First report of Pectobacterium brasiliense causing soft rot on leaf mustard in China.

Leaf mustard (Brassica juncea [L.] Czern. et Coss.) belongs to Brassicaceae and is an important leaf vegetable widely cultivated in the Yangtze River basin and various southern provinces in China. In August 2023, the rhizome decay symptoms were observed at the stem base of leaf mustard plants (cv. Huarong) in the field of Changde City (29.05 °N; 111.59 °E), Hunan Province, China. The incidence of symptomatic leaf mustard was approximately 30% in several fields (2 ha in total). Brown and water-soaked symptoms appeared at the base of the outer leaves, and hollow rot at the base of the stem, accompanied by a fishy odor. To identify the causal agent, six infected stem samples were collected and surface sterilized by soaking in 75% ethanol for 60 seconds, rinsed three times with sterile distilled water, and finally cut into pieces (5 × 5 mm) in the sterile water. The extract was streaked on nutrient agar medium. After incubation at 28°C for 24 h, 17 strains were obtained and the colonies of all strains were creamy white, roughly circular, and convex elevation. Six single bacterial strains JC23121001-JC23121006, individually isolated from six different diseased stem samples, were selected as representative strains for further study. For preliminary identification, DNA from the six strains was extracted and identified by 16S rDNA sequencing using the universal primer pair 27F/1492R (Weisburg et al. 1991), and the sequences (accession nos. PP784484 to PP784489) showed 99% query coverage and 99.65% identity to Pectobacterium brasiliense type strain IBSBF1692T (Nabhan et al. 2012). In addition, five housekeeping genes acnA, mdh, mltD, pgi, and proA of the six strains were amplified with specially designed primers (Ma et al. 2007), and the resulting sequences from all six strains were 100% identical. The sequences of the representative strain JC23121001 were deposited into GenBank with accession numbers PP108247, PP066857, PP108248, PP066858, and PP066860, respectively. The maximum-likelihood phylogenetic tree clustered JC23121001 with P. brasiliense type strain IBSBF1692T (Nabhan et al. 2012). The pathogenicity test of six strains was carried out on the six-week-old leaf mustard (cv. Huarong) plants grown in the greenhouse by inoculating 10 µl of each bacterial suspension (108 CFU/ml) on needle-like wounds on the stem base of three healthy leaf mustard plants (Singh et al. 2013). Control plants were treated with sterile distilled water. After inoculation, the plants were incubated at 28°C and 90% relative humidity in a growth chamber. This trial was repeated three times. All inoculated mustard stems were slightly water-soaked after 24 hours and eventually developed into soft rot symptoms, consistent with the original symptoms observed. The control plants remained symptom-free. The strains were re-isolated from inoculated plants and re-identified as P. brasiliense by sequencing five housekeeping genes, thus fulfilling Koch's postulates. P. brasiliense has a broad host range and has been reported on other Brassica species, such as Bok choy (Brassica rapa var. chinensis) in China (Li et al. 2023). Soft rot of leaf mustard caused by Pectobacterium aroidearum has also been reported previously (Chu et al. 2023). To our knowledge, this is the first report of P. brasiliense causing soft rot on leaf mustard in China. The soft rot poses a significant threat to the local leaf mustard industry and requires further research into epidemiology and disease management options.

Assessment of agronomic crops-based residues for growth and nutritional profile of Pleurotus eryngii / Avaliação de resíduos de cultivos agronômicos para crescimento e perfil nutricional de Pleurotus eryngii

Among edible mushrooms, Pleurotus eryngii is unique due to its flavor, admirable medicinal and nutritional profiling. Pakistan is an agricultural country diverse in various crops. However, the residues of the horticultural and agronomic crops are wasted without utilization in the food chain. Hence, a study was performed to assess the performance of relatively low-cost, easily available crops residues i.e. cotton, rice, wheat, mustard and water chestnut for yield and nutrition enhancement of Pleurotus eryngii strains P9 (China) and P10 (PSU-USA). The results revealed that morphological attributes i.e. mycelium run, fruit development, yield and biological efficiency were significantly higher by using cotton waste as compared to other substrates. Regarding biochemical attributes i.e. total soluble solids (12.67 °Brix), phenolics (259.6 mg/100g), moisture (92.3%) and ascorbic acid contents (2.9 mg/100ml) were also significantly higher by using cotton waste. Whereas, acidity (0.30%), reducing sugar (7.67%), non-reducing (4.33%) and total sugars contents (12%) were found highest by using mustard straw. Nutrient analysis of substrates showed that nutrient levels were increased after harvesting of crop as compared to before harvesting levels. Overall results revealed that cotton waste and mustard straw are promising substrates for Pleurotus eryngii better growth and have potential in yield and nutrition enhancement. Moreover, P10 strain performed better as compared to P9.

