€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ *****ARCHIVES OF INTERNAL MEDICINE***** Sheikh NM Philen RM Love LA Chaparral-associated hepatotoxicity. In: Arch Intern Med (1997 Apr 28) 157(8):913-9 ISSN: 0003-9926 BACKGROUND: Personal health care practices that may include the use of dietary supplements are common in the United States. Products marketed as dietary supplements are diverse and may include botanicals, vitamins, and/or minerals. Chaparral (Larrea tridentata) is a botanical dietary supplement made from a desert shrub and used for its antioxidant properties. Several reports of chaparral- associated hepatitis have been published since 1990, but a complete picture of the clinical presentation is still unclear. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We reviewed the 18 case reports of adverse events associated with the ingestion of chaparral reported to the Food and Drug Administration between 1992 and 1994. These reports were from health care professionals, state health departments, and individual consumers. RESULTS: Of 18 reports of illnesses associated with the ingestion of chaparral, there was evidence of hepatotoxicity in 13 cases. Clinical presentation, characterized as jaundice with a marked increase in serum liver chemistry values, occurred 3 to 52 weeks after the ingestion of chaparral, and it resolved 1 to 17 weeks after most individuals stopped their intake of chaparral. The predominant pattern of liver injury was characterized as toxic or drug-induced cholestatic hepatitis; in 4 individuals, there was progression to cirrhosis; and in 2 individuals, there was acute fulminant liver failure that required liver transplants. CONCLUSIONS: These data indicate that the use of chaparral may be associated with acute to chronic irreversible liver damage with fulminant hepatic failure, and they underscore the potential for certain dietary supplement ingredients to cause toxic effects on the liver. Health professionals should be encouraged to inquire routinely about the use of dietary supplements and other products, to be alert to potential adverse effects that may be associated with these products, and, finally, to report any serious adverse events associated with these products through the MEDWatch Program of the Food and Drug Administration. €€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ *****JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN ACADEMY OF DERMATOLOGY***** Leonforte JF Contact dermatitis from Larrea (creosote bush). In: J Am Acad Dermatol (1986 Feb) 14(2 Pt 1):202-7 ISSN: 0190-9622 Six men suffering from acute dermatitis had positive patch tests to Larrea (creosote bush). The lesions preferentially involved sun- exposed sites, simulating a photodermatitis, but also were on the legs and scrotum. Our findings were more consistent with contact allergy than with a primary irritant or a phototoxic response. The patch tests were also positive to Zuccagnia punctata. In two cases the exposure to the creosote bush occurred as a result of casual occupations, in two because of household remedies (moist compresses and baths), and in the other two as a result of burning the bush and resorting to household remedies. Attention should be drawn to this contact dermatitis because the creosote bush grows abundantly all over the American continent. €€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ *****PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY FOR EXPERIMENTAL BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE***** Obermeyer WR Musser SM Betz JM Casey RE Pohland AE Page SW Chemical studies of phytoestrogens and related compounds in dietary supplements: flax and chaparral. In: Proc Soc Exp Biol Med (1995 Jan) 208(1):6-12 ISSN: 0037-9727 High-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) and mass spectrometric (MS) procedures were developed to determine lignans in flaxseed (Linum usitatissimum) and chaparral (Larrea tridentata). Flaxseed contains high levels of phytoestrogens. Chaparral has been associated with acute nonviral toxic hepatitis and contains lignans that are structurally similar to known estrogenic compounds. Both flaxseed and chaparral products have been marketed as dietary supplements. A