Atividade antimicrobiana de frações da própolis vermelha de Alagoas, Brasil / Antimicrobial activity of fractions of red propolis from Alagoas, Brazil

A própolis vermelha, como é conhecida popularmente, é uma própolis recentemente encontrada no Brasil e tem potente ação biológica. O presente trabalho avaliou a atividade antimicrobiana do extrato etanólico e das frações hexânica, clorofórmica e acetanólica da própolis proveniente de apiário do estado de Alagoas. As linhagens microbianas utilizadas foram: Shigella flexneri, Proteus vulgaris, Staphylococcus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Proteus mirabilis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli e Candida albicans. O extrato etanólico apresentou atividade antimicrobiana frente a cepas gram-positivas (100%), gram-negativas (62,5%) e fúngicas (100%), com eficiência em 76,9% em todas as espécies testadas. A fração hexânica mostrou eficiência em 76,9% das espécies, semelhante ao extrato bruto; já a fração clorofórmica mostrou atividade frente a 92,3% das espécies analisadas, sendo Klebsiella pneumoniae a única espécie resistente. A fração acetanólica foi a fração que apresentou melhor atividade antimicrobiana com eficiência em 100% das espécies analisadas. Perante Candida albicans, observamos excelentes resultados, principalmente para a fração acetanólica, na qual a concentração inibitória mínima (CIM) se compara aos valores encontrados para as bactérias gram-positivas. Assim, as frações de própolis vermelha apresentaram excelente atividade antimicrobiana, principalmente frente a microrganismos gram-positivos e Candida albicans. Além disso, observamos que a fração acetanólica destacou-se como um promissor produto biotecnológico.

The red propolis is a new type of propolis founded in Brazil with large biological action. This study evaluated the antimicrobial activity of ethanol extract and fractions of hexane, chloroform and acetanolica of propolis from the apiary of the state of Alagoas. The microbial strains used were: Shigella flexneri, Proteus vulgaris, Staphylococcus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Proteus mirabilis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and Candida albicans. The ethanolic extract showed activity against Gram-positive strains (100%), Gram-negative (62.5%) and fungi (100%) with efficiency against 76.9% of all the analyzed strains. The hexanic fraction showed efficiency against 76.9% as observed with the ethanolic extract, though the chloroform fraction showed activity against 92.3% of the strains analyzed. Klebsiella pneumoniae was the only resistant species. The ethyl acetate was the fraction that showed the best antimicrobial activity with efficiency against 100% of all strains analized. Excellent results were observed to Candida albicans mainly with ethyl acetate fraction with the value of minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) similar to those observed to Gram-positives bacteria. We concluded that the partitions of red propolis showed excellent antimicrobial activity mainly against Gram-positive microorganisms and Candida albicans. Furthermore, we observed the ethyl acetate fraction stood out as a promissory biotechnological product.

Distribution of Hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotypes in seropositive patients in the state of Alagoas, Brazil / Distribuição de genótipos do Vírus da hepatite C (HCV) em pacientes soropositivos no Estado de Alagoas, Brasil

We determined the frequency of hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotypes in anti-HCV seropositive patients in the state of Alagoas, Brazil, by means of nested-reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-nested-PCR) followed by restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) of amplified fragments of the 5ïNCR. The nested-PCR with genotype-specific primers from the core region was carried out when detection was not possible by the first approach. Detectable HCV-RNA was present in 115 (74.7 percent) of 154 serum samples. Genotype 1 was the most frequent (77.4 percent), against 20.9 percent of genotype 3 and 0.8 percent of genotype 2. Subtype 1b was predominant (65.2 percent), followed by subtypes 1a (8.7 percent), and 3a (6.1 percent). Coinfection (1a/3a) was detected in 0.8 percent of the samples. Indeed, there was no significant differences in the prevalence of genotype 1 compared to what has been obtained from anti-HCV seropositive patients from other locations in Brazil. Here we report for the first time the genotype 2 in the state of Alagoas.

A frequência de genótipos do vírus da hepatite C (HCV) em pacientes soropositivos anti-HCV no estado de Alagoas, Brasil, foi determinada através da RT-PCR aninhada da região 5'NCR seguida pela análise do polimorfismo de comprimento dos fragmentos de restrição (RFLP). A RT-PCR aninhada utilizando primers genótipo-específicos da região core foi efetuada quando não foi possível determinar o genótipo pelo primeiro método. Níveis detectáveis de HCV-RNA estavam presentes em 115 (74,7 por cento) das 154 amostras de soro. O genótipo 1 foi o mais freqüente (77,4 por cento), contra 20,9 por cento do genótipo 3 e 0,8 por cento do genótipo 2. O subtipo 1b foi predominante (65,2 por cento), seguido pelos subtipos 1a (8,7 por cento) e 3a (6,1 por cento). Co-infecção (1a/3a) foi detectada em 0,8 por cento das amostras. Não foram encontradas diferenças significativas quanto à prevalência do genótipo 1 em relação ao que tem sido obtido de pacientes soropositivos anti-HCV de outras localidades do Brasil. Este é o primeiro relato da presença do genótipo 2 no estado.

Distribution of Hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotypes in seropositive patients in the state of Alagoas, Brazil.

We determined the frequency of hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotypes in anti-HCV seropositive patients in the state of Alagoas, Brazil, by means of nested-reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-nested-PCR) followed by restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) of amplified fragments of the 5´NCR. The nested-PCR with genotype-specific primers from the core region was carried out when detection was not possible by the first approach. Detectable HCV-RNA was present in 115 (74.7%) of 154 serum samples. Genotype 1 was the most frequent (77.4%), against 20.9% of genotype 3 and 0.8% of genotype 2. Subtype 1b was predominant (65.2%), followed by subtypes 1a (8.7%), and 3a (6.1%). Coinfection (1a/3a) was detected in 0.8% of the samples. Indeed, there was no significant differences in the prevalence of genotype 1 compared to what has been obtained from anti-HCV seropositive patients from other locations in Brazil. Here we report for the first time the genotype 2 in the state of Alagoas.

Drug resistance in Chromobacterium violaceum.

Chromobacterium violaceum is a free-living bacterium commonly found in aquatic habitats of tropical and subtropical regions of the world. This bacterium is able to produce a large variety of products of biotechnological and pharmacological use. Although C. violaceum is considered to be non-pathogenic, some cases of severe infections in humans and other animals have been reported. Genomic data on the type strain ATCC 12472(T) has provided a comprehensive basis for detailed studies of pathogenicity, virulence and drug resistance genes. A large number of open reading frames associated with various mechanisms of drug resistance were found, comprising a remarkable feature of this organism. Amongst these, beta-lactam (penicillin and cephalosporin) and multidrug resistance genes (drug efflux pumps) were the most numerous. In addition, genes associated with bacitracin, bicyclomycin, chloramphenicol, kasugamycin, and methylenomycin were also found. It is postulated that these genes contribute to the ability of C. violaceum to compete with other bacteria in the environment, and also may help to explain the common drug resistance phenotypes observed in infections caused by this bacterium.