Um estudo sobre a variabilidade do vento no nordeste do Brasil através de métodos estatísticos e via modelos dinâmicos de meso e micro escala

The objective of this study was to determine the seasonal and interannual variability and calculate the trends of wind speed in NEB and then validate the mesoscale numerical model for after engage with the microscale numerical model in order to get the wind resource at some locations in the NEB. For this we use two data sets of wind speed (weather stations and anemometric towers) and two dynamic models; one of mesoscale and another of microscale. We use statistical tools to evaluate and validate the data obtained. The simulations of the dynamic mesoscale model were made using data assimilation methods (Newtonian Relaxation and Kalman filter). The main results show: (i) Five homogeneous groups of wind speed in the NEB with higher values in winter and spring and with lower in summer and fall; (ii) The interannual variability of the wind speed in some groups stood out with higher values; (iii) The large-scale circulation modified by the El Niño and La Niña intensified wind speed for the groups with higher values; (iv) The trend analysis showed more significant negative values for G3, G4 and G5 in all seasons and in the annual average; (v) The performance of dynamic mesoscale model showed smaller errors in the locations Paracuru and São João and major errors were observed in Triunfo; (vi) Application of the Kalman filter significantly reduce the systematic errors shown in the simulations of the dynamic mesoscale model; (vii) The wind resource indicate that Paracuru and Triunfo are favorable areas for the generation of energy, and the coupling technique after validation showed better results for Paracuru. We conclude that the objective was achieved, making it possible to identify trends in homogeneous groups of wind behavior, and to evaluate the quality of both simulations with the dynamic model of mesoscale and microscale to answer questions as necessary before planning research projects in Wind-Energy area in the NEB

Estudo de viabilidade técnico-ambiental para implantação de parques eólicos: um estudo de caso em um fragmento do litoral setentrional do Rio Grande do Norte/Brasil

The use of energy from renewable sources is increasingly demanded by society, especially aeolian - whose raw material is wind. Investments in wind power have become significant in Brazil with emphasis on the Northeast and in particular the Rio Grande do Norte state. According to the Empresa de Pesquisa Energética (Energy Research Company) (2012 ) , investments in the state grew significantly since 2002 with a total accumulated power, by 2013, of approximately 3,400 MW . Even with the early experiences of exploitation of wind energy in 2002, it is still considered new and requires further study referring to the likely changes in the environment and society. In this case, it is of growing and urgent importance to deeply study the wind still in the survey phase of the project, ie , at the beginning of decision making on the most feasible to implement these parks site. Given the above, the question is: from a technical and environmental analysis, how to identify viable areas to install Aeolian parks, taking into account the factors of the environmental dynamics that are relevant to minimize the negative results to the environment and the society? Thus, this study conducted a study on technical and environmental feasibility, proposing a methodology of exploration of feasible wind farms in coastal areas. The study area was a fragment of the northern coast of Rio Grande do Norte and its natural landscape units were identified through the environmental characterization of the area, as well as it was elaborated the map of the land cover, restriction homes and urban areas and Permanent Preservation Areas - PPAs. The environmental fragility was subdivided in the fragility of the natural dynamic, mapped through relief, soils and geology of natural units, and the fragility of the ecosystem, originated by the land cover map. In addition to these maps, it was generated the wind resource for an area from a height of 50 and 100 meters. The intersection between the fragility maps, PPAs and Restriction of homes superimposed on maps of wind potential, provided the map of feasibility of Aeolian parks, resulting in the most favorable areas for its facilities in a technical and environmental point of view. From this study, the entrepreneur can evaluate whether or not to proceed with the studies in this area and especially decrease potential conflicts with society.

Lesões orais com potencial de malignização: análise clínica e morfológica de 205 casos

Silveira , E. J. D. et al. Lesões orais com potencial de malignização: análise clínica e morfológica de 205 casos. J. Bras. Patol. Med. Lab., v. 45, n. 3, p. 233-238, jun 2009. ISBN 1676-2444.

