Heloisa Einloft Palma

Anthocyanins suppress the secretion of proinflammatory mediators and oxidative stress, and restore ion pump activities in demyelination

The aim of this study was to investigate the protective effect of anthocyanins (ANT) on oxidative and inflammatory parameters, as well as ion pump activities, in the pons of rats experimentally demyelinated with ethidium bromide (EB). Rats were divided in six groups: control, ANT 30 mg/kg, ANT 100 mg/kg, EB (0.1%), EB plus ANT 30 mg/kg and EB plus ANT 100 mg/kg. The EB cistern pons injection occurred on the first day. On day 7, there was a peak in the demyelination. During the 7 days, the animals were treated once per day with vehicle or ANT. It was observed that demyelination reduced Na(+),K(+)-ATPase and Ca(2+)-ATPase activities and increased 4-hydroxynonenal, malondialdehyde, protein carbonyl and NO2plus NO3 levels. In addition, a depletion of glutathione reduced level/nonprotein thiol content and a decrease in superoxide dismutase activity were also seen. The dose of 100 mg/kg showed a better dose-response to the protective effects. The demyelination did not affect the neuronal viability but did increase the inflammatory infiltrate (myeloperoxidase activity) followed by an elevation in interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, tumor necrosis factor-α and interferon-γ levels. ANT promoted a reduction in cellular infiltration and proinflammatory mediators. Furthermore, ANT restored the levels of IL-10. Luxol fast blue staining confirmed the loss of myelin in the EB group and the protective effect of ANT 100 mg/kg. In conclusion, this study was the first to show that ANT are able to restore ion pump activities and protect cellular components against the inflammatory and oxidative damages induced by demyelination.

Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of quercetin in functional and morphological alterations in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats

The aim of this study was to investigate functional and morphological alterations caused by oxidative stress in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats and to evaluate the antioxidant effect of quercetin (QUE) in this disease. One hundred and thirty male Wistar rats, it were randomly distributed in 10 different experimental groups, with ten animals per group: Control Saline (CS), Control Ethanol (CE), Control QUE 5mg/kg (CQ5), Control QUE 25mg/kg (CQ25), Control QUE 50mg/kg (CQ50), Diabetic Saline (DS), Diabetic Ethanol (DE), Diabetic QUE 5mg/kg (DQ5), Diabetic QUE25 mg/kg (DQ25), Diabetic QUE 50mg/kg (DQ50). Therefore, hyperglycemia is directly involved in oxidative stress production, as well as in functional and morphological alterations caused by the excess of free radicals. QUE, specially at the dosage of 50mg/kg, can act as an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent, becoming a promising adjuvant in the treatment of diabetes mellitus.

Pre-treatment with curcumin modulates acetylcholinesterase activity and proinflammatory cytokines in rats infected with Trypanosoma evansi

The potent activity against Trypanosomes and health beneficial effects of curcumin (Cur) has been demonstrated in various experimental models. In this study, we evaluated the in vivo effect of Cur as trypanocide and as potential anti-inflammatory agent, through the evaluation of immunomodulatory mechanisms in rats infected with Trypanosoma evansi. Daily oral Cur was administered at doses of 0, 20 or 60mg/kg as preventive treatment (30 and 15days pre infection) and as treatment (post infection). The treatment of the groups continued until the day of euthanasia. Fifteen days after inoculation, parasitemia, plasma proinflammatory cytokines (IFN-γ, TNF-α, IL-1, IL-6), anti-inflammatory cytokines (IL-10) and blood acetylcholinesterase activity (AChE) were analyzed. Pretreatment with Cur reduced parasitemia and lethality. Cur inhibited AChE activity and improved immunological response by cytokines proinflammatory, fundamental during T. evansi infection. We found that Cur is not so important as an antitrypanosomal activity but as immunomodulator agent. These findings reveal that the preventive use of Cur stimulates anti-inflammatory mechanisms, reducing an excessive inflammatory response.

Role of acute phase proteins in the immune response of rabbits infected with Trypanosoma evansi.

