Antimicrobial, antiprotozoal, and toxic activities of crude extracts obtained from six cnidarian species [Cassiopea xamachana (R.R. Bigelow, 1892), Carybdea marsupialis (Linné, 1758), Linuche unguiculata (Swartz, 1788), Bartholomea annulata (Leseur, 1817), Lebrunia danae (Duchassaing and Michelotti, 1860), and Stichodactyla helianthus (Ellis, 1768)] from the Mexican Caribbean Sea were studied. The extract obtained from Linuche unguiculata was found to be the most active against the yeast Candida albicans and the protozoan Giardia lamblia with 24 mm of inhibition zone diameter and an IC 50 of 63.2 mg mL À1 , respectively. Additionally, in an effort to assess the effects caused by the treatment of cnidarian's toxins in vertebrates, we used tilapias (Oreochromis niloticus) as a laboratory model. The results showed that only 44 mg kg À1 of jellyfish (Carybdea marsupialis) toxin were necessary to cause significant mortality in fish. Tilapias treated with the Stichodactyla toxin demonstrated hemolytic damage and cellular abnormalities.

Background: Allium sativum L., or garlic, is one of the most studied plants worldwide within the field of traditional medicine. Current interests lie in the potential use of garlic as a preventive measure and adjuvant treatment for viral infections, e.g., SARS-CoV-2. Even though it cannot be presented as a single treatment, its beneficial effects are beyond doubt. The World Health Organization has deemed it an essential part of any balanced diet with immunomodulatory properties. Objective: The aim of the study was to review the literature on the effects of garlic compounds and preparations on immunomodulation and viral infection management, with emphasis on SARS-CoV-2. Method: Exhaustive literature search has been carried out on electronic databases. Conclusion: Garlic is a fundamental part of a well-balanced diet which helps maintain general good health. The reported information regarding garlic’s ability to beneficially modulate inflammation and the immune system is encouraging. Nonetheless, more efforts must be made to understand the actual medicinal properties and mechanisms of action of the compounds found in this plant to inhibit or diminish viral infections, particularly SARS-CoV-2. Based on our findings, we propose a series of innovative strategies to achieve such a challenge in the near future.

Background: The pecan nutshell contains phytochemicals with various biological activities that are potentially useful in the prevention or treatment of diseases such as cancer, diabetes, and metabolic imbalances associated with heart diseases. Objective: To update this topic by means of a literature review and include those that contribute to the knowledge of the chemical composition and biological activities of pecan nutshell, particularly of those related to the therapeutic potential against some chronic degenerative diseases associated with oxidative stress. Method: Exhaustive and detailed review of the existing literature using electronic databases. Conclusion: The pecan nutshell is a promising natural product with pharmaceutical uses in various diseases. However, additional research related to the assessment of efficient extraction methods and characterization, particularly the evaluation of the mechanisms of action in new in vivo models, is necessary to confirm these findings and development of new drugs with therapeutic use.

Cnidarian venoms are rising as a new source of potential pharmacologically active molecules. They have been investigated for their neurotoxins acting on several nervous system targets but little is known about their antimicrobial and antiparasitic properties. Giardiasis, a common disease in developing countries, is produced by the protozoan Giardia duodenalis which induces severe gastroenteritis when infecting humans. The aim of this study is to describe the structural and molecular effects of Linuche unguiculata jellyfish extract on G. duodenalis. In this study, the effects on the ultrastructure were observed by electron transmission microscopy 24 h after the exposure to the extract and to the commercial antiparasitic drugs metronidazole, nitazoxanide and albendazole. To assess the effect at the molecular level, the gene expression analysis of β-tubulin, β-giardin, cysteine protease and glutamate dehydrogenase of G. duodenalis exposed to Linuche's extract was performed by the RT-PCR technique. Our results show that the exposure to venom caused severe changes on Giardia's cellular organelles such as submembrane vesicles, nuclei and adhesive disk. Our experiments also showed that the extract significantly alters the expression of genes that encode for the structural protein β-tubulin and the enzyme glutamate dehydrogenase, which are related to cell viability.

No abstract

Cutinase is a very versatile enzyme due to the wide range of substrates that it can use. It has application in several biotechnological areas, acting as biocatalysts in the food industry, in detergents as well as in biodegradation of polymers and other toxic substances. In this research, glucose consumption, protein content, biomass and cutinase production by Fusarium culmorum were evaluated. Cutinolitic activity was observed using gel zymography. This fungus was grown on culture media containing glucose and different concentrations of apple cutin (0, 1, 3 and 10 g/L) in solid-state fermentation. F. culmorum showed the highest production of biomass, protein and cutinase in medium supplemented with 10 g of cutin/L. Glucose uptake was inversely proportional to the cutin concentration. Medium lacking cutin showed the fastest glucose consumption. Heavily stained bands were observed in the gel with increasing concentrations of cutin after 72 h, showing a molecular weight of 50 kDa. These results shown that apple cutin induced cutinase production and was also used as carbon source. It was also observed that glucose did not act as a repressor of cutinase production. Keywords: cutinase, Fusarium culmorum, solid-state fermentation. RESUMENLa versatilidad de la cutinasa es debida a los diversos sustratos que puede emplear. Estas enzimas tienen aplicación en distintas áreas biotecnológicas, lo que las convierte en atractivos biocatalizadores para la industria alimentaria, de detergentes, así como en la degradación de polímeros y sustancias tóxicas. En este trabajo se evaluó el consumo de glucosa, contenido de proteína, la producción de biomasa y cutinasas por el hongo Fusarium culmorum crecido en medios conteniendo glucosa y diferentes concentraciones de cutina de manzana (0, 1, 3 y 10 g/L) en fermentación sólida. La actividad cutinolítica fue observada empleando zimografia. F. culmorum mostró la mayor producción de biomasa, proteína y cutinasas en el medio adicionado con 10 g de cutina/L. El consumo de glucosa fue inversamente proporcional a la concentración de cutina. La glucosa se consumió más rápido en el medio sin adición de cutina. El aumento en la concentración de cutina de manzana incremento la intensidad en la banda mostrada en el zimograma a partir de las 72 h, cuyo peso molecular fue de 50 kDa. Estos resultados muestran que la cutina de manzana indujo la producción de cutinasa y que fue usada como fuente de carbono. La glucosa no actúa como un represor de la producción de cutinasas.Palabras clave: cutinasa, fermentación sólida, Fusarium culmorum.