Background: Methodology Results Conclusion:

Ficus thoningii which has some traditional medicinal uses was investigated. Phytochemical screening of the stem bark, leaves and roots gave positive results for carbohydrates, glycosides, saponins and alkaloids. Antimicrobial screening of the crude petroleum spirit and methanol extracts showed activity against Klebsiella pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Providencia stauti and Bacillus subtilis but no activity was observed against Salmonella typhi. The crude petroleum spirit extracts of the leaves and stem bark of the plant had minimum inhibitory concentrations at 50 mg/ml while the roots had no minimum inhibitory concentration at the test concentration. The crude methanol extracts of the various plant parts showed minimum inhibitory concentration at 50 mg/ml on all the pathogens tested for.

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Prion diseases are associated with the accumulation of an abnormal isoformof cellular prion protein (PrP Sc ), which is the principal constituent of prions. Prions replicate in lymphoreticular tissues before neuroinvasion, suggesting that lymphoreticular biopsy samples may allow early diagnosis by detection of PrP Sc . Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD) is the most frequent prion disease in humans. Clinical diagnosis of sporadic (CJD) is based on the evaluation of rapidly progressive dementia, ataxia, myoclonus, changes on the electroencephalogram and other neurological signs. We report a problable (CJD) case in Santa Barbara surgical center, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. From our clinical case, we decided to do a brief review about (CJD) researching at Medline and Pubmed, using terms Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease and Prion diseases. A definite diagnosis, however, is confined to cases that have been evaluated neuropathlogically or by equivalent diagnostic techniques. The range in clinical expression of the disease is better appreciated and the existence of "atypical" cases of CJD is increasingly recognized. The clinical characteristics, laboratory findings, differential diagnosis, mechanisms of transmission and the actual therapeutic approach are discussed.

Citrus paradisi Macfad (Rutaceae) popularly called grapefruit is widely cultivated in tropical and subtropical countries. The juice of C. paradisi fruit is commonly used both as a beverage and in folkforic medicine for the treatment of several disease conditions. In the present study, the effects of C. paradisi fruit juice on the Wistar rat liver histology and oxidative status were investigated. 200, 400 and 600 mgkg-1 per day orally of the extract was administered on three groups of Wistar rats respectively for 60 days. A fourth group that served as control was given 5 mlkg-1 daily, orally of distilled water. Animals that had 200 mgkg-1 of the extract showed improved liver histology and a largely preserved liver oxidative status. However, the groups of rats that were treated with both 400 and 600 mgkg-1 of the extract exhibited poor histological profiles and increased evidence of liver oxidative stress. The results therefore indicate that, while the lower dose of C. paradisi fruit juice is hepato-protective, the higher doses indeed demonstrate hepato-toxicity in the rat. Thus, the dose of application of the extract in folk medicine and even in beverages should be regulated to forestall possible hepatic derangement.