Percorrer por autor "Fernandes, E."
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- Impacts of in vivo and in vitro exposures to tamoxifen: comparative effects on human cells and marine organismsPublication . Fonseca, T. G.; Carriço, T.; Fernandes, E.; Abessa, D. M. S.; Tavares, A.; Bebianno, M.Tamoxifen (TAM) is a first generation-SERM administered for hormone receptor-positive (HER+) breast cancer in both pre- and post-menopausal patients and may undergo metabolic activation in organisms that share similar receptors and thus face comparable mechanisms of response. The present study aimed to assess whether environmental trace concentrations of TAM are bioavailable to the filter feeder M. galloprovincialis (100 ng L-1) and to the deposit feeder N. diversicolor (0.5, 10, 25 and 100 ng L-1) after 14 days of exposure. Behavioural impairment (burrowing kinetic), neurotoxicity (AChE activity), endocrine disruption by alkali-labile phosphate (ALP) content, oxidative stress (SOD, CAT, GPXs activities), biotransformation (GST activity), oxidative damage (LPO) and genotoxicity (DNA damage) were assessed. Moreover, this study also pertained to compare TAM cytotoxicity effects to mussels and targeted human (i.e. immortalized retinal pigment epithelium - RPE; and human transformed endothelial cells - HeLa) cell lines, in a range of concentrations from 0.5 ng L-1 to 50 μg L-1. In polychaetes N. diversicolor, TAM exerted remarkable oxidative stress and damage at the lowest concentration (0.5 ng L-1), whereas significant genotoxicity was reported at the highest exposure level (100 ng L-1). In mussels M. galloprovincialis, 100 ng L-1 TAM caused endocrine disruption in males, neurotoxicity, and an induction in GST activity and LPO byproducts in gills, corroborating in genotoxicity over the exposure days. Although cytotoxicity assays conducted with mussel haemocytes following in vivo exposure was not effective, in vitro exposure showed to be a feasible alternative, with comparable sensitivity to human cell line (HeLa).
- Phytochemical Profile, Antioxidant and Cytotoxic Activities of the Carob Tree (Ceratonia siliqua L.) Germ Flour ExtractsPublication . Custódio, Luísa; Escapa, A. L.; Fernandes, E.; Fajardo, A.; Aligue, R.; Albericio, F.; Neng, N. R.; Nogueira, J. M. F.; Romano, AnabelaThis work aimed to evaluate the phytochemical content and to determine the antioxidant and cytotoxic activities of methanol extracts of the carob tree (Ceratonia siliqua L.) germ flour. The extracts were rich in phenolic compounds, had considerable antioxidant activity, and reduced the viability of cervical (HeLa) cancer cells. The chemical content and the biological activities of the extracts were significantly affected by gender and cultivar. Female cultivar Galhosa had the highest levels of phenolic compounds, and the highest antioxidant activity. Extracts from the hermaphrodite trees and from the female cultivars Galhosa and Costela/Canela exhibited the highest cytotoxic activity. The most abundant compound was theophylline. The phenolic content was correlated to both antioxidant and cytotoxic activities. Our findings provide new knowledge about the health implications of consuming food supplemented with carob germ flour.
- Quantification of Polyphenols in Carob Tree (Ceratonia siliqua L.) Fruits and Leaves in Portuguese CultivarsPublication . Custódio, Luísa; Fernandes, E.; Romano, AnabelaMethanol extracts from leaves and pulps from male, female, and hermaphrodite carob trees were studied for their contents of total phenols, tannins and flavonoids. In the three genders, significantly higher amounts of total phenols, tannins and flavonoids were detected in leaf extracts. Gender significantly affected the phenolic profile with the hermaphrodites being generally richer in phenols. Our results confirm that leaves and pulps of carob tree contain high amounts of phenols, being potentially attractive as a raw material for the pharmaceutical industry.