Objective: to evaluate the empirical use of medicinal plants for the treatment of bacterial infections, compared to the theoretical-scientific foundations, according to the literature. Theoretical framework: medicinal plants play a very important role in human history. Through empiricism, many lives were saved and in this process Science evolved, transforming popular knowledge into scientific fact. Resistance of microorganisms, especially bacteria, to conventional drugs is a recurring problem that can be solved with the use of active principles present in vegetables that provide the same environmental pressure as microorganisms and, therefore, may be a viable option. Method: from a qualitative and quantitative approach, using the interview as a data collection method, the research approached respondents in three municipalities, present in three states (RS, SC and PR) that represent the southern region of the country. The method used is known as snowball sampling, or "snowball". The data obtained were compared with the scientific literature, in order to justify or rectify the information provided by the interviewees. Results and conclusion: the research on the use of medicinal plants for the treatment of bacterial infections resulted in a large number of species mentioned by the interviewees. These were grouped and statistically analyzed in order to understand the importance they represent for the population of the studied states. In addition, comparing the data from the interviews with the knowledge already discovered by science, it was found that popular and cultural knowledge has a scientific basis and that technology can be used in this area so that alternative treatments can be obtained in the future for the most diverse symptoms and symptoms. human health problems. The analyzes showed that the most mentioned plants throughout the study were: Boldo (Plectranthus ornatos), Plantain (Plantago major), Malva (Malva sylvestris L.) and Macela (Achyrocline satureoides). Research implications: the structure and composition of the work involve a series of issues related to the population, its values, customs and refer directly to the environmental factors that shape and support human life. The social space, in addition to being respected, must constantly evolve and add technology as a facilitator to the essence of knowledge. The expansion of the open science model is essential for these discussions to be expanded and open space for evolution. Brazil is a large country and this makes the logistics of research that cover the entire territory difficult. Thus, partnerships are needed that involve institutions from different states that can support data collection. Originality/value: this scientific production approached, in an innovative way, relevant facts that can provide a healthy discussion between scientists and the population. The article brings original data, which brings together practical and theoretical research, the universe of popular and scientific knowledge to give evidence to knowledge that is forgotten and goes unnoticed by the academic community. From this debate, there is an attempt to promote more research that adds to this publication and increasingly deepens the scientific facts about the therapeutic potential of bioactives. In addition, ancient knowledge, which has transcended generations and still saves lives, needs to be respected and improved so that scientific institutions return values to citizens, in the form of knowledge, as a way to gratify the role that each person has in managing the environment. Social. Las plantas medicinales juegan un papel muy importante en la historia humana. A través del empirismo se salvaron muchas vidas y de este proceso evolucionó la Ciencia, transformando el conocimiento popular en un hecho científico. La resistencia de los microorganismos, especialmente de las bacterias, a los fármacos convencionales es un problema recurrente que puede solucionarse mediante el uso de principios activos presentes en los vegetales que aporten la misma presión ambiental que los microorganismos y, por tanto, puede ser una opción viable. En el presente trabajo se consideran las principales concepciones del conocimiento empírico del uso de las plantas medicinales en sus formas de uso, para recuperar el sable popular y promover el conocimiento científico a través de la comparación de resultados con la literatura de apoyo. A partir de un enfoque cualitativo y cuantitativo, utilizando la entrevista como método de recolección de datos, la encuesta abordó encuestados en tres municipios, presentes en tres estados (RS, SC y PR) que representan la región sur del país. El método utilizado se conoce como muestreo de bola de nieve, o "Snowball". Los resultados muestran un total de 70 plantas mencionadas. Además, los análisis mostraron que las plantas más adecuadas en todo el estudio fueron: Boldo (Plectranthus ornatos, Tanchagem (Plantago major), Malva (Malva sylvestris L.) y Macela (Achyrocline satureoides), Asteraceae, con once plantas. As plantas medicinais têm um papel muito importante na história humana. Por meio do empirismo, muitas vidas foram salvas e a partir desse processo a Ciência evoluiu, transformando o conhecimento popular em fato científico. A resistência de microrganismos, principalmente bactérias, aos fármacos convencionais é um problema recorrente que pode ter como solução o uso de princípios ativos presentes em vegetais que sofrem a mesma pressão ambiental que os microrganismos e, portanto, podem ser uma opção viável. No presente trabalho, são apresentadas as principais concepções sobre o conhecimento empírico da utilização das plantas medicinais em suas formas de uso, com intuito de resgatar o saber popular e promover o conhecimento científico...

Esta pesquisa teve como objetivo avaliar o uso e ocupação da terra e a qualidade da água de cinco microbacias do Lajeado Pardo, no noroeste do Rio Grande do Sul, nos municípios de Frederico Westphalen e Taquaruçu do Sul. Para tanto, as diferentes condições de uso e ocupação da terra foram classificadas como: formação florestal; agricultura ou pastagem; infraestrutura urbana; rios, lagos e açudes e lavoura temporária. Os parâmetros de qualidade da água analisados foram: nitrato, nitrito, amônia, fósforo, pH, condutividade elétrica, coliformes totais, Escherichia coli (E. coli), turbidez, sólidos dissolvidos totais e temperatura. Além disso, foi calculado o índice de estado trófico (IET) que está relacionado ao grau de qualidade por enriquecimento de fósforo total, principal elemento causador da eutrofização. Pela análise de uso e ocupação da terra, constatou-se que as cinco microbacias são ocupadas majoritariamente por atividades agrícolas, como lavoura temporária (58,84%) e agricultura ou pastagem (15,57%). Os parâmetros fósforo e E. coli apresentaram, em média, valores elevados, enquadrando as águas dos cinco pontos amostrados como Classe 4 pela Resolução CONAMA nº 357/05. Ainda, as águas em todos os pontos apresentaram IET hipereutrófico. Esses resultados podem ser decorrentes das atividades de uso e ocupação da terra, possivelmente pela lixiviação de fósforo utilizada na fertilização fosfatada nas áreas agricultáveis, aplicação de dejetos suínos no solo em virtude da expressiva criação de suínos na região e esgotamento sanitário deficitário.

