Alessandra Piras

Protective effects of the angiotensin II receptor blocker telmisartan on epirubicin-induced inflammation, oxidative stress, and early ventricular impairment

BACKGROUND Oxidative stress and RAAS play an important role in the occurrence of anthracyclines-induced cardiotoxicity. Telmisartan, an angiotensin II type 1 receptor blocker, inhibits activation of superoxide sources and induces anti-inflammatory effects. METHODS The possible role of telmisartan in preventing myocardial damage induced by epirubicin (EPI) was investigated. Forty-nine patients free from cardiovascular diseases affected by a variety of solid cancers were examined. Eligible patients were randomized to receive telmisartan (40 mg/d; TEL, n = 25) or placebo (PLA, n = 24) starting 1 week before chemotherapy. Patients were studied by means of echocardiography, tissue Doppler, and strain and strain rate (SR) imaging. We also measured plasma levels of inflammatory and oxidative stress markers. All parameters were assessed at baseline and 7 days after every new EPI dose of 100 mg/m(2). RESULTS An impairment of the SR peak was observed at the EPI dose of 200 mg/m(2), with no significant differences between TEL and PLA (1.41 +/- 0.31 vs 1.59 +/- 0.36/s). At growing cumulative doses of EPI, SR normalized only in TEL, showing a significant difference in comparison to PLA at EPI doses of 300 mg/m(2) (1.69 +/- 0.42 vs 1.34 +/- 0.18/s, P < .001) and 400 mg/m(2) (1.74 +/- 0.27 vs 1.38 +/- 0.24/s, P < .001). Moreover, a significant increase in reactive oxygen species and interleukin-6 was found in PLA; but these remained unchanged in TEL. CONCLUSIONS We confirmed that EPI-induced cardiotoxicity is primarily related to the inactivation of the cardiac antioxidant defenses. In addition, we showed that telmisartan can reduce EPI-induced radical species, antagonize the inflammation, and reverse the early myocardial impairment.

Dyeing polyester fibres with disperse dyes in supercritical CO2

Abstract The isothermal sorption of a series of thiadiazolyl azo dyes to be used as disperse dyes for polyester fibres has been carried out using supercritical CO2 as the dyeing medium. The experiments were recorded at temperatures from 80 to 120°C and pressures from 2500 to 4000 psi. The results obtained in supercritical CO2 were compared with those of traditional dyeing in water. The study showed that the disperse dyes used generally exhibited high substantivity towards PET fibres and excellent fastness and, that the extent of dye absorbed by the fibre in supercritical fluid, at 80°C and 3500 psi, was similar to that obtained in aqueous medium at 120°C in the presence of dispersing agents.

Gender determinants of cardiovascular risk factors and diseases.

This article addresses the various aspects concerning gender dissimilarities in the cardiovascular system. It examines sex differences in the genetic susceptibility to cardiovascular disease (CVD) development or outcome: with the presence of either XX or XY chromosomes, every cell is sexually differentiated and there exist postpuberal differences between male and female cardiovascular systems. The main action mechanisms of sex steroid hormones are discussed, mainly as to testosterone (Te) in men and 17beta-estradiol (E2) and progesterone (Pro) in women. In women, susceptibility to CVD is known to increase in the postmenopausal period, when the ovarian hormone function expires. Some concepts of the sex-based differences in anatomy and physiology are also explained. Although they have the same structural elements, women and men use them in a different way to guarantee cardiovascular system homeostasis. Some examples of differences between men and women in pathological cardiovascular function are given. A further important issue regards the prevalence and role of cardiovascular risk factors in the two genders. Compared to boys of the same age, adolescent girls and premenopausal women have a more favorable risk profile: lower blood pressure (BP), less atherogenic lipid profile, and lower prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors. Women develop CVD later than men and diabetic women have a considerably higher mortality rate compared to men of the same age. Finally, there exist several clinically significant differences between men and women as to prevalence, presentation, management and outcome of CVD. Clinical peculiarities related to gender in presentation of some CVDs, such as coronary heart disease (CHD), stroke and heart failure, are described. We are absolutely convinced that only an accurate knowledge of the sex-specific pathophysiology may allow determination of the appropriate diagnostic instruments and to implement tailored treatments of CVD in men and women.

Chemical characterization and biological activity of essential oils from Daucus carota L. subsp. carota growing wild on the Mediterranean coast and on the Atlantic coast

The essential oils and supercritical CO(2) extracts of wild Daucus carota L. subsp. carota growing spontaneously in Sardinia and in Portugal were investigated. The main components in the Sardinian essential oil of flowering and mature umbels with seeds are beta-bisabolene (17.6-51.0%) and 11-alpha-(H)-himachal-4-en-1-beta-ol (9.0-21.6%); instead, the oils from Portuguese samples are predominantly composed of geranyl acetate (5.2-65.0%) and alpha-pinene (3.5-37.9%). Supercritical extracts contain lower amounts of monoterpenes and higher amounts of sesquiterpene hydrocarbons. Antifungal activities of the Sardinian oils were the highest, particularly for dermatophytes and Cryptococcus neoformans, with MIC values of 0.16-0.64 microL mL(-1).

