Perla M. de Buschiazzo

Anti-inflammatory effects of south american Tanacetum vulgare

In recent years the role of phenolic compounds and sesquiterpene lactones, particularly parthenolide, in the anti‐migraine and anti‐inflammatory effects of Tanacetum parthenium (Asteraceae) has attracted much attention. However, the closely‐related cosmopolitan species T. vulgare has remained outside the mainstream of research in this field.

Anti-inflammatory and apoptotic activities of pomolic acid isolated from Cecropia pachystachya.

The dichloromethane extract and pomolic acid ( 5) obtained from leaves of Cecropia pachystachya both reduced carrageenan-induced paw oedema in mice. Interestingly, while the triterpenoid inhibited the in vivo production of interleukin-1beta by 39 %, it had no effect on tumour necrosis factor-alpha production. We also demonstrated that both the dichloromethane extract and 5 inhibited the viability of human polymorphonuclear (PMN) cells in a time- and dose-dependent fashion. The PMN membrane integrity was determined with the aid of flow cytometry by means of the exclusion of propidium iodide as assay. Although the cell membrane integrity was altered, neither the extract nor 5 produced cellular necrosis. Moreover, the development of hypodiploid nuclei and DNA fragmentation in the PMN cells were both dependent on dose and time. Finally, in the annexin V-FITC binding assay, compound 5 increased the total of apoptotic cells by 42 % at 100 microM and by 71 % at 200 microM with respect to the control group. In conclusion, both the dichloromethane extract of ambay and isolated compound 5 inhibit the viability of PMN cells through apoptosis. Since they can regulate human neutrophil functions in this way, it is likely that these substances can also limit inflammation.

Effect of the Chloroform Extract of Tanacetum vulgare and one of its Active Principles, Parthenolide, on Experimental Gastric Ulcer in Rats

This study examines the anti‐ulcerogenic activity of a chloroform extract of Tanacetum vulgare and purified parthenolide, the major sesquiterpene lactone found in the extract.

Preventive Action of Tranylcypromine on Alloxan Diabetes in Rats

The intraperitoneal injection of tranylcypromine (25 mg./kg.) twenty minutes before the intravenous administration of alloxan prevents the onset of diabetes in the rat. The same protective effect is observed when the monoamine-oxidase inhibitor is injected intravenously (10 mg./kg.) fifteen seconds before alloxan. When these two drugs are mixed in vitro and injected intravenously, the protection disappears. This protective action against diabetes appears to indicate that tranylcypromine protects important enzymatic centers against the action of alloxan at the pancreatic level.

Antioxidant defence system and lipid peroxidation in lactating rats: Effect of dietary vitamin E during gestation and lactation

Abstract The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of a low vitamin E diet given to rat dams during gestation and lactation on the antioxidant defence enzymes and lipid peroxidation in their pups. Wistar rats were fed two different diets during gestation and lactation: a) Low vitamin E diet containing 65.8 mg Vit. E per kg of food, and b) Control diet containing 215.8 mg Vit.E per kg of food. Plasma concentration of vitamin E and in vitro spontaneous red blood cell hemolysis were determined in dams and their pups. Liver and brain superoxide dismutase, selenium-dependent glutathione peroxidase and catalase activities were evaluated in pups. Malondialdehyde production was measured in both brain and liver homogenates from pups. The low vitamin E diet decreased significantly the plasma concentration of the vitamin both in mothers (6.1 ± 3.3 vs. 13.1 ± 0.9 μM) and pups (2.5 ± 2.3 vs. 7.4 ± 1.6 μM). The treatment decreased the activities of superoxide dismutase (0.16 ± 0.02 vs 0.26 ± 0.05 ΔAbs/4min./mg,protein) and catalase (0.31 ± 0.06 vs 0.49 ± 0.13 k/mg protein) in pups liver. This diet had no influence on selenium-dependent glutathione peroxidase activity. Brain selenium-dependent glutathione peroxidase and catalase activities could not be detected and superoxide dismutase activity was not modified by the diet. Red blood cells from lactating rats whose mothers had received the low diet were essentially hemolysed. The production of malondialdehyde in both brain and liver from lactating rats was higher than in the control group (p

Preventive Action of the Monoaminooxidase Inhibitor, Nialamide, on Experimental Diabetes in Rats

Intraperitoneal injection of nialamide in rats submitted to extensive pancreatectomy delays the appearance of diabetes and diminishes its intensity. Whereas in the control group, some of the animals developed diabetes two to three months after surgical extirpation of the pancreas, the nialamide-treated animals presented diabetes only after five or six months. Neoformation of B cells was observed in these animals, but it was not statistically significant. Protection against development of diabetes has been observed in all animals which were injected with nialamide immediately before or twenty minutes before alloxan administration. The antitoxic effect of nialamide, which produces a marked decrease in mortality, has been observed. Protective action on diabetes might be due to a chemical combination of nialamide with alloxan, thus preventing its action or protecting important enzyme centers. Another possibility might be that nialamide increased circulating catecholamines, especially epinephrine and norepinephrine, producing splanchnic vasoconstriction and diminution of alloxan concentration at the pancreatic beta cells, an effect that was eliminated when an adrenolitic agent was given simultaneously.