Introdução: A esquizofrenia é um dos principais transtornos mentais e promove distúrbios comportamentais e cognitivos. Apesar do grande impacto social, pouco se conhece sobre a patofisiologia e etiologia da esquizofrenia. Pacientes com desordens psicóticas têm aumentado risco de desenvolver epilepsia, e pacientes com epilepsia do lobo temporal tem alta frequência de psicoses. A utilização de modelos experimentais animais de esquizofrenia e epilepsia pode ajudar a entender a neurobiologia dessas doenças e ter papel importante no desenvolvimento de novas estratégias terapêuticas. As interações complexas das crises epilépticas e quadros psicóticos tem sido aos poucos desvendadas. O óxido nítrico (NO) é um importante modulador da neurotransmissão e doadores de NO como o nitroprussiato de sódio (NPS) tem efeitos promissores em pacientes com esquizofrenia. Em modelos animais de epilepsia, NO pode ter efeito pró ou anticonvulsivante, sugerindo que o uso de NPS em pacientes com epilepsia e psicose pode não ser tão simples. Objetivos: Desenvolver um modelo animal de epilepsia e psicose comórbida, e compará-lo do ponto de vista comportamental e neuropatológico com modelos animais puros de epilepsia e esquizofrenia. Além disso, verificar a possível modulação desencadeada pelo tratamento com NPS nos modelos citados. Metodologia: Ratos Wistar machos (260-300g) foram divididos em grupos controle (SAL+SAL), epilepsia puro (PILO+SAL), esquizofrenia (SAL+QUET), epilepsia e psicose comórbida (PILO+QUET) e suas versões tratadas com NPS (SAL+SAL+NPS, PILO+SAL+NPS, SAL+QUET+NPS e PILO+QUET+NPS). Esses animais foram avaliados em diferentes aspectos comportamentais (campo aberto, teste de inibição pré- pulso, memória de reconhecimento de objeto e memória de trabalho), e filmados ao longo de 71 dias para o monitoramento de crises epilépticas espontâneas recorrentes. Também foram avaliadas a perda neuronal e a expressão de nNOS em diferentes regiões cerebrais. Resultados: NPS reduziu a frequência de crises nos animais com epilepsia e psicose comórbida quando comparados a animais não tratados. NPS também teve efeito ansiolítico no modelo animal de epilepsia com e sem psicose, e diminuiu os correlatos comportamentais de sintomas positivos dos animais no modelo de psicose e no de epilepsia + psicose, além de reverter o prejuízo no filtro sensório motor nos animais que receberam pilocarpina e quetamina. No reconhecimento de objeto o modelo de epilepsia e epilepsia+psicose o tratamento com NPS não interferiu no desempenho de memória de curto prazo, porém NPS melhorou a memória de longo prazo no modelo de psicose. NPS preservou regiões como o córtex entorrinal e subiculum nos animais epilépticos, mas a camada granular e córtex pré-límbico revelaram perda significativa nos animais controles. Alta expressão de nNOS em diferentes regiões cerebrais foram visualizadas nos animais com epilepsia, com destaque para aqueles que receberam tratamento com NPS. Conclusão: O tratamento com NPS foi efetivo na amenização de sintomas correlatos comportamentais de psicose no modelo puro de esquizofrenia e no comórbido VIII com epilepsia. Além disso, não exacerbou crises e contribuiu para diminuição delas nos animais do modelo de epilepsia e psicose, que apresentou grandes similaridades com o que é encontrado em casos clínicos. Nossos resultados sugerem que o uso do NPS pode ter resultados na melhoria dos sintomas da psicose interictal humana, assim como já observado para a esquizofrenia. / Introdution: Schizophrenia is a major mental disorder that affects 1% of young adults and has a great impact on quality of life, behavior, and cognition. Despite the high social burden, little is known about the pathophysiology and etiology of schizophrenia. Patients with psychotic disorders have increased risk of developing epilepsy, and patients with temporal lobe epilepsy have a high frequency of psychoses. The use of experimental animal models of epilepsy and schizophrenia may help to better understand the neurobiology of these diseases and play an important role in the development of potential new therapeutic strategies. The complex interactions of seizures and psychotic symptoms are being unveiled. Nitric oxide (NO) is an important modulator of neurotransmission and NO donors such as sodium nitroprusside (SNP) have shown promising effects in schizophrenic patients. In animal models of epilepsy, NO may exert pro- or anticonvulsant effects, suggesting that the use of SNP in patients with epilepsy and psychosis may not be so straightforward. Objectives: To develop an animal model of epilepsy and comorbid psychosis, and compare it from the behavioral and neuropathological point of view with pure animal models of epilepsy and schizophrenia. It was hoped, to verify the possible modulation triggered by the treatment with SNP. Metodology: Males Wistar rats weighing 260-300g were divided in controls group (SAL+SAL), pure epilepsy (PILO+SAL), schizophrenia (SAL+QUET), comorbid psychosis (PILO+KET) and their versions treated with SNP (SAL+SAL+SNP, PILO+SAL+SNP, SAL+KET+SNP and PILO+KET+SNP). These animals were evaluated in a variety of behavioral tests (open field, prepulse inhibition startle reflex, object recognition and working memory), and were filmed over 71 days to monitor spontaneous recurrent seizures. We also evaluated neuronal loss and nNOS expression in different brain regions. Results: SNP reduced seizure frequency in animals with epilepsy and psychosis when compared to those not treated with SNP. SNP also showed anxiolytic effects in the animal model of epilepsy with or without psychosis, decreased behavioral correlates of positive symptoms in the animal model of epilepsy + psychosis, and prevented sensorimotor gating deficits in epilepsy + psychosis IX model, The object recognition test showed that in epilepsy and epilepsy + psychosis models the treatment with SNP did not interfere with short-term memory performance, but SNP improved long-term memory in the psychosis model. SNP preserved brain regions like entorhinal cortex and subiculum in epileptic animals, but the granular layer and prelimbic cortex revealed significant loss in controls animals. High expression of NOS in same brain regions was observed in the animal model of epilepsy, especially in the animals receiving SNP. Conclusion: Treatment with SNP was effective in ameliorating symptoms of behavioral correlates of psychosis in the pure model of schizophrenia and the model comorbid with epilepsy. Moreover, SNP did not exacerbate seizures and reduced seizure frequency in the animal model of epilepsy + psychosis, which showed striking similarities to clinical cases. Our results suggest that the use of SNP could ameliorate symptoms of human interictal psychosis, such as those observed in schizophrenia.