Precificação de energia eólica offshore no Brasil

Offshore wind power emits low amounts of gases, is renewable and has better performance than onshore due to its greater stability and higher wind power density, less visual and noise impact, among others. Brazil has a high capacity of generation, but has not yet developed any offshore projects. High costs are a strong impediment. This study is an effort towards pricing offshore resources through Livelized Cost of Energy - LCOE, which represents the minimum return to cover the costs of development, production and maintenance of a wind project. Initially LCOE was calculated for all Brazilian onshore wind farms listed at Bloomberg New Energy Finance R○, accounting for 71 farms. Then hypothetical offshore wind farms were created from the onshore farms, tripling the cost of generation, which is consistent with the literature, and estimating the offshore energy for two locations off the Brazilian coast using satellite data extracted from National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The results demonstrate that offshore resources have the potential to significantly reduce the energy price due to the better performance of the wind at sea

Potencial terapêutico de um heparinóide isolado do invertebrado marinho Litopenaeus vannamei

The occurrence of bioactive compounds in marine organisms comes awaking the interest of the pharmaceutical industry. Heparin, a sulfated polysaccharide which presence was already identified in several marine invertebrates, is very attractive due its remarkable functional versatility. Besides to intervene in blood coagulation, this molecule has a great anti-inflammatory potential. However, its strong anticoagulant activity difficult the clinical exploitation of its anti-inflammatory properties. Thus, the aims of this work were to evaluate the effect of a heparin-like compound (heparinoid), isolated from the cephalotorax of the Litopenaeus vannamei shrimp, on the inflammatory response, hemostasia and synthesis of antithrombotic heparan sulfate by endothelial cells, besides studying some aspects concerning its structure. The purified heparinoid was structurally characterized following an analytical boarding, involving electrophoresis and chromatography. The structural analysis have shown that this compound possess a high content of glucuronic acid residues and disulfated disaccharide units. In contrast to mammalian heparin, the heparinoid was incapable to stimulate the synthesis of heparan sulfate by endothelial cells in the tested concentrations, beyond to show reduced anticoagulant activity and hemorrhagic effect. In a model of acute inflammation, the compound isolated from the shrimp reduced more than 50% of the cellular infiltration. Besides reduce the activity of MMP-9 and proMMP-2 of the peritoneal lavage of inflamed animals, the heparinoid also reduced the activity of MMP-9 secreted by activated human leukocytes. These results demonstrate the potential of heparinoid from L. vannamei to intervene in the inflammatory response. For possessing reduced anticoagulant activity and hemorrhagic effect, this compound can serve as a structural model to direct the development of more specific therapeutical agents to the treatment of inflammatory diseases

Avaliação do potencial antiinflamatório, anticoagulante e hemorrágico de heparinóides presentes em "Artemia franciscana"

Heparan sulfate (HS) and Heparin (Hep) glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) are heterogeneous and highly charged polysaccharides. HS is structurally related to Hep but is much less substituted with sulfo groups than heparin and has a more varied structure (or sequence). Because of structural similiarities between these two polymers, they have been described together as heparinoids . Both chains bind a variety of proteins and mediate various physiologically important processes including, blood coagulation, cell adhesion and growth factor regulation. Heparinoids with structural characteristics similar to these described from HS and/or Hep from mammalian tissues have been isolated from different species of invertebrates, although only a few heparinoids from unusual sources have been characterized. The present study describes the presence of unusual heparinoids population from Artemia franciscana, isolated after proteolysis and fractionation by ion exchange resin and named, F-3.0M. The study model in vivo were hemostasis (rat tail scarification) and inflamatoty activity. The tests in vitro were used for coagulations assays (PT and APTT). The analyse of the heparinoids eluted with 3,0M NaCl showed electrophoretic migration in different buffer systems a single band with a behaviour intermediate between those of mammalian HEP and HS. The main products obtained from Artemia heparinoids after enzymatic degradation with heparitinases I and II from F. heparinum were N-sulphated disaccharides (∆U-GlcNS,6S/ ∆U,2S-GlcNS and ∆U-GlcNS) and N-acetylated disaccharides (∆U, GlcNAc). This heparinoid had a lower hemorrhagic effect (400μg/ml) when compared to unfractiionated heparins(25μg/ml).The results also suggest a negligible APTT activity of this heparinoid (62.2s). No action was observed on PT indicating that F-3.0M haven t action on the extrinsic pathway. The results showed that the fraction F- 3.0M have inhibitory effect on migration of leukocytes, 64.5% in the concentration of 10 μg/ml (P<0.001). The search for new heparin and/or heparan sulphates analogs devoid of anticoagulant activity is an atractive alternative and may open up a wide variety of new therapeutic applications

Avaliação do potencial antioxidante e antiflamatório de galactomanana do fungo Tyllopiillus ballllouiii.

