What is the evidence for the effect of physical exercise on bone health in menopausal women? An umbrella systematic review.

This study aimed to analyze the effects of physical exercise (PE) on bone health in menopausal women through an umbrella review and to assess the quality of systematic reviews (SRs) and meta-analyses (MAs) included. The review was registered in PROSPERO (CRD42020208130) and the Rayyan application was used. The methodological quality of the included studies was evaluated by A MeaSurement Tool to Assess Systematic Reviews (AMSTAR), and Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) was applied to assess the level of evidence of the results. The results showed that low-intensity jumping exercises with longer sessions proved to be efficient in the hip segment. Swimming requires further investigation, as it showed high heterogeneity. Aerobic and resistance exercises showed inconsistent results, requiring further studies with these modalities of PE. Concurrent training showed improvements in the lumbar spine, femoral neck, Ward's triangle and trochanter. Finally, combined resistance exercises are effective in preserving bone mineral density (BMD) of the femoral neck and lumbar spine in postmenopausal women. In conclusion, jumping exercises were efficient in the hip, while aerobic and resistance exercises are still inconsistent. Concurrent training showed improvements in BMD of the lumbar spine, femoral neck, Ward's triangle and trochanter. Finally, combined resistance protocols are effective in preserving BMD of the femoral neck and lumbar spine in postmenopausal women.

Efficacy and sustainability of natural products in COVID-19 treatment development: opportunities and challenges in using agro-industrial waste from Citrus and apple.

Natural products have been used in the treatment of illnesses throughout the history of humankind. Exploitation of bioactive compounds from natural sources can aid in the discovery of new drugs, provide the scaffold of new medicines. In the face of challenging diseases, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, for which there was no effective treatment, nature could offer insights as to novel therapeutic options for control measures. However, the environmental impact and supply chain of bioactive production must be carefully evaluated to ensure the detrimental effects will not outweigh the potential benefits gained. History has already proven that highly bioactive compounds can be rare and not suitable for medicinal exploitation; therefore, the sustainability must be accessed before expensive, time-demanding, and large trials can be initialized. A sustainable option to readily produce a phytotherapy with minimal environmental stress is the use of agro-industry wastes, a by-product produced in high quantities. In this review we evaluate the sustainability issues associated with the production of phytotherapy as a readily available tool for pandemic control.

Cytotoxicity profile of Cronobacter species isolated from food and clinical specimens in Brazil.

AIMS: The objective of this study was to evaluate the cytotoxic activity of Cronobacter strains isolated from foods (n = 50) and clinical samples (n = 6) in Brazil and genotype selected strains (n = 18) using multi-locus sequence typing (MLST) METHODS AND RESULTS: The cytotoxic activity of C. sakazakii (n = 29), C. dublinensis (n = 13), C. malonaticus (n = 6), C. turicensis (n = 6) and C. muytjensii (n = 2) was screened using Vero, RK13, Hep2c, NCTC clone 929 and BHK-21 cell lines. Selected Cronobacter strains were assigned to C. sakazakii ST 21, C. turicensis ST 252, C. sakazakii ST 647, and three newly assigned STs: C. turicensis STs 738-740. The maximum death caused by non-heat-treated filtrates was 20·4, 86·2, 47·0 and 84·0%, in Vero, RK13, Hep2c and NCTC clone 929 cells, respectively. These were caused by C. sakazakii strains C291 and C292 (ST 494) which had been isolated during neonatal Cronobacter meningitis infection, and C110 (ST 395) isolated from flaxseed flour. Thermal treatment (100°C/20 min) significantly reduced the cytotoxicity activity in NCTC clone 929 and Vero cells (P ≤ 2 × 10-6 ), but not in RK13 (P = 0·12) and Hep2c (P = 0·85), indicating the cytotoxin(s) were probably proteinaceous. Electron microscopy revealed that cytotoxic compounds from C. sakazakii induced several cell death characteristics, including loss of cell-cell contact, microvilli reduction and cellular lysis. Autophagic vacuoles and mitochondrial damage were the most common ultrastructural features observed. CONCLUSIONS: It was concluded that Cronobacter strains, especially C. sakazakii, could produce heat-labile cytotoxic compounds in cell filtrates. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: This study providing insights into the pathogenesis of the Cronobacter genus. Cytotoxins were identified in excreted filtrates of C. sakazakii strains isolated from food and clinical specimens. The presence of Cronobacter strains that can produce cytotoxins in foods can be a potential threat to human health and highlight the need for high levels of hygiene.

