Assessment of Cytogenetic Damage and Cholinesterases’ Activity in Workers Occupationally Exposed to Pesticides in Zamora-Jacona, Michoacan, Mexico

Pesticides have been considered as potential chemical mutagens; however, little is known about toxic and genotoxic effects during pesticide application in Zamora-Jacona, Michoacan State in Mexico. This study sought to determine DNA damage and cholinesterase activities inhibitions in 54 agricultural workers exposed to complex mixtures of pesticides vs. control group (26 individuals) using Comet assay in peripheral whole blood, micronucleus (MN) test in oral mucosa cells, Cytokinesis-blocked MN assay in lymphocytes (L-CBMNcyt) and measuring AChE and BChE activities in whole blood and plasma samples, respectively. Exposed subjects demonstrated significantly elevated levels of primary (Comet assay: tail intensity, tail length, tail moment, Olive tail moment) and permanent DNA damage (MN assay: in blood/buccal cells; frequencies of nuclear buds, binucleated cells, cells with condensed chromatin, karyorrhexis, pyknosis, and karyolysis). However, inhibition of cholinesterase activities (AChE and BChE) was not observed in the workers. Confounding factors including sex, age, BMI, working exposure period, protection level, smoking habit (cigarettes per day units), alcohol consumption (weekly), medication, were considered in the analysis. These combined techniques demonstrated usefulness in the health hazards risks pesticide exposure assessment and suggested the need for periodic monitoring together with the education and the training of occupational workers for the safe application of potentially harmful pesticides.

Multiple Level Effects Of Imazethapyr On Leptodactylus Latinasus (Anura) Adult Frogs

Imazetapir is a herbicide used in soybean and corn crops worldwide. Ecotoxicological studies have shown that imazetapir promotes genotoxic, biochemical and individual effects in aquatic vertebrates. In this study, we evaluated the response of different biomarkers in adult specimens of Leptodactylus latinasus exposed under laboratory conditions to the imazetapir based-formulation Pivot® H (10.59% Imazetapir) mimicking two possible real acute scenarios. Both exposure scenarios considered were the runoff simulation (scenario1: 10 mg/L) and the direct spraying application (scenario2: 1000 mg/L). Different endpoints were evaluated at several ecotoxicological levels after 48 and 96 h of exposure including individual (biometric indices and behavior alterations), histological (liver pigmentation and tissue alterations), biochemical (catalase, glutathione system and cholinesterase activities) and genotoxic effects (induction of micronuclei and nuclear abnormalities). The exposure to Pivot® H during 48 h, induced inhibition of the glutathione-S-transferase activity in scenario1 and an increase of hepatic tissue alterations and acetyl-cholinesterase levels in scenario2. After 96 h, we demonstrated that imazetapir formulation induced a decrease in melanin and hemosiderin, an increase in catalase activity and induction of micronuclei in scenario1 while in scenario2 there was a decrease in the hepatosomatic index, and an increase in liver alterations and melanin reduction. The multivariate analysis allows to correlate biomarkers at the same level in exposed specimens. Accordingly, we conclude that populations of L. latinasus could be at risk after real scenarios of exposure to pesticides corroborating that the species is a good model for ecotoxicological studies in the region.

Nutritional, Phytochemical Characteristics and In Vitro Effect on α-Amylase, α-Glucosidase, Lipase, and Cholinesterase Activities of 12 Coloured Carrot Varieties

Twelve carrot varieties with different colours (purple, orange, yellow, and white) and sizes (normal, mini, and micro) were analysed for prospective health benefits (activities against diabetes-, obesity-, and aging- related enzymes—α-amylase, α-glucosidase, lipase, acetylocholinesterase, and butyrylocholinesterase, respectively) and nutritional contents (polyphenols, carotenoids, and chlorophylls). The conducted studies showed that the highest content of total polyphenols was observed in different sizes of purple carrots. The normal yellow and mini orange carrots demonstrated the highest content of carotenoids. According to the study results, the mini purple carrot showed the highest activities against diabetes-related enzyme (α-glucosidase); furthermore, the highest activities of cholinesterase inhibitors were observed for micro purple carrot. Nevertheless, normal orange carrot exhibited the highest activity against lipase. The results of the present study showed that purple-coloured carrot samples of different sizes (normal, mini, and micro) exhibited attractive nutritional contents. However, their pro-health effects (anti-diabetic, anti-obesity, anti-aging) should not be seen in the inhibition of amylase, glucosidase, lipase, and cholinesterase. Probably the mechanisms of their action are more complex, and the possible health-promoting effect results from the synergy of many compounds, including fibre, phytochemicals, vitamins, and minerals. Therefore, it would be worth continuing research on different varieties of carrots.

