Objective: To characterize soluble proteins present in Lepidium peruvianum G. Chacon ‘maca’ root by both unidimensional and bidimensional electrophoresis. Design: Observational and cross-sectional type study. Setting: Alberto Guzman Barron Biochemistry and Nutrition Research Center, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, Lima, Peru. Materials: Roots of Lepidium peruvianum G. Chacon ‘maca’ white, yellow and purple ecotypes, collected in Junin and obtained from Universidad Nacional del Centro del Peru. Methods: Soluble total proteins extraction with an antioxidant solution and characterization by both unidimensional and bidimensional electrophoresis were done. Main outcome measures: Soluble protein number, molecular weight and most abundant proteins’ isoelectrical points. Results: The unidimensional electrophoretic analysis showed predominance of two prote...

Introduction. Snakebite envenomation is a public health problem worldwide and in Peru. Its current treatment relies on antivenoms produced in mammals; however, snake venom phospholipases A2 (PLA2) cause diverse and often irreversible toxic effects, highlighting the need for alternative therapies such as plant extracts.Objective. To evaluate the antioxidant capacity of lyophilized aqueous extracts of Piper aduncum (matico) and Plantago major (llantén), as well as their inhibitory action on the PLA2 from Lachesis muta venom. Methods. An in vitro experimental study was conducted with PLA2 purified by chromatography. Antioxidant activity was determined using DPPH and FRAP assays, and phenolic and flavonoid contents were quantified. Enzymatic inhibition was assessed with lyophilized aqueous extracts and fraction 4 from each sample. Results. Fractions inhibited purified PLA2 activity by 78.08...

Introducción: La expresión recombinante de toxinas de origen ofídico ha permitido potenciar su estudio tanto estructural y funcional, especialmente en sus aplicaciones biomédicas. Pictobina es una enzima similar a trombina del veneno de B. pictus, especie endémica del Perú, que presenta un alto potencial. Objetivo: producir la versión recombinante de Pictobina (rPictobina) en el modelo eucariótico Piccha pastoris, Métodos: Se inició con las síntesis comerciales de la secuencia nucleotídica de Pictobina (750 pb), que incorpora los sitios de restricción EcoR I y Not I. Esta secuencia fue amplificada por PCR, insertada en el vector pPICZα-C y clonada en E. coli OneShot TOP10. Posteriormente, se amplificó el plásmido pPICZα-C–rPictobina para su transformación y expresión en el sistema Pichia pastoris GS115. Resultados: La expresión se logró tras la inducción con metan...