Dans les expériences de Milgram sur la soumission à l’autorité (Milgram, 1963, 1965, 1974), les participants se sont vus ordonner d’administrer une série de chocs électriques d’intensité croissante à un autre participant (en réalité compère de l’expérimentateur) au nom d’une étude sur les effets de la punition sur l’apprentissage. Les résultats montrent que 62.5% des participants ont été jusqu’à infliger plusieurs chocs potentiellement mortels (condition standard ; Milgram, 1974). Ces résultats ont suscité un fort intérêt et sont toujours largement cités pour expliquer certains comportements destructeurs comme les actes de torture et de barbarie. Mais les travaux de Milgram ont également provoqué une forte controverse éthique et toute possibilité de réplication a été rapidement proscrite. Dans ce contexte, peu d’études expérimentales ont été réalisées et la question des mécanismes responsables de l’obéissance destructrice (OD) demeure sans réponse. La recherche récente a pu relancer l’étude expérimentale de l’OD par l’usage d’environnements immersifs. Ainsi, une récente étude IRMf reposant sur l’utilisation d’une version virtuelle du paradigme de Milgram montre que l’observation de la douleur de la victime dans ce contexte provoque un état de détresse personnelle chez les participants (i.e., réaction émotionnelle aversive centrée sur soi). Ce résultat suggère que l’OD pourrait être en partie la conséquence d’un défaut de régulation de la détresse provoquée par les mécanismes de résonance empathique. En nous appuyant sur la recherche récente en neurosciences sociales, nous avons fait l’hypothèse que la vulnérabilité au stress pourrait faciliter l’OD via l’exercice d’un contrôle inhibiteur sur la résonance empathique responsable d’une diminution de l’aversion pour l’atteinte à autrui. Nous avons réalisé six expériences visant (i) à examiner l’influence du tonus vagal (biomarqueur de la vulnérabilité au stress) sur l’autoritarisme de droite (prédicteur classique de l’OD) et sur l’OD, (ii) à manipuler expérimentalement la capacité des participants à exercer un contrôle inhibiteur durant la procédure d’obéissance, (iii) à explorer la relation entre ondes thêta (biomarqueur du contrôle inhibiteur) et OD, (iv) à examiner la relation entre OD et activité hémodynamique au niveau du cortex préfrontal ventromédian (incluant le cortex orbitofrontal) et du cortex préfrontal dorsolatéral, régions cérébrales fortement impliquées dans l’empathie et la cognition morale. L’obéissance a été mesurée à l’aide de l’« Immersive Video Milgram Obedience Experiment ». Dans ce qu’ils ont d’essentiel, nos résultats montrent : (i) qu’un moindre tonus vagal prédit l’autoritarisme de droite et l’OD, et que les participants obéissants ont exercé un effort cognitif couplé à une diminution du stress physiologique durant la procédure d’obéissance (études 2 et 3), (ii) que l’affaiblissement expérimental du contrôle inhibiteur via l’induction d’une « fatigue mentale » favorise la désobéissance et supprime l’influence de l’autoritarisme de droite sur l’OD (étude 4), (iii) qu’une augmentation de la puissance des ondes thêta prédit l’OD (étude 5), (iv) qu’une augmentation de l’oxy-hémoglobine au niveau du cortex préfrontal ventromédian droit prédit une moindre obéissance (étude 6). Dans leur ensemble, ces résultats supportent l’hypothèse voulant que les personnes présentant une plus grande vulnérabilité au stress exercent un contrôle inhibiteur sur leur résonance empathique dans un effort pour diminuer leur détresse, et que ce contrôle inhibiteur a pour conséquence une diminution des réponses émotionnelles aversives à l’atteinte à autrui et ainsi une augmentation de l’OD. / In the Milgram's obedience experiments (Milgram, 1963, 1965, 1974), naive participants were ordered to administer increasingly severe electric shocks on a “learner” (a confederate) after being told that they were participating in an experiment on the effects of punishment on learning. Results revealed that 62.5% of the participants were willing to administer allegedly lethal electric shocks when ordered to do so (standard condition; Milgram, 1974). The Milgram's findings are still often cited when explaining destructive behaviors such as torture. The Milgram’s obedience studies have also been a target of ethical criticism and replication has been discouraged. In such a context, a very few experimental studies has been conducted since the Milgram’s experiments and the mechanisms responsible for destructive obedience remain unknown. Recent research reopens the door to direct empirical study of destructive obedience through the employment