Entre os cogumelos comestíveis, Pleurotus eryngii é único por causa de seu sabor e seu admirável perfil medicinal e nutricional. O Paquistão é um país agrícola com diversas culturas. No entanto, os resíduos das culturas hortícolas e agronômicas são desperdiçados sem aproveitamento na cadeia alimentar. Assim, um estudo foi realizado para avaliar o desempenho de resíduos de culturas com custos relativamente baixos e facilmente disponíveis, ou seja, algodão, arroz, trigo, mostarda e castanha-de-água, para o aumento da produtividade e nutrição de cepas de P. eryngii P9 (China) e P10 (PSU-EUA). Os resultados revelaram que os atributos morfológicos, ou seja, função do micélio, desenvolvimento de frutos, rendimento e eficiência biológica, foram significativamente maiores usando resíduos de algodão em comparação com outros substratos. Em relação aos atributos bioquímicos, ou seja, sólidos solúveis totais (12,67 °Brix), fenólicos (259,6 mg / 100 g), umidade (92,3%) e teores de ácido ascórbico (2,9 mg / 100 ml), também foram significativamente maiores usando resíduos de algodão. Já os teores de acidez (0,30%), açúcares redutores (7,67%), não redutores (4,33%) e açúcares totais (12%) foram os mais elevados na palha de mostarda. A análise de nutrientes dos substratos mostrou que os níveis de nutrientes aumentaram após a colheita da cultura em comparação com os níveis antes da colheita. Os resultados gerais revelaram que os resíduos de algodão e a palha de mostarda são substratos promissores para o melhor crescimento de P. eryngii e têm potencial na melhoria da produtividade e nutrição. Além disso, a cepa P10 apresentou melhor desempenho em comparação com a P9.

Antimicrobial Activity of Essential Oils in Vapor Phase In Vitro and Its Application in Combination with Lactic Acid to Improve Chicken Breast Shelf Life.

The effect of essential oils (EOs) incorporated in their vapor phase combined with lactic acid immersion pretreatment was studied on fresh refrigerated chicken breast shelf life. Among the several EOs assayed, the in vitro results obtained from the vapor diffusion test allowed mustard, oregano, and garlic EOs to be selected due to their higher antimicrobial activity. In addition, it was possible to determine the EO minimum inhibitory concentrations against Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli and to identify EO binary mixtures showing synergistic or additive effects. Based on the obtained results, a ternary mixture constituted by 0.073, 0.292, and 0.146 µL/mL of headspace of mustard, oregano, and garlic, respectively, was proposed for its application to chicken breasts. The ternary mixture inhibitory action was confirmed in vitro against P. aeruginosa and E. coli. Furthermore, the presence of numerous compounds with recognized antimicrobial and antioxidant activity was found in its volatile phase through gas chromatography. When applying an EO mixture in its vapor phase in combination with 1.0% v/v of lactic acid immersion pretreatment on refrigerated chicken breast, a decrease in mesophilic microorganisms' growth rate as well as in lipid oxidation was observed. Moreover, in a preliminary sensory test, the treated chicken breast was found to be acceptable to consumers and showed no significant differences compared to untreated chicken. In conclusion, the combined use of lactic acid immersion and EOs in their vapor phase was an effective alternative to increase chicken breast shelf life.

Understanding the variations in dielectric properties of mustard (Brassica nigra L.) and argemone (Argemone mexicana) oil blends at different temperatures.

