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Copaifera officinalis L. possesses traditional uses as an analgesic, anti-inflammatory, and antiseptic. However, until now the antinociceptive effect and the mechanism of action were not described for Copaifera officinalis L. oil and no compound present in this oil was identified to be responsible for its biological effects. The goal of this study was to identify the presence of kaurenoic acid in Copaifera officinalis oil and investigate its antinociceptive effect, mechanism of action, and possible adverse effects in mice. The quantification of kaurenoic acid in Copaifera officinalis oil was done by HPLC-DAD technique. Male and female albino Swiss mice (25-35 g) were used to test the antinociceptive effect of Copaifera officinalis (10 mg/kg, intragastric) or kaurenoic acid (1 mg/kg) in the tail-flick test, intraplantar injection of capsaicin, allyl isothiocyanate (AITC) or complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA). Copaifera officinalis oil and kaurenoic acid caused the antinociceptive effect in the tail-flick test in a dose-dependent manner, and their effect was reversed by naloxone (an opioid antagonist). Copaifera officinalis oil or kaurenoic acid reduced the nociception caused by capsaicin or AITC and produced an anti-allodynic effect in the CFA model (after acute or repeated administration for 7 days). Possible adverse effects were also observed, and non-detectable adverse effect was observed for the intragastric administration of Copaiba officinalis oil or kaurenoic acid and in the same way, the treatments were neither genotoxic nor mutagenic at the doses tested. Thus, Copaiba officinalis oil, and kaurenoic acid possess antinociceptive action without adverse effects.

Research has shown that different processing techniques affect the bioactive components in grain foods and their bioactivities. Hence, this study evaluated effect of roasting temperature (150 and 180 °C; 20 min) on phenolics composition, enzymes (pancreatic lipase, angiotensin 1-converting enzyme, α-amylase, α-glucosidase and xanthine oxidase) inhibitory and antioxidant properties of whole cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) pulses. Phenolic compounds were characterized using HPLC–DAD; enzymes inhibitory and antioxidant activities were assayed by spectrophotometric methods. Extract of raw cowpea contained flavonoids (catechin, quercitrin, quercetin, kaempferol and apigenin) and phenolic acids (gallic and caffeic acids). The extract strongly inhibited all the enzymes tested and displayed potent antioxidant activity. However, the levels of individual phenolics and enzymes inhibitory activity decreased significantly (p

In many species, individuals contest resources using specialized morphologies to overpower rivals, hereafter referred to as weapons. Despite their importance in fights, little is known about the selective forces affecting weapon evolution. This may be particularly important to understand why weapons are highly variable among species. Due to their role during fighting, we expect that whenever fighting becomes more important for individual fitness so should the intensity of selection on weapon strength and morphology (which affect the efficiency of a weapon during combat). If true, we expect species that fight more intensely to have stronger and more mechanically efficient weapons. We tested this idea using males of three species of Aegla crabs (A. longirostri, A. abtao, and A. denticulata) that vary in their fight intensity. We compared the muscle size, the mechanical advantage (a proxy for the efficiency of the movable finger of the claw), and the correlation between weapon biomechanics and overall weapon shape (a proxy for the efficiency of the entire claw) among the species. We found that species with more intense fights presented stronger claws, higher mechanical advantage, and less variation in the regression between biomechanics and overall shape. Interestingly, the species with the largest claws were not the most mechanically efficient, suggesting that weapon size is not the sole factor behind weapon evolution. We conclude that fight intensity might be an important factor affecting weapon biomechanics, which ultimately might lead to a better understanding of weapon evolution. Animals fight using specialized morphologies to overpower rivals—termed weapons. Given the importance of fighting on leaving descendants to the next generation, weapon features related to winning fights are probably under selection. If true, then species in which fighting is more important should have stronger and more mechanically efficient weapons. Our results suggest that this might be true: Aegla crabs that fight more intensely have stronger and more efficient weapons (their claws). Interestingly, we also show that size is not the sole predictor of a better claw—muscle mass and mechanical efficiency might be higher in smaller claws when compared to larger claws. Thus, weapon evolution might not be solely tied to weapon size, but also to weapon morphology and mechanical efficiency.

