Effects of ozone therapy on hematological, biochemical, and oxidative stress parameters of vaquejada athlete horses / Efeitos da ozonioterapia sobre os parâmetros hematológicos, bioquímicos e estresse oxidativo de cavalos atletas de vaquejada

Ozone therapy is a technique used in several specialties of equine medicine; however, there are few studies on its use in vaquejada (cowboy competition) athlete horses. This study aims to evaluate the potential effect of ozone gas administered by two different routes on hematological and biochemical values and the oxidative stress marker in vaquejada athlete horses. For this, nine healthy equines that followed a training protocol and underwent two treatments were used with an 8-day wash-out between them. The major ozonated autohemotherapy (MOA) treatment group received a volume of 600ml of the 02-03 mixture at a concentration of 60 µg/mL, and the rectal insufflation (RI) treatment group received 5mL of gas per kg of body weight at a concentration of 15µg/kg performed every 24h on three consecutive days. Results were significant for RBC, hematocrit, and hemoglobin in the hematological variables, and AST and lactate for biochemical and malondialdehyde variables. No statistically significant differences were found in comparisons between treatment groups. Thus, we can conclude that there is no difference between the two therapies, indicating that the two techniques are effective for the application of ozone therapy in horses competing for vaquejada.

A ozonioterapia é uma técnica utilizada em diversas especialidades da medicina equina, contudo, são escassos os estudos de sua utilização em cavalos atletas de vaquejada. O presente estudo tem por objetivo avaliar o potencial efeito do gás ozônio administrado por duas diferentes vias sobre os valores hematológicos, bioquímicos e no marcador de estresse oxidativo em cavalos atletas de vaquejada. Para isso, foram utilizados 9 equinos hígidos que seguiram um protocolo de treinamento e foram submetidos a dois tratamentos, com um wash-out de 8 dias entre eles. O grupo de tratamento auto-hemoterapia maior ozonizada (AHTMO) recebeu um volume de 600ml da mistura 02-03 na concentração de 60 µg/mL e o grupo de tratamento insuflação retal (IR) recebeu 5mL de gás por kg de peso vivo, na concentração de 15µg/kg, realizado a cada 24h em três dias consecutivos. Os resultados demonstraram-se significativos para hemácias, hematocrito e hemoglobina nas variáveis hematológicas, AST e lactato para as variáveis bioquímicas e para o malondialdeido. Não foram encontradas diferenças estatísticas significativas nas comparações entre grupos de tratamento. Assim, pode-se concluir que não há diferença entre as duas terapias, indicando que as duas técnicas são eficazes para a aplicação da ozonioterapia em cavalos competidores de vaquejada.

Oral antioxidant therapy for prevention and treatment of preeclampsia: Meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

AIMS: To determine whether oral antioxidant therapies, of various types and doses, are able to prevent or treat women with preeclampsia. DATA SYNTHESIS: The following databases were searched: MEDLINE, CENTRAL, LILACS, and Web of Science. Inclusion criteria were: a) randomized clinical trials; b) oral antioxidant supplementation; c) study in pregnant women; d) control group, treated or not with placebo. Papers were excluded if they evaluated antioxidant nutrient supplementation associated with other non-antioxidant therapies. Data were extracted and the risk of bias of each study was assessed. Heterogeneity was analyzed using the Cochran Q test, and I2 statistics and pre-specified sensitivity analyses were performed. Meta-analyses were conducted on prevention and treatment studies, separately. The primary outcome was the incidence of preeclampsia in prevention trials, and of perinatal death in treatment trials. Twenty-nine studies were included in the analysis, 19 for prevention and 10 for treatment. The antioxidants used in these studies were vitamins C and E, selenium, l-arginine, allicin, lycopene and coenzyme Q10, none of which showed beneficial effects on the prevention of preeclampsia (RR: 0.89, CI 95%: [0.79-1.02], P = 0.09; I2 = 39%, P = 0.04) and other outcomes. The antioxidants used in the treatment studies were vitamins C and E, N-acetylcysteine, l-arginine, and resveratrol. A beneficial effect was found in intrauterine growth restriction. CONCLUSIONS: Antioxidant therapy had no effects in the prevention of preeclampsia but did show beneficial effects in intrauterine growth restriction, when used in the treatment of this condition.

A thiophene-modified screen printed electrode for detection of dengue virus NS1 protein.

