Search PubMed⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search PubMed

Results for “Capsicum”

Search indexed PubMed citations on genomics, clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health. Explore titles, authors and supplied subject terms, then open the PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 757 records · Page 42Linked to original sources
PubMed1997

Purification and characterization of two isoforms of isopentenyl-diphosphate isomerase from elicitor-treated Cinchona robusta cells.

In Cinchona robusta (Rubiaceae) cell suspension cultures, the activity of the enzyme isopentenyl-diphosphate isomerase (isopentenyl-POP isomerase) is transiently induced after addition of a homogenate of the phytopathogenic fungus Phytophthora cinnamomi. The enzyme catalyses the interconversion of isopentenyl-POP and dimethylallyl diphosphate (dimethylallyl-POP) and may be involved in the biosynthesis of anthraquinone phytoalexins that accumulate rapidly after elicitation of Cinchona cells. From elicitor-treated C. robusta cells, two isoforms of isopentenyl-POP isomerase have been purified to apparent homogeneity in four chromatographic steps. The purified forms are monomeric enzymes of 34 kDa (isoform I) and 29 kDa (isoform II), with Km values for isopentenyl-POP of 5.1 microM and 1.0 microM, respectively. Both isoforms require Mn2+ or Mg2+ as cofactor, isoform II showing a preference for Mn2+ with maximum activity at 1.5-2 mM. Isoform I was most active in the presence of 0.5-1.5 mM Mg2+ or in the presence of 0.5 mM Mn2+. A pH optimum of 7-7.8 was found for both forms and both were competitively inhibited by geranyl diphosphate (Ki 96 microM for isoform I) and the transition state analogue 2-(dimethylamino)ethyl diphosphate. Rechromatography of purified isoforms did not indicate any interconversion of both forms. Western blot analysis, using antibodies raised against isopentenyl-POP isomerase purified from Capsicum annuum, showed the presence of both isoforms in the crude protein extracts from C. robusta cells. Isoform II was specifically induced by elicitation, non-treated cells contained low activity of this isoform. The possible role of isopentenyl-POP isomerase in the biosynthesis of anthraquinones is discussed.

Anthraquinones↗
PubMed2006

Influence of diet type on the inclusion of plant origin active substances on morphological and histochemical characteristics of the stomach and jejunum walls in chicken.

Three hundred and thirty-six 1-day-old male Hubbard HI-Ye broiler hybrids, kept in battery cages, were fed with diets based on maize (groups I and II) or wheat and barley (groups III and IV) and supplemented with or without plant extract (XT* 100 mg/kg) containing 5% carvacrol, 3% cinnamaldehyde and 2% of capsicum oleoresin. The morphological and histochemical examinations were carried out on days 21 and 42 of bird's age. The middle part of glandular part of the stomach and 30 mm long segment from the central part of the small intestine (jejunum) were taken out and then prepared for morphometrical and histochemical assays. Mobilization of mucocytes in superficial epithelium of the glandular stomach and increased secretion of neutral mucopolysaccharides and small amounts of sialomucins with or without local cell disruption with releasing of large amounts of mucus were observed in both 'grain' groups of 21-day-old birds fed with extract. In some animals, particularly those fed mixtures with plant extract, the folds of the proventriculum mucosa were fused into large, unshaped structures. In groups fed with plant extract the mucus secretion intensity and accumulation inside cells of the gastrointestinal mucosa were slightly higher. Morphological changes on gastrointestinal mucosa observed in young chickens fed XT were reduced in older animals. The results of this study showed that the increased releasing of large amounts of mucus and the creation of a thick layer of mucus on glandular stomach and wall of jejunum in chickens fed diets with plant extract could suggest villi-related protective properties of the use of the carvacrol, cinnamaldehyde and capsaicin mixture. This can explain the reduced possibility of adhesion to epithelium and number of Escherichia coli, Clostridium perfringes and fungi in the intestinal content of bird fed with XT supplemented diet. In morphometrical parameters of depth of jejunum crypt and height of villi, the influence of kind of grain and extract supplementation was observed in 21-day-old chickens only. The significant interaction between higher jejunum wall villi layer was observed only in chickens fed on maize diet supplemented with plant extract.

Animal Feed↗
PubMed1993

Effects of capsaicin on the pharmacokinetics of antipyrine, theophylline and quinine in rats.

