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Sepsis has become one of the most frequent causes of mortality in intensive care centres. So far, there is no effective pharmacotherapy that can prevent or improve the neurological consequences and enhance survival. The goal of this study is to investigate the neuroprotective effect of lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) on behavioural dysfunctions produced in sepsis-surviving rats. Adult male rats were subjected to caecal ligation and puncture and the control animals were submitted to the sham operation. Lemon balm ethanolic extract or saline, given orally, was administered for one week after surgery procedures. Locomotion, anxiety, depressive behaviour and memory were investigated. In the elevated plus-maze (EPM), the percentage of open arm entries and open arm time was very significant in the animals treated with lemon balm extract, similar to the diazepam response in sham-operated and sepsis-surviving rats. Locomotion in open field tests and the enclosed arm entries in the EPM were not significantly altered by treatments. In the forced swimming (FS) test, the extract was effective at reducing the immobility time as that demonstrated by fluoxetine. In the step-down inhibitory avoidance test, the extract eased the effects on memory of sepsis-surviving animals. Collectively, these results demonstrate that lemon balm ethanolic extract could be used for the prevention of cognitive and mood-related deficits that may be associated with sepsis sequelae. Key words: Anxiety, depression, locomotion, Melissa officinalis, memory.

Rubella is an acute viral disease that usually does not generate sequels; however, in pregnant women the infection can cause serious abnormalities to fetuses, which are collectively called congenital rubella syndrome. In Brazil, population immunization was started in 1992, but few epidemiological studies have been conducted to assess vaccination coverage and seroconversion since then. The aim of this work is to evaluate the seropositivity of pregnant women to rubella virus after vaccination campaign was carried out in 2008. Serological tests for rubella diagnosis were performed in 87 pregnant women who attended the University of Brasilia Hospital, Federal District, Brazil. Antirubella IgG antibodies were detected in 83 out of 87 pregnant women (95.4%), with an age-independent seroprevalence. Only one woman was positive in IgM serological tests. Our data suggest high levels of vaccination coverage and antirubella immunization in the Brazil Federal District population.