Polyphenolic composition, antibacterial, modulator and neuroprotective activity of Tarenaya spinosa(Jacq.) Raf.(Cleomaceae)

Objective: To evaluate the antibacterial activity and neuroprotective capacity of the ethanolic and aqueous extracts of Tarenaya spinosa(T. spinosa) as well as to determine and quantify some of its polyphenols by high performance liquid chromatography with diode-array detection(HPLC-DAD). Methods: The bacterial Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains, grown in Heart Agar Infusion, were tested. The drugs gentamicin, norfloxacin and imipenem were used to evaluate the modulating or antagonistic capacity of the T. spinosa extracts. The extract was analysed by HPLC-DAD to determine the main phenolic compounds. For the cell viability tests, individual heads of the Nauphoeta cinerea arthropod model were removed, homogenized in Trifluoromethyl ketone and centrifuged afterwards. Subsequently, 20 μL of NaN O2 were added to the biological material, except in the control group, to evaluate the protection capacity of the extracts. The homogenate of the insect heads was incubated for 2 h in tubes containing tetrazolium bromide. Results: HPLC-DAD demonstrated that the ethanolic extract of T. spinosa presented caffeic acid as the major compound. The ethanolic extract also showed neuroprotective effects at concentrations ≥ 10 μg/mL, while aqueous extract was shown to have a protective effect only at the concentration of 100 μg/mL. The aqueous extract demonstrated a clinically relevant antibacterial activity against the Staphylococcus aureus multidrug resistant strain-MDR, with MIC 512 μg/m L. However, when the extracts were associated with gentamicin and imipenem, a synergism was detected against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli MDR strains. Conclusions: Although it does not present an antibacterial action, the extracts of T. spinosa can be used in the pharmaceutical industries since its extracts show modulating action of drugs. Besides, these natural products have neuroprotective capacity.

Chemical composition, antiparasitic and cytotoxic activities of aqueous extracts of Ziziphus joazeiro Mart

Objective: To compare the in vitro antiparasitic activity of aqueous extracts from Ziziphus joazeiro leaves and stem bark against Trypanosoma cruzi, Leishmania braziliensis, and Leishmania infantum, as well as to evaluate its cytotoxicity in mammalian cells, in addition to identifying the chemical composition of the extracts. Methods: Ziziphus joazeiro leaf and stem bark aqueous extracts were prepared by cold extraction maceration and subjected to ultra-efficient liquid chromatography coupled to a quadrupole/time of flight system. The susceptibility assays used Trypanosoma cruzi CLB5 strains and promastigote forms of Leishmania braziliensis and Leishmania infantum for antiparasitic activity of the extracts. Moreover, mammalian fibroblasts NCTC clone 929 were used for cytotoxicity analysis. Results: Terpenoid compounds, flavonoids and phenolic acid were identified in extracts. The stem bark aqueous extracts presented more significant results in terms of antiparasitic activity compared with the leaf aqueous extracts, especially against Leishmania braziliensis and Leishmania infantum promastigote forms with an IC50 < 500 μg/mL. The cytotoxicity evaluation showed moderate toxicity of the stem bark aqueous extracts, which is relevant information for the rational use of this plant part since it is widely used by the population. Conclusions: These preliminary results may contribute to the formulation of new therapeutic agents against this group of neglected diseases, so further investigations are required to delineate the mechanisms of action mainly of the aqueous extract of stem bark of Ziziphus joazeiro.

Prevalence of <i>Helicobacter pylori</i>and the Interest of Its Eradication during the Functional Dyspepsia

Functional dyspepsia constitutes by its impact in quality of life and socio-economic impact areal public health problem (40% of the adult population in the Western world). The prevalence of infection with Helicobacter pylori (HP) in patients with functional dyspepsia is about 30% - 70%. The aim of our study is to observe the improvement of functional dyspepsia (FD) after Helicobacter pylori (HP) eradication. Methods: This is a prospective study over a period of 68 months (May 2009 - January 2015). We included all patients aged over 15 years, with functional dyspepsia defined by the Rome III criteria. The diagnosis of HP was made by histology and/or PCR. Patients infected with HP were treated in single-blind: standard triple therapy for 7 days or sequential treatment for 10 days. HP eradication control was made after: 3 months, 6 months and one year of treatment. Results: During the study period, 1190 patients were included of which 250 patients (21%) were in functional dyspepsia according to the Rome III criteria. The average age in patients with functional dyspepsia was 49 years [16 - 80], sex ratio M/F was 0.58 (N = 92/158). 60% of patients were older than 45 years (N = 150). Chronic smoking was found in 20% of patients (N = 50). One hundred and seventy five patients (70%) had HP infection (N = 175). One hundred and sixty five patients received the treatment of Helicobacter pylori (94.28%), 10 patients were lost to follow (5.71%). The eradication of HP was obtained in 98.41% with sequential treatment versus 88.73% with standard triple therapy (p = 0.026). All patients were reviewed at 3 months and 6 months after treatment, 86% were reviewed at 12 months (N = 143). Dyspeptic symptoms was disappeared in 43% of our patients (N = 71) partial disappearance of symptoms in 34.5% of cases (N = 57) persistence of symptoms in 22.42% of cases (N = 37). Conclusion: In our study the prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection in patients with functional dyspepsia is high: 70%. Sequential therapy is better than the standard triple therapy in the eradication of HP in patients with nonulcer dyspepsia, which improves their symptoms in more than 50% of cases.

Gastric Atrophy, Intestinal Metaplasia in Helicobacter pylori Gastritis: Prevalence and Predictors Factors

Gastric atrophy and intestinal metaplasia represent the most important premalignant lesions in gastric carcinogenesis. The severity of gastric mucosal inflammation depends on the bacterium Helicobacter pylori (HP), on the host and on environmental factors. The aim of our study is to determine the prevalence and factors associated with Gastric atrophy and intestinal metaplasia in patients infected with Helicobacter pylori. Methods: This is a prospective study over a period of 4 years (May 2009 - January 2015) conducted in the service of Hepatology and Gastroenterology in hospital university Hassan II of Fez in collaboration with microbiology and molecular biology laboratory and epidemiology service of Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy Fes. We included in our study all patients aged over 15 years, having ulcerative dyspepsia, peptic ulcer disease, gastritis or esophagitis. Results: During the study period, 1190 patients were included of which 70% had HP infection (N = 833). The average age was 48.21 years [16 - 99 years], sex ratio M/F was 1, 11. 60% of patients were older than 45 years. Chronic smoking was found in 12% of patients. Gastric atrophy was observed in 84% (N = 699) of patients infected with HP. Gastric atrophy was localized in 70% in the antrum and 30% in the fundus and 24% in both. The activity of gastritis (p = 0.0001) and the density of the HP (p = 0.005) were factors associated with atrophy. Intestinal metaplasia was observed in 13.5% of patients (N = 112). The density of HP (p = 0.037) and severe atrophy (p = 0.001) were factors associated with metaplasia. Other factors studied: age, sex, smoking, CagA+ genotype were not associated with either gastric atrophy or intestinal metaplasia. Conclusion: In our study, the prevalence of atrophic gastritis and intestinal metaplasia in patients infected with Helicobacter pylori was 84% and 13.5% respectively, which was a high prevalence. The activity of gastritis, and density of HP were factors associated with atrophy. The density of HP and severe atrophy were factors associated with metaplasia.