In vitro assessment of the genotoxic and cytotoxic effects of boiled juice (tucupi) from Manihot esculenta Crantz roots.

The population of Pará (a state in Brazil) has a very characteristic food culture, as a majority of the carbohydrates consumed are obtained from cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) derivatives. Tucupi is the boiled juice of cassava roots that plays a major role in the culinary footprint of Pará. Before boiling, this juice is known as manipueira and contains linamarin, a toxic glycoside that can decompose to hydrogen cyanide. In this study, the cytotoxic and genotoxic effects of tucupi on cultured human lymphocytes were assessed using the comet assay and detection of apoptosis and necrosis by differential fluorescent staining with acridine orange-ethidium bromide. Tucupi concentrations (v/v) were determined using the methylthiazole tetrazolium biochemical test. Concentrations of tucupi that presented no genotoxic effects (2, 4, 8, and 16%) were used in our experiments. The results showed that under our study conditions, tucupi exerted no genotoxic effects; however, cytotoxic effects were observed with cell death mainly induced by necrosis. These effects may be related to the presence of hydrogen cyanide in the juice.

Reduction of centrifugation force in discontinuous percoll gradients increases in vitro fertilization rates without reducing bovine sperm recovery.

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of different centrifugation forces in bovine sperm separation by discontinuous Percoll gradients for in vitro fertilization IVF. The semen samples from each bull were pooled or each bull were centrifuged separately and centrifuged in discontinuous Percoll gradients (30, 60 and 90%) at different forces: F1 (9000×g), F2 (6500×g), F3 (4500×g) and F4 (2200×g), according experiment. The sperm samples were evaluated to determine the concentration, motility, vigor, morphology, reactive oxygen species (ROS), integrity of the plasma membrane, lipid peroxidation, antioxidants and embryo development were also evaluated. No difference was observed in the concentration of sperm submitted to different centrifugation forces. The total percentage of motile sperm was increased after centrifugation at F3 and F4, and the ROS production at F1 was greater than the other forces. When the bulls semen were processed individually, no significant differences were observed for the sperm quality parameters between F1 and F4, including lipid peroxidation, antioxidants, cleavage rate and average time to the first cleavage. This work demonstrated for the first time that centrifugation at 2200×g enhanced the sperm penetration and fertilization rates without reducing sperm recovery compared to the typical centrifugation force (9000×g) currently used by the commercial bovine IVF industry.

Cellular responses induced in vitro by pestheic acid, a fungal metabolite, in a gastric adenocarcinoma cell line (PG100).

There is a constant search for new cancer treatments that are less aggressive and economically affordable. In this context, natural products extracted from plants, fungi, and microorganisms are of great interest. Pestheic acid, or dihidromaldoxin, is a chlorinated diphenylic ether extracted from the phytopathogenic fungus Pestalotiopsis guepinii (Amphisphaeriaceae). We assessed the cytotoxic, cytostatic, and genotoxic effects of pestheic acid in a gastric adenocarcinoma cell line (PG100). A decrease in clonogenic survival was observed. Pestheic acid also induced significant increases in both micronucleus and nucleoplasmic bridge frequency. However, we did not observe changes in cell cycle kinetics or apoptosis induction. Reactive oxygen species induced by diphenylic ethers may explain the genotoxicity and mutagenicity of pestheic acid. The absence of repair checkpoints that we observed is probably due to the fact that the PG100 cell line lacks the TP53 gene, which is common in gastric cancers. Even though pestheic acid has had a clear cytotoxic effect, the minimal inhibitory concentration was high, which shows that pestheic acid is not an active anticancer compound under these conditions.