Jaboticaba Plinia peruviana (Poir.) Govaerts is a Brazilian berry that presents high levels of polyphenols, which may play a key role in preventing cytotoxic and genotoxic effects of harmful agents. Although copper is an essential micronutrient that plays an important role in organisms, high copper concentrations may trigger toxicity to animals and plants. Here, we investigated whether Plinia peruviana hydroalcoholic extract prevents copper-induced cytotoxicity in Allium cepa root cells. Five different anthocyanins and phenolic compounds were identified in Plinia peruviana extract. Importantly, the exposure to 1.53 mg/L copper for 24 h impaired mitotic index, as well as increased mitosis disturbances and triggered DNA damage. Pre-incubation with Plinia peruviana extract (0.25 g/L and 0.75 g/L) for 3 h prevented copper-induced changes in the mitotic index and reduced the number of abnormal cells. In conclusion, we suggest that Plinia peruviana peel extract has protective effects against cellular and genetic disturbances induced by copper.

Improving the antioxidant and pasting properties of wheat flour could help enhance its health benefits and industrial uses. Hence, this study evaluated the effect of mango kernel flour addition on the phenolics profile, antioxidant activity and pasting properties of wheat flour. Wheat flour (WF) was mixed with mango kernel flour (MKF) at the ratios of 100:0; 90:10; and 80:20, to obtain 100%WF, WF-10%MKF and WF-20%MKF blends, respectively. The flavonoids and phenolic acids profile; free radicals (2,2-diphenylpicrylhydrazyl [DPPH]* and 2,2′-azino-bis-3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulphonic [ABTS]*+) scavenging activities; amylose and amylopectin contents; and pasting properties of the 100%WF and the blends were determined. Flavonoids (rutin and quercetin) and phenolic acids (gallic, chlorogenic and caffeic acids) contents of the blends increased as the level of addition of MKF increased. The free radicals-scavenging activities of the blends also increased significantly (P

The demand for functional beverages has continued to increase because of the health benefits they impart. Acha (Digitaria exilis) and tigernut (Cyperus esculentus) provide great economic and health benefits aside their nutritive values. The study aims to further add values to both by producing beverage blends from malted acha and tigernut extracts, spiced with ginger extract. The radical scavenging abilities of the beverage blends were evaluated and the phenolic constituents were characterized by high-performance liquid chromatography with diode array detector (HPLC-DAD). The beverage blends showed good radical scavenging ability with 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), however progressive increase in the proportion of tigernut extract in the blends resulted in significant decreases in radical scavenging by 2,2′-azino-bis-3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid (ABTS) and ferric reducing antioxidant potential (FRAP). Total flavonoid and total phenolic content ranged from 0.24 to 0.50 mg rutin Eqv/mL and 0.20 to 0.30 mg gallic acid Eqv/mL, respectively. The beverages were found to be rich in phenolic acids (gallic acid, chlorogenic acid, ellagic acid and caffeic acid) and flavonoids (quercetin, kaempferol, quercitrin and rutin) with quercetin being the most dominant in all the blends. Sensory evaluation showed that the beverage with 75% tigernut extract had the highest overall acceptability. Thus, the beverage blends possessed significant antioxidant potentials and can be used as replacement to the sugar-laden fizzy drinks.

Bioactive phytocompounds are studied by several bioactivities demonstrated, as their cytotoxic effects. The aim of this work was to evaluate the phytochemical profile, the toxic effect using the Drosophila melanogaster animal model and the anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial effect of the Alternanthera brasiliana (EEAB) ethanol extract. The phytochemical profile was performed using HPLC. The cytotoxic effect was evaluated in vivo using D. melanogaster. The anti-inflammatory effect was determined by neurogenic and antiedematogenic assays, and the antimicrobial activity was assayed using a microdilution method to determine the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of the EEAB alone and in association with antibiotics. The main compound identified on the EEAB was luteolin (1.93%). Its cytotoxic effect was demonstrated after 24 h in the concentrations of 10, 20 and 40 mg/mL. The extract demonstrated an antiedematogenic effect, with a reduction of the edema between 35.57 and 64.17%. The MIC of the extract was ≥1.024 μg/mL, thus being considered clinically irrelevant. However, when the EEAB was associated with gentamicin, a synergism against all bacterial strains assayed was observed: Staphylococcus aureus (SA10), Escherichia coli (EC06) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA24). Due to these results, the EEAB demonstrated a low toxicity in vivo and anti-inflammatory and synergistic activities. These are promising results, mainly against microbial pathogens, and the compounds identified can be a source of carbon backbones for the discovery and creation of new drugs.

