Abstract Doxorubicin (Dox) is a medication used in the treatment of cancerous tumors and hematologic malignancies with potentially serious side effects, including the risk of cardiotoxicity. Flavonoids are plant metabolites with antioxidant properties and can be extracted from Camellia sinensis (CS). The aim of this study is to evaluate the possible cardioprotective effect of CS against injuries induced by Dox in rats. A total of 32 animals were distributed into four groups: (1) control - intraperitoneal injection (I.P.) of 0.5 mL saline weekly and 1.0 mL water by gavage daily; (2) CS - 0.5 mL saline I.P. weekly and 200 mg/kg CS by gavage daily; (3) Dox - 5.0 mg/kg Dox I.P. weekly and 1.0 mL water by gavage daily; and (4) Dox+CS -5.0 mg/kg Dox I.P. weekly and 200 mg/kg CS by gavage daily. Clinical examinations, blood profiles, electrocardiograms, echocardiograms, and histological analyses of hearts were performed over 25 days. The animals in the Dox group showed changes in body weight and in erythrogram, leukogram, electrocardiography, and echocardiography readings. However, animals from the dox+CS group had significantly less change in body weight, improved cardiac function, and showed more preserved cardiac tissue. This study demonstrated that CS prevents dox-induced cardiotoxicity, despite enhancing the cytotoxic effect on blood cells.

RESUMO Objetivou-se realizar uma avaliação físico-química de amostras de água, sedimento e mata ciliar em uma piscicultura localizada próxima às margens do Ribeirão da Mata, Minas Gerais. As coletas de água foram semanais em quatro pontos assim denominados: (1) nascente; (2) entrada do sistema; (3) efluente concentrado e (4) ponto de lançamento. Foram monitorados os seguintes parâmetros físico-químicos: temperatura (ºC), pH, oxigênio dissolvido, demanda bioquímica de oxigênio, fósforo total, alcalinidade, sólidos dissolvidos totais, fosfato, nitrato, nitrito, sulfato, amônia e fenol das amostras de água. Foram pesquisados metais pesados (chumbo, cádmio, mercúrio e zinco) e agrotóxicos (organoclorados, organofosforados, clorofosforados, carbamatos, piretroides e rodenticidas anticoagulantes) nas amostras de água, sedimento e mata ciliar. Alcalinidade e sólidos totais apresentaram as maiores concentrações, provavelmente devido às características geológicas,por se tratar de região cárstica. Fenol, em todos os pontos, e fosfato, nos pontos 3 e 4, apresentaram valores acima dos limites permitidos para a classe II de água doce, segundo a Resolução CONAMA nº 357. Os outros parâmetros (amônia, nitrato, nitrito e sulfato), em todos os pontos de coleta, apresentaram baixos valores. Nas amostras de água não foram detectados chumbo e mercúrio; zinco apresentou valores abaixo de 0,007 mg.L-1. As amostras de sedimento apresentaram valores de chumbo entre 11,1566 e 37,0438 mg.L-1, estando 12 dessas acima do valor de referência de qualidade. Também em todas as amostras de sedimento foi detectado mercúrio, que variou de 0,35 a 0,82 mg.L-1. Em relação ao cádmio, esse não foi detectado nas amostras de sedimento e plantas. Também não foram detectados agrotóxicos em nenhuma das amostras estudadas.

ABSTRACT The aim of this study was to carry out a physicochemical analysis of water, sediment and riparian vegetation in a fish farm located near the Ribeirão da Mata basin in Minas Gerais State (Brazil). The water samples were collected weekly at four points: (1) source, (2) system entry, (3) discharge point, (4) and point release. The monitored physicochemical parameters in the water samples were: temperature (ºC), pH, dissolved oxygen, biochemical oxygen demand, total phosphorus, alkalinity, total dissolved solids, phosphate, nitrate, nitrite, sulfate, ammonia and phenol. Heavy metals (lead, cadmium, mercury and zinc) and pesticides (organochlorine, organophosphates, clorofosforados, carbamates, pyrethroids and anticoagulant rodenticides) were searched in the samples of water, sediment and riparian vegetation. Alkalinity and total solids presented the highest concentration, probably due to geological features of a carstic area. Phenol, at all points, and phosphate, at points 3 and 4, showed values above the limits allowed for class II freshwater, according to the CONAMA Resolution n. 357. The other parameters (ammonia, nitrate, nitrite and sulfate) in all sampling sites showed low values. It was not detected lead and mercury in the water samples; and zinc values were below 0.007 mg.L-1. However, the sediment samples showed lead values from 11.1566 to 37.0438 mg.L-1, with 12 of those samples above the quality reference value. In addition, it was detected mercury in all sediment samples, which ranged from 0.35 to 0.82 mg.L-1. It was not detected cadmium in samples of sediment neither plants. No pesticides were detected in the samples.

