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Copaiba oil extracted from the trunk of Copaifera langsdorffii Desf. and flaxseed oil extracted from the seeds of Linum usitatissimum L., are widely used for the prevention and treatment of many diseases, including cancer. The aim of this study was to assess the antimutagenic effect of these oils against the damage-inducing agent cyclophosphamide, in Rattus norvegicus treated in vivo, by gavage, using cytotoxicity and chromosomal alteration test. The animals were submitted to a single dose of copaiba oil and of flaxseed oil in the simultaneous treatment, pre-treatment and pos-treatment for 24 hours. None of these treatments presented cytotoxic effect. Treatments both oils and cyclophosphamide have significantly reduced the chromosomal damage caused by the clastogen. In groups treated with copaiba oil the reduction percentage was 77% for the simultaneous treatment, 83% for the pre-treatment and 75% for the pos-treatment, whereas in those treated with flaxseed oil was 94% for the pre-treatment and 96% for the simultaneous and pos-treatment. These results indicate that the both oils are not mutagenic, in contrast, they present antimutagenic activity against this clastogenic agent, which represents a protective effect on the cells against the drug that has damaged the genetic material. Aceite de copaiba extraído del tronco de Copaifera langsdorffii Desf. y el aceite de linaza extraído de las semillas de Linum usitatissimum L., son ampliamente utilizados para la prevención y tratamiento de diversas enfermedades, entre ellas el cáncer. El objetivo de este estudio fue evaluar el efecto antimutagénico de estos aceites contra el agente inductor de daño ciclofosfamida, en Rattus norvegicus tratados in vivo por sonda, mediante ensayos de citotoxicidad y alteración cromosómica. Los animales fueron sometidos a una dosis única de aceite de copaiba y aceite de linaza en el tratamiento simultáneo, pretratamiento y postratamiento durante 24 horas. Ninguno de estos tratamientos mostró un efecto citotóxico. Los tratamientos con aceites asociados a ciclofosfamida redujeron significativamente el daño cromosómico causado por el clastógeno. En los grupos tratados con aceite de copaiba, el porcentaje de reducción fue del 77% para el tratamiento simultáneo, del 83% para el pretratamiento y del 75% para el postratamiento, mientras que en los tratados con aceite de linaza fue del 94% para el pretratamiento y 96% para tratamiento simultáneo y post-tratamiento. Estos resultados indican que ambos aceites no son mutagénicos, por el contrario, tienen actividad antimutagénica frente a este agente clastogénico, lo que representa un efecto protector de las células frente al fármaco que dañó el material genético. O óleo de copaíba extraído do tronco de Copaifera langsdorffii Desf. e o óleo de linhaça extraído das sementes de Linum usitatissimum L., são amplamente utilizados para a prevenção e tratamento de diversas doenças, incluindo o câncer. O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar o efeito antimutagênico desses óleos contra o agente indutor de danos ciclofosfamida, em Rattus norvegicus tratado in vivo, por gavagem, por meio dos ensaios de citotoxicidade e de alteração cromossômica. Os animais foram submetidos a uma única dose de óleo de copaíba e de óleo de linhaça no tratamento simultâneo, pré-tratamento e pós-tratamento por 24 horas. Nenhum desses tratamentos apresentou efeito citotóxico. Os tratamentos com óleos associados com a ciclofosfamida reduziram significativamente os danos cromossômicos causados pelo clastógeno. Nos grupos tratados com óleo de copaíba o percentual de redução foi de 77% para o tratamento simultâneo, 83% para o pré-tratamento e 75% para o pós-tratamento, enquanto nos tratados com óleo de linhaça foi de 94% para o pré-tratamento e 96 % para o tratamento simultâneo e pós-tratamento. Esses resultados sugerem que ambos os óleos não são mutagênicos, ao contrário, apresentam atividade antimutagênica contra este agente clastogênico, o que representa um efeito protetor sobre as células frente o fármaco que danificou o material genético.

This study was to evaluate the biological activity of the extract of Botryosphaeria fabicerciana isolated from leaves of Morus nigra. The volatile compounds from the crude extract were analysed by GC-MS which demonstrate that mellein and β-orcinaldehyde were are the major compounds. The best minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) of the extract was observed against Gram-positive bacteria, with a MIC of 15.6 μg/mL towards B. cereus and MIC of 62.5 μg/mL towards S. aureus and B. subtilis. MBC values of 31.25 μg/mL, 62.5 μg/mL, and 250 μg/mL were observed towards B. cereus, B. subtilis, and S. aureus, respectively. The cytotoxicity analyses showed CC50 of 115 μg/mL. The crude extract showed antioxidant activity by the DPPH, ABTS, and FRAP assays. Therefore, the extract of the endophytic fungus presented biotechnological potential as an antibacterial and antioxidant agent.