of immersive environments. A recent fMRI study showed that pain-related affective sharing in a virtual version of the Milgram paradigm elicited an aversive, self-oriented state of personal distress. This result suggests that low self-regulatory control of the shared affect evoked by the victim’s pain could be responsible for destructive obedience. Based on recent social neuroscience research, we hypothesized that stress vulnerability may facilitate destructive obedience through a mechanism of inhibitory control over empathic resonance responsible for decreased harm aversion. We conducted six studies aiming (i) to explore the influence of cardiac vagal tone (a biomarker of stress vulnerability) on right-wing authoritarianism (RWA, a classic predictor of destructive obedience) and on destructive obedience, (ii) to induce a self-regulatory fatigue in order to manipulate the participants’ abilities for inhibitory control during the obedience procedure, (iii) to explore the relation between theta oscillations (a biomarker of inhibitory control) and destructive obedience, (iv) to examine the relation between destructive obedience and hemodynamic response in the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (including the orbitofrontal cortex) and the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, two brain areas highly involved in empathy and moral cognition. Obedience was measured using the “Immersive Video Milgram Obedience Experiment”. All in all, our results showed: (i) that lower vagal tone predicted higher RWA and destructive obedience, and that obedient participants exerted a cognitive effort associated to decreased physiological arousal (studies 2 and 3), (ii) that self-regulatory fatigue reduced destructive obedience and suppressed the influence of RWA, (iii) that increased theta power predicted destructive obedience (study 4), (iv) that increased oxygenated-hemoglobin in the right ventromedial prefrontal cortex predicts disobedience. On the whole, these results support the hypothesis that individuals with high in stress vulnerability exert an inhibitory control over their empathic resonance in an attempt to reduce their own distress, and that such a mechanism is responsible for decreased harm aversion and then destructive obedience.

A avaliação química das folhas de Psychotria umbellata levou a identificação de quatro alcalóides pertencente ao grupo dos indol monoterpenos glicosilados, sendo psicolatina a substância majoritária. Em estudos subseqüentes, psicolatina apresentou importantes efeitos farmacológicos provavelmente relacionados com a modulação de receptores opióides, serotonérgicos 5-HT2A/C e glutamatérgicos NMDA. Assim, considerando-se a relevância das atividades biológicas descritas para psicolatina e a necessidade do estabelecimento inequívoco das características estruturais e conformacionais de compostos farmacologicamente ativos, os objetivos principais deste trabalho foram a caracterização conformacional de psicolatina e a avaliação do efeito de tratamento agudo e sub-crônico com este composto sobre os níveis de aminoácidos excitatórios e inibitórios e regiões cerebrais de roedores. A avaliação conformacional de psicolatina permitiu a caracterização de quatro confôrmeros caracterizados como mínimos de energia: 1EaCc, 1EaCd, 1EbCc e 1EbCd. As constantes de acoplamento teóricas (3JH,H) calculadas para esses confôrmeros apresentaram boa correlação com os dados experimentais de RMN, sendo que os melhores resultados foram observados para as conformações obtidas por RM1. Não foram verificadas diferenças significativas nos níveis de aminoácidos excitatórios e inibitórios em hipocampos de camundongos e ratos submetidos a tratamento agudo com psicolatina 7,5 mg/kg. No entanto, nos córtices pré-frontais dos roedores submetidos a tratamento agudo foram verificados aumentos estatisticamente significativos nos níveis dos aminoácidos excitatórios e de glutamina. Os camundongos submetidos ao tratamento agudo apresentaram elevações de 42,46 %, 50,93 % e 35,18 % nos níveis de aspartato, glutamato e glutamina, respectivamente. Os ratos submetidos ao mesmo esquema de tratamento, por sua vez, apresentaram aumentos de 43,36 % e de 57,11% nas concentrações de glutamato e glutamina. Assim como observado para o tratamento agudo, o tratamento sub-crônico com psicolatina por um período de 18 dias não provocou alterações significativas nos níveis de aminoácidos excitatórios e inibitórios em hipocampos de camundongos. Em córtices préfrontais, porém, os animais tratados com psicolatina apresentaram diminuição de 28,86 % nos níveis de glutamina. O presente