The goals of this study were to evaluate the microbial activity, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and inoculation of woody plants (Caesalpinia ferrea, Mimosa tenuiflora and Erythrina velutina) in lead contaminated soil from the semi-arid region of northeastern of Brazil (Belo Jardim, Pernambuco). Dilutions were prepared by adding lead contaminated soil (270 mg Kg-1) to uncontaminated soil (37 mg Pb Kg soil-1) in the proportions of 7.5%, 15%, and 30% (v:v). The increase of lead contamination in the soil negatively influenced the amount of carbon in the microbial biomass of the samples from both the dry and rainy seasons and the metabolic quotient only differed between the collection seasons in the 30% contaminated soil. The average value of the acid phosphatase activity in the dry season was 2.3 times higher than observed during the rainy season. There was no significant difference in the number of glomerospores observed between soils and periods studied. The most probable number of infective propagules was reduced for both seasons due to the excess lead in soil. The mycorrhizal colonization rate was reduced for the three plant species assayed. The inoculation with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi benefited the growth of Erythrina velutina in lead contaminated soil.

The Barbatimão is a tree which bark is rich in tannin. It is used on popular medicine as a wound healing agent, in the treatment of gastric lesions, as anti-leishmanial agent and as anti-inflammatory. Red blood cells (RBC) are labeled with technetium-99m (Tc-99m) and are utilized in many procedures in nuclear medicine. Some authors have reported that drugs (natural and synthetic) can alter the labeling of RBC with Tc-99m. This study evaluates the effect of barbatimão infusion on the labeling of red blood cells (RBC) and plasma (P) proteins with Tc-99m. Heparinized blood from Wistar rats was incubated with NaCl 0.9% as control and different concentrations of barbatimão infusion. Following the addition of stannous chloride (SnCl2), as reducing agent, and Tc-99m, as sodium pertechnetate, the blood samples were centrifuged. P and RBC were separated and were also precipitated with trichloroacetic acid 5%. Insoluble (IF-P and IF-RBC) fractions were isolated. The percentage of radioactivity in all the samples was determined. All the barbatimão infusion concentrations decreased the labeling of RBC, IF-P and IF-RBC. We can speculate that the barbatimão infusion interfered on the labeling of RBC due to the redox properties and/or it can also act as a chelator of the stannous ion.