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Papers by eloisa caldas

Research paper thumbnail of An ultrasensitive LC-MS/MS method for the determination of glyphosate, AMPA and glufosinate in water – analysis of surface and groundwater from a hydrographic basin in the Midwestern region of Brazil

Science of The Total Environment, Jun 1, 2023

Research paper thumbnail of Pesticides in surface freshwater: a critical review

Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, May 24, 2022

Research paper thumbnail of Correction: de Araújo et al. Relationship between Pesticide Standards for Classification of Water Bodies and Ecotoxicity: A Case Study of the Brazilian Directive. Toxics 2022, 10, 767

Toxics, Jul 11, 2023

This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative... more This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY

Research paper thumbnail of Relationship between Pesticide Standards for Classification of Water Bodies and Ecotoxicity: A Case Study of the Brazilian Directive

Toxics, Dec 8, 2022

This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative... more This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY

Research paper thumbnail of Street and drug use experiences among sheltered children and adolescents in the Federal District of Brazil

Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Nursing

Research paper thumbnail of Preliminary Quantitative Microbial Risk Assessment for Staphylococcus enterotoxins in fresh Minas cheese, a popular food in Brazil

Food Control, Mar 1, 2017

The main objective of this work was to assess the risk associated with staphylococcal enterotoxin... more The main objective of this work was to assess the risk associated with staphylococcal enterotoxins (SE) intoxication after the consumption of fresh Minas cheese by the Brazilian population. Coagulase-positive staphylococci data from 350 samples were obtained from monitoring programs, and were used as a proxy for S. aureus contamination, considering that 73% of the strains were toxigenic. The Combined Database for Predictive Microbiology (ComBase) and the Pathogen Modeling Program (PMP) models were used to predict S. aureus growth rate and lag-phase in fresh Minas cheese at different pH, salt concentration and storage temperature in a household refrigerator, up to 7 days before consumption. Change in storage temperature had the largest impact on the growth rate and lag-phase obtained from both models. Cumulative probability of SE intake events equal to or higher than the toxigenic dose of 100 ng were calculated using Monte Carlo simulations performed by the @Risk software. The toxic dose was exceeded at the 99.95th percentile of exposure in the ComBase model (upper bound) for the adult population, the lowest percentile identified in the study. The S. aureus initial concentration was the parameter that most impacted the output obtained by @risk, indicating the importance of good manufacturing practices for fresh Minas cheese production, and proper storage conditions at the point of sale. This preliminary assessment indicated that the risk of staphylococcal intoxications from the consumption of fresh Minas cheese by the Brazilian population is probably low. The study identified many data gaps that needs to be addressed to improve the risk assessment.

Research paper thumbnail of How do the interview environment, sociodemographic aspects and risk perception impact attitudes related to food? A survey in the Midwest of Brazil

Food Science and Technology

This study aimed to assess the food-related attitudes through the application of a structured que... more This study aimed to assess the food-related attitudes through the application of a structured questionnaire to 1,000 individuals applied in three environments (groups) in the Federal District of Brazil (supermarkets, universities and hospitals/clinics) using multivariate logistic regression, with special focus on pesticides and genetically modified (GM) food. Outpatients in hospital/ clinic, women and older individuals were significantly more likely to adopt diets or attitudes considered or perceived as healthy (including high consumption of fruits and vegetables, acquiring organic food, and adopting procedures to remove pesticide residues from food). When income and/or education impacted the results, the correlation was negative. Over 60% of the population believe it is possible to produce food without using pesticides, mainly the hospital/clinic group, younger individuals, and women, and 95.3% think that the presence of pesticides in food should be indicated on the labels, mainly the hospital/ clinic group and older individuals. High worry about pesticides and GM food was associated with most healthy food-related attitudes. The results of this study are important for food-related communication strategies conducted by health authorities, aiming at driving specific population segments to a healthier and more conscious diet.

Research paper thumbnail of Antimicrobial activity and partial chemical structure of acylpolyamines isolated from the venom of the spider Acanthoscurria natalensis

Journal of Venomous Animals and Toxins including Tropical Diseases

Background: Acylpolyamines are one of the main non-peptide compounds present in spider venom and ... more Background: Acylpolyamines are one of the main non-peptide compounds present in spider venom and represent a promising alternative in the search for new molecules with antimicrobial action. Methods: The venom of Acanthoscurria natalensis spider was fractionated by reversephase liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) and the antimicrobial activity of the fractions was tested using a liquid growth inhibition assay. The main antimicrobial fraction containing acylpolyamines (ApAn) was submitted to two additional chromatographic steps and analyzed by MALDI-TOF. Fractions of interest were accumulated for ultraviolet (UV) spectroscopy and ESI-MS/MS analysis and for minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and hemolytic activity determination. Results: Five acylpolyamines were isolated from the venom with molecular masses between 614 Da and 756 Da, being named ApAn728, ApAn614a, ApAn614b, ApAn742 and ApAn756. The analysis of UV absorption profile of each ApAn and the fragmentation pattern obtained by ESI-MS/MS suggested the presence of a tyrosyl unit as chromophore and a terminal polyamine chain consistent with structural units PA43 or PA53. ApAn presented MIC between 128 µM and 256 µM against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus, without causing hemolysis against mouse erythrocytes. Conclusion: The antimicrobial and non-hemolytic properties of the analyzed ApAn may be relevant for their application as possible therapeutic agents and the identification of an unconventional chromophore for spider acylpolyamines suggests an even greater chemical diversity.

