An increasing number of biological activities presented by medicinal plants has been investigated over the years, and they are used in the search for new substances with lower side effects. Eugenia uniflora L. and Eugenia malaccensis L. (Myrtaceae) have many folk uses in various countries. This current study was designed to quantify the polyphenols and flavonoids contents and evaluate the immunomodulatory, antioxidant, and cytotoxic potentials of fractions from E. uniflora L. and E. malaccensis L. It was observed that the polyphenol content was higher in ethyl acetate fractions. These fractions have high antioxidant potential. E. malaccensis L. seeds showed the largest DPPH radical scavenger capacity (EC50 = 22.62). The fractions of E. malaccensis L. leaves showed lower antioxidant capacity. The samples did not alter the profile of proinflammatory cytokines and nitric oxide release. The results indicate that species of the family Myrtaceae are rich in compounds with antioxidant capacity, which can help reduce the inflammatory response.
Lectins are a large group of proteins found in animals, plants, fungi, and bacteria that recognize specific carbohydrate targets and play an important role in cell recognition and communication, host-pathogen interactions, embryogenesis, and tissue development. Recently, lectins have emerged as important biomedical tools that have been used in the development of immunomodulatory, antipathogenic, and anticancer agents. Several lectins have been shown to have the ability to discriminate between normal cells and tumor cells as a result of their different glycosylation patterns. Furthermore, the specific binding of lectins to cancer cells has been shown to trigger mechanisms that can promote the death of these abnormal cells. Here, we review the importance of lectins-carbohydrates interactions in cancer therapy and diagnosis. We examine the use of lectins in the modification of nanoparticles (liposomes, solid lipid nanoparticles and other polymers) for anticancer drug delivery. The development of drug delivery systems (liposomes, alginate/chitosan microcapsules, alginate beads) carrying some antitumor lectins is also discussed. In these cases, the processes of cell death induced by these antitumor lectins were also showed (if available). In both cases (lectin-conjugated polymers or encapsulated lectins), these new pharmaceutical preparations showed improved intracellular delivery, bioavailability and targetability leading to enhanced therapeutic index and significantly less side effects.
O desenvolvimento de infecções parasitárias é causado pela precariedade sanitária e por maus hábitos de higiene. O objetivo deste estudo foi pesquisar a ocorrência de enteroparasitas de interesse para a saúde em hortaliças comercializadas na feira livre de Caruaru (PE). Foram colhidas 144 amostras de hortaliças, no período de outubro/2006 a junho/2007 e analisadas pelo método de sedimentação espontânea e método de Faust e cols. Observou-se que 15,27% das amostras estavam contaminadas por enteroparasitas: Alface (Lactuca sativa) (23,8%), Brócolis (Brassica oleracea var. italica) (10,5%), Cebolinha (Allium fistolosum) (40,9%), Coentro (Coriandrum sativum) (19,0%) e Couve (Brassica oleracea)(9,5%). Os enteroparasitas encontrados nas amostras de hortaliças contaminadas foram: Ancilostomidae sp. (10,7%), Ascaris lumbricoides (28,5%), Entamoeba coli (10,7%), Fasciolahepatica (3,5%) e Strongyloides stercoralis (46,4%). Foi observado ainda que 27,27% das amostras contaminadas apresentaram mais de uma forma parasitária. Conclui-se que ashortaliças comercializadas nas feiras de Caruaru (PE) podem veicular parasitas resistentes às condições ambientais e que, quando não devidamente higienizadas e consumidas cruas, têmpapel fundamental na disseminação de enteroparasitoses.
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