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The hydroalcoholic extract of B. dracunculifolia (HEBD) and its major compound p-coumaric acid were evaluated against the severity of intestinal inflammation and behavioral changes like depressive and anxious behavior in colitis mice. Colitis was induced in Swiss mice by oral dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) administration for five days. The mice received vehicle (10 ml/kg), HEBD (3, 30, or 300 mg/kg), or p-coumaric acid (15 mg/kg) orally, once a day for twelve days. Behavioral tests were performed on the 11th and 12th days after the beginning of the treatments. Moreover, the colon, cortex, and hippocampus were collected to analyze oxidative and inflammatory parameters. The treatment with HEBD (300 mg/Kg), but not p-coumaric acid, showed decreased disease activity index (DAI) values compared to the vehicle group and partially preserved the villi architecture and mucin levels. Furthermore, the HEBD increased the antioxidant defenses in the colon and hippocampus and reduced the myeloperoxidase activity and IL-6 levels in the colon from colitis mice. Colitis mice treated with HEBD did not show depressive-like behavior in the tail suspension test. HEBD reduced colon inflammation, while it maintains antioxidant defenses and mucin levels in this tissue. It may reduce neuropsychiatric comorbidities associated with colitis through its antioxidant effects.

Propolis has been used for the treatment of gastric disturbances in folk medicine, nevertheless, the gastric healing effects of Brazilian red propolis have not been unveiled. This study aimed to assess the gastric healing effect of the hydroalcoholic extract of red propolis (HERP) in the acetic acid-induced ulcer model. Rats under acetic acid-induced-ulcer were treated with HERP (100 mg/kg, p.o.) twice a day for seven days. Histological changes, oxidative stress, and inflammatory parameters were analyzed in the gastric tissue. Moreover, the gastric wall thickness was measured by ultrasound. The in vitro cytotoxicity of HERP and cellular migration of fibroblasts were evaluated. The treatment with HERP promoted gastric healing, reducing gastric wall thickness, macroscopic lesion area, and histopathological damages compared to the vehicle. Moreover, HERP reduced oxidative stress and inflammation in the gastric tissue but did not change mucin or collagen levels. HERP did not show signs of toxicity either in vivo or in vitro. HERP displayed a healing effect in vivo by reducing oxidative stress and inflammation. These data contribute to validating the popular use of this product in the treatment of gastric disorders and advance scientific knowledge in the search for new drugs for the management of gastric ulcers.

The p-coumaric acid is a phenolic compound present in large quantities in the extract of Baccharis dracunculifolia DC, a Brazilian medicinal plant used to treat gastric ulcer. Given the necessity for finding new chemical components capable of accelerating gastric healing, in this study, the effects of the p-coumaric acid were evaluated in the acetic acid–induced ulcer model in rats, where histological, inflammatory, and oxidative parameters were analyzed. The healing property was also evaluated in the scratch assay on fibroblast cells (L929) and the cytotoxicity of p-coumaric acid was assessed in both L929 and human gastric adenocarcinoma (AGS) cells by MTT assay. The treatment with p-coumaric acid (10 mg/kg, p.o.) for 7 days, twice a day, decreased by 44.6% the acetic acid–induced gastric ulcer compared with the vehicle-treated group. The vehicle control–treated group showed a larger extension of the ulcer base and an extensive damage into the mucosa and submucosa layers, which were mitigated by the treatment with p-coumaric acid. This beneficial effect was also associated with increased levels of mucin and reduced glutathione, decreased amount of lipid hydroperoxides, and increased superoxide dismutase and catalase activities without interfering with the activity of myeloperoxidase in the gastric tissue. The compound promoted the restructuring of the cell monolayer in the scratch test and did not show toxicity in the L929 cell line, while reduced the viability of the AGS, a lineage of human gastric adenocarcinoma. Thus, p-coumaric acid may be considered a natural source for the treatment of gastric ulcers, by reinforcing protective factors of gastric mucosa and by accelerating gastric healing.

