In folk medicine, Vismia guianensis is used to treat skin diseases and mycoses in the Amazon region. We evaluated the anti-Candida activity of the hydroalcoholic extract from the leaves of Vismia guianensis (EHVG). HPLC-PDA and FIA-ESI-IT-MSⁿ were used to chemically characterize EHVG. The anti-Candida activity was determined in vitro by the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) against Candida glabrata (ATCC-2001); Candida albicans (ATCC-90028, ATCC-14053, and ATCC-SC5314), and C. albicans clinical isolates. EHVG effects on adhesion, growth, and biofilm formation were also determined. Molecular docking was used to predict targets for EHVG compounds. The main compounds identified included anthraquinone, vismione D, kaempferol, quercetin, and vitexin. EHVG was fungicidal against all tested strains. C. albicans ATCC 14053 and C. glabrata ATCC 2001 were the most sensitive strains, as the extract inhibited their virulence factors. In silico analysis indicated that vismione D presented the best antifungal activity, since it was the most effective in inhibiting CaCYP51, and may act as anti-inflammatory and antioxidant agent, according to the online PASS prediction. Overall, the data demonstrate that EHVG has an anti-Candida effect by inhibiting virulence factors of the fungi. This activity may be related to its vismione D content, indicating this compound may represent a new perspective for treating diseases caused by Candida sp.

Fungal infections caused by Candida spp. are responsible for high hospital morbidity and mortality rates. Therefore, there is a continuous search for new antifungal medicines, particularly ones with anti-Candida activity. This review analyzed articles published between 2002 and 2023 considering the anti-Candida activity of chemical compounds identified or isolated in plants of the Anacardiaceae family. In addition, the in-silico prediction of the isolated compounds described was performed. The analysis of 35 studies showed that extracts, essential oils, and compounds from the anti-Candida activity were frequently determined in vitro using the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC). The most commonly tested species were Candida albicans, C. tropicalis, C. parapsilosis, C. glabrata, C. krusei, and C. guilliermondii, respectively. Essential oils were the most used form (37% of the studies). The isolated compounds with antifungal effects include cardanol, estragole, trans-anethole, β-caryophyllene, myrcene, catechin-3-o-rhamnoside, β-sitosterol-3-O-glucoside, 24Z-isomasticadienolic acid, oleanolic acid, and oleanolic aldehyde. The in-silico evaluation of those isolated compounds revealed the compounds' drug-likeness and possible antifungal activity. However, some of them showed high toxicity. In conclusion, compounds from the Anacardiaceae family show promise for developing new therapeutic antifungal drugs, especially in combination with conventional antifungals.

Background/Objectives: Vismia guianensis is a vegetal species popularly used to treat fungal infections. This study evaluated the anti-Candida effect of V. guianensis extract after C. albicans lethal infection in Tenebrio molitor larvae and mice. Methods and Results: The chemical profile analysis of a hydroethanolic extract of the leaves of V. guianensis (EHVG) identified 14 compounds. Two sets of experiments used T. molitor larvae. To evaluate toxicity, the uninfected larvae were treated with EHVG or anthraquinone. We considered the following groups: the controls received PBS; ANFO B received amphotericin B (600 mg/mL); EHVG received the extract; and ANTQ received anthraquinone. The extract and anthraquinone resulted in low-level toxicity in the T. molitor larvae. Another set of experiments evaluated the EHVG effect during lethal infection with Candida albicans. The T. molitor larvae were treated intracelomically (ic/10 μL). Treatment with EHVG efficiently improved the survival of the larvae after lethal infection (60%), probably due to the reduction in CFUs. In the mice, the antifungal effect of EHVG was determined in three groups of immunosuppressed Swiss mice (cyclophosphamide, 50 mg/kg/ip) infected with C. albicans (1 × 10⁷ CFU/ip). The control animals were infected and untreated; the ANFO B animals were infected and treated with amphotericin B (600 µg/kg/ip); and the EHVG animals were infected and treated with the extract (5 mg/kg/orally). A SHAM group (uninfected and untreated) was also included. Survival was assessed for 5 days. The extract increased the mice’s survival (60%) and life expectancy, reducing the CFU counts in the peritoneum and blood. EHVG also increased the number of blood neutrophils and peritoneal macrophages. These systemic activities are likely associated with the presence of flavonoids in the extract. Conclusions: The beneficial effects of EHVG in lethal sepsis are related to an antifungal effect, with the number of CFUs decreasing in the larvae and the mice. In addition, EHVG showed immunological activity in the mice, considering immune cell distribution and cytokine production.