Chemical and biological comparisons on supercritical extracts of Tanacetum cinerariifolium (Trevir) Sch. Bip. with three related species of chrysanthemums of Sardinia (Italy)

In this manuscript, the authors compare the chemical composition and the biological effects of extracts of some Sardinian plant species: Glebionis coronaria (L.) Spach [=Chrysanthemum coronarium L.], locally known as ‘caragantzu’, Glebionis segetum (L.) Fourr. [=Chrysanthemum segetum L.], known as ‘caragantzu masedu’, and Sardinian endemic species Plagius flosculosus (L.) Alavi and Heywood [=Chrysanthemum flosculosus L.], known as ‘caragantzu burdu’. In addition, the authors compare the pyrethrins contained in these species with an extract of Tanacetum cinerariifolium (Trevir.) Sch. Bip. [=Chrysanthemum cinerariifolium (Trevir.) Vis.], a commercial species rich in pyrethrins. The volatile fractions from chrysanthemum flowers were obtained by supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) with CO2 at 90 bar and 50°C and by hydrodistillation. Pyrethrins were extracted, together with other high molecular mass compounds, by SFE at high pressure, 300 bar and 40°C. The composition of the volatile oils is determined by GC–MS analysis and the amount of pyrethrins by HPLC analysis. Moreover, the antibacterial and antimycotic activities of volatile fractions were investigated in order to compare to their traditional uses.

IOTA simple rules for discriminating between benign and malignant adnexal masses: prospective external validation

To determine the diagnostic performance of International Ovarian Tumor Analysis (IOTA) ‘simple’ rules for discriminating between benign and malignant adnexal masses.

Antimicrobial activity of Inula helenium L. essential oil against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria and Candida spp.

In this work we report results regarding the in vitro antimicrobial activity of Inula helenium L. dried root extracts obtained by stepwise supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) and by hydrodistillation (HD). Inula helenium L. (Compositae family) is a perennial plant widely occurring in Europe and East Asia. Its oil is one of the richest sources of sesquiterpenoid lactones, which have strong anthelminthic activity and have the potential to induce detoxifying enzymes. Inula helenium L. roots (C-040705130905) were purchased from Minardi (Bagnacavallo-Ravenna, Italy). Supercritical CO 2 extraction was performed in a laboratory apparatus equipped with a 400 cm3 extraction vessel operated in the single-pass mode of passing CO 2 through the fixed bed of charged vegetable particles. Extraction was carried out in a semibatch mode: batch charging of vegetable matter and continuous flow solvent. HD was performed for 4 h in a circulatory Clevenger-type apparatus up to exhaustion of the oil contained in the matrix, which was the same material as used in the SFE.

Extraction and Separation of Volatile and Fixed Oils from Seeds of Myristica fragrans by Supercritical CO2: Chemical Composition and Cytotoxic Activity on Caco-2 Cancer Cells

UNLABELLED Isolation of volatile and fixed oils from nutmeg have been obtained by supercritical fractioned extraction with carbon dioxide. Extraction experiments were carried out at pressures of 90 and 250 bar and temperature of 40 °C. The extraction step performed at 90 bar produced a volatile fraction mainly formed by myristicin (32.8%), sabinene (16.1%), α-pinene (9.8%), β-pinene (9.4%), β-phellandrene (4.9%), safrole (4.1%) and terpinen-4-ol (3.6%). The oil yield relative to this step of the process was 1.4% by weight of the charge. The last extraction step at 250 bar produced a butter-like material (nutmeg butter). The yield of this step was 14.4% by weight. The most represented fatty acids of fixed oil from nutmeg were 14:0 (79.2%), 18:1 n-9 (7.4%) and 16:0 (6.1%), and in particular the unsaturated fatty acids 18:1 n-9 averaged 32.96 μg/mg of oil. The level of myristicin in the nutmeg essential and fixed oils was also directly quantified by reversed HPLC-DAD. Moreover, the essential oil obtained from nutmeg, as well as myristicin, showed a significant in vitro inhibitory effect on the growth of a colon cancer cell line (undifferentiated Caco-2 cells). PRACTICAL APPLICATION In this study, the chemical characterization and the anticancer activity of nutmeg oils obtained by supercritical extraction with carbon dioxide were investigated. This is important for their potential application in food and pharmaceutical industries.

Extraction of Oil from Wheat Germ by Supercritical CO2

This study examined the supercritical fluid extraction of wheat germ oil. The effects of pressure (200-300 bar at 40 °C) and extraction time on the oil quality/quantity were studied. A comparison was also made between the relative qualities of material obtained by SFE and by organic solvent extraction. The extracts were analyzed for α-tocopherol and polyunsaturated fatty acid content. The maximum wheat germ oil yield at about 9% was obtained with supercritical carbon dioxide extraction at 300 bar, while fatty acid and α-tocopherol composition of the extracts was not remarkable affected by either pressure or the extraction method.

Imazalil–cyclomaltoheptaose (β-cyclodextrin) inclusion complex: preparation by supercritical carbon dioxide and 13C CPMAS and 1H NMR characterization

An inclusion complex between imazalil (IMZ), a selected fungicide, and cyclomaltoheptaose (beta-cyclodextrin, betaCD) was obtained using supercritical fluid carbon dioxide. The best preparation conditions were determined, and the inclusion complex was investigated by means of 1H NMR spectroscopy in aqueous solution and 13C CPMAS NMR spectroscopy in the solid state. Information on the geometry of the betaCD/IMZ complex was obtained from ROESY spectroscopy, while the dynamics of the inclusion complex in the kilohertz range was obtained from the proton spin-lattice relaxation times in the rotating frame, T(1rho) (1H).