Research paper thumbnail of Meeting nutritional adequacy in the Brazilian population increases pesticide intake without exceeding chronic safe levels

International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition, 2021

Research paper thumbnail of Are Brazilian adolescents eating enough fruits and vegetables? An assessment using data from the Study of Cardiovascular Risk in Adolescents

Revista de Nutrição, 2021

Objective To estimate the usual consumption of fruits and vegetables by Brazilian adolescents. Me... more Objective To estimate the usual consumption of fruits and vegetables by Brazilian adolescents. Methods We used 24-hour dietary recall data from the Study of Cardiovascular Risk in Adolescents conducted in 2013-2014 with 71,740 adolescents between 12 and 17 years old. The usual consumption of fruits and vegetables was estimated in the Statistical Analysis Software using the model of the United States National Cancer Institute, and evaluated according to sex, age, place of residence, economic class, and nutritional status of the participants. Results The mean of usual fruit and vegetable consumption was estimated at 171g/day, mostly fruits (128g/day), mainly in the form of fruit juice (64.8%). The minimum fruit and vegetable consumption of 400g/day recommended by the World Health Organization was reached only by 2% of the adolescents. The adolescents’ socioeconomic class or nutritional status had no impact on the usual fruit and vegetable consumption, but adolescents from northern Bra...

Research paper thumbnail of Nimesulide: Dissolution Profile, Validation of Analytical Methods for Capsules, and Assessment of Product Quality

International Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2015

Objective: The main objective of this paper was to evaluate the quality of similar (S, n=3) and g... more Objective: The main objective of this paper was to evaluate the quality of similar (S, n=3) and generic (G, n=3) tablets and compounding capsules (C, n=6) containing nimesulide (100 mg). Methods: The parameters investigated (weight, nimesulide content, uniformity of dosage units, disintegration, friability and hardness (tablets) and dissolution profile) were evaluated against the Brazilian Pharmacopeia and a reference compound (for tablets). Nimesulide content, determined by a UV/visible spectrophotometric method, and dissolution test were validated for compounding capsules. Results: All formulations had a mean weight coefficient of variation lower than 5%. Three compounding formulations contained less than 95 mg nimesulide, with C1 (88.5 mg) also showing a lack of dosage unit uniformity. Disintegration times were lower than 5 min for all samples and friability less than 0.5% for all tablet formulations. The hardness of the reference product (25.5N) was lower compared to the other t...

Research paper thumbnail of Genotoxic evaluations in Wistar rats of the hallucinogenic plant extract ayahuasca

International Journal of Phytomedicine, 2016

Ayahuasca, a psychoactive infusion, is a sacrament used by indigenous and non-indigenous communit... more Ayahuasca, a psychoactive infusion, is a sacrament used by indigenous and non-indigenous communities in Brazil and other countries. This beverage has vaunted healing properties; however, its use in a therapeutic context still lacks preclinical data to certify its safety and effectiveness. This study evaluated the genotoxic, mutagenic and cytotoxic potential of ayahuasca in Wistar rats after a single oral dose. Rats of both sexes were randomly distributed into five experimental groups (n=10): negative control that received filtered water, positive control that received doxorubicin and treated groups that received ayahuasca at 1, 5 and 15 times the usual dose taken in human religious rituals. The rats were euthanized 30 hours after dosage. Genotoxicity was evaluated by flow cytometry, comet assay and micronucleus test. Renal, hepatic and pancreatic functions were evaluated by serum analysis. Ayahuasca showed low genotoxicity, with an increased frequency of micronuclei only at the high...

Research paper thumbnail of Biodiversity of β-Carboline Profile of Banisteriopsis caapi and Ayahuasca, a Plant and a Brew with Neuropharmacological Potential

Plants, 2020

Ayahuasca is a psychoactive infusion with a large pharmacological application normally prepared w... more Ayahuasca is a psychoactive infusion with a large pharmacological application normally prepared with Banisteriopsis caapi, which contains the monoamine oxidase inhibitors β-carbolines, and Psichotria virids, which contains the serotonin receptor agonist N,N dimethyltryptamine (DMT). The objectives of this study were to investigate the chemical profile of B. caapi and of ayahuasca collected in various Brazilian regions. In total, 176 plant lianas, of which 159 B. caapi and 33 ayahuasca samples were analyzed. Dried liana samples were powdered, extracted with methanol, diluted, and analyzed by LC-MS/MS. Ayahuasca samples were diluted and analyzed. Mean concentrations in B. caapi were 4.79 mg/g harmine, 0.451 mg/g harmaline, and 2.18 mg/g tetrahydroharmine (THH), with a high variability among the samples (RSD from 78.9 to 170%). Native B. caapi samples showed significantly higher harmine concentrations than cultivated ones, and samples from the Federal District/Goiás had higher THH cont...