Chemical composition of South American Burseraceae non-volatile oleoresins and preliminary solubility assessment of their commercial blend.

INTRODUCTION: Non-volatile oleoresins from neotropical Burseraceae are traditionally used for craft, technological and medicinal purposes. The crude resin is usually sold in popular markets of the forest communities. Adding value to this rainforest raw material requires establishing its composition. OBJECTIVE: To analyse the resin composition from different Burseraceae species and establish a minimally reproducible profile by gas chromatography, in order to parameterise its quality control. METHODOLOGY: Crude oleoresin samples of 10 Protium and Trattinnickia species and a commercial blend were subjected to hydrodistillation to remove volatile compounds. The chloroform-soluble residues were methylated, analysed by GC-FID (flame ionisation detection), and individual components were identified by analysing their mass fragmentation pattern in GC-MS and comparison with data from the literature. The blend solubility was assayed in 30 non-chlorinated solvents at three different proportions. RESULTS: The resins consisted exclusively of triterpenes, showing a common predominance of four major compounds in all the samples, corresponding to α-amyrin, ß-amyrin, α-amyrenone and ß-amyrenone. This profile was complemented with minor amounts of the tetracyclic ß-elemolic and α-elemolic acids, maniladiol, brein and other oxidised trace compounds. The better solvents for the resin were those chemically bearing more than four carbon atoms, as n-butyl acetate, 2-ethoxyethanol and isopropanol. The crude resin blend sold contained around 10% of insoluble material that was constituted by up to 70% inorganic residues mixed with humic acid derivatives, as attested by ash analysis and IR spectroscopy, respectively. CONCLUSION: The experimental results, complemented by a general inspection of the literature, demonstrated a systematically reproducible triterpene profile in Protium and Trattinnickia species.

In silico reconstruction of the amino acid metabolic pathways of Trypanosoma cruzi.

Trypanosoma cruzi is the epidemiological agent of Chagas' disease, affecting most of Central and South America, constituting a significant health and socio-economic problem. The parasite has a metabolism largely based on the consumption of amino acids, which participate in a diversity of metabolic pathways, leading to many crucial compounds for the survival of this parasite. Study of its enzymes has the potential to disclose new therapeutic targets and foster the development of new drugs. In this study, we employed computational approaches to reconstruct in silico the amino acid metabolic pathways of T. cruzi, aiming to link genomic information with functional information. For that, protein sequences from 570 EC classes belonging to 25 different pathways in general amino acid metabolism were downloaded from KEGG. A subset of 471 EC classes had at least one sequence deposited. Clustering of the proteins belonging to each EC class was performed using a similarity-based approach implemented in the tool AnEnPi. Reconstruction of the metabolic pathways comprising the amino acid metabolism of T. cruzi was performed by analyzing the output of BLASTP, using as query the dataset of predicted proteins of T. cruzi against all sequences of each individual cluster. This approach allowed us to identify 764 T. cruzi proteins probably involved in the metabolism of amino acids as well as the identification of several putative cases of analogy. Furthermore, we were able to identify several enzymatic activities of T. cruzi that were not previously included in KEGG.

