Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology, Molecular Biology, Toxicology, Pharmacology
30
Scopus Publications
Scopus Publications
Protective role of lycopene against salinity-induced oxidative stress in Medicago sativa L. seedlings Antonia Adeublena de Araujo Monteiro, Bárbara Rayanne da Silva Teles, Jean-Paul Kamdem, Carlos Alonso Leite dos Santos, Antonia Eliene Duarte, Haifa A. Alqhtani, Mostafa R. Abukhadra, Ahmed A. Allam, Mohammad Ibrahim Scientific Reports, 2026 Soil salinization is one of the major challenges to agriculture, reducing productivity and directly affecting plant growth, germination, and physiology, especially in economically important crops such as Medicago sativa. Conventional soil management methods are not always sufficient to mitigate the adverse effects of salinity, highlighting the need for alternative and sustainable strategies. This study evaluated the phytoprotective potential of lycopene (LCP) against NaCl-induced stress in M. sativa. Seeds were treated with 256 µg/mL and 512 µg/mL of LCP combined with 50 mM NaCl and compared to a control group containing NaCl only. The combination of 256 µg/mL LCP with NaCl significantly increased germination, root and leaf growth, and reduced oxidative stress markers such as TBARS and iron content level, demonstrating a protective antioxidant effect. In contrast, the combination with 512 µg/mL LCP showed a lower protective effect, indicating that higher concentrations may induce additional oxidative stress. In silico molecular analysis revealed LCP affinity with the target protein (–5.062 kcal/mol), involving hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic interactions, suggesting stability and functional effects on the protein. The results demonstrate that LCP exerts a dose-dependent phytoprotective effect, especially when associated with NaCl, promoting resistance to salt stress and improving morphological and biochemical parameters in M. sativa. These findings indicate the potential of LCP as a promising natural compound to mitigate the adverse effects of salinity in agriculture.
Integrative biochemical and computational analysis of leflunomide-induced redox alterations in Nauphoeta cinerea Carlos Alonso Leite dos Santos, Antonia Adeublena de Araújo Monteiro, Bárbara Rayanne da Silva Teles, Jean-Paul Kamdem, Antonia Eliene Duarte, Haifa A. Alqhtani, Mostafa R. Abukhadra, Ahmed A. Allam, Mohammad Ibrahim Scientific Reports, 2026 Leflunomide (LF) is an immunomodulator classified as a disease-modifying anti-rheumatic agent. Its mechanisms of action include inhibition of dihydroorotate dehydrogenase in lymphocytes, resulting in immunosuppressive effects, and blocking tyrosine kinase activation, generating anti-inflammatory effects. This study aimed to study biochemical parameters 24 h after leflunomide administration to Nauphoeta cinerea (Cockroach) model, focusing on toxicity assessment. Biochemical analyses were performed, and molecular docking studies were conducted with the proteins 6VCD, 2B3X, and 2B3Y. Leflunomide altered biochemical parameters by increasing markers such as PSH, NPSH, TBARS, and iron levels, suggesting that LF may induce oxidative stress. This was supported by a dose-dependent increase in PSH, indicating an adaptive defense response. Furthermore, a significant increase in NPSH was observed at 128 µg/mL coupled with increased lipid peroxidation and elevated iron levels at 256 µg/mL. Additionally, LF exhibited high molecular activity by interacting with the target proteins, presenting major alkyl-type bonds, in addition to the interaction of fluorine with 2 proteins (6VCD and 2B3Y). In conclusion, leflunomide appears to induce oxidative stress in a dose-dependent manner, triggering adaptive defense responses and altering key biochemical markers.
