Optimized microwave-assisted extraction of polyphenols and tannins from Syzygium cumini (L.) Skeels leaves through an experimental design coupled to a desirability approach.

The present study consisted in optimizing the extractive method of polyphenols and total tannins of leaves of Syzygium cumini (L) Skeels assisted by microwaves to potentiate the antimicrobial activity of the dried extract of S. cumini against sensitive and resistant strains. A Box-Behnken design that consisted of 27 experimental runs coupled with a desirability function for multiple response optimization was employed to optimize the total polyphenols content and total tannins content. Antimicrobial sensitivity tests were evaluated by obtaining the minimum inhibitory concentration, minimum fungicidal concentration and minimum bactericidal concentration in 96-well petri dishes. The optimal extraction conditions were found to be 8 min of extraction, under 300 w of microwave power, using a 1:34 g/mL solid/solvent ratio and 38% of ethanol concentration as extraction solvent. The parameter with the greatest influence in the extraction was primarily the time, followed by the potency and proportion solid/solvent. This yielded a total polyphenol content of 87.37 ± 1.85 mg TAE g-1ext and a total tannin content of 79.68 ± 1.64 mg TAE g-1 ext. All tested microorganisms were sensitive to the extract, evidencing the effectiveness of the extraction method optimization.

Phenolic Compounds and Bioactive Properties of Ruscus aculeatus L. (Asparagaceae): The Pharmacological Potential of an Underexploited Subshrub.

Ruscus aculeatus L. is a subshrub used in traditional medicine in different parts of the world, namely in Europe and the Iberian Peninsula. According to reported folk knowledge, the aerial parts are mainly used as diuretics and the underground organs are used for the treatment of disorders of the urinary system and as a laxative. In this work, the aerial part and the roots and rhizomes of R. aculeatus were chemically characterized with regard to the content of phenolic compounds and bioactive properties. Aqueous (infusions and decoctions) preparations and hydroethanolic extracts from the two mentioned parts of the plant were prepared. Nine phenolic compounds were detected in all the extracts. Apigenin-C-hexoside-C-pentoside isomer II was the major compound in aqueous extracts and, in the hydroethanolic extract was quercetin-O-deoxyhexoside-hexoside followed by apigenin-C-hexoside-C-pentoside isomer II. All extracts revealed antioxidant activity and potential to inhibit some of the assayed bacteria; aqueous extracts of the aerial part and infusions of roots and rhizomes did not show cytotoxic effects on a non-tumor primary cell culture. This preliminary study provides suggestions of the biological potential associated with the empirical uses and knowledge of this species, in particular its bioactivities.

Infusions of Herbal Blends as Promising Sources of Phenolic Compounds and Bioactive Properties.

Several plants have been used for medicinal applications and have been traditionally consumed as decoctions and infusions. Although some herbs are used alone as a beverage, they are often blended in mixtures to maximize their effects. Herein, the nutritional characterization of six infusions from herbal blends was evaluated using the official methods of analysis (AOAC international). A further characterization of the individual phenolic profile was also performed by HPLC-DAD/ESI-MSn, and finally bioactive potential was determined by evaluating the antioxidant, cytotoxic, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial activities of each blend. The wide variety of plants in each sample led to variability in the results for all analyzed parameters. However, blends containing 15% Laurus nobilis L. and 15% Juglan regia L. in their composition showed higher sugar content and energy contribution; higher concentration of phenolic compounds (phenolic acids and flavonoids); greater antioxidant, cytotoxic, and anti-inflammatory capacity; and also better antimicrobial effects against all the tested bacterial and fungal strains. Further studies will be necessary to evaluate the real synergistic effects that these two species show in the presence of other plants, and to evaluate their potential for application in various food, pharmaceutical, and nutraceutical products as infusion preparations.

An Integrative Review of Non-Pharmacological Therapeutic Interventions in Children with Mental Health Problems.

