Diversos estudos têm investigado as propriedades antinociceptivas, imunomoduladoras e anti-inflamatórias dos compostos encontrados no óleo essencial de lavanda (OEL), contudo, até o momento, ainda faltam dados mais substanciais. O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar os efeitos antioxidantes, anti-inflamatórios e antinociceptivos do óleo essencial de lavanda. Para avaliação da atividade antioxidante foi realizado o ensaio de descoloração do radical 1,1-difenil-2-picrilhidrazil. A atividade anti-inflamatória foi testada utilizando dois modelos de inflamação aguda: indução de pleurisia por carragenina e edema de orelha induzido pela aplicação de óleo de cróton. A atividade antinociceptiva foi avaliada utilizando o modelo de dor provocada por formalina. OEL apresenta atividade antioxidante, sendo esta resposta dose-dependente. A resposta inflamatória provocada pela carragenina e pelo óleo de cróton foi reduzida com o pré-tratamento dos animais com OEL. No modelo de pleurisia, a droga usada como controle positivo, dexametasona, foi mais eficaz. Entretanto, no edema de orelha, o efeito antiedematogênico do óleo foi similar ao observado na dexametasona. No teste da formalina, o OEL inibiu consistentemente a nocicepção espontânea e apresentou efeito similar ao do tramadol. Os resultados deste estudo revelam a atividade (invivo) analgésica e anti-inflamatória do OEL, demonstrando seu importante potencial terapêutico.

Several studies have investigated the antinociceptive, immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory properties of compounds found in the lavender essential oil (LEO), however to date, there is still lack of substantial data. The objective of this study was to assess the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive effects of lavender essential oil. The 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical decolorization assay was used for antioxidant activity evaluation. The anti-inflammatory activity was tested using two models of acute inflammation: carrageenan-induced pleurisy and croton oil-induced ear edema. The antinociceptive activity was tested using the pain model induced by formalin. LEO has antioxidant activity, which is dose-dependent response. The inflammatory response evoked by carrageenan and by croton oil was reduced through the pre-treatment of animals with LEO. In the pleurisy model, the drug used as positive control, dexamethasone, was more efficacious. However, in the ear swelling, the antiedematogenic effect of the oil was similar to that observed for dexamethasone. In the formalin test, LEO consistently inhibited spontaneous nociception and presented a similar effect to that of tramadol. The results of this study reveal (in vivo) the analgesic and anti-inflammatory activities of LEO and demonstrates its important therapeutic potential.

We investigated the richness, composition, and species relative abundance of a terrestrial small mammal community in a Deciduous Forest area in the austral boundary of the Atlantic Forest. The microhabitat use of the most common species was also investigated. Six rodents - Akodon montensis (Thomas, 1913), Oligoryzomys nigripes (Olfers, 1818), Sooretamys angouya (Thomas, 1913), Thaptomys nigrita (Lichtenstein, 1829), Mus musculus (Linnaeus, 1758) and Juliomys sp. - and one marsupial - Didelphis albiventris (Lund, 1840) - were captured. Thaptomys nigrita is recorded in the state of Rio Grande do Sul for the first time. Species richness was poor when compared with communities in the central portions of the Atlantic Forest, but equivalent to that found in the Araucaria and Dense Ombrophilous forests of southern Brazil. The species most often captured in our study, A. montensis and O. nigripes, are also the most common in the majority of faunistic studies carried out in the Atlantic Forest. Akodon montensis and S. angouya used places with high abundance of bamboo, possibly to avoid predators. Oligorizomys nigripes used areas with a high density of scrubs, what could facilitate aboveground movements, and was negatively correlated to mature forest indicators, which reinforce the idea that this species has opportunistic habits.

O controle das formigas-cortadeiras do gênero Acromyrmex é necessário em razão dos severos danos que causam a diversas culturas. Uma alternativa é a utilização da bactéria Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt), caracterizada pela produção de proteínas inseticidas eficazes para lepidópteros, dípteros e coleópteros, mas cuja ação é ainda desconhecida para himenópteros. O presente trabalho teve por objetivo isolar Bt a partir de formigas de duas espécies de Acromyrmex, avaliar sua patogenicidade a formigas-cortadeiras e testar por PCR. Isolados bacterianos de Bt obtidos de A. crassispinus e A. lundi foram testados contra A. lundi em condições laboratoriais. Os bioensaios foram conduzidos em BOD a 25°C com fotoperíodo de 12 horas, até o sétimo dia após a aplicação dos tratamentos. Os isolados de Bt foram submetidos à extração de DNA total e testados por PCR com primers específicos para genes cry. Os resultados revelaram a presença de Bt em 40% das amostras avaliadas. Os dados dos ensaios in vivo evidenciaram mortalidade superior a 50% da população-alvo, sendo que o isolado Bt HA48 causou 100% de mortalidade corrigida. Os resultados da PCR dos isolados de Bt revelaram a amplificação de fragmentos de DNA correspondentes aos genes cry1 em 22% dos isolados e cry9 em 67%. Os genes cry2, cry3, cry7 e cry8 não foram detectados nas amostras testadas e 22% dos isolados não amplificaram fragmentos de DNA correspondentes aos genes cry avaliados. Os resultados são promissores tanto na identificação dos genes presentes nos novos isolados quanto nos ensaios de determinação da LC50 de Bt HA48, que poderá ser aplicado no controle biológico de formigas-cortadeiras.

The control of Acromyrmex leaf-cutting ants is necessary due to the severe damage they cause to diverse crops. A possibility was to control them using the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) that characteristically produces insecticidal crystal proteins (ICPs). The ICPs have been effective in controlling lepidopterans, dipterans, and coleopterans, but their action against hymenopterans is unknown. This paper describes an attempt to isolate Bt from ants of two Acromyrmex species, to evaluate its pathogenicity towards these ants, and to test isolates by PCR. Bacterial isolates of Bt obtained from A. crassispinus and A. lundi have been assayed against A. lundi in the laboratory. The bioassays were carried out in BOD at 25°C, with a 12-hour photoperiod, until the seventh day after treatment. The Bt isolates obtained were submitted to total DNA extraction and tested by PCR with primers specific to cry genes. The results showed Bt presence in 40% of the assessed samples. The data from the in vivo assays showed a mortality rate higher than 50% in the target population, with the Bt HA48 isolate causing 100% of corrected mortality. The PCR results of Bt isolates showed a magnification of DNA fragments relative to cry1 genes in 22% of the isolates, and cry9 in 67%. Cry2, cry3, cry7, and cry8 genes were not detected in the tested samples, and 22% had no magnified DNA fragments corresponding to the assessed cry genes. The results are promising not only regarding allele identification in new isolates, but also fort the assays aimed at determining the Bt HA48 LC50's, which can eventually be applied in controlling of Acromyrmex leaf-cutting ants.