This study was conducted in the Chapada dos Guimarães National Park and in the Província Serrana of Mato Grosso state, from May 2003 to July 2005 and involved the use of chemical baits to attract male orchid bees. A total of 498 males were captured, of which 38 were Eulaema (Apeulaema) pseudocingulata Oliveira. Twenty-nine of these were collected in the national park and nine in the Província S...

The Restinga Antwren (Formicivora littoralis) has a narrow distribution range in southeastern Brazil, and it is a typical species of restinga habitat (sandy coastal plain vegetation). In this paper, we describe two new records for the species (22 degrees 51' 45" S and 42 degrees 14' 13" W; 22 degrees 51' 14" S and 42 degrees 11' 47" W) in the northern margin of the Araruama Lagoon, which repres...

Aloe, an important folk herbal drug, includes abundant polysaccharides and secondary metabolites, which make it difficult to isolate high-quality DNA or RNA. In this paper, one and two improved methods were used to isolate the genomic DNA and RNA from the leaf of aloe, respectively. The obtained samples presented good quality and integrity; thus, they could be further used for many downstream m...

Food, mates and host plants are essential resources for plant-feeding insects. Optimal resource localization that fulfils the physiological need and reproductive goals of an insect is of utmost importance. Insects, like most animals, rely largely on the sense of smell to locate and evaluate potential resources that enhance their reproductive fitness. Confronted with a multitude of stimuli rangi...

This study reports on the induction of oxidative stress in aerobic cell systems by Aloe barbadensis Miller (Aloe vera) juice using the salt water crustacean Artemia franciscana as a model. A consistent pattern was observed in which Artemia franciscana nauplii responded to Aloe vera juice exposure with a decrease in the overall activity of redox related enzymes. Exposure of Artemia franciscana t...

OBJECTIVE To compare the efficacy of aloe vera gel and placebo in the topical management of vulval lichen planus. STUDY DESIGN Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. PLACE AND DURATION OF STUDY Department of Dermatology, Isra University Hospital, Hyderabad, from January 2007 to January 2008. METHODOLOGY Thirty-four female patients were randomized into two groups to receive al...

In Indian Ayurvedic system of medicine the leaf of Ghritkumari (Lat: Aloe vera; Fam: Liliaceae ) has been extensively used as a cathartic agent to treat severe stomach constipation. In order to develop reliable quality control marker for quality evaluation and to check the commercial samples of Aloe vera for authenticity and purity, its detailed chemical and HPTLC analysis has been done. The ca...

BACKGROUND Burn wound infection remains the principal cause of death in burn patients. Efficacy of honey and aloe vera gel was evaluated in the treatment of burn wound infection induced with Klebsiella pneumoniae B5055 and their efficacy was compared with an isolated and well-characterized Klebsiella specific phage Kpn5. METHODOLOGY A full thickness burn wound was induced in mice and infected...

BACKGROUND Oral submucous fibrosis (OSMF) is a well-established precancerous condition affecting the oral mucosa. It is a disease that causes significant morbidity (in terms of loss of mouth function as tissues become rigid and mouth opening becomes difficult) and mortality (when transformation into squamous cell carcinoma occurs). AIM The aim of the study is to compare the efficacy of Aloe v...