Polymers of mushroom cellular wall are recognized for presenting a lot of biological activities such as anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and anti-tumoral action. Polysaccharides from mushrooms of different molecular mass obtained mushrooms can activate leucocytes, stimulate fagocitic, citotoxic and antimicrobial activity including oxygen reactive species production. In this study were investigated chemical characteristics, in vitro antioxidant activity and anti-inflammatory action in an acute inflammation model of the polysaccharides extracted from Tylopilus ballouii. Results showed that were mainly extracted polysaccharides and that it primarily consisted of mannose and galactose with variable amounts of xylose and fucose. Infrared analysis showed a possible interation between this polysaccharides and proteins. In addition, molecular mass was about 140KDa. Antioxidant activity was tested by superoxide and hydroxyl radical scavenging assay, total antioxidant activity and lipid peroxidation assay. For superoxide and hydroxyl radical generation inhibition, polysaccharides have an IC50 of 2.36 and 0.36 mg/mL, respectively. Lipid peroxidation assay results showed that polysaccharides from Tylopilus ballouii present an IC50 of 3.42 mg/mL. Futhermore, anti-inflammatory assay showed that polysaccharides cause an paw edema decreasing in 32.8, 42 and 56% in 30, 50 and 70 mg/Kg dose, respectively. Thus, these results can indicate a possible use for these polysaccharides from Tylopilus ballouii as an anti-inflammatory and antioxidant.

Clonagem e expressão do gene que codifica o inibidor de quimotripsina de Erythrina velutina WILLD. - caracterização e avaliação de seu potencial farmacológico

Proteinases are enzymes distributed widely founded in several organisms and perform many different functions, from maintaining homeostasis to the worsening of some diseases such as cancer, autoimmune diseases and infections. The proteins responsible of controlling the action of these enzymes are the inhibitors, that are classified based on their target proteases and are founded since simple organisms, such as bacteria, to higher organisms, such as larger plants and mammals. Plant proteinase inhibitors act by reducing or inactivating the activity of target proteases, thus, these proteins have been studied as potential tools in the treatment of diseases related to protease activities. In this context, an inhibitor of chymotrypsin from Erythrina velutina, called EvCI was previously purified and it was observed that this protein plays in vitro anticoagulant activity and anti-inflammatory activity in in vivo model. Aiming to reduce the environmental impact caused by the purification EvCI in high amounts and to facilitate the process of obtaining this protein, the recombinant chymotrypsin inhibitor from Eryhrina velutina was produced after cloning and expression in Escherichia coli. The bacteria were grown in LB medium and after induction of the expression this material was subjected to procedures for cell lysis and the product was applied on Nickel-affinity column. The proteins adsorbed were digested by thrombin and applied on Chymotrypsin-Sepharose affinity column, obtaining the purified inhibitor, named recEvCI. After electrophoresis, the recombinant inhibitor showed an approximately molecular mass of 17 kDa, and reduced the chymotrypsin and elastase activities in vitro. The recombinant inhibitor was sequenced and was found similar amino acids residues when compared to other inhibitors deposited in the database, with some modifications. recEvCI showed high stability under pH variations and reducing conditions, maintaining its activity around 80%. This protein increased the blood coagulation time in vitro by acting on the intrinsic pathway and did not show cytotoxicity against strains of mouse 3T3 fibroblasts and RAW 264.7 macrophages. recEvCI showed microbicide activity related to release of nitric oxide and consequently the activation of macrophages, futhermore having proinflammatory effects assessed by increased release of TNF-α. These results indicate that recEvCI can be biotechnologically used as a new tool in the control of coagulation-related diseases as well as can be an activating agent of the immune system in immunosuppressed individuals

Avaliação do potencial genotóxico e citotóxico associado a queima artesanal da castanha de caju no Município de João Câmara