Water is essential in the food and meat processing industry. The processing industry is one of the major consumers of water, and consequently, generators of a significant amount wastewater effluents which pollute the water bodies heavily. The objective of this study was to evaluate the cytotoxic potential of raw effluent, anaerobic and aerobic ponds, and surface water of the Cleopatra stream pre- and post-discharge of the effluent from a sausage industry by Allium cepa L. test. At different sampling timepoints, tests on the roots were conducted, as follows: control samples of the self-bulb (0 h), treatment with effluent or water (24 h), and recovery in filtered water (24 h). The results showed that the raw effluent is cytotoxic, because it inhibited the cell division completely. However, this inhibition was not permanent as, after the recovery time, the cells divided again at a rate greater than that of the control. Wastewater from the anaerobic and aerobic ponds and before and after discharge into the stream was not found to be cytotoxic. At the time of recovery, an increase in cell division was observed in samples treated with wastewater from the anaerobic and aerobic ponds, which is possibly caused due to the presence of organic matter. Despite the efficiency of treatment methods, it is necessary to conduct studies that monitor the effluents from the industry and stream waters to ascertain possible impacts on the environment. El agua es esencial en la industria de procesamiento de alimentos y carne. La industria de procesamiento es uno de los principales consumidores de agua y, en consecuencia, generadora de una cantidad significativa de efluentes de aguas residuales que contaminan fuertemente los cuerpos de agua. El objetivo de este estudio fue evaluar el potencial citotóxico de efluentes crudos, estanques anaeróbicos, aeróbicos y aguas superficiales del arroyo Cleopatra antes y después de la descarga del efluente de una industria de embutidos mediante la prueba de Allium cepa L. En diferentes momentos de muestreo, se realizaron pruebas en las raíces de la siguiente manera: muestras de control del autobulbo (0 h), tratamiento con efluente o agua (24 h) y recuperación en agua filtrada (24 h). Los resultados mostraron que el efluente crudo es citotóxico, ya que inhibe completamente la división celular. Sin embargo, esta inhibición no fue permanente ya que, después del tiempo de recuperación, las células se dividieron nuevamente a una velocidad mayor que la del control. No se encontró que las aguas residuales de los estanques anaeróbicos y aeróbicos y antes y después de la descarga en la corriente fueran citotóxicas. En el momento de la recuperación se observó un aumento de la división celular en las muestras tratadas con aguas residuales de las balsas anaerobias y aerobias, posiblemente por la presencia de materia orgánica. A pesar de la eficiencia de los métodos de tratamiento, es necesario realizar estudios que monitoreen los efluentes de la industria y las aguas de los arroyos para conocer los posibles impactos en el medio ambiente. A água é essencial na indústria de processamento de alimentos e carnes. A indústria de transformação é uma das maiores consumidoras de água e, consequentemente, geradora de uma quantidade significativa de efluentes residuais que poluem fortemente os corpos hídricos. O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar o potencial citotóxico de efluentes brutos, lagoas anaeróbicas e aeróbicas e águas superficiais do córrego Cleópatra pré e pós-descarga do efluente de uma indústria de embutidos pelo teste Allium cepa L.. Em diferentes momentos de amostragem, foram realizados testes nas raízes, a saber: amostras controle do bulbo próprio (0 h), tratamento com efluente ou água (24 h) e recuperação em água filtrada (24 h). Os resultados mostraram que o efluente bruto é citotóxico, pois inibiu completamente a divisão celular. No entanto, essa inibição não foi permanente, pois, após o tempo de recuperação, as células se dividiram novamente a uma taxa maior que a do controle. As águas residuais das lagoas anaeróbicas e aeróbicas e antes e depois da descarga no córrego não foram consideradas citotóxicas. No momento da recuperação, observou-se um aumento na divisão celular nas amostras tratadas com águas residuais das lagoas anaeróbias e aeróbicas, o que possivelmente é causado pela presença de matéria orgânica. Apesar da eficiência dos métodos de tratamento, é necessário realizar estudos que monitorem os efluentes da indústria e das águas de córregos para verificar possíveis impactos ao meio ambiente.