Purinergic system has been proven to play a critical role in the inflammatory process and to represent an important therapeutic target to improve the immune response during hypercholesterolemia. β-caryophyllene, a phytocannabinoid compound, has a powerful hypolipidemic and anti-inflammatory actions. However, the effects of β-caryophyllene on seric enzymes of purinergic system have not been evaluated. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether β-caryophyllene is able to ameliorate the seric activities of NTPDase and adenosine deaminase (ADA) in a model of hypercholesterolemia induced by Triton WR-1339. The activities of NTPDase and ADA were evaluated enzymatically, and the seric levels of β-caryophyllene were evaluated by high-performance liquid chromatography. We found that treatment with β-caryophyllene ameliorates the enzymatic activities of NTPDase and ADA in serum of hypercholesterolemic rats, in a concentration-dependent manner. These results indicated that β-caryophyllene treatment could improve the immune response during hypercholesterolemia through purinergic pathway.

Lasianthera africana is a dark green leafy vegetable commonly consumed as food and used for treatment of several human ailments in Nigeria most especially south-east. This study investigated the phenolic composition and effects of methanol extract from L. africana leaves on enzymes linked to type-2 diabetes (α-amylase and α-glucosidase) and hypertension [angiotensin-1-converting enzymes (ACE)] as well as Fe2+-induced lipid peroxidation in rat’s pancreas and kidney homogenates were evaluated. Phenolic contents and constituents were also determined using colorimetric methods and high performance liquid chromatography-diode array detector (HPLC-DAD) respectively. Our findings revealed that the extract inhibited α-amylase, α-glucosidase and ACE activities with IC50 values of 0.192 and 0.21 mg/mL, and 57.06 μg/mL respectively. The extract also inhibited Fe2+-induced lipid peroxidation in rats’ pancreas and kidney homogenates. Our findings revealed that the extract is rich in phenolic acids such as caffeic acid (59.97 mg/g), chlorogenic acid (58.23 mg/g) and ellagic acid (31.16 mg/g) as well as flavonoids such as quercetin (42.98 mg/g). These results give a clue to the potential use of L. africana leaves as an alternative agent for the control of glucose absorption and lowering of blood pressure in diabetic patients with hypertension.

This study had as its objective to analyze the phenolic composition variations of the Secondatia floribunda A.DC stem bark and heartwood under the influence of seasonality and in different phenological phases. To analyze the chemical composition variation, quarterly collections were performed over 2 years, including both rainy and dry seasons as well as the different vegetative and reproductive phases of the species. Phenolic compounds were identified and quantified by HPLC–DAD. During the study period, S. floribunda presented leaf fall, budding, flowering, and fruiting, the last two phases coinciding with the rainy season. The ethanolic extracts from the stem bark and heartwood showed yields varying from 1.8 to 36%, with higher values between the rainy season (with low levels of precipitation) and the dry season, showing no relation with the phenological phases. The phenolic composition of the stem bark and heartwood extracts over the 2 years of study was qualitatively identical, except for the absence of the flavonoid apigenin in the heartwood. The compounds varied within the plant parts and showed level alterations during all the collections, responding both quantitatively and qualitatively to seasonality and phenology. The extracts presented high phenolic compound quantities during the rainy season, especially during the reproductive phases. These informations are useful to increase the knowledge surrounding this species and to contribute to the understanding of defense mechanisms and adaptation to different seasonal periods and to the establishment of the best period to obtain higher concentrations of phenolic compounds responsible for different therapeutic activities.

Traditionally, Ilex paraguariensis leaves are consumed in tea form or as typical drinks like mate and terere, while the fruits are discarded processing and has no commercial value. The aim of this work to evaluate phytochemical properties, total phenolic compounds, antioxidant and antimicrobial activity of extracts of Ilex paraguariensis fruits obtained from supercritical CO2 and compressed propane extraction. The extraction with compressed propane yielded 2.72 wt%, whereas with supercritical CO2 1.51 wt% was obtained. The compound extracted in larger amount by the two extraction solvents was caffeine, 163.28 and 54.17 mg/g by supercritical CO2 and pressurized propane, respectively. The antioxidant activity was more pronounced for the supercritical CO2 extract, with no difference found in terms of minimum inhibitory concentration for Staphylococcus aureus for the two extracts and better results observed for Escherichia coli when using supercritical CO2.

The objectives of this research were to study the phytochemical composition of Cynodon dactylon and investigate if the oral administration of this plant extract adsorbed on the pellet feed was capable of protecting L. vannamei challenged with white spot syndrome virus (WSSV). The shrimps were distributed into five batches, and experiments were run by triplicate: uninfected shrimps fed with pelleted feed without ethanolic extract of C. dactylon (ECDE, TC), infected shrimps fed with pelleted feed without ECDE (T1), infected shrimps fed with 1% of ECDE (T2), infected shrimps fed with 2% of ECDE (T3), and infected shrimps fed with 4% of ECDE (T4). The phytochemical screening of ECDE showed several compounds such as with important biological activities consistent with the results observed in vivo. Treatment with 2% ECDE showed a protective effect against WSSV and survival of 62% with no clinical signs of infection.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of β-caryophyllene on hypercholesterolemia using a model of hyperlipidemia induced by Triton WR-1339 in rats, as well as its possible effect on hepatic antioxidant enzymes. Thus, total cholesterol, triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol were measured in serum, while reactive oxygen species (ROS), thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), hepatic 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutayl coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase, superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase (CAT) activities were measured in the hepatic tissue. In addition, seric concentrations of β-caryophyllene were measured to perform correlation studies. Serum samples from hypercholesterolemic rats show higher (p

