The Dispersion of Diaspores of Protium icicariba (Burseraceae) - a Networked or Multifactorial System?

The adaptive radiation of the angiosperms was strongly affected by fruit and seed dispersal since the establishment of the seedlings is a fundamental process for the recruitment of juveniles to the populations. Among the species of Burseraceae, seeds with fleshy attachments and high caloric value suggest mammaliochory as an ancestral dispersal way. In Protium icicariba, at the same time as there is a visual pattern typical of ornithochory, with a report of effective demonstration, the diaspores present the highest levels of essential oils of the whole plant, suggesting other dispersion processes by olfactory guided vectors. This work aims to monitor the diasporic dispersal process in P. icicariba in situ, aiming to identify dispersers and to investigate the role of the essential oil in the dispersion of diaspores of this plant species. The natural dispersion was monitored in situ, in weekly campaigns throughout eight months, using visual and photographic records, in daily shifts of six hours, distributed along the dawn, morning, afternoon, dusk, and night. We used both direct observation and continuous picture capturing along 43 days with photographic traps. Mature diaspores removed from pseudocapsules were pooled to determine potential dispersers. Artificial models of the diaspores, in white and green colors, were also used to test hypotheses on the role of scent in the dispersion, added 1%, weight/weight, of the essential oil extracted from the mature diaspores, which chemical composition determined by gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry. Besides, the analysis of stomach contents of lizards collected in adjacent area was also performed. In daytime and nighttime monitoring in nature, no vertebrates were recorded dispersing diaspores. The most common was the primary wind-facilitated autochory of diaspores to the substrate, near the plant matrices. Secondarily, workers of the ant species Atta robusta can remove the pseudoarils or move the pyrenes to the anthills. The lizard species Tropidurus torquatus ingests pyrenes with the pseudoarils, and the sclerified pericarp of the pyrene is potentially resistant to chemical action of the digestive juices. Ants and lizards have also accessed the caves with natural diaspores. Concerning the artificial diaspore models, ants accessed, indistinctly, white and the green models that contained essential oils. The lizards accessed the white models, with or without essential oils, and showed insignificant access to green ones, with or without essential oil. The ingestion of pyrenes by lizards was also confirmed through analysis of stomach contents. The aggregate spatial pattern of P. icicariba at the study site, associated with clumps, may be derived from germination in the substrate near the matrices, or in the anthills or after diaspora defecation and / or regurgitation of the lizard, which is a species strongly associated with clumps of this vegetation. As the access to the diaspores by ants and lizards depends on the primary autochory, and no impediments to the germination near to the matrix plant were found, the dispersion is compatible with a multifactorial characteristic of the diplochory.

Pilomatrixoma (Epitelioma Calcificante de Malherbe) da região temporal - relato de caso / Pilomatricoma (calcifying epithelioma of Malherbe) of the temporal region - a case report

O pilomatrixoma constitui uma neoplasia benigna incomum de folículos pilosos, observado mais frequentemente em crianças. O tumor apresenta-se como um nódulo solitário e firme, recoberto com epiderme normal. É relatado o caso de uma paciente feminina de 26 anos com lesão na região temporal. Nos cortes histológicos, observou-se uma proliferação expansiva de ilhotas de células epiteliais configuradas de forma irregular, mostrando na área central sombra de núcleos perdidos (células- fantasma). O pilomatrixoma deve ser considerado no diagnóstico diferencial de nódulos cutâneos, especialmente aqueles de cabeça, pescoço e membros superiores.

Pilomatricoma is an uncommon benign neoplasm of hair follicles, most commonly seen in children. The tumor appears as a solitary and firm nodule, covered with normal epidermis. We report the case of a 26-year-old woman with a lesion in the temporal region. In histological sections, there was an expansive proliferation of islets of epithelial cells configured irregularly, showing the shadow of lost nuclei (ghost cells) in the central area. Pilomatricoma should be considered in the differential diagnosis of skin nodules, especially those of the head, neck, and upper limbs

An affordable apparatus for fine-controlled emulation of buzzing frequencies of bees for the testing hypothesis in buzz interactions.