A Nanotecnologia tem se destacado significativamente em diversas áreas da ciência, em especial, na área farmacêutica. Os nanocarreadores de fármacos apresentam uma alternativa segura e eficaz, apresentando propriedades importantes do ponto de vista farmacoterápico. Sob esse aspecto, destacam-se as nanoemulsões como veículo de fármacos já consagrados. Trata-se de sistemas constituídos por glóbulos bastante reduzidos, em escala manométrica, que podem veicular princípio ativo sendo ainda adequados à distribuição de substâncias ativas na pele, permitindo maior absorção. Dentro deste contexto, o presente estudo de revisão descreve metodologias de síntese de nanoemulsões utilizando para composição da fórmula, extratos e óleos vegetais, medicamentos alopáticos convencionais e nanopartículas metálicas.

The endophytic fungi live inside plant tissues and do not develop any disease to their hosts. These microorganisms can produce bioactive compounds. In this work, we aimed to evaluate the leaf endophytic fungi microbiota from J. brandegeana using the culture-dependent method and multilocus sequence analysis. The endophyte's isolation was performed by the fragmentation method and the MLSA phylogeny was made using ITS, elongation factor 1-α, β-tubulin, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate and, actin genes. For the screening selection, agar piece test was performed and, amongst the strains, JB06 isolate was chosen for metabolic extraction from the fermented culture and the evaluation of the antibacterial, antioxidant, antiproliferative activities and, phenolic compounds assay. Through the MLSA analysis, there were five genera of fungi identified, with Colletotrichum the higher isolated. For the antioxidant assay using the fungal extract obtained from Mycoleptodiscus indicus (JB06), the best results were obtained with the ABTS method. Antiproliferative effects by the crude extract of the endophyte against the tumor hepatocellular carcinoma cells (HepG2/C3A) were found. In summary, our findings revealed highly diverse endophytic fungi associated with J. brandegeana, with the bioprospection of the endophyte M. indicus with biotechnological potential for the health field.

Os coagulantes naturais são compostos naturais, como sementes, mucilagem e outros compostos baseados ou não baseados em plantas, que possuem a capacidade de remoção de contaminantes da água, esgotos e efluentes. Seu uso possui forte apelo ambiental, econômico e social, especialmente por se tratarem de compostos facilmente encontrados na natureza, como a moringa, quiabo e cáctus, e, por isso, baratos, aumentando a qualidade de vida da sociedade e mitigando o dano ou impacto ambiental. Esta revisão teve por objetivo apresentar os diferentes tipos de coagulantes naturais, seus respectivos usos e características. Esta pesquisa foi elaborada por meio de consultas na literatura especializada, com cerca de 160 artigos pesquisados e 38 efetivamente utilizados; concentrou-se em discutir os benefícios dos coagulantes naturais frente aos coagulantes químicos, bem como as implicações dos diferentes tipos de coagulantes naturais no tratamento de água, efluentes líquidos e esgotos. Em suma, verificou-se que as questões que envolvem a pesquisa dos coagulantes naturais é um caminho ambientalmente correto, barato e um objetivo a ser alcançado, visto a grande demanda de tratamento de água e efluentes que ocorre ao redor do mundo.