The synergistic effect of nitric oxide toward dephosphorylation reactions involving phosphate esters was the subject of investigation in this research. Sodium nitroprusside under UV irradiations at 254nm, 365nm and white light was utilized as nitric oxide donor in solutions. The effects of cobalt trimethylenediamine and nitroprusside towards dephosphorylation of nitrophenylphosphate and pyrophosphate which were modeled as organophosphate ester substrates were also investigated. The activated substrate models showed more rate enhancement than the unactivated models in all cases. The direct interaction of nitric oxide with the phosphorus centre is presumed to be the reason for enhanced hydrolysis. This study demonstrates the possible role of nitric oxide in decontamination reactions of poorly biodegradable phosphate esters in the biosphere. / Chemistry / M. Sc. (Chemistry)

Apesar dos numerosos estudos enfocando a compreensão da esquizofrenia, sua etiologia permanece desconhecida. Atualmente, as medicações antipsicóticas disponíveis são baseadas principalmente na hipótese dopaminérgica, porém, apresentam eficácia parcial no tratamento dos sintomas. Diante disso, outros sistemas neurais têm sido investigados e, nesse contexto, a hipótese glutamatérgica conquistou grande importância. Essa hipótese postula a presença de uma hipoatividade do receptor glutamatérgico N-metil-D-aspartato na esquizofrenia e, consequentemente, de uma desregulação na neurotransmissão do óxido nítrico. Um ensaio clínico recente com a administração de nitroprussiato de sódio, um doador de óxido nítrico, mostrou resultados significativos na melhora da sintomatologia de pacientes esquizofrênicos, entretanto, nenhum estudo de neuroimagem investigou quais são os efeitos dessa droga no sistema nervoso central. No crescente campo de estudo da neuroimagem funcional as redes neurais foram descobertas, sendo a default mode network uma das mais estudadas na esquizofrenia. Os recentes estudos de neuroimagem funcional têm evidenciado alterações do funcionamento dessa rede neural nos pacientes portadores da doença, evidenciando assim, a importância da default mode network na compreensão da esquizofrenia. Nesse caminho, o presente estudo investigou os efeitos agudos da administração de nitroprussiato de sódio na conectividade funcional da rede default mode network através da ressonância magnética funcional mediada pelo contraste BOLD (blood oxygen level dependent) em pacientes portadores de esquizofrenia e em voluntários saudáveis. Os pacientes portadores de esquizofrenia foram divididos em dois grupos de acordo com a medicação antipsicótica em uso: grupo sem clozapina (n=13) e grupo com clozapina (n=13). Os voluntários saudáveis também foram divididos em grupo controle (n=14) e grupo controle com tarefa de escuta passiva (n=5). Todos os pacientes portadores de esquizofrenia e o grupo controle foram submetidos a um protocolo de infusão de nitroprussiato de sódio com aquisição simultânea de imagens funcionais. Nossos resultados mostraram um aumento da conectividade funcional da default mode network com a infusão da medicação nos pacientes portadores de esquizofrenia, especialmente no hemisfério direito, enquanto esse mesmo padrão não foi encontrado nos controles saudáveis. Além disso, o aumento na conectividade se mostrou distinto entres os grupos de pacientes avaliados, sendo mais precoce e amplo no grupo de pacientes que não estava em uso do antipsicótico clozapina. Observamos também que o efeito modulatório da droga ocorreu sobre regiões da default mode network já estudadas e fortemente implicadas na fisiopatogenia da esquizofrenia. Assim, nossa investigação neurofuncional contribuiu para a compreensão dos efeitos terapêuticos do nitroprussiato de sódio na sintomatologia de pacientes portadores de esquizofrenia. Nossos achados também reforçam a importância do nitroprussiato de sódio como uma nova ferramenta farmacológica adjuvante no tratamento da esquizofrenia / Despite numerous studies focusing on the understanding of schizophrenia, its etiology remains unknown. Currently, available antipsychotic medications are mainly based on dopamine hypothesis, however, they exhibit partial efficacy in the treatment of the symptoms. Therefore, other neural systems have been investigated and, in this context, the glutamatergic hypothesis gained great importance. This hypothesis postulates the presence of a hypoactivity of the N-methyl-D-aspartate glutamate receptor in schizophrenia and, consequently, a deregulation of nitric oxide neurotransmission. A recent clinical trial with the administration of sodium nitroprusside, a nitric oxide donor, showed significant results in improving the symptoms of schizophrenic patients, however, no neuroimaging study investigated what are the effects of this drug on the central nervous system. The neural networks were discovered from the growing field of functional neuroimaging study and the default mode network is one of the most studied in schizophrenia. The recent functional neuroimaging studies have shown alterations in the functioning of this neural network in patients with the disease, highlighting the importance of the default mode network in the understanding of schizophrenia. In this way, the present study investigated the acute effects of sodium nitroprusside administration in the functional connectivity of the default mode network using blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) functional magnetic resonance imaging in patients with schizophrenia and healthy volunteers. Schizophrenic patients are divided into two groups according to