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This article describes a method that uses Carbon Screen‐printed Electrodes (C‐SPEs) to detect 3,4 – methylenedioxyamphetamine (MDMA) by Linear Sweep Voltammetry in aqueous medium. Major parameters of this technique were evaluated aiming improve the method sensibility. Amines interference were conducted in order to verify disturbs at the MDMA response. The method obtained a linear response from 1×10−5 mol L−1 to 1×10−4 mol L−1 with linear correlation coefficient of 0.996, Amperometric Sensitivity (AS) of 0.025 A×mol−1 L, Limit of Detection (LOD) of 1,83×10−6 mol L−1, and Limit of Quantification (LOQ) of 6,11×10−6 mol L−1. The method applicability, reproducibility and reproducibility were carried over inter/intra days tests and its application on seized samples.

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Atherogenic events promote changes in vessel walls, with alteration of the redox state, and increased activity of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs). Thus, this study aims to evaluate aortic remodeling, MMP activity, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels after treatment with doxycycline in ApoE-⁄- and ovariectomized mice (OVX). Female ApoE-⁄--knockout mice (5 weeks) were submitted to ovariectomy surgery to induce experimental menopause. They then received chow enriched with 1% cholesterol to induce hypercholesterolemia. The animals were divided into two experimental groups: ApoE-⁄-/OVX vehicle and ApoE-⁄-/OVX doxycycline (30 mg/kg) administered by gavage once a day for 28 days (15th to the 18th week of life). Blood samples were collected to measure total cholesterol and fractions. The aorta was used for morphometry and to measure the activity and expression of MMP-2 and ROS levels. The ApoE-⁄-/OVX doxycycline group showed no change in total and fraction cholesterol levels. However, there was a reduction in ROS levels, MMP-2 expression, and activity that correlated with a decrease in atherosclerotic lesions relative to the ApoE-⁄-/OVX vehicle (p > 0.05). Therefore, we conclude that doxycycline in ApoE-⁄-/OVX animals promotes a reduction in atherosclerotic lesions by reducing ROS and MMP-2 activity and expression.

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