Pedro Roosevelt Torres Romão

Ocorrência de protozoários e helmintos em amostras de fezes de cães errantes da Cidade de Itapema, Santa Catarina

Samples of feces from dogs seized by the health surveillance program of Itapema city, SC, were studied. From 158 samples examined 121 (76.6%) were positive, with a prevalence of Ancylostoma spp (70.9%), followed by Toxocara canis (14.5%), Trichuris vulpis (13.9%), Isospora spp (6.3%) and Dipylidium caninum (1.9%).

Emotional behavior in middle-aged rats: Implications for geriatric psychopathologies

Clinical findings reveal that middle-aged patients are more susceptible to suffer from psychiatric disorders than older ones. However, little is known about the emotional behavior of aging rodents. This study aimed to investigate behavioral alterations in male middle-aged Wistar rats in the open-field (OF) test (at illuminated and dimly light conditions), elevated plus maze (EPM), forced swimming (FST) and inhibitory avoidance task (IA). In the EPM, middle-aged rats displayed reduced percentages of the time spent in and entries into open arms. The ambulatory activity measured in the OF under dimly light conditions was identical among groups. However, under illuminated conditions, a reduction in the number of crossings was detected in older rats, reinforcing that aged animals display a genuine anxiogenic-like phenotype. Additionally, aged rats showed an increase in the immobility time in the FST, and a reduction in the latency to step down the platform in the IA. A negative correlation was found between the immobility time and latency to step down the platform, suggesting a relationship between depressive-behavior and cognitive impairment in old rats. Altogether, male middle-aged rats are more anxious, depressed, and display aversive memory impairments. These observations contribute to investigate biological mechanisms and therapeutic interventions for geriatric anxiety and depression.

Young Pregnant Women Living with HIV/AIDS in Criciuma, Southern Brazil, Are Infected Almost Exclusively with HIV Type 1 Clade C

Southern Brazil has the highest prevalence rate of AIDS in the country and is the only region in the Americas where HIV-1 C prevails. Metropolitan areas and harbor cities have been evaluated, but limited information is available for small towns and specific populations. We studied women attending the obstetric outpatient clinic of Criciuma, State of Santa Catarina in 2007 to evaluate the molecular epidemiology of HIV-1 among pregnant women living with HIV/AIDS. Forty-two cases had partial pol gene sequenced and additional partial gag and/or env genes from nine women. HIV subtyping was evaluated by phylogenetic methods and antiretroviral (ARV) drug resistance mutations (DRMs) at the Stanford Database. DRMs to one or more ARV class was observed in 20/42, 48% of cases, with 15/41, 37% with viral load <500 copies/ml. Subtype C at pol was identified in 33/42, 78.6% (95% CI: 64-89%), C mosaics (CB, CF) in 2, 4.8% (95% CI: 0.8-19%), F in 4, 9.5% (95% CI: 3-21%), and B in 3, 7.1% (95% CI: 1.8-18%). Discordance in concatenated gag/pol/env or intraregion mosaic was observed in 1/9, 11% of HIV-1 C genomes. The proportion of HIV-1 C in this study is the highest rate described in the Americas. Molecular surveillance in specific populations is instrumental for a better understanding of the Brazilian HIV epidemic.

Ocorrência de cães errantes soropositivos para Leptospira spp. na Cidade de Itapema, Santa Catarina, Brasil

This study aimed to verify Leptospira spp. serovar infections in stray dogs in Itapema, Santa Catarina, Brazil. Serum samples were collected from 590 stray dogs and tested against 25 Leptospira spp. serovars using the microscopic agglutination test. Prevalence of anti-leptospiral antibodies against one or more serovars was 10.5%. The most frequent serovar was pyrogenes, positive in 26 (18.0%) samples, followed by canicola with 20 (13.8%) and icterohaemorragiae and copenhageni with 18 (12.5%, with antibody titers from 1:100 to 1:3,200). Significant prevalence (10.4 to 11.1%) was also detected against serovars castellonis, butembo, and grippothyphosa.

LARVICIDAL EFFECT OF ANDIROBA OIL, CARAPA GUIANENSIS(MELIACEAE), AGAINST AEDES AEGYPTI

ABSTRACT The aim of this work was to evaluate the larvicidal effect of andiroba oil, Carapa guyanensis, against 2 strains of Aedes aegypti. After 8 h after exposure to oil, the lethal concentration (LC)90 and LC95 values for the GCZ (temephos-resistant) strain larvae were 80 and 86 ppm (1st instars), 98 and 106 (2nd instars), 166 and 182 (3rd instars), and 192 and 202 ppm (4th instars), respectively. TheLC90 and LC95 values for the Rockefeller strain larvae were 164 and 182 ppm (1st instars), 212 and 224 (2nd instars), 210 and 226 (3rd instars), and 450 and 490 ppm (4th instars), respectively. Comparison of the 2 laboratory strains of Ae. aegypti in the present study demonstrated significant variation in the susceptibility of larvae to andiroba oil. Whether a higher susceptibility of field populations of Ae. aegypti to andiroba oil occurs remains to be investigated.

NOP Receptor Ligands as Potential Agents for Inflammatory and Autoimmune Diseases

Nociceptin/orphanin FQ (N/OFQ) is a seventeen-amino acid peptide that is the endogenous ligand of a G-protein-coupled receptor (NOP). Various immune cells express the precursor protein and secrete N/OFQ as well as display binding sites for this peptide. The functional capacity of NOP receptor was demonstrated in vitro and in vivo studies by the ability of N/OFQ to induce chemotaxis of immune cells, to regulate the expression of cytokines and other inflammatory mediators, and to control cellular and humoral immunity. In this context, N/OFQ could modulate the outcome of some inflammatory diseases, such as sepsis and autoimmune pathologies by mechanisms not clearly elucidated yet. In fact, human body fluid revealed increased levels of N/OFQ under sepsis, arthritis, and Parkinsons diagnose. Preclinical studies pointed to the blockade of NOP receptor signaling as successful in treating these experimental conditions. Further preclinical and clinical studies are required to investigate the potential of NOP ligands in treating inflammatory diseases.

