0000000001180744
AUTHOR
D. Nuzzo
Bryophytes: a powerful source of biologically active compounds
Bryophytes are generally considered the first plants appeared on the Earth. Taxonomically, they are placed between Algae and Pteridophytes. The medicinal traditional use of bryophytes has been documented for a long time in many countries. Bryophytes contain numerous potentially useful compounds and strong antioxidative enzymatic machinery, which help them to cope up with extreme climates and stresses, and, in several cases, the total antioxidant amount was found higher than in other antioxidant common sources even if not yet fully known. Thus, a positive correlation between the folklore use and the scientific evaluation could generate an alternative source of novel medicinal compounds, whic…
Angiotensin II type-2 receptors and colonic dysmotility associated to experimental colitis in rats
Angiotensin II (Ang II) is a newly discovered modulator of intestinal motility, mainly via activation of excitatory AT1 receptors (AT1R). We demonstrated that during gut inflammation there is a recruitment of inhibitory AT2 receptors (AT2R) which would counteract the AT1R-induced effects. Our objective was to explore the consequence of AT2R activation in the pathogenesis of experimental colitis. Colitis was induced in rats by intrarectal administration of 2,4-Dinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (DNBS). Colonic damage was assessed by macro- and microscopic scores, myeloperoxidase activity and inflammatory cytokine expression on day 6 after colitis induction. Colonic contractility was recorded in vi…
Transforming growth factor beta1 T29C gene polymorphism and hypertension: relationship with cardiovascular and renal damage.
Distribution of T29C TGFb1 gene polymorphism was analysed in 260 hypertensive and 134 normotensive subjects. Circulating TGFb1 and procollagen type III levels, microalbuminuria, left ventricular geometry and function were evaluated in all the hypertensives subgrouped according to T29C TGFb1 gene polymorphism. Circulating TGFb1by ELISA technique, procollagen type III by a specific radioimmunoassay, microalbuminuria by radioimmunoassay, left ventricular geometry and function by echocardiography were determined. All groups were comparable for gender, age and sex. Regarding T29C TGFb1 gene polymorphism, prevalence of TC or CC genotypes was significantly (pv0.05) higher in hypertensives than nor…