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Biomedical subjects

M D Rodríguez

Publications and source records attributed to M D Rodríguez.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Perinatal/postnatal study of D-003, a mixture of long-chain fatty acids, in rats.

D-003 is a mixture of long-chain fatty acids isolated and purified from sugar cane wax with cholesterol-lowering and antiplatelet effects. In order to further characterize the developmental toxicity during the treatment period from late gestation up to weaning of the offspring, pregnant females received 0 (control), 500, and 1,000 mg/kg/day D-003 daily by oral gavage beginning at day 15 of pregnancy and through gestation until day 21 postpartum. Maternal clinical signs, body weight, and food intake were measured at regular intervals during gestation and lactation. Live pups were weighed, sexed, and examined for developmental signs. One female and male of each litter were randomly selected to evaluate the reproductive potential. There were no spontaneous or dose-related maternal deaths during the course of this study. The general health and behavioral condition of offspring was good in all groups. No significant differences among groups were found in comparisons of litter size, survival through the weaning period, sex ratio, and male and female weights. This peri- and postnatal study conducted with D-003 in rats indicated that treatment of the dam during late gestation and lactation did not show adversely effects on reproductive performance or fetal development over two generations.

Animals↗

Evaluation of the reproductive and developmental toxicity of the D-003, a mixture of long-chain fatty acids, in rats and rabbits.

D-003 is a mixture of long-chain fatty acids isolated and purified from sugar cane wax with cholesterol-lowering properties. D-003 given orally (500 and 1000 mg/kg/day) to female rats for 15 days prior to mating, through mating and gestation to day 21 of lactation and male rats for 4 weeks prior and during mating did not induce toxic effects on reproduction. There were no significant reductions in the number of animals that conceived, in the numbers of pups born to those that did conceive, in the numbers of pups that survived until weaning, and in their body weights at weaning. Drug-treated and control groups' offspring were comparable in growth, physical and behavioral development, spontaneous activity and reproductive performance. Pregnant New Zealand rabbits were given D-003 as oral doses of 500 and 1000 mg/kg/day on days 6 through 18 of gestation without any evidence of embryotoxicity or teratogenicity. The no-observed-effect dose in these two experimental studies was 1000 mg/kg/day. After assessment of the potential of high doses of D-003 to act on developing embryo and reproduction process, no evidence supports the conclusion that D-003 is a reproductive and developmental toxicant/teratogen.

Animals↗

Lack of developmental toxicity of D-003: a mixture of long-chain fatty acids in rats.

D-003 is a mixture of long-chain fatty acids isolated and purified from sugar cane wax, the major component of which is 1-octacosanoic acid and which possesses effective antiplatelet, antithrombotic and cholesterol-lowering effects. D-003 was suspended in 1% acacia gum solution, and given daily by gavage to rats at dose levels of 5, 100 and 1000 mg/kg/day on days 6 through 15 of gestation. Cyclophosphamide, serving as a positive control, was given at the dose of 50 mg/kg/day on day 15 of gestation. Evidence of maternal or developmental toxicity was not observed in the groups treated with D-003. Maternal clinical signs of toxicity were not observed and the analysis of initial body weight and the body weight gain during the treatment period was comparable among the groups treated with D-003 and control. As expected, cyclophosphamide caused both embryotoxic and teratogenic effects in rats. Meanwhile, no adverse effects on reproductive performance, or on embryonic or fetal development, including visceral and skeletal examination, were seen in any of the groups administered D-003. It is concluded that D-003 administered up to 1000 mg/kg/day did not induce any evidence of developmental toxicity.

Abnormalities, Drug-Induced↗

Evaluation of peri- and post-natal toxicity of Policosanol in rats.

The effects of Policosanol, a newly developmented hypocholesterolemic drug administered during the perinatal and postnatal periods, were studied in Sprague-Dawley rats. This compound was administered orally to female rats at dose levels of 0 (control), 5, 50, and 500 mg/kg/day, from day 15 of pregnancy to day 21 after parturition. The animals were allowed to deliver and their offspring were examined for postnatal growth and development. No signs of toxic effects related to the test material were observed in the dams F0 during pregnancy and lactation. No adverse effects were observed on the postnatal growth, behaviours, or reproductive ability of pups F1. The physical and sensorial development of pups F2 was also normal. These results confirm that Policosanol does not affect the reproductive performance or fetal/neonatal development.

Animals↗

Multigeneration reproduction study of policosanol in rats.

The hypocholesterolaemic drug policosanol was administered to Sprague-Dawley rats of both sexes throughout three successive generations at concentrations of 0, 5, 50 and 500 mg/kg bw/day by gavage. For each generation two litters were reared until they were at least 3 weeks old. No clinical signs which could be related to the administration of the test substance were observed in the F0, F1b and F2b parents. There were no differences among groups in the number of animals that conceived, the number of pups born live or dead, the rate of male to female pups, the number of pups that survived until weaning and the pups' body weights through the lactancy. The following test showed no treatment-related effects on F3b offspring: righting on a surface, air righting, corneal, pirmal and pain reflexes, auditory startle and visual placing. The results of the present study did not demonstrate any deleterious effects on the fertility, reproductive performance or development of rats administered policosanol at levels of up to 500 mg/kg bw/day over three successive generations.

