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Avaliação do potencial antioxidante e hipolipemiante do extrato bruto de Monteverdia ilicifolia em modelo experimental de dislipidemia induzida

Tue, 24 Feb 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Title: Avaliação do potencial antioxidante e hipolipemiante do extrato bruto de Monteverdia ilicifolia em modelo experimental de dislipidemia induzida Abstract: Non-communicable chronic diseases (NCDs) represent a significant global health burden, with dyslipidemia being a primary risk factor for their associated complications. Conventional treatments, although effective, present certain limitations and adverse effects, driving the exploration for novel phytotherapeutic alternatives using natural products. This study aimed to investigate the hypolipidemic and antioxidant potential of the crude ethanolic extract of Monteverdia ilicifolia leaves (EEBT-MI) using an induced in vivo model of hyperlipidemia. Hyperlipidemia was induced in C57BL/6 mice via intraperitoneal administration of Tyloxapol (400 mg/kg). The animals were administered with three doses of the extract (100, 200, and 400 mg/kg) or with Simvastatin (20 mg/kg). Serum biochemical parameters evaluated included hepatic oxidative stress markers, fecal lipid excretion, and histopathological analyses of the liver. The results demonstrated that Tyloxapol drastically elevated total cholesterol and triglyceride levels in the vehicle group (HL). Conversely, treatment with EEBT-MI, particularly at the 200 mg/kg dose (HM200) (p<0.05), promoted a significant reduction in these markers, bringing them closer to the levels observed in the healthy control group. Notably, multivariate cluster analysis confirmed that the 200 mg/kg dose was the most effective, exhibiting the highest metabolic similarity to healthy animals. Regarding the mechanism of action. It was observed that the extract may inhibit intestinal lipid absorption, as evidenced by increased fecal excretion, possibly by inhibiting key enzymes of lipid metabolism. Assessment of oxidative stress markers revealed that hyperlipidemia in the vehicle group caused significant damage, reducing the activity of antioxidant enzymes (SOD, CAT, GPx). In contrast, the HM200 group restored the activity of these enzymes and increased total antioxidant capacity (FRAP), suggesting activation of the Nrf2 pathway. This differed from Simvastatin, which showed signs of hepatotoxicity through elevated ALT and AST transaminases, whereas EEBT-MI demonstrated hepatoprotective action (p<0.5). The Histopathological analyses confirmed these findings, showing that the extract-treated groups exhibited lower cytoplasmic vacuolization and better hepatic preservation compared to the HL group. In conclusion, these results support the therapeutic potential of M. ilicifolia extract as a natural alternative for managing hyperlipidemia, however, further clinical studies are recommended to confirm its efficacy as a hypolipidemic intervention.

Aplicação da espectroscopia ATR-FTIR combinada a algoritmos de aprendizado de máquina para identificação da doença renal crônica em amostras de saliva

Thu, 30 Oct 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Title: Aplicação da espectroscopia ATR-FTIR combinada a algoritmos de aprendizado de máquina para identificação da doença renal crônica em amostras de saliva Abstract: Introduction: Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) is a progressive condition that presents nonspecific symptoms in its early stages, making diagnosis difficult. This highlights the need for noninvasive, accessible, and effective diagnostic methods for CKD detection. Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the potential of attenuated total reflection- Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy of saliva, combined with machine learning algorithms, to discriminate patients with CKD from healthy individuals. Materials and Methods: Samples were collected at the Hemodialysis Unit of the Hospital das Clínicas at UFU. Participants followed prior restrictions on eating, drinking, smoking, and the use of oral products. Unstimulated whole saliva was collected in sterile tubes under standardized conditions, in accordance with international protocols for salivary biomarker studies. Spectra were acquired by ATR- FTIR and subjected to spectral preprocessing. Machine learning algorithms, including Principal Component Analysis (PCA), Support Vector Machine (SVM), Random Forest, AdaBoost, and Neural Networks, were used for statistical and predictive analysis. Results: Twenty-nine patients with CKD diagnosed according to the NKF criteria and 24 healthy controls, matched for age and sex, with no history of renal, systemic, or oral diseases, were included. The study identified ten salivary spectral biomarkers associated with CKD, mainly related to proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, and nucleic acids. One of the protein markers stood out in the amide III region, involving vibrations of the N–H and C–N bonds. Spectral classification achieved 98% accuracy, 100% sensitivity, and 96% specificity. Conclusion: This study demonstrated the potential of ATR-FTIR spectroscopy applied to saliva samples, combined with machine learning algorithms, as a promising approach for the non-invasive diagnosis of Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD). Keywords: Chronic kidney disease, Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared, Saliva

Aplicabilidade do Weight Loss Grading System (WLGS) na avaliação da caquexia e sobrevida em pacientes com câncer avançado

