Search

In Brazil, Aedes aegypti mosquito is the most frequent vector of some arboviruses, such as dengue, yellow fever, Zika and chikungunya. The use of synthetic insecticides to combat this vector has been compromised due to the development of resistant populations and the collateral damage caused to nature. Essential oils (EO) have been studied as an alternative to synthetic insecticide. Thus, the objective of this work was to do a review of EOs from Caatinga biome plants, wich are effective against Ae. aegypti at different stage of development (eggs, larvae, pulp and adult); to identify promising plant species with insecticidal activity as well as the most frequent terpenic compounds in oils with the best activity profile. The keywords Aedes aegypti, essential oil, Caatinga and Northeast Brazil were searched on Scielo, Pubmed, ‘Portal dos Periódicos Capes’ and ScienceDirect platforms. Hence, a great insecticidal potential of these essential oils against Ae. aegypti larvae and adults was identified as well as great potential for repellents and oviposition supression. Of all the plants, those of genera Cordia, Croton, Piper, Lippia and several genera of the Lamiaceae family can be highlighted as the most promising against Ae. aegypti. Analyzing the oils that showed larvicidal activity at concetrations

Plant lectins are carbohydrate-binding proteins, which can interact with cell surfaces to initiate anti-inflammatory pathways, as well as immunomodulatory functions. Here, we have extracted, purified and part-characterized the bioactivity of Jacalin, Frutalin, DAL and PNA, before evaluating their potential for wound healing in cultured human skin fibroblasts. Only Frutalin stimulated fibroblast migration in vitro, prompting further studies which established its low cytotoxicity and interaction with TLR4 receptors. Frutalin also increased p-ERK expression and stimulated IL-6 secretion. The in vivo potential of Frutalin for wound healing was then assessed in hybrid combination with the polysaccharide galactomannan, purified from Caesalpinia pulcherrima seeds, using both hydrogel and membrane scaffolds formulations. Physical-chemical characterization of the hybrid showed that lectin-galactomannan interactions increased the pseudoplastic behaviour of solutions, reducing viscosity and increasing Frutalin's concentration. Furthermore, infrared spectroscopy revealed -OH band displacement, likely caused by interaction of Frutalin with galactose residues present on galactomannan chains, while average membrane porosity was 100 μm, sufficient to ensure water vapor permeability. Accelerated angiogenesis and increased fibroblast and keratinocyte proliferation were observed with the optimal hybrid recovering the lesioned area after 11 days. Our findings indicate Frutalin as a biomolecule with potential for tissue repair, regeneration and chronic wound healing.

This study aimed at evaluating the antidepressant-like action of the marine alga Solieria filiformis lectin (SfL) and to investigate the participation of the monoaminergic system in this action. For this, male Swiss mice (n=10) were pretreated with intravenous injections (i.v.) of SfL (1, 3 or 9mg/kg) and submitted to open field (OFT), tail suspension (TST), forced swimming (FST), elevated plus-maze (EPMT) and hole-board tests (HBT). As controls, mice received sterile saline (i.v.), imipramine (10 or 30mg/kg; intraperitoneally - i.p.) or diazepam (1 mk/kg; i.p.). To assess the involvement of the monoaminergic system in SfL effects, the FST was conducted in mice pretreated with PCPA, an inhibitor of serotonin synthesis, or noradrenergic and dopaminergic receptors specific antagonists. The results showed that SfL has an antidepressant-like effect, with no psychostimulant and anxiolytic-like effects. When denatured or combined with mannan, SfL lost the ability to reduce the immobility time in the FST. In addition, SfL antidepressant-like effect was inhibited by the pretreatment of mice with SCH 23390, a dopamine D1 receptor antagonist, and by sulpiride, a dopamine D2 receptor antagonist. Thus, SfL produced an antidepressant-like effect, which is probably dependent on its interaction with the dopaminergic system.