ConBr lectin: Evaluation of embryotoxicity in Artemia salina and neuroprotective activity against sodium nitroprusside-induced oxidative stress in Nauphoeta cinerea Carlos Alonso Leite dos Santos, Antonia Adeublena de Araujo Monterio, Israel Junio Martins dos Santos, Antônio Marcos de Oliveira dos Santos, Antonia Eliene Duarte, Luiz Marivando Barros, Claudener Souza Teixeira International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, 2026 Lectins are proteins that recognize and interact non-covalently with glycans or carbohydrate moieties without altering their structures. ConBr is a glucose/mannose-binding lectin from Canavalia brasiliensis with several biological applications, including antidepressant and neuroprotective effects. This study investigated the toxicity of ConBr in Artemia salina and its neuroprotective activity against sodium nitroprusside (SNP)-induced oxidative stress in Nauphoeta cinerea. Different concentrations of ConBr (10, 25, and 50 μg/mL) and the combination ConBr + SNP (10, 25, and 50 μg/mL + 1 mM) were used in the assays. In A. salina, all ConBr concentrations did not cause acute toxicity in nauplii but significantly reduced cyst hatching rates, suggesting a possible interaction with glycoprotein structures of the eggshell. In N. cinerea, ConBr reduced lipid peroxidation, nitrite, and free iron levels, mitigating SNP-induced effects. Moreover, at 50 μg/mL, the lectin showed significant protective effects against SNP (1 mM) over 24 and 48 h. Therefore, ConBr was not toxic to N. cinerea at concentrations below 50 μg/mL. These results demonstrate that ConBr, in addition to being non-toxic at concentrations below 50 μg/mL, exhibits neuroprotective activity in an invertebrate model, reinforcing its potential in the study of modulators of oxidative stress.
Integrated study of toxicity, antitumor potential and biochemical changes induced by melatonin in Nauphoeta cinerea Antonia Adeublena de Araújo Monteiro, Bárbara Rayanne da Silva Teles, Jean Paul Kamdem, Luiz Marivando Barros, Carlos Alonso Leite Dos Santos, Antonia Eliene Duarte Natural Product Research, 2026 Oxidative stress denotes an imbalance between the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and the body’s ability to neutralise them effectively. These ROS play a direct role in pathophysiological mechanisms and have been linked to a wide range of diseases. Therefore, this study evaluated the biochemical effects and toxicity of melatonin in Nauphoeta cinerea, focusing on its antioxidant properties and potential toxicological risks. Melatonin was applied to the third abdominal segment of N. cinerea, and after 24 h, biochemical assays were performed following toxicity monitoring and in silico analyses of toxicity, biological interaction and antitumor. Melatonin exhibited dose-dependent toxicity, with notable effects on hepatotoxicity, neurotoxicity, respiratory toxicity, immunotoxicity, and ecotoxicity. It also demonstrated potential endocrine-disrupting activity and interactions with hepatic enzymes. In addition, it demonstrated selective cytotoxicity against several tumour cell lines, particularly pulmonary and uterine adenocarcinomas, while displaying minimal toxicity to normal gastric cells. Despite its low activity in the DPPH assay, melatonin influenced oxidative stress markers in vivo, reducing malondialdehyde levels and altering iron and protein thiol concentrations (500 μg/mL), indicating a complex role in oxidative metabolism. These findings suggest the potential of melatonin as an antitumor agent but also highlight the need for caution due to its toxicological profile in application to the abdomen of N. cinerea.
Evaluation of the effect of 2-borneol on the Nauphoeta cinerea model through oxidative stress and acute toxicity tests Carlos Alonso Leite dos Santos, Amanda Maria Tavares Moreira, Jailson Renato de Lima Silva, Bárbara Rayanne da Silva Teles, Larisse Bernardino dos Santos, Luiz Marivando Barros, Jean Paul Kamdem, Antonia Eliene Duarte Natural Product Research, 2026 Borneol, a compound found in resin-rich plants, is known for its aromatic and therapeutic properties. Widely used in countries, such as China, Japan, and Southeast Asia, borneol has also demonstrated efficacy in nanodrug administration. The primary objective of this study is to understand how borneol induces oxidative stress, its impact on the attraction and repulsion of Nauphoeta cinerea, and its acute toxicity. Results reveal that borneol acts as a repellent at higher concentrations, reducing the attractiveness of food. Additionally, borneol exhibits notable biochemical effects at specific concentrations, although without significant repellency. This suggests that borneol may be useful in the development of repellents, but further studies are needed to assess its environmental effects and topical applicability.