Research paper thumbnail of Toxicity of ayahuasca after 28 days daily exposure and effects on monoamines and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in brain of Wistar rats

Metabolic Brain Disease, 2020

Ayahuasca is a hallucinogenic beverage that affects the serotonergic system and have therapeutic ... more Ayahuasca is a hallucinogenic beverage that affects the serotonergic system and have therapeutic potential for many diseases and disorders, including depression and drug addiction. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the potential toxic effects of ayahuasca on rats after chronic exposure, and the levels of monoamines, their metabolites and the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in the brain. Female and male rats were treated orally for 28 days with H 2 O (control), fluoxetine (FLX), a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor antidepressant, or ayahuasca (Aya) at doses of 0.5X, 1X and 2X the ritualistic dose (7 to 10 animals/group). Clinical, hematological and macroscopic results showed that ayahuasca was safe to the rats. Behavior tests conducted one hour after the last treatment showed that male rats from the Aya1 group explored the open field central area less than the control group, and the number of entries in the central area compared to total locomotion was also significantly lower in this group and in the FLX group. The hippocampus was removed for BDNF analysis and the remaining brain was used for monoamine analysis by HPLC-FL. Serotonin levels were significantly higher than control only in the Aya2 female group, while a significant reduction of its metabolite 5-HIAA was observed in the FLX group. Dopamine levels were similar among the experimental groups, but the levels of its metabolite DOPAC increased significantly in the Aya1 and Aya2 groups compared to controls, especially in females, and the DOPAC/dopamine turnover was significantly higher in Aya2 group. The levels of HVA, another dopamine metabolite, did not change with the treatments compared to controls, but HVA/DOPAC ratio was significantly lower in all ayahuasca male groups. Norepinephrine was not detected in any brain sample, and the levels of its metabolite MHPG did not change significantly among the groups. BDNF levels in the hippocampus were significantly higher in the FLX and Aya2 female groups compared to controls when expressed in relation to the total brain weight. The mechanisms involved in the increase in serotonin, dopamine turnover and BDNF levels observed in ayahuasca treated animals should be further investigated in specific brain areas.

Research paper thumbnail of Effects of the hallucinogenic beverage ayahuasca on voluntary ethanol intake by rats and on cFos expression in brain areas relevant to drug addiction

Alcohol, 2019

Ayahuasca is a hallucinogenic infusion used in religious rituals that has serotoninergic properti... more Ayahuasca is a hallucinogenic infusion used in religious rituals that has serotoninergic properties and may be a potential therapeutic option for drug addiction. In this study, Wistar rats had intermittent access to ethanol for 8 weeks, receiving water (control), naltrexone (NTX, 2 mg/kg body weight [bw] intraperitoneally [i.p.]) or ayahuasca (Aya) at 0.5x, 1x, or 2x the ritual dose in the final 5 days. A naïve group had access only to water. Ethanol intake was estimated throughout the experiment, and cFos expression was evaluated in medial orbital cortex (MO), ventral orbital cortex (VO), lateral orbital cortex (LO), nucleus accumbens (NAc), and striatum. Treatment with either NTX or Aya (oral) did not decrease ethanol intake compared to the baseline level (5th to 7th week), but the NTX group intake was significantly lower than controls (p < 0.05). Ethanol significantly increased cFos expression in the MO region for control (p < 0.0001), NTX (p < 0.05), Aya1 (p < 0.001), and Aya2 (p < 0.0001) groups. This increase was also observed in the VO for the Aya1 group (p ¼ 0.035), in the LO for the Aya2 group (p < 0.01), and in NAc for NTX and ayahuasca groups (p < 0.005). Furthermore, NTX and Aya0.5 treatment decreased cFos expression compared to controls in the MO region (p < 0.05 and p < 0.01, respectively), but only the ayahuasca group reached levels not significantly different from the naïve group. Studies using other protocols and dose regime are necessary to better investigate the impact of ayahuasca on alcohol intake by rats to support the observations in humans. Additionally, the role of ayahuasca in mediating cFos expression in other selected brain regions and its relationship with the serotoninergic/dopaminergic systems and drug addiction need further investigation.

Research paper thumbnail of Dietary cumulative acute risk assessment of organophosphorus, carbamates and pyrethroids insecticides for the Brazilian population

Food and Chemical Toxicology, 2018

Cumulative acute dietary risk assessments of organophosphorus (OPs), carbamates (CBs) and pyrethr... more Cumulative acute dietary risk assessments of organophosphorus (OPs), carbamates (CBs) and pyrethroids (PYs) were conducted for the Brazilian population. Residue data for 30786 samples of 30 foods were obtained from two national monitoring programs and one University laboratory, and consumption data from a national survey conducted among persons 10 years or older. Acephate and methamidophos were used as index compounds (IC) for OPs, oxamyl for CBs and deltamethrin for PYs. Exposures were estimated using the Monte Carlo Risk Assessment (MCRA 8.2) software. Orange and orange juice (mainly containing methidathion), pasta and salted bread (mainly pirimiphos-methyl) contributed most to the OPs intake. Rice accounted for 80% of the CBs intake (teenagers), mainly due to aldicarb. Pasta, salted bread and beans contributed most to the PYs intake (9-14%), mainly due to bifenthrin. The intake did not exceed the ARfD at the 99.9th percentile for OPs, CBs and PYs, and the risks from the exposure were not considered of health concern. When food consumption data become available for children under age 10, studies in the cumulative exposure should be conducted, as this age group is the most critical among the population, mainly due to their higher food consumption per kg body weight.