The buzzing foraging behavior of female bees for pollen harvesting called the attention of early pollination biologists. Flower types that demand this buzzing behavior comprise about 20,000 species of different and phylogenetically unrelated plant taxa, suggesting that it had independently evolved many times among the flowering plants. Between the late 1970s and early 1980s, theoretical papers had modeled the energetics of buzz pollination, but, up to this moment, no hypothesis was experimentally tested concerning the theoretical basis of the energetics of buzz pollination. We present a cost-effective and simple apparatus, including a digital and highly accurate frequency generator, and a device for the transference of buzz-frequency energy to the receptive floral unity. The receptive floral unities may comprise the entire or partial androecium, or the tubular corolla, or, in some cases, the whole flower. This apparatus can be easily used in both laboratory and field conditions of research, as natural air currents are avoided, and the response of pollen liberation can be quantitatively measured by pollen grain counts that can be captured by adhesion in slide poured with an isosmotic lactate-glycerol media. The maximum displacement of the hardwire beam/claw system was 0.1170 ± 0.0006 mm @ 150 Hz; 0.021 ± 0.003 mm @ 250 Hz; 0.010 ± 0.001 mm @ 350 Hz; 0.0058 ± 0.0001 mm @ 450 Hz; and 0.0082 ± 0.0005 mm @ 550 Hz. Hypothesis contrasting frequency emission and pollen liberation measured as pollen grain counts may be tested in a species flower type by simple linear regression if pollen counts are normally distributed, or ordinal logistic regression, with non-normal counts. The comparison among different flower-type requirements can be tested through appropriate statistical methods for both normally and non-normally distributed pollen grain counts.

Long-term regeneration of a tropical plant community after sand mining.

Sandy coastal plant communities in tropical regions have been historically under strong anthropic pressure. In Brazil, these systems shelter communities with highly plastic plant species. However, the potential of these systems to regenerate without human assistance after disturbances has hardly been examined. We determined the natural regeneration of a coastal sandy plain vegetation (restinga) in Brazil, 16 years after the end of sand removal. We inventoried 38 plots: 20 within a sand-mined site and 18 in an adjacent undisturbed site. We expected lower diversity values in the sand-mined site compared to the undisturbed site, but similar species composition between the two sites due to the spatial proximity of the two sites and the high plasticity of restinga species. Species were ranked using abundance and importance value index in both sites, and comparisons were performed using Rényi entropy profiles, rarefaction curves, principal component analysis, and redundancy analysis. Species composition and dominant species differed markedly between the two sites. Bromeliads and Clusia hilariana, well-known nurse plants, dominated the undisturbed site but were almost absent in the regenerating site. Species richness did not differ between both sites, but diversity was higher in the undisturbed site. Within-site composition differences in the mined area were associated with field characteristics. Interestingly, species classified as subordinate or rare in the undisturbed site became dominants in the regenerating site. These newer dominants in the sand-mined site are not those known as nurse plants in other restingas, thus yielding strong implications for restoration.

Effects of Tin on Enzyme Activity in Holothuria grisea (Echinodermata: Holothuroidea).

This study evaluated the effect of tin exposure on enzyme activity in the sea cucumber (Holothuria grisea Selenka, 1867). After exposure to 0 (control), 0.04, 0.08, or 0.12 mg L-1 tin, we tested the activities of total cholinesterase in longitudinal muscles, acid phosphatase in gonads and the respiratory tree, as well as alkaline phosphatase in the intestines during a 96-h bioassay. Regression analyses showed that all enzyme activities declined with increasing tin concentrations, except for acid phosphatase in the respiratory tree, which were similarly, inhibited at all tin concentrations. These results indicate that H. grisea is a potential bioindicator for seascape habitat monitoring programs, as its biochemical markers show sensitivity to trace elements that can indicate a rise in pollution levels.