Mustard oil is the most commonly adulterated edible oil, invariably with argemone oil. This study was aimed to develop a parallel plate capacitive sensor for measurement of dielectric properties of pure mustard oil, pure argemone oil and their blends (25, 50 and 75%) at five levels of varying temperature (10 to 50 °C). The effect of blend ratio and temperature on the selected dielectric properties of oil-capacitance (C), dielectric loss tangent (tanδ), dielectric constant ( ε ' ), dielectric loss factor ( ε ″ ) and electrical conductivity (σ) were investigated. It was observed that composition of the individual oils in terms of moisture and fatty acids influenced the physical and dielectric properties. The sensor was used to relate the dielectric properties of oil samples with blend ratio and temperature by means of statistically significant (p < 0.05) and robust (R 2 > 0.8) multiple linear regression model. The effect of temperature on C and ε ' was negative, while it was otherwise for tanδ, ε ″ and σ. Increase in argemone oil content in the blends, increased the dielectric measures due to the associated changes in the physical and chemical properties. The capacitive sensor could distinctly identify mustard oil, argemone oil and its blends on the basis of dielectric properties.

Contribution of the carbonized rice husk added to the substrate in the production of vegetable seedlings

The carbonized rice husk (CRH) is an agro-industrial residue with great potential for use in mixtures with other substrates for the production of vegetable seedlings. Thus, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of the addition of CRH to the commercial substrate for the production of greenhouse seedlings. The evaluated vegetables were lettuce, broccoli and mustard, cultivated in polystyrene foam (Styrofoam®) trays. Five treatments were evaluated: 100% of the commercial substrate (CS); 25% of CRH + 75% of CS; 50% of CRH + 50% of CS; 75% CRH + 25% CS; and 100% CRH, in a completely randomized design with twelve replicates. The substrates were evaluated for their physical and chemical characteristics. The morphometric evaluations were: number of leaves per plant, plant height, shoot fresh matter yield, root length, and shoot and root dry matter yield. The data were submitted to regression analysis, and the homogeneity of the variance between the experiments was confirmed by the Cochran test. With the addition of CRH to the substrate, there was an increase in total porosity and P content and a reduction in density, water holding capacity, cation exchange capacity, electrical conductivity, and N, K, S, Ca and Mg contents. The carbonized rice husk added to the commercial substrate is a viable alternative for the production of lettuce, broccoli and mustard seedlings. The quality of the vegetable seedlings was higher when there was a 25% CRH + 75% CS mixture.

A Randomized Clinical Trial on Therapeutic Effects of Myrtus communis L. Cream on Chronic Skin Lesions and Quality of Life of Sulfur Mustard-exposed Veterans

Abstract: Sulfur mustard is one of the chemical warfare agent. It rapidly reacts with the cutaneous tissues and other tissues, leading to various devastating long-term effects on human health. Mustard-exposed veterans suffer from its chronic skin problems, including itching, burning sensation, and eczema. We aimed to evaluate the protective effects of Myrtus communis L. (myrtle) on chronic skin lesions and quality of life of sulfur mustard-exposed veterans. In this randomized, double-blind clinical trial, 60 sulfur mustard-exposed patients were evaluated. Thirty patients received myrtle essence 5% cream (case group) and 30 patients received Eucerin cream (placebo group) twice in a day for one month. Then, We assessed the chronic skin problems and itching-related parameters (such as the itching time, severity, distribution, frequency, and calculated itching score), duration of sleep, number of waking up at night, and quality of life in the both groups. Our analysis of data revealed that application of myrtle cream effectively decreased skin problems including; itching and burning sensation. Additionally, myrtle markedly decreased skin lesion symptoms such as excoriation in the case group as compared with before treatment. Noticeably, myrtle cream significantly improved quality of life of the patients in the case group. The present study provides more in-depth information regarding the protective role of myrtle on the sulfur mustard-induces skin complication. Also, myrtle effectively improved quality of life of the sulfur mustard-exposed veterans.

The protective effect of wild mustard (Sinapis arvensis L) pollen seeds against the toxicity of a solvent (EGME) in Wistar rats

