RESUMO O uso de espécies vegetais para curar doenças e sintomas remonta ao início da civilização. Em várias culturas produtos botânicos eram empregados para essa finalidade. No Brasil, sob influência das interações culturais entre índios, negros e portugueses, essa relação homem-natureza permitiu a disseminação da sabedoria herdada em relação ao uso e cultivo de diversas espécies vegetais. O presente trabalho objetivou realizar um levantamento das plantas medicinais indicadas pelos índios da etnia Kantaruré, aldeia Baixa das Pedras com ação antiparasitária. Para a coleta de dados foram realizadas entrevistas semiestruturadas com quatorze pessoas, pertencentes a uma população de 150 indígenas, selecionadas pela técnica da bola de neve, reconhecidas pela comunidade como maiores detentores do conhecimento sobre a realidade local e sobre plantas. Os resultados indicam que doze espécies são utilizadas na medicina tradicional local com ação antiparasitária, podendo destacar a caçatinga (Croton argyrophylloides Muell. Arg.), mastruz (Chenopodium ambrosioides L.), hortelã miúdo (Mentha piperita L.) e babosa (Aloe vera (L.) Burm f.) como as mais indicadas. As plantas citadas pertencem à vegetação nativa, sendo que as espécies cultivadas são encontradas principalmente nos quintais, nas proximidades das residências e em locais de cultivo próprio. Os dados levantados nesta pesquisa evidenciam a importância terapêutica, cultural e histórica do uso de espécies botânicas na prevenção e cura de enfermidades. A aldeia estudada depende diretamente dos recursos vegetais para as suas práticas de cura. Os resultados dessa pesquisa podem servir como base para bioprospecção bem como para seleção de espécies da caatinga para estudos futuros visando o seu uso e manejo sustentável.

Indigenous people have an intrinsic relationship with the flora used in healing systems. However, data about plants used to treat intestinal parasitosis, which are one of the main morbidity and mortality causes among indigenous peoples, remain scarce. Thus, the aim of the current study is to survey antiparasitic plants used by the Kantaruré-Batida community and to investigate whether their ethno-medico-botanical knowledge is spread. Therefore, it adopted interviews and free lists. Thirty-one (31) indigenous individuals were interviewed and they mentioned 21 plant species. Most respondents (91%) acquired the traditional knowledge through hereditary transmission and spread it (77%) in the same way. Only 35% of the respondents adopt medicinal plants as the first cure resource, besides associating the decrease of such use to their proximity to health care services. Thus, it is worth taking actions to help preserving the local knowledge and biodiversity in order to avoid the loss of indigenous therapeutic treatments.

Chemotherapy for cutaneous leishmaniasis is hindered by high toxicity, adverse effects, and increasing drug resistance. Thus, safer and more selective therapies are urgently required. Here, we evaluated the antiparasitic efficacy of methylene blue (MB) and new MB, as well as novel ruthenium complex derivatives (NMB-B and NMB-P) against promastigote and amastigote forms of Leishmania amazonensis. Their cytotoxicity and selectivity on L929, HepG2, VERO, J774.G8 cells, and murine peritoneal macrophages were measured. Mechanisms of action were explored via flow cytometry, assessing morphological changes, mitochondrial depolarization, ROS production, and cell death. The compounds inhibited parasite proliferation in a dose and time-dependent manner, achieving submicromolar efficacy against amastigotes (NMB-P = 0.46 μM). No cytotoxicity was observed on L929, J774.G8, and VERO cells (except NMB), while HepG2 and murine peritoneal macrophages showed low to moderate toxicity. Selective indexes reached 84 for promastigotes and over 500 for amastigotes. The compounds induced mitochondrial depolarization by up to 61% and a five-fold increase in ROS levels, leading to structural damage and parasite death via late apoptosis/necrosis-like mechanisms. These findings indicate that the compounds act selectively and trigger the release of oxidative species, exerting leishmanicidal activity and warranting further investigation.

Indigenous knowledge is one of the most notable traditional sources about plants used to treat diseases. Thus, the aim of this study was to describe the botanical features and to investigate the pharmacological properties of plants used by the Kantaruré-Batida community to treat intestinal parasitosis. Botanical characterization was performed based on integrative review and on access to ‘Flora do Brasil’ platform, whereas plants’ pharmacological properties were investigated through systematic review. Among the 21 ethnospecies used, 48% were described as having activity against intestinal parasites. Although 52% had no such activity described, other properties can account for their use, that indicates that further studies are required. Therefore, this review reinforces the importance of valuing indigenous knowledge as tool to guide antiparasitic agent trials.

Photodynamic therapy (PDT), which combines light and dyes, has emerged as a cost-effective, selective, and less toxic alternative to conventional chemotherapy for cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL), offering potential benefits for millions, especially those who are socioeconomically vulnerable. Therefore, this study investigated the in vitro effects of methylene blue (MB), a widely used photosensitizer with proven clinical efficacy, along with its derivatives—new methylene blue—NMB, NMB-B, and NMB-P—in PDT against L. amazonensis promastigotes, using a red LED device. Inhibitory concentrations (ICs) and 168 h proliferation curves were obtained. The production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and the mechanism of cell death induction were analyzed by flow cytometry. PDT enhanced leishmanicidal effects compared to non-PDT conditions, reducing ICs by up to 85% and outperforming miltefosine, reaching the submicromolar range (IC_25NMB-P = 0.73 ± 0.16 µM, p < 0.05). The proliferation curve showed a consistent inhibitory effect, with MB exhibiting a greater decline than miltefosine, a pattern also observed with MB derivatives. PDT also increased ROS production by up to 5-fold and induced apoptosis-like cell death, characterized by AV⁺ parasites (up to 51.49 ± 2.90%, p < 0.0001). The results demonstrated that the tested dyes effectively eliminated L. amazonensis promastigotes, highlighting the potential of the NMB derivatives as photosensitizers and supporting further investigations.

Atividades recreativas em áreas de banho, contaminadas por enteroparasitos, expõem os frequentadores ao risco de infecções. Nesse estudo, avaliamos a presença de parasitos intestinais no solo do Balneário Canto das Águas (Glória – BA) e os fatores socioambientais-sanitários conexos ao risco de infecções, além de uma revisão integrativa sobre esses aspectos em áreas de recreação no Brasil. Amostras de solo foram coletadas da superfície e a 10 cm de profundidade, em áreas secas e úmidas. Os fatores de risco foram registrados por diário de campo. A análise parasitológica foi feita pelas técnicas de sedimentação espontânea e Rugai adaptadas para solos. Das 80 amostras analisadas, 13% foram positivas, predominando larvas de Strongyloides stercoralis Bavay, 1876 (60%). Foram registrados fatores de risco como circulação de animais, fezes e resíduos sólidos, que tiveram correlação significativa (p < 0,05) com a presença de parasitos, evidenciada também pela revisão integrativa. A contaminação observada indica a área de estudo como local favorável a infecções por enteroparasitos, bem como a necessidade de implementação de estratégias de educação em saúde e análise periódica do solo que mitiguem os riscos em prol da saúde da população local e turistas.