Vera Lucia de Menezes Lima

Federal University of Pernambuco | UFPE · Department of Biochemistry

In the search for new chemotherapeutic alternatives for cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL), essential oils are promising due to their diverse biological potential. In this study, we aimed to investigate the chemical composition and leishmanicidal and anti-inflammatory potential of the essential oil isolated from the leaves of Plinia cauliflora (PCEO). Th...

Hyperuricemia, the metabolic alteration that leads to gout or gouty arthritis, is increasing worldwide. Glycoconjugated triazole-phthalimides show potent anti-inflammatory activity. The aim of this study was to evaluate the anti-hyperuricemia effect of glycoconjugated triazole-phthalimides. To develop hyperuricemia, groups of mice received orally p...

In this work, we investigated the chemical composition and gastroprotective potential of the essential oil from leaves of Myrcia loranthifolia collected in Atlantic Forest and Seasonally Dry Forest in Brazil (= Caatinga). The essential oil was extracted by hydrodistillation and characterized GC–MS. Gastroprotection was evaluated in an absolute etha...

Ethnopharmacological relevance: One of the native species of the genus most often mentioned by traditional people is Psidium cattleyanum Sabine, which is used mostly to treat disorders of the respiratory, genitourinary, and digestive systems. These symptoms are mainly treated by the decoction of the leaves. Additionally, there are gaps in the in v...

Nasutitermes corniger is an arboreal termite that causes economic damage in urban areas, and its control is for chemical insecticides. An alternative for insect control is the use of entomopathogenic fungi and plant extracts, or the synergistic effect of the association of these. The toxicity of aqueous and hydroethanolic extracts of Agave sisalana...

Ethnopharmacological relevance Medicinal plants belonging to the genus Mimosa, such as Mimosa tenuiflora, M. caesalpinifolia, and M. verrucosa are known for their popular use for asthma, bronchitis and fever. Ethnopharmacological studies report that Mimosa acutistipula is used to treat alopecia and pharyngitis, conditions that can be related to oxi...

Alterations in lipid and lipoprotein metabolism are factors that trigger several negative metabolic complications. Hyperlipidemia is the starting point for the development of comorbidities of the cardiovascular system, such as atherosclerosis. The search for compounds that reduce high levels of total cholesterol and triglycerides has been widely re...

Therapeutic ultrasound (TUS) is the ultrasound modality widely used in physical therapy for the treatment of acute and chronic injuries of various biological tissues. Its thermal and mechanical effects modify the permeability of the plasma membrane, the flow of ions and molecules and cell signaling and, in this way, promote the cascade of physiolog...

Plantas medicinais são cada vez mais investigadas no intuito de encontrar compostos de interesse biotecnológico. Nesse contexto, partes pouco utilizadas de plantas reportadas como medicinais são de alto interesse para bioprospecção e sustentabilidade. Pinha, Annona squamosa, é uma planta frutífera bem utilizada no Brasil e se enquadra nesse perfil....

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the antibacterial and antivirulence activities of an essential oil from E. stipitata (EsEO) leaves against Staphylococcus aureus as well as its mechanism of action. The determination of antibacterial activity was based on the MIC and MBC. The antibacterial mechanism was explored with growth curve, synergist...

Several microorganisms are responsible for great economic losses in world agriculture. Preventive and treatment methods are applied to avoid contamination of crops by these microorganisms, however, the use of chemical antimicrobials damages health and the environment. Secondary plant metabolites are safe natural sources of antimicrobials for this a...

Entomopathogenic fungi are microorganisms capable of infecting and killing arthropods and therefore have a great potential in pest management. As the extensive use of synthetic pesticides has led to increased resistance in insects, decreased natural enemies, and had negative impacts on environmental and human health, the search for eco-friendly con...

Interleukin-6 (IL-6) influences both inflammatory response and anti-inflammatory processes. This cytokine can be released by the exercising skeletal muscle, which characterizes it as a myokine. Unlike what is observed in inflammation, IL-6 produced by skeletal muscle is not preceded by the release of other pro-inflammatory cytokines, but is seems t...

Ethnopharmacological relevance Indigofera suffruticosa has reports of its popular use for analgesy in several cultures. Besides that, all parts of this plant are used for some medicinal outcome. The leaves are used in teas, decoctions, juices and included in baths for treating fever and inflammatory processes. Aim of the study To evaluate the anti...

Ethnopharmacological relevance Rhynchospora nervosa (Vahl) Boeckeler (Cyperaceae), popularly known as “capim-estrela”, is a native species widely distributed in Brazil. The whole plant has been used in local traditional medicine in the form of teas or syrups to treat inflammation, flu, nasal congestion, fever, swelling, and venereal disease. This i...

