Maria das Graças Almeida

Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte

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Adriana Augusto de Rezende

Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte

José Brandão‐Néto

Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte

Marcela Abbott Galvão Ururahy

Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte

Ricardo Fernando Arrais

Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte

Melina Bezerra Loureiro

Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte

Jefferson Romáryo Duarte da Luz

Universidade Estadual do Amapá

Gabriel Araújo da Silva

Universidade Estadual do Amapá

Jorge A. López

Universidade Tiradentes

Raul Hernandes Bortolin

Universidade de São Paulo

Karla Simone Costa de Souza

Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte

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Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte

206

Universidade de São Paulo

Universidade Federal do Rio Grande

Universidade Federal de São Paulo

Universidade Federal da Paraíba

Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona

Universidade Federal de Pernambuco

Hospital Universitário Onofre Lopes

Instituto de Ciências Farmacêuticas

Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute

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Oral Zinc Supplementation Decreases the Serum Iron Concentration in Healthy Schoolchildren: A Pilot Study

Nutrients (2014)

Naira De Brito Érika Dantas de Medeiros Rocha Alfredo de Araújo Silva João Evangelista da Costa Mardone Cavalcante França

The recognized antagonistic actions between zinc and iron prompted us to study this subject in children. A convenience sample was used. Thirty healthy children between 8 and 9 years of age were studied with the aim of establishing the effect of a 3-mo oral zinc supplementation on iron status. Fifteen individuals were given a placebo (control group), and 15 were given 10 mg Zn/day (experimental group). Blood samples were collected at 0, 60, 120, 180 and 210 min after a 12-h overnight fast, before and after placebo or zinc supplementation. This supplementation was associated with significant improvements in energy, protein, fat, carbohydrate, fiber, calcium, iron, and zinc intake in accordance with the recommendations for age and sex. The basal serum zinc concentration significantly increased after oral zinc supplementation (p < 0.001). However, basal serum iron concentrations and area under the iron curves significantly decreased in the experimental group (p < 0.0001) and remained at the same level throughout the 210-min study. The values obtained for hemoglobin, mean corpuscular volume, ferritin, transferrin, transferrin saturation, ceruloplasmin and total protein were within normal reference ranges. In conclusion, the decrease in serum iron was likely due to the effects of chronic zinc administration, and the decrease in serum iron was not sufficient to cause anemia.

Transferrin saturation

Ceruloplasmin

Total iron-binding capacity

Lactoferrin

Basal (medicine)

10.3390/nu6093460

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Citations (29)

Low bone mineral density is associated to poor glycemic control and increased OPG expression in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes

Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice (2014)

Melina Bezerra Loureiro Marcela Abbott Galvão Ururahy Francisco Paulo Freire‐Neto Gustavo H.M. Oliveira V. Duarte

10.1016/j.diabres.2013.12.018

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Citations (59)

Mass Spectrometric Identification of Licania rigida Benth Leaf Extracts and Evaluation of Their Therapeutic Effects on Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Inflammatory Response

Molecules (2022)

Thayse Evellyn Silva do Nascimento Jorge A. López Éder Alves Barbosa Marcela Abbott Galvão Ururahy Gabriel Araújo da Silva

Licania rigida Benth has been evaluated as an alternative drug to treat diseases associated with inflammatory processes. This study evaluated the anti-inflammatory effects of aqueous and hydroalcoholic leaf extracts of L. rigida with inflammation induced by lipopolysaccharides in in vitro and in vivo inflammation models. The phytochemical profile of the extracts, analyzed by ultra-fast liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry, revealed the presence of gallic and ellagic acids in both extracts, whereas isovitexin, ferulate, bulky amino acids (e.g., phenylalanine), pheophorbide, lactic acid, and pyridoxine were detected in the hydroalcoholic extract. The extracts displayed the ability to modulate in vitro and in vivo inflammatory responses, reducing approximately 50% of pro-inflammatory cytokine secretion (TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6), and inhibiting both NO production and leukocyte migration by approximately 30 and 40% at 100 and 500 µg/mL, respectively. Overall, the results highlight and identify, for the first time, the ability of L. rigida leaf extract to modulate inflammatory processes. These data suggest that the leaf extracts of this plant have potential in the development of herbal formulations for the treatment of inflammation.

