Publications by authors named "Valdir Cechinel-Filho"

The regulation of vascular tone plays a fundamental role in blood pressure homeostasis and still represents a significant challenge in clinical practice. Boldine, a naturally occurring alkaloid from Peumus boldus, has emerged as a compound of interest due to its therapeutic potential. This study explored boldine's vasorelaxant effects on aortas of normotensive (NTR) and spontaneously hypertensive (SHR) rats.

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: Systemic arterial hypertension is one of the leading global health concerns, significantly increasing the risk of cardiovascular and kidney diseases, including nephrolithiasis. The treatment, still far from ideal, is constantly undergoing new alternatives. In this context, medicinal plants rich in flavonoids, such as naringenin-a compound found in citrus fruits-have gained attention for their potential diuretic, nephroprotective, and blood pressure-lowering effects.

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Systemic hypertension is a major global health concern, significantly contributing to the risk of cardiovascular, cerebrovascular, and renal diseases. Antihypertensive medications play a crucial role in lowering blood pressure, with diuretics serving as a particularly effective first-line therapy. However, the development of new compounds with diuretic properties, renal protective effects, and unique mechanisms of action remains a critical area of research for improving clinical outcomes.

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Calophyllum brasiliense is employed in folk medicine as an analgesic and to treat inflammation. This study aimed to evaluate the anti-inflammatory effect of C. brasiliense leaves' methanol extract, fractions, and the isolated compound amentoflavone.

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Article Synopsis
  • * Biological tests demonstrated that the extract can reduce venom-induced neuromuscular blockade when applied before exposure, but not after, suggesting timing is crucial for effectiveness.
  • * While quinine was not found in the extract, the presence of coumarin derivatives and other unknown alkaloids may contribute to the extract's ability to mitigate the effects of the venom.
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Cardiovascular diseases rank as the top global cause of mortality, particularly acute myocardial infarction (MI). MI arises from the blockage of a coronary artery, which disrupts blood flow and results in tissue death. Among therapeutic approaches, bioactives from medicinal plants emerge as promising for the development of new medicines.

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Rubus imperialis (Rosaceae) is a Brazilian medicinal plant that already exhibited therapeutical perspectives. However, previous studies revealed cellular and/or genetic toxicity of extracts from aerial parts of this plant, as well as other species of the Rubus genus. Being 2β,3β-19α-trihydroxyursolic acid (2B) one of the major compounds of this plant, with proven pharmacological effect, it is important to investigate the biosafety of this isolated compound.

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The study aimed to investigate the potential antiurolithic effects of extracts, fractions, and betulinic acid (BA) from . In vitro analysis involved precipitating calcium oxalate (CaOx) crystals in urine. For in vivo studies, rats were divided into four groups: naive; vehicle; potassium citrate (KC); and BA.

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3-demethyl-2-geranyl-4-prenylbellidifoline (DGP), a natural xanthone isolated from , has previously demonstrated remarkable diuretic and renal protective actions. The present study expands its actions on the cardiovascular system by evaluating its vasorelaxant and blood pressure-lowering effects in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs). Aortic endothelium-intact (E+) preparations of SHRs pre-contracted by phenylephrine and exposed to cumulative concentrations of extract, fractions, and DGP exhibited a significant relaxation compared to vehicle-only exposed rings.

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This research demonstrates the diuretic effect of naringenin, a flavanone aglycone found in citrus, on spontaneously hypertensive female and male rats (SHR). The data reinforces existing literature findings that male SHR exhibits higher systolic blood pressure than age-matched females. Urine volume assessed over 8 hours was lower when obtained from SHR males than females.

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Objectives: The diuretic and kidney protective effect of the 3-demethyl-2-geranyl-4-prenylbellidifoline (DGP) were evaluated in rats.

Methods: The normotensive (NTR) and spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) received, once a day for 7 days, oral treatment with DGP (0.1 mg/kg), hydrochlorothiazide (10 mg/kg), or vehicle (10 ml/kg).