Environmental pollution is the unfavorable alteration of our environment, wholly or mainly as a by-product of human actions, by the direct or indirect effects of changes in energy patterns, radiation levels, the chemical and physical constitution, and the abundance of the organisms. Thus, the environment's pollution is one of the most severe problems humanity and other forms of life face today on our planet, and this population makes severe disruption. The xenobiotic substances responsible for this pollution are numerous and diverse due to multiple human activities that can be the source. However, attention mainly focuses on fertilizers, pesticides, heavy metals, and certain petrochemicals of significant consumption, such as solvents. The purpose of this study is to highlight the reprotoxic and hepatotoxic effects of Ethylene Glycol Monoethyl Ether (EGME) on male Wistar rats. Male Wistar rats were exposed to Ethylene Glycol Monomethyl Etheralone (EGME) (500 mg/kg), combined with the aqueous extract of the pollen grains of Sinapis arvensis (P-EGME) (300mg/kg), in addition to the control (T) and positive control (P) groups for a period of 4 weeks by gavage, to estimate the protective role of this plant against the intoxication of EGME. The results show that EGME can induce reprotoxic effects revealed by a reduction in testes and epididymis mass accompanied by decreased male fertility indicators (sperm concentration). The results also show that treatment with EGME caused a reduction in the red blood cell number, hemoglobin and hematocrit rate, white blood cells in the treated groups compared to the control groups. The present study revealed that treatment with Ethylene Glycol Monoethyl Ether (EGME) under the same experimental conditions could affect several biological markers, especially male fertility. Besides, the protective activity of the wild mustard (Sinapis arvensis) pollen in the face of cellular [...] (AU)

The protective effect of wild mustard (Sinapis arvensis L) pollen seeds against the toxicity of a solvent (EGME) in Wistar rats

Environmental pollution is the unfavorable alteration of our environment, wholly or mainly as a by-product of human actions, by the direct or indirect effects of changes in energy patterns, radiation levels, the chemical and physical constitution, and the abundance of the organisms. Thus, the environment's pollution is one of the most severe problems humanity and other forms of life face today on our planet, and this population makes severe disruption. The xenobiotic substances responsible for this pollution are numerous and diverse due to multiple human activities that can be the source. However, attention mainly focuses on fertilizers, pesticides, heavy metals, and certain petrochemicals of significant consumption, such as solvents. The purpose of this study is to highlight the reprotoxic and hepatotoxic effects of Ethylene Glycol Monoethyl Ether (EGME) on male Wistar rats. Male Wistar rats were exposed to Ethylene Glycol Monomethyl Etheralone (EGME) (500 mg/kg), combined with the aqueous extract of the pollen grains of Sinapis arvensis (P-EGME) (300mg/kg), in addition to the control (T) and positive control (P) groups for a period of 4 weeks by gavage, to estimate the protective role of this plant against the intoxication of EGME. The results show that EGME can induce reprotoxic effects revealed by a reduction in testes and epididymis mass accompanied by decreased male fertility indicators (sperm concentration). The results also show that treatment with EGME caused a reduction in the red blood cell number, hemoglobin and hematocrit rate, white blood cells in the treated groups compared to the control groups. The present study revealed that treatment with Ethylene Glycol Monoethyl Ether (EGME) under the same experimental conditions could affect several biological markers, especially male fertility. Besides, the protective activity of the wild mustard (Sinapis arvensis) pollen in the face of cellular [...]

Evaluation of the QuEChERS method for the determination of phenolic compounds in yellow (Brassica alba), brown (Brassica juncea), and black (Brassica nigra) mustard seeds.

Studies about the phenolic composition of yellow (Brassica alba), brown (Brassica juncea), and black (Brassica nigra) mustard seeds are still scarce in the literature. Hence, this study describes, for the first time, the use of the QuEChERS extraction method followed by UHPLC-MS/MS analysis for phenolic compound determination in the seeds of these mustard species. Under the optimized extraction and analysis conditions, twenty-one phenolic compounds were evaluated. Six, eleven, and seven were found in B. alba, B. juncea, and B. nigra seeds, respectively. The most abundant phenolic compound was sinapic acid, which was found in amounts ranging from 44 to 82 times higher than the other major compounds found in the mustard seeds, ferulic, 4-hydroxybenzoic and protocatechuic acids. Overall, these results are an important contribution to the characterization of the phenolic composition of the three in natura mustard seeds species, and support future reliable phenolic compounds determination with the QuEChERS method.

Toll-Like Receptor 4 in the Rat Caudal Medulla Mediates Tooth Pulp Inflammatory Pain.

