Streptomyces is a genus of Gram-positive bacteria that grows in various environments, and its shape resembles filamentous fungi. The morphological differentiation of Streptomyces involves the formation of a layer of hyphae that can differentiate into a chain of spores. The most interesting property of Streptomyces is the ability to produce bioactive secondary metabolites, such as antifungals, antivirals, antitumorals, anti-hypertensives, immunosuppressants, and especially antibiotics. The production of most antibiotics is species specific, and these secondary metabolites are important for Streptomyces species in order to compete with other microorganisms that come in contact, even within the same genre. Despite the success of the discovery of antibiotics, and advances in the techniques of their production, infectious diseases still remain the second leading cause of death worldwide, and bacterial infections cause approximately 17 million deaths annually, affecting mainly children and the elderly. Self-medication and overuse of antibiotics is another important factor that contributes to resistance, reducing the lifetime of the antibiotic, thus causing the constant need for research and development of new antibiotics.

Scorpionism is a relevant medical condition in Brazil. It is responsible for most accidents involving venomous animals in the country, which leads to severe symptoms that can evolve to death. In recent years, an increase of almost 50% in the incidence of scorpionism has been observed in the Northern Region, where the highest severity of envenoming has been notified since the beginning of the 21^st century. This review aims to provide an in-depth assessment of public data and reports on symptoms and epidemiology of envenoming, ecological aspects of scorpions, and characterization of venoms and toxins to access the gaps that need to be filled in the knowledge of the scorpion species of medical importance from the Brazilian Amazon. A systematic search using the string words “Amazon” and “scorpion” was performed on 11 databases. No restriction on date, language or status of the publication was applied. Reports not related to the Brazilian Amazon were excluded. Therefore, 88 studies remained. It is shown that populations of scorpions of medical importance, even of the same species, may present significant toxic variations peculiar to some regions in the Brazilian Amazon, and commercial scorpion antivenoms were not able to shorten the intensity and duration of neurological manifestations in patients stung by T. silvestris, T. apiacas or T. obscurus. It is also highlighted that the toxins responsible for triggering these alterations have not been elucidated yet and this is a fruitful field for the development of more efficient antivenoms. Furthermore, the geographic distribution of scorpions of the genus Tityus in the Brazilian Amazon was revised and updated. The cumulative and detailed information provided in this review may help physicians and scientists interested in scorpionism in the Brazilian Amazon.

Scorpionism is a growing public health concern in Brazil, with the Amazon region presenting the highest mortality rates but remaining understudied, especially regarding local scorpion venoms composition. This study presents the first comprehensive biochemical characterization of venoms from three Amazonian species—Tityus metuendus (TmetuV), Tityus silvestris (TsilvV), and Brotheas amazonicus (BamazV)—using an integrated approach combining Multi-Enzymatic Limited Digestion (MELD)-based bottom-up proteomics, high-resolution LC-MS/MS, chromatography, zymography, and enzymatic assays. Tityus serrulatus venom was included as a reference. Significant biochemical differences were observed: TsilvV was rich in 20–30 kDa proteins and showed strong metalloprotease activity; BamazV exhibited high molecular weight proteins and potent phospholipase A₂ (PLA₂) activity but lacked proteolytic and fibrinogenolytic activities; TmetuV showed the highest hyaluronidase activity and abundance of α-KTx neurotoxins. Zymography revealed a conserved ~45 kDa hyaluronidase in all species. Three novel components were partially characterized: BamazPLA₂ (Group III PLA₂), Tmetu1 (37-residue α-KTx), and TsilvMP_A (a metalloprotease homologous to antarease). This is the first application of MELD-based proteomics to Amazonian scorpion venoms, revealing molecular diversity and functional divergence within Tityus and Brotheas, emphasizing the need for region-specific antivenoms. These findings provide a foundation for future pharmacological studies and the discovery of bioactive peptides with therapeutic potential.

Tuberculosis (TB) remains one of the most deadly communicable infectious diseases, causing 1.4 million deaths in 2015 worldwide due to many conditions, including the inadequate treatment and the emergence of multidrug-resistant strains of the causal agent, Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Therefore, drugs developed from natural sources, as microorganisms and plant extracts, are a frequent target for the research and discovery of antimicrobial compounds. The current study started the characterization of compounds produced by an Aspergillus fumigatus isolated from copaíba (Copaifera multijuga) that efficiently inhibits M. tuberculosis by releasing the compounds into the fermentation broth under specific culture conditions. A preliminary assay was carried out with a correlate species, M. smegmatis, aiming to detect an antimicrobial effect related to A. fumigatus fermentation broth. The direct use of this substrate in antibiosis assays againstM. tuberculosis H₃₇Rv strain (ATCC 27294) allowed the detection of antimicrobial activity with a minimal inhibitory concentration of 256 μg mL^-1, demonstrating that purification processes developed by the Biotage Flash Chromatography System are robust and reliable techniques for purification of compounds from natural sources. Also, this chromatographic system can be used in combination with specific biochemical tests, improving the search for reliable results. We conclude that this fraction can express a broad action range, inhibiting both Mycobacterium species used as target organisms.