Temporomandibular joint dysfunction and trapezius muscle fatigability

INTRODUCTION: It has been suggested that pain increases trapezius muscle activation in patients with temporomandibular joint dysfunction (TMD). Changes in muscle activation might change muscle resistance to fatigue. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the fatigability of the trapezius muscle in patients with TMD. METHOD: Fourteen patients with TMD (clinically diagnosed and referred by a dentist) and eleven healthy subjects performed a fatigue test consisting of shoulder elevation performed at 70 percent of the maximal voluntary isometric contraction, which was maintained for 30 seconds. Electromyographic signals were obtained from the upper portion of the trapezius muscle (sampling frequency: 2000 Hz/channel). Consecutive segments of three seconds in duration each were extracted from the electromyographic signal and analyzed in the frequency domain using a Fast Fourier Transform algorithm. Linear regression analysis was applied to the consecutive median frequencies for each subject. The slope of the regression line was used to describe muscle fatigability. RESULTS: No changes were observed in fatigability between the right and left trapezius of either group or between the left trapezius of the healthy and TMD groups. The linear regression for median frequencies in the right trapezius of the TMD group showed a slope of -0.15 ± 0.33 (mean ± SD), which was smaller than the slope for the healthy group (-0.44 ± 0.46; p= 0.049). These results suggested that the fatigability of the right trapezius was lower in the TMD group than in the healthy group.

INTRODUÇÃO: Tem sido sugerido que a dor aumenta a ativação do músculo trapézio em pacientes com disfunção temporomandibular (TMD). Mudanças na ativação do músculo podem alterar a resistência à fadiga. O objetivo do estudo foi investigar a fatigabilidade do músculo trapézio em pacientes com TMJ. MÉTODOS: Quatorze indivíduos com TMD (diagnosticados clinicamente e encaminhados pelo especialista odontólogo) e onze indivíduos saudáveis realizaram um protocolo de fadiga que consistiu em uma contração isométrica submáxima de elevação do ombro, em um nível de 70 por cento da contração voluntária máxima, mantida por um período de 30 segundos. O sinal eletromiográfico (EMG) foi obtido da porção superior do músculo trapézio, (taxa de amostragem de 2000Hz/canal). Três segundos consecutivos do sinal EMG foram analisados no domínio da freqüência usando a Transformada Rápida de Fourier (FFT). Uma análise de regressão linear foi aplicada para valores consecutivos da freqüência mediana (MF) de cada sujeito, e a inclinação da regressão linear foi utilizada para descrever a fatigabilidade muscular. RESULTADOS: Nenhuma diferença foi observada na fatigabilidade do músculo trapézio direito e esquerdo para ambos os grupos e entre o trapézio esquerdo do grupo saudável e com TMD. A MF do músculo trapézio direito do grupo com disfunção apresentou valores de inclinação da reta de regressão linear de -0,15 ± 0,33 (média ± SD), os quais foram menores que os valores do grupo saudável (-0,44 ± 0,46; média ± SD; p= 0,049). Esses resultados sugerem que a fatigabilidade do trapézio direito é menor no grupo com TMD do que no grupo saudável.

Cytotoxic and genotoxic monitoring of sickle cell anaemia patients treated with hydroxyurea.

Very satisfactory results have been obtained with the treatment of sickle cell anaemia with hydroxyurea (HU), an antineoplastic drug. This is because it significantly increases the levels of foetal haemoglobin. Nevertheless, inadequate dosages or prolonged treatment with this pharmaceutical can provoke cytotoxicity or genotoxicity, increasing the risk of neoplasia. We monitored patients under treatment with HU for possible mutagenic effects, through cytogenetic tests (mitotic index and chromosome aberrations) for one year. Checking at two-month intervals, the cytotoxic effect was not evident. There was no evidence of genotoxicity under the conditions of our experiment. However individuals treated with HU should be constantly monitored, as an absence of genotoxicity could be transitory; the mitotic index should also be observed, as an indicator of cytotoxicity.

Cytochemical characterization of the endomembranous system during the oocyte primary growth in Serrasalmus spilopleura (Teleostei, Characiformes, Characidae).