This study compared the phenolic compositions of common green leafy vegetable extracts from Vernonia amygdalina (VA), Telfairia occidentalis (TO), Talinium triangulare (TT), and Amaranthus hybridus (AH) and their effects on the angiotensin-I-converting enzyme (ACE) and cisplatin-induced malonylaldehyde (MDA) production in an isolated rat kidney homogenate. HPLC confirmed the presence of phenolic compounds in the extracts. Furthermore, all extracts inhibited ACE activity dosedependently; however, the extract from VA exhibited the highest ACE activity while TT exhibited the least. Incubation of the kidney homogenate with 1mM cisplatin caused an increase in MDA production; however, all the extracts inhibited the level of MDA produced. Nevertheless, VA extract exhibited the highest inhibition. These activities of the vegetable extracts could be attributed to their phenolic compositions and may suggest some possible mechanism of the actions. However, VA appeared to be the most potent among the vegetables tested.

Estimation and prediction ability of linear and threshold models for yearling breed quality score (BQ) and navel development score at weaning (WN) and yearling (YN), considering variances, heritabilities, and rank correlations based on the breeding values predicted for bulls, were compared. Furthermore, it was determined whether BQ, WN, and YN are genetically associated with growth traits (BWG: birth to weaning weight gain, WH: weaning height, WYG: weaning to yearling weight gain, YH: yearling height) to field data of Nelore cattle. For BQ, similar heritabilities were estimated using linear (0.14 ± 0.01) and threshold (0.15 ± 0.02) models. For navel development scores, higher heritability was estimated with threshold (WN 0.22 ± 0.03; YN 0.42 ± 0.03) rather than linear (WN 0.16 ± 0.01; YN 0.29 ± 0.01) models. Rank correlations between sires breeding values predicted for visual scores with linear and threshold models ranging from 0.53 to 0.98, indicating that different sires would be selected using these models, mainly for higher selection intensities. The BQ showed little genetic variability and was not associated with WH and YH. However, low and positive genetic correlations were obtained between BQ with BWG (0.27 ± 0.02) and WYG (0.25 ± 0.02). In general, they are expected low genetic gains for BQ as correlated response to selection based on any of the growth traits studied. The WN showed higher genetic correlation with BWG (0.63 ± 0.02) and WH (0.53 ± 0.02) rather than WYG (-0.06 ± 0.02) and YH (0.26 ± 0.02), indicating that selection for increased growth at weaning (height and weight gain) should lead to longer and most pendulous navels at this age. Weak genetic correlations were obtained between yearling navel and growth traits.

Diminazene aceturate (DA) is the active component of some trypanocidal drugs used for the treatment of animals infected with trypanosomosis and babesiosis. Residues of DA may cause hepatotoxic and nephrotoxic effects. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the occurrence of oxidative stress, i.e., changes in the antioxidant defense system of rats treated with a single dose of 3.5 mg kg(-1) of DA. All treatments were intramuscularly administered, and evaluations were performed on days 7 and 21 post-treatment (PT). Liver and kidney samples were collected and evaluated by histopathology and oxidative stress parameters (thiobarbituric acid-reactive species, catalase, superoxide dismutase, carbonyl, non-protein thiols, and reduced glutathione). Finally, blood was collected to determine seric DA concentration. Superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activities in liver and kidney of rats were dramatically inhibited (p 0.05) compared to the control group on day 21 PT. This difference is related to the concomitant increase (p 0.05) in malondialdehyde (MDA) content, which was identified by an increase in thiobarbituric acid-reactive species (TBARS) levels. The carbonyl levels did not differ between groups (p 0.05). Both non-protein thiols (NPSH) and glutathione (GSH) levels in liver and kidney decreased (p 0.05) on day 21 PT. Chromatographic analyses showed lower levels of DA on day 21 PT compared to day 7 PT. A negative correlation was observed between DA concentration in serum and lipid peroxidation in liver and kidney tissues on 21 days PT. Histopathology revealed vacuolar degeneration in liver and kidney samples on day 21 PT. Our findings indicate that DA could cause oxidative damage to liver and kidney of rats.