Dendranthema grandiflorum, a hybrid ornamental plant, is a source of larvicidal compounds against Aedes aegypti larvae

Abstract In hybrid cultivated form, Dendranthema grandiflorum (Ramat.) Kitam., Asteraceae, flowers (Chrysanthemum morifolium Ramat.) were utilized in the production of extracts, which were analyzed for larvicidal activity against Aedes aegypti third instar larvae. Methanol and dichloromethane extracts showed LC50 values of 5.02 and 5.93 ppm, respectively. Using GC–MS, phytochemical analyses of the dichloromethane extract showed the presence of triterpenoids and fatty acids, while flavonoids and caffeoylquinic acids were shown to occur in the methanol extract by ESI Fourier Transform Ion Cyclotron Resonance Mass Spectrometry (ESI-FT-ICR-MS). Triterpenoids and fatty acids are well known insecticidal compounds. From this study, it can be concluded that D. grandiflorum grown for floriculture, as an agribusiness, can have additional applications as raw material for the production of insecticidal products.

Microscopic analysis of patients with chronic diarrhea without macroscopic disease / Análise microscópica de pacientes com diarreia crônica sem doença macroscópica

BACKGROUND: Colonoscopy is part of the current diagnostic armamentarium. However, in some patients with chronic diarrhea, a colonoscopy may show normal mucosa; in these cases, serial biopsies can provide important information for the diagnosis and treatment of patients. AIM: To analyze patients with chronic diarrhea having a macroscopically normal colonoscopy, by evaluating histological changes. METHODS: 30 patients with chronic diarrhea and normal colonoscopy were prospectively evaluated and submitted to serial biopsies of the terminal ileum, ascending colon and rectum. RESULTS: The sample of 30 patients showed a ratio of 18 men (60%) and 12 women (40%). On histological types, it was found that 13 patients (43.3%) had lymphoid hyperplasia, eosinophilic inflammation in 4 (13.3%), nonspecific inflammation in 4 (13.3%), regenerative changes in 3 (10%), lymphocytic colitis in 2 (6.6%) and changes consistent with Crohn's disease in 1 (3.3%). CONCLUSIONS: One can observe that even chronic diarrhea patients, without other associated factors, benefited from colonoscopy with biopsy, because it held the etiologic diagnosis in some cases as also excluded by histopathology. It was noticed that the frequency of patients with altered biopsy and less dragged diarrheal episodes (84.2%) was large, should consider their achievement.

INTRODUÇÃO: A colonoscopia faz parte do arsenal de diagnóstico atual. Porém, em alguns pacientes com diarreia crônica, a colonoscopia pode evidenciar mucosa normal; nesses casos biópsias seriadas podem trazer informações importantes para o diagnóstico e tratamento dos pacientes. OBJETIVO: Analisar pacientes com diarreia crônica submetidos à colonoscopia macroscopicamente normal, avaliando assim histologicamente as alterações. MÉTODOS: Análise prospectiva da histologia 30 pacientes com diarreia crônica e colonoscopias normais, submetidos a biópsias seriadas de íleo terminal, cólon ascendente e reto. RESULTADOS: A amostra de 30 pacientes mostrou uma proporção de 18 homens (60%) e 12 mulheres (40%). Sobre os tipos de alterações histológicas, foi verificado que 13 pacientes (43,3%) apresentaram hiperplasia linfóide, inflamação eosinofílica em 4 (13,3%), inflamação inespecífica em 4 (13,3%), alterações regenerativas em 3 (10%), colite linfocítica em 2 (6,6%) e alterações compatíveis com Doença de Crohn em 1 (3,3%). CONCLUSÕES: Observou-se que mesmo pacientes com diarreia crônica, sem outros fatores associados, beneficiaram-se da colonoscopia com biópsia, pois a mesma realizou o diagnóstico etiológico em alguns casos como também o excluiu através da histopatologia. Verificou-se que a frequência de pacientes com biópsia alterada e quadros diarreicos menos arrastados (84,2%) foi grande, devendo-se considerar a realização do exame.