Research paper thumbnail of Probabilistic dietary risk assessment of triazole and dithiocarbamate fungicides for the Brazilian population

Food and Chemical Toxicology, 2018

Residue data for triazoles (TR) and dithiocarbamates (DT) in 30,786 samples of 30 foods were obta... more Residue data for triazoles (TR) and dithiocarbamates (DT) in 30,786 samples of 30 foods were obtained from mainly two national monitoring programs, and consumption data from a national survey conducted among persons aged 10 years or older. About 16% of the samples contained TR, mainly grape (53.5%), and 16.2% contained DT, mainly apple (59.3%). Flusilazole was the index compound used for the acute effects of TR for women of child-bearing-age (cranium-facial malformation and skeletal variation), cyproconazole for the chronic effects of TR (hepatoxicity), and ethylene-bis-dithitiocarbamates (EBDC) for DT (thyroid toxicity). Exposures were estimated using the Monte Carlo Risk Assessment software. Different models were tested, and a Model-Then-Add approach was found to best estimate the chronic exposures to DT and TR. At the 99.9th percentile (P99.9), the cumulative acute TR intakes accounted for up to 0.5% of the flusilazole ARfD, mainly from beans and rice consumption. The chronic TR and DT intakes accounted for 1 and 6.7% of the respective index compound ADIs, with beans and rice accounting for most of the TR intake (∼70%), and apple for about 51-56% of the DT intake. The estimated risks from the exposure to TR and DT indicate no health concern for the Brazilian population.

Research paper thumbnail of Maternal and developmental toxicity of the hallucinogenic plant-based beverage ayahuasca in rats

Reproductive toxicology (Elmsford, N.Y.), Apr 6, 2018

Rats were treated orally with ayahuasca (AYA) on gestation days (GD) 6-20 at doses corresponding ... more Rats were treated orally with ayahuasca (AYA) on gestation days (GD) 6-20 at doses corresponding to one-(1X) to eight-fold (8X) the average dose taken by a human adult in a religious ritual, and the pregnancy outcome evaluated on GD21. Rats treated with 4X and 8X doses died during the treatment period (44 and 52%), and those that survived showed kidney injury. Rats surviving the 8X dose showed neuronal loss in hippocampal regions and in the raphe nuclei, and those from the 2X dose neuronal loss in CA1. Delayed intrauterine growth, induced embryo deaths and increased occurrence of foetal anomalies were observed at the 8X dose. At non-lethal doses, AYA enhanced embryolethality and the incidence of foetal soft-tissue and skeleton anomalies. This study suggested that AYA is developmentally toxic and that its daily use by pregnant women may pose risks for the conceptus.

Research paper thumbnail of Mercury in breast milk from women in the Federal District, Brazil and dietary risk assessment for breastfed infants

Journal of trace elements in medicine and biology : organ of the Society for Minerals and Trace Elements (GMS), 2017

Mercury is a toxic metal, ubiquitous in nature; it is excreted in breast milk from exposed mother... more Mercury is a toxic metal, ubiquitous in nature; it is excreted in breast milk from exposed mothers and may affect infant neuro-development. In this study, 224 breast milk samples provided by eight human milk banks in the Federal District of Brazil were analyzed for total mercury (THg), of which 183 were also analyzed for methyl mercury (MeHg), the most relevant form of this metal for the breastfed infants. Samples were acid digested in a microwave oven and THg determined by atomic fluorescence spectrometry (LOQ of 0.76μg/L). Samples were lyophilized, ethylated and MeHg determined in a MERX automated system (LOQ of 0.10μg/L). Inorganic mercury (IHg) levels were estimated from the THg and MeHg determined in the samples. Most of the samples were collected 1-2 months postpartum, with 38% during the first month. Over 80% of the samples had THg values above the LOQ, reaching a maximum of 8.40μg/L, with a mean of 2.56μg/L. On average, MeHg accounted for 11.8% of THg, with a maximum of 97.4...

Research paper thumbnail of Reproductive effects of the psychoactive beverage ayahuasca in male Wistar rats after chronic exposure

Revista Brasileira de Farmacognosia, 2017

Ayahuasca is a psychoactive beverage used ancestrally by indigenous Amazonian tribes and, more re... more Ayahuasca is a psychoactive beverage used ancestrally by indigenous Amazonian tribes and, more recently, by Christian religions in Brazil and other countries. This study aimed to investigate the reproductive effects of this beverage in male Wistar rats after chronic exposure. The rats were treated by gavage every other day for 70 days at 0 (control), 1×, 2×, 4× and 8× the dose used in a religious ritual (12 animals per group), and animals euthanized on the 71 st day. Compared to controls, there was a significant decrease in food consumption and body weight gain in rats from the 4× and 8× groups, and a significant increase in the brain and stomach relative weight at the 8× group. There was a significant increase in total serum testosterone, and a decrease in spermatic transit time and spermatic reserves in the epididymis caudae in the 4× group, but not in the highest dose group. No significant changes were found in the other reproductive endpoints (spermatozoid motility and morphology, total spermatozoid count and daily sperm production), and histology of testis and epididymis. This study identified a no-observed-adverse-effect-level for chronic and reproductive effects of ayahuasca in male Wistar rats at 2× the ritualistic dose, which corresponds in this study to 0.62 mg/kg bw N,N-dimethyltryptamine, 6.6 mg/kg bw harmine and 0.52 mg/kg bw harmaline. A potential toxic effect of ayahuasca in male rats was observed at the 4× dose, with a non-monotonic dose-response. Studies investigating the role of ayahuasca components in regulating testosterone levels are needed to better understand this action.

