Background: Cryptococcus neoformans is the etiologic agent of opportunistic systemic fungal infection cryptococcosis, which affects individuals with compromised immune systems. Thus, natural products research has become important, since monoterpenes such as carvacrol, a promising molecule in the search antifungal agents, have shown significant biological activity. Objective: The study aimed to investigate the antifungal activity and mode of action of carvacrol against strains of C. neoformans. Methods: The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was determined by microdilution method. Minimum fungicidal concentration (MFC) was performed by seeding technique on solid media. Studying the mode of action was performed using broth microdilution. Results: The MIC ranged from 25 to 81 lg/mL and the MFC ranged from 25 to 102 lg/mL. Carvacrol bonded to exogenous ergosterol and cholesterol. Discussion: The results suggest that carvacrol has antifungal activity against C. neoformans and its mode of action is related to fungal membrane instability. Conclusions: The phytoconstituent carvacrol may eventually become a drug; however, further studies are needed to elucidate its mechanism.

Cryptococcus neoformans is a yeast fungus, which causes cryptococcosis, triggered by basidiospore inhalation and consequent dissemination to the central nervous system. In this study, we analysed the antifungal action of thymol against 10 clinical strains of C. neoformans and analysed the interaction of this monoterpene with sterols. The MICs of thymol ranged from 20 to 51 μg/ml, while the MFC values varied between 40 and 101 μg/ml. For the strains ICB-2601 and LM-39, in the presence of ergosterol, the MIC of thymol was 64 μg/ml, and in the presence of cholesterol, its MIC was 32 μg/ml. Based on the results, thymol presents antifungal action and seems to interact with ergosterol, but not with cholesterol. Complementary studies are needed to analyse its full effects.

Meat products represent an important component of the human diet and are a good source of nutrients. Food-borne microorganisms are the main pathogens that cause human diseases as a result of food consumption, especially products of animal origin. The objective of the present research was to verify the antibacterial activity of the essential oil of Thymus vulgaris against strains of Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus saprophyticus isolated from meat products. For this, the analyses of Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) and Minimum Bactericidal Concentration (MBC) were performed in microdilution plates. The association of the product with antimicrobials was also studied using disk diffusion. And the anti-adherent activity, which was determined in the presence of sucrose, in glass tubes. Thyme oil showed a strong inhibitory activity against K. pneumoniae, P. aeruginosa and S. saprophyticus, with the MIC values ranging from 64 to 512 μg/mL, and bactericidal effect for most strains, with MBC values ranging from 256 to 1,024 μg/mL. T. vulgaris oil exhibited varied interactions in association with the antimicrobials, with synergistic (41.67%), indifferent (50%) and antagonistic (8.33%) effects. Regarding the anti-adherent activity, the test product was effective in inhibiting the adherence of all bacterial strains under study. Therefore, thyme oil presents itself as an antibacterial and anti-adherent agent against K. pneumoniae, P. aeruginosa and S. saprophyticus, being a natural product that can represent an interesting alternative in the efforts to combat foodborne diseases.

The Moringa oleifera is a species of perennial plant, native to the western and southern Himalayas and northeast India. Its nutritional and phytochemical richness has been the target of several studies, as they have relevant therapeutic effects, such as anticancer, antiallergic, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, antifungal, antibacterial, hepatoprotective and antidiabetic. In this context, the present study aimed to explain the therapeutic potential of oil Moringa in the treatment of diabetes mellitus. For this, a systematic search was carried out in the PubMed, ScienceDirect and SciELO databases. For the search, the following descriptors were used: Moringa oleifera; Diabetes Mellitus and Hypoglycemic Drugs. All selected from the Health Sciences Descriptors (DeCS) and used in the languages: Portuguese and English. At first, 501 publications were found and after applying the predetermined inclusion and exclusion criteria, 18 pertinent publications remained, which served as the basis for the construction of the work. It was observed that Moringa oleífera has, among numerous benefits, important hypoglycemic activity, an action attributed, above all, to the abundance of nutrients and secondary metabolites capable of positively influencing serum glucose levels. For example, some bioactive compounds such as isothiocyanates, quercetin, gallic acid, ellagic acid and chlorogenic acid, are cited as relevant hypoglycemic agents, as they are able to inhibit enzymes related to carbohydrate degradation in the gastrointestinal tract. In addition to these metabolites, Moringa oleífera contains protein fractions similar to insulin, which in addition to controlling blood glucose levels and improving oral tolerance, has greater stability and activity time in the body. It has also been shown that Moringa oleífera has been used as a therapeutic alternative, not only in the control of diabetes itself, but also in the treatment of diseases associated with this pathology, such as diabetic nephropathy, oxidative stress, impaired healing, endothelial dysfunction and cardiovascular diseases. In addition, the literature suggests that this species has no significant toxicity. Thus, it can be concluded that Moringa oleifera proved to be important on hyperglycemia, as well as on the damage caused by it. However, the use of this plant as a therapeutic resource for diabetes is not yet recommended, given the scarcity of studies that demonstrate its effects on humans.

A úlcera péptica trata-se de uma doença caracterizada por uma lesão na mucosa do esôfago, do estômago ou do duodeno, decorrente de falhas no sistema de proteção desse revestimento, que apresenta alta taxa de morbidade e mortalidade em todo o mundo. É causada tanto pelo desequilíbrio entre os fatores que danificam a mucosa como às que a protegem onde os que danificam se sobressaem, a Spondias mombin L., popularmente conhecida como cajazeiras, é utilizada na medicina popular para tratar diversas doenças como conjuntivite, ação cicatrizante, antidiarreico, diurético, dentre outras. Várias atividades farmacológicas desta espécie têm sido demonstradas, como atividades gastroprotetoras, anti-inflamatórias e antibacterianas. O objetivo desse estudo foi avaliar a composição fitoquímica e a atividade gastroprotetora do extrato hexânico das cascas dos frutos de Spondias mombin L. (EHCFSm). Para isso, o extrato foi preparado a partir da casca dos frutos por maceração (72 horas) e o solvente utilizado foi o hexano. Para a avaliação gastroprotetora foram utilizados ratos, onde os modelos de indução foram por meio da úlcera induzida por etanol, para o experimento utilizamos os grupos: Controle negativo (NaCl 0,9%) 10 mL/kg, Controle positivo (omeprazol) 30 mg/kg e doses do EHCFSm (100 e 200 mg/kg). Em seguida, os animais foram eutanasiados, os estômagos retirados e analisados com auxílio do ImageJ.  Os resultados obtidos neste trabalho mostraram que a capacidade gastroprotetora do extrato hexânico das cascas do cajá foi de 78,97% e 82,97%, em relação ao grupo controle. Pode-se concluir que os constituínstes apolares das cascas dos frutos de Spondias mombin L. na dose testada foram eficazes no modelo de gastroproteção em úlcera induzida por etanol em ratos.