Estudos estruturais e cristalização de complexos formados entre toxinas botrópicas e inibidores vegetais

This research presents a study of structural complexes formed between the bothropstoxin BthTX-I and PrTX-I and phospholipase A2 (PLA2s) inhibitor 12- methoxy-4-methyl-voachalotine (MMV) of Tabernamontana catharinensis and rosmarinic acid (Cv-RA) of Rosmarinus officinalis. For both were used cocrystallization experiments with the toxins and inhibitors. In the future, the experimental three-dimensional structures of these complexes will be obtained through the technique of crystallography. Simultaneously, construction occurred in silico of inhibitors Cv-RA and MMV and attempts of docking between these binders and protein structures. These theoretical data provide important information regarding the nature of interactions between inhibitors, toxins and structural changes induced by the protein molecule inhibitors. Therefore, the acquisition of this information has great value to identification, characterization and development (drug design) of compounds with great potential for biotechnology and drug use. Considering further and more relevant aplications, these compounds could be used to control symptoms in many cases of ophidic poisoning and also in combating of pathological processes (degenerative inflammatory diseases and auto-immune diseases, Alzheimer's disease, schizophrenia, among others) whose causes are related to molecules belonging to the same groups of proteins which are classified bothropstoxin that were studied in this project

Potenciais aves dispersoras de sementes das espécies vegetais zoocóricas da Mata da Bica, Botucatu - SP

The semidecidual forests, as tropical forests, presents zoochoric dispersal syndrome in the most of their plant species, with approximately one third of frugivorous species responsible for the seeds dispersal are birds. The bills width is a limiting factor, it must be equal or bigger than the seeds width, because the viable seeds dispersal depends on leaving the digestive system after been swallowed hole. Birds and plants inventorys were realized in a semidecidual Forest fragment, in Botucatu – SP, called Mata da Bica. After this, the birds consumers of fuits/seeds were selected (frugivorous, granivorous and onivorous) and also the zoochoric plants, both for building a possibilities matrix, to verify the potential seed dispersers according to the seeds and bills width. Going to the matrix end we can observe a decrease in the interaction possibillities, because the seeds width increases and the bills width decreases. It has been observed that 50,7% seeds could be dispersed by all listed birds, because the seeds were narrower than the narrowest bill. In the other way large seeded species, as Holocalix balansae and Hymemaea courbaril has shown only two possible dispersers: Trogon surrucura and Piaya cayana. There are no possible dispersers to Syagrus oleraceae in the matrix. The need for large birds or other animals that works as large seed disperses demand conservation efforts, since most of these animals need big and conserved areas for their life habits

Avaliação da atividade citotóxica de espécies vegetais em linhagens celulares humanas

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Desenvolvimento de metodologias analíticas para determinação de selênio, cobre e manganês por GFAAS em amostras de vegetais de cultura orgânica e convencional utilizando extração por ultra-som

No presente trabalho é proposto um método para determinação de cobre, manganês e selênio em amostras de vegetais de cultura orgânica e convencional utilizando ultra-som no processo de extração dos analitos e posterior quantificação por espectrometria de absorção atômica em forno de grafite (GFAAS). Utilizando como solução extratora HCl 0,10 mol L-1, as condições ótimas de extração estabelecidas foram: massa de amostra de 100 mg; granulometria da amostra < 60 m; tempo de sonificação de cinco ciclos de 40 s e potência de sonificação de 136 W. As determinações dos analitos por GFAAS foram feitas utilizando-se temperaturas de secagem de 90-250 oC, temperatura de pirólise de 1300 oC, temperatura de atomização de 2300 oC e temperatura de limpeza de 2800 oC. Foi utilizado como modificador químico nitrato de paládio co-injetado junto com as amostras e tungstênio como modificador permanente. A exatidão e precisão do método de extração proposto foram avaliadas utilizando-se padrão certificado Corn Bran, RM 8433 – National Institute of Standards and Technology. Os resultados obtidos pelo método de extração por ultra-som mostraram-se equivalentes aos obtidos pelo método utilizando-se mineralização ácida das amostras em forno de microondas. No entanto, a metodologia proposta diminui consideravelmente o tempo de análise, o que favorece a velocidade analítica. Além disso, a quantidade de resíduos gerados para o ambiente também é bastante minimizada