Research paper thumbnail of An ultrasensitive LC-MS/MS method for the determination of glyphosate, AMPA and glufosinate in water – analysis of surface and groundwater from a hydrographic basin in the Midwestern region of Brazil

Science of The Total Environment, Jun 1, 2023

Research paper thumbnail of Pesticides in surface freshwater: a critical review

Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, May 24, 2022

Research paper thumbnail of Correction: de Araújo et al. Relationship between Pesticide Standards for Classification of Water Bodies and Ecotoxicity: A Case Study of the Brazilian Directive. Toxics 2022, 10, 767

Toxics, Jul 11, 2023

This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative... more This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY

Research paper thumbnail of Relationship between Pesticide Standards for Classification of Water Bodies and Ecotoxicity: A Case Study of the Brazilian Directive

Toxics, Dec 8, 2022

This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative... more This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY

Research paper thumbnail of Street and drug use experiences among sheltered children and adolescents in the Federal District of Brazil

Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Nursing

Research paper thumbnail of Preliminary Quantitative Microbial Risk Assessment for Staphylococcus enterotoxins in fresh Minas cheese, a popular food in Brazil

Food Control, Mar 1, 2017

The main objective of this work was to assess the risk associated with staphylococcal enterotoxin... more The main objective of this work was to assess the risk associated with staphylococcal enterotoxins (SE) intoxication after the consumption of fresh Minas cheese by the Brazilian population. Coagulase-positive staphylococci data from 350 samples were obtained from monitoring programs, and were used as a proxy for S. aureus contamination, considering that 73% of the strains were toxigenic. The Combined Database for Predictive Microbiology (ComBase) and the Pathogen Modeling Program (PMP) models were used to predict S. aureus growth rate and lag-phase in fresh Minas cheese at different pH, salt concentration and storage temperature in a household refrigerator, up to 7 days before consumption. Change in storage temperature had the largest impact on the growth rate and lag-phase obtained from both models. Cumulative probability of SE intake events equal to or higher than the toxigenic dose of 100 ng were calculated using Monte Carlo simulations performed by the @Risk software. The toxic dose was exceeded at the 99.95th percentile of exposure in the ComBase model (upper bound) for the adult population, the lowest percentile identified in the study. The S. aureus initial concentration was the parameter that most impacted the output obtained by @risk, indicating the importance of good manufacturing practices for fresh Minas cheese production, and proper storage conditions at the point of sale. This preliminary assessment indicated that the risk of staphylococcal intoxications from the consumption of fresh Minas cheese by the Brazilian population is probably low. The study identified many data gaps that needs to be addressed to improve the risk assessment.

Research paper thumbnail of How do the interview environment, sociodemographic aspects and risk perception impact attitudes related to food? A survey in the Midwest of Brazil

Food Science and Technology

This study aimed to assess the food-related attitudes through the application of a structured que... more This study aimed to assess the food-related attitudes through the application of a structured questionnaire to 1,000 individuals applied in three environments (groups) in the Federal District of Brazil (supermarkets, universities and hospitals/clinics) using multivariate logistic regression, with special focus on pesticides and genetically modified (GM) food. Outpatients in hospital/ clinic, women and older individuals were significantly more likely to adopt diets or attitudes considered or perceived as healthy (including high consumption of fruits and vegetables, acquiring organic food, and adopting procedures to remove pesticide residues from food). When income and/or education impacted the results, the correlation was negative. Over 60% of the population believe it is possible to produce food without using pesticides, mainly the hospital/clinic group, younger individuals, and women, and 95.3% think that the presence of pesticides in food should be indicated on the labels, mainly the hospital/ clinic group and older individuals. High worry about pesticides and GM food was associated with most healthy food-related attitudes. The results of this study are important for food-related communication strategies conducted by health authorities, aiming at driving specific population segments to a healthier and more conscious diet.

Research paper thumbnail of Antimicrobial activity and partial chemical structure of acylpolyamines isolated from the venom of the spider Acanthoscurria natalensis

Journal of Venomous Animals and Toxins including Tropical Diseases

Background: Acylpolyamines are one of the main non-peptide compounds present in spider venom and ... more Background: Acylpolyamines are one of the main non-peptide compounds present in spider venom and represent a promising alternative in the search for new molecules with antimicrobial action. Methods: The venom of Acanthoscurria natalensis spider was fractionated by reversephase liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) and the antimicrobial activity of the fractions was tested using a liquid growth inhibition assay. The main antimicrobial fraction containing acylpolyamines (ApAn) was submitted to two additional chromatographic steps and analyzed by MALDI-TOF. Fractions of interest were accumulated for ultraviolet (UV) spectroscopy and ESI-MS/MS analysis and for minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and hemolytic activity determination. Results: Five acylpolyamines were isolated from the venom with molecular masses between 614 Da and 756 Da, being named ApAn728, ApAn614a, ApAn614b, ApAn742 and ApAn756. The analysis of UV absorption profile of each ApAn and the fragmentation pattern obtained by ESI-MS/MS suggested the presence of a tyrosyl unit as chromophore and a terminal polyamine chain consistent with structural units PA43 or PA53. ApAn presented MIC between 128 µM and 256 µM against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus, without causing hemolysis against mouse erythrocytes. Conclusion: The antimicrobial and non-hemolytic properties of the analyzed ApAn may be relevant for their application as possible therapeutic agents and the identification of an unconventional chromophore for spider acylpolyamines suggests an even greater chemical diversity.

