Introduction: The fruit of the cashew tree, known as cashew, is accompanied by the fleshy extension of its stem, referred to as the cashew nut. Rich in phenolic compounds, such as phenolic acids, anthocyanins, flavonoids, carotenoids, polyphenols, as well as vitamins C and E, the cashew nut exhibits antioxidant properties. Objective: This systematic review investigated the effects of cashew nuts on oxidative stress in rats. Methodology: The study followed PRISMA guidelines and was registered in PROSPERO. Searches were conducted in the Medline (PubMed), EMBASE, BVS, MedRxiv, Science Direct, Scopus, and Web of Science databases. Experimental studies with rats as the target population, evaluating the effects of cashew nut supplementation on oxidative stress, antioxidant enzymatic activities, and inflammatory markers, were included. Exclusion criteria comprised dissertations, reviews, expert opinions, duplicates, and preprints. Results: Five studies published between 2018 and 2022 were included, all utilizing cashew nut supplementation as the intervention. The results demonstrated a significant reduction in oxidative stress, an increase in the activity of antioxidant enzymes, such as SOD and catalase, and a decrease in inflammatory markers, including TNF-α and IL-1β. The most effective dose was 100 mg/kg/day, yielding consistent results across studies. Conclusion: Cashew nuts show potential for reducing oxidative stress, mitigating inflammation, and enhancing antioxidant defenses in rats. However, further clinical studies are required to better explore their benefits in humans, a field that remains less studied compared to other types of nuts.

With increase cases of Coronavirus disease in Brazil and the virus propagation around the world, several health sectors were negatively affected, including hemotherapy services and generating a decrease in blood donation. In this study, we gathered information about total blood donations and usage during COVID-19 pandemic in the state of Ceará, located in the northeast side of Brazil. More specifically data from donations between April 2020 and September 2021 and compared with data gathered from donations of pre-pandemic period. During the period, the state of Ceará received 181.362 candidates for blood donation. Of these, 80.16% were eligible for donation and 19.84% unfit. The number of candidates decreased by 16.72% in 2020 and 5.10% in 2021 in comparison to the same periods in 2018. The main causes of inability for candidates during the pandemic period were low hematocrit/hemoglobin, occasional sexual intercourse in the last 12 months and suspicion or confirmation of COVID in the last 10 days. However, the increasing number of critically ill hospitalized COVID patients increased the blood supply, as transfusions increased by 1.03% in 2020 and 7.96% in 2021, showing a higher demand in RBC, platelets, FFP and CRYO. The pandemic had a significant impact on national blood stocks, causing a change in donation behavior and causing a concern to maintain an adequate blood supply during this crisis. Despite the situation, the stock of blood components in HEMOCE met the Ceará blood demand in the hospitals.