Medicinal plants belonging to the Verbenaceae family demonstrated antidepressant effects in preclinical studies. Depression is one of the largest contributors to the global health burden of all countries. Plants from the Aloysia genus are traditionally used for affective disorders, and some of them have proven anxiolytic and antidepressant activity. The aim of this work was to evaluate the antidepressant effect of the ethanolic extract of Aloysia gratissima var. gratissima (Agg) and Aloysia virgata var. platyphylla (Avp) in mice. A tail suspension test (TST) and forced swimming test (FST) were conducted after three doses in a period of 24 h and after 7 days of treatment. Imipramine was used as an antidepressant drug. The main results demonstrated that Agg extract reduced the immobility time in mice treated orally for 7 consecutive days when compared to the control group (reduced by about 77%, imipramine 70%). Animals treated with three doses of Avp in a 24-h period had reduced immobility time in the FST (60%), and after 7 days of treatment the reduction was greater (Avp 50, 100, and 200 about 85%; Avp 400, 96.5%; p < 0.0001, imipramine, 77%). LCMS analysis showed the presence of verbascoside, hoffmaniaketone, and hoffmaniaketone acetate in both, A. virgata var. platyphylla and A. gratissima var gratissima. The flavonoids nepetin and 6-hydroxyluteolin were also found in Agg. Both tested extracts demonstrated promising antidepressant-like activity in mice.

La enfermedad COVID-19 es una enfermedad infecciosa causada por el virus SARS-COV-2, declarada emergencia de salud pública de importancia mundial y la vacunación fue planteada como la mejor herramienta contra esta enfermedad. Como ocurre con cualquier vacuna, algunas personas experimentan efectos secundarios leves o moderados después de vacunarse, por ello en este estudio se determinó la frecuencia de efectos adversos asociados a las vacunas contra la COVID-19 en funcionarios y estudiantes de la Facultad de Ciencias Químicas de la UNA durante el año 2021. Para el trabajo se realizó un estudio observacional analítico de corte transversal. La población accesible fueron los funcionarios y estudiantes de la FCQ-UNA, de ambos sexos, vacunados con las dos primeras dosis con cualquier vacuna contra la COVID-19, y que hayan accedido a participar del estudio dando su consentimiento informado. La obtención de datos se realizó aplicando una encuesta por Google Forms a la población accesible mediante muestreo no probabilístico de conveniencia por conglomerados. Las variables estudiadas fueron: sexo, edad, enfermedades de base, la clase de la vacuna recibida, las manifestaciones clínicas que presentaron después de la aplicación de las vacunas, y el tiempo de aparición de síntomas. De las 147 personas que cumplieron con los criterios de inclusión, el 85% eran del sexo femenino, el 68,7% tenían entre 20 a 29 años. El 60,5% de los participantes recibió la vacuna Pfizer, el 71,4% tenían antecedentes de COVID-19 y el 78,2% no tenía enfermedad de base. El 60,5% de la población de estudio presentó síntomas posteriores a la primera vacunación de COVID-19, y el 61,2% tras la segunda dosis. El tiempo de inicio de síntomas tras la administración de las vacunas fue mayormente entre 8 a 12 horas después de la vacunación tanto para la primera como para la segunda dosis. Se concluye que la mayoría de la población enfocada presentó efectos secundarios con la administración de ambas dosis, sin embargo, los síntomas fueron leves y en su mayoría aparecieron de 8 a 12 horas posterior a la aplicación.

Allophylus edulis is used in folk medicine primarily for liver conditions such as hepatitis, liver cancer and liver cirrhosis. In vitro hepatoprotective activity was previously demonstrated. The aim of this work was to evaluate the antioxidant capacity and hepatoprotective effect of the ethanolic extract of A. edulis in mice. This was done by first determining the acute toxicity of the extract, evaluating the general behavior, and subsequently verifying the effect on paracetamol-induced toxic hepatitis in male mice. Additionally, the phytochemical profile was performed, and the content of total phenols and its total antioxidant capacity were quantified through the 2,2, azinobis-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline)-6 sulfonic acid radical cation (ABTS) method. The extract of A. edulis leaves did not demonstrate adverse effects up to 2000 mg/kg, p.o. Anthraquinones, flavonoids, triterpenoids, and tannins were detected. A high content of total phenolic compounds (TPC) was related to a high antioxidant capacity. Regarding the results of the biological tests, A. edulis did not affect the general behavior of the mice, and all doses tested decreased glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase (GOT) and glutamic-pyruvic transaminase (GPT) activity, the main liver enzyme markers of hepatocellular damage. It is concluded that A. edulis has hepatoprotective activity, which could be related to its antioxidant activity. Keywords: Allophylus edulis; hepatoprotective; acetaminophen; liver enzymes markers; antioxidant capacity