Capsaicin is the active principal of capsicum fruits, such as hot peppers. The influence of 1-week pretreatment of capsaicin (25 mg kg-1) on the pharmacokinetics of antipyrine, theophylline and quinine was investigated in rats. The drugs were given as an intravenous bolus dose. The control rats received the vehicle solvent (polyethylene glycol) only. Clearance of antipyrine in the capsaicin-pretreated rats was significantly lower than that observed in the control rats (0.241 +/- 0.029 vs 0.344 +/- 0.034 L h-1 kg-1, P < 0.05). This is consistent with a prolongation in the elimination half-life of antipyrine in animals pretreated with capsaicin (2.06 +/- 0.30 vs 1.61 +/- 0.27 h), as the volume of distribution was not significantly changed. In contrast, capsaicin pretreatment had no significant effect on the pharmacokinetics of theophylline and quinine.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed1966

Mutarotase in higher plants: distribution and properties.

The enzyme mutarotase from mammalian tissues catalyzes interconversion of anomeric forms of glucose and structurally related sugars; it may be involved in transport of sugars. Isolation and species distribution of a similar enzyme in higher plants are described. The enzyme from green pepper (Capsicum frutescens) was purified 230-fold. It differs from the mammalian enzyme in both substrate specificity and lack of inhibition by 1-deoxyglucose and phloridzin.

Arabinose↗
PubMed1978

Progesterone biotransformation by plant cell suspension cultures.

Progesterone was converted to 5alpha-pregnane-3alpha-ol-20-one, delta4-pregnene-20alpha-ol-3-one, delta4-pregnene-14alpha-ol-3,20-dione, delta4-pregnene-7beta,14alpha-diol-3,20-dione, and delta4-pregnene-6beta,11alpha-diol-3,20-dione by cell cultures of Lycopersicon esculentum. Cell cultures of Capsicum frutescens (green) metabolized progesterone to delta4-pregnene-20alpha-ol-3-one in very high yield, and Vinca rosea yielded delta4-pregnene-20beta-ol-3-one and delta4-pregnene-14alpha-ol-3,20-dione. A stereospecific reduction of the keto groups and a double bond and stereospecific introduction of hydroxyl groups at the 6, 11, and 14 positions have been observed. The mono- and dihydroxylated progesterones have not previously been reported as metabolic products of progesterone by plant cell systems and represent de novo hydroxylation of a nonglycosylated steroid.

Chemical Phenomena↗
PubMed2002

Comparative linkage map of the Solanum lycopersicoides and S. sitiens genomes and their differentiation from tomato.

The wild nightshades Solanum lycopersicoides and Solanum sitiens are closely affiliated with the tomatoes (Lycopersicon spp.). Intergeneric hybridization with cultivated tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) is impeded by strong reproductive barriers including hybrid sterility and suppressed recombination. Conservation of genome structure between these nightshades and tomato was studied by construction of a genetic map from F2 S. sitiens x S. lycopersicoides and comparison with existing maps of tomato. Owing to self-incompatibility of the F1, two hybrid plants were crossed to obtain a population of 82 F2 individuals. Using 166 previously mapped RFLP markers and 5 restriction enzymes, 101 loci polymorphic in the S. sitiens x S. lycopersicoides population were identified. Analysis of linkage between the markers resulted in a map with 12 linkage groups covering 1192 cM and one unlinked marker. Recombination rates were similar to those observed in tomato; however, significant segregation distortion was observed for markers on 7 out of the 12 chromosomes. All chromosomes were colinear with the tomato map, except for chromosome 10, where a paracentric inversion on the long arm was detected. In this region, S. sitiens and S. lycopersicoides share the same chromosomal configuration previously reported for potato (S. tuberosum) and pepper (Capsicum), suggesting that of tomato is derived. The 10L inversion explains the lack of recombination detected among homeologous chromosomes of intergeneric hybrids in this region. On this basis, we recognize two principle genomes, designated L for the Lycopersicon spp., and S for S. lycopersicoides and S. sitiens, the first examples of structural differentiation between tomato and its cross-compatible wild relatives.

Chromosomes, Plant↗
PubMed2004

Capsaicin inhibits in vitro and in vivo angiogenesis.