The morphophysiological changes that occur during oocyte primary growth in Serrasalmus spilopleura were studied using ultrastructural cytochemical techniques. In the previtellogenic oocytes endoplasmic reticulum components, Golgi complex cisternae and vesicles, lysosomes, multivesicular bodies and some electron-dense vesicles react to acid phosphatase (AcPase) detection. The endoplasmic reticulum components, Golgi complex cisternae and vesicles also react to osmium tetroxide and potassium iodide impregnation (KI). These structures, except for the Golgi complex cisternae, are strongly contrasted by osmium tetroxide and zinc iodide impregnation (ZIO). Some electron-dense vesicles are ZIO-stained, while microvesicles in the multivesicular bodies and other large isolated cytoplasmic vesicles are contrasted by KI. At primary oocyte growth, the activity of the endomembranous system and the proliferation of membranous organelles are intense. The biosynthetic pathway of the lysosomal proteins such as acid phosphatase, involves the endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi complex, vesicles with inactive hydrolytic enzymes and, finally, the lysosomes. The oocyte endomembranous system have reduction capacity and are involved in the metabolism of rich in SH groups.

Traumatic pseudoaneurysm of the superficial temporal artery: case report

A 26 year-old woman suffered a blunt head injury on the left temporal area and developed an arteriovenous fistula with a pseudoaneurysm on the superficial temporal artery. These fistulas are rare and usually associated with pseudoaneurysms, most commonly in the frontal arterial branch. The aneurysms generally appear late after trauma and present as a pulsatile painfully growing mass in the temporal region, associated with fremitus and bruit. The diagnosis is made by angiography and surgery is a very effective treatment.

Uma mulher de 26 anos desenvolveu uma fístula arteriovenosa associada a pseudoaneurisma da artéria temporal superficial após traumatismo craniano fechado. Tais fístulas são raras e geralmente associadas a pseudoaneurismas da artéria temporal superficial, mais comumente do ramo frontal. As lesões habitualmente surgem tardiamente em relação ao traumatismo causador e se manifestam como uma massa dolorosa pulsátil na região temporal, crescente, associada à frêmito e sopro. O diagnóstico é confirmado através de arteriografia e o tratamento cirúrgico proporciona ótimos resultados.

Conventional cytogenetic characterization of a new cell line, ACP01, established from a primary human gastric tumor

Gastric cancer is the second most frequent type of neoplasia and also the second most important cause of death in the world. Virtually all the established cell lines of gastric neoplasia were developed in Asian countries, and western countries have contributed very little to this area. In the present study we describe the establishment of the cell line ACP01 and characterize it cytogenetically by means of in vitro immortalization. Cells were transformed from an intestinal-type gastric adenocarcinoma (T4N2M0) originating from a 48-year-old male patient. This is the first gastric adenocarcinoma cell line established in Brazil. The most powerful application of the cell line ACP01 is in the assessment of cytotoxicity. Solid tumor cell lines from different origins have been treated with several conventional and investigational anticancer drugs. The ACP01 cell line is triploid, grows as a single, non-organized layer, similar to fibroblasts, with focus formation, heterogeneous division, and a cell cycle of approximately 40 h. Chromosome 8 trisomy, present in 60 percent of the cells, was the most frequent cytogenetic alteration. These data lead us to propose a multifactorial triggering of gastric cancer which evolves over multiple stages involving progressive genetic changes and clonal expansion.

Conventional cytogenetic characterization of a new cell line, ACP01, established from a primary human gastric tumor.

Gastric cancer is the second most frequent type of neoplasia and also the second most important cause of death in the world. Virtually all the established cell lines of gastric neoplasia were developed in Asian countries, and western countries have contributed very little to this area. In the present study we describe the establishment of the cell line ACP01 and characterize it cytogenetically by means of in vitro immortalization. Cells were transformed from an intestinal-type gastric adenocarcinoma (T4N2M0) originating from a 48-year-old male patient. This is the first gastric adenocarcinoma cell line established in Brazil. The most powerful application of the cell line ACP01 is in the assessment of cytotoxicity. Solid tumor cell lines from different origins have been treated with several conventional and investigational anticancer drugs. The ACP01 cell line is triploid, grows as a single, non-organized layer, similar to fibroblasts, with focus formation, heterogeneous division, and a cell cycle of approximately 40 h. Chromosome 8 trisomy, present in 60% of the cells, was the most frequent cytogenetic alteration. These data lead us to propose a multifactorial triggering of gastric cancer which evolves over multiple stages involving progressive genetic changes and clonal expansion.

