Essential oil of Eugenia stictopetala Mart. ex DC. has antioxidant, antibacterial, and gastrointestinal protective effect.

This work aimed to investigate the chemical composition, antioxidant capacity, antibacterial activity, and intestinal and gastric protective effects, in addition to the acute toxicity of the essential oil of E. stictopetala (EOEs). (E)-caryophyllene (18.01%), ß-pinene (8.84%), and (E)-nerolidol (8.24%), were the components found in higher content in the essential oil. The EOEs showed antioxidant capacity with IC50 values ranging from 220.28 to 283.67 µg/mL, in addition to presenting antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli, Enterobacter aerogenes, Vibrio cholerae, Salmonella enterica, and Listeria monocytogenes. The essential oil showed a gastroprotective effect, with a reduction in the levels of TNF-α, IL-1ß, and IL-6, having multiple pharmacological mechanisms of action. An antidiarrheal effect of EOEs was observed in the castor oil-induced diarrheal model, with reduced intestinal motility. Our findings demonstrate that essential oil can be beneficial in pharmaceutical and therapeutic applications for treating gastrointestinal diseases.

Almond fixed oil from Syagrus coronata (Mart.) Becc. has antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory potential, without showing oral toxicity in mice.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Syagrus coronata, a palm tree found in northeastern Brazil, popularly known as licuri, has socioeconomic importance for the production of vegetable oil rich in fatty acids with nutritional and pharmacological effects. Licuri oil is used in traditional medicine to treat inflammation, wound healing, mycosis, back discomfort, eye irritation, and other conditions. AIM OF THE STUDY: The study aimed to evaluate the antinociceptive, anti-inflammatory, and antipyretic effects of treatment with Syagrus coronata fixed oil (ScFO), as well as to determine the safety of use in mice. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Initially, the chemical characterization was performed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Acute single-dose oral toxicity was evaluated in mice at a dose of 2000 mg/kg. Antinociceptive activity was evaluated through abdominal writhing, formalin, and tail dipping tests, and the anti-inflammatory potential was evaluated through the model of acute inflammation of ear edema, peritonitis, and fever at concentrations of 25, 50, and 100 mg/kg from ScFO. RESULTS: In the chemical analysis of ScFO, lauric (43.64%), caprylic (11.7%), and capric (7.2%) acids were detected as major. No mortality or behavioral abnormalities in the mice were evidenced over the 14 days of observation in the acute toxicity test. ScFO treatment decreased abdominal writhing by 27.07, 28.23, and 51.78% at 25, 50, and 100 mg/kg. ScFO demonstrated central and peripheral action in the formalin test, possibly via opioidergic and muscarinic systems. In the tail dipping test, ScFO showed action from the first hour after treatment at all concentrations. ScFO (100 mg/kg) reduced ear edema by 63.76% and leukocyte and neutrophil migration and IL-1ß and TNF-α production in the peritonitis test. CONCLUSION: Mice treated with ScFO had a reduction in fever after 60 min at all concentrations regardless of dose. Therefore, the fixed oil of S. coronata has the potential for the development of new pharmaceutical formulations for the treatment of pain, inflammation, and fever.

Existe relação entre doenças respiratórias e próteses dentárias removíveis contaminadas? Uma revisão sistematizada da literatura / Relationship between respiratory diseases and contaminated removable dental prostheses

Objetivo: O objetivo dessa revisão sistematizada da literatura foi analisar a associação entre o uso de próteses dentárias removíveis e doenças respiratórias prevalentes. Materiais e métodos: Este estudo foi conduzido seguindo os critérios do PRISMA check-list (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis). A base de dados eletrônica selecionada foi a PubMed/MEDLINE, sem restrições do ano de publicação. Estudos prospectivos e retrospectivos (ensaios clínicos randomizados, ensaios clínicos controlados, estudos de coorte, estudos caso-controle e estudos transversais), estudos in vitro e publicados em inglês foram escolhidos como critérios de elegibilidade. Resultados: A busca inicial na base de dados obteve 553 artigos e 8 deles foram selecionados baseados nos critérios de elegibilidade e subdivididos em dois tópicos: doença pulmonar obstrutiva crônica e pneumonia por aspiração. Conclusão: Com base nos estudos avaliados existe associação entre as próteses dentárias removíveis contaminadas e doenças respiratórias... (AU)

Objective: The purpose of this review was to analyze the association between the use of removable dental prostheses and the prevalence of respiratory diseases. Methodology: This study was conducted following the criteria of PRISMA check-list (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis). The database selected was PubMed/MEDLINE, with no restrictions on the year of publication. Prospective and retrospective studies (randomized clinical trials, controlled clinical trials, cohort studies, case-control studies and cross-sectional studies), in vitro studies and published in English were selected in tehe eligibility criteria. Results: The search in the database obtained 553 articles and 8 of them were selected based on the eligibility criteria and subdivided into two topics: chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and aspiration pneumonia. Conclusion: Based on the studies evaluated, there is an association between contaminated removable dental prostheses and respiratory diseases... (AU)

First report of the aac(6)-Ib-cr gene in Providencia stuartii isolates in Brazil

Abstract INTRODUCTION: The aac(6')-Ib-cr and bla KPC genes are spreading among Enterobacteriaceae species, including Providencia stuartii, in some countries of world. METHODS: These genes were investigated in 28 P. stuartii isolates from a public hospital in Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil, by PCR and sequencing. RESULTS: The aac(6')-Ib-cr gene was detected in 16 resistant isolates, and the bla KPC gene was seen in 14. CONCLUSIONS: The presence of these genes in P. stuartii multi- and extensively drug-resistant isolates indicates that the resistance arsenal of this species is increasing, thus limiting the therapeutic options.