We provide an integrative review of non-pharmacological interventions for children with mental health problems. A total of 262 studies were found in three databases, of which 12 met the inclusion criteria, indicating a shortage of research on the subject. The most frequently used type of intervention was cognitive-behavioural therapy-based interventions, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder was the most frequent problem. Non-pharmacological interventions help to improve the symptoms of childhood mental health problems, so there is a need to carry out further research on this issue in Brazil and the rest of Latin America.

Challenges of traditional herbal teas: plant infusions and their mixtures with bioactive properties.

In order to characterize and study the bioactivities of individual plant species and to determine how these characteristics are modified when preparing blends, five different plant species were selected: Erica australis L., Genista tridentata L., Melissa officinalis L., Mentha spicata L., and Prunella vulgaris L. Infusions prepared from each plant species and from three selected mixtures were analyzed in terms of nutritional values, phenolic compositions, and bioactive properties (antioxidant, antimicrobial, cytotoxic, and anti-inflammatory activities). The major compound detected in M. officinalis, M. spicata, and P. vulgaris infusions was rosmarinic acid, whilst in E. australis and G. tridentata flavonoid derivatives such as quercetin and genistein were identified. P. vulgaris and M. officinalis presented the best results in TBARS and OxHLIA assays, respectively. M. spicata and all mixtures presented anti-inflammatory activity. M. spicata showed the best cytotoxic properties and antimicrobial activity, and none of the infusions showed hepatotoxicity for non-tumour cells.

A Comparative Study of Black and White Allium sativum L.: Nutritional Composition and Bioactive Properties.

Garlic (Allium sativum L.) has been used worldwide not only for its being a subject of dietary interest, but also for medicinal purposes, in prophylaxis, and for the treatment of diverse pathologies. New processing techniques have been developed and placed on the market in recent years to improve the organoleptic and nutritional value of food products. The present work aimed to study bulbils (cloves) of white (commercial and traditionally cultivated samples with different proveniences) and black (processed samples) garlic. All samples were compared with regard to their nutritional composition as well as their antioxidant and antimicrobial activities. Black garlic had the lowest moisture content but the highest total amount of sugars and energetic value. Black garlic also presented the highest antioxidant and antimicrobial (especially against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) activities. Thus, black garlic, obtained by processing techniques, can be considered a promising product with high value that will be able to be exploited by the functional food/nutraceutical industry.

The effect of therapeutic listening on anxiety and fear among surgical patients: randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of therapeutic listening on state anxiety and surgical fears in preoperative colorectal cancer patients. METHOD: A randomized controlled trial with 50 patients randomly allocated in the intervention group (therapeutic listening) (n = 25) or in the control group (n = 25). The study evaluated the changes in the variables state anxiety, surgical fears and physiological variables (salivary alpha-amylase, salivary cortisol, heart rate, respiratory rate and blood pressure). RESULTS: In the comparison of the variables in the control and intervention groups in pre- and post-intervention, differences between the two periods for the variables cortisol (p=0.043), heart rate (p=0.034) and surgical fears (p=0.030) were found in the control group, which presented reduction in the values ​​of these variables. CONCLUSION: There was no reduction in the levels of the variables state anxiety and surgical fears resulting from the therapeutic listening intervention, either through the physiological or psychological indicators. However, the contact with the researcher during data collection, without stimulus to reflect on the situation, may have generated the results of the control group. Clinical Trial Registration: NCT02455128.

Phenolic Composition and Bioactivity of Lavandula pedunculata (Mill.) Cav. Samples from Different Geographical Origin.