Os surfactantes apresentam propriedades tensoativas e formação de micelas, são compostos moleculares com porções hidrofóbicas e hidrofilicas, atuando na redução das tensões superficiais/interfaciais. No entanto, provocam danos ambientais associados à sua produção e ao seu descarte. Com o aumento da consciência sustentável e emprego da química verde, novas tecnologias para a produção de biossurfactantes estão sendo desenvolvidas. Nesse contexto, o glicerol que é um resíduo gerado em grande quantidade, devido a crescente produção de biodiesel mundialmente, pode ser utilizado como substrato na produção de biossurfactantes. Diante disso, este trabalho teve como escopo realizar uma revisão bibliográfica sobre a utilização de glicerol, coproduto na síntese de biodiesel, como substrato na produção de biossurfactantes a partir de Bacillus subtilis. A presente pesquisa reuniu a análise qualitativa de dados bibliográficos relacionados a produção de biossurfactantes, fatores que a influenciam, especialmente, de aplicação na área ambiental. A partir da avaliação dos trabalhos publicados na área de interesse, o levantamento bibliográfico demonstrou que o glicerol é uma fonte de carbono promissora na produção de biossurfactante, se destacando quando comparado com outras fontes alternativas. Assim como, o surfactante sintetizado pelo B. subtilis, demonstrou similaridade com a surfactina comercial, e potencial em processo de biorremediação de ambiente, como o solo e a água contaminados por hidrocarbonetos, metais pesados e compostos oleosos. Surfactants have surface active properties and micelle formation, they are molecular compounds with hydrophobic and hydrophilic portions, acting to reduce surface/interfacial tensions. In this context, glycerol, which is a waste generated in large quantities due to the increasing production of biodiesel worldwide, can be used as a substrate in the production of biosurfactants. Therefore, this work had as scope to perform a literature review on the use of glycerol, co-product of biodiesel synthesis, as substrate in the production of biosurfactants from Bacillus subtilis. The present research gathered from the qualitative analysis of bibliographic data related to the production of biosurfactants, factors that influence it, especially, of application in the environmental area. From the evaluation of published works in the area of interest, the bibliographic survey showed that glycerol is a promising carbon source in the production of biosurfactant, standing out when compared to other alternative sources. As well, the surfactant synthesized by B. subtilis, showed similarity with commercial surfactin, and potential in environmental bioremediation process, such as soil and water contaminated by hydrocarbons, heavy metals and oily compounds. Los surfactantes tienen propiedades tensioactivas y formación de micelas, son compuestos moleculares con porciones hidrofóbicas e hidrofílicas, que actúan para reducir las tensiones superficiales/interfaciales. Sin embargo, causan daños ambientales asociados con su producción y eliminación. Con el aumento de la conciencia sostenible y el uso de la química verde, se están desarrollando nuevas tecnologías para la producción de biosurfactantes. En este contexto, el glicerol, que es un desecho generado en grandes cantidades, debido a la creciente producción de biodiesel a nivel mundial, puede ser utilizado como sustrato en la producción de biosurfactantes. Por lo tanto, este trabajo tuvo como objetivo realizar una revisión bibliográfica sobre el uso de glicerol, un coproducto en la síntesis de biodiesel, como sustrato en la producción de biosurfactantes a partir de Bacillus subtilis. La presente investigación recogió el análisis cualitativo de datos bibliográficos relacionados con la producción de biosurfactantes, factores que influyen en ella, especialmente, de aplicación en el área ambiental. A partir de la evaluación de trabajos publicados en el área de interés, el levantamiento bibliográfico mostró que el glicerol es una fuente de carbono promisoria en la producción de biosurfactantes, destacándose frente a otras fuentes alternativas. Asimismo, el surfactante sintetizado por B. subtilis mostró similitud con la surfactina comercial y potencial en procesos de biorremediación ambiental, como suelos y aguas contaminadas con hidrocarburos, metales pesados y compuestos aceitosos.

This study was to evaluate the biological activity of the extract of

Introdução: Microplásticos (MPCs) são fragmentos plásticos menores do que 5mm de diâmetro. Eles podem ser formados pela indústria (MPCs primários) ou de detritos gerados a partir dos macroplásticos (MPCs secundários). Objetivo: Essa revisão objetiva explorar a disponibilidade e os danos dos MCPs no ambiente, nos seres vivos e principalmente na saúde humana. Metodologia: Coleta de dados foi realizada no período de Outubro a Dezembro de 2017, nas bases eletrônicas: Scielo, Pubmed, Science Direct, Periódicos CAPES e Google Acadêmico, publicadas no período de 2008 à 2018. Resultados: Nos últimos anos essas partículas tiveram um aumento significativo no ambiente, conduzindo os estudiosos a realizarem diversos experimentos com intuito de verificar a abrangência, disponibilidade e impacto dos MPCs no meio-ambiente. Os seres-vivos têm se mostrado suscetíveis à absorção de MPCs, levando ao acúmulo destas partículas plásticas ao longo da cadeia alimentar podendo gerar consequências no ambiente. Várias pesquisas têm sido desenvolvidas em animais, entretanto, em humanos há uma grande escassez de trabalhos, necessitando de análises que visam entender a interação entre MPCs e o ser humano. Devido à dimensão que os MPCs alcançaram, alguns países criaram leis que proibiram o uso das microesferas em cosméticos. Conclusão: O Brasil ainda não possui leis que limitem o uso de microplásticos pelas indústrias e nem alternativas para a retirada desses fragmentos pelo tratamento da água, visto que eles já estão presentes nas águas brasileiras, assim é necessário o desenvolvimento de políticas públicas e alternativas sustentáveis para este problema.