Targeting oxidative stress and monoamine imbalance: neuroprotective potential of Cereus jamacaru DC ethanolic extract in a Parkinson disease-like model in Drosophila melanogaster Ricardo Gomes Dos Santos Nunes, Yanka Vitoria de Santana Lira, Jailson Renato de Lima Silva, Adrielle Rodrigues Costa, Irwin Rose Alencar de Menezes, Francisco Leandro Medeiros de Lucena Jales, Carlos Alonso Leite dos Santos, Antonia Eliene Duarte, Luiz Marivando Barros, Thainá dos Santos Dantas, Luiz Alberto Lira Soares, Ivone Antônia de Souza, Dieniffer Espinosa Janner, Frâncelly Marquez de Figueiredo, Gustavo Petri Guerra, Belmira Lara da Silveira Andrade-da-Costa Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health Part A Current Issues, 2026 Exposure to pesticides is a risk factor for developing Parkinson’s disease (PD). Recently, there has been an increase in research on natural products that can reduce this risk. The cactus Cereus jamacaru DC is found in South America, South Africa, and China. When consumed as food or juice, C. jamacaru exhibits medicinal properties with antitumor and cytoprotective effects on the gastrointestinal tract, kidneys, and heart, which are attributed to its high antioxidant content. However, its potential effect on diseases of the nervous system is unknown. The present study examined whether ethanolic extract from C. jamacaru might serve as a nutraceutical alternative against oxidative damage initiated by the pesticide rotenone using the Drosophila melanogaster model of PD. Initially, toxicological assays were performed with the extract added at 0.01–0.1 mg/g of food over 7 days. Locomotor activity, survival rate, and assays for nitric oxide, free Fe2 +, lipid peroxidation, total thiols, reactive oxygen species levels, cytotoxicity, and dopamine and serotonin levels were assessed. The rotenone-induced mortality rate was similar between sexes and was prevented by C. jamacaru extract at 0.075 mg/g of food. Rotenone-induced modifications in locomotor activity, survival rate, and head dopamine and serotonin levels, as well as biochemical parameters, were reversed by one or both concentrations of extract. Data demonstrated for the first time that ethanolic extract of C. jamacaru exerted systemic and neuroprotective effects against rotenone insults. These findings suggest the need for further pharmacological studies examining C. jamacaru as a potential therapeutic intervention for PD prevention or treatment.
Investigation of Phytol as an Inhibitor of the Efflux Pump (QacA/B) in Staphylococcus aureus: in silico and in vitro Studies José Weverton Almeida-Bezerra, Carlos Alonso Leite dos Santos, Saulo Almeida Menezes, Cícera Datiane de Morais Oliveira-Tintino, Rafael Pereira da Cruz, Adrielle Rodrigues Costa, Janaína Esmeraldo Rocha, Daniel Sampaio Alves, Simone Galdino de Sousa, Ewerton Yago de Sousa Rodrigues, Gabriel Gonçalves Alencar, José Maria Barbosa Filho, Viviane Bezerra da Silva, Saulo Relison Tintino, Irwin Rose Alencar de Menezes, José Thyálisson da Costa Silva, Maria Flaviana Bezerra Morais-Braga, Henrique Douglas Melo Coutinho Pharmaceutical Research, 2026