Biochemical and ecophysiological responses to manganese stress by ectomycorrhizal fungus Pisolithus tinctorius and in association with Eucalyptus grandis.

At relatively low concentrations, the element manganese (Mn) is essential for plant metabolism, especially for photosynthesis and as an enzyme antioxidant cofactor. However, industrial and agricultural activities have greatly increased Mn concentrations, and thereby contamination, in soils. We tested whether and how growth of Pisolithus tinctorius is influenced by Mn and glucose and compare the activities of oxidative stress enzymes as biochemical markers of Mn stress. We also compared nutrient accumulation, ecophysiology, and biochemical responses in Eucalyptus grandis which had been colonized by the ectomycorrhizal Pisolithus tinctorius with those which had not, when both were exposed to increasing Mn concentrations. In vitro experiments comprised six concentrations of Mn in three concentrations of glucose. In vivo experiments used plants colonized by Pisolithus tinctorius, or not colonized, grown with three concentrations of Mn (0, 200, and 1000 µM). We found that fungal growth and glucose concentration were correlated, but these were not influenced by Mn levels in the medium. The anti-oxidative enzymes catalase and glutathione S-transferase were both activated when the fungus was exposed to Mn. Also, mycorrhizal plants grew more and faster than non-mycorrhizal plants, whatever Mn exposure. Photosynthesis rate, intrinsic water use efficiency, and carboxylation efficiency were all inversely correlated with Mn concentration. Thus, we originally show that the ectomycorrhizal fungus provides protection for its host plants against varying and potentially toxic concentrations of Mn.

Mechanistic basis for morphological damage induced by essential oil from Brazilian pepper tree, Schinus terebinthifolia, on larvae of Stegomyia aegypti, the dengue vector.

BACKGROUND: Dengue has become the subject of public health programs worldwide. The lack of a vaccine and the high environmental risk of synthetic insecticides, arouse the interest in natural products against this vector. This study aimed to determine the chemical composition of the essential oil of ripe fruits and seeds of Schinus terebinthifolia Raddi; to evaluate the essential oil effect on mortality of Stegomyia aegypti (Linnaeus, 1792) larvae; and to characterize the structural damage suffered by larvae and their association with different contents of essential oil. METHODS: Ripe fruits and seeds were crunched and their essential oil was extracted through hydrodistillation, purified, and its phytochemical analysis was carried out through High Resolution Gas Chromatography, coupled with Mass Spectrometry. This essential oil was diluted in a 10-point gradient of 86.22 - 862.20 ppm, at regular intervals of 86.22 ppm. Each point received 50 larvae and the assessments of surviving were made at 24, 48 and 72 hours after inoculation. Structural damage was assessed through measurements of thickness with exoskeleton, evaluating the integrity of the head, thorax, abdominal segments, and air siphon, using ImageJ software. Statistical data analysis was carried out through Logistic Regression and Discriminant Analysis. RESULTS: 56 substances were identified, corresponding to 81.67% of the essential oil composition. Larvae were dose-dependent susceptible to the essential oil; the concentration produced a significant effect on larval mortality. Among the major deformations found in the larvae, it was detected inhibition of chitin synthesis by the activity of the oil, thus reducing the deposition of cuticle layers. CONCLUSION: The essential oil caused death in exposed larvae after 72 hours, in a dose-dependent manner. It also changed the structure of exposed larvae, indicating a direct effect on larval exoskeleton. The results open up possibilities for the use of natural products as an alternative to control dipterans.

A Clinical Trial with Brazilian Arnica (Solidago chilensis Meyen) Glycolic Extract in the Treatment of Tendonitis of Flexor and Extensor Tendons of Wrist and Hand.

