Ana Lúcia Aboy

Concentrations of p-synephrine in fruits and leaves of Citrus species (Rutaceae) and the acute toxicity testing of Citrus aurantium extract and p-synephrine.

Dietary supplements containing bitter orange unripe fruit extract/p-synephrine are consumed worldwide for lose weight. This study were conducted to determine the concentration of p-synephrine in unripe fruits and leaves from Citrus aurantium Lin, C. sinensis Osbeck, C. deliciosa Ten, C. limon Burm and C. limonia Osbeck, collected in Southern Brazil, and to evaluate the acute toxicity of C. aurantium extract and p-synephrine. A high performance liquid chromatographic method with diode array detector (HPLC-DAD) was optimized and validated for determination of p-synephrine. The results indicate that all of analyzed samples present p-synephrine in amounts that range from 0.012% to 0.099% in the unripe fruits and 0.029 to 0.438% in the leaves. Acute oral administration of C. aurantium extracts (2.5% p-synephrine, 300-5,000 mg/kg) in mice produced reduction of locomotor activity, p-synephrine (150-2,000 mg/kg) produced piloerection, gasping, salivation, exophtalmia and reduction in locomotor activity, which was confirmed in spontaneous locomotor activity test. All the effects were reversible and persisted for 3-4h. The toxic effects observed seem to be related with adrenergic stimulation and should alert for possible side effects of p-synephrine and C. aurantium.

Randomized clinical trial of a phytotherapic compound containing Pimpinella anisum, Foeniculum vulgare, Sambucus nigra, and Cassia augustifolia for chronic constipation.

BackgroundA phytotherapic compound containing Pimpinella anisum L., Foeniculum vulgare Miller, Sambucus nigra L., and Cassia augustifolia is largely used in Brazil for the treatment of constipation. However, the laxative efficacy of the compound has never been tested in a randomized clinical trial. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of the product.MethodsThis randomized, crossover, placebo-controlled, single-blinded trial included 20 patients presenting with chronic constipation according to the criteria of the American Association of Gastroenterology. The order of treatments was counterbalanced across subjects: half of the subjects received the phytotherapic compound for a 5-day period, whereas the other half received placebo for the same period. Both treatment periods were separated by a 9-day washout period followed by the reverse treatment for another 5-day period. The primary endpoint was colonic transit time (CTT), measured radiologically. Secondary endpoints included number of evacuations per day, perception of bowel function, adverse effects, and quality of life.ResultsMean CTT assessed by X ray was 15.7 hours (95%CI 11.1-20.2) in the active treatment period and 42.3 hours (95%CI 33.5-51.1) during the placebo treatment (p < 0.001). Number of evacuations per day increased during the use of active tea; significant differences were observed as of the second day of treatment (p < 0.001). Patient perception of bowel function was improved (p < 0.01), but quality of life did not show significant differences among the study periods. Except for a small reduction in serum potassium levels during the active treatment, no significant differences were observed in terms of adverse effects throughout the study period.ConclusionsThe findings of this randomized controlled trial allow to conclude that the phytotherapic compound assessed has laxative efficacy and is a safe alternative option for the treatment of constipation.Trial registrationClinicalTrial.gov NCT00872430

Essential Oils from Four Mikania Species (Asteraceae)

Abstract Essential oils from Mikania species (Asteraceae), collected in Southern Brazil were analyzed by GC and GC/MS. The species analyzed were M. hurchellii Baker, M. glomerata Sprengel, M. micrantha Kunth and M. paranensis Dusén. Sixty-five compounds were identified, representing 90–98% of the oil contents. All species were rich in sesquiterpenes. M. hurchellii, M. micrantha and M. paranensis oils contained mainly of sesquiterpene hydrocarbons (germacrene D and β-caryophyllene), while M. glomerata oil was rich in oxygenated sesquiterpenes (spathulenol and caryophyllene oxide). Monoterpene compounds were detected in large amounts only in M. micrantha (27.8%), as major components β-pinene (16.1%) and (E)-β-ocimene (7.0%).

Presence of p-synephrine in teas commercialized in Porto Alegre (RS/Brazil)

Citrus aurantium (laranjeira-azeda) e caracterizada pela presenca de p-sinefrina, amina estrutural e farmacologicamente similar a efedrina. Alem de poder causar efeitos adversos similares aos da efedrina, atualmente acredita-se que niveis endogenos alterados de p-sinefrina possam estar associados a causa da enxaqueca. Folhas e frutos desta especie sao largamente comercializados na forma de cha e em preparados de erva-mate, sem que sejam considerados os riscos associados ao seu uso. Neste sentido, este trabalho descreve uma pesquisa em chas e preparados de erva-mate comercializados em Porto Alegre, para verificar a presenca de C. aurantium e p-sinefrina. Comparando com a quantidade media disponivel nas prateleiras dos supermercados, cerca de 20% dos chas e 10% dos preparados de erva-mate declaravam nos rotulos conter C. aurantium. De uma amostragem de 15 chas e 2 preparados de erva-mate selecionados para analise, em todos foi caracterizada a presenca de p-sinefrina com niveis variando de 0,0040 a 0,2308%, levando ao alerta de que mesmo sendo naturais, estes produtos podem nao ser destituidos de reacoes adversas.