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Hesperidin (HSP) is a major flavanone glycoside in citrus fruits, including sweet oranges and lemons. It demonstrates numerous pharmacological activities, such as antihypertensive effects and cardiac and kidney tissue protection. However, its effect on modulating renal function has yet to be properly explored.

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This study evaluated some biological activities of extracts from Abuta selloana. The gastroprotective potential was determined against ethanol/HCl- and indomethacin-induced gastric ulcers, whereas the antinociceptive effect was evaluated by acetic acid-induced abdominal contortions in mice. The cytotoxicity activity was measured against human cancer cell lines: U251 (glioma), MCF-7 (breast cancer) and NCI-H460 (lung cancer).

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Acetylcholine is a key neurotransmitter for brain and muscle function, that has its levels decreased in the brain of people with Alzheimer's Disease (AD). Cholinesterase inhibitors are medicines that decrease the breakdown of acetylcholine, through the inhibition of acetyl- and butyrylcholinesterase enzymes. Despite the fact that butyrylcholinesterase activity rises with the disease, while acetylcholinesterase activity declines, the cholinesterase inhibitors that are currently commercialized inhibit either acetylcholinesterase or both enzymes.

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This study evaluated the diuretic and antiurolithic effect of methanolic extract (MEGHL), dichloromethane (DCM), and ethyl acetate (EtA) fractions obtained from the leaves of Garcinia humilis, a medicinal plant known as achachairu and native to South American countries such as Bolivia, Peru, and Brazil. For the analysis of diuretic effect, the female rats received the treatment with MEGHL (3, 10, and 30 mg/kg), DCM (1, 3 and 10 mg/kg), EtA (1, 3, and 10 mg/kg), hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ; 10 mg/kg), or vehicle (VEH) after an overload of saline solution. At the end 8 h of the experiment, the urinary parameters were measured.

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The development of new antibiotics and inexpensive antifungals is an important field of research. Based on the privileged pharmacophore of lawsone, a series of phenolic ether derivatives of 1,4-naphthoquinone were synthesized easily in one step in reasonable yields. All the new compounds were characterized and tested as potential antifungal and antibacterial agents against , and .

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Several exotic plants (non-native) are used in Brazilian traditional medicine and are known worldwide for their possible diuretic actions. Among the wide variety of plants, standing out Achillea millefolium L., Camellia sinensis L.

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Background: This study investigated the antidiarrheal potential of the aqueous extract (AECR) and hydroalcoholic extract of Campomanesia reitziana leaves (HECR), its ethyl acetate (EAF) and dichloromethane fractions (DCMF), and myricitrin isolated from EAF.

Methods: The total phenols and flavonoids were measured, followed by chromatography and myricitrin isolation. The 2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl scavenger activity, the cytotoxicity, and the effects on LPS-induced nitrite production in intestinal epithelial cells (IEC-6) were quantified.

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is used in folk medicine to treat many diseases including pain and inflammatory processes in general. Considering the potential of the leaf extract, evidenced in a previous study, the present study investigates the antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory properties of the hydroethanolic extract of bark and isolated compounds in animal models of pain. The antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory activities of bark were evaluated through hyperalgesia induced by carrageenan, PGE, cytokines, bradykinin, epinephrine, Freund's complete adjuvant, and lipopolysaccharide.

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Taxifolin has a plethora of therapeutic activities and is currently isolated from the stem bark of the tree (Dahurian larch). It is a flavonoid of high commercial interest for its use in supplements or in antioxidant-rich functional foods. However, its poor stability and low bioavailability hinder the use of flavonoid in nutritional or pharmaceutical formulations.

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The previous study showed that 1,5,8-trihydroxy-4',5'-dimethyl-2H-pyrano(2,3 : 3,2)-4-(3-methylbut-2-enyl) xanthone (TDP) obtained from Rusby (Clusiaceae) branches induces acute diuresis in normotensive (NTR) and spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) after 8 h of the experiment. In complementarity, the present study evaluated the prolonged diuretic and renoprotective effects of TDP in both NTR and SHR. The animals received, once a day, oral treatment with TDP (0.

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