Prevalence of asthma, allergic rhinitis and pollinosis in a city of Brazil: A monitoring study.

BACKGROUND: Allergic respiratory diseases such as asthma and allergic rhinitis have increased considerably in the last decades. OBJECTIVE: The present study estimates prevalence trends of asthma, allergic rhinitis and pollinosis in the population of a city of Southern Brazil, without restriction of age, from 2011 to 2018, using the ISAAC standardized questionnaire. METHODS: Data was collected from March to June of 2011 and during the same months in 2018, in order to verify trends in the prevalence of these allergic conditions. The total sample consisted of 3132 individuals of both sexes living in the municipality of Santo Ângelo, in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. RESULTS: No differences were observed in the prevalence of asthma diagnosis (15.1% in 2011 and 13.8% in 2018), however the prevalence of current wheeze was significantly reduced from 24.7% in 2011 to 21.2% in 2018 (p<0.05). Regarding allergic conditions in 2011 and in 2018, a significant reduction was observed (p<0.001) in reported current rhinitis (63.3% vs. 50.5%), rhinoconjunctivitis (48.9% vs. 38.8%), hay fever (52.0% vs. 43.3%), and pollinosis (29.0% vs 17.0%). Moreover, we observed an inverse relation between age and rhinoconjunctivitis and hay fever, and all symptoms were more frequent in females. Rhinoconjunctivitis and hay fever, as well as current rhinitis and pollinosis were highly prevalent among 30-39 years-old individuals, whereas current wheeze affected mainly the age group 10-19 years-old. CONCLUSION: While the prevalence of asthma remained similar after seven years, allergic rhinitis and pollinosis declined between 2011 and 2018.

Composição química do óleo essencial e avaliação da atividade antimicrobiana do óleo essencial, extrato etanólico bruto e frações das folhas de Spiranthera odoratissima A. St.-Hil / Chemical composition of the essential oil and evaluation of the antimicrobial activity of essential oil, crude ethanol extract and fractions of Spiranthera odoratissima A. St.-Hil. leaves

A Spiranthera odoratissima A. St.-Hil (manacá) é utilizada popularmente como depurativo do sangue, nas afecções renais e hepáticas (chá das folhas) para dores musculares, de estômago, de cabeça, e disfunções hepáticas (chá das raízes). O objetivo desse trabalho foi avaliar a composição química do óleo essencial e a atividade antimicrobiana do óleo essencial, do extrato etanólico bruto e frações obtidos das folhas de S. odoratissima contra bactérias Gram positivas e negativas, e Candida albicans. O extrato bruto das folhas foi obtido por maceração seguido de concentração em rotaevaporador e as frações por partição em coluna filtrante. O pó das folhas foi submetido à hidrodestilação em aparelho de Clevenger e o óleo essencial obtido foi analisado por CG/EM. A atividade antimicrobiana foi avaliada pelo método da diluição em ágar para determinar a concentração inibitória mínima (CIM). Os constituintes majoritários do óleo essencial foram ß-cariofileno (20,64%), γ-muuroleno (17,70%), biciclogermacreno (14,73%), e δ-cadineno (13,40%). No estudo da atividade antimicrobiana de S. odoratissima, os principais resultados foram obtidos contra Staphylococus epidermidis (extrato etanólico bruto, CIM de 0,098 mg/mL), C. albicans (fração hexano, CIM de 0,049 mg/mL), Bacillus cereus (diclorometano, CIM de 0,098 mg/mL), Micrococcus roseus (fração acetato de etila, CIM 0,049 mg/mL), e M. roseus, Micrococus luteus, B. cereus e C. albicans (fração metanol, CIM de 0,391 mg/mL).