Animals↗

Effect of autoclaving on dietary fibre content of beet root (Beta vulgaris). Evaluation by different methods.

Modifications of dietary fibre in beet root during autoclaving have been evaluated by different methods: acid detergent (raw = 1.45%; processed = 1.17%) and neutral detergent (raw = 2.30%; processed = 2.00%), the enzymatic-gravimetric method of Asp (raw = 3.35%; processed = 3.34%), HPLC (raw = 1.42%; processed = 1.60%) and 3,5-dimethylphenol (raw = 0.36; processed = 0.28%). The correlation between different methodologies was studied. Autoclaving was carried out at 121 degrees C under pressure for 15 min. Variance analysis indicated that quantitative variations originating in the thermic treatment were not statistically significant (P > 0.05).

Carbohydrates↗

Antibodies directed against the mu-opioid receptor alleviated multiple signs of morphine withdrawal in mice.

An investigation was made into the effect of intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) administration of antibodies to the amino-terminal portion 1-16 (MDSSTGPGNTSDCSDP) or the peptide sequence 208-216 (TKYRQGSID) of the cloned mu-opioid receptor (mu-OR) on morphine tolerance and dependence. Animals were rendered tolerant-dependent by subcutaneous (s.c.) implantation of an oily morphine suspension. To precipitate withdrawal syndrome, the opioid antagonist naloxone (1 mg/kg, s.c.) was administered 72 h after chronic morphine treatment. In mice i.c.v. injected with the anti-mu-OR antibodies, the analgesic effect of chronic morphine was significantly reduced. These antibodies given 24 h before starting the chronic morphine treatment, reduced most of the symptoms associated with the withdrawal syndrome (jumps, loss of body weight, diarrhoea and body shakes) elicited by naloxone in dependent mice. The administration of the antisera to mice undergoing 48 h of chronic morphine treatment did not precipitate detectable signs of abstinence, but reduced the withdrawal syndrome precipitated by naloxone 24 h later. The finding that both antibodies impaired mu 1/mu 2-mediated effects, suggests a high degree of homology between the pharmacologically defined subtypes of mu-OR.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Male adolescents' reactions to TV beer advertisements: the effects of sports content and programming context.

OBJECTIVE: This study examines white male adolescent responses to TV beer advertisements with and without sports content and to nonbeer ads when embedded in sports and entertainment programming. METHOD: A total of 72 advertisements and 24 television program excerpts were randomly sampled from national television programming. White male adolescents (N = 157) recruited in a public school system each viewed six ads (one of each of three types of ad embedded in each of two types of programming) comprising the 2 x 2 x 3 factorial, within-subjects, mixed-model (random and fixed effects) experimental design along with an age-level blocking factor and random factors for commercial and program stimuli. Cognitive responses to each ad were content-analyzed. Individual difference variables including alcohol use behavior, sensation-seeking, masculinity and sports involvement were also measured. RESULTS: Subjects showed a consistent preference for beer ads with sports content. A significant three-way interaction between ad type, programming type and junior versus senior high-school age level also indicated that sports programming had an inconsistent effect on responses to beer ads but that nonbeer ads were responded to more positively during sports than during entertainment programming. Other analyses showed that subjects were more cognitively resistant to beer ads than to nonbeer ads. CONCLUSIONS: These results support public and official concerns that sports content in beer ads increase the ads appeal to underage youth. They do not support hypothesized concerns that sports programming might prime adolescents to be more receptive to beer ads. Implications for alcohol education efforts are discussed.

Adolescent↗

High-performance liquid chromatographic determination of dietary fibre in raw and processed carrots.

An HPLC method was developed to determine dietary fibre in carrots (Daucus carota L.). Primary hydrolysis of dietary fibre residue was performed with 12 M H2SO4 for 2 h at 40 degrees C and secondary hydrolysis with 0.414 M H2SO4 for 3 h at 100 degrees C. For the neutralization step prior to injection, AG4-X4 resin (Bio-Rad) was used. Neutral monosaccharides were separated using an HPX-87P column (Bio-Rad). This method was applied for evaluation of the quantitative variation of dietary fibre content in carrots during autoclaving.

Carbohydrates↗

Teratogenic and reproductive studies of policosanol in the rat and rabbit.