In this work, the antibacterial activity of a crude extract of the endophytic fungus Flavodon flavus (JB257), isolated from leaves of Justicia brandegeana, was evaluated against both the vegetative and sporulated forms of Alicyclobacillus acidoterrestris. The microdilution technique was performed in order to determine the antibacterial activity of the crude extract alone as well as in combination with the bacteriocin, nisin. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of the crude extract and nisin alone against A. acidoterrestris vegetative forms were 250 μg/mL and 31.5 μg/mL, respectively, while the minimum bactericidal concentrations (MBC) were 1000 μg/mL and 62.5 μg/mL,respectively. For A. acidoterrestris spores, treatment with the crude extract at a concentration of 500 μg/mL caused a 47% reduction in growth, while nisin at 62.5 μg/mL could reduce 100% of the growth. The in vitro evaluation of the crude extract combined with nisin against A. acidoterrestris by the Checkerboard method showed a synergistic interaction between the two compounds. In addition, greater selectivity towards bacterial cells over host cells, a human hepatocyte cell line, was achieved when the crude extract was combined with nisin, Using scanning electron microscopy, interferences in the cell membrane of A. acidoterrestris could be observed after treatment with the crude extract. The results presented in this study indicate that the crude extract of the endophyte F. flavus has biotechnological potential in the food industry, especially for the treatment of orange juices through the control of A. acidoterrestris.

The contamination of water resources is one of modern society’s crucial problems. In fact, industries that discard their wastes in rivers and lakes are major polluting agents. The textile industry is a classic example since the disposal of its liquid effluents is highly colorful, due to incomplete fixing of dye to the textile fiber. Among the different biomarkers that can be used to monitor the aquatic environment, the plants have proven to be effective, especially cytotoxicity and cellular and chromosomal aberration test using Allium cepa L. Current experiments conducted on root meristematic cells of A. cepa were exposed to samples of crude and treated liquid effluents from the textile dyeing industry which caused a statistically significant inhibition of mitotic index, by chi-square test. Experiment showed that only treatment with water from the Cleopatra stream, located in Maringa-Parana-Brazil, in which waste of textile industry has been disposed, was not cytotoxic. Results show that treatments applied to textile effluents are inefficient with regard to non-degradation or to retention of substances with cytotoxic or mutagenic potential, although the physicochemical analysis of effluents shows significant decrease of the values of chemical demand and biochemical oxygen, nitrates, and nitrites after these treatments. Thus, it is important that preventive measures are to be taken in the textile in order to ensure the elimination of most of the controlled substances toxic effluents generated by these, minimizing the environmental effects of this industry.

Background Healthcare workers occupationally exposed to 18F-FDG cannot wear protective equipment, such as lead aprons, since the interaction between high energy radiation (511 keV) and metal increases the dose of radiation absorption. The objective of this study was to evaluate the shielding efficacy of a plastic polymer against the toxicogenomic effects of ionizing radiation in human lymphocytes, using cytokinesis-block micronucleus assays. Methods Human peripheral blood lymphocytes were isolated from three subjects and cultured under standard conditions. The cultures were exposed to 300 mCi of 18F-FDG at a distance of 10 cm for 10 min, in the absence of shielding or with lead, polymer, and lead + polymer shields. Results Lead shielding was found to increase the number of counts detected by Geiger-Müller radiation monitors as a consequence of the photoelectron effect. Conversely, the lead + polymer shield reduced the number of counts. The lead, polymer, and lead + polymer shields significantly reduced the frequency of micronuclei, nucleoplasmic bridges, and nuclear buds induced by ionizing radiation. Regarding cytotoxicity, only the lead + polymer shield re-established the cell cycle at the level observed for the negative control. Conclusions Lead aprons that are internally coated with polymer increased the radiological protection of individuals occupationally exposed to 18F-FDG PET/CT, especially during examinations.

The Buccal Micronucleus Cytome Assay (BMCyt) has become an important biomonitoring tool for assessing cytogenetic damage in many studied populations. Each laboratory applies protocols that vary according to the method of collecting and preparing samples. Besides, Brazil is a country of great territorial extensions that received immigrants from various parts of the world with different genetic backgrounds. Therefore, the present study aimed to evaluate the inter-laboratory variation in scoring the same set of slides using the more comprehensive scoring criteria, to standardize the BMCyt protocol, to observe the basal alterations in populations of different Brazilian regions and to compare it with other places around the world. Our results showed that a valuable number of laboratories participated, ten laboratories from different regions of the country, for the validation of the BMCyt in human biomonitoring studies, resulting in the 804 healthy individuals. This was possible because we observed: a range of measures needs to be considered, such as the baseline frequency of DNA damage and cell death in non-exposed individuals; age when grouped showed an influence on DNA damage, although when evaluated by group we did not see an influence; association between smoking habit and all endpoints of the BMCyt (except karyolytic cells) was evident; the basal MN frequency, in the majority of groups, follows those around the world; and the BMCyt was confirmed as a good health status biomarker. We emphasize the need for constant discussions on the parameters of cell death due to greater difficulty among the analyzers.