estudo, corroborando dados anteriores sugere que psicolatina administrada por via intraperitoneal apresenta ação sobre o sistema nervoso central, uma vez que provocou alterações no perfil de aminoácidos excitatórios em córtex pré-frontal. / Phytochemical analyses of Psychotria umbellata leaves identified the presence of four monoterpene indole alkaloids, being psychollatine the main compound. In subsequent pharmacological investigations, psychollatine showed some important biological activities, including analgesic, anxiolytic, antidepressive and amnesic effects in mice models. These data indicate that this compound is able to modulate different neurotransmitter systems, including opioid, 5-HT2A/C and NMDA receptors. This way, considering the relevance of the pharmacological activities showed by psychollatine and the necessity of the unequivocally determination of the conformational and structural features of biologically actives compounds, the goals of this work were the conformational characterization of psychollatine and the evaluation of acute and chronic treatment with this compound on the excitatory and inhibitory amino acids levels in hippocampus and prefrontal cortex of rodents. From the conformational analyses, four minimum energy conformations were evaluates for psychollatine: 1EaCc, 1EaCd, 1EbCc e 1EbCd. The theoretical coupling constants calculated for all these conformers (3JH,H) presented a good agreement with the experimental data, mainly for the conformations obtained by RM1. No significant differences were observed on the excitatory and inhibitory amino acids levels in hippocampus of mice and rats submitted to acute treatment with psychollatine 7.5 mg/kg. Nevertheless, in prefrontal cortex of rodents submitted to acute treatment with this compound were observed increases on the excitatory amino acids and glutamine levels. Mice submitted to acute treatment with these alkaloid presented increases of 42.46 %, 50.93 % and 35.18 % on the aspartate, glutamate and glutamine levels, respectively, and rats submitted to acute treatment presented increases of 43.36 % and 57.11% on the glutamate and glutamine levels, respectively. Such as verified for the acute treatment, the chronic treatment with psychollatine 7.5 mg/kg, during 18 days, did not cause significant alterations on the excitatory and inhibitory amino acids levels in mice hippocampus. However, significant decrease on the glutamine levels (28.86 %) was observed in the prefrontal cortex of mice treated with this alkaloid during 18 days. The present work, supporting previous data, suggests that psychollatine presents effects on the central nervous system (CNS), since this compound caused alterations on the amino acids levels on prefrontal cortex.

O presente estudo teve o objetivo de avaliar o perfil de sensibilidade in vitro de 171 isolados de Staphylococcus hyicus a nove antimicrobianos utilizados na suinocultura. A coleta das amostras foi realizada através de suabes de pele de leitões das fases de maternidade e creche provenientes de casos de epidermite exsudativa. As amostras foram submetidas ao isolamento e identificação e compreenderam dois grupos, classificadas de acordo com o período em que foram coletadas. O primeiro grupo foi formado por amostras históricas (80 isolados) provenientes de estudos anteriores entre 1975 a 1984 no Rio Grande do Sul, e mantidos liofilizados no laboratório de sanidade do Setor de Suínos (FAVET-UFRGS), e o segundo grupo (91 isolados) coletados no ano de 2012 nos estados do Rio Grande do Sul, Santa Catarina, Paraná e Minas Gerais. A realização do teste de susceptibilidade foi feita utilizando a técnica de diluição em ágar conforme protocolo M31-A3 do CLSI. Através de valores de Concentração Inibitória Mínima (CIM), foi obtido o perfil quantitativo de resistência em relação a nove antimicrobianos utilizados na suinocultura. A análise estatística possibilitou a avaliação de mudanças entre os dois grupos de amostras isoladas em diferentes épocas. Os resultados obtidos nesse estudo revelaram que para todas as cepas obtidas os beta-lactâmicos (ceftiofur e amoxicilina) foram os antimicrobianos mais ativos, com CIM para 90% dos isolados históricos (CIM90) de 0.5 μg/mL e 2.0 μg/mL para isolados recentes. A lincomicina, sulfametoxazol e tilmicosina foram os antimicrobianos menos ativos, com CIM90 variando de 128 a 256 μg/mL. O aumento na resistência entre o grupo de amostras históricas e recentes foi observado em seis dos nove antimicrobianos testados (amoxicilina, enrofloxacina, florfenicol, lincomicina, tilmicosina e tiamulina), em particular para a enrofloxacina e