mild enzyme hydrolysis procedure to prevent the formation of artifacts in the isolation step was used in the determination of secoisolariciresinol in flaxseed products. HPLC with ultraviolet spectral (UV) or MS detection was used as the determinative steps. HPLC procedures with UV detection and mass spectrometry were developed to characterize the phenolic components, including lignans and flavonoids, of chaparral and to direct fractionation studies for the bioassays. Registry Numbers: 29388-59-8 (secoisolariciresinol) 9005-53-2 (Lignin) €€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ ***ACTA PHYSIOLOGICA, PHARMACOLOGICA ET THERAPEUTICA LATINOAMERICANA*** Anesini C Genaro A Cremaschi G Zubillaga M Boccio J Sterin-Borda L Borda E "In vivo" and "in vitro" antitumoral action of Larrea divaricata Cav. In: Acta Physiol Pharmacol Ther Latinoam (1996) 46(1):33-40 ISSN: 0001-6744 We previously reported that aqueous extract of Larrea divaricata Cav. had an antiproliferative activity upon tumoral lymphoid cells (BW 5147), without affecting normal immunity. To determine the probable mechanism of the inhibitory action of the extract upon cell growth, the participation of intracellular signals involved in the inhibition of cell proliferation, namely the activation of adenylate cyclase system was studied. The production of cyclic 3', 5 adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) in presence and absence of extract was analized. The extract increased the cAMP levels, but neither the cAMP production nor the inhibitory effect of the extract on proliferation were blocked by a beta adrenergic receptor antagonist (propranolol) or by histaminergic receptor antagonists (cimetidine and mepyramine). So, we concluded that the antiproliferative activity of the extract of BW 5147 cells would be mediated by an increase in cAMP intracellular levels no related to the activation of the membrane receptors here studied. In parallel, the extract was administered to a pregnant rat with a spontaneous mammarian carcinoma and "in vivo" antitumoral activity was found. Registry Numbers: 50-89-5 (Thymidine) 51-45-6 (Histamine) 51481-61-9 (Cimetidine) 525-66-6 (Propranolol) 60-92-4 (Cyclic AMP) 91-84-9 (Pyrilamine) €€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ *****BIOCHEMICAL JOURNAL***** Ruiz-Larrea F Vicendo P Yaish P End P Panayotou G Fry MJ Morgan SJ Thompson A Parker PJ Waterfield MD Characterization of the bovine brain cytosolic phosphatidylinositol 3- kinase complex. In: Biochem J (1993 Mar 1) 290 ( Pt 2)( Pt 2):609-16 ISSN: 0264-6021 Receptor-linked phosphatidylinositol (PtdIns) 3-kinase may generate a second-messenger signal. Here a large-scale purification of the bovine brain enzyme, based on methods developed by Morgan, Smith and Parker [(1990) Eur. J. Biochem. 191, 761-767] and Fry, Panayotou, Dhand, Ruiz-Larrea, Gout, Nguyen, Courtneidge and Waterfield [(1992) Biochem. J. 288, 383-393] is described. The purified enzyme is shown to be a heterodimer of 85 kDa and 110 kDa protein subunits (p85 and p110). Labelling with 5'-p-fluorosulphonylbenzoyladenosine shows that p110 contains an ATP-binding site and confers catalytic activity to the complex. The purified complex is known to be highly phosphorylated on both p85 alpha and p110 subunits, and dephosphorylation generates a deactivated complex, indicating that phosphorylation is an important covalent modification of the complex and may modulate PtdIns 3-kinase activity. Registry Numbers: EC 2.7 (Phosphotransferases) EC 2.7.1.137 (1-phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase) 56-65-5 (Adenosine Triphosphate) 58-61-7 (Adenosine) €€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ *****JOURNAL OF CHROMATOGRAPHY. A***** Gnabre JN Ito Y Ma Y Huang RC Isolation of anti-HIV-1 lignans from Larrea tridentata by counter- current chromatography. In: J Chromatogr A (1996 Jan 8) 719(2):353-64 Several lignans, mostly new, were isolated from Larrea tridentata by assay-guided counter-current chromatography (CCC). Using the secreted alkaline phosphatase bioassay of HIV Tat transactivation and the two- phase hexane-ethyl acetate-methanol-water solvent system, two major components (Gr and Lo) were identified as anti-HIV active