ABSTRACT Considering the widespread popular use of Morus nigra and the amount of scientific information on its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity, the effectiveness of this phytotherapeutic compound in the parasitemia progression during the acute phase of Chagas disease and its role in the development of the inflammatory process as well as its effects on the oxidative damage in the chronic phase of infection were evaluated. Thus, 96 male Swiss mice were randomly divided into eight groups, four groups were uninfected controls, and four groups were intraperitoneally infected with 5.0 x 104 blood trypomastigotes forms of T. cruzi QM2 strain. Four batches composed of one uninfected and one infected group were respectively treated with 70% alcohol solution and 25 μL, 50 μL and 75 μL of the phytotherapeutic compound. Levels of antioxidant elements (TBARS, FRAP, GSH and Sulfhydryl groups) were measured in plasma samples. The phytotherapeutic compound’s antioxidant activity was measured by polyphenol and total flavonoid quantification, DPPH, NO, and FRAP method. Our results showed that the vehicle influenced some of the results that may have physiological relevance in Chagas disease. However, an important action of M. nigra tincture was observed in the progression of Chagas disease, since our results demonstrated a reduction in parasitemia of treated groups when compared to controls, especially in the group receiving 25 µL. However, in the chronic phase, the 50-µL dosage presented a better activity on some antioxidant defenses and minimized the tissue inflammatory process. Results indicated an important action of M. nigra tincture on the Chagas disease progression.

Spathodea campanulata es una especie de origen africano, introducida en el Brasil como árbol ornamental, cuyas flores producen gran cantidad de néctar que presenta toxicidad a los insectos. El presente trabajo tuvo por objetivo evaluar el potencial insecticida del néctar de S. campanulata mediante ensayos de mortalidad sobre Sitophilus zeamais en Assis, Estado de Sao Paulo, Brasil. La mayor concentración de azúcares en el néctar se encontró en flores recolectadas en el período vespertino. En todas las evaluaciones de mortalidad el tratamiento en que se utilizó la aspersión de néctar puro presentó diferencias estadísticamente significativas en relación a los demás tratamientos y al testigo. El tratamiento en que se utilizó la aspersión de néctar puro presentó control eficiente con 89% de mortalidad de la población de gorgojos.

Spathodea campanulata is an ornamental plant species native to Africa introduced to Brazil whose flowers produce large amounts of nectar that is toxic to insects. The aim of this work was to assess the insecticidal potential of S. campanulata nectar through mortality tests performed on Sitophilus zeamais in Assis, Sao Paulo State, Brazil. The highest sugar concentrations were recorded in nectar harvested from flowers in the evening. Pure nectar spray treatments showed a control efficiency of 89% of the insect population, which was a statistically significant difference as related to other nectar and control treatments.

PURPOSE:To evaluate wound contraction and the concentration of mast cells in skin wounds treated with 5% BPT essential oil-based ointment in rats.METHODS:Twenty rats, male, of adult age, were submitted to skin surgery on the right (RA) and left antimeres (LA) of the thoracic region. They were divided into two groups: control (RA - wounds receiving daily topical application of vaseline and lanolin) and treated (LA - wounds treated daily with the topical ointment). The skin region with wounds were collected at days 4, 7, 14 and 21 after surgery. Those were fixed in 10% formaldehyde and later processed for paraffin embedding. Sections were obtained and stained by H.E for histopathology analysis. The degree of epithelial contraction was measured and mast cell concentration were also evaluated.RESULTS:The treated group showed higher mast cell concentrations (p<0.05) associated with increased contraction at day 7 and 14 respectively.CONCLUSION: Ointment containing 5% Brazilian pepper tree oil increases mast cell concentration and promotes skin wound contraction in rats.

A Mandevilla velutina crude extract was investigated using the mouse micronucleus test (MNT) and the Drosophila melanogaster somatic mutation and recombination test (SMART) using standard (ST) and high bioactivation (HB) crosses. The MNT used 10 mg, 20 mg or 40 mg per 100 g of body weight (bw) of extract with and without 0.2 mg per 100 g bw peritoneal cyclophosphamide. There was no genotoxicity in the negative control or extract only groups and, compared to the cyclophosphamide control, there was a significant reduction in micronucleated polychromatic erythrocytes in all the groups given extract plus cyclophosphamide. For SMART larvae were fed 5 or 10 mg mL-1 of extract for seven days with and without 0.89 mg mL-1 of urethane given on day seven. The ST and HB flies showed no significant differences in spots between the negative control and the extract only groups. The number of urethane-induced spots was reduced by the highest concentration of extract for the ST flies and by both concentrations of extract for the HB flies. The results suggest that M. velutina extract is not genotoxic but is antigenotoxic.