Jorge Yoshio Tamashiro

Medicinal plants in the Atlantic forest (Brazil): knowledge, use, and conservation.

This study focuses on knowledge of medicinal plants among the Caiçaras (rural inhabitants of the Atlantic Forest coast, Brazil). In particular, we examine the use of medicinal plants according to sex and age to reveal general patterns of Caiçara knowledge and use of plant resources. Data collected through 449 interviews at 12 Caiçara communities (Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo coastal sites) include citations of 249 plants and identification of 227 species. We show the importance of introduced as opposed to native plants and of key individuals for the conservation of the Caiçaras-Atlantic Forest.

Diversity of plant uses in two Caiçara communities from the Atlantic Forest coast, Brazil

Caiçaras are native inhabitants of the Atlantic coast on southeastern Brazil, whose subsistence is based especially on agriculture and artisanal fishing. Because of their knowledge about the environment acquired through generations, Caiçara people can play an important role in Atlantic Forest conservation. An ethnobotanical study was conducted within two Caiçara communities (Ponta do Almada and Camburí beach, São Paulo State, Brazil), focusing on plant uses. In 102 interviews, 227 plant ethnospecies were quoted, mainly for food, medicine, handicraft and construction of houses and canoes. People from studied communities depend on the native vegetation for more than a half of the species known and used. Using diversity indices, plant uses are compared between studied communities and between gender and age categories within each community. We found quantitative differences in the knowledge about plants between gender categories for each kind of use (medicinal, food and handicrafts). Older and younger informants also have different knowledge about plants for handicraft and medicine, but not for edible plants.

Florestas de restinga e de terras baixas na planície costeira do sudeste do Brasil: vegetação e heterogeneidade ambiental

It was evaluated the floristic similarity between two Atlantic Rainforest physiognomies in Brazilian coast area, herein called Restinga and Lowland forests. The hypothesis was that, due the differences in geomorphologic processes, these forests would differ on soil physical and chemical properties, floristic composition, live above-ground biomass and litterfall production. It was sampled 1 ha (100 × 100 m) for each site located in Ubatuba, Sao Paulo state, SE Brazil. Within each hectare it was recorded trees with DBH > 4.8 cm in all 10 × 10 m contiguous plots, and collected soil and litterfall samples. The cluster and ordination analyses indicated the two communities as distinct groups considering soil and floristic composition, agreeing with the initial hypothesis. Species diversity was higher (p 0.05) between the two forests. This apparent paradox could be explained assuming that, since different species establish themselves in the Restinga or Lowland forests and find a favorable spectrum of conditions and resources, they would tend to persist and to develop in that place; even so the edaphic conditions differ between the Restinga and Lowland forests, each species could respond in a particular way to these variations, and then both forests could reach similar values of biomass and litterfall production. It is probable that the environmental filter conditioned by soils has being important for the strong floristic segregation between these two forests.

Frugivores at higher risk of extinction are the key elements of a mutualistic network

Most tree species rely on vertebrates for seed dispersal, and many vertebrates use fruits as food resources in tropical forests. Therefore, plant–frugivore interactions affect population dynamics and persistence in ecological communities. Plant–frugivore interactions often involve many species, forming networks of interacting plants and animals that play different roles in determining network organization. The network organization is the way interactions are structured in the community, which may have consequences for its ecological and evolutionary dynamics. Some species have greater influences on network organization and may be particularly important to species persistence. We identified the frugivores most important to the organization of networks of plants and frugivorous birds in three contiguous Atlantic forest sites in southeastern Brazil. We found that the species that contributed most to network organization were at higher risk of extinction. Among the main contributors to network organization we...

Furanoditerpenes from Pterodon pubescens benth with selective in vitro anticancer activity for prostate cell line

Activity guided fractionation of Pterodon pubescens Benth. methylene chloride-soluble fraction afforded novel 6α-acetoxi 7β-hydroxy-vouacapan 1 and four known diterpene furans 2, 3, 4, 5. The compounds were evaluated for in vitro cytotoxic activities against human normal cells and tumour cell lines UACC-62 (melanoma), MCF-7 (breast), NCI-H460 (lung, non-small cells), OVCAR-03 (ovarian), PC-3 (prostate), HT-29 (colon), 786-0 (renal), K562 (leukemia) and NCI-ADR/RES (ovarian expressing phenotype multiple drugs resistance). Results were expressed by three concentration dependent parameters GI50 (concentration that produces 50% growth inhibition), TGI (concentration that produces total growth inhibition or cytostatic effect) and LC50 (concentration that produces -50% growth, a cytotoxicity parameter). Also, in vitro cytotoxicity was evaluated against 3T3 cell line (mouse embryonic fibroblasts). Antiproliferative properties of compounds 1, 4 and 5 are herein reported for the first time. These compounds showed selectivity in a concentration-dependent way against human PC-3. Compound 1 demonstrated selectivity 26 fold more potent than the positive control, doxorubicin, for PC-3 (prostrate) cell line based on GI50 values, causing cytostatic effect (TGI value) at a concentration fifteen times less than positive control. Moreover comparison of 50% lethal concentration (LC50 value) with positive control (doxorubicin) suggested that compound 1 was less toxic.