Taxifolin (3,5,7,3,4-pentahydroxy flavanone or dihydroquercetin, Tax) was identified as a gastroprotective compound and a gastroadhesive formulation was recently developed to prolong its residence time and release in the stomach. So, the gastric healing effectiveness of Tax and gastro-mucoadhesive microparticles containing Tax (MPTax) against the acetic acid induced-gastric ulcer in rats was investigated in this study. Moreover, the interactions between Tax and H+/K+-ATPase were investigated in silico, and its anti- H. pylori activity was determined in vitro. The oral treatment with MPTax (81.37 mg/kg, containing 12.29% of Tax) twice a day for seven days reduced the ulcer area by 63%, compared to vehicle-treated group (Veh: 91.9 ± 10.3 mm2). Tax (10 mg/kg, p.o) reduced the ulcer by 40% but with a p = 0.07 versus Veh group. Histological analysis confirmed these effects. Tax and MPTax increased the gastric mucin amount, reduced the myeloperoxidase activity, and increased the glutathione reduced content at ulcer site. However, only MPTax decreased the lipoperoxide accumulation at ulcer site. Besides, Tax and MPTax normalize the catalase and glutathione S-transferase activity. Tax showed reversible interaction with H+/K+-ATPase in silico and its anti-H. pylori effects was confirmed (MIC = 625 μg/mL). These results suggest that the antiulcer property of Tax involves the strengthening of the gastric protective factors in parallel to its inhibitory interaction with H+/K+-ATPase and H. pylori. Considering that ulcer healing action displayed by Tax was favored by gastroadhesive microparticles, this approach seems to be promising for its oral delivery to treat acid-peptic diseases.

Baccharis dracunculifolia is a medicinal plant native to southeastern Brazil and is the main botanical source used by bees (Apis mellifera) in the manufacture of green propolis and display similar gastroprotective action and chemical profile. This article reports the healing gastric ulcer activity of the hydroethanolic extract of B. dracunculifolia (HEBD) in an acetic acid-induced ulcer model. In addition to the extract, the isolated compounds ferulic acid, p-coumaric acid, caffeic acid, baccharin, and aromadendrin-4'-O-methyl ether were also assayed. HEBD at a dose of 300 mg/kg reduced the ulcerated area by 49.4% after treatment for 7 days, twice a day. Histological analyses revealed that the margins and base of the ulcer obtained significant regeneration, and periodic acid Schiff base staining showed a 78.2% increase in the mucin levels. The action on the enzymatic antioxidant system demonstrated an increased activity of superoxide dismutase and glutathione-S-transferase, in addition to raising glutathione reduced levels and myeloperoxidase activity. HEBD did not show cytotoxicity in the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenylterazole bromine test. In vitro, HEBD inhibited the H+ /K+ -ATPase enzyme and showed antioxidant activity in the 2,2 diphenyl-1-picryllydrazyl test. Regarding the isolated compounds, oral administration of p-coumaric acid (15 mg/kg) reduced the ulcerated area by 66.2%. The results suggest that HEBD recovers the gastric ulcerated tissue, raising mucus and antioxidant enzyme levels, and reducing the H+ /K+ -ATPase activity. In addition, the findings confirm that p-coumaric acid is a pivotal bioactive compound on the gastric healing effects elicited by HEBD. © 2019 BioFactors, 45(3):479-489, 2019.

A amamentação tem desempenhado papel importante na saúde dos neonatos, sendo o leite materno o alimento que fornece os nutrientes que a criança necessita para um adequado crescimento e desenvolvimento eoferece efeitos protetores essencial para a redução de alergias alimentares que está relacionada com interferências nutricionais nessa fase da vida. O presente estudo teve como objetivo investigar na literatura científica as relações entre a hipersensibilidade alimentar com o desmame precoce, verificando a associação entre esses dois conceitos abordando as principais causas que levam ao desenvolvimento de alergias alimentares. Foi realizada uma pesquisa de revisão de literatura nas bases de dados Google Acadêmico, SCIELO e LILACS, com ênfase em artigos dos últimos 10 anos, referente à relação do desmame precoce e reações alergênicas. Por meio da revisão bibliográfica, verificou-se que muitas são as causas que levam à interrupção do aleitamento materno, como a ausência de informações, introdução precoce de alimentos e o retorno da mãe ao trabalho. As reações alérgicas tem suas causas complexas e multifatoriais, mas alguns alimentos são compostos predisponentes de alergias alimentares, como o leite de vaca, glúten, frutos do mar, ovos e soja. Observa-se que imaturidade do sistema imunológico dos neonatos está diretamente relacionada à sensibilização alérgica, em que a ausência de amamentação ou sua interrupção precoce e a introdução de outros tipos de alimentos na dieta da criança pode causar consequências a sua saúde e expô-los a agentes infecciosos que causam reações alérgicas.