Antiviral action of hydromethanolic extract of geopropolis from scaptotrigona postica against antiherpes simplex virus (HSV-1)

The studies on chemical composition and biological activity of propolis had focused mainly on species Apis mellifera L. (Hymenoptera: Apidae). There are few studies about the uncommon propolis collected by stingless bees of the Meliponini tribe known as geopropolis. The geopropolis from Scaptotrigona postica was collected in the region of Barra do Corda, Maranhão state, Brazil. The chemical analysis of hydromethanolic extract of this geopropolis (HMG) was carried out through HPLC-DAD-ESI-MS/MS and the main constituents found were pyrrolizidine alkaloids and C-glycosyl flavones. The presence of alkaloids in extracts of propolis is detected for the first time in this sample. The antiviral activity of HMG was evaluated through viral DNA quantification experiments and electron microscopy experiments. Quantification of viral DNA from herpes virus showed reduction of about 98% in all conditions and concentration tested of the HMG extract. The results obtained were corroborated by transmission electron microscopy, in which the images did not show particle or viral replication complex. The antiviral activity of C-glycosyl flavones was reported for a variety of viruses, being observed at different points in the viral replication. This work is the first report about the antiviral activity of geopropolis from Scaptotrigona postica, in vitro, against antiherpes simplex virus (HSV).

Frequencia de anticorpos para rotavirus em habitantes da cidade de Sao Paulo em 1980-82. / Frequency of antibodies to rotavirus in inhabitants of the city of Sao Paulo in 1980-82

Entre maio de 1980 e julho de 1982 foram selecionadas ao acaso 1.202 amostras de sangue de individuos encaminhados do Instituto Adolfo Lutz. Usou-se o metodo da inibicao da hemaglutinacao, visando titular anticorpos para rotavirus. O antigeno usado foi obtido da cepa de virus SA-11.Os resultados de 426 soros de criancas entre 0-23 meses de idade indicam que a distribuicao da infeccao e semelhante aquela encontrada em outros paises. Diminuicao dos anticorpos maternos ocorreu aos 6-7 meses de idade e o pico da frequencia ocorreu nos 1o. e 2o. anos de vida. Em seguida nao houve variacoes de interesse inclusive ate a faixa igual ou maior de 70 anos sugerindo reinfeccoes no decorrer da vida. Estatisticamente, os resultados em 738 amostras de soros entre 2-59 anos nao diferiram significantemente dos obtidos pelo metodo ELISA em outros paises, razao pela qual o metodo, alem de menos oneroso, e mais simples e deve ser usado em inqueritos sorologicos e estudos retrospectivos de surtos e/ou epidemias da infeccao