The aims of this study were to investigate if Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) is expressed in the medullary dorsal horn (MDH) and if medullary application of a TLR4 antagonist (lipopolysaccharides from Rhodobacter sphaeroides, LPS-RS) can attenuate changes in nociceptive sensorimotor responses or TLR4 expression that might be evoked by mustard oil (MO) application to the right maxillary first molar tooth pulp. Of 41 adult male Sprague-Dawley rats used in the study, 23 received intrathecal application of the TLR4 antagonist LPS-RS (25 µg/10 µl; LPS-RS group) or isotonic saline (10 µl; vehicle control group) 10 min before pulpal application of MO (95%; 0.2 µl). Bilateral electromyographic (EMG) activities of the anterior digastric and masseter muscles were recorded continuously before and until 15 min after the MO application to the pulp. In 6 of these 23 rats and an additional 18 rats, the caudal medulla containing the ipsilateral and contralateral MDH was removed after euthanasia for subsequent Western Blot analysis of TLR4 expression in LPS-RS (n = 8) and vehicle (n = 8) groups and a naïve group (n = 8). The % change from baseline in the MO-evoked EMG activities within the anterior digastric muscles were significantly smaller in the LPS-RS group than the control group (two-way ANOVA, post hoc Bonferroni, P < 0.0001). Western Blot analysis revealed similar levels of TLR4 expression in the caudal medulla of the naïve, vehicle and LPS-RS groups. These novel findings suggest that TLR4 signaling in the caudal medulla may mediate MO-induced acute dental inflammatory pain in rats.

Growth and accumulation of Pb by roots and shoots of Brassica juncea L.

In this study, different soil Pb concentrations [24 (control), 80, 136, 362, and 1150 mg kg-1] were used to analyze the tolerance threshold and accumulation potential of Brassica juncea L. in a pot experiment under greenhouse conditions. In addition to growth and Pb accumulation, the following contamination indices were calculated: transfer coefficient (TC), translocation factor (TF), and tolerance index (TI). Growth and Pb accumulation were determined at 60 days after emergence. The Pb concentrations were determined using the flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS). The plant height was affected by soil Pb contamination, and it decreased from 1.37 to 0.83 m when the soil Pb concentration increased from 24 (control) to 1150 mg kg-1, respectively. The Pb concentration in the shoots and roots increased as the Pb concentration in the soil increased, reaching 94 mg kg-1 in shoots and 783 mg kg-1 in roots when was grown under 1150 mg kg-1 of Pb. TF was <1 at all levels of contamination. The TI values suggested that B. juncea presented Pb tolerance in Pb contaminated soils. Our findings indicate that B. juncea has the potential to accumulate Pb in soil under tropical conditions.

Feeding Canola, Camelina, and Carinata Meals to Ruminants.

Soybean meal (SBM) is a byproduct from the oil-industry widely used as protein supplement to ruminants worldwide due to its nutritional composition, high protein concentration, and availability. However, the dependency on monocultures such as SBM is problematic due to price fluctuation, availability and, in some countries, import dependency. In this context, oilseeds from the mustard family such as rapeseed/canola (Brassica napus and Brassica campestris), camelina (Camelina sativa), and carinata (Brassica carinata) have arisen as possible alternative protein supplements for ruminants. Therefore, the objective of this comprehensive review was to summarize results from studies in which canola meal (CM), camelina meal (CMM), and carinata meal (CRM) were fed to ruminants. This review was based on published peer-reviewed articles that were obtained based on key words that included the oilseed plant in question and words such as "ruminal fermentation and metabolism, animal performance, growth, and digestion". Byproducts from oil and biofuel industries such as CM, CMM, and CRM have been evaluated as alternative protein supplements to ruminants in the past two decades. Among the three plants reviewed herein, CM has been the most studied and results have shown an overall improvement in nitrogen utilization when animals were fed CM. Camelina meal has a comparable amino acids (AA) profile and crude protein (CP) concentration to CM. It has been reported that by replacing other protein supplements with CMM in ruminant diets, similar milk and protein yields, and average daily gain have been observed. Carinata meal has protein digestibility similar to SBM and its CP is highly degraded in the rumen. Overall, we can conclude that CM is at least as good as SBM as a protein supplement; and although studies evaluating the use of CMN and CRM for ruminants are scarce, it has been demonstrated that both oilseeds may be valuable feedstuff for livestock animals. Despite the presence of erucic acid and glucosinolates in rapeseed, no negative effect on animal performance was observed when feeding CM up to 20% and feeding CMN and CRM up to 10% of the total diet.

Brassica nigra and Curcuma longa Compounds Affecting Interactions Between Spodoptera exigua and Its Natural Enemies Cotesia flavipes and Podisus maculiventris.