A leishmaniose visceral (LV) é zoonose parasitária de elevada relevância sanitária, endêmica em diversas regiões e fortemente influenciada por determinantes socioeconômicos, com potencial impacto na morbimortalidade e na organização dos serviços de atenção especializada e vigilância. No Maranhão, observa-se sobreposição espacial entre áreas de transmissão de LV e de alta prevalência de HIV, configurando cenário de interesse para a vigilância em saúde. Objetivo: Caracterizar o perfil epidemiológico dos casos de LV com coinfecção por HIV no Maranhão, entre 2021 e 2025. Métodos: Estudo transversal descritivo, com base em dados secundários do SINAN. Incluíram-se casos confirmados de LV associados ao HIV no período. Realizou-se análise descritiva das variáveis sociodemográficas, clínicas e de evolução, além de avaliação da tendência temporal das notificações. Resultados: Predominaram casos em homens, autodeclarados pardos e em idade adulta. A maioria das notificações correspondeu a casos novos, embora se tenha observado expressiva proporção de recaídas, sugerindo recorrência em indivíduos imunossuprimidos. A confirmação laboratorial foi predominante e a maior parte dos casos evoluiu para cura; contudo, registraram-se óbitos relacionados à LV. As notificações oscilaram ao longo dos anos, com pico no período intermediário e posterior redução, sem tendência linear definida. Conclusão: A coinfecção LV-HIV permanece como importante problema de saúde pública no Maranhão, exigindo estratégias integradas de vigilância, diagnóstico e cuidado clínico. O perfil sociodemográfico observado e a ocorrência de recidivas reforçam a necessidade de priorização de populações vulnerabilizadas, fortalecimento da notificação compulsória e qualificação da informação em saúde, a fim de subsidiar políticas públicas e estudos futuros.

A esquistossomose permanece como um relevante desafio de saúde pública no Maranhão, cenário que pode ter sido afetado pela pandemia da COVID-19. O objetivo foi descrever o perfil epidemiológico da doença no estado e avaliar positividade e tratamento entre 2019 e 2023. Estudo epidemiológico descritivo, com dados secundários do Programa de Controle da Esquistossomose (PCE) extraídos do DATASUS. Foram analisadas as variáveis de casos positivos, população examinada, taxa de positividade e indivíduos tratados, utilizando estatística descritiva. Os resultados apontaram 6.535 casos positivos no período, com maior concentração em 2019 (43,1%) e 2021 (26,5%). Constatou-se redução expressiva do número de indivíduos examinados entre 2019 e 2023, com oscilação em 2021. A taxa de positividade manteve-se entre 5,1% e 6,8% de 2019 a 2022, apresentando um pico atípico em 2023 (100%), decorrente do baixíssimo número de indivíduos examinados (n = 14). Geograficamente, os municípios de Bacuri, Apicum-Açu e Serrano do Maranhão registraram as maiores ocorrências. A proporção de tratados entre os casos positivos variou de 57,9% a 95,1% entre 2019 e 2022, sem registro de tratamentos em 2023. Conclui-se que a redução do número de indivíduos examinados, concomitante à manutenção da positividade até 2022, é compatível com fragilidades na cobertura diagnóstica e impede interpretar a queda dos registros como redução real da transmissão. Esse quadro é compatível com possíveis repercussões da pandemia de COVID-19 sobre as ações operacionais do PCE, devendo-se considerar também limitações de registro e outras alterações programáticas.