Antônia Ribeiro

Diterpenes from Alomia myriadenia (Asteraceae) with cytotoxic and trypanocidal activity

Further investigation of the aerial parts of Alomia myriadenia revealed an halimane diterpene identified as ent-8S,12S-epoxy-7R,16-dihydroxyhalima-5(10),13-dien-15,16-olide along with the known ent-16-hydroxylabda-7,13-dien-15,16-olide, ent-12R-hydroxylabda-7,13-dien-15,16-olide, 6,7-methylenedioxycoumarin (ayapin), and kaempferol-7-methylether (rhamnocitrin). Evaluated in a panel of human cancer cell lines, the 16-hydroxylabade diterpene was the most active, showing an ED(50) value of 0.3 mug/ml against Lu1 (human lung cancer) cells. Tested in vitro against Trypanosoma cruzi in infected murine blood, this compound caused lysis of 100% of the parasites at 250 mug/ml.

Molluscicidal Saponins from the Pericarp of Sapindus Saponaria

AbstractA monodesmosidic acetylated saponin (1) and a mixture of two monodesmosidic saponins (2 and 3) have been isolated from a methanol extract of the fruits of Sapindus saponaria. The structures of compounds 1-3 were established as 3-O-[4-acetyl-β-D-xylopyranosyl-(1-3)-a-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1-2)-a-L-arabinopyranosyl]-hederagenin, 3-O-[a-L-arabinopyranosyl-(1-3)-a-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1-2)-a-L-arabinopyranosyl]-hederagenin and 3-O-[b-D-xylopyranosyl-(1-3)-a-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1-2)-a-L-arabinopyranosyl]-hederagenin. The compounds showed molluscicidal activity (LC100/24h of 5–10 ppm) against the snail Biomphalaria glabrata, one of the intermediate hosts of schistosomiasis. Saponins 1-3 have been previously reported from other Sapindus species.

Vernonia condensata Baker (Asteraceae): A Promising Source of Antioxidants

The present study evaluated the antioxidant potential of Vernonia condensata Baker (Asteraceae). Dried and powdered leaves were exhaustively extracted with ethanol by static maceration followed by partition to obtain the hexane, dichloromethane, ethyl acetate, and butanol fractions. Total phenols and flavonoids contents were determined through spectrophotometry and flavonoids were identified by HPLC-DAD system. The antioxidant activity was assessed by DPPH radical scavenging activity, TLC-bioautography, reducing power of Fe+3, phosphomolybdenum, and TBA assays. The total phenolic content and total flavonoids ranged from 0.19 to 23.11 g/100 g and from 0.13 to 4.10 g/100 g, respectively. The flavonoids apigenin and luteolin were identified in the ethyl acetate fraction. The IC50 of DPPH assay varied from 4.28 to 75.10 µg/mL and TLC-bioautography detected the antioxidant compounds. The reducing power of Fe+3 was 19.98 to 336.48 μg/mL, while the reaction with phosphomolybdenum ranged from 13.54% to 32.63% and 56.02% to 135.00% considering ascorbic acid and rutin as reference, respectively. At 30 mg/mL, the ethanolic extract and fractions revealed significant effect against lipid peroxidation. All these data sustain that V. condensata is an important and promising source of bioactive substances with antioxidant activity.

Anti‐inflammatory and antioxidative effects of the methanolic extract of the aerial parts of Mitracarpus frigidus in established animal models

This study reports the in vivo anti‐inflammatory and antioxidative effects of the methanolic extract of the aerial parts of Mitracarpus frigidus (MFM) and its chemical fingerprint.

Intrapuparial Development of Chrysomya putoria (Diptera: Calliphoridae)

ABSTRACT The intrapuparial development of 150 pupae of Chrysomya putoria (Wiedemann, 1830) was analyzed. The material was kept in a climate chamber at 27°C (day) and 25°C (night), 60 ± 10% relative humidity (RH), and a photoperiod of 14:10 (L:D) h, which started at 06:00 a.m. Daily, 30 pupae were frozen at — 15°C, for the sacrifice of the insects, and the immatures obtained were photomicrographed until the emergence of the adults. The following stages were observed: pupariation process: during this process, reduction of the larvaes first three body segments and the darkening of the cuticle occur; cryptocephalic phase after 18 h; phanerocephalic phase after 24 h; body division after 48 h. Between the third and the fourth days of the development, the stage of pharate adult was reached, characterized by the following changes in the color of the compounds eyes: 1) orange eyes, after 66 h; 2) red eyes, after 72 h; 3) dark red eyes, after 90 h; 4) brown eyes, after 96 h. The time of intrapuparial development of C. putoria at 27°C (day) and 25°C (night), 60 ± 10% RH, and a photoperiod of 14:10 (L:D) h was 5 d.

