In vitro digestion, antioxidant and antiacetylcholinesterase activities of two species of Ruta: Ruta chalepensis and Ruta montana

CONTEXT

Ruta genus (Rutaceae) is abundantly used and described in the most ancient systematic records of medical practice of the Mediterranean world. In Tunisia, this genus is represented by two medicinal and aromatic shrubs: Ruta chalepensis L. and Ruta montana L.

OBJECTIVE

This study investigates the antioxidant and acetylcholinesterase inhibition (AChE) activities before and after in vitro gastrointestinal metabolism of leaf decoction of R. chalepensis and R. montana.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We study, in vitro, the effect of the gastrointestinal juices gastric (1.75 mL) or pancreatic (2.5 mL) juices, on the biological activity by the measurement of the antioxidant activity and AChE inhibition during 4 h of decoction extract obtained from the leaves of the two species of Ruta.

RESULTS

The results showed that the ability to inhibit the AChE enzyme was similar; being the greatest inhibitory activity exhibited by the ethanol extract (IC₅₀=12 ± 1.1 μg/mL) obtained from leaves of R. chalepensis.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, we showed that there was no appreciable degradation and that the activity was kept constant after gastric and pancreatic juice digestion.

Hepatic tuberculosis: a multimodality imaging review

OBJECTIVES

We aim to illustrate the multimodal imaging spectrum of hepatic involvement in tuberculosis (TB). Whilst disseminated tuberculosis on imaging typically manifests as multiple small nodular lesions scattered in the liver parenchyma, isolated hepatic tuberculosis remains a rare and intriguing entity.

METHODS

Indubitably, imaging is the mainstay for detection of tubercular hepatic lesions which display a broad spectrum of imaging manifestations on different modalities. While sonography and computed tomography (CT) findings have been described in some detail, there is a paucity of literature on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) features. Due to a significant overlap with other commoner and similar appearing hepatic lesions, hepatic tuberculosis is often either misdiagnosed or labelled as indeterminate lesions. This article is a compendium of cases highlighting the spectrum of imaging patterns that can be encountered in patients with isolated primary hepatic tuberculosis as well as disseminated (secondary) disease. Rare patterns of primary disease such as tubercular cholangitis, hypervascular liver masses, and those with vascular complications are also illustrated and discussed.

CONCLUSIONS

Imaging plays a valuable role in the detection of tubercular hepatic lesions. Also, imaging can be helpful in their characterisation and for assessing associated complications.

TEACHING POINTS

• Hepatic TB has myriad imaging manifestations and is often confounded with neoplastic lesions. • Imaging patterns include miliary TB, macronodular TB, serohepatic TB and tubercular cholangitis. • Concurrent splenic, nodal or pulmonary involvements are helpful pointers towards the diagnosis. • Miliary calcifications along the bile ducts are characteristic of tubercular cholangitis. • Histological/microbiological confirmation is often necessary to confirm the diagnosis.

Influence of growing conditions on metabolite profile of Ammi visnaga umbels with special reference to bioactive furanochromones and pyranocoumarins

The medicinal plant Ammi visnaga is a valuable source of furanochromones and pyranocoumarins used as vasodilator agents. Its ability to germinate under unfavourable growth conditions, such as saline soil and hypoxia characterizing clay soils and marshes ecosystems, prompted us to qualitatively characterize secondary metabolites in umbels of A. visnaga plants grown under different conditions (in field, hydroponically controlled, and contrasted by salinity and/or hypoxia) by HPLC-ESI/IT/MS(n) analysis. Subsequently, the quantitative analysis of the bioactive compounds, above all furanochromones and pyranocoumarins, was carried out by HPLC-ESI/QqQ/MS/MS. The results show the influence of growing conditions on the quali-quantitative profile of A. visnaga secondary metabolites and evidence that hydroponic culture leads to increased level of A. visnaga active principles. Furthermore, two furanochromones never reported before were identified and characterized by 1D- and 2D-NMR analysis.

Blue light effects on rose photosynthesis and photomorphogenesis

Through its impact on photosynthesis and morphogenesis, light is the environmental factor that most affects plant architecture. Using light rather than chemicals to manage plant architecture could reduce the impact on the environment. However, the understanding of how light modulates plant architecture is still poor and further research is needed. To address this question, we examined the development of two rose cultivars, Rosa hybrida'Radrazz' and Rosa chinensis'Old Blush', cultivated under two light qualities. Plants were grown from one-node cuttings for 6 weeks under white or blue light at equal photosynthetic efficiencies. While plant development was totally inhibited in darkness, blue light could sustain full development from bud burst until flowering. Blue light reduced the net CO(2) assimilation rate of fully expanded leaves in both cultivars, despite increasing stomatal conductance and intercellular CO(2) concentrations. In 'Radrazz', the reduction in CO(2) assimilation under blue light was related to a decrease in photosynthetic pigment content, while in both cultivars, the chl a/b ratio increased. Surprisingly, blue light could induce the same organogenetic activity of the shoot apical meristem, growth of the metamers and flower development as white light. The normal development of rose plants under blue light reveals the strong adaptive properties of rose plants to their light environment. It also indicates that photomorphogenetic processes can all be triggered by blue wavelengths and that despite a lower assimilation rate, blue light can provide sufficient energy via photosynthesis to sustain normal growth and development in roses.

