SUMMARYIn this study, the bioactivity of Talinum paniculatum was evaluated, a plant widely used in folk medicine. The extract from the T. paniculatum leaves (LE) was obtained by percolation with ethanol-water and then subjecting it to liquid-liquid partitions, yielding hexane (HX), ethyl acetate (EtOAc), butanol (BuOH), and aqueous (Aq) fractions. Screening for antimicrobial activity of the LE and its fractions was evaluated in vitro through broth microdilution method, against thirteen pathogenic and non-pathogenic microorganisms, and the antimycobacterial activity was performed through agar diffusion assay. The cytotoxic concentrations (CC90) for LE, HX, and EtOAc were obtained on BHK-21 cells by using MTT reduction assay. The LE showed activity against Serratia marcescens and Staphylococcus aureus, with Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) values of 250 and 500 µg/mL, respectively. Furthermore, HX demonstrated outstanding activity against Micrococcus luteusand Candida albicans with a MIC of 31.2 µg/mL in both cases. The MIC for EtOAc also was 31.2 µg/mL against Escherichia coli. Conversely, BuOH and Aq were inactive against all tested microorganisms and LE proved inactive against Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Mycobacterium bovis as well. Campesterol, stigmasterol, and sitosterol were the proposed structures as main compounds present in the EF and HX/EtOAc fractions, evidenced by mass spectrometry. Therefore, LE, HX, and EtOAc from T. paniculatum showed potential as possible sources of antimicrobial compounds, mainly HX, for presenting low toxicity on BHK-21 cells with excellent Selectivity Index (SI = CC90/MIC) of 17.72 against C. albicans.

Mast cells and eosinophils actively participate in tissue repair and are prominent components of

The Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics/American College of Rheumatology (ACR) Damage Index (SDI) is an accepted instrument to ascertain damage. It has been shown to vary among different SLE populations. The aim of this study was to assess SDI score, pattern and factors related to damage in Brazilian SLE outpatients. The SDI was obtained in 105 patients with a median age of 41 (5-95%, 19-61.7) years and a median SLE duration of 127 (17.6-345.9) months. Patients had a median SDI of 2 (0-8) and 81.9% had some damage (SDI > 0). Damage was associated with a higher number of ACR criteria for SLE in multivariate analysis (OR = 2.32, 95%CI = 1.23-4.37, P = 0.009). Antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) (OR = 9.82, 95%CI = 2.74-35.23, P < 0.001), methylprednisolone pulses (OR = 3.91, 95%CI = 1.19-12.81, P = 0.024), age (OR = 1.70, 95%CI = 1.02-1.13, P = 0.011) and prednisone use duration (OR = 1.01, 95%CI = 1.002-1.02, P = 0.020) were related to severe damage (SDI > or = 4). Hypertension was associated with renal, cardiac and atherosclerotic damage, as cyclophosphamide pulses were with premature menopause. In conclusion, damage was very frequent in Brazilian SLE patients, mainly due to skin involvement, compared to other SLE populations. The presence of APS was the major independent contributor to the development of severe damage. Arterial hypertension was identified as a common risk factor for renal, cardiac and atherosclerotic damage.

No abstract