Natural dietary agents have attracted considerable attention due to their role in promoting health and reducing the risk of diseases including cancer. Ginger, one of the most ancient known spices, contains bioactive compounds with several health benefits. [6]-Gingerol constitutes the most pharmacologically active among such compounds. The aim of the present work was to review the literature pertaining to the use of ginger extract and [6]-gingerol against tumorigenic and oxidative and inflammatory processes associated with cancer, along with the underlying mechanisms of action involved in signaling pathways. This will shed some light on the protective or therapeutic role of ginger derivatives in oxidative and inflammatory regulations during metabolic disturbance and on the antiproliferative and anticancer properties. Data collected from experimental (in vitro or in vivo) and clinical studies discussed in this review indicate that ginger extract and [6]-gingerol exert their action through important mediators and pathways of cell signaling, including Bax/Bcl2, p38/MAPK, Nrf2, p65/NF-κB, TNF-α, ERK1/2, SAPK/JNK, ROS/NF-κB/COX-2, caspases-3, -9, and p53. This suggests that ginger derivatives, in the form of an extract or isolated compounds, exhibit relevant antiproliferative, antitumor, invasive, and anti-inflammatory activities.

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The study prepared a nanoemulsion with a diterpenoid isoprenoid alcohol called phytol (PYT) and subsequently tested it for antioxidant capacity. For this, PYT-loaded nanoemulsion was prepared by phase inversion method and both PYT-containing nanoemulsion (PNE) and PYT-free nanoemulsion (PFNE) (2-16 µM) were tested for antiradical activity (DPPH•: 1,1-dipheny-picrylhydrazyl radical; ABTS•+: azino-bisethylbenzthiazoline-sulfonic acid; •OH: hydroxyl radical scavenging; NO•: nitrite oxide radical), lipid peroxidation (LP), reduction potential (RP), and inhibition of hemolysis (HL) in rat erythrocytes in comparison with an α-tocopherol analogue (Trolox -TRO -positive control). In addition, an in vivo test was performed with wildtype and deficient Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains using hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) as a stressor. Results suggest that PNE exhibited higher antioxidant than the PFNE. Increasing doses reveled antioxidant capacity in a dose-dependent manner. In the S. cerevisiae study, both PFNEand PNE-treated groups exhibited decreased rates of survival with the highest doses, whichever in the presence of stressor increased the survival rates, which indicates antioxidative defense capacity of PYT. In this occasion, PNE exhibited prominent antioxidative defense in the presence of stressor rather than PFNE. In conclusion, PYT exhibited potential antioxidant activity but at high concentration it was toxic to the yeast cells. The production of PYT-nanoemulsions may be relevant to the pharmaceutical sciences.

A more advanced pre-clinical and clinical trials are recommended to investigate the safety profiles of these coffee components before their use as possible therapeutics.

Abbreviations: 5-HIAA, hydroxyindole acetic acid; 5-HT, serotonin; ACC, acetyl coa carboxylase; AChE, acetylcholinesterase; ADA, adenosine deaminase; Akt, protein kinase b; ALT, alanine aminotransferase; AO, acid output; APAP, n-acetyl-p-aminophenol; AST, aspartate aminotransferase; bax/bcl-4, apoptosis regulator; bcl-1, cyclin b 1 ; bcl-2, cyclin b 2 ; bcl-xl, cyclin b xl; BUN, blood urea ni-

The concentration of malonaldehyde (MDA) was measured in human erythrocytes obtained from subjects suffering from senile dementia of the Alzheimer type (SDAT), non-demented elderly subjects, and from young controls by two methods: high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and the thiobarbituric acid (TBA) test. The MDA concentration measured by HPLC showed significant differences between SDAT and young control groups (p < 0.01) and between SDAT and non-demented elderly groups (p < 0.01), respectively. Nevertheless, significant differences were not exhibited between young control and non-demented elderly. Moreover, the rate of accumulation of TBA-reactive substances was not significantly different among the three groups. Our results indicate that the HPLC method is highly specific and accurate and distinguishes between true MDA and other aldehydes that may react with TBA. Significant increases in the concentration of MDA of SDAT subjects were found in comparison with the two other groups, indicating that the measurement of MDA in erythrocytes could be used as a marker of oxidative damage in Alzheimer’s disease.

The aim of this study was to assess histological alterations and perform immunolabeling of Leishmania infantum in the kidneys and urinary bladder of naturally infected dogs. Twenty-five urinary bladder and kidney samples of serologically positive animals (ELISA S7® Biogene and IFAT ≥ 1:40 -Biomanguinhos/Fiocruz) were analyzed by means of immunohistochemical and histological techniques. Cystitis was found in 44% (11/25) of the bladder samples and membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis in 92% (23/25) of the kidney samples. Immunolabeling of the parasite revealed that 32% (8/25) of the bladders and 8% (2/25) of the kidneys were positive. In conclusion, the immunohistochemical technique is a useful tool for detecting amastigote forms of L. infantum in organs of infected dogs. In addition, this was the first report of detection of amastigote forms of L. infantum in the bladders of dogs.Keywords: Leishmania infantum, immunohistochemistry, nephropathy, cystitis, dog. ResumoObjetivou-se neste estudo avaliar as alterações histológicas e realizar a imunomarcação de Leishmania infantum em rins e bexiga de cães naturalmente infectados. Vinte e cinco amostras de bexiga e rins de animais sorologicamente (ELISA S7® Biogene and IFAT ≥ 1:40 -Biomanguinhos/Fiocruz) positivas foram analisadas histologicamente e por meio da técnica de imuno-histoquímica. Os resultados revelaram cistite em 44% (11/25) das amostras de bexiga e glomerulonefrite membranoproliferativa em 92% (23/25) das amostras de rins. A imunomarcação do parasito revelou 32% (8/25) e 8% (2/25) de positividade em bexiga e rins, respectivamente. Conclui-se que a técnica de imunohistoquímica é uma útil ferramenta para detecção de formas amastigotas de L. infantum em órgãos de cães infectados. Além disso, o presente trabalho reporta a primeira descrição de formas amastigotas de L. infantum em bexiga de cães.

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