The Brazil is the third largest producer of cashew nuts in the world. Despite the social and economic importance of the cashew nut, its production is still carried out artisanally. One of the main problems encountered in the cashew production chain are the conditions under which the roasting of the nut occurs to obtain the kernel from the shell. In the present study was conducted a biomonitoring of the genotoxic and cytotoxicity effects associated with the elements from the cashew nut roasting in João Câmara - RN, semi-arid region of Brazil. To assess the genotoxic was used the bioassay of micronucleus (MN) in Tradescantia pallida. In addition, it was performed a comparative between the Tradescantia pallida and KU-20 and other biomarkers of DNA damage, such as the nucleoplasmic bridges (NBP) and nuclear fragments (NF) were quantified. The levels of particulate matter (PM1.0, PM2.5, PM10) and black carbon (BC) were also measured and the inorganic chemical composition of the PM2.5 collected was determined using X-ray fluorescence spectrometry analysis and the assessment of the cytotoxicity by MTT assay and exclusion method by trypan blue. . For this purpose, were chosen: the Amarelão community where the roasting occurs and the Santa Luzia farm an area without influence of this process. The mean value of PM2.5 (Jan 2124.2 μg/m3; May 1022.2 μg/m3; Sep 1291.9 μg/m3) and BC (Jan 363.6 μg/m3; May 70.0 μg/m3; Sep 69.4 μg/m3) as well as the concentration of the elements Al, Si, P, S, Cl, K, Ca, Ti, Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, Se, Br and Pb obtained at Amarelão was significantly higher than at Santa Luzia farm. The genotoxicity tests with T. pallida indicated a significant increase in the number of MN, NBP and NF and it was found a negative correlation between the frequency of these biomarkers and the rainfall. The concentrations of 200 μg/mL and 400 μg/mL of PM2.5 were cytotoxic to MRC-5 cells. All together, the results indicated genotoxicity and citotoxicity for the community of Amarelão, and the high rates of PM2.5 considered a potential contributor to this effect, mainly by the high presence of transition metals, especially Fe, Ni, Cu, Cr and Zn, these elements have the potential to cause DNA damage. Other nuclear alterations, such as the NPBs and NFs may be used as effective biomarkers of DNA damage in tetrads of Tradescantia pallida. The results of this study enabled the identification of a serious occupational problem. Accordingly, preventative measures and better practices should be adopted to improve both the activity and the quality of life of the population. These measures are of fundamental importance for the sustainable development of this activity.

Avaliação do potencial anti-inflamatório de composto tipo heparina (cCTH) extraído do caranguejo Goniopsis cruentata em modelo experimental de peritonite

Heparin, a sulfated polysaccharide, was the first compound used as an anticoagulant and antithrombotic agent. Due to their structural characteristics, also has great potential anti-inflammatory, though such use is limited in inflammation because of their marked effects on coagulation. The occurrence of heparin-like compounds that exhibit anticoagulant activity decreased in aquatic invertebrates, such as crab Goniopsis cruentata, sparked interest for the study of such compounds as anti-inflammatory drugs. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate the potential modulator of heparin-like compound extracted from Goniopsis cruentata in inflammatory events, coagulation, and to evaluate some aspects of its structure. The heparin-type compound had a high degree of N-sulphation in its structure, being able to reduce leukocyte migration into the peritoneal cavity at lower doses compared to heparin and diclofenac sodium (anti-inflammatory commercial). Furthermore, it was also able to inhibit the production of nitric oxide and tumor necrosis factor alpha by activated macrophages, inhibited the activation of the enzyme neutrophil elastase in low concentrations and showed a lower anticoagulant effect in high doses as compared to porcine mucosal heparin. Because of these observations, the compound extracted from crab Goniopsis cruentata can be used as a structural model for future anti-inflammatory agents

Síntese e caracterização do poli(ácido láctico) para potencial uso em sistemas de liberação controlada de fármacos

With the advances in medicine, life expectancy of the world population has grown considerably in recent decades. Studies have been performed in order to maintain the quality of life through the development of new drugs and new surgical procedures. Biomaterials is an example of the researches to improve quality of life, and its use goes from the reconstruction of tissues and organs affected by diseases or other types of failure, to use in drug delivery system able to prolong the drug in the body and increase its bioavailability. Biopolymers are a class of biomaterials widely targeted by researchers since they have ideal properties for biomedical applications, such as high biocompatibility and biodegradability. Poly (lactic acid) (PLA) is a biopolymer used as a biomaterial and its monomer, lactic acid, is eliminated by the Krebs Cycle (citric acid cycle). It is possible to synthesize PLA through various synthesis routes, however, the direct polycondensation is cheaper due the use of few steps of polymerization. In this work we used experimental design (DOE) to produce PLAs with different molecular weight from the direct polycondensation of lactic acid, with characteristics suitable for use in drug delivery system (DDS). Through the experimental design it was noted that the time of esterification, in the direct polycondensation, is the most important stage to obtain a higher molecular weight. The Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectrograms obtained were equivalent to the PLAs available in the literature. Results of Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) showed that all PLAs produced are semicrystalline with glass transition temperatures (Tgs) ranging between 36 - 48 °C, and melting temperatures (Tm) ranging from 117 to 130 °C. The PLAs molecular weight characterized from Size Exclusion Chromatography (SEC), varied from 1000 to 11,000 g/mol. PLAs obtained showed a fibrous morphology characterized by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM)