The present studies evaluated the teratogenic potential and reproductive toxicity of Policosanol, a new hypocholesterolemic drug. Policosanol was administered by oral gavage to Sprague-Dawley rats and New Zealand White rabbits during the period of organogenesis at dosages up to 500 and 1,000 mg/kg/day, respectively. There was no evidence of teratogenicity or any other embryonal toxicity. In a fertility and reproductive study female rats were treated with Policosanol by oral gavage at dosages up to 500 mg/kg/day, 2 weeks prior to mating and throughout mating and pregnancy to day 21 of lactation. Males were given treatment 60 days before and during mating. Reproductive parameters of mothers were normal. There was no evidence that treatment affected the survival, postnatal growth, or behavior of the offspring. No maternal treatment-related adverse side effects occurred in these studies. It is concluded that Policosanol was not teratogenic in either rats or rabbits, nor did it induce reproductive toxicity in rats.

Abnormalities, Drug-Induced↗

[Diet as a risk factor for coronary atherosclerosis in a rural area of Argentinian Patagonia. Comparison with the urban zone of Viedma].

To determine risk factors, a clinical, cardiologic, biochemical and nutritional study was carried out. A sample of the rural population of Comi-Co (N = 92), which included descendants of Mapuche indians, was compared with a sample of the urban population of Viedma (N = 94). Sheep, goat and horse meat from the rural district was analyzed. In horse meat, intramuscular fat was 1.16 g%, with 34.5% of polyunsaturated fatty acids including linolenic (18:3 w3) 11.9%, linoleic (18:2 w6) 21.0%. The diet intake of the rural population was very different from that of the urban population (p < 0.001). It contained 3420 +/- 1027 vs 2110 +/- 654 kcal, carbohydrates 40 +/- 8 vs 55 +/- 10%, lipids 33 +/- 5 vs 24 +/- 8%, proteins 28 +/- 6 vs 20 +/- 6%, cholesterol 1021 +/- 380 vs 385 +/- 156 mg/day. The rural population showed a tendency to suffer cholelithiasis. Comi-Co vs Videma males had a CHDL 53 +/- 13 vs 47 +/- 9 mg/dl (p < 0.05) and no significant differences were found between both groups when it came to blood glucose, uric acid, triglycerides and Apo B. The frequency of individuals with CT > or = 240 mg/dl, CLDL > or = 160 mg/dl, cigarettes > or = 10/day seems to be less in the rural district. In Viedma vs Comi-Co males, with any one primary factor there was a ratio of 45% vs 24% (p < 0.05). The proportion of males with two risk factors was low. No individuals with three risk factors were found.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗

Circadian variations in the superoxide production, enzyme release and neutrophil aggregation in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and controls.

Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) experience fluctuations of symptoms throughout the day. These could be due to mechanical changes or modification of the inflammatory mechanisms. In the present paper we studied fluctuations of superoxide production (O2), enzyme release (beta-glucuronidase and lysozyme) and neutrophil aggregation in the peripheral blood of eight healthy volunteers and eight patients with RA. Although enzyme release was greater in patients with RA, no significant difference was found throughout the day, neither in control nor in patients. Similar results were obtained when studying neutrophil aggregation. On the contrary, the superoxide production, determined at 8:00, 14:00, and 20:00 h, was 6.3 +/- 0.5, 4.40 +/- 0.4 and 6.26 +/- 0.3, respectively, in patients with RA and 6.65 +/- 0.7, 4.7 +/- 0.7 and 7.27 +/- 0.4 in the controls. The values obtained at 14:00 h were significantly lower (alpha = 0.01). There were no differences in the curve form between patients and controls.

Arthritis, Rheumatoid↗

[Circadian variations in the production of superoxide and liberation of lysosomal enzymes of neutrophils in peripheral blood].

Superoxide formation and lysosomal enzyme liberation circulating neutrophils has been assessed in healthy subjects. Blood samples were obtained at 8:00, 14:00, and 20:00 o'clock. The formation of superoxide followed a circadian rythm. Lowest concentration was found a 14:00 hours (4.59 +/- 2.09 nM reduced cytochrome/10(6) neutrophils). No 24 hour variation of betaglucuronidase and lysozyme liberation was proven. The number of neutrophil receptors for formyl-methyonil-leucyl-phenyl-alamine (FMLP) at the same hours did not show any circadian variation. The circadian changes of the functional capacity of the neutrophils might be one of the mechanisms that could justify the 24 hour variation of symptomatology characteristic of some diseases.

Adult↗

[Effect of corticosteroids, quinacrine and L-652, 731 on experimental aggregation of polymorphonuclear leukocytes induced by complement and platelet activating factor (PAF)].

The effects of 6-methylprednisolone sodium succinate, quinacrine and the synthetic anti-PAF compound L-652,731 were studied on the PAF and complement induced aggregation of rabbit polymorphonuclear leukocytes in vivo. High doses (100-250 mg/kg) of corticosteroid were able to abrogate PAF and complement induced aggregation. Quinacrine (1.25 mg/kg), and L-652,731, partially precluded complement-depending aggregation. The L-652,731 dose employed was just enough to prevent PAF induced aggregation. These results suggest that in those pathological conditions in which polymorphonuclear aggregation occurs, factors other than those derived from plasmatic complement system activation, and laboring jointly with it, may be involved.

Agranulocytosis↗