Juliana Vanessa Colombo Martins

Preliminary evaluation of Kielmeyera coriacea leaves extract on the central nervous system.

The hydroalcoholic extract of Kielmeyera coriacea leaves was evaluated for effects on the central nervous system by means of behavioral models which included forced swimming, open-field and elevated plus-maze tests. According to the results, K. coriacea leaves extract is effective as anxiolytic but not as an antidepressant drug.

Evaluation of gastric anti-ulcer activity in a hydro-ethanolic extract from Kielmeyera coriacea

The antiulcer activity of a hydro-ethanolic extract prepared from the stems of Kielmeyera coriacea Mart. (Guttiferae) was evaluated in rats employing the ethanol-acid, acute stress and Indomethacin models to induce experimental gastric ulcers. Treatment with K coriacea hydro-ethanolic extract provided significant antiulcer protection in the ethanol-acid and Indomethacin models, but not in the acute stress model. These results suggested that the K coriacea hydro-ethanolic extract increased resistance to necrotizing agents, providing a direct, protective effect on the gastric mucosa.

Effect of crude extract and its semi purified constituents from guaraná seeds [Paullinia cupana var. sorbilis (Mart.) lucke] on cognitive performance in Morris water maze in rats

O efeito do tratamento cronico (gavagem) do extrato bruto liofilizado (EBPC) das sementes da Paullinia cupana, guarana, e seus constituintes semi-purificados EPA e EPB, sobre o comportamento cognitivo foi estudado em ratos submetidos ao teste do labirinto aquatico de Morris. EBPC (30.0 mg/kg) e EPA (2.0 mg/kg), mostraram menor latencia para encontrar a plataforma submersa quando comparados ao grupo controle (salina+ tween 80 a 0.2%), em ratos normais ou tratados com escopolamina, o que sugere efeito benefico sobre a cognicao. Estes extratos nao alteraram a atividade locomotora no teste do campo aberto. A cafeina, reduziu o tempo de latencia para encontrar a plataforma submersa no teste do labirinto aquatico de Morris em tratados com escopolamina. Alem disso, aumentou o numero de cruzamentos no teste do campo aberto, mostrando efeito estimulante. Ratos tratados com EPB nao produziram alteracao significativa nos testes utilizados. Os animais tratados cronicamente com EBPC, EPA ou EPB tiveram a mesma evolucao ponderal e sobrevida o que sugere baixa toxicidade para os extratos.

Involvement of Serotonin in the Antidepressant-like Effect of Extract from Kielmeyera coriacea Stems

Abstract The stems of Kielmeyera coriacea. Mart. (Clusiaceae) (syn. “pau-santo”) are a therapeutic herbal in Brazilian folk medicine. This study investigates the effects of a hydroethanoli extract (HE) from Kielmeyera coriacea. stems on the central nervous system (CNS) of rats. Chronic administration by gavage of the extract (60.0 mg/kg) revealed decreased immobility time in the forced swimming test (FST). This effect of the extract was compared with chronic treatment by gavage of fluoxetine (10.0 mg/kg) and nortriptyline (15.0 mg/kg). The anti-immobility effect of the HE from Kielmeyera coriacea. in the FST was also investiged in association with the intra–dorsal raphe nucleus microinjection of 5-hydroxytryptamine (serotonin; 5-HT) or R.(+)-8-hydroxyl-2-(di-n.-propylamino)tetralin (8-OHDPAT), a 5-HT1A specific agonist receptor. The ligands, 5-HT (5.0 nmol) and 8-OHDPAT (0.6 and 1.0 nmol), significantly increased immobility time per se. and blocked the anti-immobility effect of the extract. Biochemical investigations employing an in vitro. synaptosomal assay showed uptake inhibition by the extract of [3H]5-HT, [3H]noradrenaline (NA), and [3H]dopamine (DA) in the rat brain. These results suggest that serotonergic neurotransmission is involved in the antidepressant-like activity of the extract, as shown by the interaction with microinjected 5-HT and 8-OHDPAT, and that 5-HT, NA, and DA uptake inhibition may contribute to this effect.

Candida krusei reservoir in a neutropaenia unit: molecular evidence of a foe?

Candida krusei has been documented as an emerging pathogen causing nosocomial outbreaks. The consecutive isolation of C. krusei strains in three patients admitted to the same hospital department within 2 months lead us to consider the possibility of an outbreak. Additionally, C. krusei isolates were collected from the room surfaces, whereas another isolate had been recovered from the blood of one patient 2 years before. HinfI DNA restriction endonuclease-based analysis of all C. krusei isolates was performed and restriction profiles were compared. Surprisingly, isolates from different patients were unrelated, whereas isolates from biological products of the same patient showed indistinguishable HinfI restriction patterns and were similar to those obtained from the surrounding environment of the respective patients. The study approach revealed the endogenous origin of the C. krusei infectious episodes observed and demonstrated that, subsequent to colonizing a patient, C. krusei can be involved in infectious episodes distant in time. The hypothesis of an outbreak was excluded, although we believe that the methodology employed in the present study represents a valuable tool for diagnostic and epidemiological surveys.

Serotonergic Neurons of Dorsal Raphe Nucleus on the Effect of a Xanthone from Kielmeyera coriacea Stems in Behavioral Tests

This study investigated the influence of serotonergic neurons of the dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN) on the effect of 1,3,7-trihydroxy-2-(3-methylbut-2-enyl)-xanthone, obtained from a hydroethanolic extract (HE) from Kielmeyera coriacea Mart. (Clusiaceae) stems. Intra-DRN microinjection (0.25 μ l/30 s) of xanthone or 5-HT1A ligands and its associations were performed in rats submitted to the forced swimming (FST) and to the open field (OFT) tests. Xanthone (0.3, 0.6 or 0.9 pmol), WAY100635 (5-HT1A antagonist; 0.2, 0.4 or 0.8 nmol) or (+)pindolol (5-HT1A/1B/ßadrenergic antagonist; 0.2, 0.4 or 0.8 nmol) did not alter immobility time in the FST. The 5-HT1A agonist, (+)8-OH-DPAT (0.6, 0.8, or 1.0 nmol) increases the immobility time in higher dose. Associated treatment of WAY100635 (0.8 nmol) or (−) pindolol (0.4 nmol) and xanthone (0.3 pmol), produced an anti-immobility effect, showing a synergic effect. Xanthone (0.3 pmol) abolished the increase on immobility time produced by (+)8-OH-DPAT (1.0 nmol). WAY100635 (0.8 nmol) blocked the increase in immobility time produced by (+)8-OH-DPAT (1.0 nmol). Crossings number in the OFT was not altered by any tested compound or associated treatment. These results suggest that the serotonergic neurons of the DRN, through the 5-HT1A somatodendritic autoreceptors, are involved in the xanthone effects on FST.