Research paper thumbnail of Meeting nutritional adequacy in the Brazilian population increases pesticide intake without exceeding chronic safe levels

International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition, 2021

Research paper thumbnail of Are Brazilian adolescents eating enough fruits and vegetables? An assessment using data from the Study of Cardiovascular Risk in Adolescents

Revista de Nutrição, 2021

Objective To estimate the usual consumption of fruits and vegetables by Brazilian adolescents. Me... more Objective To estimate the usual consumption of fruits and vegetables by Brazilian adolescents. Methods We used 24-hour dietary recall data from the Study of Cardiovascular Risk in Adolescents conducted in 2013-2014 with 71,740 adolescents between 12 and 17 years old. The usual consumption of fruits and vegetables was estimated in the Statistical Analysis Software using the model of the United States National Cancer Institute, and evaluated according to sex, age, place of residence, economic class, and nutritional status of the participants. Results The mean of usual fruit and vegetable consumption was estimated at 171g/day, mostly fruits (128g/day), mainly in the form of fruit juice (64.8%). The minimum fruit and vegetable consumption of 400g/day recommended by the World Health Organization was reached only by 2% of the adolescents. The adolescents’ socioeconomic class or nutritional status had no impact on the usual fruit and vegetable consumption, but adolescents from northern Bra...

Research paper thumbnail of Nimesulide: Dissolution Profile, Validation of Analytical Methods for Capsules, and Assessment of Product Quality

International Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2015

Objective: The main objective of this paper was to evaluate the quality of similar (S, n=3) and g... more Objective: The main objective of this paper was to evaluate the quality of similar (S, n=3) and generic (G, n=3) tablets and compounding capsules (C, n=6) containing nimesulide (100 mg). Methods: The parameters investigated (weight, nimesulide content, uniformity of dosage units, disintegration, friability and hardness (tablets) and dissolution profile) were evaluated against the Brazilian Pharmacopeia and a reference compound (for tablets). Nimesulide content, determined by a UV/visible spectrophotometric method, and dissolution test were validated for compounding capsules. Results: All formulations had a mean weight coefficient of variation lower than 5%. Three compounding formulations contained less than 95 mg nimesulide, with C1 (88.5 mg) also showing a lack of dosage unit uniformity. Disintegration times were lower than 5 min for all samples and friability less than 0.5% for all tablet formulations. The hardness of the reference product (25.5N) was lower compared to the other t...

Research paper thumbnail of Genotoxic evaluations in Wistar rats of the hallucinogenic plant extract ayahuasca

International Journal of Phytomedicine, 2016

Ayahuasca, a psychoactive infusion, is a sacrament used by indigenous and non-indigenous communit... more Ayahuasca, a psychoactive infusion, is a sacrament used by indigenous and non-indigenous communities in Brazil and other countries. This beverage has vaunted healing properties; however, its use in a therapeutic context still lacks preclinical data to certify its safety and effectiveness. This study evaluated the genotoxic, mutagenic and cytotoxic potential of ayahuasca in Wistar rats after a single oral dose. Rats of both sexes were randomly distributed into five experimental groups (n=10): negative control that received filtered water, positive control that received doxorubicin and treated groups that received ayahuasca at 1, 5 and 15 times the usual dose taken in human religious rituals. The rats were euthanized 30 hours after dosage. Genotoxicity was evaluated by flow cytometry, comet assay and micronucleus test. Renal, hepatic and pancreatic functions were evaluated by serum analysis. Ayahuasca showed low genotoxicity, with an increased frequency of micronuclei only at the high...

Research paper thumbnail of Biodiversity of β-Carboline Profile of Banisteriopsis caapi and Ayahuasca, a Plant and a Brew with Neuropharmacological Potential

Plants, 2020

Ayahuasca is a psychoactive infusion with a large pharmacological application normally prepared w... more Ayahuasca is a psychoactive infusion with a large pharmacological application normally prepared with Banisteriopsis caapi, which contains the monoamine oxidase inhibitors β-carbolines, and Psichotria virids, which contains the serotonin receptor agonist N,N dimethyltryptamine (DMT). The objectives of this study were to investigate the chemical profile of B. caapi and of ayahuasca collected in various Brazilian regions. In total, 176 plant lianas, of which 159 B. caapi and 33 ayahuasca samples were analyzed. Dried liana samples were powdered, extracted with methanol, diluted, and analyzed by LC-MS/MS. Ayahuasca samples were diluted and analyzed. Mean concentrations in B. caapi were 4.79 mg/g harmine, 0.451 mg/g harmaline, and 2.18 mg/g tetrahydroharmine (THH), with a high variability among the samples (RSD from 78.9 to 170%). Native B. caapi samples showed significantly higher harmine concentrations than cultivated ones, and samples from the Federal District/Goiás had higher THH cont...

