychromatic erythrocytes. The group treated with the aqueous extract of H. sabdariffa revealed a 91% reduction in micronucleus frequency when compared with the positive control group. Under the conditions tested, H. sabdariffa L. presented a protective effect to CPA-induced damage to DNA of the treated animals, and it is a potential candidate as a chemopreventive agent against carcinogenesis.

Ultrassonografia pulmonar na insuficiência cardíaca agudamente descompensada / Pulmonary ultrasonography in acute decompensated heart failure

Objetivos: revisar dados da literatura relacionados ao uso da ultrassonografia pulmonar como método diagnóstico na insuficiência cardíaca agudamente descompensada. Fonte de Dados: artigos pesquisados na base de dados PubMed e edições recentes de livros. Síntese dos Dados: a insuficiência cardíaca descompensada consiste em uma síndrome altamente prevalente nos serviços de emergência. Frequentemente, o diagnóstico diferencial com outras síndromes associadas à insuficiência respiratória aguda representa uma tarefa complexa para o médico da sala de emergência, visto que a análise clínica e a radiografia de tórax não apresentam suficiente especificidade. A ultrassonografia pulmonar vem sendo estudada como uma nova técnica para o diagnóstico de insuficiência cardíaca aguda. Conclusões: a ultrassonografia pulmonar possui boa sensibilidade e especificidade para edema pulmonar intersticial, além de ter baixo custo e ser de fácil aprendizado. Portanto, apresenta boa aplicabilidade para direcionamento diagnóstico, tanto para confirmação de edema intersticial, quanto para exclusão de outras morbidades.

Aims: To review literature data concerning the use of pulmonary ultrasonography as a diagnostic method in acute decompensated heart failure. Source of Data: Articles found in the PubMed database and recent editions of books. Summary of Findings: Acute decompensated heart failure is a highly prevalent condition in the emergency room. The differential diagnosis from other syndromes associated with acute respiratory failure often represents a complex task for the emergency room physician, since clinical examination and chest radiography do not have sufficient specificity. Pulmonary ultrasonography has been studied as a new technique for the diagnosis of acute heart failure. Conclusions: Pulmonary ultrasonography has good sensitivity and specificity for pulmonary interstitial edema, in addition to low cost and ease of learning. Hence it has a good applicability for targeting diagnosis, both for confirmation of interstitial edema and for excluding other illnesses.