principles. The chemical structures of the constituents of Gr (G1-G4) and Lo (L1- L4) were determined by GC-MS and NMR. After optimization of isolation conditions, a large-scale isolation with the chloroform-methanol- water system yielded five constituents (FB1-FB5). The most predominant anti-HIV compound FB2 (denoted Malachi 4:5-6 or mal.4), which occurs in 0.23% yield, was separated from its FB1 isomer (0.13% yield). Compound FB4 and two tricyclic lignans (FB3 and FB5) were also isolated in a substantial amount for further testing of their anti-HIV activities. These compounds may represent a new class of anti-HIV agents with important clinical relevance. €€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ *****JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY***** Verastegui MA Sanchez CA Heredia NL Garcia-Alvarado JS Antimicrobial activity of extracts of three major plants from the Chihuahuan desert. In: J Ethnopharmacol (1996 Jul 5) 52(3):175-7 ISSN: 0378-8741 Dilution methods were employed to determine the effect of ethanolic extracts of Agave lecheguilla Torr. (Agavaceae), Baccharis glutinosa Pers. (Compositae) and Larrea tridentata (DC.) Cov. (Zygophyllaceae) on growth of yeasts, molds and bacteria. The three extracts analyzed showed good antimicrobial activity against more than one organism. The minimal inhibitory concentration of the extracts was also determined. €€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ Anesini C Perez C Screening of plants used in Argentine folk medicine for antimicrobial activity. In: J Ethnopharmacol (1993 Jun) 39(2):119-28 ISSN: 0378-8741 Screening of 132 extracts from Argentine folk-medicinal plants for antimicrobial activity has been conducted using a penicillin G resistant strain of Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and Aspergillus niger as test microorganisms. Cephazolin, ampicillin and miconazole were used as standard antibiotics and concentration- response curves were obtained using the agar-well diffusion method. Boiling water extracts of plant materials were tested and 12 species were active against Staphylococcus aureus, whereas 10 were effective against Escherichia coli and 4 against Aspergillus niger. Tabebuia impetiginosa bark, Achyrocline sp. aerials parts, Larrea divaricata leaves, Rosa borboniana flowers, Punica granatum fruit pericarp, Psidium guineense fruit pericarp, Lithrea ternifolia leaves and Allium sativum bulbs produced some of the more active extracts. €€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ *****JOURNAL OF NATURAL PRODUCTS***** Konno C Lu ZZ Xue HZ Erdelmeier CA Meksuriyen D Che CT Cordell GA Soejarto DD Waller DP Fong HH Furanoid lignans from Larrea tridentata. In: J Nat Prod (1990 Mar-Apr) 53(2):396-406 ISSN: 0163-3864 From the leaves and stems of Larrea tridentata six new furanoid lignans, compounds 1-6, have been isolated and their structures determined through interpretation of physical and spectroscopic properties. The use of 1D and 2D nOe experiments was of particular importance in assigning the stereochemistry. Registry Numbers: 8021-39-4 (Creosote) 9005-53-2 (Lignin) €€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ ****PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES*** Gnabre JN Brady JN Clanton DJ Ito Y Dittmer J Bates RB Huang RC Inhibition of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 transcription and replication by DNA sequence-selective plant lignans. In: Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A (1995 Nov 21) 92(24):11239-43 ISSN: 0027-8424 A plant lignan, 3'-O-methyl nordihydroguaiaretic acid (3'-O-methyl NDGA, denoted Malachi 4:5-6 or Mal.4; molecular weigth 316), was isolated from Larrea tridentata and found to be able to inhibit human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) Tat-regulated transactivation in vivo, induce protection of lymphoblastoid CEM-SS cells from HIV (strain IIIB) killing, and suppress the replication of five HIV-1 strains (WM, MN, VS, JR-CSF, and IIIB) in mitogen-stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells, all in a dose-dependent manner. Mal.4 inhibits both basal transcription and Tat-regulated transactivation in vitro. The target of Mal.4 has been