Seasonality Effects on Antibacterial and Antibiotic Potentiating Activity against Multidrug-Resistant Strains of Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus and ATR-FTIR Spectra of Essential Oils from Vitex gardneriana Leaves.

Plants are natural sources of several bioactive substances, which have been found in extracts, secondary metabolites, and essential oils. Several biological activities have been attributed to essential oils as antiviral, insecticidal, antiparasitic, antioxidant, and antimicrobial. The indiscriminate use of antibiotics has increased the development of resistance mechanisms of microorganisms. Thus, search for efficient natural compounds with antimicrobial activity and low toxicity has increased, so essential oils have been a promising alternative for combating microbial infections. This study was carried out to investigate the seasonality effects on the infrared absorbance spectra, antibacterial activity, and antibiotic potentiating activity of essential oils from Vitex gardneriana leaves. Essential oils were extracted from V. gardneriana Schauer leaves the seasonal period from January to December 2016 and characterized by attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy. The antibacterial effect of these oils and antibiotic potentiating activity, both determined by the minimum inhibitory concentration, were assessed using microtiter plates. For the first time, we present the use of infrared absorbance spectra of these essential oils and show the influence of seasonality on them. Synergistic effects were observed for the essential oils associated with the antibiotics tested (gentamicin, ampicillin, and ofloxacin). The main influence of seasonality on the infrared absorbance spectra of the essential oils of the V. gardneriana occurred in the June month (last month of the rainy season). In regard to antibacterial activity test, the essential oils of the V. gardneriana leaves did not show a direct effect on the strains tested. However, the essential oils when associated with the antibiotics showed variations in the minimum inhibitory concentration with the months of the seasonal period, indicating synergistic effects against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus bacterial resistance.

Projeto de Extensão Corpo em Movimento: experiências e percepções / Body in Motion Extension Project: Experiences and Perceptions

Objetivo: Analisar as contribuições e benefícios do Projeto de Extensão Corpo em Movimento: Atividade Física e Saúde Mental da Universidade Estadual Vale do Acaraú, que oferta atividades físicas, recreavas e esportivas para a melhoria da qualidade de vida física e mental da comunidade universitária. Metodologia: O trabalho realizou uma abordagem de cunho quantitativo e qualitativo, a partir de um questionário semiestruturado, para a avaliação dos benefícios na melhoria da qualidade de vida da comunidade universitária participante do referido projeto, no período de março de 2018 a fevereiro de 2019. Resultados: Os dados obtidos foram sistematizados considerando as respostas dadas pôr 61 participantes, desdobrando ­se em duas temáticas principais: 1) Contribuições do projeto para a saúde física e mental; 2) Os benefícios das atividades do projeto para os participantes. Cada temática foi contemplada com seis categorias de análise de acordo com as falas dos participantes. Os participantes da pesquisa foram unânimes em afirmar uma série de benefícios do projeto de extensão, proporcionando ­lhes melhor qualidade de vida. Os benefícios mais citados pelos participantes foram: Maior Interação Social: 67,21%; Redução do Stress: 50,82%; Melhor condicionamento Físico: 47,54%; Propicia Atividade Física: 37,70%; Melhor Saúde: 32,79%; Saúde Mental: 29,51%; Maior Relaxamento: 21,31%; Mais Lazer: 18,03%; Bem -Estar: 14,75%; Melhora o humor: 14,75%. Considerações finais: Nesta perspectiva acredita ­se que um dos caminhos para uma vida saudável é o envolvimento regular em alguma atividade física, tendo como objetivo a melhoria de seu estado de saúde física e mental.

Objective: Analyze the contributions and benefits of the Body in Moon Extension Project: Physical Activity and Mental Health at the Vale do Acaraú State University, which offers physical, recreational and sports activities to improve the physical and mental quality of life of the university community. Methodology: This study was carried out with a quantitative and qualitative approach, based upon a semi­ structured questionnaire for the evaluation of benefits in relation to improving the quality of life of the university community participating in the project held between March 2018 and February 2019. Results: The data obtained were systemized considering the answers given by 61 participants, split into two main themes: 1) Project contributions to physical and mental health; 2) The benefits of project activities for participants. Each theme was contemplated with six categories of analysis according to the participants' statements. The study participants were unanimous in stating a number of benefits of the extension project, providing them with beer quality of life. The benefits most cited by participants were: Greater Social Interaction: 67.21%; Stress Reduction: 50.82%; Beer Fitness: 47.54%; Provides Physical Activity: 37.70%; Beer Health: 32.79%; Mental Health: 29.51%; Greater Relaxation: 21.31%; More Leisure: 18.03%; Well-Being: 14.75%; Improves mood: 14.75%. Final considerations: From this perspective, it is believed that one of the ways of achieving a healthy life is regular involvement in some physical activity, aiming to improve one's state of physical and mental health.

Chemical composition, antioxidant, antimicrobial and antibiofilm activities of Vitex gardneriana schauer leaves's essential oil.

This study aimed to determinate the chemical composition and evaluate the antimicrobial and antioxidant activity of the essential oil obtained from leaves of V. gardneriana. The Vitex gardneriana leaves's were hydrodistilled to obtain the essential oil and the chemical composition determined by GC/MS analysis. The antimicrobial activities were determined by microdilution method. The activity of essential oil on biofilm was evaluated by quantification of total biomass and enumeration of biofilm-entrapped viable cells. The antioxidant activity was assessed by DPPH free radical assay, ferrous ion chelating assay, ferric-reducing antioxidant power and ß-carotene bleaching assay. Furthermore, the essential oil was tested on viability of health human, animal cells and the microcrustacean Artemia sp. The essential oil showed high content of sesquiterpenes and very low content of monoterpenes. Regarding activity on planktonic cells, the essential oil reduced the growth of the all species tested but showed MIC values only to S. aureus (0.31%). In general, the essential oil reduced significantly the biofilm biomass and the number of viable cells of bacteria and yeasts, mainly on biofilm formation. The essential oil showed a potential antioxidant activity, mainly on ß-carotene oxidation. Moreover, the essential oil reduced the cell viability of murine fibroblasts but not show viability reduction of human keratinocytes. Furthermore, the oil not show toxicity against the microcrustacean. Thus, the essential oil from V. gardneriana leaves may be considered as an important alternative against biofilms formed by bacteria and yeasts related to infections, as well as a natural antioxidant and non-toxic substance on human cells.