antipsychotic medication used: group treated without clozapine (n = 13) and group treated with clozapine (n = 13). Healthy volunteers were also divided into control group (n = 14) and control group with passive listening task (n = 5). All schizophrenic patients and healthy volunteers were subjected to a sodium nitroprusside infusion protocol simultaneously to acquisition of functional images. Our results showed increased default mode network functional connectivity with the drug infusion in patients with schizophrenia, mainly in the right hemisphere, while this same pattern was not found in healthy controls. In addition, the increase in connectivity was distinct between groups of patients because it was earlier and more extensive in the group of patients that was not in use of clozapine antipsychotic. We also note that the drug modulatory effect occurred on default mode network regions already studied and strongly implicated in the schizophrenia pathogenesis. Thus, our neurofunctional research contributed to the understanding of the sodium nitroprusside therapeutic effects on the schizophrenia symptoms. Our findings also underline the importance of sodium nitroprusside as a new adjuvant pharmacological tool in the treatment of schizophrenia

High blood pressure, also called hypertension is one of the most common worldwide diseases afflicting humans and is a major risk factor for stroke, myocardial infarction, vascular disease, and chronic kidney disease. If blood pressure is controlled and oscillations in the hemodynamic variables are reduced, patients experience fewer complications after surgery. In clinical practice, this is usually achieved using manual drug delivery. Given that different patients have different sensitivity and reaction time to drugs, determining manually the right drug infusion rates may be difficult. This is a problem where automatic drug delivery can provide a solution, especially if it is designed to adapt to variations in the patient’s conditions. This research work presents an investigation into the development of abnormal blood pressure (hypertension) controllers for postoperative patients. Control of the drugs infusion rates is used to simultaneously regulate the hemodynamic variables such as the Mean Arterial Pressure (MAP) and the Cardiac Output (CO) at the desired level. The implementation of optimal control system is very essential to improve the quality of patient care and also to reduce the workload of healthcare staff and costs. Many researchers have conducted studies earlier on modelling and/or control of abnormal blood pressure for postoperative patients. However, there are still many concerns about smooth transition of blood pressure without any side effect. The blood pressure is classified in two categories: high blood pressure (Hypertension) and low blood pressure (Hypotension). The hypertension often occurred after cardiac surgery, and the hypotension occurred during cardiac surgery. To achieve the optimal control solution for these abnormal blood pressures, many methods are proposed, one of the common methods is infusing the drug related to blood pressure to maintain it at the desired level. There are several kinds of vasodilating drugs such as Sodium Nitroprusside (SNP), Dopamine (DPM), Nitro-glycerine (NTG), and so on, which can be used to treat postoperative patients, also used for hypertensive emergencies to keep the blood pressure at safety level. A comparative performance of two types of algorithms has been presented in chapter four. These include the Internal Model Control (IMC), and Proportional-Integral-Derivative (PID) controller. The resulting controllers are implemented, tested and verified for three sensitivity patient response. SNP is used for all three patients’ situation in order to reduce the pressure smoothly and maintain it at the desire level. A Genetic Algorithms (GAs) optimization technique has been implemented to optimise the controllers’ parameters. A set of experiments are presented to demonstrate the merits and capabilities of the control algorithms. The simulation results in chapter four have demonstrated that the performance criteria are satisfied with the IMC, and PID controllers. On the other hand, the settling time for the PID control of all three patients’ response is shorter than the settling time with IMC controller. Using multiple interacting drugs to control both the MAP and CO of patients with different sensitivity to drugs is a challenging task. A Multivariable Model Reference Adaptive Control (MMRAC) algorithm is developed using a two-input, two-output patient model. Because of the difference in patient’s sensitivity to the drug, and in order to cover the wide ranges of patients, Model Reference Adaptive Control (MRAC) has been implemented to obtain the optimal infusion rates of DPM and SNP. This is developed in chapters five and six. Computer simulations were carried out to investigate the performance of this controller. The results show that the proposed adaptive scheme is robust with respect to disturbances and variations in model parameters, the simulation results have demonstrated that this algorithm cannot cover the wide range of patient’s sensitivity to drugs, due to that shortcoming, a PID controller using a Neural Network that tunes the controller parameters was designed and implemented. The parameters of the PID controller were optimised offline using Matlab genetic algorithm. The proposed Neuro-PID controller has been tested and validated to demonstrate its merits and capabilities compared to the existing approaches to cover wide range of patients.