Kidney and liver diseases are a public health problem worldwide. Pharmacological management usually prevents its progress even if indirectly. Currently, more alternative treatments based on traditional medicine and medicinal plants are considered. Bauhinia forficata is widely distributed in South America and is used for its hepatoprotective and nephroprotective properties. This study was designed to preliminarily assess the nephroprotective and hepatoprotective effect of the methanol extract of B. forficata leaves (50, 100, 200, and 400 mg/kg, per os) in Swiss albino mice. Acute kidney injury was induced with gentamicin (135 mg/kg, intraperitoneal), followed by determination of creatinine, urea, uric acid, and electrolyte levels in urine and serum. Acute liver damage was induced by acetaminophen (300 mg/kg, intraperitoneal), followed by determination of a serum liver profile of aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase and alkaline phosphatase. All tested doses of the extract were able to induce a significant reduction in serum creatinine levels, compared to untreated animals. Moreover, the extract effectively prevented the elevation of hepatic enzyme activity induced by acetaminophen. It is concluded that the extract of B. forficata leaves has nephroprotective and hepatoprotective effects in a mouse model of hepato and nephrotoxicity, which is compatible with traditional use.

BACKGROUND: The liver and kidneys are essential for maintaining metabolic balance and homeostasis in the body. Nowadays, both organs play a role in metabolic and inflammatory diseases, which are becoming an increasingly prevalent health issue globally, making it essential to find more accessible and safe treatment options for the general population. In such a context, Sida rhombifolia L. is a shrub with therapeutic properties that may be utilized to prevent or treat liver and kidney diseases. OBJECTIVE: Study on the hepatoprotective and nephroprotective effects of the methanolic extract from the aerial parts of S. rhombifolia L. against liver and kidney toxicity induced pharmacologically in mice. METHODOLOGY: Aerial parts of the plant were collected to obtain the methanolic extract from S. rhombifolia (EMSr). Acute oral toxicity of EMSr was assessed in mice (both female and male, n=5). Additionally, general behavior was evaluated using a sub-chronic toxicity assay (male only, n=8). The acetaminophen-induced hepatotoxicity and gentamicin-induced nephrotoxicity assay were developed to evaluate markers of liver and kidney damage (male and female, n=8). The doses of the EMSr evaluated in all the assays were 50, 100, and 200 mg/kg, and 150 mg/kg of silymarin was employed as a control. RESULTS: The results indicate that EMSr is secure under a dose at 2000 mg/kg (v.o.), and did not alter the normal behavior of the mice. In the subchronic toxicity test, in males, the serum uric acid level decreased significantly with all the doses of EMSr, on the other hand, in females, only the higher doses of 100 and 200 mg/kg decreased significantly this parameter. In relation to other biochemical indicators, every administered dose of EMSr reduced significantly the GPT, ALP and creatinine, compared to the paracetamol and gentamicin groups, respectively. CONCLUSION: Considering these results, the methanolic extract of EMSr did not exhibit significant toxicity in mice, and according to the in vivo assays; it is possible that it has effects that protect the liver and kidneys.

Background/Objectives: As the prevalence of depression and the use of antidepressants have risen steadily in the last decade, new treatment options are needed. Aloysia gratissima var. gratissima ethanol extract has previously shown antidepressant-like activity, and the present study was conducted to identify the active fraction and clarify the possible mechanisms of action. Methods: Tail suspension (TST) and forced swimming (FST) behavioral tests were performed, and possible mechanisms of action were elucidated using serotonergic, dopaminergic, adrenergic, and GABAergic system antagonists. UPLC-DAD-MS analyses were performed to identify compounds in active fractions, and molecular docking studies were carried out to determine the binding affinities of these compounds to serotonergic and dopaminergic receptors (5-HT_1A, 5-HT_2A, 5-HT₃, and D₂R). Results: Ethyl acetate and butanol fractions were found to decrease immobility time in FST. The reduction in immobility time during the FST caused by the ethyl acetate fraction was reversed by pretreating mice with WAY100635 (5-HT_1A antagonist), ketanserin (a 5-HT_2A antagonist, ondansetron (5-HT₃ antagonist), or haloperidol (D₂ antagonist). UPLC-DAD-MS analysis revealed a similar composition for the ethyl acetate and butanol fractions of A. gratissima var. gratissima. Pharmacokinetic predictions suggest that only a few of the identified compounds have the potential to permeate the blood–brain barrier, and molecular docking simulations showed that compounds such as 13-oxooctadecadienoic acid, ferulic acid, and coumaric acid have binding affinities to the druggable site of serotonergic and dopaminergic receptors. Conclusions: These results suggest that the Agg ethyl acetate fraction possesses antidepressant-like activities, altering dopaminergic and serotonergic system functions. Computational simulations also suggest that some of the identified compounds have binding affinities to the 5-HT_1A, 5-HT_2A, 5-HT₃, and D₂R receptors.