Os jogos proporcionam diversão e podem servir como uma ferramenta de aprendizagem e mudança de comportamento. Assim, o objetivo foi desenvolver e aplicar um jogo manual e virtual para trabalhar a educação alimentar de crianças com Síndrome de Down, com ou sem alergia alimentar, buscando por meio lúdico instruir e comparar a eficiência das metodologias utilizadas. Para o desenvolvimento do software do jogo virtual, foi empregado a plataforma de construção Delphi 10.1 Berlin Starter Edition, simulando um supermercado para compra de alimentos. Para o desenvolvimento do jogo manual, utilizaram-se cartas que simulavam a mesma situação. Após a confecção e aprovação do comitê de ética (nº 2.094.016), os jogos foram aplicados com 60 crianças de uma organização social de Fortaleza-CE na faixa etária de 05 à 11 anos, sendo 22 crianças alérgicas. As crianças alérgicas foram ensinadas através dos jogos a evitarem o consumo do alimento alergênico. Já as crianças sem alergias foram ensinadas a evitar o consumo de alimentos que fazem mal a saúde. As crianças foram divididas em dois grupos de 30 e realizaram-se perguntas para avaliar sua aprendizagem. Observou-se que 48.32% das crianças responderam certo com o jogo virtual, 43.33% responderam certo com o jogo manual e 8.35% erraram, sendo 1.67% de erros com o jogo virtual e 6.68% de erros com o jogo manual. Observou-se que houve maior facilidade de aprendizado com o jogo de virtual. Portanto, o uso dos jogos para realizar a educação alimentar das crianças mostrou-se ser uma boa estratégia de ensino/aprendizagem. Los juegos brindan diversión y pueden servir como una herramienta para el aprendizaje y el cambio de comportamiento. Así, el objetivo fue desarrollar y aplicar un juego manual y virtual para trabajar la educación alimentaria de niños con Síndrome de Down, con o sin alergia alimentaria, buscando instruir y comparar la eficiencia de las metodologías utilizadas a través del juego. Para el desarrollo del software del juego virtual se utilizó la plataforma de construcción Delphi 10.1 Berlin Starter Edition, simulando un supermercado para la compra de alimentos. Para el desarrollo del juego manual se utilizaron cartas que simulaban la misma situación. Después de realizar y aprobar el comité de ética (nº 2.094.016), los juegos se aplicaron a 60 niños de una organización social en Fortaleza-CE en el grupo de edad de 5 a 11 años, de los cuales 22 eran niños alérgicos. A los niños alérgicos se les enseñó mediante juegos a evitar consumir alimentos alergénicos. A los niños sin alergias se les ha enseñado a evitar el consumo de alimentos nocivos para su salud. Los niños se dividieron en dos grupos de 30 y se les hicieron preguntas para evaluar su aprendizaje. Se observó que el 48,32% de los niños respondió correctamente con el juego virtual, el 43,33% respondió correctamente con el juego manual y el 8,35% se equivocó, con 1,67% de errores con el juego virtual y 6,68% de errores con el juego manual. Se observó que era más fácil aprender con el juego virtual. Por lo tanto, el uso de juegos para llevar a cabo la educación alimentaria de los niños resultó ser una buena estrategia de enseñanza/aprendizaje. Games provide fun and can serve as a tool for learning and behavior change. Thus, the objective was to develop and apply a manual and virtual game to work on food education for children with Down Syndrome, with or without food allergy, seeking to instruct and compare the efficiency of the methodologies used through play. For the development of the virtual game software, the construction platform Delphi 10.1 Berlin Starter Edition was used, simulating a supermarket for the purchase of food. For the development of the manual game, cards that simulated the same situation were used. After making and approving the ethics committee (nº 2,094,016), the games were applied to 60 children from a social organization in Fortaleza-CE in the age group from 5 to 11 years old, 22 of whom were allergic children. Allergic children were taught through games to avoid consuming allergenic food. Children without allergies have been taught to avoid the consumption of foods that are bad for their health. The children were divided into two groups of 30 and questions were asked to assess their learning. It was observed that 48.32% of the children responded correctly with the virtual game, 43.33% responded correctly with the manual game and 8.35% were wrong, with 1.67% errors with the virtual game and 6.68% errors with the manual game. It was observed that it was easier to learn with the virtual game. Therefore, the use of games to carry out children's food education proved to be a good teaching/learning strategy.

In the last half of the century, a large amount of substances has been used as immune adjuvant. The immune adjuvant effect of olive, soybean and corn oils in Swiss mice immunized with ovalbumin (OVA) plus aluminum hydroxide or emulsified in Marcol, soybean, olive or corn oils was evaluated through the OVA-specific antibodies determined by ELISA and Passive Cutaneous Anaphylaxis. In this work the comparison of the intensity of the immune response was established by the Bayesian analysis. The adjuvant effect of the vegetable oils was shown to be more effective than aluminium hydroxide. Regarding to OVA-specific IgE synthesis, olive oil had the slowest adjuvant effect of the three vegetable oils. Accordingly, olive oil was the most convenient among the vegetable oils to be used as immune adjuvant, since it stimulated a higher production of OVA-specific Ig and lower levels of anti-OVA IgE.