The interaction Spodoptera exigua Hübner (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) × its natural enemies Cotesia flavipes Cameron (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) and Podisus maculiventris Say (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae) × botanical compounds with and without synergist is unknown; therefore, it was studied under controlled conditions. The objective of this study was to evaluate the direct mortality of P. maculiventris nymphs and adults and indirect by this predator feeding on S. exigua larvae treated after being exposed to parasitism by C. flavipes. Brassica nigra L. (Brassicales: Brassicaceae) and Curcuma longa L. (Zingiberales: Zingiberaceae) compounds, with and without lead (II) oxide (PbO), were tested as insecticides. The mortality of first and second instars P. maculiventris was high with turmeric essential oil by topical application. The PbO increased the predator mortality in combination with turmeric powder, crude essential oil, and ar-turmerone. This last derivative caused also the highest mortality of P. maculiventris nymphs when ingested through treated S. exigua larvae that were previously subjected to parasitism. Turmeric powder and its derivatives, with and without PbO, should not be used in areas with P. maculiventris due to the high mortality caused to this predator.

Mineral content in mustard leaves according to the cooking method.

This work evaluated the influence of the cooking methods (cooked in a water bath, in a stove, and in a microwave oven) on the mineral composition of mustard leaves (Sinapis alba). So, raw and cooked samples were digested and afterward the elements calcium, magnesium, potassium, sodium, iron, zinc, phosphor, barium and sulfur were determined using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP OES). The experimental work involved a set of five samples from different locations, processed in triplicates. The results were evaluated employing Principal Component Analysis (PCA), Hierarchical Cluster Analysis (HCA) and Linear Discriminate Analysis (LDA). All techniques showed that the mineral content of the raw and cooked samples in a water bath is different from the samples cooked in stove and microwave oven. Especially for potassium, whose content is strictly controlled for chronic renal patients, this study showed that cooking using microwave oven has the greatest efficiency for reduction.

Therapeutic effects of proanthocyanidin and coenzyme Q10 on nitrogen mustard-induced ocular injury / Efeitos terapêuticos da proantocianidina e da coenzima q10 em lesão ocular induzida por mostarda de nitrogênio

ABSTRACT Purpose: Nitrogen mustard (NM) is a devastating casualty agent in chemical warfare. There is no effective antidote to treat NM-induced ocular injury. We aimed to assess the effects of proanthocyanidin (PAC) and coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) on NM-induced ocular injury. Methods: Eighteen male rats were divided into the following 4 groups: NM, NM + PAC, NM + CoQ10, and control. The 3 NM groups received a single dose of NM (0.02 mg/μL) on the right eye to induce ocular injury. The control group received saline only. Thirty minutes after the application of NM, the NM + PAC group received PAC (100 mg/kg) via gastric gavage, while the NM + CoQ10 group received CoQ10 (10 mg/kg) via intraperitoneal injection. PAC and CoQ10 were administered once a day for 5 consecutive days. The rats were then sacrificed. Macroscopic images of the eyes were examined and eye tissues were collected for histology. Results: The treatment groups were compared to the control group with regard to both corneal opacity and lid injury scores. The findings were not significantly different for both the NM + PAC and NM + CoQ10 groups. In both the NM + PAC and NM + CoQ10 groups, the histological changes seen in the NM group demonstrated improvement. Conclusions: Our results indicate that PAC and CoQ10 treatments have therapeutic effects on NM-induced ocular injury in a rat model. PAC and CoQ10 may be novel options in patients with NM-induced ocular injury.

RESUMO Objetivo: A mostarda de nitrogênio (MN) é um agente de guerra química devastador. Não existe um antídoto eficaz para tratar lesões oculares induzidas por MN. Nosso objetivo foi avaliar os efeitos da proantocianidina (PAC) e da coenzima Q10 (CoQ10) na lesão ocular induzida por MN. Métodos: Dezoito ratos machos foram divididos em 4 grupos: MN, MN + PAC, MN + CoQ10 e Controle. Três grupos receberam uma dose única de MN (0,02 mg/μL) destilada no olho direito para gerar lesão ocular. Os animais do grupo controle receberam apenas solução salina. Trinta minutos após a aplicação de MN nos animais, o grupo MN + PAC recebeu PAC (100 mg/kg) por gavagem gástrica, enquanto a CoQ10 (10 mg/kg) foi administrada ao grupo MN + CoQ10 por meio de injeção intraperitoneal. A administração de PAC e de CoQ10 foi realizada uma vez por dia, durante 5 dias consecutivos. Os ratos foram, então, sacrificados. Imagens macroscópicas dos olhos foram examinadas e tecidos oculares foram coletados para histologia. Resultados: Os grupos de tratamento foram comparados ao grupo de controle quanto à opacidade da córnea e quanto aos escores de lesão da cobertura da córnea. Os resultados foram insignificantes para ambos os grupos. Ambos, o grupo MN+PAC e o grupo MN+CoQ10, apresentaram melhoras das alterações histológicas observadas no grupo MN. Conclusões: Nossos resultados indicam que os tratamentos com PAC e com CoQ10 têm efeitos terapêuticos sobre lesões oculares induzidas por MN em um modelo em ratos. A proantocianidina e a CoQ10 podem ser uma nova opção nesses casos.