Atividade antimicrobiana de plantas medicinais e aromáticas pertencentes à CPMA - Coleção de Plantas Medicinais e Aromáticas do CPQBA - UNICAMP

The increase of the antimicrobial resistance and its propagation around the world are the biggest threats to the public health care and to the treatment of diseases caused by microorganisms. Nowadays the antimicrobial resistance has increased abruptly. The essential oils are volatile and aromatic compounds derived from parts of plants as flowers, leafs, fruits, seeds, roots, sprouts, among others. The activity of extracts and essential oils of several plant species have been recognized and studied by empirical methods since a long time, but its antimicrobial activities were confirmed recently. Medicinal plants are used in folk medicine as medicines, antibiotic, analgesic, sedative and anti-inflammatory. The use of medicinal plants like source of medicines is an alternative of therapeutics for diseases treatment. In Brazil, studies with this goal are very important, once medicinal plants have been used as a choice of treatment and prevention of infections and diseases in health areas. Considering the fact that some products from medicinal plants have antimicrobial properties it is expected that using screening programs, new potential medicaments could be developed. Otherwise, scientific researches focused on determining therapeutic potential of plants are limited, there are lack of scientific studies which confirms the potential antibiotics properties of a large number of plants. The aim of the present study is determinate the antimicrobial activity of 10 medicinal species belonging to CPMA - Collection of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants from CPQBA/UNICAMP. The minimal inhibitory (MIC) and minimal bactericidal or fungicidal concentration (MBC) will be determined against the bacteria Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella choleraesuis, Staphylococcus aureus and the yeast Candida albicans. Furthermore, will be conducted chemical identification and fractionation of essential oils and extract with better activity

Seleção de micro-organismos com potencial de biodegradação de hidrocarbonetos e biodiesel

The oil and biodiesel are oily substances which, if spilled or thrown out in the environment, can cause serious damages. In this context, bioremediation techniques can be used to the recovering of sites degradated by mineral or vegetable oil, besides them, the biodegradation. However, it is necessary that there are microorganism strains used to degradate the contaminant, previously selected for the fast, efficient and minimum impact remediation. The main objective of this study was to isolate microorganism strains coming from different ecological recesses and verify their potentiality on biodegradating oil and biodiesel. Strains of bacteria, fungi and yeasts were isolated from soils contaminated by hydrocarbons (diesel, gasoline, grease) before, by doing striations on culture plates. On the biodegradation tests, it was used the redox indicator, 2,6-dichlorophenol indophenol (DCPIP), then, after the indicador’s discoloration, the absorbance of the suspension obtained was measured. 46 different microorganism strains were isolated, and the oil, when it was used as a carbon resource, it was degradate easier than the biodiesel. The experiments showed that, in a period, the site impacted by oil spills recovers itself by the biodegradation, in aerobic conditions, by the redox activity.

Efeito de reguladores vegetais no desenvolvimento de plantas jovens de Tabebuia avellanedae Lorentz ex Griseb

Tabebuia avellanedae Lorentz ex Griseb (ipê-roxo), Bignoniaceae, ocorre na Floresta Tropical Atlântica e é de grande importância, uma vez que, devido às suas propriedades medicinais e lenho de grande valor comercial, já esteve sob ameaça de extinção. A mistura de reguladores vegetais é conhecida como bioestimulante que pode incrementar o desenvolvimento vegetal, estimulando a divisão, a diferenciação e o alongamento celular. Assim, neste trabalho avaliou o efeito da aplicação da mistura de reguladores vegetais do grupo das auxinas, giberelinas e citocininas no desenvolvimento de plantas jovens de ipê-roxo. Os tratamentos foram: testemunha, GA4+7 + BAP 100 mg L-1, GA4+7 + BAP 200 mg L-1, GA3 + IBA + cinetina 0,5% e GA3 + IBA + cinetina 1,0% os quais foram aplicados 4 vezes em intervalos de 30 dias. O efeito dos tratamentos foi avaliado pelas medidas de altura das plantas, diâmetro do caule, número de folhas, massa seca das folhas, caule e raízes e avaliação de trocas gasosas. O tratamento com GA3 + BAP 200 mg L-1 foi aquele que apresentou maior efeito no crescimento das plantas. Já para as avaliações fotossintéticas o tratamento com GA3 + IBA + cinetina foi aquele que apresentou a maior taxa de assimilação de CO2

