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This manuscript aims to analyze the brazilian profile of self-medication during the COVID-19 pandemic and to collect sociodemographic informations related to the self-medication. Therefore, it was necessary to investigate the concept of what participants understand about self-medication, in addition to examining what type of medication is used by those who self-medicated and it’s side effects. A research was carried out from August 3 to September 30, 2020. The samples were centered on who lived in Brazil. The interviewees should be at least 18 years old. The study included people from the general population. The data collection took place through an online questionnaire, because at that time the presential interviews should be avoided due to the continuous lockdown. To collect data from 1000 participants for this research. The drugs that prevailed belong into the class of vitamins and, secondly, Ivermectin. The indication of self-medication by family members was enhanced. The highest rates of reported side effects were intestinal colic and discomfort. The act of self-medication in Brazil was worrying in the pandemic period caused by COVID-19. Furthermore, it is important to emphasize that the population becomes aware and discerning about the sources of information that discuss the medications, thus avoiding hasty decisions that can be more harmful. Este manuscrito buscó identificar el perfil brasileño de la automedicación en la pandemia de COVID-19 y recopilar información sociodemográfica relacionada con el uso de la automedicación. Para ello, se investigó el concepto que los participantes entienden sobre la automedicación, además de examinar el tipo de medicación que utilizan quienes se automedican y sus efectos secundarios. Se realizó una encuesta del 3 de agosto al 30 de septiembre de 2020. Los participantes deben tener una edad mínima de 18 años. Las muestras se centraron en quienes vivían en Brasil. La encuesta incluyó a personas de la población general. La recolección de datos se realizó a través de un cuestionario en línea, ya que en ese período se deben evitar las entrevistas cara a cara debido al bloqueo continuo. Se recopilaron datos de 1000 participantes para esta investigación. Los medicamentos que prevalecieron son de la clase de vitaminas y, en segundo lugar, la ivermectina. Se destacó la indicación de automedicación por parte de los familiares. Las tasas más altas de efectos secundarios registrados fueron calambres intestinales y malestar. La práctica de la automedicación en Brasil resultó ser una preocupación durante el período de la pandemia causada por COVID-19. Por tanto, es importante que la población conozca y sea juiciosa sobre las fuentes de información que se discuten sobre los medicamentos, evitando así decisiones apresuradas que podrían resultar más perjudiciales. Este manuscrito buscou a identificação do perfil brasileiro de automedicação na pandemia de COVID-19 e a reunião de informações sociodemográficas relacionadas ao uso da automedicação. Para tanto, foi investigado o conceito que os participantes depreendem sobre a automedicação, além de examinar qual o tipo de medicamento utilizado por quem se automedicou e seus efeitos colaterais. Foi realizada uma pesquisa no período de 03 de agosto a 30 de setembro de 2020. Os participantes deveriam apresentar uma idade mínima de 18 anos. As amostras estavam centradas em quem residia no Brasil. A pesquisa incluiu pessoas da população em geral. A coleta de dados se deu através de um questionário online, pois no referido período, as entrevistas presenciais deveriam ser evitadas devido ao contínuo lockdown. Coletaram-se dados de 1000 participantes para esta pesquisa. Os medicamentos que prevaleceram são da classe das vitaminas e, em segundo lugar, a Ivermectina. Destacou-se a indicação de automedicação por familiares. Os maiores índices de efeitos colaterais registrados foram cólicas intestinais e mal-estar. A prática da automedicação no Brasil mostrou-se preocupante no período de pandemia provocado pela COVID-19. Sendo assim, é importante que a população esteja atenta e seja criteriosa acerca das fontes de informações que discorrem sobre os medicamentos, evitando assim decisões precipitadas que podem ser mais prejudiciais.

Justicia pectoralis Jacq. (Acanthaceae) leaves currently found in the Brazilian north-east are widely used to treat diabetes, menstrual pains, asthma, and other disorders. This work aimed to identify the phytochemical characterization and biological activities of J. pectoralis leaf extracts. The plant material was ground and the crude extracts were obtained with water or acetone: water (7:3 v/v), yielding aqueous (JPA), and organic (JPO) extracts. Phytochemical characterization was performed by thin-layer chromatography (TLC) and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Cytotoxicity was assessed by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) (MTT) assay and trypan blue (TB) exclusion assay in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), BALB/c splenocytes, and neoplastic cells (TOLEDO, K562, DU-145, and PANC-1) at 1, 10, and 100 μg/mL. Antibacterial activity was evaluated using the microdilution test to obtain the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC). Cytokines, IFN-γ, and IL-17A from culture supernatants of BALB/c mice splenocytes were measured by sandwich ELISA. In the TLC analysis, both JPA and JPO extracts presented coumarin and flavonoids. In addition, HPLC was able to identify coumarin, apigenin, and ellagic acid in both extracts. JPO IC50 was 57.59 ± 1.03 μg/mL (MTT) and 69.44 ± 8.08 μg/mL (TB) in TOLEDO. MIC value of JPO against Acinetobacter baumannii and Klebsiella pneumoniae was 500 μg/mL. JPO (100 μg/mL) significantly inhibited IFN-γ levels (p=0.03). J. pectoralis is a potential candidate to be further investigated as an IFN-γ inhibitory agent and against Acinetobacter baumannii and Klebsiella pneumoniae.