One of the Brazilian arnicas, Solidago chilensis Meyen, is a species of the Asteraceae family. This plant is known by this common name because it shares remarkably similar organoleptic properties with the genus Arnica L., also within the family Asteraceae. We examined the effectiveness of the S. chilensis fluid extract used externally for treating tendinitis of flexor and extensor tendons of wrist and hand in placebo-controlled double-blind clinical pharmacological studies. This study was approved by the Ethical Committee for Scientific Research in Human Beings at University Vila Velha-UVV. Two daily skin applications on the arm skin of a gel cream containing a 5% glycolic plant extract were administered to eight volunteers for 21 days. Among the volunteers, one of their arms was used as the placebo group, and the other one was used as a test group. Statistical data analyses demonstrated a significant reduction in the perception of pain in the arms in the test group, when it was compared to those receiving only the placebo.

Effect of Spilanthes acmella hydroethanolic extract activity on tumour cell actin cytoskeleton.

Numerous natural products have pharmacological activity such that many biologically active compounds have led to the development of cancer chemotherapy drugs. Spilanthes acmella (Asteraceae) is widely cultivated in the State of Pará, Brazil, being employed in folk medicine for its anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antioxidant, analgesic, insecticide, and larvicidal properties. However, its cytotoxicity and influence on actin cytoskeleton organisation in tumour cell lines are practically nonexistent. We have verified the cytotoxicity of a hydroethanolic extract of the inflorescence of S. acmella, and examined its effects on the cytoskeleton of tumour cells. Decreasing concentrations of the extract (250, 500 and 1,000 µg/mL) were given to cultures of neoplastic cells (HEp-2). Cytotoxicity was assessed by the MTT test, and the influence on cytoskeleton organisation was examined by fluorescence microscopy. The IC50 of the hydroethanolic extract was 513 µg/mL, confirming the data obtained from the MTT assay that gave high cytotoxicity. The actin cytoskeleton arrangement of HEp2 cells at 500 and 1,000 µg/mL showed depolymerisation of the filaments, causing loss of morphology and consequently compromising cell adhesion.

Biochemical and cellularchanges in Oreochromis niloticus related to the water pollution of a degraded river / Alterações bioquímicas e celulares em Oreochromis niloticus relacionadas com a poluição da água de um rio degradado

The effects of polluted water at three sites in the Marinho River, Brazil, on Oreochromis niloticus (Nile tilápia) were investigated using histological, hematological and biochemical approaches. Fish exposed to the impacted water demonstrated that histological changes in gills were accompanied by nuclear and micronuclei abnormalities in cells. The activity of liver and plasma biomarkers (alkaline phosphatase (ALP), acid phosphatase (ACP), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and liver glutathione S-transferase (GST)) showed an expressive change due to the. The results were also correlated with the highest levels of Cu+2, Zn+2 and Mn+2 in the water. The data of this study evidenced the importance of using a set of biomarkers to quantify pollution in lentic ecosystems. Additionally, histological analyses of gills and erythrocytes have proven to be an important instrument for signaling the impact of pollutants in rivers.

Os efeitos da poluição da água de três locais do Rio Marinho, Brasil, em Oreochromis niloticus foram investigados usando técnicas histológicas, hematológicas e bioquímicas. Peixes expostos à água impactada demonstraram que alterações histológicas nas brânquias foram acompanhadas de anomalias nucleares e micronúcleo nas células. A determinação da atividade de biomarcadores em fígado e plasma de tilápia (fosfatase alcalina (ALP), fosfatase ácida (ACP), alanina aminotransferase (ALT), aspartato aminotransferase (AST) e glutationa S-transferase (GST)) mostrou uma substancial alteração em função da poluição. Os resultados são correlacionados com os níveis mais elevados de Cu+2, Zn+2 e Mn+2 na água. Os dados deste estudo demonstram a importância de utilizar um conjunto de biomarcadores para quantificar a poluição em ecossistemas lênticos. Adicionalmente, as análises histológicas das brânquias e de eritrocitos têm provado ser importante instrumento para sinalizar a impactação de poluentes ao longo de rios.