The aim of this study was to characterize the phenolic composition and evaluate the bioactivity of several samples of Lavandula pedunculata (Mill.) Cav, and to compare aqueous and hydroethanolic extracts. Plant materials were obtained by growing some accessions (seed samples) of various wild populations from different regions of Portugal conserved at the Portuguese Genebank in Braga. Phenolic compounds were analised by HPLC-DAD-ESI/MSn, antioxidant potential through in vitro assays (DPPH radical scavenging activity, reducing power and inhibition of lipid peroxidation), cytotoxicity on tumor cells (MCF-7, NCI-H460, HeLa and HepG2) and non-tumor (PLP2) cells, anti-inflammatory activity in rat RAW 264.7 macrophages, by the ability to inhibit NO production and antimicrobial potential by the microdilution method with INT dye (iodonitrotetrazolium chloride). Thirteen compounds were identified, being salvianolic acid B, rosmarinic acid and luteolin-7-O-glucuronide, the main compounds present, with values ranging between 44.3⁻582, 50.9⁻550, and 24.36⁻101.5 mg/g extract, respectively. L. pedunculata aqueous extract revealed a higher antioxidant potential (EC50 values between 14 to 530 µg/mL), which could be related to its higher concentration in phenolic compounds; however, the hydroethanolic extract showed a higher anti-inflammatory (lower EC50 values than 124 µg/mL) potential and antiproliferative capacity (lower GI50 values than 34 µg/mL). Thus, this study highlights the bioactive effects of this species and opens up possibilities of uses in food and pharmaceutical formulations. However, there are potential differences in such properties according to geographical origin of plant material, as in general, the samples from Alentejo presented higher results in all the bioactivities, compared with Trás-os-Montes samples.

Detailed phytochemical characterization and bioactive properties of Myrtus nivelii Batt & Trab.

The endemic Algerian myrtle, Myrtus nivelii Batt & Trab., was evaluated for its bioactive properties, such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, cytotoxic and antibacterial activities, and correlated with the individual phenolic compounds identified in its crude aqueous extract and subsequent organic fractions (ethyl acetate and butanol). Flavonols, such as myricetin, kaempferol and quercetin glycoside derivatives, were the major phenolic compounds found, along with the presence of ellagitannins. The ethyl acetate fraction contained the highest amount of phenolic compounds, followed by the butanol fraction and, finally, the crude aqueous extract. In general, all samples exhibited an excellent bioactivity, namely the ethyl acetate fraction that presented strong antioxidant activity, when compared to the standard trolox, strong cytotoxicity and antibacterial activity, especially against MRSA and MSSA. The present study revealed that the ethyl acetate fraction of M. nivelii could be used as a source of bioactive compounds in the food and pharmaceutical industries.

Plant-based remedies for wolf bites and rituals against wolves in the Iberian Peninsula: Therapeutic opportunities and cultural values for the conservation of biocultural diversity.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Combined approaches to local knowledge and folk plant use improve awareness and promote effective strategies for the conservation of significant biocultural patrimony. Moreover, the information reported might be the basis for further appropriate phytochemical and pharmacological research. Therefore we provide an insight into traditional herbal remedies and practices for healing bite injuries in humans and domestic animals caused by the Iberian wolf. Wolf bites are associated with inflammatory processes and rabies is a potential complication AIMS: This paper describes and summarises the medicinal-veterinary empirical and ritual uses of the Iberian flora for wolf injuries and reviews the ethnopharmacological data of specific plants that are already published. The Iberian wolf is a critically endangered subspecies of the grey wolf. Livestock attacks attributed to wolves are increasingly frequent in the Iberian Peninsula, resulting in serious social problems. Interesting strategies for Iberian wolf conservation might be related to traditional grazing practices that are deeply linked with empirical knowledge and local practices passed on by oral tradition, which are also vulnerable now. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Based on documentary sources from the beginning of the twentieth century to the present, we systematically searched old monographs, regional documents, technical papers, project reports, as well as the international and national databases and the available scientific literature, without restrictions regarding the language of the publications consulted. RESULTS: A total of 39 remedies for healing wolf bite injuries in humans and domestic animals was reported, highlighting the medicinal use of 33 species of vascular plants, mostly wild herbs, belonging to 18 botanical families. The use of wood ashes was also reported. The number of use-reports found represents a very high number considering similar European studies. Leaves were the predominant plant part mentioned. Boiling plant materials in water for topical uses was the most frequent method of preparation found. Some traditional remedies combined two or more plant species in order to potentiate their effects. Moreover, some plant-based traditional practices and rituals to ward off wolves and to prevent wolf attacks were also documented. In these practices eleven other species (belonging to seven more families) were used. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the decline of the Iberian wolf over the last few decades, wolves are still in the imaginary of rural communities that perceive this large carnivore as both a diabolic creature and a mythic and benign animal. Wolf-related cultural heritage is of great interest in terms of conservation strategies. This review emphasises the importance of local knowledge and provides useful information about several potential sources of phytochemicals and their claimed therapeutic effects, aiming at contributing to the conservation and appreciation of the Iberian biocultural heritage.