Screening of endophytic fungi stored in a culture collection for taxol production

Abstract In this work, four isolates of endophytic fungi (Alternaria alternata, Colletotrichum gloesporioides, Glomerella cingulata and Nigrospora sphaerica), deposited in the culture collection University Recife Mycologia (URM) at the Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, were characterized for the genes ITS 1 and 4 (region 5.8 S) and evaluated for taxol production.

Screening of endophytic fungi stored in a culture collection for taxol production

Abstract In this work, four isolates of endophytic fungi (Alternaria alternata, Colletotrichum gloesporioides, Glomerella cingulata and Nigrospora sphaerica), deposited in the culture collection 'University Recife Mycologia' (URM) at the Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, were characterized for the genes ITS 1 and 4 (region 5.8 S) and evaluated for taxol production.

Chemical composition, antioxidant and topical antiinflammatory activities of Croton cordiifolius Baill. (Euphorbiaceae)

Croton cordiifolius is widely used in Brazilian Caatinga folk medicine to treat general inflammation, pain, and gastrointestinal disturbances. Currently, its medicinal properties are not well understood, owing to the absence of chemical and pharmacological studies. The aims of this work were to analyze the chemical composition of C. cordiifolius stem bark and evaluate its in vitro antioxidant and in vivo anti-inflammatory activities. C. cordiifolius ethanolic extract (CcEE) was obtained by maceration, while essential oil (CcEO) was extracted by hydrodistillation in a Clevenger-type apparatus. The chemical composition was evaluated by thin-layer chromatography and GCMS. Total phenolics, flavonoids, and antioxidant activity were quantitated by spectrophotometry. Topical anti-inflammatory activity was evaluated by different ear edema models in mice. The major compounds in CcEO were α-pinene (51.76%) and ß-pinene (19.08%). CcEE analysis indicated the presence of alkaloids, mono- and sesquiterpenes, flavonoids, phenylpropanoids, triterpenes, steroids, and coumarins. CcEE showed antioxidant activity in vitro. In a topical anti-inflammatory assay, CcEO showed no activity. On the contrary, CcEE inhibited ear edema induced by phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA), arachidonic acid (AA), ethyl phenylpropriolate (EPP), and phenol. Probable mechanisms include inhibition of AA metabolite biosynthesis, vasoactive amine activity, and cytokine release/activity. These results corroborate the popular reputation of C. cordiifolius as an anti-inflammatory remedy.(AU)

Caracterização molecular de cultivares de cana-de-açúcar utilizando marcadores ISSR / Molecular characterization of the sugarcane cultivars obtained by issr markers

A diversidade genética de catorze cultivares de cana-de-açúcar (Saccharum oficinarum) foi acessada por meio de marcadores moleculares ISSR. Objetivou-se caracterizar molecularmente as cultivares estudadas. Foram utilizados trinta e sete primers de ISSR, dos quais, oito foram eficientes na amplificação do DNA das amostras analisadas, sendo sete primers suficientes para distinguir todas as cultivares de cana-de-açúcar envolvidas nas análises. A faixa de amplicons variou de 300 a 2000 pb. As cultivares RB 92579 e RB 863129 apresentaram maiores coeficientes de similaridade (77 por cento) enquanto as cultivares RB 961 e RB 931611 formaram o grupo com menor similaridade (22 por cento). Os resultados indicam que os marcadores ISSR foram úteis na análise da diversidade genética e geração de padrões genéticos (fingerprint), em germoplasma de cana-de-açúcar. Marcadores ISSR cultivar-específico foram obtidos com o primer UBC 817 para as 14 cultivares testadas. Num próximo trabalho, mais primers ISSR serão utilizados para buscar mais polimorfismos dessas e de outras cultivares de cana-de-açúcar.

Genetic diversity of fourteen sugarcane cultivars was accessed by ISSR molecular markers. With the aim to characterizing and validating the efficiency of these markers in the fingerprint of studied cultivars, thirty seven ISSR primers were used, from which, eight were efficient for the DNA amplification. Seven primers were efficient to discriminate the fourteen studied sugarcane cultivars. The amplicons varied from 300 to 2000 bp. The cultivars RB 92579 and RB 863129 presented higher similarity coefficient (77 percent) while the cultivars RB 961 and RB 93611 formed the group with lower similarity (22 percent). The results suggested that ISSR markers were useful in the analysis of the genetic diversity and in the fingerprint in sugarcane germosplasm. In the next step more ISSR primers will be used in order to obtain more polymorphism from these varieties and to analyze more sugarcane cultivars.