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Recently, in China, in 2019, a new type of disease has arisen caused by a new strain of coronavirus, the SARS-CoV-2 virus, considered extremely worrying due to its high infectivity power and the easy ability to spread geographically. For patients in general, the clinical features resulting from respiratory syndromes can trigger an asymptomatic condition. However, 25 % of patients infected by SARS-CoV-2 can progress to severity. Pregnant women are an unknown field in this complex process, and although they have symptoms similar to non-pregnant women, some points should be considered, such as complications during pregnancy and postpartum. Thus, the aim of this study was to understand the consequences of pregnancy and fetal development, caused by infections by the SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2 viruses. Among the aforementioned infections, MERS-CoV seems to be the most dangerous for newborns, inducing high blood pressure, pre-eclampsia, pneumonia, acute renal failure, and multiple organ failure in mother. This also causes a higher occurrence of emergency cesarean deliveries and premature births, in addition, some deaths of mothers and fetuses were recorded. Meanwhile, SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2 appear to have less severe symptoms. Furthermore, although a study found the ACE2 receptor, used by SARS-CoV-2, widely distributed in specific cell types of the maternal-fetal interface, there is no evidence of vertical transmission for any of the coronaviruses. Thus, the limited reported obstetric cases alert to the need for advanced life support for pregnant women infected with coronaviruses and to the need for further investigation for application in clinical practice.

Cryptococcus is a genus of dimorphic basidiomycete fungi found in the form of yeasts and filaments. Cryptococcosis has as main etiological agents the species Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii. This disease is considered a public health problem and has becoming more alarming because of the limitations of antimicrobials available to its treatment, in addition to an increase in reports of fungal resistance. In this sense, the present review sought to survey information on the resistance mechanisms of Cryptococcus spp. against the main drugs used in cryptococcosis therapy as well as on the antimicrobial activities of plants against these fungi. Studies have reported that several mechanisms may be involved in fungal resistance to drugs including drug inactivation by enzymes, expression of efflux pumps and others drug transporters, as well as changes in the drug target and/or implementation of alternative metabolic pathways. As an alternative to conventional antimicrobials, substances and molecules extracted from plants have demonstrated potential for controlling these pathogens. These phytochemicals can trigger the inhibition and/or death of Cryptococcus through morphological changes on fungi cells, inhibition of ergosterol synthesis, cell leakage, capsular decrease, interference in cell division, reduction of activity of several enzymes such as laccase and urease, inhibition of biofilm formation, among others. In this sense, plants are an important source of bioactive compounds with antimicrobial activity that can be studied in the search for new drugs that are increasingly effective, specific and less toxic in the control of cryptococcosis.

Studies have shown that Caesalpinia pulcherrima extracts promote antioxidant, healing, immunomodulating and antiparasitic activities and its polysaccharides can be used as functional food. In this sense, this work had as objective the isolation and characterization of a polysaccharide-like pectin, extracted from the C. pulcherrima leaves and its possible applications as an antioxidant and immunomodulator agent. The molecule was characterized by high performance liquid chromatography, fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Its antioxidant potential was evaluated through the methods of phosphomolybdenum, ABTS radical scavenging [2,2'-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6sulfonic acid], DPPH (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl) and nitric oxide radical. The immunostimulating effects of pectin were tested in splenocytes to evaluate its toxic, proliferative and cell activator and immunomodulatory potential. The polysaccharide obtained has structural characteristics similar to pectins. Pectin showed high in vitro antioxidant activity for ABTS radical scavenging, moderate activity for phosphomolybdenum and low activity for DPPH and nitric oxide. In vitro immunomodulation assays showed that pectin obtained did not promote a cytotoxic effect (viability > 90%). The increase in cytosolic ROS levels indicates a possible mechanism of cell activation without causing damage. Immunophenotyping showed that HIGHLIGHTS• The pectin-like polysaccharide was isolated from the Caesalpinia pulcherrima leaves.• Showed promising results of antioxidant activity in in vitro assays.• The polysaccharide is non-toxic, stimulates cell activation and cytokine production in in vitro.• Promising therapeutic agent.

Tithonia diversifolia (Hemsl) A. Gray, commonly known as “Mexican Sunflower”, is a perennial herbaceous plant of the Asteraceae family, native to Mexico and Central America. At present, however, this species is widely found in many countries outside of these areas, including Brazil. It has been the subject of many scientific studies which by highlighting the chemical constitution of its main structures such as leaves, inflorescences, stalk and roots, consequently bring to light this species’ nutritional and therapeutic potential in current literature. The aim of this study is to produce a literature review on the ethnobotanical aspects and possible pharmacological applications of T. diversifolia, with emphasis on its chemical composition, morphological characteristics and pharmacotherapeutic applications. The present study is a bibliographical, exploratory and qualitative research, carried out due to the need to elucidate the proposed theme and fulfills the role of reviewing the specific bibliography on the addressed topic. Based on the produced bibliography, it is noticeable that Tithonia diversifolia (Hemsl) A. Gray is a plant of potential nutritional and pharmacological interest. In general, the studies reviewed here strengthen and highlight the evidence of the diverse applications of this species by traditional medicine, which, in turn, contribute to the development of studies that guarantee the identification of active constituents and their respective biotechnological applications.

