Polysaccharide-rich extract of Genipa americana leaves exerts anti-inflammatory effects modulated by platelet mediators.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Genipa americana L. (Rubiaceae) leaves are traditionally used to treat fever, pharyngitis, healing, luxation and bruises.

Aim Of The Study: This study aimed to investigate the anti-inflammatory effect of the polysaccharide-rich extract of G.

The anti-inflamatory effect of Andira anthelmia lectin in rats involves inhibition of the prostanoid pathway, TNF-α and lectin domain.

Objective: To investigate the effect and mechanisms of Andira anthelmia lectin in rat models of acute inflammation.

Material: AAL anti-inflammatory activity was evaluated in Wistar rat models of paw edema and peritonitis.

Methods: AAL (0.

Polysaccaride-rich extract of Caesalpina ferrea stem barks attenuates mice acute inflammation induced by zymosan: Oxidative stress modulation.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Stem barks of Caesalpinia ferrea Mart. Ex Tul. (Caesalpiniaceae), also known as pau-ferro jucá or jucaína, are popularly used to treat contusions, diabetes, rheumatism and other inflammatory conditions in the form of tea, lick or decoction.

Lectin purified from Lonchocarpus campestris seeds inhibits inflammatory nociception.

Lonchocarpus campestris (tribe Dalbergieae) possess a mannose biding lectin (LCaL) purified by ion exchange chromatography on DEAE-Sephacel, HiTrap DEAE FF and TSKgel engaged in AKTA-HPLC system. LCaL agglutinates trypsinized rabbit erythrocytes and its activity was maintained after incubation in a wide range of temperature (4-100 °C) and pH (4-9). The lectin had its apparent molecular weight evaluated by size-exclusion chromatography and SDS-PAGE and presented a profile of 10 kDa and 25 kDa in denaturing and native conditions, respectively.

Ximenia americana heteropolysaccharides ameliorate inflammation and visceral hypernociception in murine caerulein-induced acute pancreatitis: Involvement of CB2 receptors.

Background: This study aimed to investigate and characterize the anti-inflammatory and anti-hypernociceptive effects of the total polysaccharides of X. americana (TPL-Xa) bark in a mouse model of acute pancreatitis-induced by caerulein and the potential involvement of cannabinoid receptors.

Methods: TPL-Xa was characterized byH and C NMR spectroscopy.

Sensorial, structural and functional response of rats subjected to hind limb immobilization.

Aims: This study analyzed the sensorial, structural and functional response of rats subjected to paw immobilization.

Main Methods: Animal pelvis, hip, knee and ankle were immobilized using waterproof tape during two weeks for assessment of sensorial response to thermal (hot plate test) and mechanical stimuli (Von Frey test), motor system structure (histology and radiography) and muscle function (soleus contractility).

Key Findings: Disuse animals became more responsive to thermal stimuli (49%), although less responsive to mechanical challenge (58%).

The galactose-binding lectin isolated from Bauhinia bauhinioides Mart seeds inhibits neutrophil rolling and adhesion via primary cytokines.

In this study, the amino acid sequence and anti-inflammatory effect of Bauhinia bauhinioides (BBL) lectin were evaluated. Tandem mass spectrometry revealed that BBL possesses 86 amino acid residues. BBL (1 mg/kg) intravenously injected in rats 30 min prior to inflammatory stimuli inhibited the cellular edema induced by carrageenan in only the second phase (21% - 3 h, 19% - 4 h) and did not alter the osmotic edema induced by dextran.

Homologous Canavalia lectins elicit different patterns of antinociceptive responses.

Canavalia gladiata (CGL), C. maritima (ConM) and C. brasiliensis (ConBr) lectins were evaluated in nociception models.

Effects of Canavalia lectins on acute inflammation in sensitized and non-sensitized rats.

The anti-inflammatory activity of Canavalia seed lectins (Canavalia gladiata [CGL], Canavalia maritima [ConM] and Canavalia brasiliensis [ConBr]) was evaluated by intravenous administration in rats. In non-sensitized rats, cellular edema elicited by carrageenan was reduced (45-51 %) by ConM and (44-59 %) by CGL. Osmotic edema elicited by dextran was reduced by ConM and CGL in 27 % and 29 %.

Crystal structure of Dioclea violacea lectin and a comparative study of vasorelaxant properties with Dioclea rostrata lectin.

Lectins from Diocleinae subtribe belong to the family of legume lectins and are characterized by high identity between their amino acids sequences. It has been shown that punctual differences in amino acid sequences, such as one single amino acid or an alternative conformation, represent changes in biological activities caused by these lectins. Therefore, a more detailed understanding of three-dimensional structures of these proteins is essential for accurate analyzing the relationship between structure and function.

