Nilce Viana Gramosa

Entendendo a importância de garantir, no âmbito científico, equidade de oportunidades para todos, propomos este estudo objetivando refletir o número de meninas medalhistas ao longo dos anos nas competições: Olimpíada Internacional de Química, Olimpíada Brasileira de Química, Olimpíada Brasileira de Química Júnior e Olimpíada Norte/Nordeste de Química, bem como pontuarmos a relevância da Olimpíada Feminina de Química (Quimeninas) enquanto caminho para a inserção de mulheres na ciência. Em atenção aos dados alcançados, compreendemos que, historicamente, o número de meninas premiadas em todas as competições citadas tem sido inferior ao de meninos, fato que evidencia a necessidade de políticas públicas que estimulem a participação e interesse feminino pela ciência. Nesse cenário, reconhecemos a Olimpíada Quimeninas como importante movimento para a promoção da equidade de gênero no contexto científico, impulsionando o envolvimento ativo de meninas e mulheres na construção de conhecimentos químicos e na superação de estereótipos que regulamentam a imagem dos/as cientistas e materializam exclusões. Concluímos que, embora relevante e necessária, o fortalecimento da Quimeninas deve ocorrer em associação a outras ações que incentivem a participação do público feminino nas demais competições, haja vista a necessidade de garantir a todos os públicos a mesma projeção e oportunidades no cenário competitivo.

The effectiveness of treatments against the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi , the causative agent of Chagas disease, is limited in the chronic phase of the disease. The essential oils of lemongrass ( Cymbopogon citratus and Cymbopogon flexuosus ) have shown activity against this parasite. This study aimed to use principal component analysis (PCA) to analyze the data of lemongrass essential oils submitted to gas chromatography with flame ionization detector (GC‐FID) and proton nuclear magnetic resonance ( ¹ H NMR) as well as partial least squares (PLS) regressions to correlate chemical variability with the results of biological assays. The PLS models highlighted geraniol, caryophyllene, and limonene as the main compounds responsible for antioxidant activity. Regarding cytotoxicity, the PLS models indicated that this activity is a cumulative effect of multiple compounds. For the trypanocidal effect, median lethal concentration (CL ₅₀ ) values ranged from 15.12 ± 3.96 to 110.10 ± 11.22 μg mL ⁻¹ , resulting in selectivity index (SI) values of 2.99 to 22.55 times more selective for T. cruzi compared to host cells. PLS indicated that geraniol, neral and geranial were the main contributors to the trypanocidal effect, suggesting the potential for somatic or synergistic effects against trypomastigote forms.

Background Clove volatile oil (CVO) and its major compound, eugenol (EUG), have anxiolytic effects, but their clinical use has been impaired due to their low bioavailability. Thus, their encapsulation in nanosystems can be an alternative to overcome these limitations. Objectives This work aims to prepare, characterize and study the anxiolytic potential of CVO loaded-nanoemulsions (CVO-NE) against anxious-like behavior in adult zebrafish (Danio rerio). Methods The CVO-NE was prepared using Agaricus blazei Murill polysaccharides as stabilizing agent. The drug-excipient interactions were performed, as well as colloidal characterization of CVO-NE and empty nanoemulsion (B-NE). The acute toxicity and potential anxiolytic activity of CVO, EUG, CVO-NE and B-NE against adult zebrafish models were determined. Results CVO, EUG, CVO-NE and B-NE presented low acute toxicity, reduced the locomotor activity and anxious-like behavior of the zebrafish at 4 – 20 mg kg^–1. CVO-NE reduced the anxious-like behavior of adult zebrafish without affecting their locomotor activity. In addition, it was demonstrated that anxiolytic activity of CVO, EUG and CVO-NE is linked to the involvement of GABAergic pathway. Conclusion Therefore, this study demonstrates the anxiolytic effect of CVO, in addition to providing a new nanoformulation for its administration. Graphical Abstract

A new sesquiterpene and twelve known compounds comprising eight flavonoids and four terpenoids, were isolated from the leaves, stems, roots and exudate of Croton muscicarpa Müll. Arg.. Their structures were identified as the terpenoids 6α-methoxy-cyperene, dammaradienol, squalene, acetyl aleuritolic acid and spathulenol, and as the flavonoids retusin, 3,7,4'-trimethoxy kaempferol, ombuine, pachipodol, kaempferol, casticin, 5-hydroxy-3,6,7,4'-tetramethoxyflavone and artemetin. All isolated compounds were characterized based on IR, MS, ¹H and 13C NMR, including 2D analyses (COSY, HSQC, HMBC, NOESY) and comparison with data from the literature

The chemical composition of the leaf oil from Buchenavia capitata (Vahl) Eichl. was examined by gas chromatography (GC-FID) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS). Seventeen compounds comprising 91.3% of the total peak area were identified. Terpene alcohols (63.4%) and alkenes (27.9%) were the major components identified with elemol (15.4%), viridiflorene (10.4%) and epi-α-cadinol (9.3%) as the most prominent ones.