Evaluation of chemical composition and antiedematogenic activity of the essential oil of Hyptis martiusii Benth

Evaluations of the therapeutic potential of medicinal plants and their components have been the subject of many studies. Furthermore, the biological activities of various plant species have been reported in various pieces of literature. Hyptis martiusii Benth (Lamiaceae), popularly known as “mad balm” is commonly found in the North, Southeast, and Northeast of Brazil. Its leaves are used ethnobiologically as antiulcerogenic, antimicrobial, antitumor and as insecticide. This study aimed to analyze the chemical composition of the essential oil of H. martiusii Benth (OEHM) by GC/MS as well as its possible topical activity as an antiedematogenic. This is verified by the models of ear edema induced by single (acute edema) and multiple (chronic edema) applications of croton oil topically, and systemically verified through the model of paw edema induced by carrageenan 1%. Doses of 50, 75 and 100 mg/kg OEHM were used in all tests. Chemical analysis of the oil revealed the 1,8-cineole (34.58%) and δ-carene (21:58%) as major components present in the essential oil. On the model of ear edema, acute and chronic OEHM in all the tested doses showed no significant antiedematogenic activity (p < 0.05). The systemic model of paw edema induced by carrageenin showed that a dose of 100 mg/kg effectively reduced swelling by 55.37% in the second hour evaluation when compared to the saline group. The anti-inflammatory systemic effect can give greater bioavailability of the components present in the essential oil and your interference in cytokines and leukotriene, thromboxane and prostaglandin biosynthesis. It is therefore concluded that OEHM presents systemic antiedematogenic activity but not topical activity at these doses.     

Microbiological interactions with cold plasma

There is a diverse range of microbiological challenges facing the food, healthcare and clinical sectors. The increasing and pervasive resistance to broad‐spectrum antibiotics and health‐related concerns with many biocidal agents drives research for novel and complementary antimicrobial approaches. Biofilms display increased mechanical and antimicrobial stability and are the subject of extensive research. Cold plasmas (CP) have rapidly evolved as a technology for microbial decontamination, wound healing and cancer treatment, owing to the chemical and bio‐active radicals generated known collectively as reactive oxygen and nitrogen species. This review outlines the basics of CP technology and discusses the interactions with a range of microbiological targets. Advances in mechanistic insights are presented and applications to food and clinical issues are discussed. The possibility of tailoring CP to control specific microbiological challenges is apparent. This review focuses on microbiological issues in relation to food‐ and healthcare‐associated human infections, the role of CP in their elimination and the current status of plasma mechanisms of action.     

Climate change and alpine stream biology: progress,challenges, and opportunities for the future

In alpine regions worldwide, climate change is dramatically altering ecosystems and affecting biodiversity in many ways. For streams, receding alpine glaciers and snowfields, paired with altered precipitation regimes, are driving shifts in hydrology, species distributions, basal resources, and threatening the very existence of some habitats and biota. Alpine streams harbour substantial species and genetic diversity due to significant habitat insularity and environmental heterogeneity. Climate change is expected to affect alpine stream biodiversity across many levels of biological resolution from micro‐ to macroscopic organisms and genes to communities. Herein, we describe the current state of alpine stream biology from an organism‐focused perspective. We begin by reviewing seven standard and emerging approaches that combine to form the current state of the discipline. We follow with a call for increased synthesis across existing approaches to improve understanding of how these imperiled ecosystems are responding to rapid environmental change. We then take a forward‐looking viewpoint on how alpine stream biologists can make better use of existing data sets through temporal comparisons, integrate remote sensing and geographic information system (GIS) technologies, and apply genomic tools to refine knowledge of underlying evolutionary processes. We conclude with comments about the future of biodiversity conservation in alpine streams to confront the daunting challenge of mitigating the effects of rapid environmental change in these sentinel ecosystems.     

Evolución clínica y funcional de los pacientes que ingresan en residencias tras una fractura de cadera. Implementación de un programa de intervención multinivel

Background and objectiveThe aim of this study was to determine the clinical and functional outcomes of patients discharged to nursing homes after a hip fracture.MethodsThe study included all patients admitted to a group of nursing homes after a hip fracture in 2016. A geriatric assessment protocol was applied, and patients were treated with a specific protocol for 90 days. They were assessed for nutritional status (Mini-Nutritional Assessment and Body Mass Index), pain (Visual Analogue Scale, and the PAINAD Scale), the presence of pressure ulcers, blood test (D vitamin, haemoglobin, proteins), and functional status (Barthel index and Functional Assessment Categories).ResultsOut of a total of 175 patients, 116 (75%) met the inclusion criteria. The mean age was 84.9 years old (±6.7 SD), and 91 (78.4%) were women. At admission, 73.8% of 65 residents had anaemia, 76.7% hypovitaminosis D, 88% malnutrition or «at risk of malnutrition», and 15.3% had pressure ulcers. After 90 days, the moderate-severe functional status (Barthel index < 60) was reduced from 90.4 to 39.6%, dependence due to gait from 97.3 to 36.1%, and moderate-severe pain from 88.9 to 14.4%. Most of the pressure ulcers healed (94.4%).ConclusionsPatients admitted to nursing homes after a hip fracture had poor clinical and functional status. This study shows that after 90 days from admission these patients had positive outcomes in terms of functionality, gait, pain control, and pressure ulcers healing.     