Long-term treatment with fluphenazine is associated with manifestation of extrapyramidal side effects, such as tardive dyskinesia. The molecular mechanisms related to the pathophysiology of TD remain unclear, and several hypotheses, including a role for oxidative stress, have been proposed. Harpagophytum procumbens is an herbal medicine used mainly due to anti-inflammatory effects, but it also exhibits antioxidant effects. We investigated the effect of ethyl acetate fraction of H. procumbens (EAF HP) in fluphenazine-induced orofacial dyskinesia by evaluating behavioral parameters at different times (vacuous chewing movements (VCM's) and locomotor and exploratory activity), biochemical serological analyses, and biochemical markers of oxidative stress of the liver, kidney, cortex, and striatum. Chronic administration of fluphenazine (25 mg/kg, intramuscular (i.m) significantly increased the VCMs at all analyzed times (2, 7, 14, and 21 days), and this was inhibited by EAF HP (especially at a dose of 30 mg/kg). Fluphenazine decreased locomotion and exploratory activity, and EAF HP did not improve this decrease. Fluphenazine induced oxidative damage, as identified by changes in catalase activity and ROS levels in the cortex and striatum, which was reduced by EAF HP, especially in the striatum. In the cortex, EAF HP was protective against fluphenazine-induced changes in catalase activity but not against the increase in ROS level. Furthermore, EAF HP was shown to be safe, since affected serum biochemical parameters or parameters of oxidative stress in the liver and kidney. These findings suggest that the H. procumbens is a promising therapeutic agent for the treatment of involuntary oral movements.

We aimed to investigate the potential beneficial effects of the Brazilian Pampa biome honey in a Drosophila-based hypoxia model. Adult flies were reared in standard medium in the presence or absence of honey (at a final concentration of 10 % in medium). Then, control flies (4 % sucrose in medium) and honey-treated flies were submitted to hypoxia. Subsequently, flies were analyzed for mortality, neurolocomotor behavior (negative geotaxis), mitochondrial/oxidative stress parameters and expression of hypoxia/stress related genes by RT-qPCR. The HPLC analysis revealed the presence of phenolics and flavonoids in the studied honey. Caffeic acid was the major compound followed by p-coumaric acid and kaempferol. The presence of such compounds was correlated with a substantial antioxidant activity in vitro. Flies subjected to hypoxia presented marked mortality, locomotor deficits and changes in oxidative stress and mitochondrial activity parameters. Honey treatment was able to completely block mortality and locomotor phenotypes. In addition, honey was able to reverse ROS production and hypoxia-induced changes in mitochondrial complex I and II activity. Hypoxia also induced an up-regulation in mRNA expression of Sima (HIF-1), NFκβ, NRF2, HOX, AKT-1, InR, dILP2, dILP5 and HSP27. Honey treatment was not able to modulate changes in the tested genes, indicating that its protective effects involve additional mechanisms other than transcriptional activity of hypoxia-driven adaptive responses in flies. Our results demonstrated, for the first time, the beneficial effects of honey against the deleterious effects of hypoxia/reperfusion processes in a complex organism.

An 8-week feeding trial was conducted to evaluate the effect of replacing fish meal with pumpkin seed meal (PSM) or phosphorylated protein concentrate of pumpkin seed meal (PPCPS) on growth and metabolic responses of silver catfish. Five isonitrogenous and isocaloric diets were formulated. Control diet contained fish meal as the main protein source. The treatment groups contained 25 and 50% of either PSM or PPCPS protein replaced the fishmeal protein. A total of 400 silver catfish, with initial mean weight of 24 ± 0.46 g, were distributed into 20 tanks. For data four orthogonal contrasts were applied: control diet versus PSM diets; control diets versus PPCPS diets; control versus other diets; PSM diets versus PPCPS diets. The results indicated that the fish fed PSM diets had lower weight gain when compared to either control diet or PPCPS. The PPCPS do not affect growth and protein efficiency ratio. Lower albumin contents were found for the control diet fish for the contrasts control diet versus PPCPS diet and control diet versus other diets. The hepatic ALAT enzyme activity was higher in the fish fed the control diet (P < 0.05). The hepatic ALP was most active in fish that received the PPCPS diets, when comparing control diet versus PPCPS diets and control diet versus other diets. The hepatosomatic index was higher for fish fed the PPCPS. Our results indicated that PPCPS presents relevant nutritional quality for fish and can replace the fish meal protein up to 50% without affecting growth, PER and intermediate metabolites in silver catfish.