Enhanced salt tolerance of tomatoes by exogenous salicylic acid applied through rooting medium

In Tunisia, like in the other countries of the Mediterranean, tomato is ranked among the important vegetables in the economic sphere. Tunisia ranks as the first consumer of this vegetable in the world. However, tomatoes are exposed to multiple environmental stresses. In particular, salinity is the most stressful limiting factor to productivity. Salt tolerance of the tomato is susceptible to be ameliorated by genetic and physiologic ways. Salicylic acid (SA), a plant phenolic, is now considered as a hormone-like endogenous regulator, and its role in the defense mechanisms against biotic and abiotic stressors has been well documented. So, the aim of this study was to investigate the impact of exogenous application of SA (0.01 mM) on growth, nutritional behavior, and some metabolic parameters (total chlorophyll, soluble sugars, proline, and proteins) of tomato plants cv. Moneymaker exposed to NaCl (100 mM). Our results showed that the application of 0.01 mM SA to tomato plants via root drenching attenuate the depressive effect of salinity on plants. This amelioration results in stimulation of growth and development of plant. Under stress conditions, SA-treated plants exhibited more accumulation of photosynthetic pigments and K(+) contents. Thus, SA induces an increase in soluble sugars in roots and leaves; also, we noted the increase of proteins only in roots. Overall, the adverse effects of salt stress tomato plants were alleviated by the exogenous application of SA at vegetative stage, which upregulated nutrition and the accumulation of some organic solutes and osmoprotectors such sugars, proline, and proteins. So salicylic acid can be greatly used to enhance salt tolerance of tomato plants.

Composition of the essential oils in various organs at different developmental stages of Ammi visnaga (L.) Lam. from Tunisia

The composition of the essential oils isolated by hydrodistillation from various organs at different development stages of Ammi visnaga (L.) Lam. growing in Tunisia was determined by GC/MS analysis. In particular, the oil profiles of the leaves, stems, flower buds, roots, umbels, and fruits have been examined during the whole life cycle. The oil from the flowering aerial parts was characterized by a high content of isoamyl 2-methylbutanoate. After flowering and during desiccation and fructification, the umbels and fruits expressed a high content of linalool. The oils, extracted from the roots collected in the vegetatif, buds floral, and floral stages, were rich in monoterpene aldehydes, oxygenated monoterpenes, and monoterpene hydrocarbons. The highest level of non-terpene hydrocarbons was found at the flower-bud stage, represented by 61.3% of nonane. Among the monoterpenes, sabinene (12.5%) and β-pinene (8.5%) were identified in the flower buds.

Case Report: Fibromatosis colli in a neonate

Fibromatosis colli or pseudotumor of infancy of the sternocleidomastoid muscle is a rare cause of a benign neck mass in neonates and infants. If diagnosed correctly, it can be managed conservatively, and unnecessary investigations can be avoided.

CT mimics of peritoneal carcinomatosis

Peritoneal carcinomatosis is a term used to describe widespread metastases of cancerous tumors in the peritoneal cavity. It is most common in carcinomas of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) and ovaries, and must be considered to be the main diagnosis even when the primary is not known. A wide variety of disease processes mimic peritoneal carcinomatosis. Precise diagnosis based on imaging alone is often difficult and very often the final diagnosis is only obtained after appropriate histopathology or microbiology.

Papillary carcinoma arising from a thyroglossal duct cyst

This report describes a case of papillary carcinoma arising from a thyroglossal duct cyst (TDC) in a young woman. Imaging showed a heterogeneous cystic lesion at the level of the hyoid, with calcifications and enhancing septae. We compared the USG, CT scan, and MRI findings with those reported previously in literature and we conclude that the presence of a midline cystic lesion with calcification in a young adult should arouse suspicion of papillary carcinoma in a TDC.

Increased hexose transport in the roots of tomato plants submitted to prolonged hypoxia

We investigated the effects of prolonged hypoxia on the sugar uptake in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L. var. MP-1) roots. Hydroponic cultures of whole tomato plants were submitted to hypoxic treatment for 1 week, and the roots were analyzed for sugar concentrations, hexose uptake and hexose transporter expression level. Contrary to what has been observed after anoxic shock or short-term hypoxic treatment, we show that sugar concentrations increase and hexose uptake is up-regulated in the roots after 1 week of hypoxic treatment. Increased hexose transport is concomitant with the induction of the hexose transporter gene LeHT2. These responses may be due either to a direct effect of low O(2) supply, or to a secondary effect associated with the increase in sugar concentrations, which, typically, develops in most hypoxic plants.

Effect of hexokinase activity on tomato root metabolism during prolonged hypoxia

Hypoxically induced tolerance to anoxia in roots of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) was previously shown to depend on sucrose and the induction of sucrose synthase. In contrast to maize, root hexokinase (HXK) activities did not increase during hypoxia and glucose was unable to sustain glycolytic flux under anoxia. In this paper, we asked whether hypoxic metabolism in roots would be altered in transgenic tomato plants overexpressing either a plant (Arabidopsis) or a yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) HXK and whether such modifications could be related to improved energy metabolism and consequently root tolerance under anoxia. Tomato plants grown hydroponically with shoots always maintained in air were submitted to a 7 d hypoxic treatment applied by stopping air bubbling. A combination of techniques including (1)H-nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, RT-PCR and enzyme analyses was used to obtain a broad picture of hypoxic root metabolism. In normoxic conditions, HXK overexpression resulted in higher ADP and AMP levels only in roots of AtHXK1 transgenic plants. During hypoxic treatment, oxygen levels in the hydroponic tank decreased rapidly to 5 kPa within the first 2 d and then remained at 5 kPa throughout the 7 d experiment. Oxygen levels were similar at 5 and 20 cm below the water surface. A decline of the adenylate energy status was observed after 2 d of hypoxic treatment, with a further decrease by 7 d in roots of non-transgenic (WT) and ScHXK2, but not in AtHXK1 transgenic plants. Sucrose synthase activity increased to comparably higher levels at 7 d of hypoxic treatment in WT and ScHXK2 compared with AtHXK1 roots. Differences between WT and the transgenic plants are discussed with respect to the metabolic response to low (hypoxia) but not zero (anoxia) oxygen.