Abstract Zika fever is a viral infection of great relevance in public health, especially in tropic regions, in which there is a predominance of mosquitoes of the genus Aedes, vectors of the disease. Microcephaly in neonatal children and Guillain-Barré syndrome in adults can be caused by the action of the Zika virus (ZIKV). Non-structural proteins, such as NS2B, NS3 and NS5, are important pharmacological targets, due to their action in the life cycle. The absence of anti-Zika drugs raises new research, including prospecting for natural products. This work investigated the in silico antiviral activity of bixin and six other derived molecules against the Zika viral proteins NS2B-NS3 and NS5. The optimized structure was subjected to molecular docking to characterize the interaction between bixinoids and ZIKV non-structural proteins, where significant interactions were observed with amino acid residues in the catalytic site in each enzyme. These results suggest that bixin and ethyl bixin has the potential to interfere with the enzymatic activity of NS2B, NS3 and NS5, thus being an indication of being a promising anti-Zika agent.

RESUMO Dermatófitos são fungos hialinos que parasitam o tecido queratinizado de humanos e animais causando infecções fúngicas. Os produtos naturais são moléculas promissoras para o desenvolvimento de novos fármacos antifúngicos, devido ao fenômeno de resistência e a toxicidade. Este estudo relata o isolamento e a identificação do éster lacnofilum e avalia sua atividade antioxidante, antifúngica e modulatória contra fungos dermatófitos. O éster lacnofilum foi obtido por cromatografia em coluna de sílica gel do óleo essencial das partes aéreas da Baccharis trinervis e analisado por cromatografia gasosa/espectrometria de massa. A atividade antimicrobiana foi determinada pelo método de microdiluição em caldo. Os ensaios de atividade modulatória foram realizados pela técnica de checkerboard, utilizando éster lacnofilum e cetoconazol como padrão. O éster lacnofilum exibiu boa atividade antioxidante, medida pelo sistema β-caroteno/ácido linoléico, com taxa de inibição de 71,43% ± 0,01%. Além disso, mostrou atividade antifúngica contra as cepas de Trichophyton rubrum e Microsporum canis. No ensaio modulatório, a interação entre éster lacnofilum e cetoconazol foi sinérgica, reduzindo os valores concentração inibitória mínima (CIM) do antifúngico e modulando sua ação antifúngica contra cepas de dermatófitos. Em conclusão, o éster lacnofilum demonstrou atuar como um composto antioxidante natural, bem como uma alternativa antimicrobiana contra fungos dermatófitos do gênero Trichophyton e Microsporum.

ABSTRACT Dermatophytes are hyaline fungi that parasitize the keratinized tissue of humans and animals causing mycotic infections. Natural products are promising molecules for the development of new antifungal drugs, due to the phenomenon of resistance and toxicity. This study reports the isolation and identification of lachnophyllum ester and evaluates its antioxidant, antifungal and modulatory activities against dermatophytes fungi. Lachnophyllum ester was obtained using a silica gel column chromatography of the essential oil from the aerial parts of Baccharis trinervis and analyzed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. Antimicrobial activity was determined by the broth microdilution method. The modulatory activity assays were performed by the checkerboard technique using lachnophyllum ester and ketoconazole as standard. The lachnophyllum ester exhibited good antioxidant activity as measured by a β-carotene/linoleic acid bleaching system, with 71.43% ± 0.01% inhibition rate. In addition, it showed antifungal activity against Trichophyton rubrum and Microsporum canis strains. In the modulatory assay, interaction between lachnophyllum ester and ketoconazole was synergistic, reducing the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values of the antifungal drug and modulating its antifungal action against dermatophyte strains. In conclusion, lachnophyllum ester has been shown to act as a natural antioxidant compound, as well as an antimicrobial alternative against dermatophyte fungi of the genus Trichophyton and Microsporum.

Abstract: This article describes the chemical composition of Vernonia chalybaea essential oil, and investigates its antimicrobial, antioxidant and hemolytic activities. The evaluation of the antifungal activity was performed by the broth microdilution method using strains of yeasts and dermatophytic fungi. The checkerboard technique to find antimicrobial modulatory effects was performed using ketoconazole as standard drug. The antioxidant activity was evaluated by DPPH scavenging assay and β-carotene/linoleic-acid system. The toxicity was characterized by the brine shrimp lethality test and hemolysis bioassays. The essential oil was obtained by hydrodistillation and analyzed by GC-MS method, showing to be rich in the sesquiterpenes β-caryophyllene (39.06%) and bicyclogermacrene (19.69%), and also demonstrated a relevant antifungal activity against strains of Trichophyton rubrum. In the modulatory activity assay, the essential oil of V. chalybaea and β-caryophyllene demonstrated a synergistic interaction with ketoconazole, with increasing of its antifungal action. The antioxidant activity was evidenced mainly by β-carotene/linoleic acid system, with IC50 value of 35.87 ± 0.32 µg/mL. The results suggest that V. chalybaea essential oil and β-caryophyllene are valuable natural medicinal agents with antioxidant and antimicrobial activities.

