Factors associated with the expansion of leishmaniasis in urban areas: a systematic and bibliometric review (1959-2021).

This work describes a systematic and bibliometric review of the factors that contribute to the expansion of leishmaniasis in urban areas. Three scientific databases were used: Scientific Electronic Library (SciELO), Scopus and Web of Science, encompassing all original and review articles between 1959 and 2021. Three descriptors were used: "leishmaniasis" AND "urban" AND "rural." Planning, execution, summarization, and selection processes were performed using StArt (State of the Art through Systematic Review) software. We obtained a total of 304 articles, 60 of which concerned canine leishmaniasis. The factors associated with the expansion of leishmaniasis in urban areas are interrelated, including socioenvironmental and economic complexity, the type of leishmaniasis, the reservoirs, vectors, deforestation, disorderly occupation of space, poor sanitary conditions, and human migration trends. A lack of diagnosis and underreporting of cases in some regions may reflect the increase of cases seen in urban areas. A majority (n = 121) of studies were conducted in Brazil, followed by Iran (n = 43). In relation to publications; in general, output has increased over the years, particularly in 2021. The majority of published studies were in the area of epidemiology (n = 158).

Chemical fingerprinting of the Brazilian medicinal plant Calea pinnatifida (R. Br.) Less. (Asteraceae) collected at different altitudes.

Calea pinnatifida (R. Br.) Less. is a plant of Brazilian folk medicine. We evaluated the influence of environmental factors on the chemical profile of C. pinnatifida collected during the winter season. C. pinnatifida leaves, alongside soil samples, were collected from two sites of different altitude. Plant samples were sequentially extracted, while soil samples were subject to compositional analysis. Plant extracts were compared using HPTLC-UV, using chemometric analyses to compare samplings harvested at both altitudes. Two marker metabolites, calein A (1) and acetylportentol (2), were isolated from samples collected at the respective altitudes. The differing metabolic profiles observed may be a result of the influence of environmental factors.

Ferns and lycophytes in coal mining waste and tailing landfills.

Mineral coal extraction in Santa Catarina State (Brazil) Carboniferous Basin has degraded the local ecosystem, restricting the use of its areas. One of the biggest environmental impacts in the mining areas is the uncontrolled disposal of waste and sterile mining with high concentrations of pyrite, which in the presence of air and water is oxidized promoting the formation of acid mine drainage (AMD). These contaminants can be leached into water resources, restrict the use of water and soil, and cause threats to fauna and flora. This study aimed to characterize these areas as to the content of Cd, Pb, Ni and Zn metals in the tailings and waste resulting from coal mining and to survey the species of ferns and lycophytes present. Wastes and tailing samples and specimens of ferns and lycophytes were collected in 23 landfills in six municipalities in the region and in four underlying areas used as controls. Chemical and physical analyses (pH in water and pH in KCl, Ca, Mg, P, K, Na, Mn, Fe, Al, clay and OM contents) were carried out and the total contents of heavy metals Cd, Pb, Ni and Zn were determined. Sampling of ferns and lycophytes was carried out by walking. The levels of heavy metals, Cd, Ni and Zn, were below the prevention concentrations established by CONAMA Resolution 420/2009. Pb levels were above prevention values in four landfills. Sixteen species of ferns and one lycophyte were found, with hemicryptophytes the most frequent and helophytes the most adapted to the environment. Of the species found, Pteridium esculentum (G. Forst.) Cockayne, Pityrogramma calomelanos (L.) Link and Telmatoblechnum serrulatum (Rich.) Perrie, DJ Ohlsen & Brownsey demonstrated resistance to degraded and contaminated environments with Pb, which may constitute an alternative for project monitoring and environmental recovery.

Popular medicinal uses of Calea uniflora Less. (Asteraceae) and its contribution to the study of Brazilian medicinal plants.

