Eugenia calycina and Eugenia stigmatosa as Promising Sources of Antioxidant Phenolic Compounds.

In this study, Eugenia calycina and Eugenia stigmatosa, native Brazilian berries, were explored regarding their proximal composition, bioactive compounds, and antioxidant activities. The edible parts of both fruits presented a low content of lipids, proteins, and carbohydrates, resulting in a low caloric value (<70 kcal/100 g fw). E. stigmatosa fruit showed a high total fiber content (3.26 g/100 g fw), qualifying it as a source of dietary fiber. The sugar profile was mainly monosaccharides (glucose, fructose, and rhamnose). Significant contents of total phenolics and flavonoids, monomeric anthocyanins and, condensed tannins, were observed in both fruits. E. calycina contains a high level of anthocyanins, primarily cyanidin-3-glucoside (242.97 µg/g). Other phenolic compounds were also found, the main ones being rutin and ellagic acid. In contrast, E. stigmatosa is mainly composed of rutin and gallic acid. Furthermore, these fruits showed expressive antioxidant activity, evidenced by ORAC, FRAP, and ABTS. These Eugenia fruits are promising sources of bioactive compounds and have a low caloric and high dietary fiber content, making them interesting options for inclusion in a balanced diet, contributing to the promotion of health and the valorization and conservation of Brazilian biodiversity.

Effect of food processing (fish burger preparation and frying) on residual levels of enrofloxacin and ciprofloxacin.

The influence of fish burger preparation and frying on residual levels of enrofloxacin (ENR) and ciprofloxacin (CIP) was evaluated. For this purpose, a high-throughput liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry analytical method for the quantitation of ENR and CIP residues in tilapia products (fillet, raw fish burger and fried fish burger) was developed and validated based on European and Brazilian guidelines. Sample preparation was accomplished by extraction with acidified acetonitrile followed by clean-up with hexane. Chromatographic analysis was performed on a C18 column using isocratic elution with 0.1% formic acid and acetonitrile (85:15 v:v). The analytical method showed suitable performance to quantify the residual levels of ENR and CIP in the studied matrices. No reduction in the residual levels of ENR and CIP was observed during fish burger preparation and only a 10% reduction occurred as a consequence of frying, indicating that both compounds were stable to the preparation of the fish burger and to frying conditions.

Breeding protocol for the sand fly Nyssomyia neivai (Diptera: Psychodidae) in laboratory conditions.

The information in this protocol covers from the basic steps and material necessary to start a sand fly colony up to the specific details which are important to the success of a Nyssomyia neivai colony. The greatest problems in our colony of Ny. neivai were solved with specific care, for instance, using vermiculite and an adequate number of adults in oviposition containers; the control of fungus with the exact amount of diet for the larvae and humidity control; a second blood meal for females and control of the number of times animals are used for blood meals. Currently, our colony is at F22 generation.

Development of an analytical method for the quantification of pfaffic acid in Brazilian ginseng (Hebanthe eriantha).

Hebanthe eriantha (Poir.) Pedersen (Amaranthaceae), which is known as Brazilian ginseng is widely used in folk medicine as an aphrodisiac and antidiabetic tonic. The anti-tumor activity, attributed to the pfaffic acid present in roots of H. eriantha, is responsible for the great interest in the commercialization of this species. In Brazil, the species H. eriantha is mainly used in commercial preparations, although other plants of the genus Pfaffia and Hebanthe have been marketed as Pfaffia paniculata or Brazilian ginseng. The pfaffic acid present in the roots is mainly conjugated with sugars (pfaffosides) and can be used as an active marker of H. eriantha, which helps to differentiate this species from others marketed as Brazilian ginseng. The main objective of this study was to develop and validate a liquid chromatographic method to quantify pfaffic acid in the roots of H. eriantha. The extraction and hydrolysis conditions were optimized using an univariate and experimental design, respectively, and the quantification of pfaffic acid by high performance liquid chromatography with diode-array detection (HPLC-DAD) was validated. This method was used to evaluate the pfaffic acid content in 30 different genotypes of the species from a germplasm collection. The content of pfaffic acid ranged from 0.97 to 4.29% (w/w) on a dry weight basis.

Dosagem de artemisinina em Artemisia annua L. por cromatografia líquida de alta eficiência com detecção por índice de refração

Artemisinin is a sesquiterpene lactone used in treatment of chloroquine-resistant malaria. This paper presents high-performance liquid chromatographic assay for artemisinin in leaves of A. annua using differential refractometer detector and a single step of clean-up in a silica cartridge. The average of recoveries were 95 percent and the limit of quantification was 0,21 percent p/p using 200 mg of the leaves. This method was found to be simple, robust and relatively rapid.

Determinaçäo de resíduos de 2,4D em amostras vegetais / Residues determination of 2,4D in vegetables sample

Adaptou-se metodologia existente para determinaçao de resíduos do herbicida 2,4D (ácido 2,4 diclorofenoxiacético) em matrizes vegetais. A metodologia proposta foi testada em amostras de cana-de-açúcar, arroz, milho, soja e trigo. O 2,4D foi extraído com diclorometano em meio ácido e derivatizado com pentafluorbenzil brometo. Os derivados foram submetidos ao cleanup em mini colunas de florisil, para entao serem quantificados por cromatografia gasosa com detetor de captura de elétrons. A recuperaçao apresentou-se na faixa de 76-94 por cento.

Efeito do óleo de Melaleuca alternifolia sobre a infecção estafilocócica / Effect of Melaleuca alternifolia over staphylococcal infection

Este trabalho teve por objetivo testar a atividade antimicrobiana, in vitro e in vivo, do óleo de Melaleuca alternifolia (MA). Foram feitos testes de concentração inibitória (CIM) e bactericida (CBM) mínimas para estafilococos sensíveis e resistentes a penicilina. As concentrações de (MA) utilizadas foram 8, 4, 2, 1, 0,4, 0,2, 0,1, 0,05, 0,025, 0,0125 e 0,00625 por cento. Após a determinação dos resultados in vitro, 18 ratos receberam, subcutaneamente, quatro implantes de esponjas de poliuretana. Após 14 dias, dois dos tecidos granulosos resultantes foram infectados com S. aureus ATCC25923 (sensível a penicilina). Dois dias após, os animais foram divididos em 3 grupos (n = 6) que receberam em única dose vo: amoxilina 50 mg/kg, (MA) 700 mg/kg e NaCl 0,9 porcento 1 mL/animal (controle). Após 6 horas, dois tecidos não infectados e o soro sangüíneo de cada animal foram submetidos ao teste microbiológico para determinação da concentração dos antimicrobianos. Os tecidos infectados foram submetidos à contagem de colônias. A CIM para os estafilococos foi 0,1 por cento e CBM entre 0,1 por cento e 0,4 por cento. As concentrações de amoxicilina (+- e.p.m.) foram: tecidual = 2,8 ug/g (+- 1,1) e sérica = 5,4 ug/mL (+- 0,94). Não foram observados halos de inibição no grupo-controle e (MA)...