This study analyzed a 22-year historical series of outbreaks of waterborne and foodborne diseases, aiming to provide a mapping of the main associated pathogens, regions with the highest incidence, foods involved, and places of infection. The results, in the scenario of Brazilian macro-regions, showed heterogeneity in the macro-regional microbiological profile, with the Southeast region being the one with the highest number of diseases caused by viruses, while in the others there was bacterial predominance. Of the 78 organisms reported, 10 caused more than 95% of illnesses. Among them, Escherichia coli was the bacteria that grew the most in the number of notifications from 2011 to 2021. Water was one of the main vehicles of transmission, in addition to foods that showed classic behavior in terms of microbiological transmission. Weaknesses were observed in the records that limit the carrying out of more specific analyses due to the large number of inconsistent, ignored, or inconclusive cases, which, in some parameters, exceeded 50% of notifications. This research highlights the need to strengthen the health system, so that there is a more specific and effective diagnosis of factors related to the spread of infectious diseases.

Introduction: Alternanthera brasiliana, commonly known as Penicillin, belongs to the Amaranthaceae family and is popularly used in the treatment of various pathologies due to its anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and analgesic properties and its inhibitory activity against the herpes simplex virus. Despite its empirical use, pharmaceutical industry investigations into the biological characteristics of this species have been limited. Objective: Carry out a systematic literature review on the biological activities, types of extraction and chemical composition of Alternanthera brasiliana, aiming to provide an update on the state of the art of knowledge regarding the species, contributing to the scientific prospection of new drugs. Contribute to the development of drugs and expand understanding of the pharmacological properties of Alternanthera brasiliana. Materials and methods: Therefore, the guiding question of this research was the following: Do the chemical components and biological properties identified in Alternanthera brasiliana have pharmacological actions? The adopted methodology comprises a systematic literature review, searching for articles in the PubMed, SciELO, Web of Science, EBSCO, SCOPUS and Science Direct databases, covering the period from 2003 to 2023. Studies that address the chemical composition and the biological properties of Alternanthera brasiliana, using analytical methods such as LC-MS and GC-MS. Results: The main constituents identified were phenolic compounds, flavonoids, tannins, glycosides, saponins, alkaloids and terpenes. These compounds were mainly extracted from leaves using hydroalcoholic, aqueous, ethanolic and methanolic extracts. Its highlighted biological activities include anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antioxidant, wound healing and antimicrobial effects. Conclusion: Alternanthera brasiliana shows promise as a source for the development of new medicines due to its chemical composition and biological properties. Originality: This study offers perspectives for application in the development of pharmaceuticals and nutraceutical products.

Biotechnology is the branch of science that uses molecules, viruses, microorganisms, cells, animals, plants or part of them in technological processes to generate benefits for humans, to flora, fauna and the environment. In this context, enzymes are natural biocatalysts that present substrate specificity and extreme importance to vital processes, as they develop indispensable functions in biochemical reactions of cell metabolism, and can be used in biotechnological processes. Knowing the human needs, for a world population of about 7.7 billion people and the functional usefulness of enzymes, there is, on the one hand, a gigantic demand for the consumption of various products in the agricultural sector, processed and industrialized, such as: food, beverages, clothing in the textile sector, medicines, vaccines, cosmetics in the chemical-pharmaceutical sector, as well as in the production of paper and fuels, in which enzymes, mainly amylases, have been widely used in production processes. In this work, experiments were carried out with the wild Bacillus cereus bacterium to verify the production of amylases, the results obtained could demonstrate the formation of amylolysis halos around the colonies in Petri dishes containing Tryptic Soy Agar + starch (1%) medium, pH 7.3 and grown in a biological oven at 37oC for 24 hours, when revealed in iodine vapor; the Amylolysis Index (AI) was 3.3 and the efficiency of starch substrate degradation by amylases was greater than 90% in the evaluated treatments.

Background and Aims: The COVID‐19 pandemic has significantly impacted global mortality, with marked variations according to demographic and temporal factors. This study aimed to analyze COVID‐19 mortality trends and associated demographic factors in Chapecó, Southern Brazil, between 2020 and 2023. Methods: This population‐based retrospective observational study included all confirmed COVID‐19 cases and related deaths recorded from March 2020 to March 2023. Data were obtained from the Municipal Epidemiological Surveillance Service. Demographic variables (age, sex, and year of occurrence) were analyzed. Mortality was evaluated using multivariable logistic regression models, incorporating variables selected based on epidemiological relevance. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated. Statistical significance was set at α = 0.05. Results: A total of 84,814 COVID‐19 cases and 861 deaths were recorded (case fatality rate: 1.02%). Mortality was higher among males (61.1%) and increased significantly with age, with a 10.2% higher odds of death per additional year of age. Compared with 2020, mortality risk was higher in 2021 (OR = 2.07; 95% CI: 1.72–2.50) and significantly lower in 2022 (OR = 0.15; 95% CI: 0.11–0.21). Peaks in case incidence during 2022 were not accompanied by proportional increases in mortality. Conclusion: COVID‐19 mortality in Chapecó was strongly associated with age and male sex. The substantial reduction in mortality after 2021 highlights the impact of vaccination and improved public health measures in mitigating pandemic outcomes.