tiamulina. No caso do sulfametoxazole e tetraciclina, não foram observadas diferenças significativas na resistência, entretanto altos valores de CIM foram observados nos dois grupos avaliados (p<0,05). / This study was performed to evaluate the "in vitro" susceptibility profile of 171 Staphylococcus hyicus isolates from cases of exudative epidermitis to nine antibiotics used in pig production. Sample consisted of skin swabs from weanling and nursery piglets from farms suspected of exudative epidermitis. Samples were processed for bacterial isolation and identification and divided in two groups, according to the time of collection. The first group comprised historical samples (80 isolates) from previous studies (1975-1984) conducted in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, and stocked lyophilized in Swine Health Lab (FAVET-UFRGS), and the other group (91 isolates) formed by isolates collected in 2012 in the states of Rio Grande do Sul, Santa Catarina, Paraná and Minas Gerais, Brazil. The test was carried out using agar dilution protocol, according to M31-A3 CLSI. Through Minimal Inhibitory Concentrations (MIC) data, analysis was performed to get a quantitative profile of resistance to antimicrobials. Statistical analysis was performed to evaluate changes in resistance between the groups studied. Results showed that beta-lactam (ceftiofur and amoxicillin) were the most active antimicrobials for all strains tested, with the lowest MIC for inhibition of 90% of isolates (MIC90) of 0.5 μg/ml for historical isolates and of 2.0 μg/ml for recent isolates. Lincomycin, sulfamethoxazole and tilmicosin were the less active antimicrobials, with MIC90 varying from 128 to 256 μg/ml. Significant increase in resistance between historical and recent strains was observed for six out of nine antimicrobials tested (amoxicillin, enrofloxacin, florfenicol, lincomycin, tilmicosin and tiamulin), in particular for enrofloxacin e tiamulin. For sulfamethoxazole and tetracycline there was no significant differences in resistance between strains collected in different periods, however high MIC values were observed for these drugs.

Charles University Faculty of Pharmacy in Hradec Králové Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology Student: Simona Suchá Supervisor: RNDr. Jakub Hofman, Ph.D. Title of diploma thesis: Study of ABC drug efflux transporter inhibition by selected tyrosine kinase inhibitors using accumulation methods with cytostatic substrates ATP-binding cassette (ABC) drug efflux transporters are transmembrane proteins that utilize the energy from ATP hydrolysis to drive transport of endogenous and exogenous compounds out of the cell. The overexpression of ABC transporters plays a crucial role in the development of multidrug resistance (MDR), a phenomenon responsible for the failure of chemotherapy. Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI) represent novel beneficial therapeutic approach in cancer treatment. TKI block tyrosine kinases which regulate important cellular processes. Deregulation of these enzymes can lead to various types of cancers. In the present work, we investigated interaction potential of selected TKI (alectinib, brivanib, osimertinib, selumetinib) in MDCKII parent cell line and those transduced with human efflux transporters ABCB1, ABCC1 and ABCG2. Using the accumulation studies, we determined the amount of accumulated model substrates (daunorubicin, mitoxantrone) and evaluated the inhibitory effect of...

Enzimas proteolíticas são comumente empregadas na liberação de peptídeos bioativos com potencial aplicabilidade como aditivos em alimentos. Neste trabalho, estudou-se a capacidade de inibição do escurecimento de maçãs minimamente processadas do soro de leite de búfala hidrolisado por Alcalase em diferentes intervalos, ti (i = 0 h, 0,5 h, 1 h, 2 h, 3 h, 4 h ou 6 h). O processo de hidrólise foi acompanhado por determinação do grau de hidrólise (GH). Para se entender possíveis modos de ação sobre o escurecimento enzimático, o soro, ao longo do tempo de hidrólise, foi submetido às análises de capacidade capacidade antioxidante (capacidade de sequestro do radical ABTS•+, atividade quelante de Fe2+ e poder redutor), reatividade com quinonas e atividade inibitória sobre polifenoloxidases (PFO) extraídas de maçãs Red Delicious. Após os ensaios in vitro, o hidrolisado t4h foi testado quanto à capacidade de inibição do escurecimento de maçãs Red Delicious minimamente processadas, determinada por meio de análises de luminosidade (parâmetro L*) e índice de escurecimento (IE). O soro apresentou aumento significativo (p < 0,05) do