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Hexavalent chromium induces nephrotoxicity and carcinogenesis by oxidative stress. Decoction of Selaginella lepidophylla (Hook. & Grev.) Spring, Selaginellaceae, is widely used against kidney diseases in Mexican traditional medicine. The aim of this study was to determine the protective activity of decoction of S. lepidophylla in chromium 6+-induced nephrotoxicity in rats. Nephrotoxicity was induced by the administration of potassium dichromate (15 mg/kg) in rats. Animals were distributed into control and chromium-intoxicated rats without treatment and treated with decoction of the plant at doses of 250 and 500 mg/kg for 7 days. Blood, urine, and kidneys were obtained at days 1, 3, 5, and 7 of treatments. Rats with nephrotoxicity showed a decrease of urinary volume, creatinine clearance, active tubular secretion, and electrolyte balance, but an increment in serum creatinine, ROS production, and lipid peroxidation in the kidney. After treatment with decoction of the plant, renal function was recovered since days 3 and 5 at tested doses.

Curcumin, the most important secondary metabolite isolated from Curcuma longa, is known for its numerous purported therapeutic properties and as a natural dye. Herein, based on curcumin&rsquo, s intrinsic fluorescence, a search for improved curcumin-based fluorophores was conducted. Within the set of semi-synthetic curcumin derivatives i.e. mono (1), di (2), tri (3), tetra (4) benzylated and dibenzyl-fluoroborate (5), the fluorescence properties of 2 and 5 in solution outstood with a two-fold quantum yield compared to curcumin. Furthermore, all benzylated derivatives showed a favorable minimal cytotoxic activity upon screening at 25 &mu, M against human cancer and non-tumoral COS-7 cell lines, with a reduction of its cytotoxic effect related to the degree of substitution. Fluorophores 2 and 5 are versatile bioimaging tools, as revealed by Confocal Fluorescence Microscopy (CFM), and showed permeation of living cell membranes of astrocytes and astrocytomas. When 2 is excited with a 405- (blue) or 543-nm (green) laser, it is possible to exclusively and intensively visualize the nucleus. However, the fluorescence emission fades as the laser wavelength moves towards the red region. In comparison, 5 allows selective visualization of cytoplasm when a 560-nm laser is used, showing emission in the NIR region, while it is possible to exclusively observe the nucleus at the blue region with a 405-nm laser.

The structures of methoxymethyl (E)-3-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)acrylate, 2; (E)-3-(3-methoxy-4-(methoxymethoxy)phenyl)acrylic acid, 3; methyl (E)- 3-(4-(benzyloxy)-3-methoxyphenyl)acrylate, 4; benzyl (E)-3-(4-(benzyloxy)- 3-methoxyphenyl)acrylate, 6; and (E)-3-(4-(benzyloxy)-3-methoxyphenyl)- acrylic acid, 7; were established by spectroscopic and X-ray diffraction studies. Structure 2 is a new com-pound. Compounds with free phenolic hydroxyls v.gr. methyl (E)-3-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)acrylate 1, 2 and ben-zyl(E)-3-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)acrylate 5, showed scavenging free- radical and antioxidant activity while moderate scavenging free-radical was observed in compound 3. Moderate inhibition of lipid peroxidation was observed for 7. Compound 5 exerted significant inhibition of cell growth in PC-3, K562 tumor cell lines and 4 exhibited the largest cytotoxic effect upon the K562 cell line.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the diuretic activity of aqueous extract of Verbesina crocata at different doses in rat. The aqueous extract (100 and 400 mg/kg for decoction; 200 and 400 mg/kg for smoothie form), furosemide (4 mg/kg and vehicle were administered per os to rat. After 6 hours in metabolic cages, the urinary flow, glomerular filtration rate and electrolyte balance (Na+ and K+) were assessed. All doses produced an increment of urinary flow and Na+/K+ excretion. Glomerular filtration rate was incremented only on smoothie form at 400 mg/kg. These findings provide a basis explaining the traditional folk medicine use of this plant as a diuretic agent.Video Clip of Methodology:Method for diuretic activity: 1 min 37 sec Full Screen Alternate

Arthrospira maxima ( Spirulina) is considered a nutraceutical or functional food because it provides health benefits and it is used as nephroprotector because it contains nucleophilic compounds as phycobiliproteins and phycocyanin that prevent oxidative stress and cellular damage process. Also, it is known that inorganic mercury is bioaccumulated and exerted kidney toxicity. Despite the nephroprotective effect of Spirulina and its components, there is not enough information about the effect of them on renal function as well as the apoptosis process inhibition. This work aimed to investigate whether phycobiliproteins and phycocyanin of Spirulina can improve HgCl2-related glomerular and tubular renal dysfunction as well as the Bax, Bcl2, and effectors caspases alterations. Male mice were administrated with Spirulina, phycobiliproteins or phycocyanin 30 min before 5 mg/Kg HgCl2 administration. The nutraceuticals were administrated for the next 5 days. Then, the mice were euthanized. The renal function, caspases 3 and 9 activities, as well as Bax and Bcl2 expression were evaluated. Spirulina and its components prevent HgCl2-related apoptosis induction and glomerular dysfunction. We concluded that phycobiliproteins and phycocyanin of Spirulina reduce glomerular damage but not the tubular dysfunction in a mercury-related acute kidney injury.

Curcumin and its derivatives have been extensively studied for their remarkable medicinal properties, and their chemical synthesis has been an important step in the optimization of well-controlled laboratory production. A family of new compounds that mimic the structure of curcumin and curcuminoids, here named retro-curcuminoids (7–14), was synthesized and characterized using 1D 1H- and 13C-NMR, IR, and mass spectrometry; the X-ray structure of 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13, and 14 are reported here for the first time. The main structural feature of these compounds is the reverse linkage of the two aromatic moieties, where the acid chloride moiety is linked to the phenolic group while preserving α, β-unsaturated ketone functionality. The cytotoxic screening of 7, 8, 9, and 10 at 50 and 10 µg/mL was carried out with human cancer cell lines K562, MCF-7, and SKLU-1. Lipid peroxidation on rat brain was also tested for compounds 7 and 10. Compounds 7, 8, and 10 showed relevant cytotoxic activity against these cancer cell lines, and 10 showed a protective effect against lipid peroxidation. The molecular resemblance to curcuminoids and analogs with ortho substituents suggests a potential source of useful bioactive compounds.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the diuretic activity of Eysenhardtia polystachya bark aqueous extract at different doses in a rat model. Different doses of E. polystachya (125, 250, 500 and 750 mg/kg body weight), furosemide (4 mg/kg) and vehicle were administered per os to female rats (n=6 animals per group). After 6 hours in metabolic cages, the effect on urinary flow, glomerular filtration rate and electrolyte balance of sodium and potassium were assessed in all animals. E. polystachya at the doses of 500 and 750 mg/kg induced diuretic activity, since markedly increased (p E. polystachya bark-induced diuretic activity, providing evidence for its folkloric use.