Herbal Medicines in the Developing World: South America

Essentials Oils from Brazilian Eugenia and Syzygium Species and Their Biological Activities

Biomolecules ◽

10.3390/biom10081155 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (8) ◽

pp. 1155

Author(s):

Jamile S. da Costa ◽

Ellen de Nazaré S. da Cruz ◽

William N. Setzer ◽

Joyce Kelly do R. da Silva ◽

José Guilherme S. Maia ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Biological Activity ◽

South America ◽

Biological Activities ◽

Herbal Medicines ◽

Chemical Diversity ◽

Pharmacological Properties ◽

Sesquiterpene Hydrocarbons ◽

Leishmania Spp ◽

Alternative Sources ◽

Interspecific Diversity

The Eugenia and Syzygium genera include approximately 1000 and 1800 species, respectively, and both belong to the Myrtaceae. Their species present economic and medicinal importance and pharmacological properties. Due to their chemical diversity and biological activity, we are reporting the essential oils of 48 species of these two genera, which grow in South America and found mainly in Brazil. Chemically, a total of 127 oil samples have been described and displayed a higher intraspecific and interspecific diversity for both Eugenia spp. and Syzygium spp., according to the site of collection or seasonality. The main volatile compounds were sesquiterpene hydrocarbons and oxygenated sesquiterpenes, mainly with caryophyllane and germacrane skeletons and monoterpenes of mostly the pinane type. The oils presented many biological activities, especially antimicrobial (antifungal and antibacterial), anticholinesterase, anticancer (breast, gastric, melanoma, prostate), antiprotozoal (Leishmania spp.), antioxidant, acaricidal, antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory. These studies can contribute to the rational and economic exploration of Eugenia and Syzygium species once they have been identified as potent natural and alternative sources to the production of new herbal medicines.

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Role of academic institutions during the COVID-19 pandemic

International Journal of Infection Control ◽

10.3396/ijic.v16i4.024.20 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 16 (4) ◽

Author(s):

Dinesh Neupane ◽

Juna Rai ◽

Sarita Chaulagain ◽

Nisha Jha ◽

Anishka Sah ◽

...

Keyword(s):

North America ◽

South America ◽

Developing World ◽

Information Source ◽

Academic Institutions ◽

The World ◽

America South ◽

Novel Coronavirus ◽

Developed World

A novel coronavirus first reported from China has resulted in a formidable outbreak globally threatening millions of human lives with unprecedented challenges. Society needs effective information source to combat this pandemic. Academic institutions would play an important role in disseminating science-based information and planning pandemic crisis. This study aims to examine how academic institutions around the world have been working in combating COVID-19 pandemic. Two hundred and thirty three high ranking universities representing 44 countries from six continents, viz. Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, South America, and Oceania were selected and their websites visited. Any information on COVID-19 updated in the websites were noted and classified. Universities from developed world (North America, Europe) and Oceania were found to be actively disseminating up-to-date information on COVID-19 with compared to those from developing world. All universities in Oceania, 96.66% universities in North America, 96.55% in Europe, 83% in South America, 61.25% in Asia, and 56% in Africa had information regarding COVID-19 in their websites. The high income coutries were facing high casulaties of the disease, and majority of their universities (85.71%) were disseminating up-to-date information through their websites. There exists a gap between the universities of developed and developing world in disseminating COVID-19 pandemic information.

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