Hospital laundries are responsible for a significant part of the amount of wastewater that is generated in hospitals. Hospital laundry wastewater represents a complex mixture of chemicals that arouse concerns about possible environmental risks. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the cytotoxicity of different laundry effluents from the Regional University Hospital of Maringa, Parana, Brazil, on Allium cepa L. meristematic root cells. The effluents were characterised as rinsing, wetting, prewashing, washing, softening, wastewater (the effluent generated at the end of the washing process), the wastewater that was treated by physicochemical (PC) processes and the wastewater that was treated by advanced oxidation processes (PC + UV, PC + H2O2 and PC + UV/H2O2). The mitotic indexes were calculated by scoring 5000 cells per group and the statistical analyses were performed by one-way ANOVA, followed by Tukey’s post-test (α = 0.05). Results showed that the rinsing, wetting, prewashing and wastewater laundry effluents were cytotoxic at 24 h of exposure, significantly reducing the mitotic index. Despite the slight cytotoxicity of the PC + UV/H2O2 treatment, physicochemical and advanced oxidation processes efficiently reduced the critical parameters of wastewater, such as the biochemical and chemical oxygen demands, to tolerable levels of effluent discharge. It is essential to perform constant monitoring of these effluents in order to reduce the possible occurrence of environmental impacts.

The demands imposed by today’s world require a fast and efficient society, then, significant section of the population looks for support from psychotropic medicine. Modafinil is a psychostimulant t...

Large amounts of by-products are generated during fish processing. The study aimed to assess whether tilapia scales are a potential source for obtaining glycosaminoglycans, as well as to determine their anticoagulant and cytotoxic/antiproliferative activities, against different tumor lines. The glycosaminoglycans were extracted, purified, and fractionated. The fractions that indicated the presence of uronic acid and sulfated GAGs were characterized by electrophoresis, NMR, and degree of sulfation (DS). The extraction process using the papain enzyme had a yield of 0.86%. Fraction V (FV) revealed the presence of chondroitin sulfate chains CS-A and CS-C, with DS of 0.146. FV demonstrated anticoagulant potential, as it was able to increase aPTT time. FV showed a cytotoxic effect for HTC metabolizing cells at 24, 48, and 72 h. However, it did not show activity for neuroblastoma cells in any of the evaluated times. The results indicate that the tilapia scales are a possible source for obtaining chondroitin sulfate, with potential use as anticoagulant and cytotoxic/antitumor.

A vitivinicultura é uma atividade economicamente importante no mundo globalizado, gerando emprego, renda e investimentos. As uvas são consideradas como uma das maiores fontes de compostos fenólicos, contendo ainda compostos flavonoides e não-flavonoides na sua composição, a se destacar o resveratrol. O consumo das uvas pode ser in natura, ou na forma de derivados como vinhos, sucos, geleias, dentre outros. Entretanto, o processamento das uvas gera vários resíduos, como o engaço, a borra e em maior quantidade o bagaço, que é formado principalmente de cascas e sementes. Da mesma forma que existem compostos benéficos na polpa da fruta, muitos antioxidantes e outros compostos ainda permanecem nestes resíduos. Assim, dentre as inúmeras propriedades medicinais das uvas e dos extratos produzidos desta ou de seus resíduos, pode-se citar: auxiliar no tratamento de hemorragias, dor de garganta, diarreia, cólera, varíola, náuseas, infecções nos olhos e pele, doenças cardiovasculares, hipertensão, auxílio do tratamento da doença de Alzheimer e Parkinson, dentre outras. Além disso, apresentam atividade citotóxica contra células cancerígenas, efeito quimiopreventivo, proteção contra os radicais livres, a peroxidação lipídica e a danos no ácido desoxirribonucleico, além de atividade antimutagênica....

Nas ultimas decadas, a qualidade da agua do Rio do Peixe, localizado no interior do Estado de Sao Paulo, esta diminuindo, principalmente porque o rio vem sofrendo com o desmatamento feito as suas margens, o que provocou o assoreamento e permitiu o despejo de todos os tipos de residuos, em especial das industrias que ficam ao seu redor. Assim, o objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o potencial citotoxico das aguas do Rio do Peixe, coletadas em quatro propriedades rurais localizadas em Garca–SP (nascente), Tupa-SP, Florida Paulista-SP e Ouro Verde-SP (jusante), usando como sistema teste vegetal as celulas meristematicas de raiz de Allium cepa L. Os resultados obtidos mostraram que todas as amostras das aguas coletadas nao apresentaram efeito citotoxico apos 24 horas de tratamento. Entretanto, as amostras obtidas em Tupa, Florida Paulista e Ouro Verde (jusante) foram mutagenicas, pois causaram o aparecimento de alteracoes nas celulas, principalmente, dos tipos metafases-colchicinicas, anafases desorganizadas, multipolares e com ponte cromatidica, alem de celulas micronucleadas. Portanto, os resultados obtidos alertam para o perigo eminente que os efluentes lancados indiscriminadamente no ambiente, de rios e lagos, podem representar nao so aos organismos que ali habitam, mas a todos os outros que dele dependem, seja para lazer, limpeza, higiene ou alimentacao.

