Sandra Maria Barbalho

Universidade de Marília - Medicina · Medicina

The present study aimed to make the translation and cross-cultural adaptation of the ViDa1 questionnaire to Portuguese (Brazil). The process involved five steps: (1) translation of the original instrument; (2) reconciled translation; (3) back translation; (4) analysis of the semantic, idiomatic and conceptual equivalents between the original and th...

The present study aimed to make the translation and cross-cultural adaptation of the ViDa1 questionnaire to Portuguese (Brazil). The process involved five steps: (1) translation of the original instrument; (2) reconciled translation; (3) back translation; (4) analysis of the semantic, idiomatic and conceptual equivalents between the original and th...

The açaí palm (Euterpe oleracea Mart.), a species belonging to the Arecaceae family, has been cultivated for thousands of years in tropical Central and South America as a multipurpose dietary plant. The recent introduction of açaí fruit and its nutritional and healing qualities to regions outside its origin has rapidly expanded global demand for aç...

The social restrictions needed to reduce the spread of COVID-19 have changed the nutrition, sleep, and physical activity patterns of children and adolescents. Such changes result in inflammatory complications, manifesting through pressure, lipid levels, or insulin resistance. Thus, the present research aimed to evaluate the impacts of the COVID-19...

Inflammatory Bowel Diseases (IBD) are inflammatory conditions characterized by bowel disruption and the involvement of the immune system and can be associated with the development of colorectal cancer. Conventional therapeutic approaches are based on administering drugs capable of modulating the inflammatory response; however, many patients are irr...

Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs) are related to nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) dysregulation. In vitro and in vivo studies using phytocompounds as modulators of the Nrf2 signaling in IBD have already been published. However, no existing review emphasizes the whole scenario for the potential of plants and phytocompounds as regu...

Introduction: Measuring weight is difficult to be carried out in bedridden people, with physical deformity or in emergency units. Under these circumstances, one option is to estimate the weight. Objectives: The aim of this study is to propose and validate equations for estimating the weight of Brazilian adolescents based on anthropometric variab...

Dysmetabolic iron overload syndrome (DIOS) corresponds to the increase in iron stores associated with components of metabolic syndrome (MtS) and in the absence of an identifiable cause of iron excess. The objective of this work was to review the main aspects of DIOS. PUBMED and EMBASE were consulted, and PRISMA guidelines were followed. DIOS is usu...

Curcumin (CUR) is a polyphenol extracted from the rhizome of Curcuma longa that possesses potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant potential. Despite CUR’s numerous beneficial effects on human health, it has limitations, such as poor absorption. Nano-based drug delivery systems have recently been applied to improve CUR’s solubility and bioavailabil...

Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) are chronic relapsing idiopathic inflammatory conditions affecting the gastrointestinal tract. They are mainly represented by two forms, ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn's disease (CD). IBD can be associated with the activation of nuclear factors, such as nuclear factor-kB (NF-kB), leading to increased transcripti...

Sarcopenia is a multifactorial condition related to the loss of muscle mass and strength due to aging, eating habits, physical inactivity, or even caused by another disease. Affected individuals have a higher risk of falls and may be associated with heart disease, respiratory diseases, cognitive impairment, and consequently an increased risk of hos...

Dragon fruit (Hylocereus genus) has the potential for the prevention of diseases associated with inflammatory and oxidative processes. We aimed to comprehensively review dragon fruit health effects, economic importance, and possible use in delivery systems. Pubmed, Embase, and Google Scholar were searched, and PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for...

Herbal medicinal plants or products remain very popular around the world despite the large amounts of conventional drugs to treat several illnesses. Among the plethora immensity of medicinal plants, there is Rubus ellipticus, also known as yellow Himalayan raspberry. The traditional use of the plant is for the treatment of cough, fever, constipatio...

Melatonin is a transducer of photic environmental information and participates in the synchronization of various physiological and behavioral phenomena. Melatonin can act directly in several areas of the central nervous system through its membrane receptors coupled to G protein, called MT1 and MT2 receptors. In some structures, such as the retina,...

Mangosteen (Garcinia mangostana L.), also known as the “queen of fruits”, is a tropical fruit of the Clusiacea family. While native to Southeast Asian countries, such as Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, India, and the Philippines, the fruit has gained popularity in the United States due to its health-promoting attributes. In tradi...

Sarcopenia is a disease that becomes more prevalent as the population ages, since it is directly linked to the process of senility, which courses with muscle atrophy and loss of muscle strength. Over time, sarcopenia is linked to obesity, being known as sarcopenic obesity, and leads to other metabolic changes. At the molecular level, organokines ac...

As Vitamin D (VD) plays an essential role in Inflammatory Bowel Diseases, this systematic review aimed to update the participation of this vitamin in the prevention or remission of these diseases. This review has included studies in MEDLINE-PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane databases. The authors have followed PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for a Sys...

