Osteoporosis is a public health problem, with bone loss being the main consequence. Hydroxyapatite (HA) has been largely used as a bioceramic to stimulate bone growth. In our work, a cerium-containing HA (Ce-HA) has been proposed and its effects on the antimicrobial and bone-inducing properties were investigated. The synthesis of the materials occurred by the suspension–precipitation method (SPM). The XRD (X-ray Diffraction) confirmed the crystalline phase, and the Rietveld refinement confirmed the crystallization of HA and Ce-HA in a hexagonal crystal structure in agreement with ICSD n° 26205. Characterizations by FT-IR (Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy), XPS (X-ray Photoemission Spectroscopy), and FESEM-EDS (Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope-Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy) confirmed the presence of cerium (Ce3+ and Ce4+). The antibacterial activity of Has was evaluated against Staphylococcus aureus 25,923 and Escherichia coli 25,922 strains, which revealed that the material has antimicrobial properties and the cytotoxicity assay indicated that Ce-containing HA was classified as non-toxic. The effects of Ce-HA on bone repair, after application in bone defects in the tibia of female rats with osteoporosis induced by ovariectomy (OVX), were evaluated. After 15 and 30 days of implantation, the samples were analyzed by Raman, histology and X-ray microtomography. The results showed that the animals that had the induced bone defects filled with the Ce-HA materials had more expressive bone neoformation than the control group.

Objective: To evaluate the possible antidepressant effects of alpha-terpineol in rodents. Material and Methods: Depression levels were analyzed by comparing the total immobility time presented by the animals of the experimental groups in the test session, using the Forced Swimming Test and the Tail Suspension Test. The parameters of locomotion (central, peripheral and total) and motor coordination were evaluated in the Open Field Test and in the Rota Rod Test, respectively. In the second stage, the involvement of the noradrenergic system in the antidepressant action of alpha-terpineol in Forced Swimming Test was investigated. Results and Discussion: After performing the experimental tests, it was observed that the animals that received alpha-terpineol had reduced immobility time in Forced Swimming Test and Tail Suspension Test, compared to the other groups. In the Open Field Test and Rota-rod, the mice showed, respectively, good exploratory activity and motor coordination during the tests. In addition, the study of the Noradrenergic System proved to be a promising mechanism used during its antidepressant action. Conclusion: In view of the results of the experimental tests, alpha-terpineol presented similar responses to those found in other monoterpenes investigated in the literature. Thus, it is shown as a promising antidepressant to be used clinically in humans, with less side effects and low production cost.