Background: Breast cancer is associated with a high mortality rate around the world due to its aggressiveness and highly resistance to conventional therapies. Sanguinarine (SAN) and Chelerythrine (CHE) are plant alkaloids extracted from Sanguinaria canadensis and Macleaya cordata, which have been studied for their bioactivities. Objective: To determine the anticancer activities of Sanguinarine (SAN) and Chelerythrine (CHE) plant alkaloids. Method: It was performed the MTT assay, the alkaline comet assay and cell cycle analyses by flow cytometry. Results: It was observed that SAN was cytotoxic to human breast adenocarcinoma cells (MCF-7) at concentrations of 7.5 µM (24 and 48 hours), effectively reducing cell viability from the concentration of 10 µM for 24 hours and 7.5 µM for 48 hours, by the MTT test. CHE, in turn, was cytotoxic at concentrations of 10 and 20 µM (48 hours), but did not compromise the cellular viability. The comet assay indicated that SAN was genotoxic to the MCF-7 cells, with a significant increment of damage at 10 µM, while none of the tested concentrations of CHE showed a genotoxic effect. The flow cytometry analysis indicated that no cell cycle arrest was caused by both alkaloids, but SAN 10 µM induced a sub-G1 cell population. Conclusion: The results of cytotoxicity, genotoxicity and cell cycle monitoring that are presented in this paper have suggested that SAN has more of a chemotherapeutic activity, as well as having the potential for the development of new therapies for breast cancer, when compared to CHE.

Industrial laundries have water as one of their main inputs and they release effluents in large amounts, with a high polluting load, which are usually discarded into the environment, or they are insufficiently treated for release into the neighboring water bodies. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficiencies of the biological treatments in an industrial textile laundry and their environmental impact on the surface waters of the stream where the dump is usually made, by using cytotoxicity tests on the meristematic root cells of Allium cepa L. The results have shown, for the most part, that the treated effluents over a period of 24 h showed reductions in their mitotic index. The treatments on the raw effluents showed cytotoxic effects when compared to control, with cell division recoveries after 24 h in the waters. Cytotoxic effects were additionally observed in the stream waters, at a point before the dump, indicating that they received a pollutant load, before the effluent disposal site of the evaluated industrial laundry. Notably, the treatments that were being applied by the industrial laundry were effective throughout the processing, reducing the concentrations of the toxic substances. When considering the data presented, it is now understood that there is a constant need for the evaluation of industrial effluents, as well as for the waters of the streams and the rivers that receive these disposals, in order to preserve and maintain the quality of the waters, the organisms, and consequently, the ecosystems.

The use of medicinal plants dates back to the beginning of humanity, and today their application as complementary therapy has been widely disseminated as an alternative to conventional therapy. The medicinal plant named Uncaria tomentosa (Willd.) DC. (known as cat's claw) is a common woody vine of the Amazon forest that has traditionally been used in the treatment of arthritis because of its anti-inflammatory properties. This study aimed to evaluate the cytotoxic, mutagenic, and antimutagenic potentials of this medicinal plant. The biological activities of U. tomentosa were determined on bone marrow cells of Wistar rats that were treated in vivo. For the cytotoxic and mutagenic analyses, aqueous plant extract solutions were administered by gavage (1, 2, or 3 mg/mL) for 24 h (an acute treatment) or 7 days (a subchronic treatment). For the antimutagenic analyses, aqueous plant extract solutions (1 mg/mL) were administered by gavage before (pretreatment), simultaneous to (simultaneous treatment), or after (post-treatment), the administration of cyclophosphamide (1.5 mg/mL). U. tomentosa did not show any cytotoxic or mutagenic effects in any of the cytological or chromosomal analyses. Besides, the antimutagenic tests showed that the plant extracts displayed antimutagenic activities, which significantly reduced the percentages of the chromosomal aberrations that were induced by cyclophosphamide at 53.91, 58.60, and 57.03%, respectively, for the simultaneous treatment, pretreatment, and post-treatment. The results suggested a safe use of this herbal medicine that is available free of charge from the Brazilian Public Health System for the treatment of arthritis. This medicinal plant can also effectively contribute to improving the quality of life and the recovery of people undergoing chemotherapeutical treatments.