Phytochemical

Anti-inflammatory

10.3390/molecules27196291

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Citations (2)

Licania rigida Benth leaf extracts: Assessment of toxicity and potential anticoagulant effect

South African Journal of Botany (2021)

Jefferson Romáryo Duarte da Luz Thayse Evellyn Silva do Nascimento Gabriel Araújo da Silva Adriana Augusto de Rezende José Brandão‐Néto

The present study evaluated the in vitro and in vivo potential toxicological effects, and the in vitro anticoagulant action of Licania rigida Benth crude leaf extract (CELR) and ethyl acetate fraction (AFLR). The in vitro toxicity was assessed by means of the MTT assay using mouse fibroblasts (3T3) and human embryonic kidney cells (HEK-293), while the acute oral toxicity test employed Wistar rats. No apparent toxicity was observed after exposure to the extracts. Regarding the anticoagulant capacity, the activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) and prothrombin time (PT) tests demonstrated the extracts' anticoagulant potential at a concentration of 50 µg/mL. However, only AFLR inhibited 100% of the thrombin IIa factor at a concentration of 100 µg/mL, which corresponds to the extrinsic coagulation pathway in comparison to heparin (control). Although both CELR and AFLR exhibited anticoagulant and non-toxic effects, further studies are required to validate their phytotherapeutic applications.

Prothrombin time

Thrombin time

10.1016/j.sajb.2021.02.016

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Citations (11)

Association between MTHFR C677T and A1298C gene polymorphisms and maternal risk for Down syndrome

Medicine (2022)

Carla Talita Azevedo Ginani Jefferson Romáryo Duarte da Luz Saulo Victor e Silva Fabio Coppedè Maria das Graças Almeida

Abstract Background: Down syndrome (DS) is one of the most common chromosomal abnormalities among live-born babies and one of the best-known intellectual disability disorders in humans. Errors leading to trisomy 21 are primarily arising from defects in chromosomal segregation during maternal meiosis (about 88% of cases), and the focus of many investigations has been to identify maternal risk factors favoring chromosome 21 malsegregation during oogenesis. Maternal polymorphisms of genes required for folate metabolism are the most investigated risk factors for the birth of children with DS. Through this review, we sought to investigate the association of the polymorphisms “C677T” and “A1298C” of the MTHFR gene with maternal risk for DS. Methods: We will use the databases PubMed, Embase, Scopus and Web of Science to search for case-control studies published from 1999 up to September 2021 without language restriction. Results will be presented as relative risks and 95% confidence intervals for dichotomous outcomes and mean differences, or standardized mean differences along with 95% confidence intervals, for continuous outcomes. The all data synthesis will be analyzed on the Review Manager 5.2 version software. Results: This study will be able to clarify all the doubts we seek and that it will be able to provide accurate data that will be able to describe how these polymorphisms can act to increase the predisposition for the birth of children with DS in different populations and under different dietary conditions. Conclusions: This study will clarify the relationship between C677T and A1298C polymorphisms MTHFR gene with increased the maternal risk for Down syndrome. Registration: This systematic review and meta-analysis protocol has been registered on the Prospective Registry of International Systematic Review and Meta-analyses: CRD42021269338.