Apesar dos numerosos estudos enfocando a compreensão da esquizofrenia, sua etiologia permanece desconhecida. Atualmente, as medicações antipsicóticas disponíveis são baseadas principalmente na hipótese dopaminérgica, porém, apresentam eficácia parcial no tratamento dos sintomas. Diante disso, outros sistemas neurais têm sido investigados e, nesse contexto, a hipótese glutamatérgica conquistou grande importância. Essa hipótese postula a presença de uma hipoatividade do receptor glutamatérgico N-metil-D-aspartato na esquizofrenia e, consequentemente, de uma desregulação na neurotransmissão do óxido nítrico. Um ensaio clínico recente com a administração de nitroprussiato de sódio, um doador de óxido nítrico, mostrou resultados significativos na melhora da sintomatologia de pacientes esquizofrênicos, entretanto, nenhum estudo de neuroimagem investigou quais são os efeitos dessa droga no sistema nervoso central. No crescente campo de estudo da neuroimagem funcional as redes neurais foram descobertas, sendo a default mode network uma das mais estudadas na esquizofrenia. Os recentes estudos de neuroimagem funcional têm evidenciado alterações do funcionamento dessa rede neural nos pacientes portadores da doença, evidenciando assim, a importância da default mode network na compreensão da esquizofrenia. Nesse caminho, o presente estudo investigou os efeitos agudos da administração de nitroprussiato de sódio na conectividade funcional da rede default mode network através da ressonância magnética funcional mediada pelo contraste BOLD (blood oxygen level dependent) em pacientes portadores de esquizofrenia e em voluntários saudáveis. Os pacientes portadores de esquizofrenia foram divididos em dois grupos de acordo com a medicação antipsicótica em uso: grupo sem clozapina (n=13) e grupo com clozapina (n=13). Os voluntários saudáveis também foram divididos em grupo controle (n=14) e grupo controle com tarefa de escuta passiva (n=5). Todos os pacientes portadores de esquizofrenia e o grupo controle foram submetidos a um protocolo de infusão de nitroprussiato de sódio com aquisição simultânea de imagens funcionais. Nossos resultados mostraram um aumento da conectividade funcional da default mode network com a infusão da medicação nos pacientes portadores de esquizofrenia, especialmente no hemisfério direito, enquanto esse mesmo padrão não foi encontrado nos controles saudáveis. Além disso, o aumento na conectividade se mostrou distinto entres os grupos de pacientes avaliados, sendo mais precoce e amplo no grupo de pacientes que não estava em uso do antipsicótico clozapina. Observamos também que o efeito modulatório da droga ocorreu sobre regiões da default mode network já estudadas e fortemente implicadas na fisiopatogenia da esquizofrenia. Assim, nossa investigação neurofuncional contribuiu para a compreensão dos efeitos terapêuticos do nitroprussiato de sódio na sintomatologia de pacientes portadores de esquizofrenia. Nossos achados também reforçam a importância do nitroprussiato de sódio como uma nova ferramenta farmacológica adjuvante no tratamento da esquizofrenia / Despite numerous studies focusing on the understanding of schizophrenia, its etiology remains unknown. Currently, available antipsychotic medications are mainly based on dopamine hypothesis, however, they exhibit partial efficacy in the treatment of the symptoms. Therefore, other neural systems have been investigated and, in this context, the glutamatergic hypothesis gained great importance. This hypothesis postulates the presence of a hypoactivity of the N-methyl-D-aspartate glutamate receptor in schizophrenia and, consequently, a deregulation of nitric oxide neurotransmission. A recent clinical trial with the administration of sodium nitroprusside, a nitric oxide donor, showed significant results in improving the symptoms of schizophrenic patients, however, no neuroimaging study investigated what are the effects of this drug on the central nervous system. The neural networks were discovered from the growing field of functional neuroimaging study and the default mode network is one of the most studied in schizophrenia. The recent functional neuroimaging studies have shown alterations in the functioning of this neural network in patients with the disease, highlighting the importance of the default mode network in the understanding of schizophrenia. In this way, the present study investigated the acute effects of sodium nitroprusside administration in the functional connectivity of the default mode network using blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) functional magnetic resonance imaging in patients with schizophrenia and healthy volunteers. Schizophrenic patients are divided into two groups according to antipsychotic medication used: group treated without clozapine (n = 13) and group treated with clozapine (n = 13). Healthy volunteers were also divided into control group (n = 14) and control group with passive listening task (n = 5). All schizophrenic patients and healthy volunteers were subjected to a sodium nitroprusside infusion protocol simultaneously to acquisition of functional images. Our results showed increased default mode network functional connectivity with the drug infusion in patients with schizophrenia, mainly in the right hemisphere, while this same pattern was not found in healthy controls. In addition, the increase in connectivity was distinct between groups of patients because it was earlier and more extensive in the group of patients that was not in use of clozapine antipsychotic. We also note that the drug modulatory effect occurred on default mode network regions already studied and strongly implicated in the schizophrenia pathogenesis. Thus, our neurofunctional research contributed to the understanding of the sodium nitroprusside therapeutic effects on the schizophrenia symptoms. Our findings also underline the importance of sodium nitroprusside as a new adjuvant pharmacological tool in the treatment of schizophrenia