Relaxant effects of the essential oil of Mentha pulegium L. in rat isolated trachea and urinary bladder.

Objectives: We evaluated the relaxant activity of the essential oil of Mentha pulegium L. (EOMP) and pulegone in rat isolated tracheal and bladder smooth muscles.

Methods: ISOMETRIC contractions of isolated tracheal and bladder strips from male Wistar rats were induced by KCl (K60; 60 mm) or acetylcholine (ACh; 10 µm).

Protein crystal content analysis by mass spectrometry and preliminary X-ray diffraction of a lectin from Canavalia grandiflora seeds with modulatory role in inflammation.

Rationale: Lectins are a family of proteins capable of deciphering the glycan code. Several authors have published works about crystallization and mass spectrometry analyses of ConA-like lectins. However, mass spectrometry has never been used to characterize lectin crystal content.

A report of a galactan from marine alga Gelidium crinale with in vivo anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive effects.

The sulfated galactan of the red marine alga Gelidium crinale (SG-Gc) was purified by ion exchange chromatography and tested by intravenous (i.v.) route in rodent experimental models of inflammation and nociception.

Crystal structure of a pro-inflammatory lectin from the seeds of Dioclea wilsonii Standl.

The crystal structure and pro-inflammatory property of a lectin from the seeds of Dioclea wilsonii (DwL) were analyzed to gain a better understanding of structure/function relationships of Diocleinae lectins. Following crystallization and structural determination by standard molecular replacement techniques, DwL was found to be a tetramer based on PISA analysis, and composed by two metal-binding sites per monomer and loops which are involved in molecular oligomerization. DwL presents 96% and 99% identity with two other previously described lectins of Dioclea rostrata (DRL) and Dioclea grandiflora (DGL).

Opioid-like antinociceptive effects of oral administration of a lectin purified from the seeds of Canavalia brasiliensis.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the antinociceptive effects of a lectin from Canavalia brasiliensis (ConBr) when administered orally to murine models of chemical and thermal nociception. ConBr up to 100 mg/kg produced significant and dose-dependent antinociceptive effects: 81% reduction in abdominal writhing induced by 0.6% acetic acid; 26 and 52% reduction in early- and late-stage paw licking, respectively, induced by 2.

Crystallization and characterization of an inflammatory lectin purified from the seeds of Dioclea wilsonii.

DwL, a lectin extracted from the seeds of Dioclea wilsonii, is a metalloprotein with strong agglutinating activity against rabbit and ABO erythrocytes, inhibited by glucose and mannose. DwL was purified by affinity chromatography on a Sephadex G-50 column and ion exchange chromatography on a HiTrap SP XL column. SDS-PAGE revealed three electrophoretic bands corresponding to the α (25,634 ± 2 Da), β (12,873 ± 2 Da) and γ (12,779 ± 2 Da) chains.

Vasodilator effects of Diocleinae lectins from the Canavalia genus.

This study investigated and compared vascular actions of leguminous lectins obtained from the Canavalia genus (Canavalia brasiliensis, Canavalia gladiata, and Canavalia maritima) in the rat models of paw edema and isolated aorta. Paw edema was induced by subcutaneous injection of lectins (0.01-1 mg/kg) in animals pre-treated or not with indomethacin or L-NAME.

Biological effects of a sulfated-polysaccharide isolated from the marine red algae Champia feldmannii.

Sulfated-polysaccharides are exploited as antithrombotic and anticoagulant agents and suggested to be immunostimulants. The sulfated-polysaccharide isolated from the red-marine-algae Champia feldmannii (Cf-PLS) was purified by ion exchange chromatography and tested in experimental protocols of coagulation, inflammation (in Wistar rats) and nociception (in Swiss mice). Cf-PLS was tested i.

Effects of anethole and structural analogues on the contractility of rat isolated aorta: Involvement of voltage-dependent Ca2+-channels.

Anethole is a naturally occurring aromatic oxidant, present in a variety of medicinal plant extracts, which is commonly used by the food and beverage industry. Despite its widespread occurrence and commercial use, there is currently little information regarding effects of this compound on the vasculature. Therefore the actions of anethole on the contractility of rat isolated aorta were compared with those of eugenol, and their respective isomeric forms, estragole and isoeugenol.

Purification and biological effects of Araucaria angustifolia (Araucariaceae) seed lectin.

This paper describes the purification and characterization of a new N-acetyl-d-glucosamine-specific lectin from Araucaria angustifolia (AaL) seeds (Araucariaceae) and its anti-inflammatory and antibacterial activities. AaL was purified using a combination of affinity chromatography on a chitin column and ion exchange chromatography on Sephacel-DEAE. The pure protein has 8.