Renata Antonaci Gama

Patent Literature on Mosquito Repellent Inventions which Contain Plant Essential Oils – A Review

Bites Bites of mosquitoes belonging to the genera Anopheles Meigen, Aedes Meigen, Culex L. and Haemagogus L. are a general nuisance and are responsible for the transmission of important tropical diseases such as malaria, hemorrhagic dengue and yellow fevers and filariasis (elephantiasis). Plants are traditional sources of mosquito repelling essential oils (EOs), glyceridic oils and repellent and synergistic chemicals. A Chemical Abstracts search on mosquito repellent inventions containing plant-derived EOs revealed 144 active patents mostly from Asia. Chinese, Japanese and Korean language patents and those of India (in English) accounted for roughly 3/4 of all patents. Since 1998 patents on EO-containing mosquito repellent inventions have almost doubled about every 4 years. In general, these patents describe repellent compositions for use in topical agents, cosmetic products, incense, fumigants, indoor and outdoor sprays, fibers, textiles among other applications. 67 EOs and 9 glyceridic oils were individually cited in at least 2 patents. Over 1/2 of all patents named just one EO. Citronella [Cymbopogon nardus (L.) Rendle, C.winterianus Jowitt ex Bor] and eucalyptus (Eucalyptus LʼHér. spp.) EOs were each cited in approximately 1/3 of all patents. Camphor [Cinnamomum camphora (L.) J. Presl], cinnamon (Cinnamomum zeylanicum Blume), clove [Syzygium aromaticum (L.) Merr. & L.M. Perry], geranium (Pelargonium graveolens LʼHér.), lavender (Lavandula angustifolia Mill.), lemon [Citrus × limon (L.) Osbeck], lemongrass [Cymbopogon citratus (DC.) Stapf] and peppermint (Mentha × piperita L.) EOs were each cited in > 10% of patents. Repellent chemicals present in EO compositions or added as pure “natural” ingredients such as geraniol, limonene, p-menthane-3,8-diol, nepetalactone and vanillin were described in approximately 40% of all patents. About 25% of EO-containing inventions included or were made to be used with synthetic insect control agents having mosquito repellent properties such as pyrethroids, N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide (DEET), (±)-p-menthane-3,8-diol (PMD) and dialkyl phthalates. Synergistic effects involving one or more EOs and synthetic and/or natural components were claimed in about 10% of all patents. Scientific literature sources provide evidence for the mosquito repellency of many of the EOs and individual chemical components found in EOs used in patented repellent inventions.

FTIR microspectroscopy coupled with variable selection methods for the identification of flunitrazepam in necrophagous flies

The detection and identification of a drug in a corpse through the analysis of fly larvae feeding on the body by spectroscopic techniques promises to be of great value, because of their sensitivity, promptness, low cost and simplicity. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to develop a method based on Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) microscopy to identify and discriminate flunitrazepam in necrophagous flies (Chrysomya megacephala, Chrysomya albiceps and Cochliomyia macellaria) as a non-invasive and non-destructive technique. Thirty-two Wistar mice were divided into two groups of sixteen and supplemented in two categories: group 1 – ethanol; and group 2 – standard flunitrazepam at a dose of 2 mg kg−1. Spectra from the larvae samples were analyzed by principal component analysis-linear discriminant analysis (PCA-LDA), and variable selection techniques such as successive projection algorithm (SPA-LDA) and genetic algorithm (GA-LDA) to determine if control versus flunitrazepam could be segregated. In addition, the multivariate classification accuracy results were tested based on sensitivity, specificity, positive (or precision) and negative predictive values, Youden index, and positive and negative likelihood ratios. For control vs. flunitrazepam category, the sensitivity and specificity levels, using 46 wavenumbers by SPA-LDA, gave relatively good accuracy (up to 82.3% control vs. flunitrazepam). The resulting GA-LDA model also successfully classified both classes with respect to the main biochemical alterations induced by flunitrazepam using only 40 wavenumbers (up to 88.2% control vs. flunitrazepam). Compared to classical methods, this new approach could represent an alternative and an innovative tool for faster and cheaper evaluation in entomotoxicology.

