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1. High malnutrition rate in Venezuelan Yanomami compared to Warao Amerindians and Creoles: significant associations with intestinal parasites and anemia.

Author

Lilly M Verhagen, Renzo N Incani, Carolina R Franco, Alejandra Ugarte, Yeneska Cadenas, Carmen I Sierra Ruiz, Peter W M Hermans, Denise Hoek, Maiza Campos Ponce, Jacobus H de Waard, and Elena Pinelli

Subjects
Medicine, Science
Abstract

BACKGROUND:Children in rural areas experience the interrelated problems of poor growth, anemia and parasitic infections. We investigated the prevalence of and associations between intestinal helminth and protozoan infections, malnutrition and anemia in school-age Venezuelan children. METHODS:This cross-sectional study was conducted in 390 children aged 4-16 years from three rural areas of Venezuela: the Amazon Region, Orinoco Delta and Carabobo State. Stool samples were collected for direct parasitic examinations. Anthropometric indicators of chronic (height-for-age Z score) and acute (weight-for-height and Body Mass Index (BMI)-for-age Z score in respectively children under 5 years of age and children aged 5 years and above) malnutrition were calculated. Multivariate linear and logistic regression models were built to determine factors associated with nutritional status and polyparasitism. RESULTS:Hookworm and Strongyloides stercoralis prevalences were highest in children from the Amazon rainforest (respectively 72% and 18%) while children from the Orinoco Delta and Carabobo State showed higher rates of Ascaris lumbricoides (respectively 28% and 37%) and Trichuris trichiura (40% in both regions). The prevalence of Giardia lamblia infection was not significantly different between regions (average: 18%). Anemia prevalence was highest in the Amazon Region (24%). Hemoglobin levels were significantly decreased in children with a hookworm infection. Malnutrition was present in respectively 84%, 30% and 13% of children from the Amazon Region, Orinoco Delta and Carabobo State. In multivariate analysis including all regions, G. lamblia and helminth infections were significantly and negatively associated with respectively height-for-age and weight-for-height/BMI-for-age Z scores. Furthermore, hemoglobin levels were positively associated with the height-for-age Z score (0.11, 95% CI 0.02 - 0.20). CONCLUSIONS:In rural populations in Venezuela helminthiasis and giardiasis were associated with acute and chronic nutritional status respectively. These data highlight the need for an integrated approach to control transmission of parasites and improve the health status of rural Venezuelan children.

Published
2013
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2. Inhibition of Nuclear Factor κB Activation and Cyclooxygenase-2 Expression by Aqueous Extracts of Hispanic Medicinal Herbs

Author

Dorothy J. Vander Jagt, Amanda M Gonzales, Lucy A. Hunsaker, Carolina R. Franco, Robert E. Royer, David L. Vander Jagt, and Robert A. Orlando

Subjects
Drug Evaluation, Preclinical, Medicine (miscellaneous), Down-Regulation, Inflammation, Pharmacology, complex mixtures, Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic, Cell Line, medicine, Humans, Medicinal plants, Nutrition and Dietetics, Plants, Medicinal, biology, Traditional medicine, business.industry, Plant Extracts, Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal, NF-kappa B, Hispanic or Latino, NFKB1, Mechanism of action, Cell culture, Cyclooxygenase 2, biology.protein, Tumor necrosis factor alpha, Cyclooxygenase, medicine.symptom, Signal transduction, business, Full Communications
Abstract

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are a primary choice of therapy for diseases with a chronic inflammatory component. Unfortunately, long-term NSAID therapy is often accompanied by severe side effects, including cardiovascular and gastrointestinal complications. Because of this, there is critical need for identification of new and safer treatments for chronic inflammation to circumvent these side effects. Inflammatory diseases have been successfully remedied with natural herbs by many cultures. To better understand the potential of natural herbs in treating chronic inflammation and to identify their mechanism of action, we have evaluated the anti-inflammatory activities of 20 medicinal herbs commonly used in the Hispanic culture. We have established a standardized method for preparing aqueous extracts (teas) from the selected medicinal herbs and screened for inhibition of tumor necrosis factor-alpha-induced activation of nuclear factor kappaB (NF-kappaB), which is the central signaling pathway of the inflammatory response. A number of herbal teas were identified that exhibited significant anti-inflammatory activity. In particular, tea from the herb commonly called laurel was found to be an especially potent inhibitor of NF-kappaB-dependent cyclooxygenase-2 gene expression and prostaglandin E(2) production in cultured murine macrophages. These findings indicate that laurel tea extract contains potent anti-inflammatory compounds that function by inhibiting the major signal transduction pathway responsible for inducing an inflammatory event. Based on these results, laurel may represent a new, safe therapeutic agent for managing chronic inflammation.

Published
2010

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