Development and Evaluation of Antimicrobial and Modulatory Activity of Inclusion Complex of Euterpe oleracea Mart Oil and ß-Cyclodextrin or HP-ß-Cyclodextrin.

The development of inclusion complexes is used to encapsulate nonpolar compounds and improve their physicochemical characteristics. This study aims to develop complexes made up of Euterpe oleracea Mart oil (EOO) and ß-cyclodextrin (ß-CD) or hydroxypropyl-ß-cyclodextrin (HP-ß-CD) by either kneading (KND) or slurry (SL). Complexes were analyzed by molecular modeling, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, powder X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetry analysis and differential scanning calorimetry. The antibacterial activity was expressed as Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC), and the antibiotic resistance modulatory activity as subinhibitory concentration (MIC/8) against Escherichia coli, Streptomyces aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Enterococcus faecalis. Inclusion complexes with ß-CD and HP-ß-CD were confirmed, and efficiency was proven by an interaction energy between oleic acid and ß-CD of -41.28 ± 0.57 kJ/mol. MIC values revealed higher antibacterial activity of complexes compared to the isolated oil. The modulatory response of EOO and EOO-ß-CD prepared by KND as well as of EOO-ß-CD and EOO-HP-ß-CD prepared by SL showed a synergistic effect with ampicillin against E. coli, whereas it was not significant with the other drugs tested, maintaining the biological response of antibiotics. The antimicrobial response exhibited by the complexes is of great significance because it subsidizes studies for the development of new pharmaceutical forms.

GM insect pests under the Brazilian regulatory framework: development and perspectives.

The emergence of new technologies for genetic modification has broadened the range of possible new products. The regulations of many countries that could benefit from these new products may not be prepared to assess risks and enable science-based decision-making. This is especially acute in the case of genetically modified insects with potential use in public health and agriculture. Modifications of the regulatory framework, sometimes necessary to allow a proper risk assessment of products from new technologies, are strongly influenced by political decisions derived from the balance of power and interest among stakeholders. This article discusses the genesis of the Brazilian regulatory framework, its applicability for the risk assessment of genetically modified insects and the scenarios that have shaped the two biosafety laws that established the basis for the use of modern biotechnology in the country. It is concluded that, for the adoption of the new technologies, it is important to carefully navigate the political tensions by seeking the engagement and empowerment of stakeholders supporting science-based decision-making in order to gather the necessary support for adoption of risk assessment as the basis for final decisions, allowing the use of new technologies.