Actuellement, une voie de développement de formulations médicamenteuses novatrices passe par la vectorisation de principes actifs connus dans des nanoparticules. Des matériaux hybrides sont ainsi formés, possédant de nouvelles propriétés liées au nano-confinement. Les travaux ici menés s’appuient sur la sensibilité de la Résonance Magnétique Nucléaire (RMN) du solide aux phénomènes prenant place aux échelles moléculaires, pour effectuer une analyse structurelle et dynamique de deux vecteurs. Le premier, hydrophile, est une matrice nanoporeuse de silice sol-gel, dans laquelle sont confinés des complexes de nitroprussiate de sodium isolés. À partir de mesures de relaxation de spin et d’anisotropie de déplacement chimique, différents régimes de dynamique moléculaire sont mis en évidence. Ils sont modulés par la présence de molécules de solvant résiduelles (H2O). Des gammes de température et d’hydratation sont identifiées, pour lesquelles le complexe reste associé malgré un état ‘‘pseudo-liquide’’. Dans la condition limite d’absence d’eau, la restriction du mouvement des complexes confinés est élucidée en caractérisant les interactions dipolaires hôtes / invités. Le second système allie la double vectorisation de la curcumine hydrophobe dans des nanoparticules de lipides solides encapsulées dans une matrice de silice (SBA-15). Une stratégie d’étude conjointe par RMN du solide et par calorimétrie différentielle à balayage (DSC) est mise en place. Les résultats montrent que d’autres facteurs que la compartimentalisation (polymorphisme, dynamique moléculaire des composés hôtes) doivent également être pris en compte pour la compréhension des propriétés de ces matériaux très hétérogènes. Malgré le recours à une instrumentation RMN de dernière génération (spectromètre 1GHz, sonde MAS 1.3mm), la présence de principe actif est observée uniquement dans les compartiments de tensioactif. Ces résultats permettent d’émettre de nouvelles hypothèses sur la distribution du principe actif, tout en montrant les limites de l’approche RMN basée uniquement sur l’étude des noyaux 1H. / Nowadays, a way of developing novel medicinal compounds focuses on confinement of known active molecules inside nanoparticles. Therefore, hybrid materials emerge, exhibiting new properties related to nano-confinement. This work relies on the sensibility of solid-state Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (SS-NMR) towards molecular scale phenomena in order to perform structural and dynamical analysis of two delivery systems. They are modulated by the influence of residual solvent molecules (H2O). Temperature and hydration ranges are identified, for which the complex stays associated, although it is in a liquid-like state. Toward the limit of water absence, movement restrictions of the confined complexes are elucidated by characterizing dipolar host / guest interactions. The second system combines a double vectorization of hydrophobic curcumin molecules inside solid lipid nanoparticles, encapsulated inside a silica matrix (SBA-15). A joint SS-NMR and Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) characterization strategy is put in place. The results show that other factors than compartmentalization (polymorphism, molecular dynamics of host compounds) should also be taken into account to understand the properties of these very heterogeneous materials. Despite resorting to the latest NMR instrumentation (1GHz spectrometer, 1.3mm MAS probehead), presence of the active ingredient is only detected inside the surfactant compartment. These results allow making new assumptions for the distribution of curcumin inside the material while showing the limits of an NMR approach relying solely on the study of 1H nuclei.

The synergistic effect of nitric oxide toward dephosphorylation reactions involving phosphate esters was the subject of investigation in this research. Sodium nitroprusside under UV irradiations at 254nm, 365nm and white light was utilized as nitric oxide donor in solutions. The effects of cobalt trimethylenediamine and nitroprusside towards dephosphorylation of nitrophenylphosphate and pyrophosphate which were modeled as organophosphate ester substrates were also investigated. The activated substrate models showed more rate enhancement than the unactivated models in all cases. The direct interaction of nitric oxide with the phosphorus centre is presumed to be the reason for enhanced hydrolysis. This study demonstrates the possible role of nitric oxide in decontamination reactions of poorly biodegradable phosphate esters in the biosphere. / Chemistry / M. Sc. (Chemistry)

