Jarbas Alves Montanha

Triterpene Saponins from Maté, Ilex Paraguariensis

Ilex paraguariensis St. Hil. is a South American native perennial tree belonging to the holly family (Aquifoliaceae). It has been historically used by the Guarani indigenous tribes as a source of a mildly stimulant beverage, called mate, “erva-mate”or “yerba-mate”, prepared by infusion of its dried leaves and twigs. The cultivation of Ilex paraguariensis started during the XVI century in the Jesuitical settlements, giving origin to the denomination “Jesuits tea”. Since then, the agronomic importance of the culture has increased, and it is nowadays an important traditional crop, having a significant economical impact in the southern countries of the South America, with a potential to grow. The yearly production of mate is estimated to be around three hundred tons. In southern Brazil, Paraguay, and Argentina the leaves are also used in popular medicine and included in medicinal herbal products as a tonic, stimulant to the central nervous system, diuretic, and antirheumatic. Knowledge of its chemical composition has remained up to now rather poor. Known secondary metabolites are the xanthines (mainly caffeine), flavonoid glycosides (rutin), and caffeoylquinic acid derivatives (chlorogenic acids).

Análise das bulas de medicamentos fitoterápicos comercializados em Porto Alegre, RS, Brasil

Com o objetivo de avaliar a qualidade das bulas de medicamentos fitoterapicos em relacao a presenca das frases obrigatorias por lei, bem como de informacoes especificas exigidas pela legislacao de medicamentos fitoterapicos, foram selecionados 65 produtos em farmacias de Porto Alegre contendo pelo menos uma das seguintes plantas medicinais: maracuja, boldo, alcachofra, guarana e sene. Atraves de um formulario, analisou-se a presenca das frases exigidas pela Portaria 110/97 da ANVS, que regulamenta as bulas de medicamentos, e das informacoes exigidas pela Resolucao RDC 17/00 da ANVS, sobre registro de medicamentos fitoterapicos. A maioria dos produtos analisados nao possui bula, e em nenhum deles verificou-se a presenca de todas a frases e demais informacoes exigidas pela legislacao vigente. Especialmente significante foi a inexistencia de dados sobre reacoes adversas, contra-indicacoes e advertencias. Foi possivel concluir que as bulas de medicamentos fitoterapicos analisados nao seguem as normas legais, sao incompletas e deficientes de informacoes, podendo induzir a serios problemas de saude.

Chemical analysis and in vitro antiviral and antifungal activities of essential oils from Glechon spathulata and Glechon marifolia

Abstract Context: Glechon spathulata Benth. and Glechon marifolia Benth. (Lamiaceae, Mentheae) are aromatic plants used in traditional medicine for the treatment of viral infections. Objective: The chemical composition and antiviral and antifungal activities of Glechon spathulata and Glechon marifolia essential oils were investigated. Materials and methods: The oils were obtained by hydrodistillation and analyzed by GC–FID and GC–MS. Anti-herpes virus (HSV-1) activity was examined in Vero cells by yield reduction assay, in doses of 0.0095% v/v and 0.039% v/v, for G. spathulata and G. marifolia oil, respectively. Antifungal activity was carried by the broth microdilution method, in oil concentrations that ranged from 5.2 to 500 µg/mL. Results: β-Caryophyllene (14.2% and 32.2% for G. spathulata and G. marifolia, respectively) and bicyclogermacrene (17.1% and 16.5%, respectively) were the major components of both oils. At noncytotoxic concentrations of the essential oils, the viral titer was reduced by up to 2 log10 for KOS and VR-733 strains. The antifungal activity was observed against Trichophyton rubrum (MIC 10–83 µg/mL) and Epidermophyton floccosum (MIC 83–500 µg/mL). The oil of G. spathulata exhibited activity against the three strains tested (KOS, VR733, and 29-R), whereas G. marifolia oil was active against two strains, KOS and VR733. Discussion and conclusion: The chemical composition for G. spathulata and G. marifolia essential oils is very similar. The oil of G. spathulata can be promising as a new antifungal agent against dermatophytes. The findings add important information to the biological activity of Glechon species essential oils, specifically its antiviral and antidermatophytic properties.