Introdução: Variantes virais surgem quando os vírus sofrem mutações genéticas. Para o SARS-CoV-2, as principais variantes de preocupação são Alfa (B.1.1.7), Beta (B.1.351), Gama (P1) e Delta (B.1.617.2), descobertas no Reino Unido, África do Sul, Brasil e Índia, respectivamente. Elas apresentam mutações no gene codificador da proteína S, aumentando a afinidade do vírus pelo receptor ECA2 e diminuindo a ação de anticorpos neutralizantes.¹ Objetivos: Descrever o impacto epidemiológico das variantes do SARS-CoV-2 na pandemia de COVID-19 e sua cobertura vacinal. Métodos: Selecionamos artigos disponíveis na plataforma PubMed, sendo os critérios de inclusão artigos em inglês, publicados em 2021, com os descritores: COVID-19; Variantes de preocupação; Eficácia; Resposta imunológica; Vacinação. Resultados/Discussão: As principais mutações de cada variante são: Alfa — N501Y, P681H e D614G; Beta — K417N, E484K, N501Y e D614G; Gama — K417N, E484K, N501Y e D614G² e Delta — L452R, T478K e D614G³. As variantes Alfa e Gama exibiram maior elevação de virulência (55%). Gama, maior evasão imune. E Delta, maior aumento na transmissibilidade (113%). Foi relatado, também, diminuição da sensibilidade dos testes de RT-PCR4. Sobre as vacinas de RNAm, a Pfizer produziu eficientemente anticorpos neutralizantes contra as variantes Alfa e Gama, porém teve baixa eficácia contra Beta e Delta (88%). A Moderna apresentou eficácia de 99,2% contra a variante Alfa, e 96,4% contra Beta. Foi observada, ainda, uma diminuição na resposta de células T induzida por essas vacinas pelas variantes Alfa, Beta e Gama em relação ao genótipo selvagem.5 Sobre as vacinas de adenovírus, a Janssen apresentou menor eficácia contra as variantes Beta (64%) e Gama (61%) se comparada à variante Alfa (72%). A AstraZeneca apresentou eficácia de 74,6% contra Alfa, 67% contra a Delta e 10,4% contra Beta¹. A Sputnik V não mostrou redução significativa contra a variante Alfa, mas sim diminuição de 3 vezes na neutralização da variante Beta e 2,8 vezes da Gama³. Sobre as vacinas de vírus inativado, em relação aos anticorpos neutralizantes, a Sinopharm foi menos eficaz contra a variante Beta; a Covaxin foi eficaz contra a variante Alfa; e a CoronaVac foi mais eficaz contra a variante Gama¹. Conclusão: Todas as variantes demonstraram aumento na transmissibilidade, virulência e evasão imunológica, bem como diminuição da eficácia das vacinas e da resposta imunológica.

Introdução: Com a pandemia da COVID-19, doença causada pelo vírus SARS-CoV- 2¹, o desenvolvimento de uma vacina eficaz ocorreu em tempo recorde, exibindo bons resultados. As vacinas foram criadas com métodos variados, como: vetor viral recombinante, subunidade de proteína, vírus inativados e ácidos nucleicos. No Brasil, a vacinação foi iniciada em 17 de janeiro de 2021, com uso emergencial da CoronaVac e da AstraZeneca. Objetivos: Descrever o perfil da resposta imunológica, eficácia e efeitos colaterais das vacinas contra COVID-19 utilizadas no Brasil. Métodos: Foram selecionados artigos disponíveis na plataforma PubMed. Os critérios de inclusão foram artigos no idioma inglês, publicados nos anos de 2020-2021 com os seguintes descritores: Vacinação; COVID-19; Eficácia; Efeitos Colaterais; e Resposta Imunológica. Resultados/Discussão: A vacina de RNAm da Pfizer induziu elevados títulos de anticorpos neutralizantes para SARS-CoV-2 e resposta T CD4+/CD8+, com eficácia de 95% após a segunda dose, e os efeitos colaterais mais comuns foram fadiga e cefaléia². A AstraZeneca, vacina de adenovírus modificado, apresentou resposta imunológica humoral e celular, além de eficácia de 90% após a segunda dose, possuindo como efeitos adversos mais comuns mialgia, fadiga, cefaléia, dor no local da injeção e febre.³ A Janssen, vacina adenoviral (Ad26) de dose única, demonstrou produção de anticorpos neutralizantes, e resposta celular T CD4+/CD8+, apresentando eficácia variando de 67% a 85% de acordo com a gravidade do caso. Seus os principais efeitos adversos foram dor no local da injeção, cefaléia e fadiga.4 A Sputnik V, vacina adenoviral de imunização heteróloga (Ad26 primeira dose e Ad5 segunda dose), apresentou forte resposta humoral e de células T CD4+/CD8+, e eficácia de 91,4% após a segunda dose, sendo as principais reações adversas astenia, mialgia, artralgia, febre e cefaléia. A CoronaVac, vacina de vírus inteiro inativado, induziu a produção de anticorpos contra o SARS-CoV-2, além de uma resposta celular de linfócitos T produtores de IFN-γ, apresentou eficácia que variou entre 83,7% e 100% após a segunda dose, dependendo da gravidade, e a principal reação adversa foi a dor no local da aplicação.5 Conclusões: O perfil de resposta imunológica é, principalmente, produção de anticorpos neutralizantes e resposta T CD4+/CD8+. As eficácias das vacinas em uso no Brasil variam entre 66% - 91,4% após a imunização completa e o principal efeito colateral foi a cefaléia.