Validation of the ethnopharmacological use of Polygonum persicaria for its antifungal properties

Polygonum L. genus (Polygonaceae) is represented in Argentina by 21 species and some of them have been used in the traditional medicine of our country to treat affections related with fungal infections, such as skin ailments and vaginal diseases. With the aim of contributing to the correct ethnopharmacological use of this genus, in the present work we describe the antifungal properties of P. persicaria (species not studied up to now) and the bio-guided isolation of the main active compounds. Results showed that dichloromethane extracts was the most active with MICs (Minimun Inhibitory Concentrations) between 31.2 - 1000 microg/mL, validating the ethnopharmacological use of P. persicaria to treat affections related with fungal infections in the Argentinean traditional medicine.     

Antimycotic effect of the essential oil of Aloysia triphylla against Candida species obtained from human pathologies

The research of alternative substances to treat infections caused by Candida species is a need. Aromatic plants have the ability to produce secondary metabolites, such as essential oils (EO). The antimicrobial properties of Aloysia triphylla (L'Her.) Britton (cedrón) EO has been previously described. The aims of this work were to determine the antimicrobial activity and the effect on the cell structure of the EO of A. triphylla against Candida sp isolated from human illnesses. The EO was obtained by hydrodistillation of A. triphylla leaves. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was performed with microdilution method and the minimum fungicidal concentration (MFC) was determined. A. triphylla EO's showed antifungal activity against all yeast: C. albicans, C. dubliniensis, C. glabrata, C. krusei, C. guillermondii, C. parapsilosis and C. tropicalis which were resistant to fluconazol (150 mg/mL). The range of MIC values was from: 35 to 140 microg/mL and the MFC: 1842 to 2300 microg/mL. The time of killing at the MFC against C. albicans (3 x 10(5) UFC/mL) was 140 min. The dates of OD620 and OD260 suggest lysis and loss of absorbing material, respectively. The HROM shows distortion in morphology and shape of the cell, with large vacuoles in the cytoplasm. These studies clearly show that A. triphylla EO is a promising alternative for the treatment of candidiasis.     

On the Ferrers property of valued interval orders

We study the relationship between the Ferrers property and the notion of interval order in the context of valued relations. Given a crisp preference structure without incomparability, the strict preference relation satisfies the Ferrers property if and only if the associated weak preference relation does. These conditions characterize a total interval order. For valued relations the Ferrers property can be written in two different and non-equivalent ways. In this work, we compare these properties by finding the kind of completeness they imply. Moreover, we study whether they still characterize a valued total interval orders.     

A note on classes of structured matrices with elliptical type numerical range

Czechoslovak Mathematical Journal - We identify new classes of structured matrices whose numerical range is of the elliptical type, that is, an elliptical disk or the convex hull of elliptical disks.     

Imposex and organotin body burden in the dog‐whelk (Nucella lapillus L.) along the Portuguese coast

Nucella lapillus imposex—superimposition of male characters onto prosobranch (a subclass of gastropod molluscs) females—and organotin female body burden were surveyed on the Portuguese coast, from Vila Praia de Âncora (northern limit) to Praia da Luz (southern limit), at 17 sampling stations, between May and August 2003. The vas deferens sequence index (VDSI), the relative penis size index (RPSI), the percentage of females affected with imposex (%I) and the percentage of sterile females (%S) were used to assess the level of imposex at each site. VDSI, RPSI and %I were 0.20–4.04, 0.0–42.2% and 16.7–100.0%, respectively. Sterile females were found at stations 2 (6.2%), 5 (4.0%) and 7 (5.0%). Tributyltin (TBT) and dibutyltin (DBT) female body burdens were 23–138 and <10–62 ng Sn/g dry weight, respectively. TBT female body burden was significantly correlated with RPSI and VDSI [Spearman rank order linear correlation: RPSI vs TBT body burden (b.b.) r = 0.71, p < 0.01; VDSI vs logTBT body burden r = 0.71, p < 0.01]. Imposex and TBT b.b. were highest at sites located in the proximity of harbours, where TBT leaching from antifouling paints is more intense owing to the high concentration of ships and dockyard activities. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