Use of maggot therapy for treating a diabetic foot ulcer colonized by multidrug resistant bacteria in Brazil

This study reports the efficacy of maggot therapy in the treatment of diabetic foot ulcer infected with multidrug resistant microorganisms. A 74 year old female patient with diabetes for over 30 years, was treated with maggot therapy using larvae of Chrysomya megacephala. The microbiological samples were collected to evaluate aetiology of the infection. The therapy done for 43 days resulted in a reduction of necrosis and the ulcers retraction of 0.7 cm2 in area. Analysis of the bacteriological swabs revealed the presence of Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Further studies need to be done to confirm the role of maggot therapy in wound healing using a large sample and a proper study design.

First Record of Anopheles oryzalimnetes, Anopheles argyritarsis, and Anopheles sawyeri (Diptera: Culicidae) in the Caatinga Biome, Semiarid Scrubland of Sergipe State, Brazil

ABSTRACT Caatinga is one of the least known biomes of Brazil in relation to biodiversity. The dry condition of semiarid areas has been associated in the past with low richness of fauna and flora, not encouraging studies in this region. There is a lack of mosquito records including anophelines. Thus, to investigate the biodiversity of Anopheles mosquitoes in the Caatinga biome, we collected immature mosquitoes in aquatic habitats in a conservation reserve located in the northwestern portion of Sergipe state. The captured specimens were initially identified as Anopheles albitarsis l.s. and Anopheles argyritarsis l.s. To confirm the morphological identification, sequences were generated by cytochrome oxidase subunit I mitocondrial gene. The results showed that the specimens belong to the species Anopheles oryzalimnetes, An. argyritarsis, and Anopheles sawyeri. These are the first records of these species in this region. The presence of Anopheles in the Caatinga biome, which is characterized by arid and semiarid climatic conditions, encourages the interest in the study of biological, physiological, and behavioral adaptations, selected over time, which allow these mosquito populations to survive through the long periods of drought that is characteristic of this region.

Fauna of Culicidae in rural areas of Porto Velho and the first record of Mansonia (Mansonia) flaveola (Coquillet, 1906), for the state of Rondônia, Brazil

INTRODUCTION Knowledge concerning the fauna of Culicidae in the Brazilian Amazon States contributes to current understanding of the bionomics of the insects collected and makes it possible to observe changes in the fauna over time. METHODS The Culicidae were captured with a BG-Sentinel® trap in extra-domiciliary area of two rural regions of Porto Velho in June and July of 2007 and 2008. RESULTS A total of 10,695 Culicidae was collected, belonging to nine genera: Coquillettidia, Culex, Mansonia, Psorophora, Aedes, Aedeomyia, Anopheles, Uranotaenia and Wyeomyia. CONCLUSIONS The presence of Mansonia (Mansonia) flaveola was recorded in the State of Rondônia for the first time.

Checklist of Mosquito Species (Diptera: Culicidae) in the Rio Grande do Norte State, Brazil—Contribution of Entomological Surveillance

Abstract The distribution of mosquito species in Rio Grande do Norte state, Brazil, was compiled from published data mid-2016 and a review of specimens deposited in the entomological collection of the Entomology Laboratory of the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte. The existing records exist for 40 of the 167 municipalities in the state. The specimens in the Entomology Laboratory were collected using Shannon traps and by active search for immature individuals and from aquatic habitats using standard methods, in preserved Atlantic Forest and Caatinga remnants, located in urban and rural areas of the state. In total were recorded 76 species distributed into 25 subgenera, 15 genera, nine tribes, and two subfamilies, in addition to 15 new species records for the state.The distribution of mosquito species in Rio Grande do Norte state, Brazil, was compiled from published data mid-2016 and a review of specimens deposited in the entomological collection of the Entomology Laboratory of the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte. The existing records exist for 40 of the 167 municipalities in the state. The specimens in the Entomology Laboratory were collected using Shannon traps and by active search for immature individuals and from aquatic habitats using standard methods, in preserved Atlantic Forest and Caatinga remnants, located in urban and rural areas of the state. In total were recorded 76 species distributed into 25 subgenera, 15 genera, nine tribes, and two subfamilies, in addition to 15 new species records for the state.