localized to nucleotides -87 to -40 of the HIV long terminal repeat. Mal.4 directly and specifically interferes with the binding of Sp1 to Sp1 sites in the HIV long terminal repeat. By inhibiting proviral expression, Mal.4 may be able to interrupt the life cycles of both wild-type and reverse transcriptase or protease mutant viruses in HIV-infected patients. Registry Numbers: 500-38-9 (Nordihydroguaiaretic Acid) 54473-24-4 (heminordihydroguaiaretic acid) €€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ *****REVISTA ARGENTINA DE MICROBIOLOGIA***** Abril A Acosta M Bachmeier O Rollan A [Effect of the vegetative cover on the biological activity of the soil of Chaco Arido] Efecto de la cobertura vegetal sobre la actividad biologica de un suelo del Chaco Arido. In: Rev Argent Microbiol (1993) 25(1):15-26 ISSN: 0325-7541 (Published in Spanish) Vegetation plays a primal role in arid ecosystems, since it creates microclimate conditions that moderate the characteristics of the region whereby the rational use of vegetal resources is fundamental. Felling, clearing and overgrazing lead to decrease in organic contribution and stimulate soil compaction, causing an alteration of microbial activity, with losses in nutrient turnover. The global biological activity is a soil parameter easy to obtain and indicates the presence and diversity of soil life as well as substrate availability and is useful in order to characterize soil potential fertility. This work was carried out in Natural Forest Reserve Chancani, Province of Cordoba (Argentina), which is representative of Argentine Dry Chaco. Dominant tree species are: Prosopis flexuosa and Aspidosperma quebracho blanco. The global biological activity (GBA) was measured along one year, under trees, under shrubs and in interspaces. Soil samples were taken monthly from plots with four management systems: 1) forest, ii) selective clearing (only dominant species remain), iii) bush (clearing invaded by Larrea sp) and iv) grazing (cleared area, neither trees nor shrubs). GBA was evaluated using the CO2 release method, after ten days of incubation. It is concluded that in the plots with grasses and under the trees GBA was higher than with other treatments. The lesser GBA was detected in bushes and interspaces. All differences were more prominent during extreme temperature months. No significant difference between both species of dominant trees was observed. €€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ *****REVISTA DE GASTROENTEROLOGIA DE MEXICO***** Granados H Cardenas R [Biliary calculi in the golden hamster. XXXVII. The prophylactic action of the creosote bush (Larrea tridentata) in pigmented cholelithiasis produced by vitamin A] Calculos biliares en el jamster dorado. XXXVII. Accion preventiva de "gobernadora" (Larrea tridentata) en la colelitiasis pigmentaria producida por la vitamina A. In: Rev Gastroenterol Mex (1994 Jan-Mar) 59(1):31-5 ISSN: 0375-0906 (Published in Spanish) In the present work the results of an experiment performed in the golden hamster (Mesocricetus auratus), strain ChCM, are presented, in which the possible preventive action of pigment cholelithiasis by a powdered, desiccated, hydroalcoholic extract of leaves of "gobernadora" (Larrea tridentata) was studied. The extract was added to the lithogenic diet (basic diet + 25,000 I.U. of Vitamin A) at the 4% level; the hamsters were fed with the experimental diets during 70 days. The results showed that the group which received the diet with "gobernadora" did not develop pigment cholelithiasis, whereas the group that received the lithogenic diet alone developed cholelithiasis in 63% of cases. It is suggested that the active principle present in the leaves of "gobernadora", responsible for the prevention of the cholelithiasis is nordihydroguiaretic acid (NDGA), a potent antioxidant. On the other hand, the hamsters that received the diet containing "gobernadora" showed serious signs of toxicity and pathological changes, such as a marked reduction of growth, pronounced irritability and aggressiveness, and a marked hypoplasia both testicular and of the accessory sex glands. Registry Numbers: 11103-57-4 (Vitamin A) €€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€