GH, da atividade antioxidante, da reatividade com quinonas e da atividade inibitória de PFO em função do tempo de hidrólise. Especificamente para a atividade inibitória de PFO, o hidrolisado t4h alcançou pico de inibição próximo de 50 %. Quanto à capacidade de inibição do escurecimento das maçãs minimamente processadas, o hidrolisado manteve o parâmetro L* das maçãs durante 6 dias de armazenamento, não diferindo significativamente (p > 0,05) do metabissulfito. Além da luminosidade, o soro de leite hidrolisado conseguiu manter melhor o IE das maçãs durante esse tempo de armazenamento, comparativamente ao soro não hidrolisado (p < 0,05). Esses resultados evidenciam informações sobre possíveis aplicações de soro de leite bubalino hidrolisado com Alcalase como substituto natural de aditivos convencionalmente utilizados no controle desse tipo de escurecimento em alimentos. / Proteolytic enzymes are commonly employed in the release of bioactive peptides with potential applicability in food additives. In this work, the ability to inhibit the browning of minimally processed apples from Alcalase hydrolysed buffalo whey at different time, ti (i = 0 h, 0.5 h, 1 h, 2 h, 3 h, 4 h or 6 h). The hydrolysis process was followed by determination of the degree of hydrolysis (DH). In order to understand possible modes of action on the enzymatic browning, the whey was submitted to the analysis of the antioxidant capacity (capacity of sequestration of the ABTS•+ radical, Fe2+ chelating activity and reducing power), reactivity with quinones and inhibitory activity on polyphenoloxidases (PPO) extracted from Red Delicious apples. Following the in vitro assays, the t4h hydrolyzate was tested for the ability to inhibit the browning of minimally processed Red Delicious apples, determined by means of analysis of luminosity (parameter L *) and browning index (BI). Buffalo whey shows significant increase (p < 0.05) in DH, antioxidant activity, reactivity with quinones and PPO inhibitory activity as a function of the hydrolysis time. Specifically for the PPO inhibitory activity, the t4h hydrolyzate reached a near 50% inhibition peak. As for the ability to inhibit the browning of the minimally processed apples, the hydrolyzate kept the L * parameter of the apples during 6 days of storage, not statistically differing (p > 0.05) from the metabisulfite. In addition to the luminosity, the hydrolyzed whey was able to maintain the IE of the apples better during this storage time, compared to the unhydrolyzed whey (p < 0.05). These results evidenced information on possible applications of hydrolysed buffalo whey with Alcalase as a natural substitute for additives conventionally used in the control of this type of browning in foods.

This diploma thesis is concerned on protease inhibitors isolated from potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) tubers and evaluation of their antifungal properties. Theoretical part of the thesis deals with protease inhibitors which have an antifungal effect. Tubers of potato cultivars Adéla, Ornella, Eurostarch - were used for protease inhibitors isolation. Antifungal activity of isolated protein fractions were evaluated versus fungi from genus Rhizoctonia and Fusarium that are important pathogens in agriculture. Their activity was also evaluated statistically.

The introduction of calcineurin inhibitors (CNI) into immunosuppressive regimens significantly improved patients prognosis after heart transplantation. Some of the most significant complications have been recognized, such as the development of arterial hypertension and renal impairment due to calcineurin inhibitor toxicity. The aim of the study was to compare the effect of the dual blockade of the renin-angiotensin system (dual RAS combination) with standard antihypertensive medication on blood pressure control. The second aim was to evaluate whether effective antihypertensive combination therapy (dual RAS or a standard antihypertensive drugs combination) would reduce the progression of chronic kidney disease in patients with chronic immunosuppressive prophylaxis. Treatment of arterial hypertension involving the combination of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEi) and angiotensin II receptor blocker (ARB) was similarly effective compared to the standard combination of antihypertensives. Blood pressure treatment targets were achieved in both studies. Administration of antihypertensive combination therapy including dual blockade of RAS alleviated the progression of chronic renal disease in the experimental and clinical part, where the nephroprotective effect of dual RAS blockade...

