The antioxidant activity of four species of the Malvaceae family (Sidastrum micranthum (A. St.-Hil.) Fryxell, Wissadula periplocifolia (L.) C. Presl, Sida rhombifolia (L.) E. H. L and Herissantia crispa L. (Brizicky)) were studied using the total phenolic content, DPPH radical scavenging activity and Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC) assays. The antioxidant activity of the crude extract, phases and two isolated flavonoids, kaempferol 3,7-di-O-α-L-rhamnopyranoside (lespedin) and kaempferol 3-O-β-D-(6''-E-p-coumaroil) glucopyranoside (tiliroside) was determined. The results showed that there is a strong correlation between total polyphenol contents and antioxidant activity of the crude extract of Sidastrum micranthum and Wissadula periplocifolia; however, this was not observed between Sida rhombifolia and Herissantia crispa. The ethyl acetate (EaF) phase showed the best antioxidant effect in the total phenolics, DPPH and TEAC assays, followed by the chloroform (CfF) phase, in most species tested. Lespedin, isolated from the EaF phase of W. periplocifolia and H. crispa may not be responsible for the antioxidant activity due to its low antioxidant activity (IC50: DPPH: 1,019.92 ± 68.99 mg/mL; TEAC: 52.70 ± 0.47 mg/mL); whereas tiliroside, isolated from W. periplocifolia, H. crispa and S. micrantum presented a low IC50 value (1.63 ± 0.86 mg/mL) compared to ascorbic acid in the TEAC assay.

Obesity is a multifactorial disease related to metabolic disorders and associated with genetic determinants. Currently, ion channels activity has been linked to many of these disorders, in addition to the central regulation of food intake, energetic balance, hormone release and response, as well as the adipocyte cell proliferation. Therefore, the objective of this work is to review the current knowledge about the influence of ion channels in obesity development. This review used different sources of literature (Google Scholar, PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science) to assess the role of ion channels in the pathophysiology of obesity. Ion channels present diverse key functions, such as the maintenance of physiological homeostasis and cell proliferation. Cell biology and pharmacological experimental evidences demonstrate that proliferating cells exhibit ion channel expression, conductance, and electrical properties different from the resting cells. Thereby, a large variety of ion channels has been identified in the pathogenesis of obesity such as potassium, sodium, calcium and chloride channels, nicotinic acetylcholine receptor and transient receptor potential channels. The fundamental involvement of these channels on the generation of obesity leads to the progress in the knowledge about the mechanisms responsible for the obesity pathophysiology, consequently emerging as new targets for pharmacological modulation.

Despite their commensal interaction, Candida yeasts may infect the human being, causing candidiasis which can vary from a superficial to a disseminated form, namely candidemia. The most common etiological agent of these infections is C. albicans; however, the profile of these fungal infections is changing, where non-albicans species becomes the main pathogens associated with candidiasis. The high mortality rate associated with the development of resistance against standard antifungal agents are factors that make candidemia a serious public health problem worldwide, especially in fragile patients as children, especially when there is an aggravating as a suppressed immune system. Citronellal, one of the main phytochemicals of the essential oils of several plants, is a potential candidate for an antifungal agent. In order to evaluate the antifungal profile of this natural product, minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum fungicidal concentration (CFM) were determined against strains of Candida non-albicans from blood infections in pediatric patients. It was observed that both MIC50 and MFC50 of citronellal were 128 μg/mL, attesting the antifungal efficacy of this monoterpene against strains of clinical relevance.

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Geraniol is a plant-derived monoterpene alcohol that has antifungal effect. The aim of this study was to evaluate the geraniol for antifungal activity against Candida albicans isolates of pediatric clinical importance. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and the minimum fungicidal concentration (MFC) were determined by the broth microdilution techniques. We also investigated possible geraniol action on cell walls (0.8M sorbitol) and cell membranes (Geraniol to ergosterol binding). For 90% of isolates, the MIC and MFC of the phytochemical was 64