Capsaicin (trans-8-methyl-N-vanillyl-6-nonenamide), a natural product of Capsicum species, is known to induce excitation of nociceptive terminals involved in pain perception. Recent studies have also shown that capsaicin not only has chemopreventive properties against certain carcinogens and mutagens but also exerts anticancer activity. Here, we demonstrated the antiangiogenic activity of capsaicin using in vitro and in vivo assay systems. In vitro, capsaicin inhibited vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) -induced proliferation, DNA synthesis, chemotactic motility, and capillary-like tube formation of primary cultured human endothelial cells. Capsaicin inhibited both VEGF-induced vessel sprouting in rat aortic ring assay and VEGF-induced vessel formation in the mouse Matrigel plug assay. Moreover, capsaicin was able to suppress tumor-induced angiogenesis in chick chorioallantoic membrane assay. Capsaicin caused G(1) arrest in endothelial cells. This effect correlated with the down-regulation of the expression of cyclin D1 that led to inhibition of cyclin-dependent kinase 4-mediated phosphorylation of retinoblastoma protein. Signaling experiments show that capsaicin inhibits VEGF-induced p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase, p125(FAK), and AKT activation, but its molecular target is distinct from the VEGF receptor KDR/Flk-1. Taken together, these results demonstrate that capsaicin is a novel inhibitor of angiogenesis and suggest that it may be valuable to develop pharmaceutical drugs for treatment of angiogenesis-dependent human diseases such as tumors.

Allantois↗
PubMed2005

Stress activation and genomic impact of Tnt1 retrotransposons in Solanaceae.

Tnt1 elements are a superfamily of LTR-retrotransposons distributed in the Solanaceae plant family and represent good model systems for studying regulatory and evolutionary controls established between hosts and transposable elements. Tnt1 retrotransposons tightly control their activation, by restricting expression to specific conditions. The Tnt1A element, originally discovered in tobacco, is expressed in response to stress, and its activation by microbial factors is followed by amplification, demonstrating that factors of pathogen origin can generate genetic diversity in plants. The Tnt1A promoter has the potential to be activated by various biotic and abiotic stimuli but a number of these are specifically repressed in tobacco and are revealed only when the LTR promoter is placed in a heterologous context. We propose that a tobacco- and stimulus-specific repression has been established in order to minimize activation in conditions that might generate germinal transposition. In addition to tight transcriptional controls, Tnt1A retrotransposons self-regulate their activity through gradual generation of defective copies that have reduced transcriptional activity. Tnt1 retrotransposons found in various Solanaceae species are characterized by a high level of variability in the LTR sequences involved in transcription, and have evolved by gaining new expression patterns, mostly associated with responses to diverse stress conditions. Tnt1A insertions associated with genic regions are initially favored but seem subsequently counter-selected, while insertions in repetitive DNA are maintained. On the other hand, amplification and loss of insertions may result from more brutal occurrences, as suggested by the large restructuring of Tnt1 populations observed in tobacco compared to each of its parental species. The distribution of Tnt1 elements thus appears as a dynamic flux, with amplification counterbalanced by loss of insertions. Tnt1 insertion polymorphisms are too high to reveal species relationships in the Nicotiana genus, but can be used to evaluate species relationships in the Lycopersicon and Capsicum genera. This also demonstrates that the behavior of Tnt1 retrotransposons differs between host species, most probably in correlation to differences in expression conditions and in the evolutionary and environmental history of each host.

Base Sequence↗
PubMed2006

Traditional cooked vegetable dishes as important sources of ascorbic acid and beta-carotene in the diets of Indian urban and rural families.

BACKGROUND: Fresh vegetable produce is abundant during the winter season in Punjab. It is an important source of vitamins and minerals in the Punjabi diet, but the availability of ascorbic acid and beta-carotene from the vegetables is altered to varying degrees when they are subjected to traditional household processing methods. OBJECTIVE: To determine the importance of traditional cooked vegetable dishes as sources of ascorbic acid and beta-carotene among urban and rural families during the winter. METHODS: Information about vegetable consumption, storage, and cooking practices was collected from 60 families, 30 each from urban and rural areas of Ludhiana District, Punjab, India. Samples of the common cooked vegetable dishes were prepared in the laboratory by methods ascertained from the survey and analyzed for ascorbic acid and beta-carotene. RESULTS: The average total daily per capita consumption of vegetables by urban and rural families was 411.7 and 365.9 g, respectively. Cooked vegetable dishes provided 68.7% of the total vegetable intake for urban families and 85.0% for rural families. On average, the edible portion constituted 78.9% of the weight of the vegetables. Ten cooked vegetable dishes that were most frequently consumed by the families (mustard saag, potato-spinach, potato-fenugreek, potato-brinjal, potato-cauliflower, potato-capsicum, potato-carrots, potato-beans, potato-peas, and cabbage-peas) were selected for preparation in the laboratory and nutritional analysis. The average concentrations of ascorbic acid and beta-carotene in the cooked vegetable dishes were 46.0 mg/100 g and 794.2 microg/100 g fresh weight, respectively. The percentage losses of ascorbic acid and beta-carotene during preparation and cooking were 26.1% and 25.9%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: For adult Indian men and women, the recommended dietary allowance of ascorbic acid is 40 mg, and that of beta-carotene is 2,400 microg. Cooked vegetable dishes provided 269.9% and 77.5% of the recommended dietary allowances of ascorbic acid and beta-carotene, respectively, indicating that these dishes are good sources of these nutrients in the diets of both urban and rural families during the winter season.