Oxidative stress has been implicated in several pathologies including neurological disorders. Centella asiatica is a popular medicinal plant which has long been used to treat neurological disturbances in Ayurvedic medicine. In the present study, we quantified of compounds by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and examined the phenolic content of infusion, ethyl acetate, n-butanolic and dichloromethane fractions. Furthermore, we analyzed the ability of the extracts from C. asiatica to scavenge the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical (DPPH) radical as well as total antioxidant activity through the reduction of molybdenum (VI) (Mo(6+)) to molybdenum (V) (Mo(5+)). Finally, we examined the antioxidant effect of extracts against oxidant agents, quinolinic acid (QA) and sodium nitroprusside (SNP), on homogenates of different brain regions (cerebral cortex, striatum and hippocampus). The HPLC analysis revealed that flavonoids, triterpene glycoside, tannins, phenolic acids were present in the extracts of C. asiatica and also the phenolic content assay demonstrated that ethyl acetate fraction is rich in these compounds. Besides, the ethyl acetate fraction presented the highest antioxidant effect by decreasing the lipid peroxidation in brain regions induced by QA. On the other hand, when the pro-oxidant agent was SNP, the potency of infusion, ethyl acetate and dichloromethane fractions was equivalent. Ethyl acetate fraction from C. asiatica also protected against thiol oxidation induced by SNP and QA. Thus, the therapeutic potential of C. asiatica in neurological diseases could be associated to its antioxidant activity.

The transient receptor potential ankyrin 1 (TRPA1) has been identified as a relevant target for the development of novel analgesics. Gallic acid (GA) is a polyphenolic compound commonly found in green tea and various berries and possesses a wide range of biological activities. The goal of this study was to identify GA as a TRPA1 antagonist and observe its antinociceptive effects in different pain models. First, we evaluated the ability of GA to affect cinnamaldehyde-induced calcium influx. Then, we observed the antinociceptive and antiedematogenic effects of GA (3-100 mg/kg) oral administration after the intraplantar (i.pl.) injection of TRPA1 agonists (allyl isothiocyanate, cinnamaldehyde, or hydrogen peroxide-H2O2) in either an inflammatory pain model (carrageenan i.pl. injection) or a neuropathic pain model (chronic constriction injury) in male Swiss mice (25-35 g). GA reduced the calcium influx mediated by TRPA1 activation. Moreover, the oral administration of GA decreased the spontaneous nociception triggered by allyl isothiocyanate, cinnamaldehyde, and H2O2. Carrageenan-induced allodynia and edema were largely reduced by the pretreatment with GA. Moreover, the administration of GA was also capable of decreasing cold and mechanical allodynia in a neuropathic pain model. Finally, GA was absorbed after oral administration and did not produce any detectable side effects. In conclusion, we found that GA is a TRPA1 antagonist with antinociceptive properties in relevant models of clinical pain without detectable side effects, which makes it a good candidate for the treatment of painful conditions.

Harpagophytum procumbens, popularly known as devil's claw, is a plant commonly used in the treatment of diseases of inflammatory origin. The anti-inflammatory effects of H. procumbens have been studied; however, the mechanism of action is not elucidated. It is known that excess of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species may contribute to increasing tissue damage due to inflammation. In the present study, we examined the effects of H. procumbens infusion, crude extract and fractions on lipid peroxidation (brain homogenates) induced by different pro-oxidants (Fe(2+) or sodium nitroprusside) and the effects of ethyl acetate fraction (rich in phenolic compounds) on antioxidant defenses (catalase activity and thiol levels) and cell damage (brain cortical slices) induced by different pro-oxidants. All tested extracts of H. procumbens inhibited lipid peroxidation in a concentration-dependent manner. Furthermore, the ethyl acetate fraction had the highest antioxidant effects either by decreasing lipid peroxidation and cellular damage or restoring thiols levels and catalase activity. Taken together, our results showed that H. procumbens acts either by preventing oxidative stress or loss of cell viability. Thus, the previously reported anti-inflammatory effect of H. procumbens could also be attributed to its antioxidant activity.