Ellagitannin-rich bioactive extracts of Tuberaria lignosa: insights into the radiation-induced effects in the recovery of high added-value compounds.

Ellagitannins are polyphenols responsible for a number of bioactivities and health-promoting effects. These industrially important molecules can be affected by post-harvest treatments and recovery processes, but little is known about the irradiation-induced effects on their integrity, bioactivity and extractability. Herein, the impact of gamma radiation on the production of ellagitannin-rich extracts was investigated using Tuberaria lignosa as a case study. These effects were compared with those induced in flavonoids and organic acids. The extracts were particularly rich in hydrophilic antioxidants (measured by in vitro assays). The recovery of different phytochemicals was favoured by longer extraction times. Ellagitannins (mainly punicalagin derivatives) were extracted better from samples irradiated at 5 kGy and were not significantly affected by the 10 kGy dose. However, the total contents of flavonoids and organic acids were decreased by the consequent increase in irradiation dose. Therefore, this study supports the use of gamma radiation for processing T. lignosa, aiming to obtain ellagitannin-rich bioactive extracts.

Anxiety and Spiritual Well-Being in Nursing Students: A Cross-Sectional Study.

PURPOSE: To analyze the relation between anxiety and spiritual well-being in undergraduate nursing students. DESIGN: Cross sectional, correlational, and survey design. METHOD: A total of 169 students from a Brazilian Nursing School completed three instruments: demographic data, Spiritual Well-Being Scale (SWBS), and Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI). FINDINGS: The mean score of SWBS was high, and the mean score of BAI was low. When experiencing anxiety, there was lower probability of experiencing high spiritual well-being. For those students considering religiosity very important, the score of SWBS was high. Students scoring lower in SWBS had more probability of experiencing moderate/high anxiety. CONCLUSIONS: Higher scores of SWBS and importance given to religiosity were related to lower scores of BAI. Also, the performance and score of spiritual well-being were related to anxiety scores. Further research is worthy to identify and validate which educational aspects could promote spiritual well-being and reduce anxiety as well as research to analyze the relation between spiritual well-being score and learning outcomes.

Chemical characterization and bioactive properties of aqueous and organic extracts of Geranium robertianum L.

Geranium robertianum L. has been used in folk medicine and herbalism practice for the treatment of various conditions, but the study of its bioactivity has been barely addressed. Although its phytochemical composition has received some attention, contributions to the nutritional composition are practically unknown. Herein, G. robertianum gathered in Trás-os-Montes, Northeastern Portugal, was chemically characterized regarding nutritional parameters, and the antioxidant activity and cytotoxicity against several human tumor cell lines and non-tumor porcine liver primary cells of several aqueous and organic extracts were evaluated. G. robertianum showed to be an equilibrated valuable herb, rich in carbohydrates and proteins, and poor in fat, providing sugars, tocopherols, organic and essential fatty acids. Amongst the extracts, the acetone one showed the highest total phenol and total flavonoid contents, as well as the greatest antioxidant and cytotoxic activities. This extract showed to contain hydrolysable tannins (e.g. geraniin and castalagin/vescalagin), as the main phenolic compounds.