Research paper thumbnail of Toxicity of ayahuasca after 28 days daily exposure and effects on monoamines and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in brain of Wistar rats

Metabolic Brain Disease, 2020

Ayahuasca is a hallucinogenic beverage that affects the serotonergic system and have therapeutic ... more Ayahuasca is a hallucinogenic beverage that affects the serotonergic system and have therapeutic potential for many diseases and disorders, including depression and drug addiction. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the potential toxic effects of ayahuasca on rats after chronic exposure, and the levels of monoamines, their metabolites and the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in the brain. Female and male rats were treated orally for 28 days with H 2 O (control), fluoxetine (FLX), a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor antidepressant, or ayahuasca (Aya) at doses of 0.5X, 1X and 2X the ritualistic dose (7 to 10 animals/group). Clinical, hematological and macroscopic results showed that ayahuasca was safe to the rats. Behavior tests conducted one hour after the last treatment showed that male rats from the Aya1 group explored the open field central area less than the control group, and the number of entries in the central area compared to total locomotion was also significantly lower in this group and in the FLX group. The hippocampus was removed for BDNF analysis and the remaining brain was used for monoamine analysis by HPLC-FL. Serotonin levels were significantly higher than control only in the Aya2 female group, while a significant reduction of its metabolite 5-HIAA was observed in the FLX group. Dopamine levels were similar among the experimental groups, but the levels of its metabolite DOPAC increased significantly in the Aya1 and Aya2 groups compared to controls, especially in females, and the DOPAC/dopamine turnover was significantly higher in Aya2 group. The levels of HVA, another dopamine metabolite, did not change with the treatments compared to controls, but HVA/DOPAC ratio was significantly lower in all ayahuasca male groups. Norepinephrine was not detected in any brain sample, and the levels of its metabolite MHPG did not change significantly among the groups. BDNF levels in the hippocampus were significantly higher in the FLX and Aya2 female groups compared to controls when expressed in relation to the total brain weight. The mechanisms involved in the increase in serotonin, dopamine turnover and BDNF levels observed in ayahuasca treated animals should be further investigated in specific brain areas.

Research paper thumbnail of Effects of the hallucinogenic beverage ayahuasca on voluntary ethanol intake by rats and on cFos expression in brain areas relevant to drug addiction

Alcohol, 2019

Ayahuasca is a hallucinogenic infusion used in religious rituals that has serotoninergic properti... more Ayahuasca is a hallucinogenic infusion used in religious rituals that has serotoninergic properties and may be a potential therapeutic option for drug addiction. In this study, Wistar rats had intermittent access to ethanol for 8 weeks, receiving water (control), naltrexone (NTX, 2 mg/kg body weight [bw] intraperitoneally [i.p.]) or ayahuasca (Aya) at 0.5x, 1x, or 2x the ritual dose in the final 5 days. A naïve group had access only to water. Ethanol intake was estimated throughout the experiment, and cFos expression was evaluated in medial orbital cortex (MO), ventral orbital cortex (VO), lateral orbital cortex (LO), nucleus accumbens (NAc), and striatum. Treatment with either NTX or Aya (oral) did not decrease ethanol intake compared to the baseline level (5th to 7th week), but the NTX group intake was significantly lower than controls (p < 0.05). Ethanol significantly increased cFos expression in the MO region for control (p < 0.0001), NTX (p < 0.05), Aya1 (p < 0.001), and Aya2 (p < 0.0001) groups. This increase was also observed in the VO for the Aya1 group (p ¼ 0.035), in the LO for the Aya2 group (p < 0.01), and in NAc for NTX and ayahuasca groups (p < 0.005). Furthermore, NTX and Aya0.5 treatment decreased cFos expression compared to controls in the MO region (p < 0.05 and p < 0.01, respectively), but only the ayahuasca group reached levels not significantly different from the naïve group. Studies using other protocols and dose regime are necessary to better investigate the impact of ayahuasca on alcohol intake by rats to support the observations in humans. Additionally, the role of ayahuasca in mediating cFos expression in other selected brain regions and its relationship with the serotoninergic/dopaminergic systems and drug addiction need further investigation.

Research paper thumbnail of Dietary cumulative acute risk assessment of organophosphorus, carbamates and pyrethroids insecticides for the Brazilian population

Food and Chemical Toxicology, 2018

Cumulative acute dietary risk assessments of organophosphorus (OPs), carbamates (CBs) and pyrethr... more Cumulative acute dietary risk assessments of organophosphorus (OPs), carbamates (CBs) and pyrethroids (PYs) were conducted for the Brazilian population. Residue data for 30786 samples of 30 foods were obtained from two national monitoring programs and one University laboratory, and consumption data from a national survey conducted among persons 10 years or older. Acephate and methamidophos were used as index compounds (IC) for OPs, oxamyl for CBs and deltamethrin for PYs. Exposures were estimated using the Monte Carlo Risk Assessment (MCRA 8.2) software. Orange and orange juice (mainly containing methidathion), pasta and salted bread (mainly pirimiphos-methyl) contributed most to the OPs intake. Rice accounted for 80% of the CBs intake (teenagers), mainly due to aldicarb. Pasta, salted bread and beans contributed most to the PYs intake (9-14%), mainly due to bifenthrin. The intake did not exceed the ARfD at the 99.9th percentile for OPs, CBs and PYs, and the risks from the exposure were not considered of health concern. When food consumption data become available for children under age 10, studies in the cumulative exposure should be conducted, as this age group is the most critical among the population, mainly due to their higher food consumption per kg body weight.