Evaluation of natural preservatives in combination with acid whey for use in fermented sausage

Natural antioxidant and antimicrobial systems are set to become an important component in food preservation methodology. The effect of alternative natural preservatives (Sinapis alba L.-M, Rosmarinus officinalis L.-R, Juniperus communis L.-J) in combination with acid whey (AW) was investigated after the ripening period (21d) and over a prolonged storage period of sausage. An antioxidant activity of extracts exercise was performed. The antimicrobial, oxidative stability and sensory properties of these natural preservatives were compared to curing-control (C). Significantly lower rancid odor and rancid flavor (1.48) were observed for R and M compared with the C sample. The low level of these attributes evidenced the antioxidant properties of the R sample, which confirmed the lower CD (~0.48-0.48 µmol mg1) and TBARS values (~0.41-1.02 mg MDA kg1) during sausage storing and the highest antioxidant activity against ABTS+ radicals (~85.45 %). Incorporation of acid whey with rosemary extract will give the product a threefold effect: high quality (sensory acceptance), healthy benefit (elimination of nitrite and nitrate from meat products) and safety (improved microbiological and oxidative stability).(AU)

Evaluation of natural preservatives in combination with acid whey for use in fermented sausage

Natural antioxidant and antimicrobial systems are set to become an important component in food preservation methodology. The effect of alternative natural preservatives (Sinapis alba L.-M, Rosmarinus officinalis L.-R, Juniperus communis L.-J) in combination with acid whey (AW) was investigated after the ripening period (21d) and over a prolonged storage period of sausage. An antioxidant activity of extracts exercise was performed. The antimicrobial, oxidative stability and sensory properties of these natural preservatives were compared to curing-control (C). Significantly lower rancid odor and rancid flavor (1.48) were observed for R and M compared with the C sample. The low level of these attributes evidenced the antioxidant properties of the R sample, which confirmed the lower CD (~0.48-0.48 µmol mg1) and TBARS values (~0.41-1.02 mg MDA kg1) during sausage storing and the highest antioxidant activity against ABTS+ radicals (~85.45 %). Incorporation of acid whey with rosemary extract will give the product a threefold effect: high quality (sensory acceptance), healthy benefit (elimination of nitrite and nitrate from meat products) and safety (improved microbiological and oxidative stability).

Características físicas y antioxidantes de semillas y productos de mostaza negra (Brassica nigra) y amarilla (Brassica alba) / Physical and antioxidant characteristics of black (Brassica nigra) and yellow mustard (Brassica alba) seeds and their products

En este trabajo se evaluaron la composición, algunas características físicas (densidad, índice de refracción y color), capacidad antioxidante (DPPH) y perfil de ácidos grasos de semillas de mostaza negra (Brassica nigra) y amarilla (Brassica alba), sus aceites y residuos de la extracción del aceite. La densidad de los aceites de mostaza negra y amarilla fue de 0,912 ± 0,01 y 0,916 ± 0,01 g/mL, respectivamente; y el índice de refracción fue de 1,4611 ± 0,01 y 1,4617 ± 0,01, respectivamente, no mostrando diferencias significativas (p>0,05) entre las dos mostazas. Los parámetros de color del aceite de semilla de mostaza negra y amarilla tienden hacia los tonos amarillos-verdosos y tonos amarillos-rojizos, respectivamente; respecto a la actividad antioxidante, se observó una variación desde 25 mg equivalentes de Trolox/100 g en el aceite de semilla de mostaza amarilla hasta 1,366 mg equivalentes de Trolox/100 g en la pasta residual de mostaza negra. El perfil de ácidos grasos de la semillas de mostaza negra muestran que el ácido graso predominante es el oleico (22,96%), seguido por linoleico (6,63%) y linolénico (3,22%), mientras que para la semilla de mostaza amarilla es el erúcico (6,87%), seguido por oleico (5,08%) y linoléico (1,87%).

