Vanessa Jóia de Mello

Ethanol is one of the most widely used psychoactive substances worldwide and one of the most frequently investigated substances in forensic toxicology laboratories. Choosing the most appropriate biological sample for its screening is extremely important in forensic autopsy, mainly to differentiate alcohol consumed before death from alcohol formed post-mortem , as well as to reduce the risk of ethanol loss through oxidation or metabolism. Therefore, this study presents an integrative review of recent literature on the collection, storage, and availability of biological matrices collected during forensic autopsy for detecting alcohol and its metabolites, considering the post-mortem condition and decomposition status of the body. The Scopus, Web of Science, and PubMed databases were searched, with searches limited to English-language articles from the past 10 years, excluding reviews and meta-analyses. The language and time restrictions were adopted to ensure methodological consistency, linguistic homogeneity, accessibility for an international readership, and focus on recent evidence relevant to current forensic toxicology practice. After excluding duplicates, the initial screening identified 414 articles. After analyzing the titles, abstracts, and full texts, articles with unavailable full text, incorrect study design, incorrect publication type, or off-topic content were excluded. From a detailed analysis of the 54 definitively included articles, data were collected on study objectives, main results, recommendations for collection and storage, and potential biomarkers. In general, it is recommended to analyze multiple matrix types and biomarkers, collect samples in duplicate, refrigerate or freeze them depending on the storage time, use preservatives, and provide adequate staff training. Protocols that provide greater clarity between results and more faithfully reflect real conditions are relevant to investigations and can prevent or detect alterations in ethanol levels in biological samples, thereby ensuring the validity, integrity, and traceability of evidence from its collection to its presentation in court.

Cerebral palsy is a neurological disorder that affects postural and motor development, causing limitations in family dynamics, and changing the routine and well-being of the patient and those who assist them. The intense demand placed on care can lead to overload and the triggering of psychological disorders. Thus, based on an extension project (PIBEX) at the Federal University of Pará, the present work sought to determine the levels of overload, anxiety and depression in caregivers of children and adolescents with cerebral palsy assisted at a reference center for child rehabilitation in the Amazon. 93 caregivers, divided into two groups, participated in the study: 29 formal and 64 informal. After collecting socioeconomic information, assessments of anxiety, depression and burden were applied using the GAD-7, PHQ-9 and Zarit Burden Scale, respectively. The data obtained revealed that the symptoms of the evaluated disorders were present at low-intensity levels in both groups. Several factors such as “conformism”, religiosity and length of care may justify the reduction of these symptoms. The nature of the place where the study was carried out may be directly related to the absence of higher levels of anxiety, depression and overload in caregivers since the development of extension and educational practices is differential. However, even under conditions conducive to minimizing the harmful effects associated with this function, it does not mean caregivers are out of risk. This points to the need to carry out studies to quantify the impact of educational practices on caregivers' mental health.

The Conocarpus erectus L, known as “button mangrove”, is a plant with great ethnopharmacological applicability in diabetes, gastric ulcer, and diarrhea, widely used as a single treatment, or associated with allopathy. Using a preclinical model, the present work evaluated possible alterations in the hematological and biochemical tests of Wistar rats after consumption of lyophilized C. erectus L. tea for 40 days, at the dose traditionally used for digestive disorders. Exposure in repeated doses could not promote significant changes in body mass and routine hematological/biochemical parameters evaluated. Studies with these characteristics promote a greater understanding of the use of traditional medicine, the possible interactions on diagnostic laboratory parameters, and the impact on patient follow-up.

Diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disorder commonly associated with atherosclerosis. Plants with therapeutic potential, such as Lippia origanoides Kunth, emerge as effective alternatives for treating these diseases. Therefore, this work aims to analyze the antihyperglycemic and antidyslipidemic potential of the hydroalcoholic extract of Lippia origanoides Kunth (ELo) in alloxan‐diabetic rats. Animals were treated orally: normal control, hyperglycemic control, positive control glibenclamide (5 mg/kg), and groups treated with ELo (75, 150, and 250 mg/kg). Preclinical evaluation of ELo showed hypoglycemic, hypolipidemic, hepatic, and renal protective effects. At all doses, ELo significantly reduced hyperglycemia, triglycerides, total cholesterol, low‐density lipoprotein, atherogenic index, atherogenic coefficient, and cardiovascular risk index (p < .05). Elo at different doses promoted an increase in insulin release compared to untreated animals (p < .05) and showed α‐glucosidase inhibitory activity (p < .05). Also, ELo (250 mg/kg group) showed maximum reduction of hyperglycemia, alanine transaminase, aspartate aminotransferase, malonaldehyde, and urea compared to the hyperglycemic and glibenclamide groups, and creatinine only compared to the hyperglycemic groups (p < .05). The promising action of ELo in the context of diabetes may be related to the synergistic action of flavonoid compounds identified in liquid chromatography, whose pharmacological capabilities have already been documented in previous studies. The mechanisms may be the stimulation of insulin release; the inhibitory activity of α‐glucosidase; improving general clinical conditions; and the antioxidant effects of the extract. These findings pave the way for the future development of an herbal presentation of L. origanoides Kunth as a hypoglycemic and cardiovascular protector with a lipid‐lowering effect.