Toxicity of Artemisia annua (Asteraceae) essential oil on the tea mealy bug,Pseudococcus viburni Sigornet (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae)

A combination of bioassay and biochemical approaches were used to determine toxicity of Artemisia annua essential oil (AaEO) Pseudococcus viburni. AaEO via leaf dipping bioassay showed LC₅₀ values of 0.693 and 0.419% after two time exposures. Different concentrations of AaEO caused deterrence index between 28.58 to 86.26% by the calculated ED₅₀ of 0.4%. Although, α-esterase activity using α-naphtyl acetate increased in the treated nymphs by AaEO after 24 hours but it showed the lower activity in the treated nymphs using β-naphtyl acetate. Glutathione S-transferase assayed by CDNB showed the higher activity in the treated nymphs than control after 24 hours while the adverse results gained not only after 48 hours but also after 24 hours by using DCNB. No significant differences were found in the activity of alanine aminotransferase versus control, but aspartate aminotransferase and γ-glutamyl transferase showed the statistically higher activities in the treated nymphs in comparison with control. Activities of aldolase and lactate dehydrogenase were significantly lower than those of control. Only acid phosphatase showed the significantly altered activity in the treated nymphs in comparison with control after 24 hours. Results of our study indicated significant toxicity, deterrence and physiological effects of AaEO on P. viburni.     

Humulus lupulus L. cv. Cascade grown in Northern Italy: morphological and phytochemical characterization

Abstract

Several aroma hops (Humulus lupulus L.) were recently introduced in Northern Italy as a small-scale production of excellence. In this preliminary study, the American cultivar Cascade was investigated in a combined morphological and phytochemical survey. Morphological investigation on trichome structure, density and distribution was performed by scanning electron microscopy and light microscopy. Essential oil composition, α/β-acid and polyphenol profiles over 3 years were determined by GC-MS and HPLC analyses. Two types of non-glandular (simple and cystolithic) and glandular (peltate and bulbous) trichomes were observed on leaves and female inflorescences. The peltate trichomes resulted as the main sites of terpene production and accumulation. The essential oil profiles showed myrcene, β-caryophyllene, (E)-β-farnesene and humulene epoxide II as the dominant compounds over the three collection times, although with different relative abundances. The presence of two exclusive compounds, γ-muurolene and trans-γ-cadinene, characterized the investigated cv. Cascade, potentially enhancing herbal, woody and spicy aroma traits of this cultivation in Northern Italy. The bitter acid composition showed quantitative values consistent with literature data only for the second and third monitoring year. Qualitative differences in polyphenol content were also recorded, for the presence of quercetin-3-O-malonylglucoside and kaempferol-3-O-rutinoside, which may characterize this peculiar Italian cultivation.     

Quantitative and qualitative assessment on the suitability of seed oil from water plant (Trichilia emetica) for soap making

Despite widespread and its local available as a naturalized hedge and shade plant, the potential of Trichilia emetica was not utilized in soap making by the majority of local community in various parts of Dodoma, Tanzania. This study aimed to assess the quantity (yields) and quality (Acid Values (AVs), %Free Fatty Acids (%FFAs) and Saponification Values (SVs) of seed oil from water plant (T. emetica), suitable for soap making application. Solvent extraction method was used during oil extraction, where by 50gm of preheated and powdered seed materials were immersed in 250 ml of n-hexane in 1:5 (w/v) to dissolve the oil contained in the seed cake. The oil was collected by vaporizing solvent out through Rotary evaporation at 60 °C. Also standard titration methods were used to obtain SVs, AVs and %FFAs of the extracted oil. Results showed that T. emetica seeds contained higher quantity of oil (48.4%−50.2%) than many reported commercial plant seed oils. Also, the study found higher AV (7.4 mgKOH/g−7.8 mgKOH/g), %FFA (3.7% to 3.9%) and SVs (189.5 mgKOH/g − 191.4 mgKOH/g) than the maximum acceptable limits of 0.50 mg KOH/g, 0.020% and 175 mgKOH/g − 187 mgKOH/g prescribed by ASTM standards (2002). The obtained results showed that, T. emetica seeds yielded high oil quantity with low qualities due to higher levels of acidity. But high SVs guarantees the possibility of using T. emetica seed oil in soap making. However, the oil requires purification in order to bring levels of acidity to acceptable standards and guarantee its normal use in soap making.     

Tropical soils degraded by slash‐and‐burn cultivation can be recultivated when amended with ashes and compost

In many tropical regions, slash‐and‐burn agriculture is considered as a driver of deforestation; the forest is converted into agricultural land by cutting and burning the trees. However, the fields are abandoned after few years because of yield decrease and weed invasion. Consequently, new surfaces are regularly cleared from the primary forest. We propose a reclamation strategy for abandoned fields allowing and sustaining re‐cultivation. In the dry region of south‐western Madagascar, we tested, according to a split‐plot design, an alternative selective slash‐and‐burn cultivation technique coupled with compost amendment on 30–year‐old abandoned fields. Corn plants (Zea mays L.) were grown on four different types of soil amendments: no amendment (control), compost, ashes (as in traditional slash‐and‐burn cultivation), and compost + ashes additions. Furthermore, two tree cover treatments were applied: 0% tree cover (as in traditional slash‐and‐burn cultivation) and 50% tree cover (selective slash‐and‐burn). Both corn growth and soil fertility parameters were monitored during the growing season 2015 up to final harvest. The amendment compost + ashes strongly increased corn yield, which was multiplied by 4–5 in comparison with ashes or compost alone, reaching 1.5 t/ha compared to 0.25 and 0.35 t/ha for ashes and compost, respectively. On control plots, yield was negligible as expected on these degraded soils. Structural equation modeling evidenced that compost and ashes were complementary fertilizing pathways promoting soil fertility through positive effects on soil moisture, pH, organic matter, and microbial activity. Concerning the tree cover treatment, yield was reduced on shaded plots (50% tree cover) compared to sunny plots (0% tree cover) for all soil amendments, except ashes. To conclude, our results provide empirical evidence on the potential of recultivating tropical degraded soils with compost and ashes. This would help mitigating deforestation of the primary forest by increasing lifespan of agricultural lands.