Cássia T. B. V. Zaia

Spectrophotometric determination of cysteine and/or carbocysteine in a mixture of amino acids, shampoo, and pharmaceutical products using p-benzoquinone.

A simple, sensitive, and selective method has been developed for determination of cysteine (Cys) or carbocysteine (carboCys) in pharmaceutical products, shampoos and a mixture of amino acids. The results showed the reaction between p-benzoquinone (PBQ) and Cys occurs through the sulfhydryl group. Previous derivatization or extraction is not necessary before the assay is carried out. The method is based on the fact that the product of reaction between PBQ and Cys absorbs at 352 and 500 nm or PBQ and carboCys absorbs at 500 nm. Beers law is followed in the range 0-40 mug/ml for Cys and 0-150 mug/ml for carboCys. The product of reaction PBQ-Cys is stable for 2 h with absorption bands at 352 and 500 nm. In the presence of amino acids, PBQ is highly selective to Cys. Several substances such as amino acids, urea, salts, and dipeptide did not interfere with the proposed method. A recovery of about 100% is observed for both Cys and carboCys, when the method is applied to determine Cys in a mixture of amino acids resembling blood plasma, shampoo, and pill food as well as carboCys in pharmaceutical products.

Determination of total protein by spectrophotometry: advantages and disadvantages of proposed methods

Spectrophotometric determination of total protein is used in several areas such as clinical analysis, food science and technology, biochemistry, protein chemistry, physiology. Five spectrophotometric methods are mostly used: biuret, Lowry, Bradford, Smith and UV absorption. In this review a general overview of these methods is presented (interferences, applications); other methodologies are also discussed.

Which Amino Acids Should Be Used in Prebiotic Chemistry Studies

The adsorption of amino acids on minerals and their condensation under conditions that resemble those of prebiotic earth is a well studied subject. However, which amino acids should be used in these experiments is still an open question. The main goal of this review is to attempt to answer this question. There were two sources of amino acids for the prebiotic earth: (1) exogenous—meaning that the amino acids were synthesized outside the earth and delivered to our planet by interplanetary dust particles (IDPs), meteorites, comets, etc. and (2) endogenous—meaning that they were synthesized on earth in atmospheric mixtures, hydrothermal vents, etc. For prebiotic chemistry studies, the use of a mixture of amino acids from both endogenous and exogenous sources is suggested. The exogenous contribution of amino acids to this mixture is very different from the average composition of proteins, and contains several non-protein amino acids. On the other hand, the mixture of amino acids from endogenous sources is seems to more closely resemble the amino acid composition of terrestrial proteins.

Adsorption of Adenine, Cytosine, Thymine, and Uracil on Sulfide-Modified Montmorillonite: FT-IR, Mössbauer and EPR Spectroscopy and X-Ray Diffractometry Studies

In the present work the interactions of nucleic acid bases with and adsorption on clays were studied at two pHs (2.00, 7.00) using different techniques. As shown by Mössbauer and EPR spectroscopies and X-ray diffractometry, the most important finding of this work is that nucleic acid bases penetrate into the interlayer of the clays and oxidize Fe2+ to Fe3+, thus, this interaction cannot be regarded as a simple physical adsorption. For the two pHs the order of the adsorption of nucleic acid bases on the clays was: adenine ≈ cytosine > thymine > uracil. The adsorption of adenine and cytosine on clays increased with decreasing of the pH. For unaltered montmorillonite this result could be explained by electrostatic forces between adenine/cytosine positively charged and clay negatively charged. However for montmorillonite modified with Na2S, probably van der Waals forces also play an important role since both adenine/cytosine and clay were positively charged. FT-IR spectra showed that the interaction between nucleic acid bases and clays was through NH+ or NH2+ groups. X-ray diffractograms showed that nucleic acid bases adsorbed on clays were distributed into the interlayer surface, edge sites and external surface functional groups (aluminol, silanol) EPR spectra showed that the intensity of the line g ≈ 2 increased probably because the oxidation of Fe2+ to Fe3+ by nucleic acid bases and intensity of the line g = 4.1 increased due to the interaction of Fe3+ with nucleic acid bases. Mössbauer spectra showed a large decreased on the Fe2+ doublet area of the clays due to the reaction of nucleic acid bases with Fe2+.