Ascorbic Acid↗
PubMed2001

Medicinal and ethnoveterinary remedies of hunters in Trinidad.

BACKGROUND: Ethnomedicines are used by hunters for themselves and their hunting dogs in Trinidad. Plants are used for snakebites, scorpion stings, for injuries and mange of dogs and to facilitate hunting success. RESULTS: Plants used include Piper hispidum, Pithecelobium unguis-cati, Bauhinia excisa, Bauhinia cumanensis, Cecropia peltata, Aframomum melegueta, Aristolochia rugosa, Aristolochia trilobata, Jatropha curcas, Jatropha gossypifolia, Nicotiana tabacum, Vernonia scorpioides, Petiveria alliacea, Renealmia alpinia, Justicia secunda, Phyllanthus urinaria,Phyllanthus niruri,Momordica charantia, Xiphidium caeruleum, Ottonia ovata, Lepianthes peltata, Capsicum frutescens, Costus scaber, Dendropanax arboreus, Siparuma guianensis, Syngonium podophyllum, Monstera dubia, Solanum species, Eclipta prostrata, Spiranthes acaulis, Croton gossypifolius, Barleria lupulina, Cola nitida, Acrocomia ierensis (tentative ID). CONCLUSION: Plant use is based on odour, and plant morphological characteristics and is embedded in a complex cultural context based on indigenous Amerindian beliefs. It is suggested that the medicinal plants exerted a physiological action on the hunter or his dog. Some of the plants mentioned contain chemicals that may explain the ethnomedicinal and ethnoveterinary use. For instance some of the plants influence the immune system or are effective against internal and external parasites. Plant baths may contribute to the health and well being of the hunting dogs.

Animals↗
PubMed2002

Tachykinin-independent activity of capsaicin on in-vitro lamb detrusor.

The capsicum alkaloid capsaicin is an afferent fibre exciter. In the vesical bladder, capsaicin acts by releasing peptides stored in afferent fibres. The aim of this work was to verify the activity of capsaicin on in-vitro lamb urinary bladder and to ascertain whether this alkaloid evokes peptide release. Capsaicin relaxed about 80% of the lamb detrusor muscle preparations tested and contracted about 20%. Whereas neurokinin A and substance P antagonists, administered alone or together, left the contractile responses to capsaicin unchanged, atropine and tetrodotoxin totally inhibited contraction. Ruthenium red and indometacin abolished contractions and relaxation. The substance P and neurokinin A antagonists and the NO-synthesis inhibitor N omega-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) left relaxation unchanged; conversely, the calcitonin gene-related peptide antagonist alpha h-CGRP (8-37) abolished this response. These results suggest that capsaicin relaxes lamb detrusor muscle not through tachykinins but by releasing CGRP from afferent fibres. Our observation that indometacin blocks the capsaicin response in in-vitro lamb urinary bladder also suggests a role of prostanoids.

Animals↗
PubMed2004

Capsaicin-based analgesic balm decreases pressor responses evoked by muscle afferents.