Modifications in the microbiota caused by environmental and genetic reasons can unbalance the intestinal homeostasis, deregulating the host’s metabolism and immune system, intensifying the risk factors for the development and aggravation of non-alcoholic fat liver disease (NAFLD). The use of probiotics, prebiotics and synbiotics have been considere...

Poor sleep quality can affect cardiovascular health and is considered a significant risk factor for the development of risk factors for Metabolic syndrome (MetS). This study aimed to investigate possible associations between sleep quality measured by the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and the MetS. This was a cross-sectional that comprised data fro...

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a joint disorder characterized by chronic, degenerative, and irreversible inflammation leading to pain and disability. The standard drugs are ineffective for many patients and are usually associated with numerous side effects such as gastrointestinal complaints. Curcuma longa and its bioactive compounds have been considered f...

Despite the possible effects of Vitamin D (VD) in decreasing the risk of infections and mortality in some viral diseases, the role of therapeutic VD supplementation in individuals infected with COVID is still obscure. This article reviews the possible effects of VD on COVID-19 severity. MEDLINE–PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochran were searched following PR...

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a systemic autoimmune disease that primarily affects the joints. Organokines can produce beneficial or harmful effects in this condition. Among RA patients, organokines have been associated with increased inflammation and cartilage degradation due to augmented cytokines and metalloproteinases production, respectively. T...

Pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) can be considered a multipurpose medicinal and dietary plant due to its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant actions. Pomegranate can be used to prevent or treat metabolic syndrome (MetS) risk factors. Although previously published reviews addressed the effects of pomegranate on different diseases, there is no systemat...

Advancing age is one of the risk factors for developing many diseases, including cancer, cardiovascular disorders, and neurodegenerative alterations, such as mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and Alzheimer's Disease (AD). Studies have indicated that supplementation with resveratrol (RSV) might improve cerebrovascular function and reduce the risk of...

Neurodegenerative diseases, cardiovascular disease (CVD), hypertension, insulin resistance, cancer, and other degenerative processes commonly appear with aging. Ginkgo biloba (GB) is associated with several health benefits, including memory and cognitive improvement, in Alzheimer’s disease (AD), Parkinson’s disease (PD), and cancer. Its antiapoptot...

Allium sativum (garlic) certainly is one of the oldest horticultural crops in the world and presents bioactive compounds that are related to the garlic’s effects on human health. Several authors have shown beneficial effects on diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia, obesity, and cardiovascular diseases (CVD), which are among the most relevant causes...

The lifestyle changes observed in recent years are related to the increase in the chronic diseases that have become the main causes of mortality and increased expenditure on systems worldwide. Psidium guajava L. (guava) has several medicinal properties, e.g., antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial activities, which could be useful for th...

The aging process predisposes numerous homeostatic disorders, metabolic disorders, cardiovascular diseases, neurodegenerative diseases, and cancer. Changes in diet and lifestyle and therapeutic adjuvants are essential to minimize the effects of comorbidities associated with aging. Natural products such as Panax ginseng have been used to treat and p...

Passion fruit belongs to the genus Passiflora, family Passifloraceae, with more than 500 species. The seeds represent an important source of essential polyunsaturated fatty acids. However, they are routinely discarded and discarded soon after processing to obtain the pulp leading to environmental issues. The oil is extracted from the passion fru...

The increased deposition of visceral fat in the postmenopause period increases the production of inflammatory cytokines and the release of tumor necrosis factor- α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and decrease in IL-10. This study investigated the relationship between inflammatory biomarkers and metabolic syndrome (MS) in postmenopausal women conside...

Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is characterized by steatosis, lobular inflammation, and enlargement of the diameter of hepatocytes (ballooning hepatocytes), with or without fibrosis. It affects 20% of patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Due to liver dysfunction and the numerous metabolic changes that commonly accompany th...

Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) is a human incretin hormone derived from the proglucagon molecule. GLP-1 receptor agonists are frequently used to treat type 2 diabetes mellitus and obesity. However, the hormone affects the liver, pancreas, brain, fat cells, heart, and gastrointestinal tract. The objective of this study was to perform a systematic r...

Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is characterized by steatosis, lobular inflammation, and enlargement of the diameter of hepatocytes (ballooning hepatocytes), with or without fibrosis. It affects 20% of patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Due to liver dysfunction and the numerous metabolic changes that commonly accompany th...

Chromosomal mutations involving 19p13.3 have been described as pathogenic. clinical and phenotypic features can include, in most cases, psychomotor development delay, microcephaly, typical facial appearance, hand and foot anomalies, umbilical hernia, hypotonia, and low percentage of lean mass. The main types of mutation found on this chromosome are...

Background: Metabolic syndrome (MS) is a complex condition that predisposes the population to an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases (CVD), meaning a high burden to health care systems. Medicinal plants and natural compounds have gained ground in the therapeutic approach to MS due to their effectiveness, reduced costs, and few adverse effe...