Ensaios ecotoxicológicos da biodegradação de óleos

O presente trabalho teve como objetivo estudar a biodegradação de efluente oleosos em ambiente terrestre. Foram avaliados os potenciais degradação dos seguintes óleos: óleo lubrificante automotivo usado, óleo vegetal novo e usado, e biodiesel. Os ensaios realizados objetivaram, pelo método de respirometria, quantificar e comparar as porcentagens de biodegradação medida através da formação do CO2 da respirometria bacteriana entre amostras de solos contaminados por diferentes tipos de óleo. Além destes ensaios, foram realizados testes colorimétricos que, indicarão, pela mudança de cor do indicador, quais os óleos levam mais tempo para serem completamente degradados. Dessa maneira, foi possível verificar a degradabilidade relativa dos óleos, e contribuir para futuras pesquisas envolvendo a poluição de ambientes com efluentes oleosos. Os dados coletados permitiram verificar a toxicidade e biodegradabilidade relativa dos óleos, de modo que os ensaios contendo biodiesel e óleo vegetal novo tiveram menor índice de biodegradação, quando comparado ao óleo automotivo usado.

Efeito fitotóxico e potencial remediador de três espécies vegetais contaminadas com benzeno

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Identificação e avaliação da resistência antimicrobiana de leveduras em vegetais minimamente processados

The consumption of minimally processed vegetables has been growing due to consumer demand for products easy to prepare. As it is extremely manipulated, this product can be contaminated with spoilage organisms such as yeasts, that have the ability to decrease the shelf life of food. In this sense, seeking to concerns about the resistance of microorganisms to sanitation methods for food industries and given the need for more studies of the antimicrobial power of ozone, this study aimed to isolate and identify the yeasts present in minimally processed vegetables, and check their antimicrobial resistance to sodium hypochlorite and ozone. 84 samples of minimally processed vegetables were collected. From them, 47 yeast cultures were isolated and submitted for identification and testing of resistance to sodium hypochlorite sanitizers (50, 100, 200 and 400 ppm) and ozone (0.25 and 0.5 ppm). From the total yeast isolated, 85.1% corresponds to Cryptococcus laurentii, 12.8% to Arxula adeninivorans and 2.1% to Debaryomyces hansenii var. fabryii. All of them were resistant to the sanitizers sodium hypochlorite and ozone at all concentrations tested. Given these observations, some actions must be taken during processing to avoid contamination with deteriorative microbiota.

Avaliação da qualidade de óleos de fritura utilizados em restaurante universitário

Frying is a widely used method of preparing food, because it is a very fast and convenient process, and because it provides specific characteristics of color, flavor, odor, and texture, besides having great consumer acceptance. Therefore, the interest in the physiological effects that oils heated at high temperatures can cause to the human body arises. The aim of this work was to analyze the levels of frying used oil alteration in different kinds of foods served at the university restaurant at “Instituto de Biociências, Letras e Ciências Exatas” (IBILCE), in São José do Rio Preto-SP. In addition, it aims to make the restaurant aware of the good ways to fry and the commitment of providing good quality food to students and professionals of the Institute. With this purpose, determination of total polar compounds, conjugated dienoic acids, peroxide value, and fatty acid profile were analyzed. Two rapid tests were also used: 3M Fat Monitor and Oil Test kit. The results were compared with limits recommended for the disposal of oils and fats used in frying by the Brazilian Health Surveillance Agency (ANVISA), by other countries, and by other researches. Thus, it was concluded that the university restaurant provides the consumers with fried food of good quality, since none of the analyses showed results above recommended, although there is a need of improvement in the quality control of the oil used, in order to avoid unnecessary costs to the university restaurant.

Uso de probiótico e óleos essenciais na ração sobre a microbiota intestinal, atividade de enzimas digestivas e a expressão de genes relacionados aos processos de digestão e absorção de nutrientes em frangos

Pós-graduação em Zootecnia - FCAV

Avaliação do efeito do citral na dor neuropática e na inflamação

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Epifitismo vascular em duas fisionomias vegetais, floresta paludosa e floresta estacional semidecidual no município de Botucatu, estado de São Paulo, Brasil

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)