•Noni-PLS is composed by homogalacturonan and rhamnogalacturonan.•Noni-PLS reduced inflammatory process.•Noni-PLS also reduced the MPO and GSH levels.
Polysaccharides extracted from plants are very ...promising molecules in the field of pharmacotherapy. Knowing this, the aim of this study was to extract, characterize and evaluate the action of the polysaccharide of Morinda citrifolia Linn (Noni-PLS) in biological models of inflammatory processes. The characterization tests shown that sample refers to a heteropolysaccharide composed mainly of homogalacturonan and rhamnogalacturonan. This polysaccharide at dose of 10 mg/kg, when tested in our models of inflammation, showed significant activity in reducing carrageenan-induced paw oedema as well as all mediators edemas. This polysaccharide was able to inhibit the migration of leukocytes to the site of inflammation, and still reduced inflammatory nociception tests. This results, allows us to conclude that the polysaccharide extracted from Morinda citrifolia linn has anti-inflammatory potential since it reversed inflammatory parameters such as edema, leukocyte migration and nociception.
Zika virus (ZIKV) infections are associated with severe neurological complications and are a global public health concern. There are no approved vaccines or antiviral drugs to inhibit ZIKV ...replication. NS2B‐NS3 protease (NS2B‐NS3 pro), which is essential for viral replication, is a promising molecular target for anti‐ZIKV drugs. We conducted a systematic review to identify compounds with promising effects against ZIKV; we discussed their pharmacodynamic and pharmacophoric characteristics. The online search, performed using the PubMed/MEDLINE and SCOPUS databases, yielded 56 articles; seven relevant studies that reported nine promising compounds with inhibitory activity against ZIKV NS2B‐NS3 pro were selected. Of these, five (niclosamide, nitazoxanide, bromocriptine, temoporfin, and novobiocin) are currently available on the market and have been tested for off‐label use against ZIKV. The 50% inhibitory concentration values of these compounds for the inhibition of NS2B‐NS3 pro ranged at 0.38–21.6 µM; most compounds exhibited noncompetitive inhibition (66%). All compounds that could inhibit the NS2B‐NS3 pro complex showed potent in vitro anti‐ZIKV activity with a 50% effective concentration ranging 0.024–50 µM. The 50% cytotoxic concentration of the compounds assayed using A549, Vero, and WRL‐69 cell lines ranged at 0.6–1388.02 µM and the selectivity index was 3.07–1698. This review summarizes the most promising antiviral agents against ZIKV that have inhibitory activity against viral proteases.
Mayaro virus (MAYV) causes Mayaro fever in humans, a self-limiting acute disease, with persistent arthralgia and arthritis. Although MAYV has a remerging potential, its pathogenic mechanisms remain ...unclear. Here, we characterized a model of MAYV infection in 3-4-week BALB/c mice. We investigated whether the liver acts as a site of viral replication and if the infection could cause histopathological alterations and an imbalance in redox homeostasis, culminating with oxidative stress. MAYV-infected mice revealed lower weight gain; however, the disease was self-resolving. High virus titre, neutralizing antibodies, and increased levels of aspartate and alanine aminotransferases were detected in the serum. Infectious viral particles were recovered in the liver of infected animals and the histological examination of liver tissues revealed significant increase in the inflammatory infiltrate. MAYV induced significant oxidative stress in the liver of infected animals, as well as a deregulation of enzymatic antioxidant components. Collectively, this is the first study to report that oxidative stress occurs in MAYV infection in vivo, and that it may be crucial in virus pathogenesis. Future studies are warranted to address the alternative therapeutic strategies for Mayaro fever, such as those based on antioxidant compounds.
The sugarcane industry is one of the largest in the world and processes huge volumes of biomass, especially for ethanol and sugar production. These processes also generate several environmentally ...harmful solid, liquid, and gaseous wastes. Part of these wastes is reused, but with low-added value technologies, while a large unused fraction continues to impact the environment. In this review, the classic waste reuse routes are outlined, and promising green and circular technologies that can positively impact this sector are discussed. To remain competitive and reduce its environmental impact, the sugarcane industry must embrace technologies for bagasse fractionation and pyrolysis, microalgae cultivation for both CO2 recovery and vinasse treatment, CO2 chemical fixation, energy generation through the anaerobic digestion of vinasse, and genetically improved fermentation yeast strains. Considering the technological maturity, the anaerobic digestion of vinasse emerges as an important solution in the short term. However, the greatest environmental opportunity is to use the pure CO2 from fermentation. The other opportunities still require continued research to reach technological maturity. Intensifying the processes, the exploration of driving-change technologies, and the integration of wastes through biorefinery processes can lead to a more sustainable sugarcane processing industry.
