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Lafoensia pacari has been used in traditional folk medicine in Brazilian Cerrado to treat wounds. It is important to develop studies that can clarify how the biological activity of L. pacari occurs. The aim of this study was to evaluate the healing activity of L. pacari leaves extract in an animal model. The extract was prepared from plants cultivated in Goiania-GO, Brazil. The healing activity was assayed using cutaneous wound model in rats, and macroscopic, morphometric and histological analysis of wounds were also conducted. The presence of hydrolysable tannins was detected in thin layer chromatography and in high performance liquid chromatography analysis, may be suggested the presence of ellagitannins. In the evaluation of cutaneous wounds in rats it was possible to observe that the treatment with 10% (w/v) L. pacari extract provided a reduction in the time of cutaneous wound healing, with a significant increase in variables involved in healing, such as the number of blood vessels and collagen production. Therefore, this study shows that L. pacari wound healing potential may be related to the presence of ellagitannins and corroborates to ethnopharmacological reports regarding this plant.

To assess the profile and causality of adverse events related to herbal medicines of widespread use in Brazil, we conducted an open, prospective, before-and-after clinical trial with patients at an outpatient clinic specialized in complementary and alternative medicine. Participants were submitted to laboratory tests prior to and after use of the medicines, as well as following a period of discontinuation in those experiencing adverse events. Occurrence of adverse events and their severity were verified in accordance with the WHO Toxicity Grading Scale for Determining the Severity of Adverse Events, and their causality established via the Naranjo algorithm. Forty-two subjects participated in the trial, of which 25 experienced grade 1 toxicity adverse events, mainly hyperamylasemia, and 14 continued to experience them following discontinuation, mainly hypomagnesemia. Mean/median values of laboratory tests performed in each phase were within specifications. Statistical analysis of these values in pre-treatment and treatment (n=42) and in treatment and post-treatment phases (n=22) showed statistical significance for activated partial thromboplastin time (p=0.020) in the first correlation. The Naranjo algorithm established a possible causal relationship between the use of herbal medicines and the adverse events reported. By signaling a low probability of occurrence, the algorithm indicates the safe use of these medicines under the experimental conditions employed.

Introduction:The study objective is to evaluate the methodological quality of systematic reviews published in nursing journals of Latin America and the Caribbean in 2018 using AMSTAR 2. Method: Review and critical evaluation of systematic reviews. All 2018 editions of nursing journals indexed in the Scientific Electronic Library Online (SciELO) were accessed by two independent researchers, and systematic reviews published in the period were listed. The AMSTAR 2 tool was applied by two other researchers, independently, and consensus on discrepancies was resolved by majority. Time spent applying the tool was measured. The data obtained were tabulated in Microsoft Excel 2010®. Results: Eleven systematic reviews were included in this study. The average analysis time was 20.2 minutes (Min = 14.5; Max = 29). The most critical items were the lack of information on the source of funding for the studies included in the review (in all studies); non-presentation of a list of excluded studies (only 02 presented it partially); no assessment of risk of bias in the included studies (only 03 performed it partially); no explicit statement that the methods for conducting the systematic review were established prior to its completion (only 04 presented it partially). The use of a comprehensive search strategy was fully carried out by one study, and partially in the remaining 10 reviews. Study selection in duplicate was more frequent (09 studies) than data extraction in duplicate (06 studies), and 06 studies presented the research question in PICO format. Only one of the studies declared conflicts of interest. Conclusion: According to AMSTAR 2 tool, systematic reviews published in 2018 in nursing journals of Latin America and the Caribbean have low methodological quality, not meeting minimum quality requirements.

Objetivo: Foram avaliadas evidências de eficácia e segurança do onasemnogeno abeparvoveque no tratamento da atrofia muscular espinhal tipo 1. Método: Foi conduzida uma revisão sistemática da literatura, conforme protocolo aprovado previamente. Resultados: Três estudos foram selecionados, START, STR1VE e STR1VE-EU, com alto risco de viés e certeza da evidência de muito baixa qualidade. Foram reportadas sobrevida global de 91 a 100%, sobrevida livre de ventilação mecânica de 39 a 82% e eventos adversos relacionados ao tratamento em 25 a 73% dos pacientes. Conclusões: É incerto o real benefício do onasemnogeno abeparvoveque e desafiadora a tomada de decisão para sua incorporação no SUS.