Made available in DSpace on 2016-06-02T20:30:54Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 4805.pdf: 574299 bytes, checksum: 5bb78686ed42e85503db237f6aa036cc (MD5) Previous issue date: 2012-12-10 / Financiadora de Estudos e Projetos / Several studies have shown that benzodiazepines (BDZ) in periaqueductal gray (PAG) can produce anxiolytic-like effects in different animal models of anxiety. In addition, BDZ drugs also impair learning and memory performance in rodents. Despite the known role of PAG in modulated defensive behaviors in animal models, little is known about its role in modulated of emotional memory. In this sense, the objective of this study was to investigate the effects of midazolam, injected into the PAG, on the acquisition, consolidation and retrieval of aversive memory. For this, we used male mice of the Swiss-Albino weighing between 25-30g (n=7-11). After stereotactic surgery with implantation of a cannula in the PAG, the animals on the test day were divided into three experiments for later exposed to the test "step-down" (SD), as follows: Experiment 1, intra-PAG with saline and midazolam (MDZ) at doses of 3.0 and 30 nmol/0.1&#956;l, in condition of pre-training to evaluate the acquisition of aversive memory; Experiment 2 was like Experiment 1, except for the condition of the injection pretest to evaluate the retrieval of aversive memory; Experiment 3 was like Experiment 1, except for the condition of injection post training to evaluate the consolidation of aversive memory. The animals were trained in the inhibitory avoidance task that was to distributed the animals into two groups: N/Sh - without exposure to shock, W/Sh - with exposed to shock (0.5 mA) for 10 seconds, to record the latency of descent (L1). Twenty-four hours later, each animal was exposed again on SD to record latency (L2), but without shock. The results were evaluated by analysis of variance (ANOVA) of three factors (Factor 1: condition; Factor 2: pre-treatment Factor 3: treatment) for L1 and L2. The results showed that there was an increase of L2 after exposure of mice to SD without shock, confirming that the aversive stimulus (shock) was strong enough to promote facilitation of aversive memory. The two doses (3.0 and 30 nmol) of MDZ intra-PAG decreased the risk assessment of mice, characterized by the fast descent of the platform in L1. This result suggests that GABAbenzodiazepine agonist impaired the acquisition, consolidation and retrieval of aversive memory in mice. Taken together, these results suggest that GABAA receptors within PAG seem to modulate the response related to aversive memory induced by shock. / Varios estudos tem demonstrado que os benzodiazepinicos (BDZ), administrados na substancia cinzenta periaquedutal (SCP), podem produzir efeito ansiolitico em diferentes modelos animais de ansiedade e tambem prejudicar a aprendizagem e a memoria em roedores. Apesar do ja conhecido papel da SCP em modular comportamentos defensivos em modelos animais, pouco se sabe sobre o seu papel na modulacao da memoria emocional. Neste sentido, o objetivo desde estudo foi investigar os efeitos do midazolam, intra-SCP, sobre a aquisicao, consolidacao e evocacao da memoria aversiva. Para isto, utilizamos camundongos machos da linhagem Suico-Albino, pesando entre 25-30g (n=7-11/grupo). Os animais apos cirurgia estereotaxica com implantacao de canula na SCP, no dia do teste foram distribuidos em tres Experimentos para posteriormente serem expostos ao teste de step-down (SD), a saber: Experimento 1, injecao intra-SCP com salina e midazolam (MDZ) nas doses de 3,0 e 30 nmol/0,1&#956;l, na condicao de pre-treino ao SD para avaliar a aquisicao da memoria aversiva; Experimento 2, conforme Experimento 1, exceto pela condicao de injecao pre-teste ao SD para avaliar a evocacao da memoria aversiva; Experimento 3, conforme Experimento 1, exceto pela condicao de injecao pos-treino ao SD para avaliar a consolidacao da memoria aversiva. Os animais foram treinados na tarefa de esquiva inibitoria que consistiu em distribuir os animais em dois grupos: S/Ch - sem exposicao ao choque; C/Ch com exposicao ao choque (0,5mA) por 10s, para registro da latencia de descida (L1). Vinte e quatro horas apos, cada animal foi exposto novamente ao SD para registro da latencia (L2), mas sem o choque. Os resultados foram avaliados pela analise de variancia (ANOVA) de tres fatores (Fator 1: condicao; Fator 2: pre-tratamento; Fator 3: tratamento), durante L1 e L2. Os resultados mostraram que ocorreu aumento de L2, apos a exposicao de camundongos ao SD sem apresentacao de choque, confirmando que o estimulo aversivo (choque) foi forte o suficiente para promover facilitacao da memoria aversiva. As duas doses (3,0 e 30 nmol) de MDZ intra-SCP diminuiram a avaliacao de risco dos camundongos, caracterizada pela rapida descida da plataforma em L1. Este resultado sugere que este agonista GABABenzodiazepinico, prejudicou a aquisicao, evocacao e consolidacao da memoria aversiva em camundongos. Em conjunto, esses resultados sugerem que os receptores GABAA localizados na SCP participam da modulacao das respostas relacionadas a memoria aversiva induzida pelo choque.

