Daniel Sales Pimenta

Investigação das atividades analgésica e antiinflamatória do extrato metanólico dos rizomas de Echinodorus grandiflorus

The present work investigated the analgesic and anti-inflammatory activities of the methanol extract of the rhizomes of Echinodorus grandiflorus. For this purpose, acetic acid writhing, paw licking induced by formalin, carrageenan-induced rat paw edema and pleurisy tests were performed. The doses of 100, 200 and 400 mg/kg inhibited the contortions 34.30%, 35.84% and 36.07%, respectively. The lick of the paw 1st phase was reduced at the doses of 200 and 400 mg/kg, while the 2nd phase had reduction at 400 mg/kg. All doses inhibited the paw edema, while the volume of the exsudate was reduced 24.61% in the dose of 400 mg/kg. The doses of 200 and 400 mg/kg decreased the leukocytes migration. The results indicate that the methanol extract of E. grandiflorus can constitute target potential for use in therapies of the pain and inflammation.

Efeitos do flúor em folhas de plantas aquáticas de Salvinia auriculata

Abstract – The objective of this work was to evaluate the effects of fluoride on leaves of aquatic Salviniaauriculata Aubl., to supply subsidies for the use of this species as an environmental pollution bioindicator. Theplants were cultivated under controlled conditions in pots containing nutritive solutions, and were submitted tosimulated rain containing KF, in concentrations of 0, 13, 26 and 39 mM, in the morning, during five consecutivedays. Results evidenced the occurrence of morphological and anatomical damages involving trichome andadaxial surface of the leaf necrosis. Alterations in the activity of peroxidase, polyphenoloxidase, superoxidedismutase, and catalase enzymes indicated the occurrence of oxidative damages in response to fluoride, althoughlipid peroxidation tests showed negative results. Alterations in pigment concentration also pointed to theoccurrence of oxidative stress, caused by fluoride present in the simulated rain. The morphological, anatomical,enzymatic, and pigment composition alterations in

Chemical composition and cytotoxicity activity of the essential oil of Pterodon emarginatus

Pterodon emarginatus Vogel, Fabaceae, is a native aromatic tree distributed by central region of Brazil. Hydroalcoholic infusions of the seeds are used in folk medicine for their anti-rheumatic and anti-inflammatory properties. The objective of this work was identified the chemical components and verify the cytotoxic effect of the essential oil (EO) from P. emarginatus seeds. Thus, the EO of P. emarginatus seeds was analyzed by GC/MS analysis followed by brine shrimp lethality test and cytotoxic activity against tumor cell lines and human peripheral mononuclear blood cells (PBMC). The cancer cell lines tested were C6 (rat glioma), MeWo (human melanoma), CT26.WT (mouse colon carcinoma), MDA (human breast cancer), A549 (human lung carcinoma), B16-F1 (mouse melanoma), CHO-K1 (hamster ovary cell) and BHK-21 (hamster kidney fibroblast). Eleven compounds were identified by GC and CG/MS analyses. The main compounds with concentrations higher than 5% were β-elemene (15.3%), trans-caryophyllene (35.9%), α-humulene (6.8%), germacrene-D (9.8%), bicyclo germacrene (5.5%) and spathulenol (5.9%). The EO of P. emarginatus seeds showed toxicity to Artemia salina (LC50 1.63 µg/mL) and was active against all the cell lines tested. The potent cytotoxic activity had IC50 values ranging from 24.9 to 47 µg/mL. However, EO (1-100 µg/mL) had less cytotoxicity in PBMCs isolated from a healthy subject. In summary, the present study showed the potential antiproliferative of the EO of P. emarginatus seeds.