Integrated in Vitro, in Vivo, Molecular Docking, and ADMET in Silico Assessment of β-Caryophyllene as a NorA Efflux Pump inhibitor in Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA) José Weverton Almeida-Bezerra, José Thyálisson da Costa Silva, Cícera Datiane de Morais Oliveira-Tintino, Adrielle Rodrigues Costa, Viviane Bezerra da Silva, Maria Flaviana Bezerra Morais-Braga, Irwin Rose Alencar de Menezes, Ana Carolina Ferreira Araujo, Lucas Yure Santos da Silva, Daniel Sampaio Alves, Guilherme Fernandes Teixeira, Lucas dos Santos Sa, Janaína Esmeraldo Rocha, Ray Silva de Almeida, Gildênia Alves de Araújo, Ewerton Yago de Sousa Rodrigues, Gabriel Gonçalves Alencar, Simone Galdino de Sousa, Carlos Alonso Leite dos Santos, José Maria Barbosa Filho, Henrique Douglas Melo Coutinho Current Microbiology, 2026
Antibacterial and Antibiotic-Enhancing Activity of 3-Hydroxy-4-methoxycinnamic Acid: Experimental Data and In Silico Predictions José Thyálisson da Costa Silva, Viviane Bezerra da Silva, Guilherme Fernandes Teixeira, Carlos Alonso Leite dos Santos, Antonia Adeublena de Araujo Monteiro, Janaína Esmeraldo Rocha, Ewerton Yago de Sousa Rodrigues, Rafael Pereira da Cruz, Isaac Moura Araújo, Adrielle Rodrigues Costa, Cicera Laura Roque Paulo, Irwin Rose Alencar de Menezes, Maria Flaviana Bezerra Morais‐Braga, José Maria Barbosa‐Filho, Saulo Almeida de Menezes, Henrique Douglas Melo Coutinho, José Weverton Almeida‐Bezerra Chemistryselect, 2025 The growing bacterial resistance, driven by the inappropriate use of antibiotics, poses a global health threat and demands new therapeutic strategies. Natural phenolic compounds, such as 3‐hydroxy‐4‐methoxycinnamic acid (3H4MCA), stand out due to their antimicrobial and antioxidant properties, showing potential in combating resistant pathogens. This study aims to evaluate the antibacterial activity and in silico characteristics of 3H4MCA, including ADMET parameters and molecular interactions with protein targets. 3H4MCA, obtained from Sigma‐Aldrich, was assessed for its antibacterial activity by determining the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) against Gram‐negative and Gram‐positive bacteria, as well as through synergy analysis with gentamicin, ampicillin, and norfloxacin. ADMET and physicochemical properties were predicted using the ADMETlab 2.0 platform. For molecular docking studies, the proteins 5KDR, 6GJ1, and 4WEL were used with predefined grids. Data were statistically analyzed. Although our results indicate that 3H4MCA did not show direct antibacterial activity against the tested strains (MIC > 512 µg/mL), with the same MIC value observed for all Gram‐negative and Gram‐positive bacteria, it significantly modulated the action of antibiotics, demonstrating previously unreported synergistic effects with gentamicin against Escherichia coli 06 MDR and with ampicillin against Staphylococcus aureus 10 MDR, it is possible to point out as a potential compost for combination therapy. In silico analyses indicate that 3H4MCA exhibits physicochemical features compatible with bioactive compounds, but its predicted toxicity profile suggests the need for further safety assessment. The docking results showed stable binding (4WEL, 5KDR, and 6GJ1 proteins, with binding energies of −5.067, −5.629, and −5.857 kcal/mol) to all evaluated protein targets, mediated by hydrogen bonding, hydrophobic, and electrostatic interactions. Collectively, the findings reveal the novel synergistic potential of 3H4MCA as an antibiotic adjuvant, supporting its relevance as a promising bioactive ligand with therapeutic applications.