Application of the essential oil from copaiba (Copaifera langsdori Desf.) for acne vulgaris: a double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial.

Copaiba oil-resin is widely used in traditional medicine due to its anti-inflammatory, healing, and antiseptic activities. This research aims to extract and evaluate the qualitative and quantitative composition of copaiba essential oil from the oil-resin, and test its effects, after incorporation in a gel applied in volunteers with acne, in a double-blind placebo controlled clinical trial. The essential oil was extracted by steam distillation, and purified by freezing to remove the residual remnant water. The density of the essential oil was gravimetrically determined by weighing 1 mL of liquid at 20 degree C. The identification of the essential oil components was carried out through high-resolution gas chromatography analysis, coupled with mass spectrometry. The essential oil has a density of 0.9175 mg/mL and was composed of 48 substances, 14 of which were the major components representing 95.80% of total essential oil composition. Cis-thujopsene was the main component (46.96% of total essential oil composition). The surface affected with acne decreased when treated with placebo (F = 13.931, p = 0.001, r = 0.518; r2 = 0.268), but the linear model could explain only 26.8% of total variance in original data matrix. There was a highly significant decrease in the surface affected with acne in the areas treated with the 1.0% copaiba essential oil preparation (F = 86.494, p = 0.000, r = 0.834; r2 = 0.695).

Evidence for conservation and sustainable use in a fragment of the Atlantic forest in southeastern Brazil by a traditional human group.

The use of forest resources by a rural community adjacent to a Biological Reserve was examined using quantitative methods based on the consensus of six local specialists. Plants with trunk diameters at 1.3 m above soil level (DBH) ≥ 5 cm were sampled in 0.5 ha of forest and their use-value (UV) were calculated and associated with their structural descriptors. A total of 129 species were identified, and 69 of them having known uses. The species with largest UV were: Xylopia sericea, Lecythis lanceolata and Guarea macrophylla. The results demonstrated that neither the degree of recognition of taxa by the local specialists nor their use-versatility depended on their abundance in nature. The results corroborate the hypothesis that richness of a plant family is a predictive character of its cultural importance and the community recognizes the value of conserving the forest remnants.

Insecticidal activity of the essential oil from fruits and seeds of Schinus terebinthifolia Raddi against African malaria vectors.

BACKGROUND: Alternative insecticides for the control of malaria and filarial vectors are of paramount need as resistance is increasing among classes of insecticides currently in use in the public health sector. In this study, mosquitocidal activity of Schinus terebinthifolia essential oil against Anopheles gambiae s.s., An. arabiensis and Culex quinquefasciatus was assessed in laboratory, semi- field and full- field conditions METHOD: Twenty third instar larvae of both Anopheles gambiae s.s. and Cx. quinquefasciatus were exposed to different dosages of plant extract in both laboratory and semi- field environments. Observation of the mortality response was assessed at intervals of 12, 24, 48 and 72 hours. Adult semi- gravid female mosquitoes were exposed to papers treated with S. terebinthifolia and compared with WHO standard paper treated with alphacypermethrin (0.05%). RESULTS: Gas chromatography, coupled to mass spectrometry, identified 15 compounds from S. terebinthifolia extracts, the most abundant identified compound was δ-3-carene (55.36%) and the least was γ-elemene (0.41%). The density of the oil was found to be 0.8086 g/ml. The effective dosages in the insectary ranged from 202.15 to 2625.20 ppm and were further evaluated in the semi- field situation. In the laboratory, the mortality of Cx. quinquefasciatus ranged from 0.5 to 96.75% while for An. gambiae s.s it was from 13.75 to 97.91%. In the semi- field experiments, the mortality rates observed varied for both species with time and concentrations. The LC50 and LC95 value in the laboratory was similar for both species while in the semi- field they were different for each. In wild, adult mosquitoes, the KT50 for S. terebinthifolia was 11.29 minutes while for alphacypermethrin was 19.34 minutes. The 24 hour mortality was found to be 100.0% for S. terebinthifolia and 75.0% for alphacypermethrin which was statistically significant (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The efficacy shown by essential oils of fruits and seeds of S. terebinthifolia has given an opportunity for further investigation of individual components of these plant extracts and to evaluate them in small- scale field trials.

