Resumo O alho (Allium sativum L.) é cultivado em todo o mundo como hortaliça condimentar e medicinal desde 3.000 a. C. A alicina é o principal componente do alho, sendo atribuída a ela a maior parte das suas atividades biológicas, dentre elas as ações bactericida, antifúngica e antiviral. Porém, outros compostos do alho apresentam atividade antioxidante, hipocolesterolemiante, vasodilatadora, ação protetora contra diversos tipos de câncer e imunomoduladora. As infecções por fungos são causas importantes de morbidade e mortalidade no homem principalmente em indivíduos imunossuprimidos. O Sporothrix schenckii, agente causal da esporotricose (micose subcutânea mais comum na América Latina), é fungo dimórfico, de vida saprofítica no solo ou em vegetais, infectando homens e os animais principalmente através de lesões e arranhões na pele. O objetivo desse trabalho foi avaliar a influência do consumo de alho na imunomodulação de camundongos Swiss saudáveis e infectados de forma induzida por S. schenckii, a partir do estado funcional dos macrófagos peritoneais desses animais quanto à produção de óxido nítrico e das citocinas (IL-1β, IL-10 e IL-12) e avaliar o potencial antifúngico do alho frente ao S. schenckii por meio de teste de concentração inibitória mínima e unidades formadoras de colônia. Os resultados demonstraram que o alho apresenta potencial antifúngico frente S. schenckii. A administração oral de extratos de alho influencia a liberação de citocinas por macrófagos, o consumo regular apresenta efeito anti-inflamatório, e seu uso agudo pode gerar uma resposta inflamatória. Camundongos que consumiram alho responderam de forma mais efetiva no combate da infecção.

Abstract Garlic (Allium sativum L.) is grown all over the world as seasoning and medicinal vegetable since 3,000 BC. Allicin is the main component of garlic, being attributed to it the most of its biological activities, such as bactericidal, antifungal and antiviral actions. However, other compounds of garlic present antioxidant, hypocholesterolemic, vasodilator activities, protective action against different types of cancer, and immunomodulatory. Fungal infections are important causes of morbidity and mortality in people mainly in immunosuppressed ones. Sporothrix schenckii, the causing agent of Sporotrichosis (most common subcutaneous mycosis in Latin America), is dimorphic fungus, of saprophytic life in soil or plants, infecting people and animals mainly through skin injuries and bruises. The main of this work was to evaluate the influence of garlic consuming on immune modulation of healthy and infected Swiss mice in induced way by S. schenckii, since these animals functioning of peritoneal macrophages as well as the nitric oxide and cytokines’ production (IL-1β, IL-10 and IL-12) and to evaluate the antifungal potential of garlic with S. schenckii through minimum inhibitory concentration test and colony-forming units. The results showed that garlic offers antifungal potential with S. schenckii. The oral taking of garlic extracts influences the releasing of cytokines by macrophages, regular consuming shows anti-inflammatory effect, and its acute use may take to an inflammatory response. Mice that consumed garlic responded more effectively to fight against the infection.

We evaluated the effect of three nitrogen doses (0.5, 1.5 and 2.5 g plant-1) applied in the vegetative phase and three doses of potassium (4, 6 and 8 g plant-1) applied in the reproductive phase on dry biomass organs (commercial flower consistent of spathe and spadix, leaves, flower scapes and rhizomes) of two species of white spotted arum (Zantedeschia albomaculata (hook) Baill. cv. Captain Murano and Z. elliotiana (Watson) Engl. cv. Solar Flare). The experiment was conducted in a greenhouse using as substrate a mixture of tezontle 3 mm/perlite (60/40, v/v). Differential responses were observed in the fertilization treatments between species. The species Z. albomaculata was more sensitive to fertilization, given that it significantly increased the dry biomass of commercial flowers and leaves with higher doses of N and K supplied. Regardless of the dose of K provided on the reproductive phase, the largest weight of rhizome biomass was recorded in plants treated with the low dose of N in the vegetative phase. According to these results, the N and K fertilization by phenological stages differentially affect the production of dry biomass on the Zantedeschia gender.