Aplicação de técnicas eletroquímicas na determinação do potencial de corrosividade de ligas de alumínio em água produzida

The resistance of aluminum and their alloys, to the corrosion phenomenon, in aqueous solutions, is a result of the oxide layer formed. However, the corrosion process in the aluminum alloy is associated with the presence a second phase of particles or the presence of chloride ions which promote the disruption of the oxide layer located producing the corrosion process. On the other hand, the term water produced is used to describe the water after the separation of the oil and gas in API separators. The volumes of produced water arrive around 5 more times to the volume of oil produced. The greatest feature of the water is the presence of numerous pollutants. Due to the increased volume of waste around the world in the current decade, the outcome and the effect of the discharge of produced water on the environment has recently become an important issue of environmental concern where numerous treatments are aimed at reducing these contaminants before disposal. Then, this study aims to investigate the electrochemical corrosion behavior of aluminum alloy 6060 in presence of water produced and the influence of organic components as well as chloride ions, by using the electrochemical techniques of linear polarization. The modification of the passive layer and the likely breakpoints were observed by atomic force microscopy (AFM). In the pit formation potential around -0.4 to -0.8 V/EAg/AgCl was observed that the diffusion of chloride ions occurs via the layer formed with the probable formation of pits. Whereas, at temperatures above 65 °C, it was observed that the range of potential for thepit formation was -0.4 to -0.5 V/EAg/AgCl. In all reactions, the concentration of Al(OH)3 in the form of a gel was observed

Potencial larvicida de extratos de plantas regionais no controle de larvas de Aedes aegypti

Dengue, amongst the virus illnesses one can get by vectorial transmission, is the one that causes more impact in the morbidity and mortality of world s population. The resistance to the insecticides has caused difficulties to control of vector insect (Aedes aegypti) and has stimulated a search for vegetables with larvicidal activity. The biodiversity of Caatinga is barely known and it is potential of use even less. Some plants of this biome are commercialized in free fairs northeast of Brazil, because of its phytotherapics properties. The vegetables in this study had been selected by means of a questionnaire applied between grass salesmen and natives of the Serido region from Rio Grande do Norte state; culicids eggs had been acquired with traps and placed in container with water for the larva birth. Thirty larvae had been used in each group (a group control and five experimental groups), with four repetitions four times. The vegetables had been submitted to the processes of decoction, infusion and maceration in the standard concentration of 100g of the vegetable of study in 1l of H2O and analyzed after ½, 1, 2, 4, 8, 12, 24 and 48 hours for verification of the average lethal dose (LD50) from the groups with thirty larva. The LD50 was analyzed in different concentrations (50g/l, 100g/l, 150g/l, 200g/l e 300g/l) of Aspidosperma pyrifolium Mart. 48 extracts of rind, leaf and stem of the seven vegetal species: Aspidosperma pyrifolium Mart., Mimosa verrucosa Benth, Mimosa hostilis (Mart.) Benth., Myracrodruon urundeuva Allemão, Ximenia americana L, Bumelia sartorum Mart Zizyphus joazeiro Mart, had been analyzed. The extracts proceeding from the three methods were submitted to the freezedrying, to evaluate and to quantify substances extracted in each process. The results had shown that Aspidosperma pyrifolium Mart. and Myracrodruon urundeuva Allemão are the species that are more distinguished as larvicidal after 24 hours of experiment, in all used processes of extraction in the assays. The Zizyphus joazeiro Mart species has not shown larvicidal activity in none of the assays. In relation to the extraction method, the decoction was the most efficient method in the mortality tax of the A. aegypti larvae

Avaliação do potencial de formigas (Hymenoptera: formicidae) como vetores mecânicos de bactérias do gêneroSstaphylococcus no ambiente hospitalar.

