Menthol and Thymol loaded in mucoadhesive nanocapsules for the transportation of ornamental fish

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Aloysia citrodora extract as a chemopreventive agent against HPV16-induced lesions: findings from K14-HPV16 mice

Publication . Medeiros-Fonseca, Beatriz; Faustino-Rocha, Ana; Silva, Jessica; Silva, Mónica; Pires, Maria João; Neuparth, Maria João; Vala, Helena; Vasconcelos-Nóbrega, Cármen; Dias, Maria Inês; Barros, Lillian; Gonçalves, Lio; Gaivão, Isabel; Bastos, Margarida M.S.M.; Félix, Luís; Venâncio, Carlos; Medeiros, Rui; Costa, Rui Miguel Gil; Oliveira, Paula A.

Aloysia citrodora has a long history of traditional use in treating various ailments. This study evaluated the in vivo chemopreventive efficacy and systemic toxicity of an extract of A. citrodora in a transgenic mouse model of HPV16 (human papillomavirus type 16)-induced cancer. Methods: The experiment involved six groups (n = 5): group 1 (G1, wild-type (WT), water), group 2 (G2, HPV, water), group 3 (G3, WT, 0.013 g/mL), group 4 (G4, HPV, 0.006 g/mL), group 5 (G5, HPV, 0.008 g/mL), and group 6 (G6, HPV, 0.013 g/mL). Throughout the assay, humane endpoints, body weight, food, and water consumption were recorded weekly. The internal organs and skin of the mice were collected for analysis after they were sacrificed. Toxicological parameters that were studied included hematological and biochemical blood markers, splenic and hepatic histology, and hepatic oxidative stress. Results: A. citrodora extract seems to reduce the incidence of dysplastic and in situ carcinoma skin lesions induced by HPV16 in this model, suggesting that dietary supplementation with concentrations of 0.008 g/mL and 0.013 g/mL may have beneficial chemopreventive effects. Conclusions: The extract did not induce any concentration-dependent toxicological effects on any of the parameters included in the study, indicating a favorable toxicological profile under these experimental conditions.

2024Journal article

Open access

Exploring the therapeutic potential of Quercus ilex acorn extract in papillomavirus-induced lesions

Publication . Medeiros-Fonseca, Beatriz; Faustino-Rocha, Ana; Pires, Maria João; Neuparth, Maria João; Vala, Helena; Vasconcelos-Nóbrega, Cármen; Gouvinhas, Irene; Barros, Ana Novo; Dias, Maria Inês; Barros, Lillian; Bastos, Margarida M.S.M.; Gonçalves, Lio; Félix, Luís; Venâncio, Carlos; Medeiros, Rui; Costa, Rui Miguel Gil; Oliveira, Paula A.

Papillomaviruses (PVs) infections have been documented in numerous animal species across different regions worldwide. They often exert significant impacts on animal health and livestock production. Scientists have studied natural products for over half a century due to their diverse chemical composition, acknowledging their value in fighting cancer. Acorns (Quercus ilex) are believed to have several unexplored pharmacological properties. This study aimed to evaluate the in vivo safety and cancer chemopreventive activity of an infusion extract of Q. ilex in a transgenic mouse model of human PV (HPV)-16, which developed squamous cell carcinomas through a multistep process driven by HPV16 oncogenes. Q. ilex extract was prepared by heating in water at 90°C and then characterized by mass spectrometry. Phenolic compounds from this extract were administered in drinking water to female mice in three different concentrations (0.03, 0.06, and 0.09 g/mL) over a period of 28 consecutive days. Six groups (n = 6) were formed for this study: group 1 (G1, wildtype [WT], water), group 2 (G2, HPV, water), group 3 (G3, WT, 0.09 g/mL), group 4 (G4, HPV, 0.03 g/mL), group 5 (G5, HPV, 0.06 g/ mL), and group 6 (G6, HPV, 0.09 g/mL). Throughout the experiment, humane endpoints, body weight, food intake, and water consumption were recorded weekly. Following the experimental period, all mice were sacrificed, and blood, internal organs, and skin samples were collected. Blood was used to measure glucose and microhematocrit and later biochemical parameters, such as creatinine, urea, albumin, alanine aminotransferase, and total proteins. Histological analysis was performed on skin and organ samples. The administration of Q. ilex extract resulted in a statistically significant increase in relative organ weight among HPV transgenic animals, indicating adaptive biological response to the tested concentrations. Moreover, a reduction in characteristic skin lesions was observed in animals treated with the 0.06 and 0.09 g/mL extract. These results provide a favorable chemopreventive profile for Q. ilex extract at concentrations of 0.06 and 0.09 g/mL. This study highlights the potential of Q. ilex extract as a safe and effective therapeutic strategy against HPV16- associated lesions in transgenic mouse models. The limitation of our study was the durability of transgenic animals. As a more sensitive species, we must always be careful with the durability of the test. We intend to study concentrations of 0.06 and 0.09 g/mL for longer to further investigate their possible effects.

2024Journal article

Open access

Exploring the Chemopreventive and Antioxidant Effects of Spearmint Leaf Hydroethanolic Extract in HPV16-transgenic Mice

Publication . Jesus, Tiago M.; Azevedo, Tiago; Silva-Reis, Rita; Ferreira, Tiago; Nascimento-Gonçalves, Elisabete; Medeiros, Catarina; Ferreira, João; Gama, Adelina; Gaivão, Isabel; Pires, Maria João; Lanzarin, Germano; Félix, Luís; Venância, Carlos; Medeiros, Rui; Bastos, Margarida M.S.M.; Finimundy, Tiane C.; Barros, Lillian; Costa, Rui M. Gil da; Oliveira, Paula A.

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the most common sexually transmitted infectious agent and, in cases of persistent infection, may cause cancer. This study evaluated the toxicological and antitumor properties of Mentha spicata extract (MSE) in KP14HPV16 mice, which carry HPV16 oncogenes. Thirty‑three female FVB/n mice (Mus musculus), including 17 HPV‑transgenic and 16 wild‑type (WT) mice, were divided into six groups. The control groups received tap water (WT‑C, n=5, and HPV‑C, n=6), while the treatment groups received either 0.50 mg/ml MSE (WT‑50 and HPV‑50, n=6) or 0.55 mg/ml MSE (WT‑55 and HPV‑55, n=5) in drinking water for 28 days. Afterwards, animals were sacrificed, and blood and organs were collected for histopathological and biochemical analysis. The main phenolic compounds in MSE were rosmarinic acid and luteolin‑O‑glucoronide. MSE did not significantly affect weight gain in WT mice; however, WT‑55 gained significantly more weight than HPV‑55. MSE demonstrated antioxidant activity as indicated by the modulation of hepatic superoxide dismutase and glutathione S‑transferase (GST) activity, as well as renal GST activity, in MSE‑treated HPV groups. MSE did not reduce histological lesion incidence or systemic inflammation in HPV16‑transgenic mice. In general, while MSE was safe and exhibited antioxidant activity, it did not significantly impact HPV16‑induced lesions, warranting further research to assess systemic effects with different concentrations and durations.

2025Journal article

Restricted access