Jaécio Carlos Diniz

Oxidative stress induction by (+)-cordiaquinone J triggers both mitochondria-dependent apoptosis and necrosis in leukemia cells

(+)-Cordiaquinone J is a 1,4-naphthoquinone isolated from the roots of Cordia leucocephala that has antifungal and larvicidal effects. However, the cytotoxic effects of (+)-cordiaquinone J have never being explored. In the present study, the effect of (+)-cordiaquinone J on tumor cells viability was investigated, showing IC(50) values in the range of 2.7-6.6muM in HL-60 and SF-295 cells, respectively. Studies performed in HL-60 leukemia cells indicated that (+)-cordiaquinone J (1.5 and 3.0muM) reduces cell viability and 5-bromo-2-deoxyuridine incorporation after 24h of incubation. (+)-Cordiaquinone J showed rapid induction of apoptosis, as indicated by phosphatidylserine externalization, caspase activation, DNA fragmentation, morphologic changes, and rapid induction of necrosis, as indicated by the loss of membrane integrity and morphologic changes. (+)-Cordiaquinone J altered the redox potential of cells by inducing the depletion of reduced GSH intracellular content, the generation of reactive oxygen species and the loss of mitochondrial membrane potential. However, pre-treatment of cells with N-acetyl-l-cysteine abolished most of the observed effects related to (+)-cordiaquinone J treatment, including those involving apoptosis and necrosis induction.

Anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive effects of hydroalcoholic extract from Pseudobombax marginatum inner bark from caatinga potiguar

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE The Pseudobombax marginatum (St Hil) Rob., Malvaceae, is mentioned in ethnobotanical studies. It is used as anti-inflammatory, for ulcers and gastritis, and back pain. To evaluate anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive activities a hydroalcoholic extract (HE) from inner bark was prepared. MATERIALS AND METHODS For the anti-inflammatory activity, carrageenan-induced paw edema and peritonitis models, and also myeloperoxidase assay were used. For the antinociceptiva activity acetic acid-induced writhing, hot plate and formalin tests were employed. RESULTS The HE extract exhibited an intense inhibition in carrageenan-induced edema model and also in myeloperoxidase activity at the doses of 100 and 300 mg/kg. The leukocyte migration into the peritoneal cavity was also inhibited at the doses of 30, 100 and 300 mg/kg. A similar profile was observed against acid-induced abdominal contortions and in formalin second phase test at the doses of 30 and 100 mg/kg, but this treatment did not affect the behavior of animals in the hot plate test. CONCLUSIONS The experimental data of the HE from Pseudobombax marginatum show anti-inflammatory and antinociceptiva activities, confirming the indication from traditional medicine; however further studies are required to define and isolate the active anti-inflammatory and antinociceptiva components from this active specie.

1H and 13C NMR assignments for two new cordiaquinones from roots of Cordia leucocephala.

From the roots of Cordia leucocephala (Boraginaceae), two new meroterpenoid naphthoquinones, 6‐[10‐(12,12‐dimethyl‐13α‐hydroxy‐16‐methenyl‐cyclohexyl)ethyl]‐1,4‐naphthalenedione (cordiaquinone L) and 5‐methyl‐6‐[10‐(12,12‐dimethyl‐13β‐hydroxy‐16‐methenyl‐cyclohexyl)methyl‐1,4‐naphthalenedione (cordiaquinone M) were isolated. Their structures were elucidated after detailed 1D and 2D NMR (COSY, HSQC, HMBC and NOESY) data analyses and comparison with literature data for analogous compounds. Copyright

Chemical Composition of the Leaf Essential Oil of Cordia leucocephala Moric from Northeast of Brazil

Abstract The essential oil from leaves of Cordia leucocephala Moric (Boraginaceae) from northeast of Brazil was obtained by hydrodistillation and subsequently analyzed by GC/MS and GC-FID. Twenty-one constituents, representing 98.4% of the oil were identified. The oil was characterized by high percentages of sesquiterpenes (92.7%) with β-caryophyllene (39.0%) and bicyclogermacrene (25.9%) as the main constituents. This is the first report on the chemical composition of the essential oil from C. leucocephala.

Chemical composition of volatile compounds in two red seaweeds, Pterocladiella capillacea and Osmundaria obtusiloba, using static headspace gas chromatography mass spectrometry

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from the red seaweeds Pterocladiella capillacea and Osmundaria obtusiloba were obtained by static headspace extraction and then analyzed qualitatively by gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and quantitatively by gas chromatography (GC) equipped with a flame ionization detector (FID). In total, 31 constituents were identified in the two species of algae. In P. capillacea, among the 21 constituents (100%), the major ones were hexanal (50.4%), 2-pentylfuran (9.2%), and heptadecene (8.8%). In O. obtusiloba, of the 21 constituents (100%), the most representatives were heptadecene (57.3%), hexanal (20.5%), and 1-pentadecene (2.6%). This is the first report on the identification and quantification of VOCs in the Rhodophyta, P. capillacea and O. obtusiloba.

Fatty acid composition from the marine red algae Pterocladiella capillacea (S. G. Gmelin) Santelices & Hommersand 1997 and Osmundaria obtusiloba (C. Agardh) R. E. Norris 1991 and its antioxidant activity

This study evaluated the chemical composition and antioxidant activity of fatty acids from the marine red algae Pterocladiella capillacea (S. G. Gmelin) Santelices & Hommersand 1997 and Osmundaria obtusiloba (C. Agardh) R. E. Norris 1991. The gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS) identified nine fatty acids in the two species. The major fatty acids of P. capillacea and O. obtusiloba were palmitic acid, oleic acid, arachidonic acid and eicosapentaenoic acid. The DPPH radical scavenging capacity of fatty acids was moderate ranging from 25.90% to 29.97%. Fatty acids from P. capillacea (31.18%) had a moderate ferrous ions chelating activity (FIC), while in O. obtusiloba (17.17%), was weak. The ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) of fatty acids from P. capillacea and O. obtusiloba was low. As for β-carotene bleaching (BCB), P. capillacea and O. obtusiloba showed a good activity. This is the first report of the antioxidant activities of fatty acids from the marine red algae P. capillacea and O. obtusiloba.

An Uncommon Naphthaquinoid and a New Lignan Derivative from the Roots of Cordia leucocephala Moric

Two uncommon compounds, a meroterpene naphthoquinoid (cordiaquinone P) and a new lignan derivative, were isolated from the hexane extract of roots of Cordia leucocephala Moric and their structures, including the relative stereochemistry, were determined by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) (1H and 13C NMR, HSQC, HMBC and NOESY) and high resolution electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (HRESIMS) techniques.