UNLABELLED: Capsaicin-based analgesic balm decreases pressor responses evoked by muscle afferents. Physically active individuals use countless analgesic balm (AB) products with various active ingredients daily. Despite this, few studies have investigated the mechanism of action and efficacy of AB. PURPOSE: We examined the effects of capsaicin (CAP) application on pressor responses evoked by muscle contraction (MC), which are mediated by group III and IV muscle afferents. METHODS: Heart rate (HR), blood pressure, and end-tidal CO2 were monitored in cats (N = 12) decerebrated under halothane. Decerebration eliminated anesthesia use and effects from the higher brain. Electrical stimulation of L7 and S1 ventral roots evoked static hindlimb MC (30 s). After control runs, a commercial CAP (4.95% Oleoresin Capsicum) AB was applied to the skin over the contracting muscles of one hindlimb. MC were evoked every 10 min, alternating between hindlimbs. Data were analyzed with RM ANOVA and Tukey post hoc test. RESULTS: Changes in peak mean arterial pressure (MAP) induced by static ipsilateral MC were significantly attenuated at 20 min and tended to approach baseline levels at 40 min after CAP application. The mean (+/- SEM) of the peak MAP for the ipsilateral side just before application (T = 0), at 20 min (T+20), and 40 min (T+40) were 28.3 mm Hg +/- 6.4, 13.8 mm Hg +/-2.9, and 22.6 mm Hg +/- 5.2, respectively. There were no significant changes in HR. CONCLUSIONS: Cardiovascular effects due to activation of group III and IV afferent fibers were significantly attenuated by the application of CAP. The time course of the effects appeared to support the need for repeated CAP application for pain relief. Central nervous system circuitry responsible for this effect awaits elucidation.

Afferent Pathways↗
PubMed1980

Excitatory effects of dihydrocapsaicin on nociceptive neurons in the medial thalamus.

Effects of capsaicin and dihydrocapsaicin, which are pungent substances contained in Capsicum annuum L., were studied in 32 gallamine triethiodide immobilized cats. Single units were recorded from the medial thalamus using stainless steel microelectrodes. Of the 56 neurons recorded, 28 were responsive to both noxious (pinching) and non-noxious (hair and/or tapping) stimuli, while 16 were activated only by non-noxious stimuli. The remaining 12 neurons did not respond to any natural stimulus. Somatic receptive fields of nociceptive and non-nociceptive neurons were found to be widely distributed over the whole body. Twenty-six of 28 nociceptive neurons were activated by an intra-arterial administration of bradykinin, capsaicin and dihydrocapsaicin. Fourteen of 16 non-nociceptive neurons were not activated by these substances. The mean latency and duration of bradykinin were 8.7 and 12.5 sec, those of capsaicin were 1.2 and 6.1 sec and those of dihydrocapsaicin were 1.3 and 5.0 sec, respectively. The increase of firing frequency produced by capsaicin and dihydrocapsaicin was inhibited by morphine and this inhibition was antagonized by naloxone. However, the activity of medial thalamic neurons with non-noxious stimuli was not affected by these drugs. These results suggest that the pain-conducting fibers were selectively activated by capsaicinoids as well as by bradykinin.

Action Potentials↗
PubMed1999

Recent advances in neuropharmacology of cutaneous nociceptors.

Cutaneous nociceptors are peripheral receptive endings of primary sensory neurons activated by noxious stimuli. Nociceptors detect and signal the presence of tissue-damaging stimuli or the existence of tissue damage. In this short review, we will focus on the molecular mechanism of maintenance, activation, inhibition and sensitization in cutaneous nociceptors. Neurotrophic factors are essential to the development of nociceptors during embryogenesis. Recent evidences have indicated that nociceptors in the adult are maintained by either nerve growth factor (NGF) or glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF). A selective activator of nociceptors is capsaicin, natural product of capsicum peppers. Recently, the receptor for capsaicin (the vanilloid receptor 1: VR1) has been cloned, identified and characterized. VR1 seems to play an important role in the activation and sensitization of nociceptors. In contrast, peripheral endogenous cannabinoids such as anandamide are novel candidates for mediators that inhibit the excitation of nociceptors. Intracellular messengers and the mechanisms of signal transduction in nociceptors have also been studied. Our recent findings provide evidences demonstrate that an activation of both cAMP- and cGMP-second messenger systems is required to induce the sensitization of nociceptors. Such emerging evidences reviewed here would make a significant contribution to further understanding of the molecular mechanism of nociceptors.

Animals↗
PubMed2002

Enzymatic synthesis of a capsinoid by the acylation of vanillyl alcohol with fatty acid derivatives catalyzed by lipases.

Capsinoids are a novel group of compounds produced by the Capsicum plant. We synthesized a capsinoid by the lipase-catalyzed esterification of vanillyl alcohol with fatty acid derivatives in an organic solvent. The use of seven out of 17 commercially available lipases, especially Novozym 435, was applicable to the synthesis of vanillyl nonanoate, a model compound of capsinoids. The yield of vanillyl nonanoate under the optimum conditions of 50 mM vanillyl alcohol and 50 mM methyl nonanoate in 500 microl of dioxane, using 20 mg of Novozym 435 and 50 mg of 4 A molecular sieves at 25 degrees C, was 86% in 20 h. Several capsinoid homologues having various acyl chain lengths (C6-C18) were synthesized at 64-86% yields from the corresponding fatty acid methyl ester. The natural capsinoids, capsiate and dihydrocapsiate, were obtained by a 400-fold-scale reaction at these optimum conditions in 60% and 59% isolated yields, respectively.