Many thousands of plants are disseminated worldwide in traditional and folk medicines based on the belief that their leaves, roots, seeds, bark or secretions, when adequately handled, can treat, alleviate or ameliorate numerous disease symptoms. Calotropis procera (Apocynaceae) is a popular medicinal plant and the claims of this shrub's phytomedicinal properties have been scientifically validated. In this study, further prospects towards the in vivo toxicity and oral immunological tolerance of phytomodulatory proteins isolated from the latex of C. procera are reported. Acute toxicity was determined in mice by oral and intraperitoneal administration of latex proteins (LP) and was followed behavioral, hematological and histological analyses. Oral immunological tolerance to LP was assessed by intraperitoneal immunization in mice that had received LP orally before. Animals given 5000 mg/kg orally exhibited only discrete behavioral alterations and augmentation of monocytes. Death was not notified 14 days after exposure. However, all animals receiving LP 150 mg/kg by i.p. died in 1 h. Death (20%) was documented when LP (75 mg/kg) was given in the peritoneum and signs of harmful effects were observed in the survivors (80%). Oral immunological tolerance was observed in animals previously given LP orally, when they were further immunized/challenged with peritoneal exposure to different doses of LP. This was confirmed by the lowering of IgE and IgG in the serum, IL-4 and IFN-γ in spleen homogenates and the absence of anaphylaxis signs. It is therefore concluded that LP exhibited quite discrete adverse effects when orally administrated at higher concentrations and this route of administration did not stimulate adverse immunological reactions. Instead it was observed immunological tolerance. The present study contributes very important information concerning the safe use of C. procera as a phytotherapeutic agent.

Lectins are proteins that bind to specific mono- or oligosaccharides. This study aimed to evaluate the antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory effects of the lectin from the red marine alga Solieria filiformis. The animals (n = 6) were pretreated with S. filiformis lectin 30 min before they were given the nociceptive or inflammatory stimulus. The antinociceptive activity was evaluated in Swiss mice using the abdominal writhing, formalin, and hot plate tests. The anti-inflammatory properties were evaluated in Wistar rats using carrageenan-induced peritonitis and paw edema induced by different phlogistic agents. The S. filiformis lectin toxicity was assayed through its application in mice (7 days). S. filiformis lectin significantly reduced the number of abdominal writhings and reduced the paw licking time in the second phase of the formalin test (p 0.05), but it did not prolong the reaction time in the hot plate test (p 0.05). Furthermore, S. filiformis lectin reduced neutrophil migration in a peritonitis model and reduced paw edema induced by carrageenan, dextran, and serotonin (p 0.05). Additionally, the administration of S. filiformis lectin resulted in no signs of systemic damage. Thus, S. filiformis lectin appears to have important antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory activities and could represent a potential therapeutic agent for future studies.

Cashew apple is a tropical pseudofruit consumed as juice due to its excellent nutritional and sensory properties. In spite of being well known for its important antioxidant properties, the cashew apple has not been thoroughly investigated for its therapeutic potential. Thereby, this study evaluated the antioxidant capacity, anti-inflammatory, and wound-healing activities of cashew apple juice. Juices from ripe and immature cashew apples were analyzed for antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and wound-healing properties. Those were evaluated in murine models of xylene-induced ear edema and wound excision. Swiss mice were treated with cashew juice by gavage. Edema thickness was measured and skin lesions were analyzed by planimetry and histology. Both antioxidant content and total antioxidant activity were higher in ripe cashew apple juice (RCAJ) than in unripe cashew apple juice (UNCAJ). The UNCAJ presented the main anti-inflammatory activity by a significant inhibition of ear edema (66.5%) when compared to RCAJ (10%). Moreover, UNCAJ also showed the best result for wound contraction (86.31%) compared to RCAJ (67.54%). Despite of higher antioxidant capacity, RCAJ did not promote better anti-inflammatory, and healing responses, which may be explained by the fact that treatment increased antioxidants level leading to a redox “imbalance” turning down the inflammatory response modulation exerted by reactive oxygen species (ROS). The results suggest that UNCAJ presents a greater therapeutic activity due to a synergistic effect of its phytochemical components, which improve the immunological mechanisms as well as an optimal balance between ROS and antioxidants leading to a better wound healing process.