Alongamento muscular na dor lombar crônica inespecífica: uma estratégia do método GDS / Stretching in nonspecific chronic low back pain: a strategy of the GDS method

O objetivo deste estudo foi verificar a eficácia do alongamento muscular, usando uma sequência proposta pelo Método Godelieve Denys-Struyf (GDS) na redução da dor, na incapacidade funcional, no aumento da flexibilidade global e na capacidade de contração do músculo transverso do abdome (TrA), em indivíduos com dor lombar crônica inespecífica. Participaram 55 pacientes, de 18 a 60 anos, divididos em dois grupos: Grupo Alongamento (n=30) submetido a exercícios de alongamento, duas vezes por semana, e Grupo Controle (n=25) que não realizou tratamento. A dor foi avaliada pela escala visual analógica; a incapacidade funcional, pelo Índice de Oswestry; a flexibilidade global, pelo terceiro dedo ao solo; e a capacidade de contração do TrA, pela unidade de biofeedback pressórico. Foram realizadas três avaliações, inicial, após 8 e 16 semanas da inicial. Foi considerado nível de significância de α<0,05. Os resultados mostram que o Grupo Alongamento apresentou diminuição na dor, incapacidade funcional e aumentou a flexibilidade global (p<0,001) após 8 e 16 semanas (p<0,05), porém não melhorou a capacidade de contração do TrA (p=0,13). A sequência de alongamentos usada no método GDS mostra-se eficaz na redução da dor, incapacidade funcional e melhora da flexibilidade global em pacientes com dor lombar crônica inespecífica.

The purpose of this study was to assess the effectiveness of stretching exercises of the Muscle and Joint Chains Godelieve Denys-Struyf (GDS) method in pain reduction, functional disability, increase global flexibility, and ability of the transversus abdominis muscle (TrA) contraction in individuals with nonspecific chronic low back pain. Fifty-five patients, from 18 to 60 years-old, participated in this study divided into two groups: the Stretching Group (n=30) underwent stretching exercises twice a week; the Control Group (n=25) was subjected only to evaluation. Pain was assessed by a visual analogue scale, functional disability by the Oswestry Questionnaire, global flexibility by third finger to the ground test and the ability of TrA contraction by a pressure biofeedback unit. Three evaluations were performed, starting after 8 and 16 weeks from the beginning. Significance level was α<0.05. Results show that the Stretching Group presented a decrease in pain, functional disability, and increased global flexibility (p<0.001) after 8 and 16 weeks (p<0.05). No improvement in the ability of TrA muscle contraction was demonstrated (p=0.13). The sequence of stretching exercises used in the GDS method is effective in reducing pain, functional disability, and improving global flexibility in patients with nonspecific chronic low back pain.

Local knowledge on medicinal plant gardens in a rural community near the Atlantic Rain Forest, southeastern Brazil / Conhecimento local em horta medicinal numa comunidade rural adjacente à Floresta Atlântica no sudeste do Brasil

The present study sought to identify the medicinal plants cultivated in a communal medicinal plant garden in Casimiro de Abreu, Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil, and to access its utilization and importance to the local population based on interviews with the garden's administrator and forty rural users. The Relative Importance Index (RI) was calculated for 96 medicinal species. Twenty-seven species had a RI>1.00, with Aloe vera (L.) Burm. f. and Leonurus sibiricus L. (erva-macaé), having the largest value (2.00). Interviews revealed that the majority of the rural users live in the municipality where the garden is located, visit it on a weekly basis, trust the recommendations of the administrator, and know how to prepare the remedies used. Plants that treat illnesses related to the respiratory system are most sought after. The free use of the garden by the local community, associated with the small initial investment, demonstrates the viability of this public initiative and the value of traditional knowledge, but also calls the authorities attention for their safe human use.

