Medicinal species with gastroprotective activity found in the Brazilian Cerrado

Peptic and/or duodenal ulcers are characterized by diverse acute and chronic ulcerative lesions that commonly arise in any portion of the gastric mucosa that is exposed to the aggressive action of gastric acid. The pathophysiology of peptic ulcers has been attributed to an imbalance between aggressive and protective factors. In Brazil, medicinal plants are commonly used to treat this ailment. A country with great biodiversity, Brazil is considered a rich source of therapeutic products. There have been popular and pharmacological reports on the medicinal relevance of the Brazilian cerrado plant species, including Ananas ananassoides, Celtis iguanaea, Encholirium spectabile, Hymenaea stigonocarpa, Lafoensia pacari, Qualea grandiflora, Qualea parvifora, Mouriri pusa, Solanum lycocarpum, Solanum paniculatum, Serjania erecta, and Vochysia tucanorum, in the treatment of stomach disorders. The aim of the present review was to report on some of the Brazilian cerrado plants that are used in folk medicine because of their gastroprotective potential and to encourage novel studies in the search and preservation of plants with this therapeutic potential.     

Vivência Negra: Black Lesbians Affective Experiences in Brazilian Gynecology

ABSTRACT

In Salvador-Bahia, many Black lesbians are deeply concerned about how gynecologists dismiss or demean their sexuality, which often leads to prolonged lapses in gynecological care. Black lesbians who identify as virgins in particular are confronted with challenges that reveal entrenched normativity within the gynecological clinic. In this article, I examine Black lesbian virginity as a site of vivência Negra (Black woman’s existence or lived experience) during the gynecological encounter. In response to such encounters, Black lesbians assess their inhumane treatment by way of anti-racist knowledge production. The resulting anti-racist evaluations serve to identify and decenter white heteronormativity in gynecology.     

Brazilian meningococcal C conjugate vaccine: Scaling up studies

Several outbreaks caused by Neisseria meningitidis group C have been occurred in different regions of Brazil. A conjugate vaccine for Neisseria meningitidis was produced by chemical linkage between periodate-oxidized meningococcal C polysaccharide and hydrazide-activated monomeric tetanus toxoid via a modified reductive amination conjugation method. Vaccine safety and immunogenicity tested in Phase I and II trials showed satisfactory results. Before starting Phase III trials, vaccine production was scaled up to obtain industrial lots under Good Manufacture Practices (GMP). Comparative analysis between data obtained from industrial and pilot scales of the meningococcal C conjugate bulk showed similar execution times in the scaling up production process without significant losses or alterations in the quality attributes of purified compounds. In conclusion, scale up was considered satisfactory and the Brazilian meningococcal conjugate vaccine production aiming to perform Phase III trials is feasible.     

Identification of a novel allele, DRB1*1340, in two Brazilian individuals

We identified a novel HLA-DRB1 allele, named DRB1*1340 by the WHO HLA Nomenclature Committee, in two Brazilian individuals. Typing by polymerase chain reaction using sequence-specific oligonucleotide probes (PCR-SSOP) showed a DRB1*13 allele with an unusual hybridization pattern. DNA sequencing of both strands and comparison of the sequence with previously described DRB1 alleles revealed that the most similar allele is DRB1*1301, from which DRB1*1340 differs by a single nucleotide (T-->A) in exon 2, at position 127, codon 47 (Phe-->Tyr). The sequence received accession number AJ237964 from the EMBL database.     

Phytochemical,Antioxidant and Anticancer Activities of Extracts of Seven Fruits Found in the Southern Brazilian Flora

Methanol extracts of seven edible fruits found in southern Brazil: Garcinia achachairu, Rubus imperialis, Rubus rosaefolius, Solanum quitoense, Solanum sessiliflorun, Diospyros inconstans and Plinia glomerata, were evaluated for their total phenol content and antioxidant activity in different in vitro free radical scavenging models. In addition, studies were performed on cell viability of extracts of the seeds of G. achachairu against murine melanoma cells. The fruits peel and seeds of G. achachairu were very promising in terms of total phenol content (data in gallic acid equivalent per gram), as assessed by the Folin-Ciocalteu method, with values of 9.70±3.2 and 8.40±1.1, respectively. On the other hand, antioxidant activity using the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl scavenging assay showed that the fruit pulp and peel of P. glomerata presented the best profile, with values of the 16.3±1.8 and 15.9±2.4 μg/ml, respectively. Regarding the cytotoxic effect of methanol extract and guttiferone A from G. achachairu, we have observed that both inhibit the growth of B16F10 tumor cells, with calculated IC₅₀ values of 49.6±2.1 mg/ml and 48.6±5.4 mM, respectively.     

Validation of Fetal Medicine Foundation algorithm for prediction of pre-eclampsia in the first trimester in an unselected Brazilian population

Objective: The objective of this study is to evaluate the predictive performance of the Fetal Medicine Foundation (FMF) algorithm for prediction of preeclampsia (PE) between 11 and 14 weeks of gestation in an unselected Brazilian population.