Trisomy

10.1097/md.0000000000028293

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Spray-dried extract of Phyllanthus niruri L. reduces mucosal damage in rats with intestinal inflammation

Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology (2015)

Maryanne Nunes de Melo Luiz Alberto Lira Soares Cynthia Raquel da Costa Porto Aurigena Antunes de Araújo Maria das Graças Almeida

Abstract Phyllanthus niruri L. belongs to the Euphorbiaceae, and is known by the common name of ‘stonebreaker’ in Brazil. Some species within the Phyllanthus genus are widely used in traditional medicine to counteract different types of anti-inflammatory diseases. Objectives In this study, the preventive intestinal anti-inflammatory activity of spray-dried extract of P. niruri (SDEPn) was tested in the model of acetic acid (10%)-induced ulcerative colitis in the rat. Methods Colitis animals were given orally at doses 25, 100 and 200 mg/kg. Colons tissue was analysed by macroscopic score, by histopathology score, by the immunohistochemical examination of tumour necrosis factor alpha, p53 and interferon gamma; by spectroscopic ultraviolet-visible spectrophotometry (UV/VIS) analysis of the levels of myeloperoxidase, malonaldehyde and total glutathione. Key Findings/Result Pretreatment of the extract to colitic rats significantly attenuated colonic macroscopic damage induced by acetic acid (P < 0.01). Spray-dried extract of P. niruri prevented glutathione depletion (P < 0.001) and malondialdehyde levels (P < 0.05) declined. Spray-dried extract of P. niruri significantly reduced microscopic damage to tissues, such as leukocyte infiltration accompanied by a significant reduction in myeloperoxidase activity (P < 0.5). Immunohistochemistry revealed a decline in the TNF-α, IFN-γ and p53 protein (P < 0.05). Conclusion Spray-dried extract of P. niruri has a beneficial effect in the acute phase of acetic acid-induced colitis in the rat, which is probably related to its antioxidant properties.

Phyllanthus

10.1111/jphp.12408

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Citations (18)

Competitive interaction of zinc and iron after venous and oral zinc administration in eutrophic children

Trace Elements and Electrolytes (2010)

M.F.R. Antunes L.D. Leite Érika Dantas Medeiros Rocha Naira Josele Neves de Brito Mardone Cavalcante França

10.5414/tep27185

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Citations (6)

Does rainfall affect the antioxidant capacity and production of phenolic compounds of an important medicinal species?

Industrial Crops and Products (2015)

Thiago Antônio de Sousa Araújo Valérium Thijan Nobre de Almeida e Castro Lílian Grace da Silva Sólon Gabriel Araújo da Silva Maria das Graças Almeida

Scavenging

10.1016/j.indcrop.2015.07.008

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Citations (22)

FENS News

Annals of Nutrition and Metabolism (2010)

Slimane Mehdad Egle M.A. Siqueira Sandra Fernandes Arruda Ibrahim Elmadfa Ke Chen

10.1159/000320035

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ALTERACIONES EN EL METABOLISMO DEL ZINC RELACIONADAS A LA EDAD

Revista chilena de nutrición (2008)

Anna Cecília Queiroz de M Maria das Graças Almeida Vanessa Teixeira de Lima O Débora Azevedo N Kênio Costa de Lima

Although many studies point to alterations in the organic concentrations of zinc in elderly patients, the mechanisms by which aging might cause changes in the metabolism of this nutrient remain unclear. Thus, we assessed the changes in plasma zinc, zinc binding capacity to plasma protein (ZnBCPP) and saturation index (SI), comparing elderly individuals and young adults. The zinc analyses were performed by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. A statistically significant difference (p < 0.001) was found between the two groups in relation to plasma zinc and SI, but the ZnBCPP did not differ between the younger and older subjects. In agreement with this result, it was shown in the young group that 76% (R 2 = 0.760) of the ZnBCPP variations are explained by the variations in plasma zinc and SI.In the elderly group this measure decreased to 30.5% (R 2 = 0.305).We conclude, therefore, that aging may be a factor associated to changes in control mechanisms and in zinc homeostasis, and could even alter ZnBCPP response patterns and other zinc-related indicators of nutritional status.

10.4067/s0717-75182008000200005

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Citations (1)