Chronic diseases such as cancer, diabetes, neurodegenerative and cardiovascular diseases are characterized by an enhanced state of oxidative stress, which may result from the overproduction of reactive species and/or a decrease in antioxidant defenses. The search for new chemical entities with antioxidant profile is still thus an emerging field on ongoing interest. Due to the lack of reviews concerning the antioxidant activity of lichen-derived natural compounds, we performed a review of the antioxidant potential and

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RESUMOObjetivo: Validar um modelo de obesidade induzida por dieta hiperlipídica, de baixo custo, fácil reprodutibilidade, que mimetizasse características observadas no humano e viabilizasse posteriores proposições terapêuticas. Materiais e métodos: Dezesseis camundongos Swiss receberam dieta padrão (DP) ou dieta hiperlipídica (DH), durante 10 semanas. Resultados: Embora o grupo DP tenha apresentado maior consumo de água (p < 0,01) e ração (p < 0,001), o grupo DH apresentou maior ganho de peso corpóreo (p < 0,5) e aumento de coxins adiposos (p < 0,001), favorecendo maior índice de adiposidade (p < 0,001), glicemia (p < 0,01) e área sob a curva nos testes de tolerância à insulina (p < 0,001) e à glicose (p < 0,01). Conclusão: Validou-se um modelo de obesidade induzida por dieta hiperlipídica associada à resistência à ação da insulina e à intolerância à glicose, em um período de 10 semanas. Arq Bras Endocrinol Metab. 2013;57(5):339-45 Descritores Obesidade; dieta hiperlipídica; resistência à insulina; intolerância à glicose; camundongos ABSTRACTObjective: Validate a model of high-fat diet-induced obesity, of low cost, easy reproducibility, that could express characteristics observed in human, and would enable subsequent therapy proposals. Materials and methods: Sixteen Swiss mice received a standard diet (DP) or high--fat diet (DH) for 10 weeks. Results: Although the DP group had greater water (p < 0.01) and feed (p < 0.001) consumption, the DH group had greater body weight (p < 0.5) and adipose tissue gain (p < 0.001), favoring higher adiposity index (p < 0.001), glucose (p < 0.01), and area under the curve in the insulin (p < 0.001) and glucose (p < 0.01) tolerance tests. Conclusion: A high-fat diet-induced obesity model has been validated, which was also associated with insulin resistance and glucose intolerance after a period of 10 weeks. Arq Bras Endocrinol Metab. 2013;57(5):339-45

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A estria é definida como uma atrofia tegumentar adquirida, representada por adelgaçamento, pregueamento, secura, menor elasticidade da pele e rarefação dos pêlos. Sua etiologia básica ainda é desconhecida, mas sabe-se que dentre os possíveis fatores causais, o fator endocrinológico é o principal determinante. Este trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar os efeitos obtidos no tratamento da estria através da galvanopuntura, verificando possível reparação do tecido e melhora da aparência estética da área afetada. Para isso, foi realizado um estudo de caso em um voluntário do sexo feminino, 25 anos, apresentando estrias atróficas, de coloração branca, na região externa do quadril e da coxa. Foi realizada biópsia da pele estriada, antes e após o tratamento, a fim de verificar possíveis alterações histológicas decorrentes do estímulo oferecido pela associação da corrente contínua filtrada e o estímulo físico da agulha. Os resultados obtidos através de microscopia ótica mostraram uma epiderme mais espessa, maior quantidade de fibroblastos, fibras colágenas e elásticas, e maior número de vasos. Conclui-se, portanto, que houve reparação da pele após o tratamento, com conseqüente melhora do aspecto cutâneo da região.Palavras-chave: estrias atróficas, tratamento, galvanopuntura, reparação.

Chrysobalanus icaco L. is a medicinal plant present in the Brazilian coastline and known for its hypoglicemic and antioxidant properties. Here, we assessed the beneficial metabolic effects of the aqueous extract of C. icaco (AECI) leaves in diet-induced obese mice. Swiss mice were fed standard chow (SC used as controls) or high-fat diet (HFD) to induce obesity. After 10 weeks, mice on each diet were divided into two groups with one group used as control while the other group treated with AECI for 4 weeks resulting in four groups of mice: SC; SC treated with AECI (SC + AECI); HFD; and HFD treated with AECI (HFD + AECI). AECI was administered drinking water at about 200 mg/kg. AECI was able to normalize insulin (13,682 ± 1090 vs. 9828 ± 485 AU, P < .05) and fasting blood glucose (192.8 ± 14.2 vs. 132.3 ± 6.4 mg/dL, P < .05) and inhibit weight gain (39 ± 5.7%) and fat storage in liver (72.60 ± 3.83%, P < .0001), despite the high-fat intake. These findings reinforce the use of AECI in hyperglycemia and highlight the potential extract's effect in preventing weight gain and fat accumulation in liver of diet-induced obese mice.

Context: Chrysobalanus icaco L. (Chrysobalanaceae) has been used for the treatment of abdominal pain and cramps. Objective: Assess the chemical and pharmacological profile of the lyophilized aqueous extract from C. icaco leaves (AEC). Materials and methods: Chromatographic methods were used to assess compounds from AEC. Mice were treated with vehicle (control group) or AEC (100, 200 or 400 mg/kg, p.o.) (group with 7-8 mice) and the analgesic profile was assessed employing the acetic acid-induced writhing, formalin, hot plate tests and hyperalgesia induced by carrageenan (CG) or tumour necrosis factor-alpha. The animal motor performance was assessed using rota-rod and grip strength tests. Results:The chromatographic profile of AEC demonstrated the presence of terpenoid compounds. The acute pretreatment with AEC, at all doses, produced a significant (p < 0.01) inhibition of painful bahaviour (11.4 ± 3.6; 10.3 ± 2.8; 11.3 ± 2.2) when compared to the control group (24.7 ± 4.7) in acetic acid-induced writhing test. In the formalin test, AEC were effective in the second phase (p < 0.01) (57.2 ± 10.3; 56.3 ± 9.2; 54.7 ± 8.9) when compared to control group (121.9 ± 18.5). No response was observed in the hot plate test. The higher dose of AEC produced a significant (p < 0.01 or p < 0.05) inhibitory effect on the mechanical hyperalgesia test. AEC did not affect the motor performance of the mice. Discussion: The terpenoids from AEC are known for its analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties. So, these results corroborate the experiments using the AEC in inflammatory pain protocols. Conclusion: Our results suggest that AEC act against inflammatory pain. ARTICLE HISTORY