Anti-Inflammatory Activity of Fucan from Spatoglossum schröederi in a Murine Model of Generalized Inflammation Induced by Zymosan.

Fucans from marine algae have been the object of many studies that demonstrated a broad spectrum of biological activities, including anti-inflammatory effects. The aim of this study was to verify the protective effects of a fucan extracted from the brown algae Spatoglossum schröederi in animals submitted to a generalized inflammation model induced by zymosan (ZIGI). BALB/c mice were first submitted to zymosan-induced peritonitis to evaluate the treatment dose capable of inhibiting the induced cellular migration in a simple model of inflammation. Mice were treated by the intravenous route with three doses (20, 10, and 5 mg/kg) of our fucan and, 1 h later, were inoculated with an intraperitoneal dose of zymosan (40 mg/kg). Peritoneal exudate was collected 24 h later for the evaluation of leukocyte migration. Doses of the fucan of Spatoglossum schröederi at 20 and 10 mg/kg reduced peritoneal cellular migration and were selected to perform ZIGI experiments. In the ZIGI model, treatment was administered 1 h before and 6 h after the zymosan inoculation (500 mg/kg). Treatments and challenges were administered via intravenous and intraperitoneal routes, respectively. Systemic toxicity was assessed 6 h after inoculation, based on three clinical signs (bristly hair, prostration, and diarrhea). The peritoneal exudate was collected to assess cellular migration and IL-6 levels, while blood samples were collected to determine IL-6, ALT, and AST levels. Liver tissue was collected for histopathological analysis. In another experimental series, weight loss was evaluated for 15 days after zymosan inoculation and fucan treatment. The fucan treatment did not present any effect on ZIGI systemic toxicity; however, a fucan dose of 20 mg/kg was capable of reducing the weight loss in treated mice. The treatment with both doses also reduced the cellular migration and reduced IL-6 levels in peritoneal exudate and serum in doses of 20 and 10 mg/kg, respectively. They also presented a protective effect in the liver, with a reduction in hepatic transaminase levels in both doses of treatment and attenuated histological damage in the liver at a dose of 10 mg/kg. Fucan from S. schröederi presented a promising pharmacological activity upon the murine model of ZIGI, with potential anti-inflammatory and hepatic protective effects, and should be the target of profound and elucidative studies.

Epidemiologic and clinical investigations during a chikungunya outbreak in Rio Grande do Norte State, Brazil.

The first autochthonous case of chikungunya virus (CHIKV) infection in Brazil was in September 2014 in the State of Amapá, and from there it rapidly spread across the country. The present study was conducted in 2016 in the state of Rio Grande do Norte, and the aims were to describe the epidemiological and the clinical aspects of the CHIKV outbreak. Biological samples from 284 chikungunya suspected cases were screened for CHIKV and Flavivirus (FV) RNA using qRT-PCR. Negative PCR samples were also screened for anti-CHIKV and anti-FVIgM by ELISA. CHIKV RNA were detected in 125 samples mostly occurring from January through March (46%), mainly affecting adults and older adults. We found a gradual decrease in viral RNA over the disease time. Anti-CHIKV IgM was found in 47.5% after negative CHIKV qRT-PCR. Interestingly, 45.0% simultaneously had positive results for CHIKV and FV IgM, suggesting the occurrence of virus co-circulation. The most frequent symptom was fever (91%). Women presented more chance to develop nausea and abdominal pain compared to men. Our data described and allows us to better understand the clinical and epidemiological aspects of the 2016 chikungunya outbreak in Rio Grande do Norte and can help in the early clinical diagnosis of the virus.