Lymphocutaneous Sporotrichosis Refractory to First-Line Treatment.

Sporotrichosis is a fungal infection endemic in Latin America and has been attributed to the thermodimorphic fungus of the genus Sporothrix. Transmission to humans occurs during a traumatic injury with soil or organic material; additionally, lesions caused by infected cats play an important role in the epidemiology of the disease. The classic treatment of sporotrichosis is performed with itraconazole or potassium iodide; second-line medications, such as amphotericin B and terbinafine, can alternatively be used in cases of first-line drug failure. In the present study, a patient with lymphocutaneous sporotrichosis in the right upper limb exhibited intolerance to itraconazole and potassium iodide, additionally during the period of use; these drugs did not control skin lesions. In this patient, amphotericin B deoxycholate and its liposomal version were used in this patient; and complete recovery of the lesions was observed.

Chromoblastomycosis evolving to sarcomatoid squamous cell carcinoma: A case report.

Chromoblastomycosis (CMB) is a cutaneous fungal infection caused by dematiaceous fungi. According to the World Health Organization CMB has been elected as a tropical disease, and it is prevalent in tropical and subtropical regions. The lower extremities are the most affected areas, and the lesions progress with erythema, papules, nodules, verrucose plates and/or ulcerations. So far, few works have demonstrated neoplastic transformation in chronic CMB lesions, and it may be a consequence of prolonged inflammatory response. In the present case report, we described a neoplastic transformation from CMB lesion of a 55- year-old man, presenting lesions only in the left leg for 35 years. After treatment, a verrucous white plate with thick and irregular borders emerged in the ankle, which was identified as a sarcomatoid squamous cell carcinoma. The present case report highlights the importance of an early diagnosis and treatment.

Leishmanicidal Activity and Ultrastructural Changes of Maslinic Acid Isolated from Hyptidendron canum.

The therapeutic arsenal for the treatment of leishmaniasis is limited and has serious obstacles, such as variable activity, high toxicity, and costs. To overcome such limitations, it becomes urgent to characterize new bioactive molecules. Plants produce and accumulate different classes of bioactive compounds, and these molecules can be studied as a strategy to combat leishmaniasis. The study presented herein evaluated the leishmanicidal effect of maslinic acid isolated from the leaves of Hyptidendron canum (Lamiaceae) and investigated the morphological that occurred on Leishmania (Leishmania) infantum upon treatment. Maslinic acid was active and selective against promastigote and amastigote forms in a dose-dependent manner. Additionally, it was not toxic to peritoneal macrophages isolated from golden hamsters, while miltefosine and amphotericin B showed mild toxicity for macrophages. Morphological changes in promastigotes of L. (L.) infantum treated with maslinic acid were related to cytoplasmic degeneration, intense exocytic activity, and blebbing in the kDNA; disruption of mitochondrial cristae was observed in some parasites. The nucleus of promastigote forms seems to be degraded and the chromatin fragmented, suggesting that maslinic acid triggers programmed cell death. These results indicate that maslinic acid may be an interesting molecule to develop new classes of drugs against leishmaniasis.

Green Synthesis of Antileishmanial and Antifungal Silver Nanoparticles Using Corn Cob Xylan as a Reducing and Stabilizing Agent.

Corn cob is an agricultural byproduct that produces an estimated waste burden in the thousands of tons annually, but it is also a good source of xylan, an important bioactive polysaccharide. Silver nanoparticles containing xylan (nanoxylan) were produced using an environmentally friendly synthesis method. To do this, we extracted xylan from corn cobs using an ultrasound technique, which was confirmed by both chemical and NMR analyses. This xylan contained xylose, glucose, arabinose, galactose, mannose, and glucuronic acid in a molar ratio of 50:21:14:9:2.5:2.5, respectively. Nanoxylan synthesis was analyzed using UV-vis spectroscopy at kmax = 469 nm and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), which confirmed the presence of both silver and xylan in the nanoxylan product. Dynamic light scattering (DLS) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) revealed that the nanoxylan particles were ~102.0 nm in size and spherical in shape, respectively. DLS also demonstrated that nanoxylan was stable for 12 months and coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) showed that the nanoxylan particles were 19% silver. Nanoxylan reduced Leishmania amazonensis promastigote viability with a half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) value of 25 µg/mL, while xylan alone showed no effective. Additionally, nanoxylan exhibited antifungal activity against Candida albicans (MIC = 7.5 µg/mL), C. parapsilosis (MIC = 7.5 µg/mL), and Cryptococcus neoformans (MIC = 7.5 µg/mL). Taken together, these data suggest that it is possible to synthesize silver nanoparticles using xylan and that these nanoxylan exert improved antileishmanial and antifungal activities when compared to the untreated polysaccharide or silver nitrate used for their synthesis. Thus, nanoxylan may represent a promising new class of antiparasitic agents for use in the treatment of these microorganisms.