Near Infrared Spectroscopy as an Emerging Tool for Forensic Entomotoxicology

Leomir Aires Silva de Lima, Tainá C. Baia, Renata A. Gama, Luiz Henrique da Silva Gasparotto and Kássio M.G. Lima Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Instituto de Química, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Química, Grupo de Pesquisa em Química Biológica e Quimiometria, CEP 59072–970 – Natal, RN, Brazil. E-mail: kassiolima@gmail.com.br Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Departamento de Microbiologia e Parasitologia, CEP 59072–970 – Natal, RN, Brazil

Community of Chewing Lice (Phthiraptera: Amblycera and Ischnocera) Parasites of Resident Birds at the Archipelago of São Pedro and São Paulo in Northeast Brazil

ABSTRACT The current study describes the chewing lice community associated with seabird populations resident at the São Pedro and São Paulo Archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean in Pernambuco State, Brazil. Adults of three species of seabirds were captured using hand-nets for the collection of biometric data and specimens of ectoparasites. In total, 320 birds were examined (120 Sula leucogaster (Boddaert), Brown Booby; 120 Anous stolidus (L.), - Brown Noddy; and 80 Anous minutus Boie, Black Noddy) of which 95% were infested with 8,625 chewing lice, representing eight species of the genera Actornithophilus, Austromenopon, Eidmanniella, Pectinopygus, Quadraceps, and Saemundssonia. On S. leucogaster, Pectinopygus garbei (Pessôa & Guimarães) was more prevalent and had a mean and median intensity of infestation significantly greater than those recorded for Eidmanniella albescens (Piaget). On the two Noddies, the species of Actornithophilus and Quadraceps were significantly more prevalent and abundant than Austromenopon atrofulvum (Piaget) and Saemundssonia remota Timmermann Most of the louse species had a highly aggregated distribution, with k exponent of the negative binomial distribution ranging from 0.04 to 3.06. A weak but significant correlation was found between the abundance of chewing lice and morphometric variables (body weight, wing, beak, tail, and tarsus lengths). It is possible that high rates of infestation have a negative effect on the morphological characteristics of the hosts, including the health of the plumage. All the lice species collected— except for P. garbei (ex S. leucogaster)—were reported for the first time from Brazilian populations of these seabird species.

Identification Using Classification Analysis of Flunitrazepam in Necrophagous Larvae via Differential Pulse Voltammetry and Fluorescence Excitation-Emission Matrix (EEM) Spectroscopy

The use of insects to identify drugs in a cadaver has often been explored in the field of entomotoxicology. There are accurate methods; however, they require a high cost and are very time-consuming. The objective of this study was to develop two methods based on differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) and fluorescence excitation-emission matrix (EEM) spectroscopy to classify necrophagous larvae (Chrysomya megacephala, C. albiceps, Lucilia sp. and Cochliomyia macellaria) containing flunitrazepam. The voltammograms of larval extract samples were analyzed by principal component analysis (PCA), successive projection algorithm (SPA) and genetic algorithm (GA): linear and quadratic discriminant analysis (LDA and QDA). The EEM fluorescence data from larval extract samples were analyzed by 2D and parallel factor analysis (PARAFAC) with LDA. These results suggest that DPV and EEM combined with chemometrics can be used as tools for the classification of flunitrazepam in fly larvae presenting innovative applications.

The Effect of Flunitrazepam (Rohypnol) on the Development of Chrysomya megacephala (Fabricius, 1794) (Diptera: Calliphoridae) and its Implications for Forensic Entomology

This study investigated the potential effects of flunitrazepam (known as “date rape drug”) on the developmental cycle of Chrysomya megacephala, an important forensic species, and their possible implications for the calculation of the PMI. A 1050 C. megacephala eggs were divided into five groups with seven replications each. The eggs were placed on artificial diet prepared with four drug concentrations of flunitrazepam (4, 8, 16, and 32 ng/g), besides the control group (prepared with water). Were evaluated the potential effects on development time, weight gain, and mortality during the cycles. The drug had no significant effect on development time or mortality although it did affect the weight of the pupae and adults (Kruskal–Wallis, p < 0.05). The result can be deduced that the determination of the postmortem interval is not affected.