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Yogurt is one of the most popular consumed fermented dairy products in the world due to its high nutritional content and considerable benefits to human health. Polysaccharides are a major component associated with their texture and mouthfeel. Composition-wise of yogurts, casein micelles form aggregates with whey proteins in yogurts and then contribute to the formation of a protein gel, which is responsible for the well-known consistency of the yogurt. Food thickening agents are widely used to modify textural, rheological, and physicochemical properties, as well as to enhance the consistency and sensory attributes of yogurts. Improvement in moisture binding capacity, structural modification, and altering flow behavior properties are the major functions of food thickeners. Because of the ability to increase the viscosity of solutions, emulsions, and suspensions, polysaccharides can be considered strong candidates for thickeners in yogurts; however, few studies have focused on this field. Thus, we were directed to write a review article to summarize recent advances in using polysaccharides as thickening agents focusing on the rheological, textural, and microstructural properties of supplemented yogurts. Thus, this review may contribute to the knowledge about the application of polysaccharides in emulsions, mainly in the food industry.

The cytocompatibility, good degradability and antimicrobial action of chitosan (CS) makes this polysaccharide a highly sought after candidate for applications in medical devices. Thus, development of biofunctional implants associated with CS has been proposed in regenerative medicine as these biomaterials can improve and accelerate the osseointegration process on the implants’ surface. The antimicrobial potential of CS has also been investigated in experiments performed on implantable materials associated with CS in different forms, since the incidence of implant-associated infections (IAIs) is increasing worldwide. Biodegradable scaffolds based on CS, and commonly developed as hydrogels, have received lots of attention as implants for controlled release and delivery of drugs. Given this scenario, the present review will focus on methodologies used to coat implant surfaces with CS as well as pharmaceutical applications of these functionalized implants, focusing on cellular, immunological, and antimicrobial responses as well as controlled drug release.

Toxicological studies on medicinal plants are essential to ensure their safety and effectiveness in treating various diseases. Despite the species Chrysobalanus icaco L. being popularly used in the treatment of several diseases due to the pharmacological properties of its bioactive compounds, there are few studies in the literature regarding its toxicity regarding reproduction. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to assess the potential embryotoxic and teratogenic effects of the aqueous extract of C. icaco leaves (AECi) on Wistar rats. Animals were given AECi at doses of 100, 200, and 400 mg/kg during the pre-implantation and organogenesis periods. Data were analyzed using ANOVA followed by Tukey’s test and Kruskal–Wallis. Pregnant rats treated during the pre-implantation period showed no signs of reproductive toxicity. Rats that received AECi at 100, 200, and 400 mg/kg during organogenesis did not exhibit any signs of maternal systemic toxicity or significant differences in gestational and embryotoxic parameters. Some skeletal changes were observed in the treated groups. Therefore, it can be suggested that AECi at doses of 100, 200, and 400 mg/kg is safe for treated animals and does not induce reproductive toxicity under the experimental conditions applied, but it also caused low systemic toxicity.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disease whose main characteristic is the progressive loss of cognitive functions, affecting millions of people worldwide. In this sense, there is a continuous search for therapeutic tools that act in the prevention and treatment of the disease. In addition, research using coconut oil as a therapeutic tool has demonstrated a potent anti-inflammatory effect of this substance. Thus, a literature review was conducted to investigate the possible effects of coconut oil on AD. This article is a literature review using the PubMed, Science Direct, SciELO and LILACS databases. From the search with specific descriptors, studies were included referring to the last five years, published in English, Portuguese and Spanish with pre-clinical and clinical data. The included preclinical studies demonstrated that coconut oil interferes by inhibiting important metabolic pathways that act in the promotion of euroinflammation, amyloid plaque formation, neurotransmitter imbalance, and signaling pathway dynamics. In addition, the use of coconut oil increased the levels of ketone bodies. To some extent, many clinical trials have already shown favorable support for the use of coconut oil as an adjuvant in the treatment of AD. However, there is still a need for more randomized, controlled clinical trials that evaluate the optimal dosage, as well as whether or not coconut oil is effective against Alzheimer's disease.

Despite the fact that skin has a stronger potential to regenerate than other tissues, wounds have become a serious healthcare issue. Much effort has been focused on developing efficient therapeutical approaches, especially biological ones. This paper presents a comprehensive review on the wound healing process, the classification of wounds, and the particular characteristics of each phase of the repair process. We also highlight characteristics of the normal process and those involved in impaired wound healing, specifically in the case of infected wounds. The treatments discussed here include proteins, lipids, and carbohydrates. Proteins are important actors mediating interactions between cells and between them and the extracellular matrix, which are essential interactions for the healing process. Different strategies involving biopolymers, blends, nanotools, and immobilizing systems have been studied against infected wounds. Lipids of animal, mineral, and mainly vegetable origin have been used in the development of topical biocompatible formulations, since their healing, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory properties are interesting for wound healing. Vegetable oils, polymeric films, lipid nanoparticles, and lipid-based drug delivery systems have been reported as promising approaches in managing skin wounds. Carbohydrate-based formulations as blends, hydrogels, and nanocomposites, have also been reported as promising healing, antimicrobial, and modulatory agents for wound management.