Efficacy and safety of cumaru syrup as complementary therapy in mild persistent asthma: a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study

Amburana cearensis is a medicinal plant known as "cumaru". It is used in Northeast Brazil in the treatment of respiratory diseases. This was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, with the aim of evaluating the efficacy and safety of cumaru syrup as complementary therapy in mild persistent asthma. The study consisted of 3 phases, pre-treatment, treatment and post-treatment. The primary efficacy outcome was comparison of the changes reported by patients of the cumaru and placebo groups after treatment, using the "Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire" (AQLQ). The secondary outcome was the effect of cumaru syrup on lung function based on spirometry. The results showed that in the cumaru group, the proportion of patients who had global improvement in asthma symptoms was significantly greater (61.90%, P=0.0009) than in the placebo group (9.52%). Only the spirometric parameters Forced Vital Capacity (FVC) and Forced Expiratory Volume in 1 second (FEV1) showed significant intergroup differences in post-treatment (P0.05). Adverse events were reported by 3 patients (14.29%) in the cumaru group and 3 patients (14.29%) in the placebo group. All adverse events were considered non-serious and mild.Amburana cearensis é uma planta medicinal conhecida como "cumaru". No Nordeste do Brasil é usada no tratamento de doenças respiratórias. Este é um estudo randomizado, duplo-cego e controlado por placebo, com o objetivo de avaliar a eficácia e segurança do xarope de cumaru como terapia complementar da asma persistente leve. O estudo consistiu de três fases, pré-tratamento, tratamento e pós-tratamento. A variável primária para determinação da eficácia foi a comparação das mudanças referidas pelos pacientes dos grupos cumaru e placebo após o tratamento, usando o "Questionário sobre Qualidade de Vida na Asma" (QQVA). A variável secundária foi o efeito do xarope de cumaru na função pulmonar baseado na espirometria. Os resultados mostraram que no grupo cumaru, a proporção de pacientes com melhora global dos sintomas da asma foi significativamente maior (61,90%, P=0.0009) que no grupo placebo (9,52%). Somente os parâmetros espirométricos, capacidade vital forçada (CVF) e volume expiratório forçado no primeiro segundo (VEF1), mostraram diferença intergrupo significtivas no pós-tratamento (P0.05). Eventos adversos foram reportados por 3 pacientes (14,29%) no grupo cumaru e 3 (14,29%) no grupo placebo. Todos os eventos adversos foram não sérios e leves

Neuroprotective effects of Tradescantia spathacea tea bioactives in Parkinson’s disease: In vivo proof-of-concept

Background and aim: Tradescantia spathacea (T. spathacea) is a traditional medicinal plant from Central America and its tea, obtained by infusion, has been recognized as a functional food. The aim of this work was to investigate the effects of dry tea containing biocompounds from T. spathacea tea on motor and emotional behavior, as well as tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) expression in 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA)-lesioned rats. Experimental procedure: Bioactives were identified by Ultra Performance Liquid Chromatography (UPLC) and an in vivo study in male Wistar rats was run as proof of concept of neuroprotective effects of DTTS. Results and conclusion: We found 15 biocompounds that had not been previously reported in T. spathacea: the UPLC-QTOF-MS/MS allowed identification five phenolic acids, one coumarin, two flavonoids, one iridoid, one phenylpropanoid glycoside, and six fatty acid derivatives. The dry tea of T. spathacea (DTTS) presented significant antioxidant activity and high contents of phenolic compounds and flavonoids. Doses of 10, 30, and 100 mg/kg of DTTS were protective against dopaminergic neurodegeneration and exhibited modulatory action on the astrocyte-mediated neuroinflammatory response. Behavioral tests showed that 30 mg/kg of DTTS counteracted motor impairment, while 100 mg/kg produced an anxiolytic effect. The DTTS could be, therefore, a promising strategy for the management of Parkinson's disease

Eficiência de inseticidas em tratamento de sementes de milho no controle da cigarrinha Dalbulus maidis (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) em viveiro telado Insecticides efficiency in treatment of corn seeds to control leafhopper Dalbulus maidis (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) in greenhouse

O objetivo deste trabalho foi verificar a eficiência de inseticidas no tratamento de sementes no controle da cigarrinha-do-milho em viveiro telado. Sementes de milho foram tratadas ou não com inseticidas (imidacloprid, thiamethoxan, thiodicarb + zn, thiodicarb, carbofuran, carbofuran + zn e carbosulfan) e semeadas em vasos plásticos. Nas plantas, foram confinadas cigarrinhas sadias e avaliada a eficiência desses inseticidas no controle desse inseto, em diferentes intervalos de tempo e em períodos sucessivos. Os produtos imidacloprid e thiamethoxan foram os mais eficientes no controle da cigarrinha, proporcionando eficiência de controle de adultos de D. maidis igual ou superior a 70%, até o trigésimo dia de avaliação, após 4 a 24h de confinamento das cigarrinhas.<br>This research was aimed at checking the efficiency of insecticide seed treatment on corn leafhopper control, at greenhouse. Maize seeds were treated with insecticides (imidacloprid, thiamethoxan, thiodicarb + zn, thiodicarb, carbofuran, carbofuran + zn and carbosulfan) and sowed on plastic pots. On those plants healthy leafhoppers were confined, and the efficiency of those insecticides on its control was evaluated, at different intervals of time and in successive periods. The insecticides imidacloprid and thiamethoxan were the most efficient to control the corn leafhoppers, and provided control efficiency of D. maidis adults equal or upper 70% until the thirtieth day of evaluation, after 4 to 24h of leafhoppers confining