Computed tomography guided needle biopsies in pediatric oncology

The use of computed tomography (CT)-guided biopsies facilitate the diagnosis and management in several medical settings. In this study, the authors analyzed how effective cutting and fine-needle biopsies are in pediatric oncology. Medical records of 75 patients were analyzed in retrospect allowing the study of 101 biopsy results. The results of these procedures were compared with clinical follow-up or surgical biopsy results and evaluated for how they affected the patient's treatment. CT-guided biopsies altered the treatment in 57 of 75 patients. No major complication occurred. Cutting and fine-needle biopsies are comparable in obtaining adequate material, but cutting needle obtains a superior rate of specific diagnosis. CT-guided biopsies are safe procedures that can alter the management of pediatric oncology patients. Cutting and fine-needle biopsies each have one optimal specific use that must be considered to improve their accuracy.

The ultrastructural aspects of vitellogenesis or oocyte secondary growth in Serrasalmus spilopleura (Teleostei, Characiformes, Serrasalminae).

Oocyte secondary growth in S. spiloleura corresponds to the period in which different vesicular structures are formed, including the cortical alveoli and the yolk granules. The oocytes with cortical alveolus formation show vesicular structures with filamentous content in the cortical cytoplasmic region, which are the cortical alveolus precursors. In these oocytes, electron-dense vesicles of heterogenous content are dispersed in the inner cytoplasmic region and their nuclei are irregular, showing many nucleoli of different sizes. The oocytes in vitellogenesis are filled with many vesicles. The cortical alveolus precursors are in the peripheral region, and electron-dense granules are seen near to the nucleus. These fuse and form yolk granules. The oocytes in vitellogenesis show a very irregular nucleus that has nucleoli of different sizes. In the oocytes in final vitellogenesis, the yolk granules are scattered throughout the cytoplasm, displacing the cortical alveoli toward cell periphery. The nucleus is similar to the other stages.

Hypertension in Brazil.

PREVALENCE: Mean values for prevalence of hypertension in 18 selected populations, varied between 15.7% (BP > or = 95 mm Hg) and 27.7% (BP > or = 90 mm Hg). In three Mall surveys in Salvador (n = 5093 volunteers), prevalence mean value was 33.7% (JNC VI criteria), being influenced by age (5.5 to 17.8% and 41.0 to 54.9% for the 25-34 and 55-59 year old age groups, respectively) and socioeconomic class (24.7 and 39.6% for the highest and lowest social class, respectively, OR = 0.50 (0.26-0.95, P = 0.023). The national prevalence by the Ministry of Health is 20%. MORTALITY AND MORBIDITY: Mortality as a consequence of morbidity has increased, with stroke being a leading cause of death (11.3% of total deaths, 10.1% of all deaths in the 20-59 year-old age group, and 33.9% of cardiovascular deaths in Brazilian Capitals, 1994)Cardiovascular risk factors: At comparable age groups, prevalence of other major cardiovascular risk factors are: smoking approximately 27%, total cholesterol > or =200 mg/dl approximately 32.5%, glucose intolerance approximately 8.0%, diabetes approximately 7.5%, BMI 25-29 approximately 29.1%, BMI > or = 30 approximately 9.6%, and physical inactivity approximately 92%. AWARENESS, TREATMENT, AND CONTROL: Data are very scarce. In the total Mall population (n = 4613) in Salvador, a high blood pressure was present in 24.4% of those who either denied hypertension or ignored blood pressure. Of those who reported to be hypertensives, only 34.5% had their blood pressure <140/90 mm Hg. In a national inquiry including 2519 physicians, 88% would start treatment with drug monotherapy, diuretics (53%), and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEI) (24%). If blood pressure control is not achieved, 55% will combine with another drug (diuretic + ACEI (46%) or + beta-blocker (24%)), and 33% will increase the dosage. Nonpharmacological treatment would be prescribed for every patient by 17% of the physicians, while 62% would prescribe it for 25% of their patients. Adhesion is better for pharmacological (60%) than for nonpharmacological treatment (8%). FINAL REMARKS: Three Consensus Documents (the most recent in 1998), the creation of the Department of Hypertension Leagues, the Fighting Hypertension National Day, the Confederation of Hypertensive Patients Associations, and the very recent launch of the National Plan for Reorganization of Hypertension and Diabetes Care are some measures being taken in a joint effort of the Ministry of Health and the Brazilian Societies of Cardiology, Hypertension and Nephrology, to strengthen and improve the fight against hypertension.