Fri, 24 Oct 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Title: Aplicabilidade do Weight Loss Grading System (WLGS) na avaliação da caquexia e sobrevida em pacientes com câncer avançado Abstract: Introduction: Advanced cancer represents a major challenge in oncologic care due to clinical complications that impair functionality and worsen patients' overall condition. In this context, cancer cachexia, a multifactorial and progressive syndrome characterized by involuntary weight loss and systemic inflammation that leads to a decline in nutritional status and negatively affects prognosis. Given the lack of simple and effective tools for cachexia staging and clinical risk stratification, the Weight Loss Grading System (WLGS) has emerged as a promising alternative. Objective: This prospective study aimed to evaluate the applicability of the WLGS in predicting cachexia stages and estimating survival in patients with advanced cancer. Methods: The study was conducted from 2021 to 2024 at the Hospital das Clínicas of the Federal University of Uberlândia and included 100 patients with advanced cancer receiving palliative care. Sociodemographic, clinical, and anthropometric data were collected, and the WLGS was applied. The association between WLGS and cachexia stages was analyzed using Pearson’s chi-square test. Median survival across WLGS categories was estimated using the Kaplan–Meier method, and mortality prediction was assessed using binary logistic regression. Results: A significant association of the WLGS with cachexia stages was found, with more advanced stages of the syndrome being associated with higher grades of the system (p < 0.001). The WLGS was identified as an independent predictor of 180-day mortality (OR = 1.374; p = 0.038), indicating an approximately 37.4% increase in the risk of death for each additional point in the system. Furthermore, median survival decreased with increasing WLGS scores, with significant differences observed between the Grade 0 and Grade 4 groups (p < 0.049). Conclusion: These findings suggest that the WLGS is a valuable tool for risk stratification in patients with advanced cancer, as it is associated with both the severity of cachexia and overall survival. Its integration into clinical practice may support more personalized and effective interventions.

Desigualdades sociais entre fatores de risco para a doença renal crônica na população brasileira: uma análise da Pesquisa Nacional de Saúde

Wed, 11 Feb 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Title: Desigualdades sociais entre fatores de risco para a doença renal crônica na população brasileira: uma análise da Pesquisa Nacional de Saúde Abstract: Introduction: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a major public health problem and one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in this century. Although the risk factors associated with CKD are well established and evidence indicates that populations with greater socioeconomic vulnerability are disproportionately exposed to these factors and their adverse outcomes, there are still few studies that assess inequalities in multiple risk factors for CKD, incorporating the intersection between gender and race, as well as studies that examine health patterns that potentially mediate the relationship between social disadvantage and CKD. Objectives: To assess social inequality in the distribution of risk factors for CKD among Brazilians and to explore health-related patterns that mediate the relationship between social disadvantage and CKD. Materials and methods: Cross-sectional study using the 2014-2015 National Health Survey Examination Database (n=8952). The prevalence of the following risk factors was assessed: diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia, obesity and overweight, excessive alcohol consumption, physical inactivity, smoking, and inadequate food consumption. Inequalities were measured by equity stratifiers (gender, color/race, region of residence, and education) and complex measures of inequality, including the angular index of inequity (SII) and the concentration index (CIX). Data were compared for the presence of CKD using the Student's t-test and chi-square test. Principal component factor analysis was performed to identify health-related patterns (mediators). Logistic regression models were performed to obtain odds ratios (OR) for the association between social disadvantage and CKD, and for the relationship between health-related patterns and the chance of CKD. The mediation model and other analyses were performed in Stata. Results: The prevalence of CKD was 5.3%. In the total population without CKD, most risk factors were concentrated among those with lower levels of education, with the exception of obesity (CIX= 3.10), excessive alcohol consumption (SII=5.50), and physical inactivity (SII=20.00). The population with CKD showed significant inequalities only for inadequate food consumption (SII = -27.30, CIX = -7.50) and hypertension (SII = -25.46) among those with lower levels of education, and physical inactivity (SII = 29.11) among those with higher levels of education. The analysis stratified by sex and color/race revealed initially hidden inequalities, showing that women of both colors/races and black-brown-indigenous men with DRC live with a higher burden of risk factors, with mixed levels of education, in addition to presenting the highest magnitudes of inequality found. There were no intersectional patterns of color/race in the inequalities of the group without DRC. Exposure to high socioeconomic disadvantage led to a 2.45-fold increase in the chance of DRC (OR: 2.45, 95% CI 1.23–4.89), which was mediated by 19.85% (95% CI 01.11–38.59) by high adherence to an unhealthy metabolic pattern. Conclusion: Substantial educational inequalities in the prevalence of clinical and behavioral risk factors were identified, especially among white and black-brown-indigenous women and black-brown-indigenous men with CKD in Brazil. The relationship between high social disadvantage and increased odds of CKD is partially mediated by the high presence of metabolic conditions among socially vulnerable individuals.