Cutaneous Leishmaniasis (CL) is a neglected disease characterized by highest morbidity rates worldwide. The available treatment for CL has several limitations including serious side effects and resistance to the treatment. Herein we aimed to evaluate the activity of essential oil from the peel of Myrciaria floribunda fruits (MfEO) on Leishmania ama...

Ultrassom terapêutico (UST) é utilizado por fisioterapeutas desde 1950 no tratamento de lesões osteomusculares. Suas ações são associadas principalmente ao aumento do metabolismo celular e promoção de angiogênese. No músculo, o ultrassom é amplamente utilizado em casos de lesão, porém pouco se sabe sobre os mecanismos associados, embora já seja com...

A população brasileira de indígenas vem passando por um processo de mudança no perfil de suas doenças mais prevalentes. As doenças infecto-parasitárias têm perdido o pódio para doenças crônicas não transmissíveis. Dentre elas, as doenças cardiovasculares são as de maior aumento na prevalência, o que aumenta riscos para eventos que possam compromete...

A flora brasileira apresenta uma grande diversidade, e o mercado de frutas representa uma atividade de grande importância econômica para o país. A ingestão de compostos fenólicos, oriundos de frutas, está associada a vários efeitos benéficos e prevenção de condições patológicas. O presente estudo consiste em uma revisão crítica sobre o teor de comp...

The development of photoprotective products has been highly focused on natural ingredients, and exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation is also related to the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which are extremely damaging to tissues. Hymenaea martiana Hayne has flavonoids related to its pharmacological activities, but a flavonoid profile...

Organic compounds obtained by the click chemistry reactions have demonstrated a broad spectrum of biological activities being widely applied for the development of molecules against pathogens of medical and veterinary importance. Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL), caused by intracellular protozoa parasite of genus Leishmania, comprises a complex of clin...

Ethnopharmacological relevance Plinia cauliflora (Mart.) Kausel, known in Brazil as jabuticaba or jaboticaba has been used by Brazilian native populations for medicinal purposes, including those related to inflammatory conditions, such as asthma, diarrhea, disorders in female genitourinary tract, and tonsillitis. Inflammation has emerged as a main...

RESUMO O controle de insetos-praga é realizado por meio de produtos químicos, os quais podem contaminar o homem e o meio ambiente. Fungos e extratos vegetais são empregados como alternativas ao controle de insetos-praga, e sua associação pode reduzir os impactos ambientais. O trabalho avaliou o potencial dos extratos de Agave sisalana sobre a germi...

Overfeeding of a hypercaloric diet leads to obesity, diabetes, chronic inflammation, and fatty liver disease. Although limiting fat or carbohydrate intake is the cornerstone for obesity management, whether lowering fat or reducing carbohydrate intake is more effective for health management remains controversial. This study used murine models to det...

Essential oils (EOs) are volatile compounds obtained from aromatic plants that can act as modulators of neurological systems. Several neurodegenerative diseases have been correlated with changes in the cholinergic system. Myrciaria floribunda (H. West ex Willd.) O. Berg (Myrtaceae) was chosen to investigate its biological potential for treating neu...

Faveleira (Cnidoscolus quercifolius) is an emerging Brazilian plant, with seeds rich in edible oil. This study investigates physicochemical properties, chemical composition, thermal and oxidative stability, in vitro and in vivo toxicity, antioxidant, antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory activities of faveleira seed oil. It was observed that the oi...

Ethnopharmacological relevance Verbesina macrophylla (Cass.) S.F.Blake is a medicinal plant from South America, popularly known as "asa de peixe", "asa de peixe branco", "cambará branco" or "cambará guaçu", being used by traditional communities for its healing powers in the form of teas, infusions, liqueurs and extracts, for the treatment of bacter...

Clove (Syzygium aromaticum) is a spice widely used for its medical properties, though the species lacks scientific evidence regarding its toxicity and biologic effects. The aim of this study was the chemical identification by GC-MS analysis and evaluation of the hemolytic, anticoagulant, antidiarrheal and antipyretic activities of the essential oil...

Leptospirosis is a zoonotic disease caused by bacteria of the genus Leptospira, which can cause lipid changes in the erythrocyte membrane. Optical tweezers were used to characterize rheological changes in erythrocytes from patients with leptospirosis in the late stage. Biochemical methods were also used for quantification of plasma lipid, erythrocy...

This work evaluated the antioxidant properties and in vivo antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory effects of extracts obtained from fruit peels of Myrciaria floribunda (H. West ex Willd.) O. Berg (Myrtaceae). This plant is popularly known in Brazil as Cambuí or camboim. Different extracts were submitted to comparative analysis to determine the conte...