Acylation↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Herbicide-affected plant metabolism reduces virus propagation.

It has been previously shown that certain herbicides or plant extracts inhibited the viral infection. The goal of this study was to investigate the effect of Obuda pepper virus (ObPV) infection and herbicide or plant extract treatments on the photosynthetic processes of the host plants to get informations about the interactions of these factors. In Capsicum annuum-ObPV host-virus relations the virus infection slightly increased the activity of photosystem II (PSII), as it was supposed from fluorescence induction parameters. Chlorophyll content of leaves was also elevated probably due to virus-induced growth inhibition. The herbicide Stomp (active ingredient: pendimethalin) incorporated into the soil one week before planting (preplant treatment) together with virus infection even strengthened these effects in agreement with previous observations that this herbicide always did not prevent virus infection or reduce virus concentration in hosts. In ObPV-infected Nicotiana tabacum the structural changes showed similar tendency like in ObPV-infected C. annuum, but PSII efficiency did not significantly differ from that of the control. However, non-photochemical quenching (NPQ) increased because of the strongly decreasing CO2 fixation activity. Though simultaneous application of a water extract of Cirsium arvense shoot caused a little stronger inhibition of CO2 fixation, little loss in production was obtained due to significant reduction in virus concentration. In Solanum nigrum-ObPV relation the slightly increasing tendency of the values of actual PSII quantum efficiency could be related to the probably elevated ratio of reaction centre components (increased chlorophyll a/b ratio) in the thylakoids. Application of the herbicide Fusilade S (active ingredient: fluazifop-P-butyl) at 4-6 leaf stage as a post-emergence treatment practically prevented systemic virus infection and the virus-induced changes of photosynthesis are probably due to inhibiting the virus infection/replication process.

Glutamate-Cysteine Ligase↗
PubMed2001

Biological activity of plant extracts: novel analgesic drugs.

The plant-derived secondary metabolites have, over the years, greatly contributed to our current understanding of the important mechanisms related to the process of pain transmission and treatment. Furthermore, they have permitted us to characterise receptor types and identify endogenous ligands involved in the mechanism of nociception. In this review, we discuss the recent advances that have occurred regarding plant-derived substances in the process of development of new analgesic drugs. Plants, such as Papaver somniferum, Cannabis sativa and those of the Capsicum and Salix species, have greatly accounted for the development of clinically relevant drugs which are useful for the management of pain disorders. The recent advances in our understanding of the mechanisms of action of the above plant-derived substances, together with use of molecular biology techniques, have greatly accelerated attempts to identify promising targets for the discovery of new, safe and efficient analgesic drugs. Despite the great progress which has occurred in the elucidation of pain transmission and despite decades of use, leaving aside its known undesirable sides effects, morphine continues to be one of the most used drugs in clinical practice for the treatment of pain disorders. Thus, safer and more efficacious analgesic drugs are urgently needed. A search through the literature reveals that many potentially active antinociceptive plant-derived compounds have been identified. However, studies aiming to investigate their cellular and molecular mechanisms of action and well-controlled clinical trials to prove their efficacy in humans are still lacking. Nevertheless, natural or synthetic substances that bind to vanilloid or cannabinoid receptors, or even those that are capable of modulating the endogenous ligands which bind to these receptors, are expected to soon appear to assist in the treatment of several pain disorders, including those of neuropathic or neurogenic origin.

Journal Article↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Trypanosomatid protozoa in fruit of Solanaceae in southeastern Brazil.

Fruits of cultivated and indigenous Solanaceae from Southeastern Brazil have been examined for the presence of trypanosomatid flagellates. The 14 species found infected were: Capsicum annuum, C. praetermissum, Lycopersicon esculentum, Nicandra physaloides, Physalis angulata, Solanum sp., S. americanum, S. concinnum, S. diflorum, S. erianthum, S. gilo, S. robustum, S. variable and S. viarum. The pentatomid hemipteran Arvelius albopunctatus experimentally transmitted flagellates to fruits of some species. Cultures of flagellates were obtained from fruits of eight species of Solanaceae and from A. albopunctatus.

Animals↗