Background/Aims: Trichilia catigua A. Juss., known as “catuaba” in Brazil, has been popularly used as a tonic for fatigue, impotence and memory deficits. Previously, our group demonstrated that the ethyl-acetate fraction (EAF) of T. catigua has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. The present study evaluated the anti-diabetic activity of EAF in type 1 diabetic rats. Methods: Male Wistar rats were divided into four groups (N: non-diabetic group, D: type 1 diabetic group, NC: non-diabetic + EAF group and DC: type 1 diabetic + EAF group). The latter two groups were treated with 200 mg/kg EAF. Type 1 diabetes was induced by intravenous streptozotocin (STZ) injection (35 mg/kg). Starting two days after STZ injection, EAF was administered daily by gavage for 8 weeks. Results: EAF attenuated body mass loss and reduced food and water intake. EAF improved hyperglycaemia and other biochemical parameters, such as alkaline phosphatase (ALP), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST). Furthermore, the number of pancreatic β-cells and the size of the islets had increased by β-cell proliferation in the DC group. EAF promoted reduction in kidney tissue damage in STZ-induced diabetic rats by reduction of renal fibrosis. Conclusion: The present study showed that EAF improves glucose homeostasis and endocrine pancreas morphology and inhibits the development of diabetic nephropathy in STZ-induced diabetic rats.

O estudo avaliou os efeitos da administração de 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) pelo protocolo de tratamento clínico por 14 dias no íleo em ratos Wistar saudáveis. Os animais foram divididos em dois grupos (n = 6 / grupo): grupo tratado com 5-FU e grupo controle. O grupo 5-FU recebeu 5-FU (15 mg / kg, ip) por 4 dias consecutivos, com redução da dose para 6 mg / kg por 4 dias alternados, seguido de uma última dose de manutenção de 15 mg / kg no dia 14. Este protocolo é comumente usado no ambiente clínico humano. O grupo controle recebeu solução salina (i.p.) de acordo com o mesmo protocolo de tratamento. O íleo foi fracionado para avaliar os parâmetros de estresse oxidativo (catalase [CAT], superóxido dismutase [SOD], glutationa-S-transferase [GST], grupos sulfidrila não proteicos [GSH], espécies reativas de oxigênio [ROS] e hidroperóxido de lipídio [LOOH]), marcadores de inflamação (interleucina-1 [IL-1], IL-6, mieloperoxidase [MPO] e N-acetilglucosaminidase [NAG]) e níveis de nitrito. Neurônios mioentéricos imunorreativos HuC / D, neurônios nitrérgicos imunorreativos de óxido nítrico neuronal (nNOS) e morfometria da parede do íleo também foram analisados. O tratamento com 5-FU promoveu estresse oxidativo e alterou os níveis de nitrito, mas não causou inflamação. Também reduziu a densidade de neurônios nitrérgicos e alterou a morfometria da população geral de neurônios mioentéricos HuC / D positivo e da subpopulação de neurônios nitrérgicos positivos para nNOS. O tratamento com protocolo clínico de 5-FU promoveu mucosite grau I em ratos, caracterizada por estresse oxidativo e alterações morfológicas na parede intestinal.

We aimed investigate the effects of 45 min of ischemia followed by 72 h of intestinal reperfusion (IR) in the ileum, liver, lungs, and kidneys in Wistar rats and the responses of these organs to curcumin treatment. Ischemia was induced by occluding the superior mesenteric artery. Rats were treated orally with 40 mg/kg curcumin. We analyzed oxidative stress and inflammation in the ileum, liver, lungs, and kidneys. Intestinal IR led to a reduction of reduced glutathione levels in the intestine, lungs, and kidneys and increased lipid hydroperoxide levels in all organs. An increase in the enzymatic activity of catalase was observed in all organs, and an increase in superoxide dismutase activity was observed in the ileum and lungs. Glutathione s-transferase levels increased only in the kidneys. Myeloperoxidase increased in all four organs, and n-acetyl-glycosaminidase increased only in the ileum and lungs. Curcumin prevented all of the changes in the ileum and liver. In the lungs, curcumin had no effect on n-acetyl-glycosaminidase. Curcumin did not prevent the changes in reduced glutathione, lipid hydroperoxides, or myeloperoxidase in the kidneys. Intestinal IR caused oxidative stress and inflammation in the ileum, lungs, and kidneys and to a lesser degree in the liver. Because of its systemic distribution, curcumin prevented changes mainly in the ileum, lungs, and liver and to a lesser degree in the kidneys.

Nutritional insults early in life, such as during the suckling phase, are associated with phenotypic alterations and promote adverse permanent effects that impair the capacity to maintain energy balance in adulthood. This study aimed to evaluate the long-term effects of a low-protein (LP) diet during lactation on the metabolism and antioxidant systems of adult female rat offspring. Dams were fed a low-protein diet (4% protein) during the first two weeks of lactation or a normal-protein (NP) diet (20% protein) during the entire lactation period. The female offspring received a standard diet throughout the experiment. At 90 days of age, female LP offspring exhibited decreased body weight, feeding efficiency, and fat pad stores. The adult LP female offspring displayed brown adipose tissue hyperplasia without alterations in glucose homeostasis. The LP diet decreased liver triglyceride content and improved the antioxidant system compared to the NP group. The LP diet during the suckling phase promotes a lean phenotype and improves the hepatocyte antioxidant system in adult female offspring. Thus, the LP diet may play an important role in homeostasis and the prevention of metabolic damage.

This study aimed to understand the possible effects of acute thermal stress (32ºC, 12 hours) on body temperature using two measurement methods (via probe and rectal), on the morphometric aspects of the heart and aortic artery, on gene expression (superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase-3, nitric oxide synthase, angiotensin-converting enzyme and esterified cholesterol transfer protein), inflammatory parameters (myeloperoxidase and N-acetylglycosaminidase), oxidative stress parameters and nitrite levels in broilers (Cobb 500) at 42 days of age. 36 broilers with 42 days of age were used, distributed in a 2x2 factorial scheme: two thermal environments (comfort at 18ºC and stress at 32ºC) and two methods of measuring body temperature (via probe and rectal). Thermal stress triggered an increase in body temperature regardless of the measurement method. There was a significant effect on the thickness of the aortic artery wall and on the lateral lateral and posterior antero diameters (P <0.05). Likewise, there was a difference in the dosages of lipid hydroperoxides, in the quantification of reactive oxygen species and in the dosage of nitrite (P <0.05). The quantification of the mRNA of the induced nitric oxide synthase, angiotensin-converting enzyme and esterified cholesterol transfer protein genes were significantly higher in animals subjected to heat stress. Thus, it can be concluded that acute thermal stress was able to promote several morphological and molecular changes in the heart and aorta artery of broilers.