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Myrciaria plinioides D. Legrand (Myrtaceae) is a native plant of Southern Brazil, which have potential in the food industry due to its edible fruits. Many plants belonging to this genus have been used for a variety of illnesses, including inflammatory disorders due to antioxidant properties. However, therapeutic uses of M. plinioides have been poorly studied. The aim of study was to assess the anti-inflammatory and anticoagulant activities of the ethanol leaf extract of M. plinioides. In M. plinioides extract-treated RAW 264.7 cells, assessments of cell viability, TNF-α release and p38 MAPK pathway-dependent protein expression were detected. In addition, rat paw edema models were used to analyze the anti-inflammatory effect of the extract. Macrophages cell line treated with M. plinioides extract showed a slight decrease in cell viability. In LPS-stimulated macrophages treated with different concentrations of the extract for 24 h, TNF-α release was inhibited, while modulation of p38 signaling pathway and inhibition of NF-κB p65 protein expression were dose-dependent. In rats, the extract inhibited the formation of paw edema, while an inhibitory effect on trypsin-like enzymes derived from mast cells was seen. Furthermore, the extract presented anticoagulant activity via extrinsic pathway, being able to block specifically factor Xa and thrombin. The study suggests that extract possess potent anti-inflammatory and anticoagulant effects. M. plinioides present great biological potential as a source for the development of anti-inflammatory and anticoagulant drugs. Additional studies can be proposed to better elucidate the mechanism by which M. plinioides exerts its effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zika virus (ZIKV) has become a major challenge for scientists and health agencies. ZIKV’s involvement with human fetal microcephaly and Guillain-Barré syndrome and its transmission through Aedes africanus and Aedes aegypti mosquitos highlighted the epidemiological and neurological risks associated to ZIKV infection. In 2013, ZIKV arrives in Brazil but the first outbreak in the country was reported in 2015. Here, we used the Web of Science as a search tool for comparing the evolution of world and Brazilian scientific research on dengue virus (DENV)—also present in mosquito—, ZIKV and microcephaly. The association between ZIKV and microcephaly was only evidenced in 2015. Interestingly, Brazil and the USA are the responsible for most of these reports. Furthermore, the level of double-counted articles indicates a high degree of international collaborative effort in studying ZIKV and microcephaly. The ZIKV research clearly requires multidisciplinary expertise including epidemiologic, clinical, virological, and neurochemical backgrounds. This letter intends to emphasize the need of multidisciplinary studies and put forward some as yet unanswered questions in attempting to contribute to the understanding of this multifaceted health problem. In line with this, we recently constituted a collaborative and multidisciplinary taskforce encompassing eight Brazilian scientific institutions of excellence, The ZIKV translational research taskforce. This taskforce comprises a vast international network of collaborators and welcomes additional collaborators. We intend to advance fast in terms of mechanisms, which can potentially contribute to treat or halt ZIKV spreading around the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]