The aim of this work was to evaluate the mesenchymal stem cells treatment of rats with myonecrosis caused by Rhinocerophis alternatus venom through acute phase proteins (APP) profile. The animals were distributed into three experimental groups (G1, G2 and G3). G1 and G2 were inoculated with 120 μg of R. alternatus venom diluted in 200 µL of ultra-pure water in gastrocnemic muscle, while G3 received 200 µL of ultra-pure water. Three days after, G1 was treated with 5 X 10(6) MSC diluted in PBS and G2 and G3 only with PBS. Each three days after the treatments (3rd, 6th, 9th, 12th 15th days), blood of five animals in each group was collected in order to evaluate the APP. A decrease (P<0.05) in α2-globulin fraction was observed in G1 on the 6th day. In G1 and G2, a raise (P<0.05) was observed in β globulin, a common occurrence in the late phases of inflammatory process, although no significant difference was observed between them. Concerning gamma globulins levels, on the 6th day after the treatments, in G1 and G2 groups, increase in the levels was observed. These data showed that the MSC treatment after bothropic envenomation in the rats caused alteration in APP.

Extratos de duas plantas, Curcuma longa L. (Zingiberaceae) e Aristolochia cymbifera L. (Aristolochiaceae), foram utilizados no tratamento local do envenenamento por Bothrops alternatus em coelhos. Este estudo demonstrou que o extrato tópico de Curcuma longa foi o mais efetivo tratamento contra os efeitos locais (edema, hemorragia e necrose) causados pelo veneno botrópico. O tratamento com o extrato de Aristolochia cymbifera apresentou resultados duvidosos, pois causou uma grande área de lesão no início do processo inflamatório, além de mumificação da pele.

Two plants were investigated for their properties against the local effects of Bothrops alternatus venom in rabbits, namely Curcuma longa L. (Zingiberaceae) and Aristolochia cymbifera L. (Aristolochiaceae). The experiments showed that, Curcuma longa extract topic application was the most effective treatment against local symptoms (edema, hemorrhages and necrosis) caused by Bothrops venom, whereas the results with Aristolochia cymbifera L. were doubtful, because they led to a larger damaged area during the early phase of the inflammation process, besides skin mummification.

Com o objetivo de descrever o quadro clínico de envenenamento crotálico em bovinos, cinco fêmeas, mestiças, com idade variando entre dois e três anos, foram inoculadas com veneno crotálico do tipo crotamina positivo. A dose foi de 0,03 mg/kg de peso vivo. Os animais apresentaram, cronologicamente, o seguinte quadro clínico: na 2ª hora de evolução, apatia, cabeça baixa, letargia profunda e edemaciação discreta no local da inoculação; na 6ª hora, o edema local desapareceu e mioclonias foram observadas nas grandes massas musculares; na 10ª hora, houve diminuição do tônus muscular, de reflexos superficiais, aparecimento de incoordenação motora e decúbito esternal; na 14ª hora, observaram-se movimentos de "pedalagem" e diminuição da sensibilidade profunda; na 16ª hora, paralisia flácida dos membros pélvicos; e, na 20ª hora, surgiram dispnéia, sialorréia e morte de todos os animais. A temperatura retal não se alterou até a 20ª hora, porém, a partir daí, ocorreu diminuição constante até a morte. A freqüência respiratória se manteve dentro da faixa de valores normais para bovinos, apesar da dispnéia observada ao atingir a 20ª hora. A duração do curso clínico foi de 28 ± 9 horas e, muito embora estas alterações clínicas sejam comuns a outras doenças, julga-se que a rapidez e a ordem com que aparecem seja um fator determinante no diagnóstico diferencial.

With the aim of describing the clinical picture of experimental crotalic poisoning in cattle, five crossbred female, from two to three years old, were inoculated with type crotalic positive crotamine poison. The dosage was 0.03 mg/kg of body weight. The animals showed chronologically, the following clinical picture: at second hour of evaluation apathy, low head, deep lethargy and discreet swelling at the inoculation place; at sixth hour, local oedema had disappeared and myoclonia was observed in great muscle masses; at tenth hour, there was decreasing of muscular tonus, as well as superficial reflexes, motor incoordination appearing and esternal recumbency; at fourteenth hour it was observed pedal movement and loss of deep sensibility; at sixteenth hour, hind limbs flaccid paralysis and after twenty hours after poisoning it was observed dyspnea, salivation and death of all animals. Rectal temperature did not alter until the twentieth hour, however, from this time it decreased constantly until the death. The respiratory frequency kept within normal range for cattle, despite dyspnea observed since twentieth hour. Clinical course duration was 28 ± 9 hours and, even though these clinical alterations are common to other diseases, it can be judged that the speed and order of appearing are determinant factors in differential diagnosis.