Ultrastructural aspects of oogenesis and oocyte primary growth in Serrasalmus spilopleura (Teleostei, Characiformes, Characidae).

The ultrastructural characteristics of the organelles present in Serrasalmus spilopleura oogonia and oocytes undergoing primary growth were described in detail, considering its role in the nuclear and cytoplasmic metabolic processes that occur in these cell types. Even though these cells do not significantly differ from those similar to them that are found in other teleost groups, the analysis of their ultrastructure makes available new data on the reproductive biology of Characiformes.

Evaluation of anti-inflammatory-related activity of essential oils from the leaves and resin of species of Protium.

The resins and leaves of species of Protium are commonly used by folk medicine. In the present study, we analyse the pharmacological effects of essential oils obtained by steam distillation (leaves and resin) from Protium species. Analysis by gas chromatography (GC) coupled to mass spectrometry and retention indices calculations demonstrate that the resin oil is constituted mainly of monoterpenes and phenylpropanoids: alpha-terpinolene (22%), p-cymene (11%), p-cimen-8-ol (11%), limonene (5%) and dillapiol (16%), whereas sesquiterpenes predominate as the volatile constituents of the leaves. The resin of Protium heptaphyllum (PHP) and leaves of P. strumosum (PS), P. grandifolium (PG), P. lewellyni (PL) and P. hebetatum (PHT) were screened for anti-inflammatory activity by the use of mouse pleurisy model induced by zymosan (500 microg/cavity) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) (250 ng/cavity), for antinociceptive effect (by means of preventing mice abdominal writhings), as well as NO production from stimulated macrophages and proliferation of neoplasic cell lines: Neuro-2a (mouse neuroblastoma), SP2/0 (mouse plasmocytoma) and J774 (mouse monocytic cell line). The oils from PHP, PS and PL were able to inhibit protein extravasation but no sample inhibited total or differential leucocyte counts after administrating p.o. (100 mg/kg) 1 h before stimulation with zymosan. The oils from PG, PL and PHT inhibited neutrophil accumulation whereas PHP and specially PL inhibited LPS-induced eosinophil accumulation in mouse pleural cavity. PHT was also able to inhibit mononuclear cells accumulation. Antinociceptive effect was not observed, when animals received oral administration of the essential oils (100 mg/kg). In vitro treatment with essential oils (100 microg/well) changed the NO production from stimulated mouse macrophages. PHP inhibited in 74% and PS in 46% the LPS-induced NO production. In contrast, treatment with PL was able to increase in 49% the NO production. Cell lines proliferation was affected by the oils assayed in the range of 60-100% for Neuro-2a, 65-95% for SP2/0 and 70-90% for J774. Taken together these results showed that essential oils could be useful as efficient pharmacological tools.