The relevance of oxidative stress in the pathogenesis of several diseases (including inflammatory disorders) has traditionally led to the search for new sources of antioxidant compounds. In this work, we report the selection of fractions with high antioxidant action from B. tetraphylla (BT) leaf extracts. In vitro methods (DPPH and ABTS assays; det...

Eugenia stipitata is a Brazilian plant species used in traditional medicine for a wide range of ailments. Considering the biotechnological potential of herbal oils, in this study an essential oil was evaluated for toxicity, antinociceptive, antipyretic, and anti-inflammatory activity in mice model. The essential oil from Eugenia stipitata (EsEO) le...

Endophytic fungi are microorganisms that colonize healthy plant tissues inter and/or intracellularly without causing any apparent damage to their host. Endophytes, as they are named, are able to produce secondary metabolites that may offer protection against different harmful agents to plants. These microorganisms have developed a wide diversity of...

Nasutitermes corniger (Motschulsky) is an urban termite pest that is controlled by chemical applications. We investigated the effect of the association of Isaria farinosa (Holm: Fries) Fries, I. fumosorosea (Wize) Brown & Smith, and I. javanica (Frieder & Bally) Samson & Hywell-Jones with the extracts of Libidibia ferrea var. ferrea (Mart. Ex Tul.)...

Aims: This work aimed to determine the toxicity of Bauhinia monandra leaf lectin (BmoLL) to mice and Artemia salina. Study design: BmoLL was purified from the leaves of B. monandra through affinity chromatography and tested against mice and A. salina in order to evaluate its toxicity. Methodology: The lectin purification was performed through salin...

We analyzed the activity of the entomopathogenic fungi Isaria farinosa, I. fumosorosea and I. javanica against the cochineal Dactylopius opuntiae, as well as the effects of the insecticides clorpirifos, acetamiprid, thiamethoxam and lambda-cyhalothrin on the conidia germination, mycelium growth and a sporulation of the fungi.These fungi were not pa...

Here, we report enhanced the in vitro effect of potassium usnate on coupled adult Schistosoma mansoni worms at different time intervals and concentrations. The evaluated schistosomicidal parameters were the following: motility, mortality, fecundity and integumentary changes, as viewed in photomicrographs. Potassium usnate was able to cause 100 and...

Currently, the control of schistosomiasis is based on a single drug, praziquantel, which is effective against all species of Schistosoma but only in the adult stage, presenting a schistosomicidal deficit at the other developmental stages of the parasites. Recently our research group has demonstrated that the potassium salt of usnic acid (PS-UA) pre...

Ethnopharmacological relevance: Hymenaea cangaceira Pinto, Mansano & Azevedo (Fabaceae) is a Brazilian medicinal plant widely known as "Jatobá". In folk medicine, it is used to treat infections, respiratory problems, rheumatism, antitumoral, inflammation and pain, however, no activity has been scientifically validated. Aim of the study: This stu...

To obtain usnic acid potassium salt (PS-UA), the usnic acid (UA) was extracted and purified from the lichen Cladonia substellata, and modified to produce PS-UA. The structure was determined by 1 H-NMR, IR and elemental analysis, ratified through computational models, as well as identification the site of K + insertion in the molecule. Antinocicepti...

Laboratory bioassays on fumigation, ovicidal and oviposition deterrence activity of the essential oil from Indigofera suffruticosa and its constituents [eugenol, (E)-asarone, dill apiole, (Z)-asarone, thymol, (E)-nerolidol and safrole] against Tetranychus urticae were carried out. Components of Indigofera leaf oil were characterized by gas chromato...

This work aimed to investigate the chemical composition, antimicrobial, antinociceptive, acute toxicity and antioxidant activity of the essential oil of Algrizea minor (EOAm). The essential oil presented as the major constituents β-Pinene (56.99%), α-Pinene (16.57%), Germacrene D (4.67%), Bicyclogermacrene (4.66%), (E)-Caryophyllene (3.76%) and Lim...

Phthalimido-alkyl-1H-1,2,3-triazole derivatives 3a–d and 4a–d were efficiently synthesized using 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reaction. Anti-inflammatory activity and toxicity studies were performed. The results demonstrated that all the tested compounds reduced carrageenan-induced paw edema and indicated no lethality for toxicity against Artemia sali...

The inoculation of diazotrophic endophytic bacteria in micropropagated sugarcane plants has been utilized in studies on the association between plants and diazotrophic bacteria, allowing us to evaluate the potential of BNF and growth promotion. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of inoculation (alone and in a mixture) of differ...

O controle de insetos-praga é usualmente realizado com produtos químicos, os quais podem contaminar o homem e o meio ambiente. O trabalho teve por objetivo avaliar o efeito tóxico dos inseticidas clorpirifós, acetamiprid, thiamethoxan e lambacyhalothrin sobre espécies de Isaria, visando à utilização destes agentes biológicos no controle integrado d...