Abstract Anacardic Acid (AA) and Cardol (CD) are the main constituents of the cashew nut shell liquid, which presented several biological activities. In this study, a 23 factorial experimental design was employed in order to evaluate the influence of the reaction conditions in the nanoencapsulation of AA and CD using Chitosan (CH), Alginate (ALG) and Arabic Gum matrices. The nanoparticles (NPs) with higher stability and encapsulation efficiency were those with ALG as an outer coating and with lower content of surfactant. The NPs presented nanometric size with 90% of the distribution ranging from 70 to 250 nm. The in vitro kinetics revealed that CH-ALG/AA and CH-ALG/CD NPs followed zero-order kinetics model, showing a significantly slow release rate, with values of 33% and 63%, respectively, after 240h. Particularly, CH-ALG/CD NPs presented higher inhibitory capacity for all strains of dermatophytes due to their release rate, with promising results for antimicrobial control.

RESUMO A resistência ao uso de drogas antifúngicas é uma grande preocupação para os cientistas, que buscam descobrir novos produtos para tratar infecções fúngicas. O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar as atividades antioxidantes e antifúngicas de óleos essenciais e extratos de Plectranthus grandis e Plectranthus ornatus contra Trichophyton rubrum e Microsporum canis, fungos dermatófitos. Extratos foram obtidos a partir de folhas por maceração em etanol (96%) durante 7 dias. Os óleos essenciais foram obtidos por hidrodestilação e analisados por cromatografia gasosa/espectrometria de massa. Um total de 25 componentes foram identificados, como constituintes principais, os sesquiterpenos β-cariofileno, a-copaene, germacrene, β-cariofileno e óxido de cariofileno. As atividades antioxidantes foram avaliadas usando o teste de eliminação de DPPH e a ação antifúngica foi determinada pelo método de microdiluição de caldo. Os decoctos obtidos a partir da extração de óleo essencial apresentaram uma maior ação antioxidante quando comparados com os óleos essenciais, com valores de IC50 de 12,35 μg/mL e 15,69 μg/mL para P. ornatus e P. grandis, respectivamente. Os produtos naturais apresentaram atividade antifúngica significativa, com valores de MIC variando de 0,078 mg/mL a 0,31 mg/mL para todas as cepas. A atividade de sinergismo entre extratos de Plectranthus spp. e cetoconazol demonstrou uma ação de inibição do crescimento fúngico, quando da combinação com um fármaco antifúngico padrão, indicando seu potencial de uso em medicina veterinária preventiva para tratar dermatofitoses.

SUMMARY Resistance to use antifungal drugs is a great concern seeking for scientists to discover new products to treat fungal infections. The aim of this study was to evaluate the antioxidant and antifungal activities of essential oils and extracts of Plectranthus grandis and Plectranthus ornatus against Trichophyton rubrum and Microsporum canis dermatophytes strains. Extracts were obtained from leaves by maceration in ethanol (96%) during 7 days. The oils were obtained by hydrodistillation and analyzed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. A total of 25 components were identified, as major constituents the sesquiterpenes β-caryophyllene, α-copaene, germacrene, β-caryophyllene and caryophyllene oxide. Antioxidant activities were evaluated using DPPH scavenging assay and antifungal action was determined by the broth microdilution method. The decocts obtained from the extraction of essential oil presented a greater antioxidant action when compared with the essential oils, with IC50 values of 12.35 μg/mL and 15.69 μg/mL to P. ornatus and P. grandis, respectively. Natural products presented significant antifungal activity, with MIC values ranging from 0.078 mg/mL to 0.31 mg/mL for all strains. The synergistic activity between Plectranthus spp. extracts and ketoconazole demonstrated a fungal growth inhibitory action when combined with a standard antifungal drug, indicating its potential for use in preventive veterinary medicine to treat dermatophytoses.

Resumo O trabalho apresenta reflexões acerca das edificações em alvenaria resistente no Estado de Pernambuco. São abordados temas relativos às principais características dessa técnica construtiva bem como as peculiaridades que influenciam diretamente seu desempenho estrutural. Aspectos relacionados aos desabamentos que ocorreram nos últimos anos são igualmente abordados, acompanhados da indicação da causa da ruptura e do ano em que ocorreram. O artigo contempla, adicionalmente, uma extensa caracterização dos materiais e componentes utilizados em construções em alvenaria resistente na região, constituindo-se numa das mais abrangentes investigações sobre essa temática desenvolvida no país. Foi analisado experimentalmente o comportamento compressivo de blocos, prismas e miniparedes confeccionados com esses materiais que integram um sistema de vedação que tem sido utilizado com função estrutural frequentemente na região. Os resultados obtidos permitem identificar a contribuição das camadas de argamassa de revestimento na capacidade de carga dos elementos ensaiados. Diversos fatores que interferem nessa contribuição foram igualmente estudados. Ao final, expõe-se uma súmula dos resultados de todos os ensaios realizados que esclarecem de maneira detalhada as formas de ruptura observadas que se mostraram marcadamente frágeis, a exemplo do que ocorreu na maior parte dos acidentes com esse tipo de edificação na região.