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / The oxidative stress is envolved in several diseases, including neurological diseases. Centella asiatica is a medicinal plant which was has long been used to treat neurological disturbances in Ayurvedic medicine. The aim of this study was to evaluate the antioxidant potencial of different extracts of C.asiatica in vitro. Were quantified by High Performance Liquid Chromatograph (HPLC) the present compounds and examined the phenolic content of the infusion and fractions: ethyl acetate, n-butanol and dichlorometane. Furthermore, the ability of C.asiatica extracts as scavenger of DPPH., as well as, the antioxidant capacity it was analyzed, through the reduction of molybdenum (VI)(Mo6+) to molybidenum (V)(Mo5+). Finally, we determined the effect of the extracts on lipid peroxidation induced by quinolinic acid (QA) and sodium nitroprusside (SNP) in different regions of the rat brain (cerebral cortex, striatum and hippocampus). HPLC analysis showed that flavonoids, triterpene glycosides, tannins and phenolic acids were present in extracts of C.asiatica. The content of phenolic compounds showed that the ethyl acetate fraction is rich in these compounds, followed by dichloromethane fraction of butanol and of infusion. Moreover, with the first analyzes it was also found a higher antioxidant potential of ethyl acetate fraction as DPPH. radical scavenger. In agreement with in vitro assays, the ethyl acetate fraction showed the highest antioxidant effect by decreasing lipid peroxidation induced by AQ in cerebral cortex (IC50 = 11.82), striatum (IC50 = 13.91) and hippocampus (IC50 = 13. 55) from rat brain. However, when the pro-oxidant agent was NPS, potency of infusion, the ethyl acetate fraction and dichloromethane were not significantly different to the cortex and hippocampus, which highlighted a greater difference of action in the striatum between the infusion (IC50 = 16.12), the ethyl acetate (IC50 = 13.57) and dichloromethane (IC50 = 11.05) regarding the butanol fraction (IC50 = 47.94). In conclusion, the results demonstrated that the infusion of C.asiatica and other fractions exhibit antioxidant capacity in vitro, which is related to their phytochemical content. Thus, the therapeutic potential in neurological diseases of C. asiatica, could be associated with its antioxidant activity. / O estresse oxidativo está envolvido em várias patologias incluindo as doenças neurológicas. A Centella asiática é uma planta medicinal que tem sido muito utilizada para o tratamento de distúrbios neurológicos na medicina Ayurvédica. O objetivo do presente estudo foi avaliar o potencial antioxidante de diferentes extratos de C. asiática in vitro. Foi quantificado por cromatografia líquida de alta eficiência (CLAE) o conteúdo fenólico da infusão e das frações: acetato de etila, n-butanólica e diclorometano. Além disso, analisou-se a capacidade dos extratos de C. asiática como scavenger do radical DPPH., bem como, a capacidade antioxidante total através da redução do molibdênio (VI) (Mo6 +) a molibdênio (V) (Mo5 +). Finalmente, determinou-se o efeito dos extratos na peroxidação lipídica induzida por ácido quinolínico (AQ) e nitroprussiato de sódio (NPS), em diferentes regiões do cérebro de rato (córtex, estriado e hipocampo). A análise por CLAE revelou que flavonóides, glicosídeo triterpeno, taninos e ácidos fenólicos estavam presentes nos extratos de C. asiática. O teor de compostos fenólicos demonstrou que a fração acetato de etila é rica nestes compostos, seguida da fração diclorometano, da n-butanólica e por fim da infusão. Além disso, com as primeiras análises também verificamos um maior potencial antioxidante da fração acetato de etila como scavenger de radical DPPH.. Em acordo com as análises in vitro, a fração acetato de etila apresentou o maior efeito antioxidante através da diminuição da peroxidação lipídica induzidas por AQ em córtex (IC50=11,82), estriado (IC50=13,91) e hipocampo (IC50=13,55) de cérebro de rato. Por outro lado, quando o agente pró-oxidante foi NPS, a potência de infusão, das frações de acetato de etila e diclorometano não foram diferentes significativamente para córtex e hipocampo, sendo destacada uma maior diferença de ação no estriado, entre a infusão (IC50=16,12), a acetato de etila (IC50= 13,57) e a diclorometano (IC50= 11,05) em realção a fração butanólica (IC50 = 47,94). Em conclusão, os resultados encontrados demonstraram que a infusão e demais frações de C. asiática apresentam capacidade antioxidante in vitro, a qual está relacionada ao seu conteúdo fitoquímico. Assim, o potencial terapêutico de C. asiática em doenças neurológicas, poderia ser associado com a sua atividade antioxidante.

Made available in DSpace on 2015-03-26T13:40:03Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 texto completo.pdf: 532553 bytes, checksum: afb4fdf0d2eec084cc5b732167b89c7d (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014-02-26 / Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico / Seeds frequently encounter biotic and abiotic stress that adversely affects growth, development, or productivity. The objective of this work was to investigate the effect of nitric oxide (NO) like protective agent in sesame seeds submitted to different stresses. Therefore, two experiments were conducted. In the first one, sesame seeds were placed in soaked substrate with water or with different concentrations of cadmium chloride and cadmium chloride plus sodium nitroprusside (SNP) in the following treatments: 1) water (control), 2) +200 μM of SNP, 3) 800 μM of CdCl2, 4) 800 μM of CdCl2 +200 μM of SNP, 5) 600 μM of CdCl2, 6) 600 μM of CdCl2 +200 μM of SNP, 7) 400 μM of CdCl2 and 8) 400 μM of CdCl2 +200 μM of SNP. Were done the following determinations: germination (G), first count of germination (PC), speed germination index (IVG), hipocotyl length (CH), radicle length (CR), dry mass of