Aim and Background Acerola (Malpighia emarginata DC.) is a tropical fruit known for its nutritional and functional properties due to its great contents vitamin C, carotenoids and anthocyanins. The antioxidant potential from plants extracts associated to hepatoprotective activity has been widely studied. However, the effect of antioxidants in natural fruit juice has not been fully searched. The aim of this work was to investigate the antioxidant properties of acerola juice and its hepatoprotective potential against acute ethanol-induced stress. Materials and methods Ripe acerola were collected, processed into juice and initially analyzed to antioxidant properties in vitro. Afterwards, in vivo hepatoprotective activity was evaluated in mice. The animals received the juice by gavage as pretreatment for 15 consecutive days and then, were submitted to ethanol-induced stress in single dose (5 g/kg). The activities of serum enzymes as well as lipid peroxidation degree were evaluated. The activities of serum marker enzymes for liver damage as well as lipid peroxidation degree were evaluated. Results Acerola juice presents great vitamin C (1799.5 mg/100 g FW) and total phenolic (188.4 mg GAE/100 g FW), anthocyanins (9.2 mg/100 g FW), flavonols (7.8 mg/100 g FW) contents and high activity of superoxide dismutase (1053.6 UA/g DM) with a total antioxidant activity of 137.5 μmol Trolox/g FW. The juice treatment inhibited lipid peroxidation and reduced the activities of aminotransferases (p ≤0.05), in mice liver. Conclusion These results indicate that acerola juice is able to prevent the hepatic damage induced by ethanol, probably as a result of an enhancement of the antioxidant status in the animals.

The Biochemistry study is complex and many times is restricted to memorization of theorical contents. The educational game could be an catalytic element, capable to contribute in the process of regaining the student's interest. The aim of this work was to create, apply and evaluate an educative game called “Krebs Roulette”. The game contents were 1 roulette, 3 board cards, 48 question cards and complementary game chips. In an experimental tryout, five students joined the test-play in the presence of a mediator. The game duration was one hour. The students were submitted to an evaluation under Krebs Cycle before and after the game. About the game strategy, the students noticed as positive points: easy to play, didactic, making the learn easier. The evaluation of the quizzes, even with a so small experimental group, indicated a significant increase in the teach-learning process. The achieved results suggest that the game could be used as complementary tool for comprehension of the Krebs Cycle as strategy of learning-teaching in Biochemistry.

Ethnopharmacological relevance Caryocar coriaceum Wittm. (Caryocaraceae), popularly known as pequi, is important source of food and used in the folk medicine as wound healing, anti-inflammatory and for the treatment of diseases of the respiratory tract, rheumatic and muscular pains and gastric ulcer. Aim of the study To evaluate the effects of fixed oil of Caryocar coriaceum (FOCC) on the topical inflammation and cutaneous wound healing. Materials and methods FOCC was purchased commercially and used at 6%, 12%, 25%, 50% and 100% on model of ear edema induced by xylene and ointments formulations at 6% and 12% on wound excision model in mice. Skin lesions were evaluated by planimetry and histological analysis. Results FOCC was capable of reducing inflammation in a dose-dependent fashion. FOCC in nature (100%) inhibited the ear edema in 38.01% and 39.20% at time 15 min and 1 h, respectively, after induction of inflammation, when compared to the positive control. The topical administration of FOCC ointment 12% showed a significantly reduction of unhealed wound area, with increased percentage of wound contraction (96.54%) on day 7 when compared to the other groups. The results of histological evaluation supported the outcome of excision wound model. Conclusion Caryocar coriaceum inhibits the topical inflammation and accelerate cutaneous wound repair.

The initial encounter of Leishmania with its host's immune system is important in the outcome of infection. Previous studies have shown that PBMCs from healthy volunteers (HV) exposed to Leishmania differ in IFN-γ production. We have expanded such observations evaluating the profile and kinetics of cytokines (IFN-γ, IL-12p70, IL-10, IL-13), chemokines (CCL5, CCL3, CCL4, CXCL10), and chemokine receptors (CCR1,CCR5, CXCR3, CCR4) in vitro L. amazonensis-stimulated of HV́s PBMCs. HVs were divided in groups of high (HR) or low (LR) IFN-γ responders. In both groups, HR and LR, after L. amazonensis infection there was a predominance of IL-10 and IL-13 over IFN-γ production, while IL-12 was produced in similar amount. Regarding chemokines, a more striking difference was observed for CCL3 expression that was lower at 12 hours and 48 hours post infection in LR than in HR. Interestingly, a downregulation of CCR5 and a greater expression of CCR4 were found in low IFN-γ responders. These data suggest that early after L. amazonensis infection there is a cytokine milieu dominated by IL-13 and IL-10, and despite of this environment, IFN-γ is produced, supporting the complexity of the response. It is noteworthy that the pattern of immune response is mounted in first hours after Leishmania stimulation, with the definition of the differentiation of Th1 versus Th2 cells. It remains to be determined if such an in vitro difference has an in vivo counterpart in terms of susceptibility to infection. Keywords: Leishmania amazonensis, interleukin-10, interleukin-13