Diabetes mellitus is a group of metabolic diseases characterized by hyperglycemia and whose prevalence has been increasing over the years. Diabetes mellitus and atherosclerosis appear to be connected. Natural herbal remedies have proven to be safe and effective alternatives in the treatment of this disease. In Northern Brazil, the species Lippia origanoides Kunth (Verbenaceae), used as a spice, is associated with therapeutic activities, however, its antidiabetic potential lacks studies. This work aimed to evaluate the hypoglycemic and cardiovascular risk-reducing effects of the hydroalcoholic extract of Lippia origanoides Kunth (ELo) in rats with alloxan-induced diabetes (120 mg/kg). The animals received ELo at doses of 75, 150, and 250 mg/kg p.o. for 28 days, and positive control was performed in comparison with Glibenclamide (5 mg/kg). Treatment with ELo at all studied doses showed hypoglycemic and cardiovascular risk-reducing effects. Flavonoids that are directly related to these pharmacological activities were identified in ELo by LC-MS, coupled to a liquid chromatography system. The extract obtained from this spice has a promising action on diabetes with cardioprotection establishing a basis for the development of toxicological studies to validate the plant in traditional medicine and further investigations in humans.

Seizures are a disorder caused by structural brain lesions, life-threatening metabolic derangements, or drug toxicity. The present study describes the behavior related to proconvulsant activity induced by thiocolchicoside (TCC) in rats and investigates the electrocorticographic patterns of this behavior and the effectiveness of classic antiepileptic drugs used to control these seizures. Forty-nine adult male Wistar rats were used and divided into two phases of our experimental design: 1) evaluation of seizure-related behavior and electrocorticographic patterns induced by TCC and 2) evaluation of the efficacy of classical antiepileptic drugs to control the proconvulsive activity caused by TCC. Our results showed that TCC induced tonic-clonic seizures that caused changes in electrocorticographic readings, characteristic of convulsive activity, with average amplitude greater than that induced by pentylenetetrazole. Treatment with anticonvulsants, especially diazepam, reduced the electrocorticographic outbreaks induced by TCC. The results suggested that TCC caused seizures with increased power in brain oscillations up to 40 Hz and that diazepam may partially reverse the effects.

Objetivo: O presente trabalho teve como objetivo realizar uma revisão sistemática a respeito da Doença de Parkinson e sua relação com a COVID-19. Métodos: Utilizamos e adaptamos os critérios presentes no PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses) e objetivou a identificação de publicações revisadas por pares pertencentes a temática da doença de Parkinson relacionada à COVID-19. Resultados: A doença de Parkinson após a COVID-19 está presente em alguns casos e parece estar relacionada com mecanismos de hiperinflamação mediada pelo Sars-Cov-2, principalmente em pacientes abaixo dos 60 anos. Conclusão: A ocorrência da doença de Parkinson após uma infecção pelo novo coronavírus parece ser explicada pelos efeitos citolíticos do vírus, acúmulo de proteínas intracelulares, modificações epigenéticas e interações em vias inflamatórias que causam morte neuronal. A COVID-19 também está associada à piora dos sintomas da Doença de Parkinson previamente diagnosticada.

In traditional medicine Himatanthus sucuuba is used in the treatment of gastriculcers, however the literature shows few studies related. The present study aims to evaluate activity gastroprotection and gastrocicatrization and some parameters toxicologic associated with barks hydro alcoholic extract of Himatanthus sucuuba – EHAHS- in wistars mice. Gastroprotection was evaluated by induced absolute ethanol model and the gastrocicatrization by surgical model with acetic acid. Quantitative evaluated of antioxidant extract activity was performed through monitoring free radical consume of free radical diphenylpicrylhydrazyl (DPPH). The toxicity in front of bioassay of Artemia larvae salt marshes and subacute toxicity was analyzed through biochemistry parameter and histopathology (liver and kidneys by HE) was observed. EHAHS in dose of 40 and 400mg/kg was capable to prevent gastric ulcers induced by ethanol when compared with control group. The dose 400mg/kg was capable to biggest cicatrization in ulcers gastric surgery induced by acetic acid when compared with control group. The antioxidant activity of extract staring in 150µg/ml was compared to positive control. The analyzes was in BIOArtS reveal results that haven't statistically different of control. This profile was also presented for biochemical tests described above after subacute animal exposure. The data follow as histopathological analyzes did in liver and kidneys cuts obtained in same period that reveal compatible with normality. This results show as base promising to herbal remedy uses in treatment digestive disorders results that provides scientific background academic and safety in relation ethnopharmacological use described.

Objective: To describe electrocorticographic, electromyographic and electrocardiographic profiles to report the electrophysiological effects of caffeine in Wistar rats. Methods: Male adult Wistar rats weighing 230g to 250g were used. Rats were allocated to one of two groups, as follows: Group 1, Control, intraperitoneal injection of 0.9% saline solution (n=27); and Group 2, treated with intraperitoneal injection of caffeine (50mg/kg; n=27). The rats were submitted to electrocorticographic, electromyographic and electrocardiographic assessment. Results: Brain oscillations (delta, theta, alpha, beta and gamma) [...] ABSTRACT Objective: To describe electrocorticographic, electromyographic and electrocardiographic profiles to report the electrophysiological effects of caffeine in Wistar rats. Methods: Male adult Wistar rats weighing 230g to 250g were used. Rats were allocated to one of two groups, as follows: Group 1, Control, intraperitoneal injection of 0.9% saline solution (n=27); and Group 2, treated with intraperitoneal injection of caffeine (50mg/kg; n=27). The rats were submitted to electrocorticographic, electromyographic and electrocardiographic assessment. Results: Brain oscillations (delta, theta, alpha, beta and gamma)