Stephapierrines A–H, new tetrahydroprotoberberine and aporphine alkaloids from the tubers of Stephania pierrei Diels and their anti-cholinesterase activities

Eight new alkaloids 1–8, together with three new naturally occurring alkaloids and thirty-four known alkaloids were isolated. Five compounds exhibited more potent anti-cholinesterase activities than galanthamine, the reference drug.

Reduced Serum Cholinesterase Activity Distinguishes Hepatic Encephalopathy From 48 Types of Human Diseases

Background: Hepatic encephalopathy is a complication of central nervous systems due to liver failure-related brain inflammation. Less than half of patients suffering from liver failure develop hepatic encephalopathy, which suggests other factors beyond liver failure might contribute to hepatic encephalopathy. Indeed, we reported previously that the levels of serum direct bilirubin, a liver cell-made product, are counter-intuitively highest in hepatic encephalopathy patients among 72 clinically defined diseases. In current study, we tested if cholinesterase could serve as a biomarker for hepatic encephalopathy by comparing serum cholinesterase activities among 48 different types of human diseases.Methods: The activity of serum cholinesterase was determined by the standard “continuous monitoring method” in the clinical laboratory of the hospital where the serum cholinesterase activities from 137,305 independent tests with 48 clinically defined diseases and 3,387 independent tests from healthy individuals who came to the hospital for physical examination during the past 5 years were retrieved. All data were analyzed with RStudio V.1.3.1073 and python libraries 3.8.Results: We found that all 48 types of diseases had decreased cholinesterase activity compared to control based on either mean or median values. Remarkably, hepatic encephalopathy had the lowest cholinesterase activity and the serum cholinesterase activity was the best biomarker for hepatic encephalopathy (AUC 0.99, sensitivity 100%, and specificity 99%) among all diseases. Moreover, two component analysis of cholinesterase activity distributions revealed hepatic encephalopathy resembled preeclampsia and uremia whereas cirrhosis resembled multiple myeloma, leukemia, myeloproliferative disorder, and liver cancer.Conclusions: Decreased cholinesterase activity was an almost perfect serum biomarker for patients suffering hepatic encephalopathy at all stages. The resemblance of hepatic encephalopathy to preeclampsia and uremia based on cholinesterase activities provided new insight in understanding hepatic encephalopathy etiology beyond liver failure.

Extraction of Antioxidants from Winemaking Byproducts: Effect of the Solvent on Phenolic Composition, Antioxidant and Anti-Cholinesterase Activities, and Electrochemical Behaviour

Extraction solvent is a very important factor in the recovery of antioxidants from natural matrices. In this study, the effect of three solvents (ethanol, ethanol/water and water) on the phenolic composition, antioxidant and anti-cholinesterase activities and electrochemical behaviour of four winemaking byproducts (seeds, skins, stems, and pomace) was evaluated. Phenolic composition was determined by the Folin–Ciocalteu method and ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC), antioxidant activity by the capacity to scavenge 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl and hydroxyl radicals, anti-cholinesterase activity by the Ellman’s method, and electrochemical behaviour by cyclic voltammetry. Eight phenolic compounds were quantified with higher content in water/ethanol extracts (e.g., epicatechin in pomace: 17 mg/100 g vs. 7 and 6 mg/100 g in ethanol and water extracts, respectively), although there were some exceptions (e.g., gallic acid in seeds was most abundant in water extracts). Moreover, the highest total phenolic content (TPC) and antioxidant activity were found in ethanol/water extracts (between 2 and 30-fold the values of the other extracts). Overall, the most active extracts in inhibiting both acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) enzymes were ethanol/water and ethanol extracts from seeds (between 31.11 and 53.90%). The electrochemical behaviour allowed for differentiating the extracts depending on the solvent and the byproduct. Our findings indicate that winemaking byproducts represent a source of phenolic compounds with antioxidant and anti-cholinesterase activities and suggest that cyclic voltammetry is a promising technique to evaluate the phenolic extraction process from these byproducts.