Introduction: Schistosomiasis is an infectious parasitic disease caused by trematodes of the genus Schistosoma, which threatens at least 258 million people worldwide and its control is dependent on a single drug, praziquantel. The aim of this study was to evaluate the anti-Schistosoma mansoni activity in vitro of novel imidazolidine derivatives. Material and methods: We synthesized two novel imidazolidine derivatives: (LPSF/PTS10) (Z)-1-(2-chloro-6-fluorobenzyl)-4-(4-dimethylaminobenzylidene)-5-thioxoimidazolidin-2-one and (LPSF/PTS23) (Z)-1-(2-chloro-6-fluoro-benzyl)-5-thioxo-4-(2,4,6-trimethoxy-benzylidene)-imidazolidin-2-one. The structures of two compounds were determined by spectroscopic methods. During the biological assays, parameters such as motility, oviposition, mortality and analysis by Scanning Electron Microscopy were performed. Results: LPSF/PTS10 and LPSF/PTS23 were considered to be active in the separation of coupled pairs, mortality and to decrease the motor activity. In addition, LPSF/PTS23 induced ultrastructural alterations in worms, after 24 h of contact, causing extensive erosion over the entire body of the worms. Conclusion: The imidazolidine derivatives containing the trimetoxy and benzylidene halogens showed promising in vitro schistosomicidal activity.

Objetivos: A osteoporose é uma doença comum, que afeta principalmente as mulheres e tem sido associada com o sistema imune. Este estudo objetivou avaliar níveis séricos de citocinas inflamatórias em mulheres pós-menopáusicas com osteoporose, assim como investigar as suas relações com parâmetros clínicos e laboratoriais. Métodos: Este estudo recrutou pacientes com osteoporose pós-menopausa e voluntárias sem a doença, pareadas por idade. Todas as pacientes do grupo com osteoporose e as integrantes do grupo controle passaram pelo exame de mensuração de densidade óssea para diagnosticar a doença e todas responderam a um questionário clínico. Amostras de sangue foram coletadas para as dosagens séricas. As citocinas IFN-γ, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, IL-9, IL-10, IL-17A, IL-22, IL-27, IL-29, IL-35 e TNF-α foram dosadas por ensaio imunoenzimático. Resultados: Vinte e nove entre as 52 (55,8%) pacientes com osteoporose pós-menopausa mostraram altos níveis de IL-8, enquanto nenhuma integrante do grupo controle teve valores de IL-8 acima do nível de detecção do kit (p

Fibrosis is recognized as an important feature of many chronic diseases, such as systemic sclerosis (SSc), an autoimmune disease of unknown etiology, characterized by immune dysregulation and vascular injury, followed by progressive fibrosis affecting the skin and multiple internal organs. SSc has a poor prognosis because no therapy has been shown to reverse or arrest the progression of fibrosis, representing a major unmet medical need. Recently, antifibrotic effects of PPARγ ligands have been studied in vitro and in vivo and some theories have emerged leading to new insights. Aberrant PPARγ function seems to be implicated in pathological fibrosis in the skin and lungs. This antifibrotic effect is mainly related to the inhibition of TGF-β/Smad signal transduction but other pathways can be involved. This review focused on recent studies that identified PPARγ as an important novel pathway with critical roles in regulating connective tissue homeostasis, with emphasis on skin and lung fibrosis and its role on systemic sclerosis.

The authors report a case of a 38-year-old HIV-positive woman, with subcutaneous nodules on the thoracic region with 3 months of evolution. Clinical, laboratory, and epidemiological features were evaluated and associated with apparent damage to the T11-T12 vertebrae, identification by imaging tests, positivity in a polymerase chain reaction-based test, and reactivity to the Mantoux tuberculin skin test (PPD-RT 23). The patient was diagnosed with osteoarticular tuberculosis and received treatment for a year, and clinical cure was achieved.

Adaptive immunity has evolved as a very powerful and highly specialized tool of host defense. Its classical protagonists are lymphocytes of the T- and B-cell lineage. Cytokines and chemokines play a key role as effector mechanisms of the adaptive immunity. Some autoimmune and inflammatory diseases are caused by disturbance of the adaptive immune system. Recent advances in understanding the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases have led to research on new molecular and therapeutic targets. PPARγ are members of the nuclear receptor superfamily and are transcription factors involved in lipid metabolism as well as innate and adaptive immunity. PPARγ is activated by synthetic and endogenous ligands. Previous studies have shown that PPAR agonists regulate T-cell survival, activation and T helper cell differentiation into effector subsets: Th1, Th2, Th17, and Tregs. PPARγ has also been associated with B cells. The present review addresses these issues by placing PPARγ agonists in the context of adaptive immune responses and the relation of the activation of these receptors with the expression of cytokines involved in adaptive immunity.

Background: PPAR agonists improve insulin sensitivity but also evoke weight gain. Results: GQ-16 is a PPAR partial agonist that blocks receptor phosphorylation by Cdk5 and improves insulin sensitivity in diabetic mice in the absence of weight gain. Conclusion: The unique binding mode of GQ-16 appears to be responsible for the compound’s advantageous pharmacological profile. Significance: Similar compounds could have promise as anti-diabetic therapeutics.