A thiophene-modified screen printed electrode (SPE) for detection of the Dengue virus non-structural protein 1 (NS1), an important marker for acute phase diagnosis, is described. A sulfur-containing heterocyclic compound, the thiophene was incorporated to a carbon ink to prepare reproducible screen printed electrodes. After cured, the thiophene SPE was coated by gold nanoparticles conjugated to Protein A to form a nanostrutured surface. The Anti-NS1 antibodies immobilized via their Fc portions via Protein A, leaving their antigen specific sites free circumventing the problem of a random antibodies immobilization. Amperometric responses to the NS1 protein of dengue virus were obtained by cyclic voltammetries performed in presence of ferrocyanide/ferricyanide as redox probe. The calibration curve of immunosensor showed a linear response from 0.04 µg mL(-1) to 0.6 µg mL(-1) of NS1 with a good linear correlation (r=0.991, p<0.05). The detection limit (0.015 µg mL(-1) NS1) was lower than conventional analytical methods. In this work, thiophene monomers incorporated in the carbon ink enhanced the electroanalytical properties of the SPEs, increasing their reproducibility and sensitivity. This point-of-care testing represents a great potential for use in epidemic situations, facilitating the early diagnosis in acute phase of dengue virus.

Growth inhibitory effects of 3'-nitro-3-phenylamino nor-beta-lapachone against HL-60: a redox-dependent mechanism.

In this study, the cytotoxicity, genotoxicity and early ROS generation of 2,2-dimethyl-(3H)-3-(N-3'-nitrophenylamino)naphtho[1,2-b]furan-4,5-dione (QPhNO(2)) were investigated and compared with those of its precursor, nor-beta-lapachone (nor-beta), with the main goal of proposing a mechanism of antitumor action. The results were correlated with those obtained from electrochemical experiments held in protic (acetate buffer pH 4.5) and aprotic (DMF/TBABF(4)) media in the presence and absence of oxygen and with those from dsDNA biosensors and ssDNA in solution, which provided evidence of a positive interaction with DNA in the case of QPhNO(2). QPhNO(2) caused DNA fragmentation and mitochondrial depolarization and induced apoptosis/necrosis in HL-60 cells. Pre-treatment with N-acetyl-l-cysteine partially abolished the observed effects related to the QPhNO(2) treatment, including those involving apoptosis induction, indicating a partially redox-dependent mechanism. These findings point to the potential use of the combination of pharmacology and electrochemistry in medicinal chemistry.

Effect of the leaving group on the electrodic reduction mechanism of anti-Helicobacter pylori metronidazole derivatives, in aprotic and protic media.

Because redox properties are central to bioreductive drug activity and selectivity, six 2-methyl-5-nitroimidazole, substituted at the N1-ethyl side chain with I, Br, Cl, OAc, OMs and NH(3)(+) were synthesized and submitted to cyclic voltammetry and electrolyses, in order to define their electrodic reduction mechanism, in aprotic [dimethylsulphoxide (DMSO)+0.1 mol l(-1) tetrabuthylammonium perchlorate (TBAP)] and phosphate-buffered media, on glassy carbon electrode, in comparison with metronidazole. Three of these compounds, namely, the iodo, bromo and ammonium salt derivatives showed significant anti-Helicobacter pylori (strain resistant to metronidazole) activity. All the cyclic voltammograms (CV), in aprotic medium, are similar to the one for metronidazole, except for -I, -Br and -NH(3)(+) derivatives. The CV of the N1-ethylhalide (-I, -Br) 5-nitroimidazole showed more intense and irreversible first waves, even at faster sweep rates (nu<2 V s(-1)). The absence of the first wave anodic counterpart, along with analysis of the dependence of E(p), I(p) and other parameters with nu, and results from electrolysis (consumption of two electrons) showed the process to be an ECE system, with halide release, after uptake of two electrons. This behaviour represents a case of dissociative electron transfer (ET). For the ammonium salt, self-protonation mechanism was evident. The facility of reduction represented by the first wave potential and concerning the substituents is NH(3)(+)>Br>I>Cl>OMs>OH>OAc. In aqueous phosphate-buffered medium, the electrochemical behaviour of all the compounds is similar to the one of metronidazole, represented by a unique and irreversible 4e(-)/4H(+) wave. The order of reduction ease is NH(3)(+)>Br approximately OMs>I>OH>OAc. Aprotic medium allows a better discrimination between the substituents. Concerning biological activity, despite the impossibility of establishing a correlation, it has been observed that the more electrophilic compounds showed better anti-H. pylori activity.