The aim of this study was to characterize the response of acute phase proteins (APP) in rabbits experimentally infected with Trypanosoma evansi (T. evansi), and to relate the findings with serum immunoglobulins levels, in order to verify the relation between APP and the immune response of rabbits. A total of 12 animals were used in this experiment and divided into 2 groups, control and infected, of six rabbits each. The experimental period was 118 days, and blood was collected on days 0, 5, 20, 35, 65, 95 and 118 post-infection (PI). The infection with T. evansi stimulated APP and immunoglobulins production, once the infected animals showed an increase in C-reactive protein, haptoglobin, alpha 2-macroglobulin and IgM levels. The elevation in IgM levels observed in this study, when related to the increase in C-reactive protein and haptoglobin levels, suggests the involvement of these proteins in host defense against flagellated protozoa, with possible participation in the control of the parasitemia in rabbits infected with T. evansi.

Biochemistry detection of acetylcholinesterase activity in Trypanosoma evansi and possible functional correlations.

Several chemical and immunohistochemical techniques can be used for the detection of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity. In this experiment we aimed to detect AChE activity in Trypanosoma evansi. For this, the parasites were isolated from the blood of experimentally infected rats using a DEA-cellulose column. Enzymatic activity was determined in trypomastigote forms at 0, 0.2, 0.4, 0.8 and 1.2 mg/mL of protein concentrations by a standard biochemical protocol. At all concentrations tested, the study showed that T. evansi expresses the enzyme AChE and its activity was proportional to the concentration of protein, ranging between 0.64 and 2.70 μmol of AcSCh/h. Therefore, we concluded that it is possible to biochemically detect AChE in T. evansi, an enzyme that may be associated with vital functions of the parasite and also can be related to chemotherapy treatments, as further discussed in this article.

Parasitismo por Calodium hepaticum em dois cães

Calodium hepaticum has been reported as a parasite of the hepatic parenchyma of many mammal species, but it is not frequent in dogs. The present article aimed to describe two cases of hepatic capillariasis in dogs, diagnosed in a period of one month, in e Santa Maria city, Rio Grande do Sul state, Brazil . The first dog presented clinical sintomathology of cardiac insufficiency and Calodium hepaticum eggs were occasionally found by histopathological examination of the liver. The second animal presented icteric mucous membranes and ascites. The hemogram revealed non-regenerative anaemia and in the biochemistry serum were observed elevation of alkaline phosphatase, alanina aminotransferase and hypoalbuminemia. The cavitary liquid analysis was compatible with modified transudate. In the histopathological examination, numerous bioperculated eggs of Calodium hepaticum were observed aleatorily distributed in the hepatic parenchyma, with granulomatous and fibrous reaction adjacent to the eggs. The occurrence of two cases in a short period of time suggests that other dogs may be infected and requires a rodent population control.

Free and nanoencapsulated vitamin D3: effects on E‐NTPDase and E‐ADA activities in an animal model with induced arthritis

The effect of vitamin D3 in oral solution (VD3) and vitamin D3‐loaded nanocapsules (NC‐VD3) was analysed in animals with complete Freunds adjuvant (CFA) induced arthritis (AR). For this purpose, we evaluated scores for arthritis, thermal hyperalgesia and paw oedema, as well as histological analyses and measurements of the activity of the ectonucleoside triphosphate diphosphohydrolase (E‐NTPDase) and ecto‐adenosine deaminase (E‐ADA) enzymes in rat lymphocytes. Haematological and biochemical parameters were also determined. The doses administered were 120 UI/day of VD3 and 15.84 UI/day of NC‐VD3. Fifteen days after the induction of AR, the groups were treated for 15 days with vitamin D3. The results demonstrated that VD3 was able to reduce arthritis scores, thermal hyperalgesia and paw oedema in rats with CFA‐induced arthritis. However, treatment with NC‐VD3 did not reduce arthritis scores. The histological analyses showed that both formulations were able to reduce the inflammatory changes induced by CFA. The activity of E‐NTPDase in rat lymphocytes was higher in the AR compared with the control group, while the activity of E‐ADA was lower. This effect was reversed after the 15‐day treatment. Data from this study indicates that both forms of vitamin D3 seem to contribute to decreasing the inflammatory process induced by CFA, possibly altering the activities of ectoenzymes. Copyright