Indigoferasuffruticosa Mill. (Fabaceae) is known as anil or anileira and also with other names, due to the production of a blue pigment, which is commonly used for yarn dyeing. It is distributed in some states of Brazil (Pernambuco, Paraíba, Mato Grosso, São Paulo, Bahia, Pará, and others) and is used in the popular medicine as a febrifuge, antispa...

We report for the first time the in vitro effect of Potassium Salt, derived from Usnic Acid (PS-UA), isolated from the lichen Cladonia substellata Vanio, on couples of Schistosoma mansoni. As schistosomicide parameters, we evaluated mortality, motility, cell viability of the worms and tegument changes by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Exposure...

This text presents complementary data corresponding to schistosomiasis mansoni׳s vector control and toxicity on Schistosoma mansoni cercariae using potassium usnate. This information support our research article “Potassium Usnate Toxicity Against Embryonic Stages of the Snail Biomphalaria glabrata and Schistosoma mansoni Cercariae” [1], and focuses...

The snail Biomphalaria glabrata is the most important vector for Schistosoma mansoni. Control of this vector to prevent the spread of schistosomiasis is currently performed with the application of a niclosamide molluscicide, which is highly toxic to the environment. Screening of substances that show embryotoxic molluscicidal potential as well as ha...

This text presents complementary data corresponding to schistosomiasis mansoni's vector control and enviromental toxicity using usnic acid. These informations support our research article “Toxicity of Usnic Acid from Cladonia substellata (Lichen) to embryos and adults of Biomphalaria glabrata” by Araújo et al. [1], and focuses on the analysis of th...

Lichens (Algal-Fungal association) synthesize unique chemical substances with different biological activities. Three pure lichen compounds were assayed to evaluate their potential insecticidal activity against the termite Nasutitermes corniger on Petri dishes. Usnic, fumarprotocetraric and barbatic acids were isolated and purified from the lichens...

The carmine cochineal (Dactylopius opuntiae) is an insect-plague of Opuntia ficus-indica palm crops, causing losses in the production of the vegetable used as forage for the Brazilian semiarid animals. The objective of this work was to analyze the efficacy of plant extracts, insecticides and their combination in the control of D. opuntiae. Leaf and...

This study reports the molluscicidal activity of usnic acid isolated from Cladonia substellata Vanio (lichen) on embryos at various stages of development and in adult mollusks of Biomphalaria glabrata. The toxicity of usnic acid was also evaluated through Artemia salina larvae mortality. Usnic acid was extracted with diethyl ether, isolated, purifi...

Cowpea crops have the highest social and economic relevance to Brazil, being the food base of families mainly in the semi-arid areas of the country. Charcoal rot caused by Macrophomina phaseolina is an economically important disease of cowpea that can cause significant reductions in bean yield. This study aimed to access the genetic diversity of M....

Introduction In this study, we evaluated the antimicrobial potential of cultivable endophytic fungi associated with Hancornia speciosa Gomes stem bark. Methods and Materials Plant samples were collected in rainy (July 2010) and dry (January 2011) seasons. In total, 116 endophytic fungi strains were isolated from 90 fragments (64.4% frequency of co...

The termite Nasutitermes corniger is a serious pest infesting urban areas of Brazil and many other countries. Control largely depends on synthetic pesticides whose indiscriminate use can impact the environment and the health of humans and other animals. Alternative strategies against insect pests, such as biological control by entomopathogenic fung...

Background: The biotechnological potential of medicinal plants from Brazilian Caatinga and the Atlantic Forest has not been extensively studied. Thus, screening programs are important in prospecting for compounds for developing new drugs. The purpose of this study was to determine the chemical composition and to evaluate the anti-Candida activity o...

Due to the use of Cleome spinosa Jacq. (Cleomaceae) in traditional medicine against inflammatory and infectious processes, this study evaluated the in vitro antimicrobial potential and phytochemical composition of extracts from its roots and leaves. From leaves (L) and roots (R) of C. spinosa different extracts were obtained (cyclohexane: ChL and C...

Syagrus coronata (Mart.) Becc. (Arecaceae) is a native Brazilian palm (ouricuri) and despite the use of its derived products by traditional communities, few scientific reports have been published regarding its biomedical activity. This study investigates the chemical composition and anti-Staphylococcus aureus effects of both manufactured oil (SCO)...

The aim of the study was to analyze biological aspects of Isaria farinosa, I. javanica and I. fumosorosea before and after Sitophilus zeamais infection. Adult insects infected in laboratory with these strains were grown in Sabouraud (SAB) with chloramphenicol, and after 12 days, the reisolated fungi was compared with strains not reisolated, through...