Among all plant derivates, essential oils (EOs) have gained the attention of many scientists. Diterpenes, a family of components present in some EO, are becoming a milestone in the EOs world. The goal of this review is to describe a scenario of diterpenes taking into health-consumption deportment. Previous studies revealed that diterpenes have antioxidant, antimicrobial, antiviral, antiprotozoal, cytotoxic, anticancer, antigenotoxic, antimutagenic, chemopreventive, antiinflammatory, antinociceptive, immunostimulatory, organoprotective, antidiabetic, lipid-lowering, antiallergic, antiplatelet, antithrombotic, and antitoxin activities. In conclusion, diterpenes may be an immense featuring concern in pharmaceutical consumption from a drug discovery point of view. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

A more advanced pre-clinical and clinical trials are recommended to investigate the safety profiles of these coffee components before their use as possible therapeutics.

Patient: Female, 41Final Diagnosis: Presence of Urbanorum spp in the stool samples analysedSymptoms: Abdominal discomfort • diarrhea • feverMedication: Metronidazole 500–750 mgClinical Procedure: Parasitological examSpecialty: Diagnostics, LaboratoryObjective:Rare diseaseBackground:The first scientific case related to Urbanorum spp protozoan infection was identified in Peru in 1994. Considering there are few cases catalogued, the aim of this study was to register the first case of Urbanorum spp infection in Brazil.Case Report:A thin 41-year-old female patient with dark skin, weighing 55 to 60 kg attended the Buriti Municipal Central Laboratory, in Maranhão, Brazil to undergo routine exams. Among the exams requested was a parasitological exam of feces, which was processed according to the protocol of Hoffman, Pons, and Janer (HPJ) or Lutz, an easy, simple, and low-cost parasitological technique. This method consists in spontaneous sedimentation of a filtered homogenate of feces sample and water. The sample was stained with Lugol and examined under light microscopy at 10× and 40×. We detected a light-yellow structure with rounded shape and several filaments similar to pseudopods. The microscopic analysis raised doubts about the identity and pathogenicity of this microorganism.Conclusions:This study reports the first case of Urbanorum spp infection in Brazil, where the current environmental conditions have contributed to new parasitological cases. Therefore, further studies are recommended to identify unknown cases of Urbanorum spp infection in other regions of the country to create a national registry related to this new protozoan.

Anthropogenic activities in tropical rivers favor the eutrophication process, which causes increased concentration of heavy metals. The presence and bioaccumulation of metals are directly related to the presence of genotoxic damage in aquatic organisms. Thus, we evaluated the presence of heavy metals (Fe, Zn, Cr, Cu and Al) and performed toxicogenetic tests in surface (S) and bottom (B) of water samples of the Poti river (Piaui/Brazil). Cytotoxicity and genotoxicity tests were performed in Allium cepa, and micronucleus (MN) and comet assay were performed in Oreochromis niloticus. The chemical analysis showed concentrations above the limit for Cu, Cr, Fe and Al according to Brazilian laws, characterizing anthropogenic disturbance in this aquatic environment. Toxicogenetic analysis presented significant cytotoxic, mutagenic and genotoxic effects in different exposure times and water layers (S and B), especially alterations in mitotic spindle defects, MN formations, nuclear bud and DNA strand breaks. Correlations between Fe and cytotoxicity, and Al and mutagenicity were statistically significant and point out to the participation of heavy metals in genotoxic damage. Therefore, Poti river water samples presented toxicogenetic effects on all bioindicators analyzed, which are most likely related to heavy metals pollution.

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In general, tropical rivers have a great impact on human activities. Bioaccumulation of toxins is a worldwide problem nowadays and has been, historically, overlooked by the supervisory authorities. This study evaluated cytogenotoxic effects of Guaribas river (a Brazilian river) water during dry and rainy seasons of 2014 by using the Allium cepa test system. The toxicogenetic variables, including root growth, mitotic index, and chromosomal aberrations, were analyzed in meristematic cells of A. cepa exposed to water samples taken from the up-, within, and downstream of the city Picos (state: Piauí). The physical-chemical parameters were also analyzed to explain water quality and possible anthropogenic action. Additionally, the presence of heavy metals was also analyzed to explain water quality and possible damaging effects on eukaryotic cells. The results suggest that the river water exerted cytotoxic, mutagenic, and genotoxic effects, regardless of the seasons. In addition, Guaribas river presented physico-chemical values outside the Brazilian laws, which can be a characteristic of human pollution (domestic sewage, industrial, and local agriculture). The genetic damage was positively correlated with higher levels of heavy metals. The pollution of the Guaribas river water may link to the chemical contamination, including the action of heavy metals and their impacts on genetic instability in the aquatic ecosystem. In conclusion, necessary steps should be taken into account for further toxicogenetic studies of the Guaribas river water, as it has an influence in human health of the same region of Brazil.

Occupational exposure to ionizing radiation (IR) can damage DNA. The study evaluated the genotoxic profile and repair indicatives of DNA from peripheral blood lymphocytes of health workers exposed occupationally to IR by adopting comet assay. Biomonitoring was done with ninety individuals; among them 45 were health professionals and the rests were non-professionals. Blood samples were collected after 48 h (2 d; non-exposed) and 168 h (7 d; exposed). The 7 d IR exposed group significantly increased in the rates and frequency of damage, while 2 d unexposed group exhibited more than 20% of DNA repair as compared to the respective control groups. The DNA damage was observed in more significant to the younger workers (18-27 y). However, the hematological abnormalities were not observed, despite of their positive correlation in genotoxic profile. Significant and positive correlations were observed in relation to the used medicaments, low consumption of vegetables as well as the type and place of work. In conclusion, biomarkers involved in comet assay can be applied in biomonitoring of genetic instability, including IR induced phenomena.