A avaliação química das folhas de Psychotria umbellata levou a identificação de quatro alcalóides pertencente ao grupo dos indol monoterpenos glicosilados, sendo psicolatina a substância majoritária. Em estudos subseqüentes, psicolatina apresentou importantes efeitos farmacológicos provavelmente relacionados com a modulação de receptores opióides, serotonérgicos 5-HT2A/C e glutamatérgicos NMDA. Assim, considerando-se a relevância das atividades biológicas descritas para psicolatina e a necessidade do estabelecimento inequívoco das características estruturais e conformacionais de compostos farmacologicamente ativos, os objetivos principais deste trabalho foram a caracterização conformacional de psicolatina e a avaliação do efeito de tratamento agudo e sub-crônico com este composto sobre os níveis de aminoácidos excitatórios e inibitórios e regiões cerebrais de roedores. A avaliação conformacional de psicolatina permitiu a caracterização de quatro confôrmeros caracterizados como mínimos de energia: 1EaCc, 1EaCd, 1EbCc e 1EbCd. As constantes de acoplamento teóricas (3JH,H) calculadas para esses confôrmeros apresentaram boa correlação com os dados experimentais de RMN, sendo que os melhores resultados foram observados para as conformações obtidas por RM1. Não foram verificadas diferenças significativas nos níveis de aminoácidos excitatórios e inibitórios em hipocampos de camundongos e ratos submetidos a tratamento agudo com psicolatina 7,5 mg/kg. No entanto, nos córtices pré-frontais dos roedores submetidos a tratamento agudo foram verificados aumentos estatisticamente significativos nos níveis dos aminoácidos excitatórios e de glutamina. Os camundongos submetidos ao tratamento agudo apresentaram elevações de 42,46 %, 50,93 % e 35,18 % nos níveis de aspartato, glutamato e glutamina, respectivamente. Os ratos submetidos ao mesmo esquema de tratamento, por sua vez, apresentaram aumentos de 43,36 % e de 57,11% nas concentrações de glutamato e glutamina. Assim como observado para o tratamento agudo, o tratamento sub-crônico com psicolatina por um período de 18 dias não provocou alterações significativas nos níveis de aminoácidos excitatórios e inibitórios em hipocampos de camundongos. Em córtices préfrontais, porém, os animais tratados com psicolatina apresentaram diminuição de 28,86 % nos níveis de glutamina. O presente estudo, corroborando dados anteriores sugere que psicolatina administrada por via intraperitoneal apresenta ação sobre o sistema nervoso central, uma vez que provocou alterações no perfil de aminoácidos excitatórios em córtex pré-frontal. / Phytochemical analyses of Psychotria umbellata leaves identified the presence of four monoterpene indole alkaloids, being psychollatine the main compound. In subsequent pharmacological investigations, psychollatine showed some important biological activities, including analgesic, anxiolytic, antidepressive and amnesic effects in mice models. These data indicate that this compound is able to modulate different neurotransmitter systems, including opioid, 5-HT2A/C and NMDA receptors. This way, considering the relevance of the pharmacological activities showed by psychollatine and the necessity of the unequivocally determination of the conformational and structural features of biologically actives compounds, the goals of this work were the conformational characterization of psychollatine and the evaluation of acute and chronic treatment with this compound on the excitatory and inhibitory amino acids levels in hippocampus and prefrontal cortex of rodents. From the conformational analyses, four minimum energy conformations were evaluates for psychollatine: 1EaCc, 1EaCd, 1EbCc e 1EbCd. The theoretical coupling constants calculated for all these conformers (3JH,H) presented a good agreement with the experimental data, mainly for the conformations obtained by RM1. No significant differences were observed on the excitatory and inhibitory amino acids levels in hippocampus of mice and rats submitted to acute treatment with psychollatine 7.5 mg/kg. Nevertheless, in prefrontal cortex of rodents submitted to acute treatment with this compound were observed increases on the excitatory amino acids and glutamine levels. Mice submitted to acute treatment with these alkaloid presented increases of 42.46 %, 50.93 % and 35.18 % on the aspartate, glutamate and glutamine levels, respectively, and rats submitted to acute treatment presented increases of 43.36 % and 57.11% on the glutamate and glutamine levels, respectively. Such as verified for the acute treatment, the chronic treatment with psychollatine 7.5 mg/kg, during 18 days, did not cause significant alterations on the excitatory and inhibitory amino acids levels in mice hippocampus. However, significant decrease on the glutamine levels (28.86 %) was observed in the prefrontal cortex of mice treated with this alkaloid during 18 days. The present work, supporting previous data, suggests that psychollatine presents effects on the central nervous system (CNS), since this compound caused alterations on the amino acids levels on prefrontal cortex.