Spiranthera odoratissima ("manacá") has been popularly used as a blood cleanser, for liver and kidney diseases (tea from the leaves), as well as for muscle and stomach pains, headache and liver disorders (tea from the roots). The aim of this study was to evaluate the chemical composition of the essential oil and the antimicrobial activity of essential oil, crude ethanol extract and fractions of S. odoratissima leaves against Gram-positive and negative bacteria and Candida albicans. The crude extract of the leaves was obtained by maceration and was concentrated in a rotavapor, while the fractions were obtained by partition on column filter. The powdered leaves underwent hydrodistillation in a Clevenger apparatus and the obtained essential oil was analyzed by GC/MS. The antimicrobial activity was evaluated by using the agar dilution method for determining the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC). The major constituents of the essential oil were ß-caryophyllene (20.64%), γ-muurolene (17.70%), bicyclogermacrene (14.73%) and δ-cadinene (13.40%). The main results for S. odoratissima antimicrobial activity were found against Staphylococcus epidermidis (crude ethanol extract, MIC of 0.098 mg/mL), C. albicans (hexane fraction, MIC of 0.049 mg/mL), Bacillus cereus (dichloromethane fraction, MIC of 0.098 mg/mL), Micrococcus roseus (ethyl acetate fraction, MIC of 0.049 mg/mL) and M. roseus, Micrococcus luteus, B. cereus and C. albicans (methanol fraction, MIC of 0.391 mg/mL).

Time-course variations of DNA damage and biomarkers of oxidative stress in tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) exposed to effluents from a swine industry.

DNA damage (Comet assay), lipoperoxidation levels (TBARS), and several biomarkers of oxidative stress such as catalase (CAT), glutathione reductase (GR), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathione S-transferase (GST), and contents of reduced (GSH) and total (TG) glutathione were measured in liver and blood (Comet assay) of tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) exposed for 7, 15, 30 (subchronic exposure), 60, and 90 days (chronic exposure) to two treatment lagoons of a swine-processing plant, the first an anaerobic lagoon and the second a final treatment lagoon. After the 15th day, TBARS increased in fish exposed to both lagoons, decreased on the 30th day, and on the 90th day remained similar to controls. Fish exposed subchronically and chronically to both effluents showed consistently greater DNA damage. The CAT and GPx activities showed similar profiles and were induced only during the first week and during the first and second months. GST activity was induced throughout the experimental period. On the other hand, GR activities showed inverted profiles, with progressively decreased activities in the liver of fish exposed to the anaerobic lagoon, and progressively increased activities in fish exposed to the final lagoon. GSH showed higher contents in liver after 60 and 90 days of exposure to the final lagoon. GSSG contents were higher in fish exposed to the final lagoon throughout the experimental period. After 15 days, tilapia exposed to both lagoons showed enhanced total glutathione contents. The hepatic antioxidant system and biomarkers of oxidative stress such as DNA fragmentation and TBARS contents of tilapia exposed to both lagoons presented biphasic profiles. These changes in the antioxidant status also indicate that the industrial treatment is not adequate to avoid damaging environmental effects.

Estudo farmacognóstico das raízes de Jacaranda decurrens Cham. (carobinha)

Este trabalho estabelece parâmetros farmacognósticos para as raízes de Jacaranda decurrens Cham., Bignoniaceae, conhecida na medicina popular como carobinha. Características morfológicas e histológicas, prospecção fitoquímica, teor de cinzas e de açúcares redutores são descritos. Encontrou-se presença de esteróides/triterpenos, açúcares redutores, amido, mucilagem e saponinas. O teor de cinzas totais foi de 2,21 por cento, e insolúveis em ácido de 0,63 por cento; a umidade, de 6,42 por cento e o teor de açúcares redutores foi de 2,77 por cento.

This work stablishes pharmacognostic parameters to Jacaranda decurrens Cham. roots, Bignoniaceae, known in the folk medicine as carobinha. Morphological and histological characteristics, phytochemical tests, ash and reducing sugars contents are descripted. The results showed steroids/triterpenes, sugars reducers, starch, mucilage and saponinas presence; the tenor of total ashes was of 2,21 percent, and insoluble in acid of 0,63 percent; the humidity of 6,42 percent and the tenor of sugars reducers was of 2,77 percent.