Alterações morfológicas e acúmulo de compostos fenólicos em plantas de sorgo sob estresse de alumínio

The Al+3 effects on the morphology and on the phenolics accumulation were evaluated in two sorghum cultivars exhibiting differential tolerance to Al+3. The plants were kept in nutrient solution, for ten days, in the presence (185 mM) or Al+3 absence. The root apexes were colored with ferric hematoxylin, and because the intensity of color development is very similar among evaluated cultivars, the use of this method as a selection parameter for Al+3-tolerance is not indicated. Analyses of superficial and internal morphology from tissues treated with Al+3 also expressed very similar alterations among the two cultivars, not allowing its use for selection between sensitive and Al+3-tolerant genotype. The higher lignin accumulation and, mainly, the lower phenolics production in roots of the BR006R cultivar in Al+3s presence, demonstrated the existence of differential tolerance among cultivars.

Contribuição ao conhecimento analítico de três compostas medicinais

Esse trabalho estuda tres especies medicinais de Compositae, descrevendo caracteristicas morfo-histologicas e relacionando as caracteristicas fisico e fito-quimicas com as variacoes sazonais. Os teores de umidade e de cinzas parecem nao sofrer alteracoes expressivas em funcao da estacao do ano. Bacharis trimera DC (carqueja) nao mostrou diferencas qualitativas em seus principios ativos, que foram detectados tanto na primavera, como no verao e no inverno: saponinas e flavonoides. Solidago microglossa DC (arnica) apresentou alcaloides no verao e no inverno, na primavera nao. Flavonoides e taninos, contudo, nao apresentaram essa variacao. Achillea millefolium L. revelou presenca de alcaloides, heterosides cianogeticos, taninos e flavonoides durante o ano todo. A fracao saponinica, contudo, falta no verao, justamente quando aparecem os fenois, ausentes na primavera e no inverno.

Antimicrobial, antioxidant and cytotoxicity potential of Manihot multifida (L.) Crantz (Euphorbiaceae)

Manihot multifida (L.) Crantz (Euphorbiaceae) is widely used in popular medicine for the treatment of infected wounds. This study evaluated the in vitro antioxidant and antimicrobial potential of this species against strains of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria and fungi, known to cause infections in humans. The extracts showed minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) varying from 39 to 2500 µg/mL for antimicrobial activity. The methanolic extract of fruits, aqueous and hexane extracts of leaves showed a very strong activity against Candida albicans (ATCC 18804) with MIC of 39 µg/mL. Furthermore, the methanolic extract of M. multifida leaves exhibited DPPH (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl) scavenging potential with inhibitory concentration (IC50) values of 46.9 μg/mL, followed by hexane extract of leaves with IC50 values of 59.2 μg/mL. The cytotoxic activity against brine shrimp was stronger for the methanolic extract of leaves (lethal concentration - LC50 of 15.6 µg/mL). These results suggest that M. multifida has interesting antimicrobial and antioxidant activities. Moreover, these results corroborate the popular use of this specie in treating fungal infections since it demonstrates significant activity against C. albicans.

Efeito anti-helmíntico do hidrolato de Mentha villosa Huds. (Lamiaceae) em nematóides gastrintestinais de bovinos

Currently, it has been of great interest to study the anthelmintic activity of medicinal plants in ruminants. Mentha villosa Huds. (Lamiaceae) is one of the mint species that has been popularly used based on various medicinal properties, even for the control of nematode infections. This study aimed to test the anthelmintic activity of hidrolact of this plant, both in vitro, by the quantitative coproculture method, and in vivo, in calves infected with gastrointestinal nematodes, through the egg count reduction test in feces of the hosts. In in vitro tests, the hidrolact at the concentrations 40%, 60% and 80% and 100% obtained percentage of effectiveness of 91.88%, 94.15%, 98.40% and 100% respectively, showing significant ovicidal activity against gastrointestinal nematodes in calves. However, the hidrolact of M. villosa showed no in vivo anthelmintic activity at 0.1ml kg-1 day-1 on the treated animals.

