The antioxidant and free radical scavenger properties of melatonin have been well described in the literature. In this study, our objective was to determine the protective effect of the pineal gland hormone against the DNA damage induced by cyclophosphamide (CP), an anti-tumor agent that is widely applied in clinical practice. DNA damage was induced in rats by a single intraperitoneal injection of CP (20 or 50 mg/kg). Animals received melatonin during the dark period for 15 days (1 mg/kg in the drinking water). Rat bone marrow cells were used for the determination of chromosomal aberrations and of formamidopyrimidine DNA glycosylase enzyme (Fpg)-sensitive sites by the comet technique and ofXpf mRNA expression by qRT-PCR. The number (mean ± SE) of chromosomal aberrations in pinealectomized (PINX) animals treated with melatonin and CP (2.50 ± 0.50/100 cells) was lower than that obtained for PINX animals injected with CP (12 ± 1.8/100 cells), thus showing a reduction of 85.8% in the number of chromosomal aberrations. This melatonin-mediated protection was also observed when oxidative lesions were analyzed by the Fpg-sensitive assay, both 24 and 48 h after CP administration. The expression of Xpf mRNA, which is involved in the DNA nucleotide excision repair machinery, was up-regulated by melatonin. The results indicate that melatonin is able to protect bone marrow cells by completely blocking CP-induced chromosome aberrations. Therefore, melatonin administration could be an alternative and effective treatment during chemotherapy.

O objetivo do presente trabalho foi à verificação do efeito alelopático de Hyptis. suaveolens na germinação de sorgo, alface e rabanete, bem como, a comprovação da existência de compostos com potencial alelopático. Sementes de sorgo, alface e rabanete foram semeadas em substrato constituído de areia, terra e adubo orgânico contendo folhas de H. suaveolens. As análises da germinação foram feitas considerando a protrusão da radícula para o término do evento germinativo. Foi calculado o IVG (índice de velocidade de germinação) e %G (porcentagem de germinação). Os resultados mostraram que sorgo e a alface foram mais susceptíveis ao potencial alelopático de H. suaveolens, sendo que para o rabanete foi observado um efeito benéfico. Entre os tratamentos, o substrato esterilizado e não esterilizado mostraram diferenças entre si. A análise cromatográfica do óleo essencial presente nas folhas de H. suaveolens revelou a presença de compostos com potencial alelopático. Portanto, H. suaveolens, pode apresentar efeito alelopático positivo no IVG de sementes de rabanete e a presença de microorganismos pode ser necessária para que esse efeito alelopático aconteça.

The aim of this study was to verify the allelopathic effect of H. suaveolens on the germination of sorghum, lettuce and radish, as well as to prove the existence of compounds with allelopathic potential. Seeds of sorghum, lettuce and radish were sown in substrate consisting of sand, soil and organic fertilizer containing leaves of H. suaveolens. The germination tests were performed considering the protrusion of the radicle for the conclusion of the germinative event. GSI (germination speed index) and G% (percentage of germination) were calculated. The results showed that sorghum and lettuce were more susceptible to the allelopathic potential of H. suaveolens, while for radishes a beneficial effect was observed. Between treatments, the sterilized and unsterilized substrate showed differences. The chromatographic analysis of essential oil present in the leaves of H. suaveolens revealed the presence of compounds with allelopathic potential. Therefore, H. suaveolens may have positive allelopathic effect on the GSI of radish seeds, and the presence of microorganisms may be necessary for such an allelopathic effect to occur.

Nerve injury leads to a neuropathic pain state that results from central sensitization. This phenomenom is mediated by NMDA receptors and may involve the production of nitric oxide (NO). In this study, we investigated the expression of the neuronal isoform of NO synthase (nNOS) in the spinal cord of 3-month-old male, Wistar rats after sciatic nerve transection (SNT). Our attention was focused on the dorsal part of L3-L5 segments receiving sensory inputs from the sciatic nerve. SNT resulted in the development of neuropathic pain symptoms confirmed by evaluating mechanical hyperalgesia (Randall and Selitto test) and allodynia (von Frey hair test). Control animals did not present any alteration (sham-animals). The selective inhibitor of nNOS, 7-nitroindazole (0.2 and 2 µg in 50 µL), blocked hyperalgesia and allodynia induced by SNT. Immunohistochemical analysis showed that nNOS was increased (48% by day 30) in the lumbar spinal cord after SNT. This increase was observed near the central canal (Rexed’s lamina X) and also in lamina I-IV of the dorsal horn. Real-time PCR results indicated an increase of nNOS mRNA detected from 1 to 30 days after SNT, with the highest increase observed 1 day after injury (1469%). Immunoblotting confirmed the increase of nNOS in the spinal cord between 1 and 15 days post-lesion (20%), reaching the greatest increase (60%) 30 days after surgery. The present findings demonstrate an increase of nNOS after peripheral nerve injury that may contribute to the increase of NO production observed after peripheral neuropathy.