Determination of total proteins: a study of reaction between quinones and proteins

A previous study was undertaken to test the reaction of several quinones (p-benzoquinone; 2,5-dichloro and 2,6-dichloro p-benzoquinone; tetrachloro-p-benzoquinone; tetrachloro-o-benzoquinone; 2,5-dichloro-3,6-dihydroxy-p-benzoquinone; benz[a]anthracene-7,12-dione) with bovine serum albumin (BSA). From this study, we have devised a spectrophotometric method for determination of total proteins. The quinone, tetrachloro-p-benzoquinone (p-chloranil), showed the best result. The product of reaction between proteins and p-chloranil absorbed at 360 nm and Beers law was followed up to 200 mug ml(-1) of BSA. The product of reaction of BSA/p-chloranil was stable for 30 min, after that the absorbance increased 16% and kept stable for 24 h. The p-chloranil method showed a limit of detection (1.25 mug ml(-1)) lower than the biuret method (52.0 mug ml(-1)) or p-benzoquinone (PBQ) method (2.6-4.0 mug ml(-1)). The method was applied to spectrophotometric determination of total proteins in blood plasma; the results were compared with the biuret method that is widely used in clinical analysis.

Changes in blood metabolic parameters during the development of Walker-256 tumour-induced cachexia in rats are not caused by decreased food intake

Blood metabolic parameters of Walker‐256 tumour‐bearing rats, on days 5, 8, 11 and 14 after implantation of tumour, were compared with those of rats without tumour fed ad libitum (free‐fed control) or with reduced feeding (pair‐fed control), similar to the anorexic tumour‐bearing rats. Cachexia parameters and tumour mass also were investigated. In general, especially on day 14 after implantation of tumour, there was reduction of body mass, gastrocnemius muscle mass, food intake and glycemia and increase of blood triacylglycerol, free fatty acids, lactate and urea, compared with free‐fed controls rats. These changes did not occur in pair‐fed control, except a slight reduction of glycemia. Pair‐fed control showed no significant changes in blood cholesterol and glycerol in comparison with free‐fed control, although there was reduction of cholesterol and increase of blood glycerol on day 14 after tumour implantation compared with pair‐fed control. The results demonstrate that, besides the characteristic signs of the cachexia syndrome such as anorexia, weight loss and muscle catabolism, Walker‐256 tumour‐bearing rats show several blood metabolic alterations, some of which begin as early as day 5 after implantation of tumour, and are accentuated during the development of cachexia. Evidence that the alterations of blood metabolic parameters of tumour‐bearing rats were not found in pair‐fed control indicate that they were not caused by decreased food intake. These changes were probably mediated by factors produced by tumour or host tissue in response to the presence of tumour. Copyright

Hypoglycemic and Hypocholesterolemic Effects of Botryosphaeran from Botryosphaeria rhodina MAMB-05 in Diabetes-Induced and Hyperlipidemia Conditions in Rats

Abstract Botryosphaeran, a water-soluble exopolysaccharide of the β-(1 → 3;1 → 6)-D-glucan type that has been isolated from the culture medium of Botryosphaeria rhodina MAMB-05 grown in submerged fermentation using glucose as the sole carbon source, was previously demonstrated to be non-genotoxic in peripheral blood and bone marrow, and exhibited strong anticlastogenic activity. In the present study, the effects of botryosphaeran were investigated in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats as well as in high-fat diet-fed hyperlipidemic Wistar rats. The plasma glucose level was reduced by 52% in the diabetic group of rats after administration of 12 mg botryosphaeran/kg body weight of the rats (b.w.)/day by gavage over 15 days. A reduction in the median ration intake was accompanied by an increase in the median body weight gain, as well as the efficiency of food conversion. These results demonstrate that botryosphaeran has protective effects by reducing the symptoms of cachexia in Diabetes mellitus. Botryosphaeran administered by gavage at a concentration of 12 mg botryosphaeran/kg b.w./day over 15 days also reduced the plasma levels of total cholesterol and low density lipoprotein-cholesterol by 18% and 27%, respectively, in hyperlipidemic rats. Based on these findings, we conclude that botryosphaeran possesses hypoglycemic and hypocholesterolemic properties in conditions of diabetes mellitus and hyperlipidemia, respectively, and may be used as an oral anti-diabetic agent.