O presente estudo objetivou identificar as plantas medicinais cultivadas em uma horta medicinal, situada no município de Casimiro de Abreu, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil, e diagnosticar o acesso à sua utilização e importância para a população local, baseando-se em entrevistas com o administrador da horta, e quarenta usuários da comunidade. O índice de importância relativa (IR) foi calculado para 96 espécies medicinais e, neste, observou-se que 27 espécies tiveram um RI>1,00, com Aloe vera (L.) Burm. f. e Leonurus sibiricus L. (erva-macaé), atingindo o valor máximo (2,00). As entrevistas revelaram que a maioria dos usuários, residentes nas áreas rurais do município em que a horta está localizada, visitam-na com uma frequência semanal, depositando confiança no reconhecimento da planta e recomendações de uso do administrador, e sabem, em sua maioria, como preparar os remédios utilizados. As espécies que tratam afecções relacionadas ao sistema respiratório são as mais procuradas. O uso livre da horta pela comunidade local, associado com o pequeno investimento inicial, demonstra a viabilidade da iniciativa pública e do valor do conhecimento tradicional, mas também chama a atenção das autoridades para o uso humano de forma segura.

The essential oil of Brazilian pepper, Schinus terebinthifolia Raddi in larval control of Stegomyia aegypti (Linnaeus, 1762).

BACKGROUND: The ability of mosquitoes of the genus Aedes and its allies, such as Stegomyia, to transmit diseases such as dengue and yellow fever, makes them important in public health. This study aims to evaluate the use of the essential oil of Brazilian pepper in biological control of by assessing and quantifying the larvicidal effect against S. aegypti, the only available access to dengue control, and test its risk of genotoxicity with Salmonella typhimurium as an indicator of safety for its environmental use. RESULTS: The density of the oil was 0.8622 g mL-1. Gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry revealed six major constituents: δ-3-carene (55.43%), α-pinene (16.25%), sylvestrene (10.67%), germacrene D (2.17), ß-myrcene (1.99%), and isoterpinolene (1.4%). The minimum inhibitory dose to larvae development was 862.20 µg mL-1. The median lethal dose (LD50) of the essential oil for larvae was between the concentrations of 172.44-344.88 µg mL-1. There was no mutagenic risk for the essential oil, since there were no biochemical or morphological changes in S. typhimurium after exposure to the essential oil. CONCLUSIONS: The minimum inhibitory essential oil concentration and the median lethal dose pointed to the value of the use of water dispersions of Brazilian pepper essential oil as an environmental safe natural larvicidal for S. aegypti.

Evaluation of an extract of Brazilian arnica (Solidago chilensis Meyen, Asteraceae) in treating lumbago.

One of the Brazilian arnicas, Solidago chilensis Meyen, is a species of the family Asteraceae. This plant is known by this common name because it shares very similar organoleptic properties with the genus Arnica L., also within the family Asteraceae, that comprises approximately 30 European species of perennial, herbaceous plants. The effectiveness of a fluid extract of S. chilensis used externally for treating lumbago was examined in placebo-controlled double-blind clinical pharmacological studies. Two daily skin applications of a gel containing a 5% extract in glycol were administered for 15 days to ten volunteers in a placebo group and to an equal number in a test group. Statistical analyses of the results demonstrated a significant reduction in the perception of pain and a significant increase in the flexibility of patients in the test group as compared with those receiving only the placebo.