hipocotyl (MSH) and dry mass of radicle (DMR) and imbibition curve. It were quantified the activity of antioxidative enzymes, superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), ascorbate peroxidase (APX) and total peroxidase (POX). It was adopted the completely randomized design with five replicates. The data were submitted to variance analysis and the means obtained for treatments were compared by Tukey test at 5% of significance. The means obtained in treatments with and without SNP were compared by F test at 5% and the times of imbibition by Tukey test at 5%. For the realization of imbibition curve was realized a polynomial regression fit 3. In the second experiment, sesame seeds were placed in soaked substrate with water or with different concentrations of PEG 6000 and PEG 6000 plus SNP in the following treatments: 1) water (control), 2) +200 μM of SNP, 3) 0,1MPa, 4) -0,1MPa +200 μM of SNP, 5) - 0,2MPa, 6) -0,2MPa +200 μM of SNP, 7) -0,3MPa and 8) -0,3MPa, +200 μM of SNP. The same determinations done in experiment one, was made in the experiment two. Both stress caused the reduction of germination and vigor, being the highest concentrations, the most harmful to sesame seeds. NO was able to minimize the damage caused by the stresses, reversing partially all the biochemical parameters evaluated, what provides higher and faster germination, beyond the higher initial development of xiii seedlings. Cadmium and PEG 6000 provoked less absorption and less gain of mass in higher concentrations in relation to water, and an extension of Phase II. In relation to the antioxydative system, there was an increaseof enzymatic activity in period of 0 to 24 houras, showing the organization of the antioxidant system with the sesame seeds over time. Was observed that in higher potentials and in solutions more concentrated, the activity enzymatic was higher, what suggest detoxifying activity of these molecules in seeds submitted to water deficit and solution of cadmium more strict. The use of SNP, increased the activity of antioxidative enzymes, evidencing an efficient of elimination of EROs formed. / Sementes estão frequentemente expostas a diversos estresses bióticos e abióticos que prejudicam o seu crescimento, desenvolvimento e produtividade. O objetivo desse trabalho foi investigar o efeito do óxido nítrico (ON) como agente protetor em sementes de gergelim (Sesamum indicum L.) submetidas à diferentes estresses. Para tanto, foram conduzidos dois experimentos. No primeiro, as sementes foram semeadas em substrato umedecido com água ou com diferentes concentrações de cloreto de cádmio (CdCl2) e cloreto de cádmio acrescido de nitroprussiato de sódio (SNP) nos seguintes tratamentos: 1) água (controle), 2) +200 μM de SNP, 3) 800 μM de CdCl2, 4) 800 μM de CdCl2 +200 μM de SNP, 5) 600 μM de CdCl2, 6) 600 μM de CdCl2 +200 μM de SNP, 7) 400 μM de CdCl2 e 8) 400 μM de CdCl2 +200 μM de SNP. As seguintes determinações foram feitas: germinação (G), primeira contagem de germinação (PC), índice de velocidade de germinação (IVG), comprimento de hipocótilo (CH) e radícula (CR), massa seca de hipocótilo (MSH) e radícula (MSR), curva de embebiçao, além da quantificação da atividade das enzimas antioxidativas, superóxido dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), ascorbato peroxidase (APX) e peroxidases totais (POX). O delineamento estatístico utilizado foi o inteiramente casualizado com cinco repetições. Os dados foram submetidos à análise de variância (ANOVA) e as médias obtidas para os tratamentos foram comparadas pelo teste Tukey a 5% de significância. As médias obtidas nos tratamentos com e sem SNP foram comparadas pelo teste F a 5% de significância e os tempos de embebição na análise das atividades das enzimas, também pelo teste Tukey a 5%. Para a realização da curva de embebição realizou-se regressão com ajuste polinomial de grau 3. No segundo experimento, as sementes de gergelim foram semeadas em substrato umedecido com água ou em diferentes concentrações de polietileno glicol (PEG 6000) e PEG 6000 acrescido de SNP nos seguintes tratamentos: 1) água (controle), 2) +200 μM de SNP, 3) 0,1Mpa, 4) -0,1MPa +200 μM de SNP, 5) - 0,2MPa, 6) -0,2MPa +200 μM de SNP, -7) 0,3MPa e 8) -0,3MPa, +200 μM de SNP. As mesmas determinações e análises estatísticas do primeiro experimento foram realizadas. Conclui-se que ambos os estresses causaram a redução da germinação e do vigor, sendo Xi as maiores concentrações as mais prejudiciais às sementes de gergelim. O ON foi capaz de amenizar os danos causados pelos estresses invertendo parcialmente todos os parâmetros fisiológicos avaliados, o que proporcionou maior e mais rápida germinação além de maior desenvolvimento inicial das plântulas. O cádmio e o PEG 6000 provocaram menor absorção e menor ganho de massa nas maiores concentrações em relação à água assim como um prolongamento da Fase II da embebição. Em relação ao sistema antioxidante, houve aumento da atividade enzimática no período de 0 a 24 horas, demonstrando organização do sistema antioxidante nas sementes de gergelim com o decorrer do tempo. Observou-se que nos maiores potenciais e nas soluções mais concentradas, a atividade enzimática foi maior, o que sugere atividade desintoxicante dessas moléculas em sementes submetidas ao déficit hídrico e solução de cádmio mais rigorosa. O uso do SNP, de maneira geral, aumentou a atividade das enzimas antioxidantes, evidenciando um eficiente sistema de eliminação das espécies reativas de oxigênio formadas.