Adsorption of Adenine and Thymine on Zeolites: FT-IR and EPR Spectroscopy and X-Ray Diffractometry and SEM Studies

The interactions of adenine and thymine with and adsorption on zeolites were studied using different techniques. There were two main findings. First, as shown by X-ray diffractometry, thymine increased the decomposition of the zeolites (Y, ZSM-5) while adenine prevented it. Second, zeolite Y adsorbed almost the same amount of adenine and thymine, thus both nucleic acid bases could be protected from hydrolysis and UV radiation and could be available for molecular evolution. The X-ray diffractometry and SEM showed that artificial seawater almost dissolved zeolite A. The adsorption of adenine on ZSM-5 zeolite was higher than that of thymine (Student-Newman-Keuls test-SNK p < 0.05). Adenine was also more greatly adsorbed on ZSM-5 zeolite, when compared to other zeolites (SNK p < 0.05). However the adsorption of thymine on different zeolites was not statistically different (SNK p > 0.05). The adsorption of adenine and thymine on zeolites did not depend on pore size or Si/Al ratio and it was not explained only by electrostatic forces; rather van der Waals interactions should also be considered.

DETERMINATION OF TOTAL PROTEINS IN SEVERAL TISSUES OF RAT: A COMPARATIVE STUDY AMONG SPECTROPHOTOMETRIC METHODS

Abstract In the present paper, five spectrophotometric methods — biuret, Lowry modified by Hartree (Lowry/Hartree), p-chloranil, ultraviolet at 280 nm (UV-280 nm), and ultraviolet at 260/280 nm (UV-260/280 nm) — were used for protein determination in several rat tissues and the results were compared. The Lowry/Hartree method showed the highest sensitivity (0.9 μg/ml) and the biuret method the lowest sensitivity (55.7 μg/ml). The results were not statistically different for the following methods and tissues: Lowry/Hartree was compared to biuret for five tissues (adrenal, spleen, whole brain, liver and small intestine), to p-chloranil for two tissues (liver and epididymal fat pad), and to UV-260/280 nm for three tissues (whole brain, liver and pancreas). Since the Lowry/Hartree method needs a larger period of time for a whole assay to be carried out, we recommend for determination of total protein the following methods: UV-260/280 nm for whole brain, liver, and pancreas, p-chloranil for epididymal fat pad, and biuret for other tissues. We do not recommend the UV-280 nm method because there are many interfering substances in the tissues.

Adsorption of glyphosate on clays and soils from Paraná State: effect of pH and competitive adsorption of phosphate

This work showed that the adsorption of glyphosate (GPS) depends on surface area for clays and amount of clays and CEC for soils. Organic matter (OM) had a secondary role in the adsorption of GPS on soils. The adsorption of GPS on soils from Londrina and Florai counties and clays (montmorillonite, kaolinite) decreased when pH increased, however, for bentonite clay and soil from Tibagi county was kept constant. For the soils, the competitive adsorption between GPS and phosphate showed that displace of GPS by phosphate was related to the amount of clays, CEC and pH. GPS was not easily displaced by phosphate on the clays. The FT-IR spectra of the soils and clays showed that soil from Londrina resembled kaolinite. Thus, this could explain the results of adsorption of GPS and the competitive adsorption between GPS and phosphate.