Calea uniflora Less. is widely used in southern Santa Catarina (Brazil), but there are no scientific studies which support its use. Then, this study was proposed to determine of the percentage use of C. uniflora in a city of southern Brazil and documentation of the knowledge that the population has about this species. The survey was conducted with semi-structured interviews using a questionnaire applied to 372 participants. In analyzing the results, it was observed that of the 94.1% who recognized C. uniflora, 74.3% utilize it as a medicinal plant and 65.4% of such knowledge originates in childhood, mainly through the family (84.6%). 93% reported using inflorescences macerated in alcohol or rum; this extract is generally used topically for wound healing and muscle pain. Furthermore, some reported using small quantities of this extract orally to treat cold and flu. Regarding effectiveness and safety, 97% stated an improvement in symptoms with the use of the plant, while 98.5% stated that it has no toxicity. In light of these results, future phytochemical, pharmacological and toxicological analyses should be designed in order to ensure rational and safe use of this species.

Reproductive phenology in a riparian rainforest in the south of Santa Catarina state, Brazil.

Phenological studies assist in forest ecosystems comprehension and evaluation of resource availability for wildlife, as well as in improving the understanding of relationships between plants and their pollinators and dispersers. This study aims to describe the reproductive phenophases of riparian plant species and correlate them with climatic variables. The reproductive phenology was analyzed biweekly throughout one year, recording the absence or presence of flowers/fruits. The flowering phenophase occurred throughout the year, with an increase in number of species in blossom in October, November, and December. The flowering peak of the community was observed in November. The fruiting phenophase also occurred throughout the year and showed an increase of species fruiting in June with a slight decrease in August and September. The data obtained in this study, when compared with other studies in different Atlantic Rainforest areas, indicates a seasonal pattern for the flowering phenophase and a variation in fruit availability throughout the year as well as in the fruiting peaks. Therefore, studies that observe flowering and fruiting events in loco are of main importance because they provide information on reproductive seasons of species for use in environmental restoration projects and thus alleviate the situation of degradation of riparian forests.

Produção orgânica de calêndula: um estudo de caso / Organic production of marigold: a case study

Apresenta-se caracterização do processo de produção agrícola orgânica de Calendula officinalis L. no Estado de Santa Catarina, evidenciando particularidades e discrepâncias frente aos modelos já descritos na literatura especializada, a partir de visitas a campo, observação participante e entrevistas com um produtor de plantas medicinais. Identificaram-se como principais particularidades a saúde na agricultura familiar, demonstrada pela prática da cultura orgânica, além do controle de pragas e manuseio da produção. Os principais problemas ou divergências evidenciados foram: características do solo; época de plantio da calêndula e suas etapas posteriores, como transplante e floração. Aspectos da colheita foram discrepantes quanto ao período do dia indicado para o procedimento, bem como a ausência de informações do produtor quanto à existência de outros incentivos governamentais ao setor agrícola. Recomenda-se aos extensionistas rurais e/ou instituições competentes que busquem orientar os produtores orgânicos de calêndula para promover a adequação das práticas de cultivo dessa espécie medicinal.

A characterization of the process of organic agriculture production of Calendula officinalis L. in the State of Santa Catarina is presented, evidencing particularities and discrepancies contrasting to the models already described in specialized literature, by field visits, participative observations and interviews with a medicinal plant producer. The main particularities identified were the health in the agricultural family, demonstrated by the practice of organic culture, besides pest control and the handling of production. The main evidenced problems or divergences were: soil characteristics; period of the marigold planting and its following stages, such as transplanting and flowering. Aspects of the crop were conflicting as for the period of the day indicated for the procedure, as well as the absence of information from the producer about the existence of other government incentives to the agricultural section. It is recommended to the rural extensions and/or competent institutions to seek for guiding the organic producers of marigold to promote adequate practices for the cultivation of this medicinal species.

Prevalência do uso da fitoterapia para alívio de sintomas apresentados em pacientes climatéricas / Prevalence of the phytotherapy use for symptoms relief present in climacterics patients

