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Introducción: La medicina ancestral ha utilizado plantas con cualidades medicinales para prevenir y tratar enfermedades; aun cuando este tipo de investigaciones se han incrementado, son escasos los estudios con tubérculos andinos. Objetivo: Determinar la actividad biológica de extractos acuosos y etanólicos de los tubérculos andinos Tropaeolum tuberosum (mashua) y Ullucus tuberosus (melloco). Métodos: La investigación fue experimental y se desarrolló in vitro. La muestra estuvo constituida por 2 tubérculos andinos utilizados en la medicina ancestral. Se aplicaron técnicas de extracción en medio acuoso y etanólico. Los extractos fueron evaluados para determinar la actividad hemoaglutinante, anticoagulante y antimicrobiana con cepas ATCC. Resultados: Se demostró actividad hemoaglutinante en el extracto acuoso de T. tuberosum sobre eritrocitos A. Todos los extractos acuosos mostraron actividad anticoagulante, Tropaeolum tuberosum inhibió la actividad de la coagulación sanguínea (vía intrínseca) con un TTPa> 300 seg. Tanto los extractos acuosos y etanólicos exhibieron actividad antimicrobiana contra cepas ATCC, Tropaeolum tuberosum inhibió el crecimiento de Staphylococcus aureus 25923 con halos de 17 y 22 mm y Ullucus tuberosus (blanco) con halos de 10 y 30 mm, respectivamente. Los extractos acuosos de Tropaeolum tuberosum y Ullucus tuberosus (rojo) inhibieron el crecimiento de Candida tropicalis 66029 con halos de 27 y 12 mm y respectivamente. Conclusiones: Determinada la actividad biológica, se evidencia que los tubérculos andinos estudiados aglutinan eritrocitos humanos, específicamente eritrocitos del grupo A, así mismo, capacidad de inhibir las proteínas plasmáticas de la coagulación y de inhibir el crecimiento bacteriano y micótico de cepas ATTC.
Introduction: Ancestral medicine has used plants with medicinal qualities to prevent and treat diseases, even though this type of research has increased, studies with Andean tubers are scarce. Objective: To determine the biological activity of aqueous and ethanolic extracts of the Andean tubers Tropaeolum tuberosum (mashua) and Ullucus tuberosus (melloco). Methods: The research was experimental and was developed in vitro. The sample consisted of 2 Andean tubers used in ancestral medicine. Extraction techniques were applied in aqueous and ethanolic medium. The extracts were evaluated for hemagglutinating, anticoagulant and antimicrobial activity with ATCC strains. Results: Hemagglutinating activity was demonstrated in the aqueous extract of T. tuberosum on A erythrocyte. All aqueous extracts showed anticoagulant activity, Tropaeolum tuberosum inhibited blood coagulation activity (intrinsic pathway) with an aPTT>300 sec. Both aqueous and ethanolic extracts exhibited antimicrobial activity against ATCC strains, Tropaeolum tuberosum inhibited the growth of Staphylococcus aureus 25923 with halos of 17 and 22 mm and Ullucus tuberosus (white) with halos of 10 and 30 mm, respectively. The aqueous extracts of Tropaeolum tuberosum and Ullucus tuberosus (red) inhibited the growth of Candida tropicalis 66029 with halos of 27 and 12 mm, respectively. Conclusions: Once the biological activity was determined, it was evident that the Andean tubers studied agglutinated human erythrocytes, specifically group A erythrocytes, as well as the ability to inhibit plasma coagulation proteins and inhibit the bacterial and fungal growth of ATTC strains.
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Background: Raw vegetables have been considered vehicles of enteroparasites. South American countries are among the most important exporters of fresh vegetables, including Ecuador, which has a tropical climate and soils rich in organic matter that allow it to harvest throughout the year for sale to different countries. The aim of the study was to assess the occurrence of the parasitic contamination of fruits, vegetables and leafy greens grown in an agricultural area of the Ecuadorian Andes. Methods: A cross-sectional field study was conducted with snowball sampling on 1,416 samples (516 fruits, 488 vegetables, and 412 leafy greens). Each sample were washed with water, and the resulting solution after removing the vegetables, was subjected to 24-hour sedimentation. The concentrated sediment underwent microscopic analysis. Results: The overall positivity for parasitic contamination was 63.4%, with leafy greens having the highest contamination rate (76.9%) (P<0.0001), surpassing vegetables (67.8%) and fruits (48.4%). Cabbage (100%), onions (84%), and strawberries (60.2%) emerged as the most contaminated within their respective groups. Protozoa were more prevalent (49.6%) than helminths (15.5%) (P<0.0001). Blastocystis sp. (33.5%) ranked highest, followed by Eimeria spp. (26.3%), Entamoeba spp. (10.3%), Giardia spp. (8.3%), Balantidium spp. (6.9%), Cryptosporidium spp. (6.6%), Cyclospora spp. (4.4%), Cystoisospora spp. (0.5%), Strongylida (15.5%), and Ascaris spp. (0.4%). Conclusions: The study reveals that vegetables and fruits for human consumption from this area of the Ecuadorian Andes are highly contaminated with various parasites, constituting a possible source of infection for humans and animals in this area, or in non-endemic areas where these products are marketed. The finding emphasizes the need for strict hygienic measures in agricultural crops, which will be properly achieved through the treatment of soil, manure and water used for cultivation.
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Criptosporidiosis , Cryptosporidium , Parásitos , Animales , Humanos , Verduras/parasitología , Ecuador , Frutas , Estudios Transversales , Suelo , AguaRESUMEN
OBJECTIVE: The aim of this research was the identification of the enteroparasites harbored by the animals of the San Andrés community, to evaluate their role as susceptible hosts and sources of infection for other animals, humans (zoonoses), as well as parasite forms spreaders to the environment in this rural area, located in the province of Chimborazo, Ecuadorian Andean region. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study was carried out combining 3 coproparasitological techniques: direct examination, Ritchie and Ziehl-Neelsen in 300 animal stool samples RESULTS: Blastocystis sp., Entamoeba spp., Giardia spp., Balantidium spp., Cryptosporidium spp., Ascaris spp., Toxocara spp., Ancylostoma spp., Strongylida, Hymenolepis nana and Echinococcus spp., were detected. Infection by protozoa (87.3%) was higher than helminths (31.0%). All cattle, sheep and guinea pigs were found parasitized, and the presence of Blastocystis sp., Entamoeba spp. and Cryptosporidium spp. by all groups of animals stands out. It is also remarkable the presence of Giardia spp. in swine (19.2%), big herbivores-livestock (11.5%), leporids (8.3%) and carnivores (5.9%); Balantidium spp. in swine (19.2%), big herbivores-livestock (5.8%) and carnivores (1.2%); Hymenolepis nana in guinea pigs (2.1%); and Toxocara spp. (15.7%), Echinococcus spp. (9.6%) and Ancylostoma spp. (6.0%) in dogs. CONCLUSION: Animals from San Andrés have a wide spectrum of intestinal parasitic forms in their feces, being a source of infection to other animals and humans, and a source of contamination of the environment, posing a risk factor and reinforcing the idea of the need for more effective treatments and hygienic measures to improve livestock production and cutting its transmission.