Chemical and anti-ulcer evaluation of Jodina rhombifolia (Hook. & Arn.) Reissek extracts

Jodina rhombifolia (Hook. & Arn.) Reissek (Santalaceae) is a medicinal plant popularly used as an anti-ulcer medicine. The plant native from Southern Brazil was chemically investigated and tested for its in vivo gastric anti-ulcer property by chloride acid/ethanol model. The chromatographic analysis of the hydroethanol extract of its leaves revealed the presence of C-glycosylflavonoids. From the n-butanol fraction of the hydroethanol extract of its aerial parts, vicenin-2 was isolated as the main component and identified by spectroscopic methods; and, a direct comparison with authentic samples was made. This fraction afforded three other C-glycosylflavonoids: vitexin, orientin and swertisin; all of them identified by direct comparison with authentic samples. We found that the oral administration of aqueous and hydroethanolic extracts led to a significant decrease in the ulcer index.

Biological assessment (antiviral and antioxidant) and acute toxicity of essential oils from Drimys angustifolia and D. brasiliensis

The genus Drimys presents the widest geographical distribution of the Winteraceae family, which comprises seven genera and about 120 species. In Brazil, the genus is found from Bahia to Rio Grande do Sul and occur in two species, Drimys angustifolia Miers, and D. brasiliensis Miers, Winteraceae, popularly known as “cascade- anta”, characterized by the presence of fl avonoids and essential oils. It is used in folk medicine as an antiscorbutic, stimulant, antispasmodic, anti-diarrheal, antipyretic, antibacterial, and against asthma and bronchitis, besides having insecticidal properties. In addition to the known biological activities, it is very important to explore new applications in the treatment of physiological disorders or diseases caused by parasites. Based on this information, in this study we propose to evaluate volatile oils of the species D. brasiliensis and D. angustifolia, as an antioxidant, using the model of the DPPH radical as an antiviral against human herpes virus type 1 (HSV-1) and acute toxicity in vivo. The two species were not able to reduce the DPPH radical and showed interesting antiviral activity, signifi cantly reducing the virus titers in vitro assays. Regarding the in vivo toxicity in female Wistar rats, treatment with the two species showed interesting signs in animals such as salivation, ptosis, tremor, decreased motor activity. In addition the oils of D. brasiliensis to other signs, some animals showed increased urination and diarrhea.

Avaliação da atividade antiviral e determinação do perfil cromatográfico de Hippeastrum glaucescens (Martius) Herbert (Amaryllidaceae)

Evaluation of antiviral activity and determination of the chromatographic profile of Hippeastrum glaucescens (Martius) Herbert (Amaryllidaceae). Plants of Amaryllidaceae are characterized by isoquinoline alkaloids. Since the first study with Amaryllidaceae alkaloids in 1877, a large number of these plants have been chemically investigated. These compounds have shown a wide range of biological activities such as: antiviral, cytotoxic, antitumoral and analgesic. In this work, the dichloromethane (CH 2 Cl 2 ) extracts obtained from different parts of the Hippeastrum glaucescens (Martius) Herbert (bulbs, roots, leaves and flowers) and the isolated alkaloids lycorine, tazettine and pretazettine were analyzed by a chromatographic method (TLC) and tested for antiviral activity. The

Chemical analysis and antiviral activity evaluation of Baccharis anomala

Abstract The chemical composition and antiviral activity of aqueous extract from Baccharis anomala was studied by bioactivity-guided fractionation. Ethanol precipitation and fractionation by molecular permeation allowed the separation of the anti-herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) active fraction from aqueous extract (Fraction B). Natural Product Reagent A, FeCl3 and thin-layer chromatography indicated the presence of phenolic compounds in the aqueous extract. Fraction B showed pronounced antiviral activity when tested with HSV-1 strains VR733/ATCC and Acyclovir-resistant 29-R, displaying virucidal but not virustatic activity.