Se evaluó el efecto de tres dosis nitrógeno (0.5, 1.5 y 2.5 g planta-1) aplicadas en la fase vegetativa y tres dosis de potasio (4, 6 y 8 g planta-1) aplicadas en la fase reproductiva sobre la biomasa seca por órganos (flores comerciales constituidas por espata y espádice, hojas, escapos florales y rizomas) de dos especies de alcatraz (Zantedeschia albomaculata (Hook) Baill. cv. Captain Murano y Z. elliotiana (Watson) Engl. cv. Solar Flare). El experimento fue conducido en invernadero utilizando como sustrato una mezcla de tezontle de 3 mm/ perlita (60/40, v/v). Se observaron respuestas diferenciales a los tratamientos de fertilización entre especies. La especie Z. albomaculata fue más sensible a la fertilización, dado que en ésta se incrementaron de manera significativa las biomasas secas de flores comerciales y hojas con las dosis más altas de N y K suministradas. Independientemente de la dosis de K suministrada en la fase reproductiva, el mayor peso de biomasa de rizoma se registró en las plantas tratadas con la dosis baja de N en la fase vegetativa. De acuerdo con estos resultados, la fertilización con N y K por fases fenológicas influye de manera diferencial la producción de biomasa seca en el género Zantedeschia.

A doença de Chagas é causada pelo Trypanosoma cruzi (T. cruzi) e a detecção de anticorpos anti-T. cruzi no soro é um método para diagnosticar a doença. Neste trabalho, ELISA indireto foi otimizado para a detecção de anticorpos no soro de pacientes com doença de Chagas empregando a proteína Tc85-11 (Ag) da superfície do parasita tripomastigota. Na otimização das condições experimentais foi aplicado planejamento fatorial completo para os parâmetros tempo de incubação, diluições do Ag (0,08 mg mL-1), anticorpo primário (Ac) e anti-IgG conjugada com a peroxidase (Ac*). Os melhores resultados foram obtidos nas seguintes condições: 0,14 mg Ag/poço, 60 min para o tempo de incubação, diluições de 1:35 e 1:1000 para Ac e Ac*, respectivamente. O valor do limiar de reatividade ("cut off") foi A450nm = 0,371. O ELISA indireto foi aplicado em amostras de soros de pacientes infectados com doença de Chagas e pacientes com diferentes doenças sistêmicas. A proteína Tc85-11, a qual está envolvida com a adesão do parasita na célula hospedeira, é também apropriada para o diagnóstico sorológico da doença de Chagas.

Chagas' disease is caused by the Trypanosoma cruzi (T. cruzi) and the detection of anti-T. cruzi antibodies in the serum is a method for diagnosis of the disease. In this work, indirect ELISA was optimized for detection of antibodies in patients' sera with Chagas' disease using Tc85-11 protein (Ag) from the trypomastigote surface of the parasite. The full factorial design for optimization of the experimental conditions was carried out for the incubation time, dilutions of Ag (0.08 mg mL-1), primary antibody (Ac) and anti-IgG conjugated with peroxidase (Ac*) parameters. The best results were obtained with the following conditions: 0.14 mg Ag/well, 60 min incubation time, dilutions of 1:35 and 1:1000 for Ac and Ac*, respectively. The cut off value was A450nm = 0.371. The indirect ELISA was applied to sera Chagas' disease infected patients samples and patients with different systemic diseases. Tc85-11 protein, which is involved in the adhesion of the parasite to host cell, is also suitable for serological diagnosis of Chagas' disease.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the effect of a new feed soy product fermented by Enterococcus faecium and Lactobacillus jugurti on the serum lipid levels of rabbits with induced hypercholesterolemia. METHODS: Thirty-two rabbits were divided into 4 groups as follows: 1) control (C); 2) hypercholesterolemic (H); 3) hypercholesterolemic + fermented product (HPF); and 4) control + fermented product (CPF). The H and HPF groups were fed with a diet with 0.15% (p/p) cholesterol in the first 15 days. C and CPF groups received regular food preparation. The HPF and CPF groups received 10 mL daily of the fermented 30 days. Blood samples were drawn at the beginning of the study and at the 15th and 30th days. Concentrations of total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, and triglycerides were analyzed. RESULTS: After 15 days, the HPF group showed a total cholesterol concentration lower (18.4%) than that of the H group (p=0.05), but this difference disappeared after 30 days. No change was observed in total cholesterol levels of C and CPF groups. After 15 days, the HDL-cholesterol was higher (17.8%) in the HPF group, but the triglyceride levels remained unchanged in all groups during the same period of time. CONCLUSION: The soy fermented product caused an 18.4% reduction in total cholesterol and a 17.8% increase in the HDL-fraction. It may, therefore, be a possible coadjutor in the treatment of hypercholesterolemia.