Himatanthus drasticus (Mart.) Plumel belongs to the Apocynaceae family and the latex from its trunk bark (Hd) is known as “janaguba milk”. This latex is widely used in Northeast Brazil, mainly in the Cariri region, for its gastroprotective, anti-inflammatory, and antitumor properties. The objective of this study was to investigate a triterpene-rich fraction (FJNB) from H. drasticus latex on acute models of nociception and inflammation and to clarify its mechanisms of action. Wistar rats or Swiss mice were subjected to the carrageenan-induced paw edema test or the formalin test, respectively, after the acute oral treatment with FJNB. The inflamed paws from the carrageenan-induced paw edema and formalin tests were processed for histological and immunohistochemical assays, respectively. The results were analyzed by ANOVA and considered significant at P<0.05. FJNB (10 mg/kg) decreased the paw edema by 25% at the 3rd h after the carrageenan injection. Indomethacin, used as reference, inhibited the paw edema by 59% at the same time-point. In the formalin test, FJNB inhibited the 1st phase by 27, 49, and 52% and the 2nd phase by 37, 50, and 67%, at the doses of 1, 5, and 10 mg/kg, respectively. In addition, FJNB significantly inhibited the expressions of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), and the inflammatory cytokine tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha. The histone deacetylase (HDAC) expression and the transcription factor nuclear factor kappa (NF-kB) were also inhibited at the same doses. In conclusion, the FJNB inhibitory actions on iNOS, COX-2, TNF-α, HDAC, and NF-kB could be involved with the drug anti-inflammatory activity.

A partir de relato de diagnóstico de leishmaniose visceral em cinco cães dos municípios de Santa Maria, Itaara e Júlio de Castilhos, no centro do Estado do Rio Grande do Sul, foi realizado levantamento sorológico através de teste de imunofluorescência indireta em sangue obtido em papel de filtro de 40 cães de Santa Maria, 20 de Itaara e 11 de Júlio de Castilhos, em geral relacionados aos cinco cães considerados como positivos. Além destes, foi também examinado o sangue de 44 cães vadios de Júlio de Castilhos, 68 de Cachoeira do Sul e 20 de Caçapava do Sul. Soros fracamente reagentes com títulos < 1:40 foram avaliados em ensaios de Ensaio Imuno-enzimático. Amostras de fígado, baço, pulmão e linfonodos de um sexto cão de Santa Maria, considerado como positivo à necropsia, foram examinadas através de histopatologia e PCR. Todos os resultados dos 204 cães foram negativos, indicando que, apesar de não ser impossível a ocorrência de leishmaniose visceral na região, por vários fatores aqui discutidos, ela deve ser pelo menos extremamente rara, sendo necessários estudos mais detalhados do material dos cinco cães tidos como positivos.

Five dogs from the municipalities of Santa Maria, Itaara and Júlio de Castilhos, in the centre of the Brazilian State of Rio Grande do Sul, were diagnosed as positive for visceral leishmaniasis. A survey was developed by indirect immunofluorescence in blood obtained in filter paper from 40 dogs from Santa Maria, 20 from Itaara and 11 from Júlio de Castilhos. Examined dogs were generally related to those reputedly positive. Besides the above dogs, blood from 44 stray dogs from Júlio de Castilhos, 68 from Cachoeira do Sul and 20 from Caçapava do Sul was also examined. Slightly positive sera (£1:40) were examined with ELISA. PCR and histology was used to examine the liver, spleen, lungs and lymph nodes from a sixth dog considered at necropsy to be positive for visceral leishmaniasis. All results for the 204 dogs were negative. This indicates that visceral leishmaniasis, due to various factors discussed below, is extremely rare in this region. A more detailed exam of the material from the five dogs considered positive is necessary.

In this work the growth and the characterization of red emitting triple-layer electroluminescent organic devices using vacuum deposited (Eu(TTA)3(TPPO)2) europium complex as emitting layer are described. The observed electroluminescence (EL) is characteristic of the Eu3+ emission. In this device the hole transport layer is obtained using a thin film of 1-(3-methylphenyl)- 1,2,3,4 tetrahydroquinoline-6-carboxyaldehyde-1,1'-diphenylhydrazone (MTCD), while the tris(8- hydroxyquinoline aluminum) (Alq3) is used as electron transport layer (ETL).