ADME/Tox study and the effect of β-Caryophyllene on the resistant strain of Staphylococcus aureus carrying the QacA/B efflux pump gene José Weverton Almeida-Bezerra, José Thyálisson da Costa Silva, Maria Flaviana Bezerra Morais-Braga, Rafael Pereira da Cruz, Gabriel Gonçalves Alencar, Daniel Sampaio Alves, Ewerton Yago de Sousa Rodrigues, Simone Galdino de Sousa, Irwin Rose Alencar de Menezes, Janaína Esmeraldo Rocha, José Maria Barbosa Filho, Carlos Alonso Leite dos Santos, Adrielle Rodrigues Costa, Carolina Bandeira Domiciano, Lucia Raquel de Lima, Henrique Douglas Melo Coutinho Toxicology Reports, 2025
A bibliometric analysis of five medicinal plants for wound healing Carlos Alonso Leite dos Santos, Waseem Hassan, Cícero Martiniano Duarte, Bruna Isabelle Duarte Lino, Andréa Honorato Noronha, Patric Anderson Gomes da Silva, Jean Paul Kamdem, Luiz Marivando Barros Pharmacological Research Natural Products, 2025
Antimicrobial activity and insecticidal evaluation of Passiflora edulis Sims. (Passifloraceae) Adrielle Rodrigues Costa, Saulo Almeida Menezes, José Weverton Almeida-Bezerra, Severino Denicio Gonçalves de Sousa, Dhenes Ferreira Antunes, Elaine Cristina Conceição de Oliveira, Janaína de Souza Bezerra, Dieferson Leandro de Souza, Eveline Naiara Nuvens Oliveira, Francisca de Fátima Silva de Sousa, Maria Aparecida Barbosa Ferreira Gonçalo, Germana de Alencar Maia Luz, Alison Honorio de Oliveira, Henrique Douglas Melo Coutinho, Amanda Maria Tavares Moreira, Jailson Renato de Lima Silva, Carlos Alonso Leite dos Santos, Antonia Eliene Duarte, Luiz Marivando Barros Vegetos, 2025
Antibacterial and potentiating activity of 3-methoxycinnamic acid on antibiotics: an in vitro and in silico approach José Thyálisson da Costa Silva, Rafael Pereira da Cruz, Ewerton Yago de Sousa Rodrigues, Maria Yasmin Cândido de Oliveira, Ademar Maia Filho, Cicera Laura Roque Paulo, Guilherme Fernandes Teixeira, Adrielle Rodrigues Costa, Janaína Esmeraldo Rocha, Isaac Moura Araujo, Viviane Bezerra da Silva, Maria Eloyse de Melo Sousa, Anita Oliveira Brito Pereira Bezerra Martins, Severino Denicio Gonçalves de Sousa, Antonio César Vieira da Silva, Carlos Alonso Leite dos Santos, Jefferson de Sales Diodato, José Maria Barbosa Filho, Henrique Douglas Melo Coutinho, José Weverton Almeida-Bezerra FEMS Microbiology Letters, 2025
Chemical composition, antifungal activity and toxicological evaluation of Lippia sidoides Cham Maria Aline Oliveira, Carlos Alonso Leite dos Santos, Bárbara Rayanne da Silva Teles, Carlos Vinicius Barros Oliveira, Viviane Bezerra da Silva, Ana Letícia Gonçalves Pereira, Vanessa Leopoldino Coelho Rodrigues, Victor Juno Alencar Fonseca, Mariana dos Santos Santana, Clara Mariana Gonçalves Lima, Maria Flaviana Bezerra Morais-Braga, Maria Elizete Machado Generino, Luiz Marivando Barros, Antonia Eliene Duarte, Maraiza Gregorio de Oliveira, José Weverton Almeida-Bezerra, Adrielle Rodrigues Costa, Marcos Aurélio Figueirêdo dos Santos, Saulo Almeida de Menezes, Ahmad J. Obaidullah, Talha Bin Emran, Henrique Douglas Melo Coutinho Journal of Agriculture and Food Research, 2024
Syagrus coronata fixed oil prevents rotenone-induced movement disorders and oxidative stress in Drosophila melanogaster Ricardo Gomes dos Santos Nunes, Luciclaudio Cassimiro de Amorim, Iverson Conrado Bezerra, Artur José da Silva, Carlos Alonso Leite dos Santos, Priscila Gubert, Irwin Rose Alencar de Menezes, Antonia Eliene Duarte, Luiz Marivando Barros, Belmira Lara da Silveira Andrade-da-Costa, Márcia Vanusa da Silva, Maria Tereza dos Santos Correia, Michelle Melgarejo da Rosa Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health Part A Current Issues, 2024
