Evaluation of cytotoxic, immunomodulatory effects, antimicrobial activities and phytochemical constituents from various extracts of Passiflora edulis F. flavicarpa (Passifloraceae).

The leaves of P. edulis were subjected to physicochemical analysis, such as ion content, extractives, and structural molecules. The hexanic, ethanolic and ethyl acetate extracts were submitted to phytochemical analyzes by GC-MS, HPLC-MS, and spectrophotometry. In addition, antioxidant (DPPH, ABTS and TAA methods) potential, antimicrobial (MIC method) action, cytotoxicity and immunostimulant activity (flow cytometry analysis) were performed. The extracts showed a moderate antioxidant capacity and revealed the presence of several metabolites, mainly phenols, such as caffeic acid, p-coumaric acid and luteolin. The ethyl acetate and ethanolic extracts showed antifungal activity. In addition, the extracts did not affect splenocytes viability at 12.5 µg/mL and promoted the production of IL-6, IL-10, IL-17 and TNF-α cytokines. P. edulis extracts showed antifungal and antioxidant activity and were able to induce immunostimulatory action in splenocyte cultures in vitro.

SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2 infections in pregnancy and fetal development.

Recently, in China, in 2019, a new type of disease has arisen caused by a new strain of coronavirus, the SARS-CoV-2 virus, considered extremely worrying due to its high infectivity power and the easy ability to spread geographically. For patients in general, the clinical features resulting from respiratory syndromes can trigger an asymptomatic condition. However, 25 % of patients infected by SARS-CoV-2 can progress to severity. Pregnant women are an unknown field in this complex process, and although they have symptoms similar to non-pregnant women, some points should be considered, such as complications during pregnancy and postpartum. Thus, the aim of this study was to understand the consequences of pregnancy and fetal development, caused by infections by the SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2 viruses. Among the aforementioned infections, MERS-CoV seems to be the most dangerous for newborns, inducing high blood pressure, pre-eclampsia, pneumonia, acute renal failure, and multiple organ failure in mother. This also causes a higher occurrence of emergency cesarean deliveries and premature births, in addition, some deaths of mothers and fetuses were recorded. Meanwhile, SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2 appear to have less severe symptoms. Furthermore, although a study found the ACE2 receptor, used by SARS-CoV-2, widely distributed in specific cell types of the maternal-fetal interface, there is no evidence of vertical transmission for any of the coronaviruses. Thus, the limited reported obstetric cases alert to the need for advanced life support for pregnant women infected with coronaviruses and to the need for further investigation for application in clinical practice.

Proliferative Effect of Tilapia Fish (Oreochromis niloticus) Lectin on BALB/c Mice Splenocytes.

BACKGROUND: Lectins have been studied in recent years due to their immunomodulatory activities. OBJECTIVE: We purified a lectin named OniL from tilapia fish (Oreochromis niloticus) and here we analyzed the cell proliferation and cytokine production in Balb/c mice splenocytes. METHODS: Cells were stimulated in vitro in 24, 48, 72 hours and 6 days with different concentrations of OniL and Con A. Evaluation of cell proliferation was performed through [3H]-thymidine incorporation, cytokines were investigated using ELISA assay and cell viability assay was performed by investigation of damage through signals of apoptosis and necrosis. RESULTS: OniL did not promote significant cell death, induced high mitogenic activity in relation to control and Con A and stimulated the cells to release high IL-2 and IL-6 cytokines. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that, like Con A, OniL lectin can be used as a mitogenic agent in immunostimulatory assays.