GABA is the major inhibitory neurotransmitter in the central nervous system. It binds to two types of receptors –ionotropic GABAA and metabotropic GABAB. The GABAA receptor directly gates a Clionophore that causes hyperpolarization in mature excitatory neurons while GABAB receptor mediates a slower hyperpolarizing response via G-protein coupled receptor (GPCR) activated potassium channels. This signaling mechanism gets further complicated by the heterogeneous GABA receptor subunit composition that influences the response kinetics in the postsynaptic membrane. In this thesis, the focus has been to decipher the role of GABAA receptors in relation to cellular excitability in the subiculum under physiological and pathophysiological conditions. The subiculum, considered as the output structure of hippocampus, modulates information flow from hippocampus to various cortical and sub-cortical areas and has been implicated in learning and memory, rhythm generation and various neurological disorders. It gates hippocampal activity with its well orchestrated and fine tuned intrinsic and local network properties. Over the years many studies have shown the involvement of subiculum in temporal lobe epilepsy where it forms the focal point of epileptiform activities with altered cellular and network properties. The subiculum is characterized by the presence of a significant population of burst firing neurons that lead local epileptiform activity. By virtue of its bursting nature and recurrent connections, it is a potential site for seizure generation and maintenance. Epileptiform activities are dynamic in nature and change temporally and spatially according to the alterations in electrophysiological properties of neurons. Transitions to different electrical activities in neurons following a prolonged challenge with epileptogenic stimulus have been shown in other brain structures, but not in the subiculum. Considering the importance of the subicular burst firing neurons in the propagation of epileptiform activity to the entorhinal cortex, we have explored the phenomenon of electrophysiological phase transitions in the burst firing neurons of the subiculum in an in vitro brain slice model of epileptogenesis. Whole-cell patch clamp and extracellular field recordings revealed a distinct phenomenon in the subiculum wherein an early hyperexcitable phase was followed by a late suppressed phase upon continuous perfusion with epileptogenic 4-amino pyridine and magnesium-free medium. The late suppressed phase was characterized by inhibitory post-synaptic potentials (IPSPs) in pyramidal excitatory neurons and bursting activity in local fast spiking interneurons at a frequency of 0.1-0.8 Hz. The IPSPs were mediated by GABAA receptors that coincided with excitatory synaptic inputs to attenuate action potential discharge. These IPSPs ceased following a cut between the CA1 and subiculum. Our results suggest the importance of feedforward inhibition in the suppression of epileptiform activity in subiculum to mediate a homeostatic response towards the induced hyper-excitability. GABA release from presynaptic nerve endings activates postsynaptic GABAA receptors, which evoke faster phasic inhibitory postsynaptic currents (IPSCs) and non-inactivating inhibitory tonic current, mediated through extrasynaptic GABAA receptors. These receptors are heteropentameric GABA-gated channels assembled from 19 possible subunits (α1-6, β1-3, γ1-3, δ, π, ρ1-3, θ, and ε). The 2 major subunits involved in tonic GABAA currents in the hippocampus are α5 and δ subunits. Tonic GABAA receptor mediated inhibitory current plays an important role in neuronal physiology as well as pathophysiology such as mood disorders, insomnia, epilepsy, autism spectrum disorders and schizophrenia. While the alterations of various electrical properties due to tonic inhibition have been studied in neurons from different regions, its influence on intrinsic subthreshold resonance in pyramidal excitatory neurons having hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide-gated (HCN) channels is not known. In the present study, we show the involvement of α5βγ GABAA receptors in mediating picrotoxin sensitive tonic current in subicular pyramidal neurons using known pharmacological agents that target specific GABAA receptor subunits. We further investigated the contribution of tonic conductance in regulating subthreshold electrophysiological properties using current clamp and dynamic clamp experiments. Our experiments suggest that tonic GABAergic inhibition can actively modulate subthreshold properties of subicular pyramidal neurons including resonance due to HCNchannels that may potentially alter the response dynamics in an oscillating neuronal network.