Quality Control of Gamma Irradiated Dwarf Mallow (Malva neglecta Wallr.) Based on Color, Organic Acids, Total Phenolics and Antioxidant Parameters.

This study addresses the effects of gamma irradiation (1, 5 and 8 kGy) on color, organic acids, total phenolics, total flavonoids, and antioxidant activity of dwarf mallow (Malva neglecta Wallr.). Organic acids were analyzed by ultra fast liquid chromatography (UFLC) coupled to a photodiode array (PDA) detector. Total phenolics and flavonoids were measured by the Folin-Ciocalteu and aluminium chloride colorimetric methods, respectively. The antioxidant activity was evaluated based on the DPPH(•) scavenging activity, reducing power, ß-carotene bleaching inhibition and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) formation inhibition. Analyses were performed in the non-irradiated and irradiated plant material, as well as in decoctions obtained from the same samples. The total amounts of organic acids and phenolics recorded in decocted extracts were always higher than those found in the plant material or hydromethanolic extracts, respectively. The DPPH(•) scavenging activity and reducing power were also higher in decocted extracts. The assayed irradiation doses affected differently the organic acids profile. The levels of total phenolics and flavonoids were lower in the hydromethanolic extracts prepared from samples irradiated at 1 kGy (dose that induced color changes) and in decocted extracts prepared from those irradiated at 8 kGy. The last samples also showed a lower antioxidant activity. In turn, irradiation at 5 kGy favored the amounts of total phenolics and flavonoids. Overall, this study contributes to the understanding of the effects of irradiation in indicators of dwarf mallow quality, and highlighted the decoctions for its antioxidant properties.

Phytopharmacologic preparations as predictors of plant bioactivity: A particular approach to Echinacea purpurea (L.) Moench antioxidant properties.

OBJECTIVE: A large body of evidence has confirmed a multitude of health benefits of plant products and their derived formulations. Echinacea purpurea (L.) Moench is a good example, widely used due to its therapeutic properties. In the present study, the chemical composition of the different samples and antioxidant properties of E. purpurea hydroethanolic and aqueous extracts obtained from dry or fresh raw material were evaluated and compared with dietary supplements based on the same plant (tablets and syrup), to determine the most active phytopharmacologic preparation or formulation. METHODS: Chemical composition of the different samples was assessed through the determination of free sugars, organic acids and tocopherols. The in vitro antioxidant properties were determined using four assays: 2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radicals scavenging activity, reducing power, inhibition of b-carotene bleaching and inhibition of lipid peroxidation by thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) assay. Total phenolics and flavonoids were also determined. RESULTS: Overall, the hydroethanolic extract of fresh plant revealed the highest activity, directly related with its higher contents in phenolic (229.22 ± 4.38 mg gallic acid equivalent [GAE]/mL), flavonoids (124.83 ± 7.47 mg GAE/mL), organic acids (8.89 ± 0.10 g/100 g), and tocopherols (4.55 ± 0.02 mg/100 g). Tablets followed by syrup revealed the worst effect, positively correlated with the lowest abundance in bioactive molecules. The weak in vitro antioxidant potential of commercial phytopharmacologic formulations could be related to their chemical composition, including the addition of excipients. CONCLUSION: Further studies are necessary to deepen knowledge on this area, namely focusing on in vivo experiments, to establish upcoming guidelines to improve the quality and bioavailability of phytopharmacologic formulations.

Chemical characterization and bioactive properties of Geranium molle L.: from the plant to the most active extract and its phytochemicals.

