Different studies in experimental diabetes models suggest that zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnONPs) are useful as antidiabetic agents. However, this evidence was performed and measured in long-term treatments and with repeated doses of ZnONPs. This work aimed to evaluate the ZnONPs acute effects on glycemia during the next six h after an oral or intraperitoneal administration of the treatment in healthy and diabetic rats. In this study, the streptozotocin-nicotinamide intraperitoneal administration in male Wistar rats were used as a diabetes model. 10 mg/kg ZnONPs did not modify the baseline glucose in any group. Nevertheless, the ZnONPs short-term administration (100 mg/kg) induced a hyperglycemic response in a dose and route-dependent administration in healthy (130 ± 2 and 165 ± 10 mg/dL with oral and intraperitoneal, respectively) and diabetic rats (155 ± 2 and 240 ± 20 mg/dL with oral, and intraperitoneal, respectively). The diabetic rats were 1.5 fold more sensitive to ZnONPs effect by the intraperitoneal route. In conclusion, this study provides new information about the acute response of ZnONPs on fasting glycemia in diabetic and healthy rat models; these data are essential for possible future clinical approaches.

The aim of this work was to determine whether Capsaicin may exert a vascular regulation through the activation of CB₁ and/or CB₂ receptors causing vasorelaxation in the rat aorta. Our results show the location of TRPV1 mainly in the endothelial and smooth muscle cells membrane. Nevertheless, Capsaicin caused vasorelaxation of this artery through a mechanism independent of TRPV1, since the specific antagonists Capsazepine and SB-366791 did not block the effect of Capsaicin. Because the significant expression of CB₁ and CB₂ receptors has been previously reported in the rat aorta, we used antagonists for these two receptors prior to the addition of Capsaicin. In these experiments, we found that the inhibition of CB₁ using AM281, decreases the vasorelaxant effect caused by Capsaicin. On the other hand, the vasorelaxant effect is not altered in the presence of the CB₂ receptor antagonist AM630. Furthermore, a partial decrease of the effect of Capsaicin was also seen when L-type calcium channels are blocked. A complete block of Capsaicin-induced vasorelaxation was achieved using a combination of Verapamil and AM281. In accordance to our results, Capsaicin-induced vasorelaxation of the rat aorta is neither dependent of TRPV1 or CB₂ receptors, but rather it is strongly suggested that a tandem mechanism between inactivation of L-type calcium channels and the direct activation of CB₁ receptors is involved. These findings are supported by CB₁ docking simulation which predicted a binding site on CB₁ receptors for Capsaicin.

The Cannabis genus of plants has been widely used in different cultures for various purposes. It is separated into three main species: sativa, indica, and ruderalis. In ancient practices, the plant was used as a multipurpose crop and valued for its fiber, food, and medicinal uses. Since methodologies for the extraction, processing, and identification of components have become available, medical, and food applications have been increasing, allowing potential development in the pharmaceutical and healthy functional food industries. Although the growing legalization and adoption of cannabis for the treatment of diseases are key factors pushing the growth of its market, the biggest challenge is to obtain higher-quality products in a time- and cost-effective fashion, making the process of extraction and separation an essential step. Latin American countries exhibit great knowledge of extraction technologies; nevertheless, it is still necessary to verify whether production costs are economically profitable. In addition, there has been an increase in commercial cannabis products that may or may not be allowed, with or without quality fact sheets, which can pose health risks. Hence, legalization is mandatory and urgent for the rest of Latin American countries. In this article, the phytochemical compounds (cannabinoids, terpenes, and phenolic compounds), the current status of legalization, extraction techniques, and research advances in cannabis in Latin America are reviewed.

Extracellular synthesis of functional cyclodextrins (CDs) as intermediates of starch assimilation is a convenient microbial adaptation to sequester substrates, increase the half-life of the carbon source, carry bioactive compounds, and alleviate chemical toxicity through the formation of CD-guest complexes. Bacteria encoding the four steps of the carbohydrate metabolism pathway via cyclodextrins (CM-CD) actively internalize CDs across the microbial membrane via a putative type I ATP-dependent ABC sugar importer system, MdxEFG-(X/MsmX). While the first step of the CM-CD pathway encompasses extracellular starch-active cyclomaltodextrin glucanotransferases (CGTases) to synthesize linear dextrins and CDs, it is the ABC importer system in the second step that is the critical factor in determining which molecules from the CGTase activity will be internalized by the cell. Here, structure-function relationship studies of the cyclo⁄maltodextrin-binding protein MdxE of the MdxEFG-MsmX importer system from Thermoanaerobacter mathranii subsp. mathranii A3 are presented. Calorimetric and fluorescence studies of recombinant MdxE using linear dextrins and CDs showed that although MdxE binds linear dextrins and CDs with high affinity, the open-to-closed conformational change is solely observed after α- and β-CD binding, suggesting that the CM-CD pathway from Thermoanaerobacterales is exclusive for cellular internalization of these molecules. Structural analysis of MdxE coupled with docking simulations showed an overall architecture typically found in sugar-binding proteins (SBPs) that comprised two N- and C-domains linked by three small hinge regions, including the conserved aromatic triad Tyr193/Trp269/Trp378 in the C-domain and Phe87 in the N-domain involved in CD recognition and stabilization. Structural bioinformatic analysis of the entire MdxFG-MsmX importer system provided further insights into the binding, internalization, and delivery mechanisms of CDs. Hence, while the MdxE-CD complex couples to the permease subunits MdxFG to deliver the CD into the transmembrane channel, the dimerization of the cytoplasmatic promiscuous ATPase MsmX triggers active transport into the cytoplasm. This research provides the first results on a novel thermofunctional SBP and its role in the internalization of CDs in extremely thermophilic bacteria.