Antimicrobial and antiviral activities of the fractions from Scutia buxifolia stem bark and leaves were evaluated. Best antimicrobial results occurred with the ethyl acetate (EA) and n-butanolic (NB) fractions from the leaves against Micrococcus sp. (minimal inhibitory concentration—MIC = 62.5 μg/ml), and NB fraction from stem bark and leaves against Klebsiella pneumoniae and Enterococcus faecalis (MIC = 62.5 μg/ml). The most active fractions were selected and fractioned into silica column to perform an in vitro antibiofilm assay, which evidenced subfractions EA2 and EA3 as the more active against Candida albicans (biofilm inhibitory concentration—BIC = 582 ± 0.01 μg/ml) and Staphylococcus aureus (BIC = 360 ± 0.007 μg/ml), respectively. The NB (selectivity index—SI = 25.78) and the EA (SI = 15.97) fractions from the stem bark, and the EA (SI = 14.13) fraction from the leaves exhibited a potential antiviral activity towards Herpes Simplex Virus type 1 whereas EA2 and EA3 subfractions from leaves (SI = 12.59 and 10.06, respectively), and NB2 subfraction from stem bark (SI = 12.34) maintained this good activity. Phenolic acids and flavonoids (gallic acid, chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, rutin, isoquercitrin, quercitrin and quercetin) were identified by HPLC and may be partially responsible for the antimicrobial and antiherpes activities observed. The results obtained in this study showed that Scutia buxifolia has antibiofilm and anti-herpetic activities and that these properties are reported for the first time for this species.

Classical antipsychotics can produce motor disturbances like tardive dyskinesia in humans and orofacial dyskinesia in rodents. These motor side effects have been associated with oxidative stress production in specific brain areas. Thus, some studies have proposed the use of natural compounds with antioxidant properties against involuntary movements induced by antipsychotics. Here, we examined the possible antioxidant activity of Bauhinia forficata (B. forficata), a plant used in folk medicine as a hypoglycemic, on brain lipid peroxidation induced by different pro-oxidants. B. forficata prevented the formation of lipid peroxidation induced by both pro-oxidants tested. However, it was effective against lipid peroxidation induced by sodium nitroprusside (IC50 = 12.08 μg/mL) and Fe(2+)/EDTA (IC50 = 41.19 μg/mL). Moreover, the effects of B. forficata were analyzed on an animal model of orofacial dyskinesia induced by long-term treatment with haloperidol, where rats received haloperidol each 28 days (38 mg/kg) and/or B. forficata decoction daily (2.5 g/L) for 16 weeks. Vacuous chewing movements (VCMs), locomotor and exploratory activities were evaluated. Haloperidol treatment induced VCMs, and co-treatment with B. forficata partially prevented this effect. Haloperidol reduced the locomotor and exploratory activities of animals in the open field test, which was not modified by B. forficata treatment. Our present data showed that B. forficata has antioxidant potential and partially protects against VCMs induced by haloperidol in rats. Taken together, our data suggest the protection by natural compounds against VCMs induced by haloperidol in rats.

Body size is directly related to the productive and reproductive performance of beef cattle raised under free-range conditions. In an attempt to better plan selection criteria, avoiding extremes in body size, this study estimated the heritabilities and genetic correlations of yearling hip height (YH) and mature hip height (MH) with selection indices obtained at weaning (WI) and yearling (YI) and mature weight (MW). Data from 102,373 Nelore animals born between 1984 and 2010, which belong to 263 farms that participate in genetic evaluation programmes of beef cattle conducted in Brazil and Paraguay, were used. The (co)variance components and genetic parameters were estimated by Bayesian inference in multi-trait analysis using an animal model. The mean heritabilities for YH, MH and MW were 0.56 ± 0.06, 0.47 ± 0.02 and 0.42 ± 0.02, respectively. The genetic correlation of YH with WI (0.13 ± 0.01) and YI (0.11 ± 0.01) was practically zero, whereas a higher correlation was observed with MW (0.22 ± 0.03). Positive genetic correlations of medium magnitude were estimated between MH and WI and YI (0.23 ± 0.01 and 0.43 ± 0.02, respectively). On the other hand, a high genetic correlation (0.68 ± 0.03) was observed between the indicator traits of mature body size (MH and MW). Considering the top 20 % of sire (896 sires) in terms of breeding values for the yearling index, the rank sire correlations between breeding values for MH and MW was 0.62. In general, the results indicate that selection based on WI and YI should not lead to important changes in YH. However, an undesired correlated response in mature cow height is expected, particularly when selection is performed using YI. Therefore, changes in the body structure of Nelore females can be obtained when MH and MW is used as a selection criterion for cows.