Introdução: O climatério é considerado um evento natural, ocorrendo em função da falência ovariana podendo ou não apresentar sintomas denominados de síndrome climatérica. Objetivo: Conhecer a prevalência do uso da fitoterapia para alívio de sintomas apresentados em pacientes climatéricas cadastradas na Unidade de Saúde São Defende, município de Criciúma, Santa Catarina. Métodos: Foi realizado um estudo transversal, no período de janeiro a agosto de 2008 por meio de questionário contendo questões abertas e fechadas em pacientes climatéricas entre 40 e 60 anos, cadastradas na referida Unidade de Saúde. Os dados obtidos pelos questionários quanto ao uso de plantas medicinais e/ou fitoterápicos foram submetidos ao programa Epi-Info versão 6.04d para a análise das variáveis quantitativas e qualitativas e utilizado o programa Excel for Windows para elaboração de gráficos e tabelas. Para verificar a associação entre as variáveis independentes e desfecho, foram feitas análises bivariadas utilizando o teste do x2 ao nível de significância de 5%. Resultados: Das 51 mulheres que responderam o questionário, 40 (78%) fazem uso de plantas medicinais e/ou de fitoterápicos, destas 75% relataram que o resultado obtido com esta terapêutica foi satisfatório. Das 40 mulheres questionadas 19 (47,5%) fazem uso de fitoterápicos com ou sem prescrição médica. Conclusões: As plantas medicinais e os fitoterá-picos assumem relevância, por atender as necessidades pessoais e socioeconômicas das pacientes, bem como as integram no convívio social, dando-lhes como retorno melhor qualidade de vida, o que evidencia a necessidade de mais pesquisas conclusivas sobre o tema.

Introduction: The climacteric is considered a natural occurrence which occurs due to the ovarian failure able or not able to present symptoms called climacteric syndrome. Objective: To know the prevalence of the phytotherapy use to relieve the symptoms present in climacteric patients registered at Unidade de Saúde São Defende, Criciúma municipality, Santa Catarina. Methods: It was carried out a transversa study, from January to August in 2008, through questionnaires open and closed questions, in climacteric patients between 40 and 60 years old registered at the Unidade de Saúde referred before. The data obtained through such questionnaires in relation to the use of medicinal plants and/or phytotherapy were submitted to the Epi-Info program 6.04d version for the analyses of the quantitative and qualitative variables and the Excel for Windows program was used to have the graphics and tables developed. To verify the association between the independent variables and the outcome, bivariate analyses were done through the chi-square test in a level of significance of 5%. Results: 40 (78%) out of 51 women who answered the questionnaires make use of medicinal plants and/or phytotherapy, among these ones 75% reported that they had a satisfactory result. And 47,5% (19 women) make use of phytotherapy withor no medical subscription. Conclusions: The medicinal plants and the phytotherapy are relevant for meeting the patients personal and socio-economical necessities, as well as integrate them in the social living, providing them a better quality of living, showing up the necessity of more conclusive researches on the subject.

Genotoxic evaluation of Mikania laevigata extract on DNA damage caused by acute coal dust exposure.

In the present article, we report data on the possible antigenotoxic activity of Mikania laevigata extract (MLE) after acute intratracheal instillation of coal dust using the comet assay in peripheral blood, bone marrow, and liver cells and the micronucleus test in peripheral blood of Wistar rats. The animals were pretreated for 2 weeks with saline solution (groups 1 and 2) or MLE (100 mg/kg) (groups 3 and 4). On day 15, the animals were anesthetized with ketamine (80 mg/kg) and xylazine (20 mg/kg), and gross mineral coal dust (3 mg/0.3 mL saline) (groups 2 and 4) or saline solution (0.3 mL) (groups 1 and 3) was administered directly in the lung by intratracheal administration. Fifteen days after coal dust or saline instillation, the animals were sacrificed, and the femur, liver, and peripheral blood were removed. The results showed a general increase in the DNA damage values at 8 hours for all treatment groups, probably related to surgical procedures that had stressed the animals. Also, liver cells from rats treated with coal dust, pretreated or not with MLE, showed statistically higher comet assay values compared to the control group at 14 days after exposure. These results could be expected because the liver metabolizes a variety of organic compounds to more polar by-products. On the other hand, the micronucleus assay results did not show significant differences among groups. Therefore, our data do not support the antimutagenic activity of M. laevigata as a modulator of DNA damage after acute coal dust instillation.