Methods: We conducted a prospective cohort study with 617 singleton pregnancies of unselected risk. Biophysical markers (mean pulsatility index, mean arterial pressure) and biochemical markers (placental growth factor (PLGF) and PAPP-A) were inserted into the FMF software and converted into multiples of the median (MoM). The subjects were divided into five groups: early-onset PE, parturition <34 weeks’ gestation; preterm PE, parturition <37 weeks; PE, parturition at any gestational age; gestational hypertension (GH); and control group. Areas under the receiver operating characteristics curve (AUC) were calculated for the outcomes.

Results: Among 617 patients, seven developed early-onset PE, 18 developed preterm PE (seven early PE plus 11 delivered between 34 and 36?+?6 weeks gestation), 34 developed PE (18 preterm PE plus 16 delivered after 37-week gestation), 12 pregnant women developed GH, and 517 women comprised the control group. The best predictive performance using the FMF algorithm occurred in the early-onset PE group, with AUC?=?0.946 (95% CI 0.919–0.973) and the detection rate of 28.6% and 85.7% for 5% and 10% false-positive (FP), respectively.

Conclusions: The FMF algorithm to predict PE was effective in a Brazilian population, mainly in the early-onset form of the disease at 10% FP.     

Recovery,citizenship, and psychosocial rehabilitation: A dialog between Brazilian and American mental health care approaches

ABSTRACT

Over the past 30 years, the Brazilian psychiatric reform, based on the anti-asylum social movement and the psychosocial rehabilitation model of care, transformed radically the country’s system of mental health care. Even though tremendous gains were made, people with serious mental illness continue to have limited access to citizenship. In the United States the recovery movement has enhanced the central role of people with serious mental illness as an active and responsible agent in their recovery process, encouraging a more collaborative role for service users, but, still, there are challenges to citizenship. This article first identifies commonalities between these two movements, central to mental health advances in the two distinct cultures of Brazil and the United States. Then, though celebrating the cultural differences between the two societies, the authors consider the possibility of cross-fertilization and propose a set of suggestions that could help both countries to overcome the remaining barriers to social justice for those living with mental health issues. From the American recovery movement, the authors learn that society can and must make adaptations to allow people with mental health disorders to live as citizens regardless of the symptoms they might manifest. From Brazil, mental health workers can use solidarity as a tool to create inventive solutions for those with a mental health disorder to live as citizens, regardless of the symptoms they might manifest.     

An overview of recently published medical papers in Brazilian scientific journals

A brief review intended as information to the readership of Clinics on papers recently published under various medical headings in Brazilian scientific journals recently indexed or about to be indexed in ISI-THOMSON Journal Citation Reports. Journals covered in this review are Acta Ortopédica Brasileira, Arquivos Brasileiros de Cardiologia, Jornal Brasileiro de Pneumologia, Revista Brasileira de Cirurgia Cardiovascular and Revista da Associação Médica Brasileira.     

Frequency of genetic polymorphisms of PXR gene in the Brazilian population

INTRODUCTION:

PXR polymorphisms have been implicated in modulating CYP3A4 and PXR expression, potentially accounting for interindividual differences in drug metabolism. The prevalence of PXR polymorphisms varies among ethnic groups and data on the allelic distribution in the highly mixed Brazilian population is lacking. The aim of this study was to analyze genetic variations in the PXR gene in Brazilians and to compare the results to other ethnic groups.

METHODS:

DNA samples from 117 healthy Brazilians underwent PCR amplification and sequencing.

RESULTS:

Eleven polymorphisms were identified, 3 of which are highly associated with differences in CYP3A4 expression. We also identified 1 new synonymous variant in 1.3% of the alleles. Among the functional polymorphisms, –25913 C>T and –6994T>C occurred at a higher frequency compared to the African alleles (p < 0.05) but at a lower frequency compared to Caucasian alleles. The 8055 C>T allele was found at a similar frequency to those described in Caucasians and Africans (p > 0.05).

CONCLUSION:

We observed that functional variants of the PXR were frequent in our sample of the Brazilian population. Our results suggest that PXR gene variants may be of interest in pharmacogenetic studies involving Brazilians.     

Unpredictable chronic stress model in zebrafish (Danio rerio): behavioral and physiological responses

Zebrafish (Danio rerio) have emerged as a promising model organism to study development, toxicology, pharmacology, and neuroscience, among other areas. Despite the increasing number of studies using zebrafish, behavioral studies with this species are still elementary when compared to rodents. The aim of this study was to develop a model of unpredictable chronic stress (UCS) in zebrafish. We evaluated the effects of UCS protocol during 7 or 14 days on behavioral and physiological parameters. The effects of stress were evaluated in relation to anxiety and exploratory behavior, memory, expression of corticotrophin-releasing factor (CRF) and glucocorticoid receptor (GR), and cortisol levels. As expected, UCS protocol increased the anxiety levels, impaired cognitive function, and increased CRF while decreased GR expression. Moreover, zebrafish submitted to 7 or 14 days of UCS protocol presented increased cortisol levels. The protocol developed here is a complementary model for studying the neurobiology and the effects of chronic stress in behavioral and physiological parameters. In addition, this protocol is less time consuming than standard rodent models commonly used to study chronic stress. These results confirm UCS in zebrafish as an adequate model to preclinical studies of stress, although further studies are warranted to determine its predictive validity.