Com a maior biodiversade do mundo, a Amazônia contém uma vegetação heterogênica abrangendo uma rica flora, entre ela, a palmeira do tucumã (Astrocaryum aculeatum G. Mey), na qual seu fruto é comercializado na região amazônica. Entretanto seu consumo restringe apenas a polpa, ocorrendo o descarte do caroço, em que se encontra a amêndoa. O objetivo do presente estudo foi avaliar o potencial antioxidante e anti-inflamatório a partir do óleo obtido da amêndoa do tucumã, descartado nas feiras de Manaus (AM). Existe uma necessidade de ampliação de estudos com recursos naturais, principalmente aquele considerados resíduos, a fim de proporcionar novos ativos biológicos inovadores. Realizou-se testes para determinação de propriedades do óleo extraído da amêndoa, sendo insatisfatórios para atividade antioxidante, entretanto foi observada atividade anti-inflamatória in vitro, por inibição da produção de um mediador inflamatório, o óxido nítrico, tornando o óleo extraído da amêndoa do tucumã um novo composto bioativo com valor farmacológico.

Neoechinorhyncus buttnerae is among the main causative agents of diseases in tambaqui (Colossoma macropomum) and has caused great losses in fish farming. Although important, there is still no effective treatment protocol for acanthocephalosis. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the in vitro anthelmintic activity of Chenopodium ambrosioides (mastruz) in the control of Neoechinorhyncus buttnerae. Parasites were collected from the intestine of naturally infected animals and randomly distributed in Petri dishes containing the following treatments in triplicate and standardized in 5 mL of RPMI1640 medium: TR1 (RPMI+spray-dried extract of mastruz 10%); TR2 (RPMI+spray-dried extract 5%); positive control (RPMI+levamisole 15 mg/mL); negative control (RPMI). The parasites were kept at room temperature and observed every 15 min, and were considered dead when they remained motionless even after external stimuli. Body deformities were observed in parasites after exposure to treatments (TR1 and TR2), and both treatments with spray-dried extract of mastruz were effective in controlling acanthocephalans in the first 15 min of the experiment. Therefore, mastruz has been shown to be an effective alternative for the control of N. buttnerae and has the potential for continuing in vivo studies with the aim of developing a therapeutic protocol.

Libidibia ferrea L, is extensively used in traditional medicine due to its many pharmacological benefits. This study investigated the non-cytotoxic in in-vitro concentration and the anti-inflammatory effects of the hydroalcoholic extract of the bark of L. ferrea in LPS (lipopolysaccharide from Escherichia coli) stimulated RAW 264.7 cells. Different concentrations of L. ferrea (100 µg/mL; 50 µg/mL; 12,5 µg/mL; 6,25 µg/mL; 3,12 µg/mL; 1,56 µg/mL), medium culture (negative control), LPS (positive control) and dexamethasone (standard drug) was applied to 1 µg/mL LPS-induced RAW 264.7 macrophages in vitro for 24 h. Cytotoxicity was investigated using MTT (3-(4.5-dimethylthiazol-2yl|-2.5diphenyltetrazolium bromide) colorimetric assay. The production of nitric oxide (NO) was determined using the Griess Reaction. The extract showed no significant cytotoxicity at concentrations from 1,56 to 100 μg/mL (cell viability > 80%) in the MTT cell viability assay after 24 h of treatment. The minimum anti-inflammatory concentration of L. ferrea extract based on the release of NO by macrophages was 50 and 100 µg/mL (p<0.05), showing better results than the dexamethasone (standard drug) (p<0.05). This study suggests L. ferrea anti-inflammatory properties. Palavras-chave: Inflammation; Nitric Oxide; Cytotoxicity; Herbal Medicine.