After a period of indifference, in which synthetic compounds were favored, there is an increasing interest in the study of the biological properties of plants and the active principles responsible for their therapeutic properties. Geranium molle L. has been used in the Portuguese folk medicine for the treatment of various ailments including cancer but, unlike many of the species from the Geranium genus, its phytochemical characterization and biological activity are virtually unexplored. In this study a G. molle sample from Trás-os-Montes, north-eastern Portugal, was chemically characterized regarding nutritional value, free sugars, organic acids, fatty acids and tocopherols, and several aqueous (decoction, infusion) and organic (n-hexane, dichloromethane, ethyl acetate, acetone, methanol) extracts of the plant were assessed for their bioactive properties. The antioxidant activity was evaluated by means of the free radicals scavenging activity, reducing power and inhibition of lipid peroxidation. The cytotoxicity of the different extracts was assessed in vitro against several human cancer cell lines (breast, lung, cervical and hepatocellular carcinomas) and, additionally, their hepatotoxicity was evaluated using a porcine liver primary cell culture. G. molle was shown to be rich in carbohydrates and proteins, providing tocopherols and essential fatty acids. Amongst the various extracts, the acetone extract was found to have the highest content of phenolic compounds (mainly ellagitannins, but also some flavone and flavonol glycosides) as well as the highest antioxidant and cytotoxic activities. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on the chemical composition and bioactive properties of G. molle.

Wild Roman chamomile extracts and phenolic compounds: enzymatic assays and molecular modelling studies with VEGFR-2 tyrosine kinase.

Angiogenesis is a process by which new blood vessels are formed from the pre-existing vasculature, and it is a key process that leads to tumour development. Some studies have recognized phenolic compounds as chemopreventive agents; flavonoids, in particular, seem to suppress the growth of tumor cells modifying the cell cycle. Herein, the antiangiogenic activity of Roman chamomile (Chamaemelum nobile L.) extracts (methanolic extract and infusion) and the main phenolic compounds present (apigenin, apigenin-7-O-glucoside, caffeic acid, chlorogenic acid, luteolin, and luteolin-7-O-glucoside) was evaluated through enzymatic assays using the tyrosine kinase intracellular domain of the Vascular Endothelium Growth Factor Receptor-2 (VEGFR-2), which is a transmembrane receptor expressed fundamentally in endothelial cells involved in angiogenesis, and molecular modelling studies. The methanolic extract showed a lower IC50 value (concentration that provided 50% of VEGFR-2 inhibition) than the infusion, 269 and 301 µg mL(-1), respectively. Regarding phenolic compounds, luteolin and apigenin showed the highest capacity to inhibit the phosphorylation of VEGFR-2, leading us to believe that these compounds are involved in the activity revealed by the methanolic extract.

Bioactive Properties of Tabebuia impetiginosa-Based Phytopreparations and Phytoformulations: A Comparison between Extracts and Dietary Supplements.

Tabebuia impetiginosa (Mart. ex DC.) Standl. has been used in traditional medicine for many centuries, being nowadays marketed as dried plant material (inner bark) for infusions, pills, and syrups. The main objective of the present work was to validate its popular use through the bioactivity evaluation of the inner bark (methanolic extract and infusion) and of two different formulations (pills and syrup) also based on the same plant-material. The antioxidant activity was evaluated by in vitro assays testing free radical scavenging activity, reducing power and inhibition of lipid peroxidation in brain homogenates. The cytotoxicity was determined in four human tumor cell lines (MCF-7, NCI-H460, HeLa and HepG2, and also in non-tumor cells (porcine liver primary cells, PLP2)). Furthermore, the sample was chemically characterized regarding free sugars, organic acids, fatty acids, and tocopherols. Syrup and methanolic extract showed the highest antioxidant activity, related to their highest amount of phenolics and flavonoids. Methanolic extract was the only sample showing cytotoxic effects on the tested human tumor cell lines, but none of the samples showed toxicity in PLP2. Glucose and oxalic acid were, respectively, the most abundant sugar and organic acid in the sample. Unsaturated predominated over the saturated fatty acids, due to oleic, linoleic, and linolenic acids expression. α- and γ-Tocopherols were also identified and quantified. Overall, T. impetiginosa might be used in different phytoformulations, taking advantage of its interesting bioactive properties and chemical composition.