Oxidative stress is implicated in brain damage associated with ischemia-reperfusion. Natural antioxidants found in some plants used in folk medicine have been indi- cated as potential neuroprotective agents. Here we investi- gated whether Trichilia catigua, a traditional Brazilian herbal medicine alleged to exhibit a variety of neurophar- macological properties (antidepressant, anti-neurasthenic, anti-inflammatory etc.), could have neuroprotective prop- erties in rat hippocampal slices subjected to 2 h oxygen and glucose deprivation (OGD) followed by 1 h reper- fusion. Ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) significantly decreased mitochondrial viability, increased dichlorofluorescein oxi- dation above control both in the incubation medium and slices homogenates, increased lactate dehydrogenase into the incubation medium and decreased non-protein thiols. T. catigua (40-100 lg/mL) protected slices from the dele- terious effects of OGD when present before OGD and during the reperfusion periods. Oxidative stress in the medium was also determined under different conditions and the results demonstrated that T. catigua could not protect slices from I/R when it was added to the medium after ischemic insult. Although the translation to a real in vivo situation of I/R is difficult to be done, the results indicated that T. catigua should be used as preventive and not as a curative agent against brain damage.

The aim of this study was to identify molecular markers to be applied to marker-assisted selection. Three SNPs of the FASN gene were studied. PCR–RFLP was used for genotyping. The SNPs g.17924A>G, g.17860C>T and g.15603A>G all in the FASN gene were genotyped using the enzymes MscI, DdeI and Hae III, respectively. The animals were raised in extensive systems and belong to three lines selected for growth as part of the Selection Program of Zebu and Caracu Breeds, Sao Paulo, Brazil. Allele and genotype frequencies were compared between selection lines using the Genepop 3.4. Associations between polymorphisms and the traits studied were evaluated using the PROC MIXED procedure of the SAS/STAT 9.1.3. The G and C alleles were the most frequent alleles of the g.15603A>G and g.17860C>T loci, respectively. The g.17924A>G locus showed no polymorphism in the population studied. Allele and genotype frequencies differed significantly between the NeT line and the NeC and NeS lines. The g.15603A>G polymorphism tended to exert an additive effect on rump fat thickness and male yearling height. For g.17860C>T, an additive effect on male yearling height was observed. Genotype combination analysis revealed a significant effect on loin eye area. Although this study provided evidence of an association between the FASN gene and some traits, more detailed analyses are needed to obtain more efficient molecular markers.

Syzygium cumini (L.) Skeels (Sc) belongs to the medicinal plants with an important source of phenolic compounds. Sc has been shown to possess antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Methylmercury (MeHg), a highly toxic environmental pollutant, induces oxidative stress and dysfunction in many cell types. This study was aimed to evaluate the effect of aqueous seed extract of Sc (ASc) on MeHg-induced toxicity in rats. Two-day-old rats (P2) received a single dose of MeHg (10 mg/kg) and two doses of ASc (0.9 mg/kg) per os. After two days, the effects of the treatment were investigated in the cerebral cortex, hippocampus, kidney, liver and urine samples. Our results demonstrated that N-acetyl-β-D: -glucosaminidase (NAG) activity in the kidney and urine, the lipid peroxidation levels in the liver and kidney samples, as well as the adenosine deaminase (ADA) activity in the hippocampus, kidney and liver were higher in MeHg-group when compared to the control group. The administration of ASc reverted the toxic effects of MeHg. It is noteworthy to observe that the main compounds present in the ASc, as gallic acid (the major component), chlorogenic acid and rutin, might be the responsible for such benefit, since they were found to display antioxidant properties.

Inhibition α-amylase, α-glucosidase and angiotensin-I converting enzyme (ACE) are therapeutic approach to the management of type-2 diabetes (TD2) and hypertension, and phenolic-rich plants have shown promising potentials. Plum and Hogweed leaves are widely used across the world in managing TD2 without vivid scientific basis. This study investigated and compared the phenolic profile, α-amylase, α-glucosidase, ACE and Fe2+-induced lipid peroxidation in rat’ pancreas inhibitory effects of aqueous extracts from Plum and Hogweed leaves.: HPLC analyses revealed the presence of gallic, caffeic and p-coumaric acids, and cyanidin, catechin, quercetin, luteolin and kaempferol, with highest quantification found in Hogweed leaf except for gallic, and kaempferol which was only detected in Plum leaf. The IC50 values shown that the extract from Hogweed exhibited higher 𝛼-amylase (IC50=17.95 μg/ mL), 𝛼-glucosidase (IC50=13.69 μg/mL), ACE (IC50=14.16 μg/mL), and Fe2+-induced lipid peroxidation (IC50=81.58 μg/mL) inhibitory potentials when compared with that of Plum [𝛼-amylase (IC50=25.89 μg/mL), 𝛼-glucosidase (IC50=18.36 μg/mL), ACE (IC50=22.11 μg/ mL) and Fe2+-induced lipid peroxidation (IC50=107.54 μg/mL)]. These effects may be possible mechanisms by which these plants could be used in the prevention/management of TD2 and some allied complications such as hypertension. However, clinical and in vivo studies should be done to establish this claim.