https://repositorio.ufu.br/handle/123456789/5160 2026-08-26T16:26:44Z 2026-08-26T16:26:44Z https://repositorio.ufu.br/handle/123456789/49858 2026-08-26T14:51:34Z 2026-07-21T00:00:00Z

Title: Avaliação do potencial antimicrobiano de Stryphnodendron adstringens (Mart.) Coville (barbatimão) frente Escherichia coli e Candida albicans Abstract: With rising antimicrobial resistance, natural products have garnered interest as sources of bioactive molecules with therapeutic potential. Medicinal plants have been used for millennia to treat diseases, and in Brazil, this practice dates back to indigenous peoples. Barbatimão (Stryphnodendron adstringens (Mart.) Coville) is a medicinal plant native to the Cerrado biome; it is notable for its bioactive compounds with antimicrobial activity and is widely used to treat infections such as candidiasis and urinary tract infections. In this context, the present study aimed to investigate the antimicrobial potential of different plant parts of S. adstringens (Mart.) Coville against Escherichia coli and Candida albicans. Initially, an ethnobotanical survey was conducted in Uberlândia, Minas Gerais, Brazil, in which barbatimão stood out as one of the primary plants cited by participants for treating candidiasis. Based on this result, decoctions of the leaves and bark were prepared at a 1:10 (w/v) ratio. Antimicrobial activity was evaluated using the disk-diffusion method with E. coli (ATCC 25922) and C. albicans (ATCC 10231) strains. Results showed inhibition zones ranging from 0 to 12 mm for E. coli, with antibacterial activity observed only in decoctions made from powdered plant parts that had been stored under refrigeration for 12 days. For C. albicans, inhibition zones ranged from 0 to 14 mm, and only the freshly prepared decoction of dried leaves exhibited antifungal activity. The results indicate that the decoctions possess antimicrobial activity, supporting the traditional use of barbatimão in the treatment of candidiasis.

2026-07-21T00:00:00Z https://repositorio.ufu.br/handle/123456789/49825 2026-08-26T06:18:05Z 2025-07-22T00:00:00Z

Title: Relação heterogeneidade da vegetação e diversidade de artrópodes pode ser modulada pela sazonalidade no Cerrado Abstract: Understanding the drivers of arthropod diversity in seasonal ecosystems is fundamental to advancing our knowledge of the ecological processes that structure biological communities. Two of the main mechanisms that explain this dynamic are environmental heterogeneity and climatic seasonality, which act as ecological filters directly influencing species distribution, abundance, and richness. In this context, this study evaluated how structural attributes of woody vegetation: density, biomass, and species richness, combined with seasonal variation throughout the year, affect the diversity of terrestrial arthropods in a cerrado sensu stricto area. The study was conducted at the Reserva Ecológica do Panga, where a grid of 12 plots spaced 200 meters apart was established in a typical Cerrado area. Arthropod fauna was sampled bimonthly over one year using standardized sweep net sampling in the vegetation. Simultaneously, vegetation structure was characterized through a floristic survey in each plot, recording all woody individuals taller than one meter. These data were then used to estimate the density, aboveground biomass, and species richness of woody plants in each plot. The results indicate that, overall, the abundance and richness of terrestrial arthropods showed strong temporal variation, with sharp increases during the rainy season (October to April) and pronounced declines in the dry season (May to September). In contrast, the response to structural variations in vegetation was less consistent and limited to specific periods. Plots with higher density and species richness of woody plants tended to show lower arthropod abundance in certain months, particularly during seasonal transitions, suggesting that denser and more diverse vegetation may act as a physical barrier, restricting arthropod movement, foraging, and sensory communication. On the other hand, plant biomass had occasional positive effects on diversity, particularly during the rainy season when microclimatic conditions are more favorable, and the availability of resources such as shelter and microhabitats is higher. Despite these spatial effects, seasonal patterns proved to be predominant, with temporal variation playing a dominant role in regulating arthropod abundance and richness in the Cerrado. The substantial increase in diversity during the rainy season reflects a direct response to improved environmental conditions, while the dry season imposes severe constraints, resulting in significant reductions in community activity and diversity. Therefore, this study reinforces that, in highly seasonal ecosystems such as the Cerrado, temporal dynamics function as a stronger ecological filter than vegetation structural heterogeneity, highlighting the need to jointly integrate spatial and temporal dimensions to fully understand the processes that shape biodiversity in these environments

2025-07-22T00:00:00Z https://repositorio.ufu.br/handle/123456789/49784 2026-08-25T06:22:23Z 2026-06-26T00:00:00Z

Title: Antiviral activity of silver(I)-based metal complexes coordinated with aminoadamantane ligands against chikungunya virus Abstract: O vírus chikungunya (CHIKV) é um arbovírus emergente responsável pela febre chikungunya, uma doença caracterizada por febre, mialgia, exantema cutâneo e artralgia intensa, que pode persistir por meses ou anos, comprometendo significativamente a qualidade de vida dos pacientes. Apesar da crescente disseminação global e do impacto socioeconômico associado à infecção por CHIKV, não existem terapias antivirais específicas disponíveis para seu tratamento. Nesse contexto, compostos de prata(I) coordenados a ligantes aminoadamantados têm emergido como candidatos antivirais promissores devido às suas amplas atividades biológicas. Neste estudo, avaliamos o potencial antiviral dos complexos de prata(I) coordenados com amantadina (Ag(I)-atd) e rimantadina (Ag(I)-rtd) contra a infecção por CHIKV in vitro. Células Vero E6 foram infectadas com CHIKV-nanoluc na presença ou ausência dos compostos, e a atividade antiviral foi avaliada por meio de ensaios de dose-resposta e de adição dos compostos em diferentes etapas da infecção. Ambos os complexos demonstraram atividade antiviral durante os estágios iniciais da infecção por CHIKV, reduzindo a infecção viral em 17,2% para Ag(I)-atd e 39,0% para Ag(I)-rtd nos ensaios de entrada viral, sugerindo interferência em eventos associados à entrada do vírus nas células hospedeiras. Além disso, Ag(I)-rtd manteve esse efeito na etapa de pós-entrada promovendo uma redução de 33,5% da infecção viral, indicando um efeito antiviral intracelular mais amplo em comparação ao Ag(I)-atd. Em conjunto, os resultados demonstram que complexos de Ag(I)-aminoadamantano representam candidatos promissores para o desenvolvimento de metalofármacos antivirais contra a infecção por CHIKV.

2026-06-26T00:00:00Z https://repositorio.ufu.br/handle/123456789/49775 2026-08-25T06:22:14Z 2026-03-13T00:00:00Z

Title: Investigating the reproductive function of floral morphs in a distylous hummingbird-pollinated plant

2026-03-13T00:00:00Z