Case Report: Treatment of Chromoblastomycosis with Combinations including Acitretin: A Report of Two Cases.

Chromoblastomycosis is a cutaneous fungal infection caused by dematiaceous fungi that belong to the order Chaetothyriales and family Herpotrichiellaceae. This infection is prevalent in tropical and subtropical areas and has been designated as a neglected tropical disease according to the WHO. Chromoblastomycosis infection is difficult to treat, and there are limited therapeutic options, making urgent the characterization of new medicines or approaches to treat such infection. In the present case report, two patients with extensive chromoblastomycosis lesions were treated with the combination of itraconazole, acitretin, and imiquimod. In the fourth month of treatment, both patients showed improvement of verrucous plates, suggesting that acitretin combined with drugs already used in chromoblastomycosis therapy can decrease the time of treatment, improving patient's quality of life.

Evaluation of Rhamnetin as an Inhibitor of the Pharmacological Effect of Secretory Phospholipase A2.

Rhamnetin (Rhm), 3-O-methylquercetin (3MQ), and Rhamnazin (Rhz) are methylated derivatives of quercetin commonly found in fruits and vegetables that possess antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Phospholipase A2 (PLA2) displays several important roles during acute inflammation; therefore, this study aimed at investigating new compounds able to inhibit this enzyme, besides evaluating creatine kinase (CK) levels and citotoxicity. Methylated quercetins were compared with quercetin (Q) and were incubated with secretory PLA2 (sPLA2) from Bothrops jararacussu to determine their inhibitory activity. Cytotoxic studies were performed by using the J774 cell lineage incubated with quercertins. In vivo tests were performed with Swiss female mice to evaluate decreasing paw edema potential and compounds' CK levels. Structural modifications on sPLA2 were made with circular dichroism (CD). Despite Q and Rhz showing greater enzymatic inhibitory potential, high CK was observed. Rhm exhibited sPLA2 inhibitory potential, no toxicity and, remarkably, it decreased CK levels. The presence of 3OH on the C-ring of Rhm may contribute to both its anti-inflammatory and enzymatic inhibition of sPLA2, and the methylation of ring A may provide the increase in cell viability and low CK level induced by sPLA2. These results showed that Rhm can be a candidate as a natural compound for the development of new anti-inflammatory drugs.

Myzobdella platensis (Hirundinida: Piscicolidae) is true parasite of blue crabs (Crustacea: Portunidae).

Leeches exhibit a marked scope of diversity, including different kinds of symbiosis. The aim of the present study was to demonstrate through biochemical and histological analysis that a species of piscicolid leech, Myzobdella platensis, is a true parasite of blue crabs, feeding on their hemolymph and using them as a site for cocoon deposition. In a total of 48 blue crabs collected on October 2007 at 3 sites of the São Vicente Estuary, 12 specimens were infested with leeches. Callinectes bocourti (n = 7) was the most infested species with leeches and cocoons; it was chosen for biochemical and histological assays. The immunoblotting assays showed a positive reaction of the proteins in the intestinal samples of leeches collected from crabs using antihemocyanin polyclonal antibody of Ampullaria canaliculata. In addition, leech intestinal samples were recognized by antihemolymph polyclonal antibody of nonparasitized blue crabs. Histological sections of leech gut showed hemocytes and a granular matrix similar to those found in crab blood vessels. Collectively, this evidence strongly suggests a parasitic interaction between the leech M. platensis and the blue crab C. bocourti, in which the former utilizes the latter as a site for cocoon deposition and possibly for dispersal similar to that proposed for Myzobdella lugubris in Callinectes sapidus in North America.