Abstract The paper discusses masonry buildings constructed in the state of Pernambuco, Brazil. Topics such as the main features of this construction technique and the peculiarities that affect its structural behaviour are discussed. Technical information about accidents occurred in recent years are also discussed, along with the historical records of the events, followed by indications of the causes for the collapse. Additionally, this paper presents an extensive characterisation of materials and components used in non-structural masonry constructions in the region, making it one of the most comprehensive research studies on this topic in Brazil. This study conducts an in-depth, numerical and experimental analysis of the behaviour of the compressive strength of blocks, prisms and mini-walls that are part of a non-load bearing system, which is often used in the region to carry loads above its own weight. The results obtained allowed to identify the contribution of several mortar rendering layers to the load capacity of the tested specimens. The factors that influenced the load capacity of the tested specimens are also discussed. Finally, a summary of the main results of all the tests performed is presented in order to provide a detailed explanation for the failures modes observed, which were always sudden and brittle, as was the case in most accidents that occurred with this type of building in the region.

RESUMO Este trabalho descreve a composição química e a atividade anti-Candida spp. de óleos essenciais de folhas de diversos cultivares de Mangifera indica. Os óleos essenciais foram obtidos por meio de hidrodestilação e analisados por cromatografia de gás acoplada à espectrometria de massa. A atividade anti-Candida spp. foi avaliada contra cepas isoladas de cães pelo método de difusão em ágar e a concentração inibitória mínima (CIM) pelo método de microdiluição em caldo. O cultivar Tommy Atkins apresentou β-selineno (29.49%), óxido de cariofileno (12.40%) e humuleno II epoxido (8.66%) como seus constituintes principais, enquanto que os principais componentes das variedades Rosa, Moscatel e Jasmim foram óxido de cariofileno (23,62, 48,42 e 30,77%, respectivamente) e humuleno II epoxido (11,56, 23,45 e 16,27%, respectivamente). As médias de zona de inibição foram 11 ± 0,71, 13,5 ± 3,54, 10,5 ± 0,71 e 13,5 ± 0,71mm respectivamente para os cultivares Tommy Atkins, Rosa, Moscatel e Jasmim. Para a variedade Tommy Atkins, a CIM variou de 0,62 a 1,25 mg/mL; para Rosa, 0.31 a 1.25 mg/mL; para Jasmim os valores variaram de 0,31 a 0,62 mg/mL; ao passo que para a variedade Moscatel o valor de CIM foi 1,25 mg/mL para todas as cepas de Candida spp. Os óleos essenciais das quatro variedades de M. indica foram ativos in vitro contra Candida spp., demonstrando boa atividade antifúngica, podendo ser uma fonte útil de compostos antifúngicos para uso na medicina veterinária.

SUMMARY This work reports the chemical study, and anti-Candida spp. activity of leaf essential oil from Mangifera indica cultivars. The essential oils were obtained by hydro-distillation and analyzed by gas chromatography/mass spectroscopy. The anti-Candida spp. activity was evaluated against strains isolated from dogs by the agar-well diffusion method and the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) by the broth microdilution method. Tommy Atkins cultivar presented β–selinene (29.49%), caryophyllene oxide (12.40%) and humulene II epoxide (8.66%) as main constituents, while the main constituents of Rosa, Moscatel and Jasmim varieties were caryophyllene oxide (23.62, 48.42 and 30.77%, respectively) and humulene epoxide II (11.56, 23.45, and16.27%, respectively). The means of inhibition zones were 11 ± 0.71, 13.5 ± 3.54, 10.5 ± 0.71 and 13.5 ± 0.71mm to Tommy Atkins, Rosa, Moscatel and Jasmim varieties, respectively. For Tommy Atkins, the MIC ranged from 0.62 to 1.25 mg/mL; for Rosa, ranged from 0.31 to 1.25 mg/mL; for Jasmim ranged from 0.31 to 0.62 mg/mL; while for the Moscatel variety the MIC value was 1.25 mg/mL for all Candida strains. Essential oils of four M. indica cultivars were active in vitro against Candida spp., demonstrating good antifungal activity and can be a useful source of antifungal compounds for veterinary medicine.