Aims The gene expressions of IL-10 and TNF-α have been identified as important factors of the clinical condition in type I diabetes mellitus (DM1). However, the effect of physical exercise on the expression of these markers is poorly understood. Our objective was to evaluate the relationship between the level of physical activity (LPA) and the gene...

Metabolic Syndrome (MS) is a chronic non- infective syndrome characterized clinically by a set of vascular risk factors that include insulin resistance, hypertension, abdominal obesity, impaired glucose metabolism and dyslipidemia. These risk factors are due to a pro-inflammatory state, oxidative stress, hemodynamic dysfunction and ischemia, which...

Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) is a chronic idiopathic inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract, characterized by periods of exacerbation and remission, which includes two primary forms: Ulcerative Colitis (UC) and Crohn's Disease (CD). IBD is an autoimmune disorder influenced by genetics, hereditary, environment, and infection. Alternative tre...

Coffee is probably the most popular beverage after water and is an important component in diet and health since its consumption is high worldwide. Globally, it is the most relevant food commodity being just behind crude oil. Besides its pleasant flavor, it is an antioxidant source due to polyphenols, which are protective compounds against several d...

COVID-19 is a viral disease characterized as a pandemic by the World Health Organization in March 2020. Since then, researchers from all over the world have been looking for ways to fight this disease. Many cases of complications arise from insufficient immune responses due to low immunity, with intense release of pro-inflammatory cytokines that ca...

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is an ensemble of metabolic conditions that have reached pandemic proportions worldwide. Pathology’s multifactorial nature makes patient management, including lifelong drug therapy and lifestyle modification, extremely challenging. Currently, there is growing evidence about the effectiveness of using herbal supplements in pre...

The hormonal modifications observed in post-menopausal are related to increased adiposity and alteration in the lipid profile besides physical and psychological changes. Physical exercises may attenuate these conditions and have been associated with low-grade inflammatory status, reducing the risk of cardiovascular diseases. This study aimed to eva...

Rhabdomyolysis is an acute condition with skeletal muscle damage and release of toxins produced by myocytes with variable clinical presentation. Laboratory diagnosis is based on an increase in serum creatine phosphokinase (CPK), which can trigger irreversible renal impairment. The aim was to describe the association of COVID-19 with rhabdomyolysis...

Adipose, skeletal, and hepatic muscle tissues are the main endocrine organs that produce adipokines, myokines, and hepatokines. These biomarkers can be harmful or beneficial to an organism and still perform crosstalk, acting through the endocrine, paracrine, and autocrine pathways. This study aims to review the crosstalk between adipokines, myokine...

Background: Depression is a severe, chronic, and recurring mental health disorder, which prevalence and morbimortality have increased in recent years. Several theories are proposed to elucidate the mechanisms of depression, such as the involvement of inflammation and the release of cytokines. Alternative treatments have been developed to improve o...

Due to the impact that frailty and cardiac aging have on society and health systems, the mechanisms surrounding these conditions must be known. If the frailty and cardiovascular complications are due to numerous controllable factors or not, different strategies must be considered to improve the elderly patient's prognosis and improve their quality...

Background: The use of medicinal plants may have an effective action on the performance of athletes. Aims: This review aimed to evaluate the effects of the use of medicinal plants and some phytocompounds on physical performance. Methodology: MEDLINE/PUBMED and EMBASE were consulted following the PRISMA guidelines. Results: Panax ginseng increases t...

Background: Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) are a group of immune and inflammatory diseases; and patients seem to be more vulnerable to influenza and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). These conditions are characterized by the augmented release of inflammatory cytokines that have been suggested as potential triggers for the acute respiratory d...

Curcuma and its derivatives are associated with anti‐inflammatory and antioxidant activities in the skin. They can exhibit beneficial effects in wound‐healing, prevention of chronic ultraviolet B damages, and may prevent facial redness such as rosacea and flushing. This review aimed to provide an up‐to‐date and rigorous synthesis of studies that de...

Autoimmune and inflammatory diseases affect innumerous people and are considered a significant cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide and Curcuma sp can work as important therapies in the approach of these diseases. For this reason the aim of this review is to evaluate the effects of Curcuma or curcumin in five autoimmune and/or inflammatory di...

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is an umbrella term used to describe chronic inflammatory disorders related to a substantial reduction in the quality of life of patients. Some patients with Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC) are refractory to conventional therapies, and Curcuma longa derivatives have been considered as adjuvants. Owi...

Aim: To evaluate the association between parameters of hyperferritinemia (HF) and metabolic syndrome (MS) in patients at cardiovascular risk. Patients and methods: This is a cross-sectional analytical observational study that included 269 patients who attended a cardiology unit. Biochemical and anthropometric parameters were evaluated