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ABSTRACT: The use of natural products as medicines has been growing in the entire world. There are concerns that these products may contain potentially toxic ingredients and contaminants such as heavy metals. The labeling of blood constituents with technetium-99m has been influenced by the presence of natural extracts. We evaluated the influence of a chayotte (Sechium edule) extract (100% v/v macerated) on the labeling of blood elements with 99mTc. The animals were treated with the extract during 15 days. Samples of blood were carried out with specific blood biochemistry kits. The present study analyzed the influence ofchayotte in the survival of the strain of Escherichia coli AB1157 submitted to reactive oxygen species induced by stannous chloride. There was a reduction of the lethal effect induced by stannous chloride on the survival of the E. coli culture in the presence of chayotte. The results indicated a decrease in the level of glucose and globulin The effect of the extract could be explained by its metabolic transformation inducing the generation of oxidant metabolites. The culture of bacteria when was treated with stannous chloride and chayotte simultaneously, the extract could be reacting with stannous chloride ions, protecting them against the oxidation avoiding the generation of reactive oxygen species.
Pakistan Journal of Biological Sciences 04/2007; 10(5):823-7.
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ABSTRACT: The present research evaluated the influence of a chayotte (Sechium edule) extract (macerated) on the bioavailability of 99TcO4Na as well as in the mass of the organs. In this study, in the biodistribution analysis, the 99mTcO4Na was administrated into female Wistar rats (diabetes and no diabetes induced) which had drunk or not the extract for 7 days. After 10 min, animals were sacrificed, the organs were isolated, the radioactivity determined in a well counter and the percentages of radioactivity per gram (%ATI/g) in the organs and mass of them (g) were calculated. The analysis of the results has indicated that in the diabetes group had been an increase in the uptake of 99mTcO4Na the in pancreas as well as in the diabetes groups treated with chayotte extract. The mass of the spleen, stomach, pancreas, heart and kidney has been altered due to the comparison of the groups. It is possible to suggest that some components of chayotte extracts present an oxidant power able to alter the biodistribution of 99mTcO4Na, as a tip, we speculate that the referred extract when metabolized in the liver may produce reactive metabolites with oxidant properties linked to the stress which is generated by diabetic status, this fact could justify by the increase of %ATI/g in the pancreas which probably may be due to the producing of AGEs in diabetes status as well as by the different molecular and cellular mechanisms related to the effects of the extract and diabetes would promote differences in the mass of the organs.
Pakistan Journal of Biological Sciences 03/2007; 10(4):568-74.
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ABSTRACT: The labeling of blood constituents with technetium-99m (99m Tc) has been influenced by natural extracts and oxidative stress. Some studies suggested that maternal diabetes can affect the embryo environment and this fact could help to elucidate if the oxidative stress may be related to the disturbation of the gene expression which is essential in the control of the ontogenetic processes. We evaluated the influence of a chayote (Sechium edule) extract on the labeling of blood elements with 99m Tc in diabetic female rats. The animals were treated with chayote during 7 days and samples of blood were withdrawn. The samples were incubated with stannous chloride and with 99mTc. Plasma (P) and blood cells (BC) were isolated, precipitated with trichloroacetic acid; soluble (SF) and insoluble fractions (IF) were separated. The radioactivity (ATI%) was rated in BC, IF-P and IF-C in a well counter. In the diabetic group it was observed an increase in the radioactivity in BC (from 43.65 ± 1.83 to 59.47 ± 1.83) and in the IF-BC (from 26.22 ± 23.58 to 73.28 ± 23.58). It was noticed that the referred extract has normalizing the efficiency of radiolabeling in the diabetic animals which have received the referred extract. The effect of chayote extract probably could be explained by the metabolization of the chayote that would be capable of inducing the generation of active metabolites with oxidant properties probably altering the activity of cell membrane.
Boletín Latinoamericano y del Caribe de Plantas Medicinales y Aromáticas. 01/2006;
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ABSTRACT: The present work aimed to verify the digestibility of cooked whole food grain legumes. Samples of beans (Phaseolus vulgaris and Vigna sinensis), chickpeas (Cicer arietinum) and lentils (Lens culinaris) were used in the experiment. The interrelationship between the insoluble dietary fiber presented in the food grain legumes and the low protein digestibility was studied. The insoluble dietary fiber and the proteic nitrogen presented in the neutral detergent fiber (NDF) were determined. "In vivo" digestibility was performed in rats fed with diets containing cooked grain legumes, casein and protein free diet. The experiments were performed on rats over a period of 21 days. High excretion of nitrogen was observed by rats fed with cooked food grain legumes compared to casein diet. "In vitro" digestibility was performed by enzymatic hydrolysis with pepsin and trypsin. No significant differences was found between "in vivo" and "in vitro" digestibility. The heat treatment caused increased in the values of insoluble dietary fiber by the complexation of its components with protein and aminoacids. The results obtained showed the increased of the insoluble dietary fiber, in the cooked samples compared with raw samples. Significant values of protein nitrogen were found in the NDF, suggested that it was originated by complexation with proteins and aminoacids. This fact contributed to become proteic nitrogen nonavailability decreasing consequently the digestibility of the proteins.
Archivos latinoamericanos de nutrición 04/1993; 43(1):66-72. · 0.23 Impact Factor
