Gastric ulcers are a significant medical problem and the development of complications lead to significant mortality rates worldwide. In Brazil, Carthamus tinctorius L., Asteraceae, seeds essential oil, the safflower oil, is currently used as a thermogenic compound and as treatment for problems related to the cardiovascular system. In this study, by Raman spectroscopy, it was shown that oleic and linoleic acids are the compounds present in higher concentrations in the safflower oil. We demonstrated that safflower oil (750 mg/kg, p.o.) decrease the ulcerogenic lesions in mice after the administration of hydrochloric acid-ethanol. The gastric ulcers induced by non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) in mice treated with cholinomimetics were treated with four different doses of safflower oil, of which, the dose of 187.5 mg/kg (p.o.) showed significant antiulcerogenic properties (**p < 0.01). Moreover, the safflower oil at doses of 187.5 mg/kg (i.d.) increased the pH levels, gastric volume (**p < 0.01) and gastric mucus production (***p < 0.001), and decreased the total gastric acid secretion (***p < 0.001). The acute toxicity tests showed that safflower oil (5.000 mg/kg, p.o.) had no effect on mortality or any other physiological parameter. Ecotoxicological tests performed using Daphnia similis showed an EC50 at 223.17 mg/l, and therefore safflower oil can be considered “non-toxic” based on the directive 93/67/EEC on risk assessment for new notified substances by European legislation. These results indicate that the antiulcer activity of Safflower oil may be due to cytoprotective effects, which serve as support for new scientific studies related to this pathology.

Petroleum coke consumption and the increase of its production during the recent years are analyzed. The processing of heavy oils produces less light fractions and more heavy fractions, unbalancing the energetic matrix. To balance this, the petroleum industry usually raises the number of coking units, which consumes the heavy fractions and produces lighter fractions, generating coke as residue. The different forms of using coke generate pollutants that are regulated and controlled in different forms by different countries. It is concluded that, independent of the form in which petroleum coke is consumed, the users should consider the amount of pollutants emitted, mainly sulfur dioxide.

Se analiza el consumo de coque de petróleo y el aumento de su producción en los últimos años. El procesamiento de los petróleos pesados genera menos fracciones leves y más fracciones pesadas, desequilibrando la matriz energética. Para retornar el equilibrio, la industria petrolífera opta por aumentar el número de unidades de craqueamiento, que consumen las fracciones pesadas y producen fracciones más livianas, generando como residuo el coque. Los diversos usos del coque generan contaminantes cuya emisión es regulada en distinta forma en distintos países. Se concluye que, cualquiera que sea la ruta a seguir para la utilización del coque de petróleo, los consumidores deberán considerar los patrones de emisión de contaminantes, principalmente de dióxido de azufre.