Vitexin is a C-glycosylated flavone found in various medicinal plants with several proven biological properties such as anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, antimicrobial, cytotoxic, and antioxidant activities. Considering that the human population consumes many foods that contain this flavonoid, the objective of this study was to investigate the genotoxic and the antigenotoxic potentials of vitexin by the SMART (Somatic Mutation and Recombination Test) in Drosophila melanogaster wings, in vivo. To evaluate the genotoxic activity, larvae obtained from standard (ST) and high bioactivation (HB) crosses were chronically treated with different concentrations of vitexin (0.15, 0.3, and 0.6 mM). For the evaluation of antigenotoxic activity, the same vitexin concentrations were associated with two damage inducing agents: doxorubicin (0.2 mM) and benzo[a]pyrene (1.0 mM). The results obtained for genotoxic activity showed that vitexin did not induce a statistically significant increment in the frequency of mutant spots, when compared to control. The results for the evaluation of antigenotoxicity indicated that the flavonoid statistically reduced the frequency of mutant spots, when compared to those treated with only the damage inducing agents. Thus, this article presents results that have demonstrated the antigenotoxic activity of vitexin, which could be applied in new studies for the development of drugs with chemoprotective effects.

Gentisic acid (GA) exhibits antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antibiotic activities. This substance can be found in citrus fruits, grapes, olive oil, and peas. Considering that there are few studies in the literature on the toxicity of GA, the present work aimed to investigate its cytotoxic, mutagenic, and antimutagenic activities on HTC cells. GA was diluted in culture medium at the final concentration of 0.08, 0.16, 0.8, 1.6, and 8 μg/mL. The cytotoxicity was determined by the MTT assay and Trypan Blue exclusion method, with methyl methanesulfonate and doxorubicin as positive controls, respectively. The cytokinesis-block micronucleus assay determined the mutagenic/antimutagenic activity with benzo[a]pyrene as positive control. Negative control received culture medium only. GA (0.08-8 μg/mL) was not cytotoxic to HTC cells by the MTT assay nor the Trypan Blue exclusion method as no statistical difference was observed when compared to the control. Concentration of 0.08 and 0.8 μg/mL showed no mutagenic or clastogenic effects, as no significant micronuclei inductions were observed, different from 8 μg/mL, that was mutagenic. Furthermore, none of the concentrations presented an antiproliferative activity. The antimutagenic activity of GA (0.08 μg/mL) was observed at the simultaneous treatment, as it reduced the frequency of micronuclei by 76% (24 h) and 79% (48 h). Although pre- and post-treatments were not statistically different from the mutagen, they reduced the induced-damage by 11% and 21%, respectively. The present study indicated the absence of cytotoxicity and antiproliferative activities of GA, in addition to their antimutagenic/protective effects that may contribute to human health.

20 p.-2 fig.-3 tab., This study reports the characterization and antiproliferative activity of exopolysaccharides (EPS) produced by submerged cultures of the endophytes Diaporthe sp. JF766998 and Diaporthe sp. JF767007 isolated from the medicinal plant Piper hispidum Sw. Both strains secreted a crude EPS that, upon size exclusion chromatography, showed to contain a heteropolysaccharide (galactose, glucose and mannose) and a high-molecular weight glucan. Data from methylation analysis, FTIR and NMR spectroscopy (1H, COSY, TOCSY and HSQC-DEPT) indicated that the purified glucan consisted of a main chain of glucopyranosyl β-(1 → 3) linkages substituted at O-6 by glucosyl residues. According to MTT assay, some treatments of both β-glucans have antiproliferative activity against human breast carcinoma (MCF-7) and hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG2-C3A) cells after 24 and 48 h of treatment, exhibiting a degree of inhibition ratio that reached the highest values at 400 μg/mL: 58.0% (24 h) and 74.6% (48 h) for MCF-7 cells, and 61.0% (24 h) and 83.3% (48 h) for HepG2-C3A cells. These results represent the first reports on the characterization and antiproliferative effect of β-glucans from Diaporthe species and also expand the knowledge about bioactive polysaccharides from endophytic sources., The authors are grateful to Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq; 311534/2014-7 and 447265/2014-8), Fundação Araucária (276/2014) and Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP; 05/53879-3) for financial support.