ABSTRACT: Previous investigations have revealed that a functional fermented orange beverage presented in its composition different phenolic compounds, which through in silico investigation demonstrated to have biological effects of therapeutic importance as antioxidant, gastrorepair, and anti-ulcerative properties. Thus, this study confirmed in vivo, through a model of EtOH-induced gastric ulcers in rats, the beneficial properties indicated by the in silico tests. Gastric ulcer was induced by EtOH (intragastric) and was treated after 1 h with fermented orange beverage with and without Menthapiperita extract (0.5 mL/100 g w.b). Omeprazole was used as positive control. Histopathological evaluation revealed that EtOH administration resulted in the formation of gastric ulcers due to the reduction of the mucus layer, presence of hemorrhage, and infiltration of neutrophils in the stomach tissue of rats, and only treatment with omeprazole was able to reverse these changes. Additionally, EtOH administration altered the gastric juice volume and induced oxidative stress in the gastric tissue observed through the increase in lipid peroxidation (TBARS), reduction in the levels of non-protein thiols (NPSH), and alteration in the superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity. The ingestion of the fermented orange beverage increased NPSH levels and reduced changes in TBARS levels induced by ethanol. These findings suggested that the fermented orange beverage has antioxidant effects, as pointed out by in silico studies, but not gastrorepair and anti-ulcerative effects.

RESUMO: Investigações anteriores revelaram que uma bebida funcional fermentada de laranja apresentou em sua composição diferentes compostos fenólicos, que através de investigações in silico demonstraram ter efeitos biológicos de importância terapêutica como propriedades antioxidantes, gastroreparadoras e antiulcerativas. Assim, o objetivo deste estudo foi confirmar in vivo, através de um modelo de úlcera gástrica induzida por EtOH em ratos, as propriedades benéficas indicadas pelos ensaios in silico. A úlcera gástrica foi induzida por EtOH (intragástrico) e tratada após 1 h com bebida fermentada de laranja com e sem o extrato de Mentha piperita (0,5 mL/100 g peso corporal). Omeprazol foi usado como controle positivo. A avaliação histopatológica revelou que a administração de EtOH resultou na formação de úlceras gástricas decorrentes da redução da camada de muco, presença de hemorragia e infiltração de neutrófilos no tecido estomacal de ratos, sendo apenas o tratamento com omeprazol capaz de reverter essas alterações. Além disso, a administração de EtOH alterou o volume do suco gástrico e induziu estresse oxidativo no tecido estomacal observado através do aumento da peroxidação lipídica (TBARS), redução dos níveis de tióis não-proteicos (SHNP) e alteração da atividade da superóxido dismutase (SOD). A ingestão da bebida fermentada de laranja aumentou os níveis de SHNP e reduziu as alterações nos níveis de TBARS induzidos pelo EtOH. Esses achados sugerem que a bebida fermentada de laranja apresenta efeitos antioxidantes, conforme apontado por estudos in silico, mas não efeitos gastroreparadores e antiulcerativos.

Abstract Radiotherapy causes destruction of tumor cells, but also threatens the integrity and survival of surrounding normal cells. Then, woman submitted to irradiation for cancer treatment may present permanent ovary damage, resulting in impaired fertility. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of therapeutic doses of ionizing radiation (IR), used for ovarian cancer treatment in humans, on bovine cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs) as experimental model. Bovine ovaries were exposed to 0.9 Gy, 1.8 Gy, 3.6 Gy or 18.6 Gy IR, and then COCs were collected and used to evaluate: (a) oocyte nuclear maturation; (b) presence of phosphorylated H2A.X (γH2AX), as an indicator of DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs); and (c) expression of genes involved in DNA repair (TP53BP1, RAD52, ATM, XRCC6 and XRCC5) and apoptosis (BAX). The radiation doses tested in this study had no detrimental effects on nuclear maturation and did not increase γH2AX in the oocytes. However, IR treatment altered the mRNA abundance of RAD52 (RAD52 homolog, DNA repair protein) and BAX (BCL2-associated X protein). We conclude that although IR doses had no apparent effect on oocyte nuclear maturation and DNA damage, molecular pathways involved in DNA repair and apoptosis were affected by IR exposure in cumulus cells.

Abstract The main objective of this study was to demonstrate the antimicrobial potential of the crude extract and fractions of Chenopodium ambrosioides L., popularly known as Santa-Maria herb, against microorganisms of clinical interest by the microdilution technique, and also to show the chromatographic profile of the phenolic compounds in the species. The Phytochemical screening revealed the presence of cardiotonic, anthraquinone, alkaloids, tannins and flavonoids. The analysis by HPLC-DAD revealed the presence of rutin in the crude extract (12.5 ± 0.20 mg/g), ethyl acetate (16.5 ± 0.37 mg/g) and n-butanol (8.85 ± 0.11 mg/g), whereas quercetin and chrysin were quantified in chloroform fraction (1.95 ± 0.04 and 1.04 ± 0.01 mg/g), respectively. The most promising results were obtained with the ethyl acetate fraction, which inhibited a greater number of microorganisms and presented the lowest values of MIC against Staphylococcus aureus and Enterococcus faecalis (MIC = 0.42 mg/mL), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (MIC = 34.37 mg/mL), Paenibacillus apiarus (MIC = 4.29 mg/mL) and Paenibacillus thiaminolyticus (MIC = 4.29 mg/mL). Considering mycobacterial inhibition, the best results were obtained by chloroform fraction against M. tuberculosis, M. smegmatis, and M. avium (MIC ranging from 156.25 to 625 µg/mL). This study proves, in part, that the popular use of C. ambrosioides L. can be an effective and sustainable alternative for the prevention and treatment of diseases caused by various infectious agents.