Orientador: Edson Antunes / Tese (doutorado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Ciencias Medicas / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-06T13:42:45Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Cardoso_MarciaHelenaMiranda_D.pdf: 20008968 bytes, checksum: 1a1bf9dc06053f021c3ee9e0591edd1e (MD5) Previous issue date: 2006 / Resumo: A inibição da adesão de plaquetas ao subendotélio é fundamental na prevenção de agregação excessiva e de formação de trombos, sendo o óxido nítrico (NO) o principal mediador envolvido neste fenômeno. O objetivo deste estudo foi investigar o mecanismo de ação do NO na inibição da adesão de plaquetas humanas, procurando identificar os mecanismos dependentes e independentes de GMP cíclico (GMPc). Os ensaios de adesão foram realizados em placas de 96 poços recobertos com fibrinogênio, usando-se plaquetas lavadas (1,2 x 108 plaquetas/mL) obtidas de indivíduos sadios. Dependendo do protocolo experimental, as plaquetas não ativadas e ativadas com trombina (50 mU/mL) foram incubadas com SNP (0,1-1,0 mM) ou SIN-1 (0,1-1,0 mM), na ausência ou na presença de ODQ (inibidor da guanilato ciclase solúvel), SOD (seqüestrador do ânion superóxido) ou gaiato (antioxidante seqüestrador de peroxinitrito). A adesão foi avaliada aos 15 e 60 min de incubação, medindo-se a atividade da fostase ácida. Nossos resultados mostraram que as plaquetas se aderem significativamente ao fibrinogênio in vitro, sendo a resposta em 60 min maior do que em 15 min. O tratamento das plaquetas com SNP (0,1 e 1,0 mM) elevou significativamente os níveis de GMPc e reduziu a adesão plaquetána aos 15 e 60 min. A pré-incubação das plaquetas com ODQ impediu a elevação dos níveis de GMPc induzida pelo SNP (ambas as concentrações e tempos), e reverteu a inibição da adesão plaquetária observada com 0,1 mM de SNP Entretanto, o ODQ não modificou a inibição da adesão quando se usou 1,0 mM de SNP. Por outro lado, a pré-incubação das plaquetas com SOD ou gaiato reverteu significamente o efeito inibitório de 1 mM de SNP. Resultados semelhantes foram obtidos com o SIN-1 em todas as condições experimentais. No sentido de descartar que a inibição da adesão plaquetária proporcionada pelos doadores de NO não é decorrente de efeito citotóxico, realizamos ensaios de citotoxicidade (MTT). Nossos dados revelaram que o SNP não é tóxico à plaqueta em nenhuma das concentrações e condições usadas. Por outro lado, o SIN-1 mostrou-se tóxico na concentração de 1 mM, sendo este efeito citotóxico revertido pela pré-incubação das palquetas com SOD. Numa segunda etapa deste trabalho, passamos à investigação do componente independente de GMPc responsável pela inibição da adesão plaquetária em resposta ao SNP e SIN-1, dando ênfase à nitrotirosina. A incubação de plaquetas com SNP (0,1 mM) por 15 min não revelou nenhuma proteína nitrada, mas quando as plaquetas foram tratadas com concentração maior de SNP (1 mM) ou SIN-1, houve o aparecimento de uma nitração de proteína nos resíduos de tirosina com uma massa molecular aparente de 110 kDa, identificada como alfa-actinina-1. A nitração foi aumentada em plaquetas ativadas com trombina. Por outro lado, amostras de plaquetas tratadas com SNP ou SIN-1 (0,1 e 1 mM) por 60 min não mostraram nitração de proteína nos resíduos de tirosina. No conjunto, estes dados sugerem que o NO inibe a adesão de plaquetas não ativadas e ativadas, por mecanismos dependentes e independentes de GMPc sendo que a nitração da a-actinina 1 plaquetária, parece ser o principal mecanismo responsável pelo componente independente de GMPc. Paralelamente, observamos que em concentrações elevadas, o SIN-1 diminui a viabilidade e a atividade da fosfatase ácida das plaquetas devido à formação de ânion superóxido. / Abstract: The inhibition of platelet adhesion to the subendothelium by nitric oxide (NO) is essential in preventing excessive aggregation and thrombus formation The objective of this work was to investigate the mechanisms of the NO on inhibition of human platelet adhesion looking for identify of the cGMP-dependent and independent mechanisms Adhesion assay was carried out in the 96-well microtiter plates coated by fibrinogen, using washed platelet (1,2 x 108 plaquetas/mL) from healthy volunteers. Depending on the experimental protocols, non activated or thrombin (50 mU7ml_)-activated platelets were incubated with NO donors (SNP or SIN-1), guanylyl cyclase inhibitor (ODQ), O2" scavenger (SOD) and -(-) epigallocatechin gallate, and allowed to adhere to the wells for either 15 or 60 min at 37°C. Cell toxicity was estimated using the MTT assay by platelets after exposure to NO donors. Nitrated proteins were detected by immunobloting. Purification and identification of them were done by Western blotting analysis and mass spectrometry respectively. Significant platelet adhesion was achieved when non-activated and activated platelets were kept on plates for 15 min or 60. The adhesion was significantly increased when platelets were activated with of thrombin. SNP (0,001 - 1000 nM) inhibited significantly both non-activated and thrombm-stimulated platelet adhesion. The MTT reduction assay showed that the exposure of platelets to SNP (0 1 and 1 mM) caused any toxic effect. Pretreatment of platelets with ODQ nearly abolished SNP (0.1 mM)-mediated cGMP elevation and the inhibition of platelet adhesion, but failed to affect the inhibitory effect of SNP (1 mM) on cell adhesion. Pre-incubation of platelets with SOD, reversed the effect of SNP 1mM. Epigalocatechin gallate did not affect the effect of SNP at 0.1 mM: on the other hand, reduced this effect at 1mM SNP. SIN-1 (0,001 - 100 jiM) concentration-dependently inhibited both non-activated and thrombin-stimulated platelet adhesion. In the higher concentration (1 mM), the SIN-1 inhibited almost all platelet adhesion. Pretreatment of platelets with ODQ markedly reverted the increased the levels of cGMP as well as decreased the inhibition of platelet adhesion by SIN-1 at 0,1 mM. SOD did not change the SIN-1 (0,1 mM)- mediated platelet inhibition, but reverted the platelet inhibition in all another conditions. MTT assay showed that the SIN-1 at 1 mM caused toxic effect in the platelets, and this effect was restored by SOD ECG did not affect the effect of SIN-1, excepted in the small concentration, when the inhibitory effect of thrombin-activated platelets was decreased. Immunobloting indicated the presence of nitrated protein that was recognized as alpha-actinin 1. In conclusion, cGMP-dependent and -independent mechanisms contribute to inhibition of platelet adhesion by NO, and that the a-actinic nitration can be the most important c GMP-independent mechanism. Parallel of this, we observed that the high concentration of SIN-1 decreased the viability and acid phosphatase activity by formation of superoxide anion. / Doutorado / Doutor em Farmacologia