In a hospital environment, these bacteria can be spread by insects such as ants, which are characterized by high adaptability to the urban environment. Staphylococcus is a leading cause of hospital infection. In Europe, Latin America, USA and Canada, the group of coagulase negative staphylococci (CoNS) is the second leading cause of these infections, according to SENTRY (antimicrobial surveillance program- EUA). In this study, we investigated the potential of ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) as vehicle mechanics of Staphylococcus bacteria in a public hospital, in Natal-RN. The ants were collected, day and night, from June 2007 to may 2008, in the following sectors: hospitals, laundry, kitchen, blood bank. The ants were identified according to the identification key of Bolton, 1997. For the analysis of staphylococci, the ants were incubated in broth Tryptic Soy Broth (TSB) for 24 hours at 35 º C and then incubated on Mannitol Salt Agar. The typical colonies of staphylococci incubated for 24 hours at 35 ° C in Tryptic Soy Agar for the characterization tests (Gram stain, catalase, susceptibility to bacitracin and free coagulase). The identification of CoNS was performed through biochemical tests: susceptibility to novobiocin, growth under anaerobic conditions, presence of urease, the ornithine decarboxylation and acid production from the sugars mannose, maltose, trehalose, mannitol and xylose. The antimicrobial susceptibility examined by disk-diffusion technique. The technique of Polymerase Chain Reaction was used to confirm the presence of mecA gene and the ability to produce biofilm was verified by testing in vitro using polystyrene inert surface, in samples of resistant staphylococci. Among 440 ants, 85 (19.1%) were carrying coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS) of the species Staphylococcus saprophyticus (17), Staphylococcus epidermidis (15), Staphylococcus xylosus (13), Staphylococcus hominis hominis (10), Staphylococcus lugdunensis (10), Staphylococcus warneri (6), Staphylococcus cohnii urealyticum (5), Staphylococcus haemolyticus (3), Staphylococcus simulans (3), Staphylococcus cohnii cohnii (2), and Staphylococcus capitis (1). No Staphylococcus aureus was found. Among the isolates, 30.58% showed resistance to erythromycin. Two samples of CoNS (2.35%), obtained from the ant Tapinoma melanocephalum collected in the post-surgical female ward, S. Hominis hominis and S. lugdunensis harbored the mecA gene and were resistant to multiple antibiotics, and the specie S. hominis hominis even showed to be a biofilm producer. This study proves that ants act as carriers of multidrug-resistant coagulase-negative Staphylococci and biofilm producers and points to the risk of the spreading of pathogenic microorganisms by this insect in the hospital environment

Efeitos do potencial probiótico Enterococcus faecium 32 e de sua associação com o extrato da alga marinha Caulerpa mexicana no tratamento de colite experimental murina

Ulcerative colitis comprising an inflammatory bowel disease, whose most severe consequence is the development of intestinal neoplasia. The drugs currently used to treat the disease trigger a variety of serious adverse effects and are not effective in many cases. Recent studies demonstrated the effectiveness of natural products for the treatment of inflammatory processes. Seaweed extracts and their purified products have shown protective effects in models of inflammation and the association of traditional therapies with probiotics has significantly improved the clinical symptoms of ulcerative colitis. Therefore, the aims of this study include evaluating the potential effects of the use of probiotic strain Enterococcus faecium 32 (Ef32), the methanolic extract of the green seaweed Caulerpa mexicana (M.E.) and their concomitant administration in a murine model of colitis induced by dextran sodium sulfate (DSS). Accordingly, C57BL /6 mice were pretreated orally with Ef32 (109 CFU/ml) for seven days. In the seven days following, the colitis was induced by administration of 3% DSS (w/v) diluted in the animals drinking water. During this period, animals were treated daily with Ef32 and the M.E. (2.0 mg/kg) every other day by intravenous route. The development of colitis was monitored by the disease activity index (DAI), which takes into account the loss of body weight, consistency and presence of blood in stools. After euthanasia, the colon was removed, its length measured and tissue samples were destined for histological analysis and culture for cytokine quantification. The levels of cytokines in the culture supernatant of the colon were measured by ELISA. The treatments with the probiotic Ef32 or the M.E. alone or the combination of these two substances provoked significant improvement as to weight loss and DAI, and prevented the shortening of the colon in response to DSS. The isolated treatments triggered a slight improvement in intestinal mucosal tissue damage. However, their combination was able to completely repair the injury triggered by DSS. The association was also able to reduce the levels of all the cytokines analyzed (IFN-γ, IL-4, IL-6, IL-12, IL-17A and TNF-α). On the other hand, the treatment with Ef32 did not interfere with the levels of TNF-α, whereas treatment with M.E. did not alter the levels of IL-6. Moreover, the treatment with Ef32 not interferes in TNF-α levels, whereas treatment with M.E. did not alter the levels of IL-6. Therefore, the potential probiotic Ef32 and M.E. and especially when these samples were associated proved promising alternatives in the treatment of ulcerative colitis as demonstrated in an experimental model because of its beneficial effects on morphological and clinical parameters, and by reducing the production of proinflammatory cytokines of Th1, Th2 and Th17