HPLC-DAD Analysis, Antileishmanial, Antiproliferative, and Antibacterial Activities of Lacistema pubescens: An Amazonian Medicinal Plant

Species of the genus Lacistema are traditionally used by Brazilian and Peruvian indigenous communities. The present study investigated the in vitro antileishmanial activity against several Leishmania species, cytotoxicity in murine peritoneal macrophages, antiproliferative activity against HL60 and Jurkat cells, and antibacterial activities against seven bacteria strains of the aerial parts of the methanolic crude extract and fractions of Lacistema pubescens. In addition, their chemical profile was also evaluated. Hexane fraction showed the most significant IC50 values against all promastigotes of Leishmania species tested, except for L. chagasi (IC50 = 4.2 µg/mL for L. major and IC50 = 3.5 µg/mL for L. amazonensis). This fraction also exhibited a strong activity against amastigotes of L. amazonensis (IC50 = 6.9 µg/mL). The antiproliferative activity was also observed for methanolic extract and hexane fraction with IC50 = 47.2 µg/mL and IC50 = 39.7 µg/mL for HL60, respectively. Regarding the antimicrobial activity, the overall antibacterial activity was not very significative. Phytol and sitosterol were identified in the methanolic extract. Additionally, previous studies also revealed the presence of those compounds in the hexane fraction. Among other compounds, phytol and sitosterol were probably involved in the antileishmanial and cytotoxicity activities observed in this study.

New aspects on the hepatoprotective potential associated with the antioxidant, hypocholesterolemic and anti-inflammatory activities of Vernonia condensata Baker

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Vernonia condensata Baker (Asteraceae) is traditionally used in South American Countries as an anti-inflammatory, analgesic and hepatoprotective. AIM OF THE STUDY This study aimed to investigate the in vivo hepatoprotective and antioxidant, and the in vitro anti-inflammatory activities of the ethyl acetate partition (EAP) from the ethanolic extract of this medicinal plant leaves. MATERIALS AND METHODS For the in vivo hepatoprotective activity, rats were pretreated orally for seven days with vehicle, silymarin 100mg/kg or EAP 50, 100 and 200mg/kg. Then, acetaminophen 3g/kg was also orally administrated. Animals were euthanatized 24h after the damage inducement. The levels of the serum enzymes ALT, AST and ALP were determined, as well as the triglycerides, total cholesterol and fractions. The antioxidant activity was evaluated by TBARS assay and by the measurement of glutathione reductase, superoxide dismutase and catalase activities in the rats liver tissue. The in vitro anti-inflammatory assay using Raw 264.7 cell line induced by lipopolysaccharide was conducted to verify EAP ability to inhibit pro-inflammatory cytokines. RESULTS EAP was able to inhibit all the acute biochemical alterations caused by acetaminophen overdose. EAP inhibited malondialdehyde formation, maintained the catalase and increased the glutathione reductase activities. Also, EAP decreased NO, IL-6 and TNF-α levels at concentrations from 10 to 20µg/mL. 1,5-dicaffeoylquinic acid was isolated and identified as the major compound in EAP. Apigenin, luteolin, chlorogenic acid were also identified. EAP anti-inflammatory action may be due to its antioxidant activity or its capacity to inhibit the pro-inflammatory cytokines. CONCLUSION These results strongly suggested that V. condensata may be useful as a possible therapy against liver damage.

Pereskia aculeata: A plant food with antinociceptive activity

Abstract Context: Pereskia aculeata Miller (Cactaceae) is a cactus distributed from south to northeast of Brazil, where its leaves are commonly used as a vegetable, in skin wound healing, and to treat inflammation. Objectives: The objective of this study was to perform the chemical characterization and to evaluate the antinociceptive activity of the hydromethanolic fraction obtained from the methanol extract of P. aculeata leaves. Materials and methods: Chemical characterization was performed by UPLC–MS analysis. The antinociceptive activity was evaluated by the acetic acid-induced writhing, formalin, and tail-flick tests in mice, administering the single oral doses of 100, 200, and 300 mg/kg 1 h before each test. Results: Tryptamine, abrine, mescaline, hordenine, petunidin, di-tert-butylphenol isomers, and quercetin were identified. The antinociceptive activity was inversely proportional to the administered doses in the acetic acid test, as the dose of 100 mg/kg reduced by 78% the number of writhings, while the doses of 200 and 300 mg/kg reduced by 64% and 41%, respectively. In the formalin test, the dose of 300 mg/kg inhibited by 50% and 86% the licking paw time in the first and second phases, respectively, while the doses of 200 mg/kg (45% and 62%, respectively) and 100 mg/kg (15% and 48%, respectively) were less effective. The sample did not respond to the tail-flick test. Those results suggested a peripheral and central antinociception devoid of an opioid effect. Conclusion: Pereskia aculeata not only is a plant food with high nutritional value but also presents analgesic potential. It is the first time that this bioactivity is reported for this species.

Topical application of the hexane fraction of Lacistema pubescens reduces skin inflammation and cytokine production in animal model

The aim of this study was to investigate the acute topical anti‐inflammatory effect of the hexane fraction (HLP) of Lacistema pubescens in mice.