Floristic composition and phytosociological structure in a submontane ombrophilous dense forest at São Bento river dam, Siderópolis, Santa Catarina State - DOI: 10.4025/actascibiolsci.v31i4.3345 / Florística e estrutura fitossociológica em floresta ombrófila densa submontana na barragem do rio São Bento, Siderópolis, Estado de Santa Catarina - DOI: 10.4025/actascibiolsci.v31i4.3345

Aiming to provide primary data to be used in restoration programs, data from a floristic and phytosociological survey at a Submontane Ombrophilous Dense Forest remnant around São Bento river dam (Siderópolis municipality, Santa Catarina State, southern Brazil) are presented. All tree individuals with a diameter at breast height (DBH) 5 cm were recorded (1 ha plot). 1,715 individuals belonging to 107 species and 42 botanical families were identified. Euterpe edulis Mart., Casearia sylvestris Sw. and Bathysa australis (St.-Hil.) K.Schum. were the species with higher values of structural importance. High index of zoophily and zoochory were registered among the identified species. From the floristic composition and litter abundance, it can be assumed that the studied area corresponds to an advanced stage of natural regeneration

Apresentam-se os resultados de levantamentos florístico e fitossociológico em remanescente de Floresta Ombrófila Densa Submontana circunjacente à barragem do rio São Bento, objetivando fornecer dados primários para ações de restauração e conservação desta formação. A área está localizada no Sul de Santa Catarina, município de Siderópolis. Utilizou-se como área amostral um hectare e foram registrados indivíduos com DAP 5 cm e quantificados seus descritores estruturais. Foram identificadas 107 espécies, pertencentes a 42 famílias botânicas, totalizando 1.715 indivíduos. As espécies com maiores valores de importância (VI) foram Euterpe edulis Mart., Casearia sylvestris Sw. e Bathysa australis (St.-Hil.) K. Schum. Entre as espécies identificadas, encontrou-se elevado índice de zoofilia e zoocoria. Pela característica florística e abundância de serapilheira, a área encontra-se em estádio avançado de regeneração natural

Effects of Mikania glomerata Spreng. and Mikania laevigata Schultz Bip. ex Baker (Asteraceae) extracts on pulmonary inflammation and oxidative stress caused by acute coal dust exposure.

Several studies have reported biological effects of Mikania glomerata and Mikania laevigata, used in Brazilian folk medicine for respiratory diseases. Pneumoconiosis is characterized by pulmonary inflammation caused by coal dust exposure. In this work, we evaluated the effect of pretreatment with M. glomerata and M. laevigata extracts (MGE and MLE, respectively) (100 mg/kg, s.c.) on inflammatory and oxidative stress parameters in lung of rats subjected to a single coal dust intratracheal instillation. Rats were pretreated for 2 weeks with saline solution, MGE, or MLE. On day 15, the animals were anesthetized, and gross mineral coal dust or saline solutions were administered directly in the lung by intratracheal instillation. Fifteen days after coal dust instillation, the animals were killed. Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) was obtained; total cell count and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity were determined. In the lung, myeloperoxidase activity, thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS) level, and protein carbonyl and sulfhydryl contents were evaluated. In BAL of treated animals, we verified an increased total cell count and LDH activity. MGE and MLE prevented the increase in cell count, but only MLE prevented the increase in LDH. Myeloperoxidase and TBARS levels were not affected, protein carbonylation was increased, and the protein thiol levels were decreased by acute coal dust intratracheal administration. The findings also suggest that both extracts present an important protective effect on the oxidation of thiol groups. Moreover, pretreatment with MGE and MLE also diminished lung inflammatory infiltration induced by coal dust, as assessed by histopathologic analyses. The present study indicates that M. glomerata and M. laevigata might become good candidates for the prevention of lung oxidative injury caused by coal dust exposure.

Acute effect of Trema micrantha (Ulmaceae) on serum glucose levels in normal and diabetic rats.

Trema micrantha (Ulmaceae) ethanolic crude extract (ECE) was screened for its hypoglycemic activity (250, 500 and 1,000 mg/kg v.o.). The animals were divided in three groups for the evaluation of the hypoglycemic effect: normal rats, rats with alloxan-induced diabetes and hyperglycemic normal rats. The antihyperglycemic activity was compared to the treatment with glibenclamide, an oral hypoglycemic agent. Serum glucose was analyzed after the treatment of the animals. The acute treatment with Trema micrantha ECE (250 and 1,000 mg/kg) caused a significant decrease in the blood glucose levels in diabetic rats, but no effect was observed among the normal treated rats nor the hyperglycemic normal rats. Trema micrantha's leaves are a good candidate for alternative and/or complementary medicine in the management of diabetes mellitus, since they showed beneficial effects on blood glucose levels.