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•Wastes from sugarcane processing and classic reuse technologies are discussed.•Vinasse, CO2, and fermentation yeast are underutilized wastes.•Emerging green technologies for value-added reuse of hazardous wastes are presented.•Anaerobic digestion and CO2 reuse are key technologies in a biorefinery context.•Future biorefineries will likely produce bioenergy, fertilizers, and biochemicals.
The new flavonoid (−)‐4’‐O‐methylepicatechin 5‐O‐β‐D‐glucopyranoside (1), along with four known triterpenes (2‐5), a steroid (6), and a flavonoid (7) were isolated from the ethyl acetate extract of ...Maytenus quadrangulata leaves. The chemical structures of the isolated compounds were determined through analysis of 1D NMR (1H and 13C) spectroscopic data, in addition to 2D NMR and spectrometric (MS) data for compound 1. This is the first report of the isolation of daucosterol (6) and (−)‐4’‐O‐methylepigallocatechin (7) from this species. Compounds 1 and 7 were evaluated against the bacteria Staphylococcus aureus and Klebsiella pneumoniae, but neither exhibited activity even at the highest concentration tested.
Mayaro virus (MAYV) is a neglected arbovirus belonging to the family Togaviridae. Its infection leads to Mayaro fever, with clinical manifestations such as fever, myalgia, headache, rash, arthralgia, ...vomiting, and diarrhea. The most prominent complaint from infected person is the long-lasting arthritis/arthralgia. The treatment for Mayaro fever is mainly symptom-based and there are no vaccines or antiviral drugs currently available, thus, natural products with anti-MAYV activity may provide a potential alternative. Recent evidences suggest that oxidative stress plays an important role in MAYV infection and compounds capable of modulating oxidative stress could represent a novel therapeutic approach in modulating MAYV-associated oxidative cellular damage. Silymarin is a complex extracted of Silybum marianum, or milk thistle, and its major active compound is silybin, which has a remarkable biological effect. Its antioxidant and antiviral effects, including its antiviral activity against the Chikungunya virus (CHIKV), prompted us to think whether silymarin could also reduce the replication of the MAYV and restore the pro-oxidant/antioxidant balance in the context of MAYV infection, leading to reduced cellular oxidative stress. We assessed the antiviral activity and protective effect of silymarin against oxidative stress in MAYV-infected HepG2 cells. Cytopathic effect inhibition, viral replication, and plaque reduction assays were used to determine the anti-MAYV activity of silymarin. Additionally, we determined whether silymarin could reduce MAYV-induced oxidative cell damage. Briefly, silymarin exhibited potent antiviral activity against MAYV and reduced MAYV-induced ROS formation and levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) and carbonyl protein, which are biomarkers of oxidative stress. In conclusion, the ability of silymarin to inhibit MAYV replication and attenuate MAYV-induce oxidative stress warrants further investigation of this compound as a novel therapeutic approach to Mayaro fever disease.
•Antiviral activity of sylimarin against Mayaro virus.•Silymarin protects cells from MAYV-induced oxidative stress.•Promising potential of silymarin in the therapeutic of Mayaro fever.
Infection caused by Mayaro virus (MAYV) is responsible for causing acute nonspecific fever, in which the majority of patients develop incapacitating and persistent arthritis/arthralgia. Mayaro fever ...is a neglected and underreported disease without treatment or vaccine, which has gained attention in recent years after the competence of Aedes aegypti to transmit MAYV was observed in the laboratory, coupled with the fact that cases are being increasingly reported outside of endemic forest areas, calling attention to the potential of an urban cycle arising in the near future. Thus, to mitigate the lack of information about the pathological aspects of MAYV, we previously described the involvement of oxidative stress in MAYV infection in cultured cells and in a non-lethal mouse model. Additionally, we showed that silymarin, a natural compound, attenuated MAYV-induced oxidative stress and inhibited MAYV replication in cells. The antioxidant and anti-MAYV effects prompted us to determine whether silymarin could also reduce oxidative stress and MAYV replication after infection in an immunocompetent animal model. We show that infected mice exhibited reduced weight gain, hepatomegaly, splenomegaly, anaemia, thrombocytopenia, leukopenia, increased liver transaminases, increased pro-inflammatory cytokines and liver inflammation, increased oxidative damage biomarkers, and reduced antioxidant enzyme activity. However, in animals infected and treated with silymarin, all these parameters were reversed or significantly improved, and the detection of viral load in the liver, spleen, brain, thigh muscle, and footpad was significantly reduced. This work reinforces the potent hepatoprotective, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antiviral effects of silymarin against MAYV infection, demonstrating its potential against Mayaro fever disease.
•Silymarin improves MAYV infection in BALB/c mice.•Silymarin protects mice from liver damage, oxidative stress, inflammation, and virus replication after MAYV infection.•Promising potential of silymarin in the therapeutic treatment of Mayaro fever.