THE EFFECT OF ALA AND RADIATION ON PORPHYRIN/HEME BIOSYNTHESIS IN ENDOTHELIAL CELLS

To study porphyrin biosynthesis in human microvascular endothelial cells, HMEC-1 cells, a transformed human microvascular endothelial cell line, were incubated with 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA), the precursor of endogenous porphyrins, and porphyrin accumulation was measured spectro-fluorometrically. The HMEC-1 cells accumulated porphyrin in a concentration-related and a time-dependent fashion. Protoporphyrin was the predominant porphyrin accumulated in the cells. The effect of light on protoporphyrin accumulation was evaluated by exposing the ALA-loaded HMEC-1 cells to ultraviolet-A (UVA) and blue light, followed by another incubation with ALA for 2–24 h. Enhancement of protoporphyrin accumulation in irradiated HMEC-1 cells was observed 2–24 h after irradiation, which was associated with a decrease in ferrochelatase protein and activity. Porphyrin accumulation from ALA after irradiation was significantly decreased when catalase (750–3000 U/mL, 29.3–44.3% suppression) or superoxide dismutase (270 U/mL, 36.4% suppression) was present during irradiation. These data demonstrate that HMEC-1 cells were capable of porphyrin biosynthesis, and that exposure of protoporphyrin-containing HMEC-1 cells to UVA and blue light, which includes the Soret band spectrum, decreased the ferrochelatase activity and its protein. These changes were mediated, at least in part, by reactive oxygen species.     

Numerical Method to Fit the Refractive Index Profile of Planar Microlenses Made by Ion Exchange Techniques

We present a fitting method for obtaining a functional form of the refractive index profile of planar microlenses made by ion exchange techniques from total shearing interferometric measurements. Compared to the usual power series expansion fit, this method allows a reduction in the number of coefficients needed to characterize a lens.     

Photopolymerization initiated by carbonyl compounds. VII. Solvent effects on biacetyl photoinitiation

Biacetyl is solvated by methanol or water giving an α-substituted alkanone. Irradiation of the solvated species at 300 nm in the presence of vinyl acetate or vinyl pyrrolidone, produces a significant amount of polymer. The photoprocesses leading to active free radicals are considered to be a type I photocleavage of the α-substituted alkanone.     

Sensitized Photooxidation of Di- and Tripeptides of Tyrosine*

This paper studies the dye-sensitized photooxidation of tyrosine (tyr) and tyr di- and tripeptides (tyr-tyr and tyr-tyr-tyr) mediated by singlet molecular oxygen (O,[l]) in alkaline media. Photooxidation quantum efficiencies (φ_r) were obtained by determining the overall and reactive rate constants of interaction with the oxidative species, employing the time-resolved O,(l) phosphorescence detection method and static-photolysis actinometric method, respectively. The interaction of O,(l)-tyr derivatives occurs through an intermediate encounter complex with polar character. Ionization of the phenolic OH group of tyr derivatives and the polarity of the solvent favors the overall interaction. Nevertheless, & values decrease when changing from water to MeCN-water medium. This indicates that the reactive deactivation of the encounter complex, probably an entropy-controlled step, may be affected by solvent polarity in the same way as those processes in which charg- es are neutralized along the reaction pathway. Photooxidation quantum efficiencies indicate that the contribution to O,(′) physical quenching (a second alternative deactivation route for the encountered complex [O,(′)-tyr derivatives]) increases with the complexity of the peptide. As a result, the selfprotection of the peptidic entity against physical quenching also increases. The information obtained from the fractional consumption mol OJmol tyr derivative (in tyr, the di- and tripeptides and the respective methyl ester of tyr and the tripeptide), together with the evolution (either consumption and/or generation) of primary amino groups upon photosensitized irradiation of the same compounds clearly indicates that the photooxidation of di- and tri-tyr peptides proceeds with the breakage of peptidic bonds. As a consequence, in the final balance each tyr unity behaves as an independent photooxidizable target.     

Reductive deamination of aryl- and heteroaryl-amines via pyridinium fluorides

The corresponding “pseudobase” Δ² -1,5-diketones (8) and (14) afford dihydrochromenylium (9b) and tetrahydro-xanthylium monofluorides (15). These convert aryl- and heteroarylamines into dihydroquinolinium (10) and tetrahydro-acridinium (16) monofluorides which at 130–250° give the deaminated arenes and heteroarenes (average overall yield 60%).