Evaluation of mesalazine polymeric conjugate in the treatment of actinic proctitis in rats.

Purpose: The present study aimed at testing a new formulation of mesalazine linked to chondroitin sulfate and its components alone in the treatment of actinic proctitis in rats.

Methods: Forty-seven female Wistar rats were submitted to pelvic radiation and divided into eight groups: control A, mesalazine A, chondroitin A, and conjugate A, gavage of the according substance two weeks after irradiation and sacrifice three weeks after oral treatment; control C, mesalazine C, chondroitin C, and conjugate C, sacrifice six weeks after oral treatment. The rectum was submitted to histological characterization for each of the findings: inflammatory infiltrate, epithelial degeneration, mucosal necrosis, and fibrosis.

Combined effects of gamma radiation doses and sodium nitrite content on the lipid oxidation and color of mortadella.

The effects of different doses of gamma radiation (0-20kGy) on the color and lipid oxidation of mortadella prepared with increasing nitrite levels (0-300ppm) were evaluated using a central composite rotatable design. Higher radiation doses increased the redox potential, promoted the lipid oxidation and elevating the hue color of the mortadellas. Nevertheless, higher addition of sodium nitrite elevated the residual nitrite content, reduced the lipid oxidation and promoted the increase of redness and the reduce of hue color of the mortadellas, regardless of the radiation dose applied.

Development of a new model of actinic enteritis in rats using a cobalt-60 open source and a protection device as a collimator.

Purpose:: To describe a new model of actinic enteritis that does not use radiotherapy machines.

Methods:: Sixteen Wistar rats were divided into four groups, consisting of four animals each: control (group A), two weeks after irradiation (group B), five weeks after irradiation (group C) and eight weeks after irradiation (group D). Animals were given a 10Gy radiation from a Cobalt-60 natural source in a nuclear technology research center.

Preparation, physicochemical characterization, and cell viability evaluation of long-circulating and pH-sensitive liposomes containing ursolic acid.

Cancer is one of the leading causes of death worldwide. Although several drugs are used clinically, some tumors either do not respond or are resistant to the existing pharmacotherapy, thus justifying the search for new drugs. Ursolic acid (UA) is a triterpene found in different plant species that has been shown to possess significant antitumor activity.

Biodistribution and antitumoral effect of long-circulating and pH-sensitive liposomal cisplatin administered in Ehrlich tumor-bearing mice.

Cisplatin (CDDP) is one of the most active cytotoxic agents and has been widely used in the treatment of peritoneal carcinomatosis by the intraperitoneal (i.p.) route.

Structural binding evidence of the trypanocidal drugs berenil and pentacarinate active principles to a serine protease model.

Bovine trypsin is a model system for the serine protease class of enzymes, which is an important target for contemporary medicinal chemistry. Some structural and thermodynamic reports are available on its interaction with benzamidine-based compounds but no structural information is available so far on its binding modes to the active principles of the trypanocidal drugs Pentacarinate (pentamidine) and Berenil (diminazene). The crystallographic structures of bovine beta-trypsin in complex with the ligands were determined to a resolution of 1.

Characterization of the Trypanosoma cruzi Rad51 gene and its role in recombination events associated with the parasite resistance to ionizing radiation.

The Rad51 gene encodes a highly conserved enzyme involved in DNA double-strand break (DSB) repair and recombination processes. We cloned and characterized the Rad51 gene from Trypanosoma cruzi, the protozoan parasite that causes Chagas disease. This gene is expressed in all three forms of the parasite life cycle, with mRNA levels that are two-fold more abundant in the intracellular amastigote form.