Oropouche virus (OROV) is the aetiological agent of Oropouche fever, the symptoms of which are common to most arboviruses, such as fever, headache, malaise, nausea and vomiting. More than half a ...million people have been infected with OROV since its isolation in 1955. Although Oropouche fever is classified as a neglected and emerging disease, to date, there are no antiviral drugs or vaccines available against the infection and little is known about its pathogenicity. Therefore, it is essential to elucidate the possible mechanisms involved in its pathogenesis. Since oxidative stress plays a pivotal role in the progression of various viral diseases, in this study, redox homeostasis in the target organs of OROV infection was evaluated using an animal model. Infected BALB/c mice exhibited reduced weight gain, splenomegaly, leukopenia, thrombocytopenia, anaemia, development of anti-OROV neutralizing antibodies, increased liver transaminases, and serum levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines tumour necrosis factor (TNF-α) and interferon-γ (IFN-γ). The OROV genome and infectious particles were detected in the liver and spleen of infected animals, with liver inflammation and an increase in the number and total area of lymphoid nodules in the spleen. In relation to redox homeostasis in the liver and spleen, infection led to an increase in reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, increased oxidative stress biomarkers malondialdehyde (MDA) and carbonyl protein, and decreased activity of the antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT). Taken together, these results help elucidate some important aspects of OROV infection that may contribute to the pathogenesis of Oropouche.
•Zika virus induces increase in ROS and biomarkers of oxidative stress, and decrease in antioxidant enzymes.•Zika virus infection triggers oxidative stress cellular response.•Oxidative stress may be ...an important factor in the Zika virus pathogenesis.
The first outbreak of Zika virus (ZIKV) infection in the Americas, especially in Brazil, was reported in 2015. Fever, headache, rash, and conjunctivitis are the common symptoms of ZIKV infection. Unexpected clinical outcomes, such as microcephaly and Guillain-Barré syndrome, have also been reported. The recent spread of ZIKV and its association with severe illness has created an urgent need to understand its pathogenesis and find potential therapeutic targets. Studies show that some viruses, including Flavivirus, trigger oxidative stress, which affects cellular metabolism, viral cycle, and pathogenesis. However, the role of oxidative stress in ZIKV infection needs to be investigated. Here, we analyzed ZIKV infection-triggered oxidative stress and modified antioxidant enzyme activities. U87-MG and HepG2 cells were infected to measure reactive oxygen species (ROS), malondialdehyde (MDA), and carbonyl protein levels, the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT), and the activation of nuclear factor erythroid 2p45-related factor 2 (Nrf2). ZIKV infection induced a significant increase in ROS, lipid peroxidation, and protein carbonylation products and a significant decrease in SOD and CAT activities accompanied by inhibition of Nrf2 activation in both cell lines. Further, MDA and carbonyl protein levels and SOD and CAT activities were evaluated in the brain and liver of ZIKV-infected C57BL/6 mice, and oxidative stress associated with antioxidant depletion was also found to occur in vivo. Together, our findings indicate the potential use of antioxidants as a novel therapeutic approach to Zika disease, and future studies in this direction are warranted.
•First systematic review focused on the application of NFCs in cement composites.•NFCs enhance the hydration process and mechanical properties of the composites.•NFCs improve bridging effect, matrix ...refinement, and durability of the composites.•Critical analysis of the behavior of NFC in cement matrices’ alkaline environments.•Use of NFC for sustainable civil construction is promising.
Cellulose is an abundant and biodegradable natural material that is not derived from petroleum. With the growing demand for high-performance materials, the interest in using nanocelluloses in different areas has increased. Nanofibrillated celluloses (NFCs) are result from mechanical processing of cellulose fibers, with or without chemical pretreatments. Characteristics such as large surface area, hydroxyl groups on their surface, high mechanical strength, and high length/width ratio give NFC beneficial effects when incorporated into cement composites. This work presents a review of researches carried out in recent years in the area of cement systems incorporating NFC. The characteristics of these nanocelluloses, their production, and the effect that the nanomaterial has on the behavior of cement composites are presented. It was observed that the addition of NFC brings relevant increases in mechanical properties. The maximum increments reported in the literature were 43% in compressive strength, 106% in flexural strength, 5% in modulus of elasticity, 71% in flexural modulus, 50% in fracture energy, and 192% in toughness. Furthermore, NFC has the potential to enhance the durability of the cement composites, since the nanoadmixtures provided cement matrices with lower sulfate penetration (~50%), greater thermal resistance (no microcracks at 250 °C), and greater resistance to accelerated aging (an increase of 20% in flexural strength and 25% in modulus of elasticity after 200 wet-dry cycles).
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