Most treatments of leishmaniasis require hospitalization and present side effects or parasite resistance; innovations in drug formulation/reposition can overcome these barriers and must be pursued to increase therapeutic alternatives. Therefore, we tested polymyxin B (polB) potential to kill Leishmania amazonensis , adsorbed or not in PBCA nanoparticles (PBCAnp), which could augment polB internalization in infected macrophages. PBCAnps were fabricated by anionic polymerization and analyzed by Dynamic Light Scattering (size, ζ potential), Nanoparticle Tracking Analysis (size/concentration), vertical diffusion cell (release rate), drug incorporation (indirect method, protein determination) and in vitro cell viability. Nanoparticles coated with polB (PBCAnp-polB) presented an adequate size of 261.5 ± 25.9 nm, low PDI and ζ of 1.79 ± 0.17 mV (stable for 45 days, at least). The 50% drug release from PBCAnp-polB was 6–7 times slower than the free polB, which favors a prolonged and desired release profile. Concerning in vitro evaluations, polB alone reduced in vitro amastigote infection of macrophages (10 μg/mL) without complete parasite elimination, even at higher concentrations. This behavior limits its future application to adjuvant leishmanicidal therapy or antimicrobial coating of carriers. The nanocarrier PBCAnp also presented leishmanicidal effect and surpassed polB activity; however, no antimicrobial activity was detected. PolB maintained its activity against E . coli , Pseudomonas and Klebsiella , adding antimicrobial properties to the nanoparticles. Thus, this coated drug delivery system, described for the first time, demonstrated antileishmanial and antimicrobial properties. The bactericidal feature helps with concomitant prevention/treatment of secondary infections that worst ulcers induced by cutaneous L . amazonensis , ultimately ending in disfiguring or disabling lesions.

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RESUMOO presente trabalho objetiva demonstrar provável relaço entre recorrência de toxoplasmose ocular e cirurgia refrativa (LASIK). Trata-se de relato de caso de um paciente de 33 anos de idade com recorrência de retinocoroidite toxoplásmica após cirurgia de LASIK. O exame fundoscópico do olho esquerdo revelou foco de retinocoroidite em atividade, satélite a cicatriz antiga de toxoplasmose ocular, 17 dias após cirurgia de LASIK. Os autores apresentam subsídios para o estabelecimento de relação causal entre LASIK e a reativação de retinocoroidite toxoplasmática.Descritores: Ceratomileuse assistida por excimer laser in situ/efeitos adversos; Toxoplasmose ocular/etiologia; Coriorretinite; Miopia/cirurgia; Recidiva; Relatos de casos.

Bark bugs belonging to the family Phloeidae are known for their camouflage on tree trunks. The nymphs store in dorsal abdominal glands defensive secretions with a pungent odor mainly constituted of (E)-2-hexenal, (E)-2-octenal, and (E)-4-oxo-2-hexenal. The metathoracic glands of adults (male and female) store (E)-2-hexen-1-ol and (E)-2-hexenyl acetate, which are less irritating than their corresponding aldehydes. Additional compounds of m/z 224 were detected in the scent glands of these insects and were previously suggested to be dimers of the (E)-4-oxo-2-hexenal. Thus, the aim of this study was to elucidate the details of the chemical structure of the dimers found in the scent glands of Phloea subquadrata. These dimers were obtained by synthesis and were compared with the natural products, confirming the dimeric structures of the latter. These (E)-4-oxo-2-hexenal dimeric compounds are novel and have not been reported before.

A leishmaniose cutânea é uma doença causada por protozoários do gênero Leishmania, principalmente a L. amazonensis e brasiliensis em nosso país. É considerada doença negligenciada pela OMS, sendo que no Brasil ocorre predominantemente nas regiões Norte e Nordeste. Os tratamentos disponíveis atualmente para a leishmaniose cutânea apresentam alta toxicidade e requerem hospitalização do paciente. Este trabalho propõe o desenvolvimento e avaliação físico-química de nanopartículas polímericas capazes de carrear polimixina B, um peptídio antimicrobiano com ação leishmanicida, como alternativa no tratamento da leishmaniose cutânea.