Research paper thumbnail of Probabilistic dietary risk assessment of triazole and dithiocarbamate fungicides for the Brazilian population

Food and Chemical Toxicology, 2018

Residue data for triazoles (TR) and dithiocarbamates (DT) in 30,786 samples of 30 foods were obta... more Residue data for triazoles (TR) and dithiocarbamates (DT) in 30,786 samples of 30 foods were obtained from mainly two national monitoring programs, and consumption data from a national survey conducted among persons aged 10 years or older. About 16% of the samples contained TR, mainly grape (53.5%), and 16.2% contained DT, mainly apple (59.3%). Flusilazole was the index compound used for the acute effects of TR for women of child-bearing-age (cranium-facial malformation and skeletal variation), cyproconazole for the chronic effects of TR (hepatoxicity), and ethylene-bis-dithitiocarbamates (EBDC) for DT (thyroid toxicity). Exposures were estimated using the Monte Carlo Risk Assessment software. Different models were tested, and a Model-Then-Add approach was found to best estimate the chronic exposures to DT and TR. At the 99.9th percentile (P99.9), the cumulative acute TR intakes accounted for up to 0.5% of the flusilazole ARfD, mainly from beans and rice consumption. The chronic TR and DT intakes accounted for 1 and 6.7% of the respective index compound ADIs, with beans and rice accounting for most of the TR intake (∼70%), and apple for about 51-56% of the DT intake. The estimated risks from the exposure to TR and DT indicate no health concern for the Brazilian population.

Research paper thumbnail of Maternal and developmental toxicity of the hallucinogenic plant-based beverage ayahuasca in rats

Reproductive toxicology (Elmsford, N.Y.), Apr 6, 2018

Rats were treated orally with ayahuasca (AYA) on gestation days (GD) 6-20 at doses corresponding ... more Rats were treated orally with ayahuasca (AYA) on gestation days (GD) 6-20 at doses corresponding to one-(1X) to eight-fold (8X) the average dose taken by a human adult in a religious ritual, and the pregnancy outcome evaluated on GD21. Rats treated with 4X and 8X doses died during the treatment period (44 and 52%), and those that survived showed kidney injury. Rats surviving the 8X dose showed neuronal loss in hippocampal regions and in the raphe nuclei, and those from the 2X dose neuronal loss in CA1. Delayed intrauterine growth, induced embryo deaths and increased occurrence of foetal anomalies were observed at the 8X dose. At non-lethal doses, AYA enhanced embryolethality and the incidence of foetal soft-tissue and skeleton anomalies. This study suggested that AYA is developmentally toxic and that its daily use by pregnant women may pose risks for the conceptus.

Research paper thumbnail of Mercury in breast milk from women in the Federal District, Brazil and dietary risk assessment for breastfed infants

Journal of trace elements in medicine and biology : organ of the Society for Minerals and Trace Elements (GMS), 2017

Mercury is a toxic metal, ubiquitous in nature; it is excreted in breast milk from exposed mother... more Mercury is a toxic metal, ubiquitous in nature; it is excreted in breast milk from exposed mothers and may affect infant neuro-development. In this study, 224 breast milk samples provided by eight human milk banks in the Federal District of Brazil were analyzed for total mercury (THg), of which 183 were also analyzed for methyl mercury (MeHg), the most relevant form of this metal for the breastfed infants. Samples were acid digested in a microwave oven and THg determined by atomic fluorescence spectrometry (LOQ of 0.76μg/L). Samples were lyophilized, ethylated and MeHg determined in a MERX automated system (LOQ of 0.10μg/L). Inorganic mercury (IHg) levels were estimated from the THg and MeHg determined in the samples. Most of the samples were collected 1-2 months postpartum, with 38% during the first month. Over 80% of the samples had THg values above the LOQ, reaching a maximum of 8.40μg/L, with a mean of 2.56μg/L. On average, MeHg accounted for 11.8% of THg, with a maximum of 97.4...

Research paper thumbnail of Reproductive effects of the psychoactive beverage ayahuasca in male Wistar rats after chronic exposure

Revista Brasileira de Farmacognosia, 2017

Ayahuasca is a psychoactive beverage used ancestrally by indigenous Amazonian tribes and, more re... more Ayahuasca is a psychoactive beverage used ancestrally by indigenous Amazonian tribes and, more recently, by Christian religions in Brazil and other countries. This study aimed to investigate the reproductive effects of this beverage in male Wistar rats after chronic exposure. The rats were treated by gavage every other day for 70 days at 0 (control), 1×, 2×, 4× and 8× the dose used in a religious ritual (12 animals per group), and animals euthanized on the 71 st day. Compared to controls, there was a significant decrease in food consumption and body weight gain in rats from the 4× and 8× groups, and a significant increase in the brain and stomach relative weight at the 8× group. There was a significant increase in total serum testosterone, and a decrease in spermatic transit time and spermatic reserves in the epididymis caudae in the 4× group, but not in the highest dose group. No significant changes were found in the other reproductive endpoints (spermatozoid motility and morphology, total spermatozoid count and daily sperm production), and histology of testis and epididymis. This study identified a no-observed-adverse-effect-level for chronic and reproductive effects of ayahuasca in male Wistar rats at 2× the ritualistic dose, which corresponds in this study to 0.62 mg/kg bw N,N-dimethyltryptamine, 6.6 mg/kg bw harmine and 0.52 mg/kg bw harmaline. A potential toxic effect of ayahuasca in male rats was observed at the 4× dose, with a non-monotonic dose-response. Studies investigating the role of ayahuasca components in regulating testosterone levels are needed to better understand this action.