The composition, some physical properties (density, refraction index, and color), antioxidant capacity (DPPH), and fatty acid profile of seeds of black (Brassica nigra) or yellow mustard (Brassica alba) were evaluated, as well as for their oils and residues from oil extraction. Density of the black and yellow mustard oils were 0.912 ± 0.01 and 0.916 ± 0.01 g/mL, respectively; their refraction indexes were 1.4611 ± 0.01 and 1.4617 ± 0.01, respectively; being not significantly different (p>0.05) between two mustards. Color parameters of the black and yellow mustard oils presented greenish-yellow tones and reddish-yellow tones, respectively; regarding antioxidant activities, these ranged from 25 mg equivalents of Trolox/100 g in the yellow mustard oil to 1,366 mg equivalents of Trolox/100 g in the residues from oil extraction of black seed mustard. The fatty acid profile of the black mustard seed revealed that its predominant fatty acid is oleic (22.96%), followed by linoleic (6.63%) and linolenic (3.22%), whereas for yellow mustard seed the major fatty acid is erucic (6.87%), followed by oleic (5.08%) and linoleic (1.87%) acids.

Sensory and inflammatory colonic changes induced by vincristine in distinct rat models of colitis.

Preclinical and clinical studies show that gastrointestinal (GI) inflammation can evoke sensory changes occasionally far from the original inflammatory site. Animal models of colitis with either trinitrobenzenesulphonic acid (TNBS) or mustard oil (MO) produce distinct patterns of somatic and visceral sensory changes. We evaluated the effects of four doses of i.v. vincristine 150 µg kg(-1) (total of 600 µg kg(-1) ) treatment on the somatic (thermal nociceptive threshold) and colonic (morphological) changes induced by TNBS or MO in rats. TNBS and MO groups were further submitted to vincristine or saline pretreatments. TNBS induced somatic hypersensitivity, while MO induced somatic hyposensitivity (P < 0.05) when compared to the saline and ethanol control groups. Vincristine per se induced somatic hypersensitivity (P < 0.05). This effect was enhanced by TNBS and reversed by MO treatments. Although vincristine increased the colitis area (colonic weight length(-1) ratio) and the Morris' score in TNBS-treated rats, it did not alter the colitis area and even lowered the Morris' score in MO-treated rats. Compared to the saline (control) group, vincristine did not alter the colonic microscopic pattern. However, such lesions scores are higher (P < 0.05) in colitis groups induced by TNBS and MO, pretreated or not with vincristine. In conclusion, the somatic changes induced by different models of experimental colitis are diverse and modulated differently by vincristine.

Analysis of cyclophosphamide and carboxyethylphosphoramide mustard enantiomers in human plasma and application to clinical pharmacokinetics.

This study describes for the first time a method for the sequential analysis of the enantiomers of cyclophosphamide (CY) and its metabolite carboxyethylphosphoramide mustard (CEPM) in human plasma. The CY and CEPM enantiomers were extracted from plasma using only ethyl acetate and separated on a Chiralpak(®) AD-RH column using a mixture of water:acetonitrile:ethanol (45:30:25, v/v/v) plus 0.1% trifluoroacetic acid as the mobile phase at a flow rate of 0.5mL/min. No matrix effect was observed in the analysis of the enantiomers of both analytes and the analytical method was linear in the range of 0.05-25.0µg and 250-1000ng of each enantiomer/mL plasma. The coefficients of variation and relative errors obtained for the assessment of intra- and interassay precision and accuracy were less than 15%. CY and CEPM were found to be stable in human plasma after three successive freeze/thaw cycles, during storage for 4h at room temperature, and after 24h inside the autosampler at 4°C, with deviations less than 15%. The method was applied to the study of the pharmacokinetics of CY and its metabolite CEPM in patients with multiple sclerosis (n=10) who received a CY pretransplant conditioning regimen for hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. The pharmacokinetic parameters showed plasma accumulation of the (S)-(-)-CY enantiomer (S/R ratio=1.3) and lack of enantioselective exposure to the CEPM metabolite (S/R ratio=1.0).