The authors investigated the vasorelaxant properties of the aqueous (Aq-EF) and acid n-butanolic (acn-BuOH) extractable fractions from Ilex paraguariensis leaves. Perfusion pressure was evaluated using isolated and perfused mesenteric arterial beds (MABs) from rats fed hypercholesterolemic and standard diets. Extract-induced vasorelaxation in the presence and absence of various inhibitors was examined following precontraction of the MABs with methoxamine (30 microM) solution. In hypercholesterolemic-diet rats, relaxation in intact MABs was significantly decreased with ac-n-BuOH-EF bolus (300, 600, 900 microg) in comparison to those in standard-diet rats. After the endothelium was stripped from the MABs, the vascular responses to ac-n-BuOH-EF and 900 microg bolus of Aq-EF were significantly changed. Treatment of the MABs with an inhibitor of nitric oxide synthase, N(G)-nitro-L-arginine methylester hydrochloride (L-NAME, 10 mM), did not change either ac-n-BuOH-EF- or Aq-EF-induced vasodilation except for the 900 microg bolus of Aq-EF. The guanilate cyclase inhibitor methylene blue (100 microM) did not affect vasodilation for either fraction in the MABs from the hypercholesterolemic-diet rats. The chronic oral administration of I. paraguariensis extract in hypercholesterolemic-diet rats resulted in a significant reduction in serum levels of cholesterol and triglycerides. These results suggest that I. paraguariensis ac-n-BuOH-EF and Aq-EF induce vasodilation in standard-diet rats in a dose-dependent manner and that the hypercholesterolemic diet substantially reduced the effect of ac-n-BuOH-EF on precontracted MABs.

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The aim of the study was to evaluate the understanding of the antimicrobial prescriptions by children's accompaning adults, describing the medicine utilization profile among Health Units in a South Brazilian city. A cross-sectional study was carried out and its target was people accompanying children during consultations that resulted in antimicrobial prescription (n=209), from May to June, 2007. A score (4-12) was generated to evaluate the understanding based on correct and incorrect/unknown statements about the prescription. Understanding was considered adequate when the score was below 6.5. Schooling (p=0.05), income (p=0.03), skin color (p=0.007) of accompanying person and length of the visit in minutes (p=0.05) were associated to a better understanding of the prescription. Adequate understanding represented 58.9% of the prescriptions. The most prescribed antimicrobials were amoxicilin and the association Trimethoprim-Sulfamethoxazole. The results point out to a need for standardization of written information and educational measures such as oral and written orientation to assure a better understanding of the prescriptions. We therefore assure a better understanding of the prescription, which helps the treatment to succeed, also avoiding the phenomena of microbic resistence.

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