Effects of light intensity on the distribution of anthocyanins in Kalanchoe brasiliensis Camb. and Kalanchoe pinnata (Lamk.) Pers

This paper compares two medicinal species of Kalanchoe, which are often used interchangeably by the population, regarding the distribution of anthocyanins under the influence of four luminosity levels for 6 months. For the morphoanatomical analysis, the 6th stem node of each plant was sectioned. Usual histochemical tests revealed the presence of anthocyanins by cross sections of the stems, petioles and leaf blades. The petioles and leaf blades were submitted to the extraction with acidified methanol, and the anthocyanins were quantified by spectrophotometric readings. At the macroscopic level, it was noticed for both species a higher presence of anthocyanins in stems and petioles of plants under full sunlight. The microscopy of K. brasiliensis stems evidenced the deposition of anthocyanins in the subjacent tissue to the epidermis and cortex, which increased with light intensity. In K. pinnata a subepidermal collenchyma was observed, which interfered in the visualization of anthocyanins. In petioles and leaf blades of K. brasiliensis the deposition of anthocyanins was peripheral, and in K. pinnata it was also throughout the cortex. The quantification of anthocyanins in petioles showed in 70% of light higher averages than in 25%, but in leaf blades there were no significant results. This study contributes to the pharmacognosy of Kalanchoe and it is sustained by the description of flavonoids as biological markers of the genus.

Chemical analysis of essential oil and hydrolates of leaves, inflorescences and stems of Piper chimonanthifolium Kunth.

Plants of the genus Piper are widely used commercially. Piper chimonanthifolium Kunth. is a species with a dearth of studies on chemistry and biological activities. Essential oils of other species of this genus show good biological activities, especially against microorganisms. This work presents a comparative analysis of chemical composition of essential oils and hydrolates of leaves, inflorescences and stems of this specie. Samples were obtained by co-distillation and analyzed by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS). The samples were composed of monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes, with predominance of monoterpenes. Piperitone, a monoterpene with important biological activities, was the most important substance. In addition to this compound, L -linalool, cis -?-ocimene, trans -?-ocimene, 1-phellandrene, ?-pinene, limonene, and spathulenol stood out. Some of these substances can exhibit a variation in the composition according to environmental factors or may be biological control agents, demonstrating importance in ecology. The chemical characterization showed chemical differences between leaves, stems and inflorescences and demonstrated pharmacological potential for this species.

Local ecological knowledge and its relationship with biodiversity conservation among two Quilombola groups living in the Atlantic Rainforest, Brazil

Information on the knowledge, uses, and abundance of natural resources in local communities can provide insight on conservation status and conservation strategies in these locations. The aim of this research was to evaluate the uses, knowledge and conservation status of plants in two Quilombolas (descendants of slaves of African origin) communities in the Atlantic rainforest of Brazil, São Sebastião da Boa Vista (SSBV) and São Bento (SB). We used a combination of ethnobotanical and ecological survey methods to ask: 1) What ethnobotanical knowledge do the communities hold? 2) What native species are most valuable to them? 3) What is the conservation status of the native species used? Thirteen local experts described the names and uses of 212 species in SSBV (105 native species) and 221 in SB (96 native species). Shannon Wiener diversity and Pielou’s Equitability indices of ethnobotanical knowledge of species were very high (5.27/0.96 and 5.28/0.96, respectively). Species with the highest cultural significance and use-value indexes in SSBV were Dalbergia hortensis (26/2.14), Eremanthus erythropappus (6.88/1), and Tibouchina granulosa (6.02/1); while Piptadenia gonoacantha (3.32/1), Sparattosperma leucanthum (3.32/1) and Cecropia glaziovii (3.32/0.67) were the highest in SB. Thirty-three native species ranked in the highest conservation priority category at SSBV and 31 at SB. D. hortensis was noteworthy because of its extremely high cultural importance at SSBV, and its categorization as a conservation priority in both communities. This information can be used towards generating sustainable use and conservation plans that are appropriate for the local communities.