The MDR1 gene encodes the P-glycoprotein, an efflux transporter with broad substrate specificity. P-glycoprotein has raised great interest in pharmacogenetics because it transports a variety of structurally divergent drugs, including lipid-lowering drugs. The synonymous single-nucleotide polymorphism C3435T and the nonsynonymous single-nucleotide polymorphism G2677T/A in MDR1 have been indicated as potential determinants of variability in drug disposition and efficacy. In order to evaluate the effect of G2677T/A and C3435T MDR1 polymorphisms on serum levels of lipids before and after atorvastatin administration, 69 unrelated hypercholesterolemic individuals from São Paulo city, Brazil, were selected and treated with 10 mg atorvastatin orally once daily for four weeks. MDR1 polymorphisms were analyzed by PCR-RFLP. C3435T and G2677T polymorphisms were found to be linked. The allelic frequencies for C3435T polymorphism were 0.536 and 0.464 for the 3435C and 3435T alleles, respectively, while for G2677T/A polymorphism allele frequencies were 0.580 for the 2677G allele, 0.384 for the 2677T allele and 0.036 for the 2677A allele. There was no significant relation between atorvastatin response and MDR1 polymorphisms (repeated measures ANOVA; P > 0.05). However, haplotype analysis revealed an association between T/T carriers and higher basal serum total (TC) and LDL cholesterol levels (TC: 303 ± 56, LDL-C: 216 ± 57 mg/dl, respectively) compared with non-T/T carriers (TC: 278 ± 28, LDL-C: 189 ± 24 mg/dl; repeated measures ANOVA/Tukey test; P < 0.05). These data indicate that MDR1 polymorphism may have an important contribution to the control of basal serum cholesterol levels in Brazilian hypercholesterolemic individuals of European descent.

O método da fumigação-extração foi utilizado para estimar a biomassa microbiana de carbono (BM-C) e de nitrogênio (BM-N) de um latossolo vermelho-amarelo, sob diferentes coberturas florestais, na região de Viçosa (MG), em amostras de solos coletadas em abril de 1994. Os solos sob eucalipto e pinheiro apresentaram valores maiores de BM-C (223,72 e 207,39 mg kg-1 de C no solo respectivamente) do que os solos sob angico e capoeira (82,94 e 79,47 mg kg-1 de C no solo respectivamen-te). Resultados semelhantes foram obtidos para a serapilheira acumulada. Por outro lado, a taxa de respiração específica da biomassa microbiana (TR-BM) foi maior no solo sob angico e capoeira. A BM-N variou de 8,05 a 16,08 mg kg-1 de N no solo entre as coberturas florestais. A TR-BM apresentou correlação negativa significativa com o N total do solo (r = -0,76**) e com a serapilheira acumulada (r = -0,68*). BM-N apresentou correlação negativa significativa com o N da serapilheira (r = -0,52*) e com o N mineral do solo (r = -0,71*). BM-C, BM-N e respiração acumulada (RA) foram positivamente correlacionadas com o C orgânico (r = 0,63*, r = 0,71* e r = 0,76* respectivamente). O N total correlacionou-se com BM-C e RA (r = 0,77* e r = 0,60* respectivamente). BM-C e BM-N, associadas aos teores de C orgânico, N-total e TR-BM, mostraram ser indicadores sensíveis para aferir a dinâmica desses elementos sob as coberturas vegetais estudadas, mostrando o menor potencial de decomposição da matéria orgânica nos solos sob eucalipto e pinheiro.

The fumigation-extraction method was used for measuring soil microbial biomass of C (BM-C) and N (BM-N) in a red-yellow latosol under different forest types. Soil samples from eucalypt and pine plantations presented higher values of BM-C (223.72 and 207.39 mg kg-1 of C in the soil, respectively) than samples from Piptadenia rigida and regenerating secondary forest (82.94 and 79.47 mg kg-1 of C in the soil, respectively). Similar results were obtained for the litter layer. On the other hand, the rate of the specific respiration of microbial biomass (TR-BM) was the highest in soil samples collected from the Piptadenia rigida plantation and regenerating secondary forest. The BM-N ranged from 8.05 to 16.08 mg kg-1 of N in the soil. The TR-BM was negatively correlated with soil nitrogen content (r = -0.76**) and with the amount of litter layer (r = -0.68*). The BM-N was also negatively correlated with the nitrogen content of the litter layer (r = -0.52*) and with soil mineral nitrogen content (r = -0.71*). BM-C, BM-N and respiration rate (RR) were positively correlated with soil organic carbon content (r = 0.63*, r = 0.71* and r = 0.76*, respectively). Soil nitrogen content showed significant positive correlation with BM-C and RR (r = 0.77* and r = 0.60* respectively). The results showed that BM-C and BM-N associated to soil organic carbon, soil total-N and TR-BM are sensitive indicators of the dynamics of these elements in the soil, indicating the lower potential of organic matter decomposition in soils under eucalypt and pine.