Pharmacological Perspectives of Wasp Venom

Venoms of several animals have been used to study various physiopathologic processes, and also to offer opportunity to design and develop new therapeutic drugs. We briefly review certain wasp venom components and their biological effects, which may be potential sources of novel pharmacologically active compounds.

Leishmanicidal activity of lipophilic extracts of some Hypericum species

UNLABELLED Leishmaniasis has emerged as the third most prevalent parasite-borne disease worldwide after malaria and filariasis, with about 350 million people at risk of infection. Antileishmanial drugs currently available have various limitations, mainly because of the parasite resistance and side effects. The search of new antileishmanial drugs is ventured throughout the world. PURPOSE The purpose of this study was to assess the leishmanicidal activity of lipophilic extracts of eight Hypericum species against promastigote forms of Leishmania (Leishmania) amazonensis. MATERIAL AND METHODS The dried and powered materials of aerial parts of H. andinum Gleason, H. brevistylum Choisy, H. caprifoliatum Cham. & Schltdl., H. carinatum Griseb., H. linoides A. St.-Hil., H. myrianthum Cham. & Schltdl., H. polyanthemum Klotzsch ex Reichardt and H. silenoides Juss. were extracted by static maceration with n-hexane. Extracts were evaporated to dryness under reduced pressure and stored at -20°C until biological evaluation and HPLC analysis. The metabolites investigated were dimeric phloroglucinol derivatives, benzophenones and benzopyrans. The yields were expressed as mean of three injections in mg of compound per g of extract (mg/g extract). The effect of Hypericum species on the viability of infective forms of L. (L.) amazonensis was determined using a hemocytometer. Amphotericin B was used as a standard drug. The 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50) values for each extract were determined by linear regression analysis. The cytotoxic effects of extracts were assessed on peritoneal macrophages of BALB/c mice by MTT assay. The concentration that causes 50% of macrophage cytotoxicity (CC50) was determined by linear regression analysis. The selectivity index (SI) of the extracts was determined considering the following equation: CC50 against mammalian cells/IC50 against L. amazonensis. RESULTS We demonstrated that H. carinatum, H. linoides and H. polyanthemum were able to kill the parasites in a dose dependent manner. These extracts presented low cytotoxicity against murine macrophages. At 48h of incubation H. polyanthemum presented significant leishmanicidal activity with a 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50) of 36.1µg/ml. The leishmanicidal activity of H. myrianthum was significantly lower than that presented by H. polyanthemum, H. carinatum and H. linoides extracts. H. brevistylum and H. caprifoliatum showed significant leishmanicidal activity only at high concentrations (500 and 1000µg/ml), while H. andinum and H. silenoides were ineffective. CONCLUSION The promising results demonstrate the importance of the species of the genus Hypericum as source of compounds potentially useful for the treatment of leishmaniasis.

Oxidative stress in mice treated with antileishmanial meglumine antimoniate

In order to improve the understanding of the toxicity of pentavalent antimony (Sb(V)), we investigated the acute effects of meglumine antimoniate (MA) on the oxidative stress in heart, liver, kidney, spleen and brain tissue of mice. Levels of lipoperoxidation and protein carbonylation were measured to evaluate the oxidative status, whereas superoxide dismutase/catalase activity and glutathione levels were recorded to examine the antioxidative status. We observed that MA caused significant protein carbonylation in the heart, spleen and brain tissue. Increased lipoperoxidation was found in the liver and brain tissue. An imbalance between superoxide dismutase and catalase activities could be observed in heart, liver, spleen and brain tissue. Our results suggest that MA causes oxidative stress in several vital organs of mice. This indicates that the production of highly reactive oxygen and nitrogen species induced by MA might be involved in some of its toxic adverse effects.

Clinical Oxidative Stress during Leprosy Multidrug Therapy: Impact of Dapsone Oxidation

This study aims to assess the oxidative stress in leprosy patients under multidrug therapy (MDT; dapsone, clofazimine and rifampicin), evaluating the nitric oxide (NO) concentration, catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities, glutathione (GSH) levels, total antioxidant capacity, lipid peroxidation, and methemoglobin formation. For this, we analyzed 23 leprosy patients and 20 healthy individuals from the Amazon region, Brazil, aged between 20 and 45 years. Blood sampling enabled the evaluation of leprosy patients prior to starting multidrug therapy (called MDT 0) and until the third month of multidrug therapy (MDT 3). With regard to dapsone (DDS) plasma levels, we showed that there was no statistical difference in drug plasma levels between multibacillary (0.518±0.029 µg/mL) and paucibacillary (0.662±0.123 µg/mL) patients. The methemoglobin levels and numbers of Heinz bodies were significantly enhanced after the third MDT-supervised dose, but this treatment did not significantly change the lipid peroxidation and NO levels in these leprosy patients. In addition, CAT activity was significantly reduced in MDT-treated leprosy patients, while GSH content was increased in these patients. However, SOD and Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity levels were similar in patients with and without treatment. These data suggest that MDT can reduce the activity of some antioxidant enzyme and influence ROS accumulation, which may induce hematological changes, such as methemoglobinemia in patients with leprosy. We also explored some redox mechanisms associated with DDS and its main oxidative metabolite DDS-NHOH and we explored the possible binding of DDS to the active site of CYP2C19 with the aid of molecular modeling software.