Scientific validation of synergistic antioxidant effects in commercialised mixtures of Cymbopogon citratus and Pterospartum tridentatum or Gomphrena globosa for infusions preparation.

Pterospartum tridentatum (L.) Willk., Gomphrena globosa L. and Cymbopogon citratus (DC) Stapf. are examples of medicinal plants with antioxidant properties on their own, but that can be improved when mixed. In the present work, the antioxidant activity and phenolic compounds were determined in the infusions prepared from the individual plants, and from mixtures of these plants in different proportions. P. tridentatum > C. citratus > G. globosa was the order observed for antioxidant efficacy, which can be related to their different composition in phenolic compounds. Synergism was the main effect observed among the tested mixtures, mainly for the infusions prepared from the plants in proportion 40%:60% (either P. tridentatum and C. citratus; or G. globosa and C. citratus). The infusion obtained with 40% of P. tridentatum and 60% of C. citratus gave the highest antioxidant properties. The present study validates the commercialisation of the studied plants combined in specific proportions.

Spirituality and religion as protectors for adolescent drug use / Espiritualidade e religião como protetores ao uso de drogas em adolescente / Espiritualidad y religión como protección contra el uso de drogas entre adolescentes

OBJECTIVE: The study aimed to identify the available evidence in the literature on the importance of religion/spirituality as protectors for drug use. METHODS: This is an integrative literature review. The descriptors used were: “spirituality,” “religion,” “adolescent,” “illicit drugs,” “alcoholism,” and “smoking.” The databases used were: LILACS, PubMed and CINAHL. RESULTS: found a protective effect of religiosity and spirituality in preventing drug use, being justified by less interaction of adolescents with deviant peers, conservative attitudes of friends and high levels of well-being. CONCLUSIONS: to bring to light the positive effect that religiosity and spirituality could contribute to professionals involved with teens and launch interventions aimed at reducing the consumption of drugs in this group.(AU)

OBJETIVO: o estudo teve como objetivo identificar as evidências disponíveis na literatura sobre a importância da religião/espiritualidade como protetores ao uso de drogas. MATERIAL E MÉTODOS: trata-se de uma revisão integrativa da literatura. Utilizaram-se como descritores: “espiritualidade”, “religião”, “adolescente”, drogas ilícitas”, “alcoolismo” AND “tabagismo”. As bases de dados foram: LILACS, PubMed e CINAHL. RESULTADOS: constatou-se efeito protetor da religiosidade e espiritualidade na prevenção ao uso de drogas, sendo justificado pela menor interação dos adolescentes com os pares desviantes, atitudes conservadora dos amigos e níveis elevados de bem-estar. CONCLUSÕES: trazer à luz o efeito positivo da religiosidade e da espiritualidade poderá contribuir para que os profissionais envolvidos com os adolescentes lancem intervenções com vistas a reduzir o consumo de drogas nesse grupo.(AU)

OBJETIVO: el estudio tuvo como objetivo identificar las evidencias disponibles en la literatura sobre la importancia de la religión/espiritualidad como protección contra el uso de drogas. MATERIAL Y MÉTODOS: Se trata de una revisión integradora de la literatura. Se utilizaron como descriptores: “espiritualidad”, “religión”, “adolescente”, drogas ilícitas”, “alcoholismo” y “tabaquismo”. Las bases de datos fueron: LILACS, PubMed e CINAHL. RESULTADOS: Se constató el efecto protector de la religiosidad y espiritualidad en la prevención al uso de drogas, siendo justificado por la menor interacción de los adolescentes con malas influencias, actitudes conservadoras de los amigos y niveles elevados de bien-estar. CONCLUSIONES: traer a la luz el efecto positivo de la religiosidad y de la espiritualidad, podrá contribuir para que los profesionales comprometidos con los adolescentes lancen intervenciones con vistas a reducir el consumo de drogas en este grupo.(AU)