Hepatic encephalopathy is an important cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with severe hepatic failure. This disease is clinically characterized by a large variety of symptoms including motor symptoms, cognitive deficits, as well as changes in the level of alertness up to hepatic coma. Carbon tetrachloride is frequently used in animals to produce an experimental model to study the mechanisms involved in the progression of hepatic disease and the impact of various drugs on this progression. The brain is highly dependent on ATP and most cell energy is obtained through oxidative phosphorylation, a process requiring the action of various respiratory enzyme complexes located in a special structure of the inner mitochondrial membrane. In this context, we evaluated the activities of mitochondrial respiratory chain complexes in the brain of rats submitted to acute administration of carbon tetrachloride and treated with NAC and DFX alone or in combination. Our results showed that complexes I, II and IV were inhibited after carbon tetrachloride administration and that NAC and DFX alone or in combination were able to prevent the inhibition of these enzymes. On the other hand, complex III was not affected. The participation of oxidative stress has been postulated in the hepatic encephalopathy and it is well known that the electron transport chain itself is vulnerable to damage by this species. Based on our findings, we suggest that oxidative stress may be involved in the inhibition of complexes from mitochondrial respiratory chain.

Considering the high coefficients of neonatal mortality from preventable causes registered in Brazilian health services, this study aimed to analyze the mortality profile in the last 5 years of children under 1 year old living in the city of Criciúma/SC using a database from the epidemiological surveillance of Santa Catarina. This is a descriptive, retrospective epidemiological study based on data from the Information System on Live Births and the Information System on Mortality. . We highlight the need to make an in-depth examination of the theme of preventability within the context of causes of death and, through birth certificates, to build a more specific classification of causes of death and thus develop mechanisms to improve health care within the municipality, not only focused on immediate care, but also on prevention.