Byrsonima intermedia A. Juss.: Gastric and duodenal anti-ulcer, antimicrobial and antidiarrheal effects in experimental rodent models

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE An ethnopharmacological survey indicated that the leaves of Byrsonima intermedia A. Juss. (Malpighiaceae), a medicinal species commonly found in the Brazilian Cerrado, can be used against gastroduodenal disorders, such as gastric ulcers and diarrhea. AIM OF THE STUDY The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of a methanolic extract of Byrsonima intermedia (MBI) leaves on gastric and duodenal ulcers and to assess the antimicrobial and antidiarrheal effects of this extract. MATERIAL AND METHODS The anti-ulcerogenic effect of MBI was investigated with different ulcerogenic agents in rodents (mice and rats), including non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), HCl/ethanol, pyloric ligature, absolute ethanol, cysteamine and ischemia-reperfusion. The gastroprotective effect of MBI was assessed by analysing the volume of gastric juice, pH, total acidity, mucus, NO, sulfhydryl compound, vanilloid receptor, glutathione (GSH) levels, and myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity in the gastric and duodenal mucosa. The gastric and duodenal healing effects of MBI were also evaluated during 7 or 14 days of treatment. The antidiarrheal action (measured by intestinal motility and diarrhea induced by castor oil) and anti-bacterial action of MBI against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and Helicobacter pylori were also evaluated by microdilution methods. RESULTS The phytochemical profile from MBI indicated the presence of phenolic acids, flavan-3-ols, oligomeric proanthocyanidins, and flavonoids. MBI (500mg/kg, p.o.) significantly inhibited totally gastric and duodenal lesions (69%) and healed gastric (49% on 14 days) and duodenal lesions (45% on 7 and 14 days). The MBI exert gastroprotective action by participation of endogenous sulfhydryl compounds, vanilloid receptors and increase in GSH level to effective gastric and duodenal protection. MBI also displayed curative (42%) and preventive (49%) antidiarrheal effects by involvement of opiate receptors and also antimicrobial effects in vitro. CONCLUSIONS Byrsonima intermedia leaves present gastroprotective, healing and antidiarrheal activities, supporting previous claims that its traditional use can treat gastrointestinal disorders.

ETHNOBOTANY OF RIVERINE POPULATIONS FROM THE RIO NEGRO, AMAZONIA (BRAZIL)

ABSTRACT This paper presents a comparative study of plant knowledge and use in rural and urban areas in the municipality of Barcelos in the Rio Negro, Amazonas, Brazil, based on a total of 81 interviews. Using diversity indices (Shannon-Wiener), plant knowledge is compared among communities (urban-rural population), and between sex (male-female) and age (older or younger than 40 years) categories within each community. Among our informants, we found quantitative differences concerning the knowledge of medicinal plants between sex and age categories. Some individuals play a key role relating to medicinal plant knowledge, and steps should be taken in order to include them in management and conservation plans.

Foliage-dwelling ants in a neotropical savanna: effects of plant and insect exudates on ant communities

Ant dominance in tropical ecosystems can be explained by a capacity to exploit liquid foods such as extrafloral nectaries (EFNs) and secretions from honeydew-producing hemipterans (HPHs). Such nutritious exudates may determine ant distribution in space and shape specialization in ant–plant interactions. We provide a first assessment of how EFNs and HPHs mediate the structure of ant assemblages, ant visitation intensity, and characteristics of ant–plant interaction networks across space in Brazilian “cerrado” savanna. We used arboreal pitfall traps to sample visiting ants in four cerrado localities and recorded the presence of lepidopteran larvae to determine their possible response to ant visitation. Ant species composition and richness did not differ regardless of the presence of liquid rewards on plants, and most network patterns did not show consistent differences. However, in two of the four sites, ant densities were higher on plants with HPHs or EFNs due to increased activity by Camponotus and Pseudomyrmex ants. At these two sites, plants with liquid food sources had a more specific ant assemblage (higher specialization d′) than did plants without resources, and caterpillars were more frequently found on plants with fewer workers of Camponotus and Pseudomyrmex. Plants with HPHs had increased ant visitation and accumulated more ant species than did plants with EFNs or without liquid foods. Ant response to such food sources may thus depend on local conditions and identity of ant species, and may determine how ant assemblages are structured. Results highlight how different patterns of ant visitation to liquid resources can produce distinctive effects on herbivore infestation.

Is size structure a good measure of future trends of plant populations? An empirical approach using fi ve woody species from the Cerrado (Brazilian savanna)

(Is size structure a good measure of future trends in plant populations? An empirical approach using fi ve woody species from the Cerrado (Brazilian savanna)). Size distributions in woody plant populations have been used to assess their regeneration status, assuming that size structures with “reverse-J” shapes represent stable populations. We present an empirical approach of this issue using fi ve woody species from the Cerrado. Considering count data for all plants of these fi ve species over a 12-year period, we analyzed size distribution by: a) plotting frequency distributions and their adjustment to the negative exponential curve and b) calculating the Gini coeffi cient. To look for a relationship between size structure and future trends, we considered the size structures from the fi rst census year. We analyzed changes in number over time and performed a simple population viability analysis, which gives the mean population growth rate, its variance and the probability of extinction in a given time period. Frequency distributions and the Gini coeffi cient were not able to predict future trends in population numbers. We recommend that managers should not use measures of size structure as a basis for management decisions without applying more appropriate demographic studies.

Chave de identificação de espécies do estrato arbóreo da Mata Atlântica em Ubatuba (SP), com base em caracteres vegetativos

The identification key was developed taking into account the herbarium specimens from the species of the arboreal stratum sampled, with at least 4.8 cm DBH, in two stretches of Lower Montane Rain Forest. Only morphological vegetative characters were used, such as phyllotaxy, leaf shape, presence or absence of stipules, trichomes and glands, and other aspects relevant to the species identification, besides field observations. The key comprises 193 (4 without identification) species belonging to 114 genera and 50 botanical families, and an interactive electronic version is available online at the site http://www.gama.ib.unicamp.br/gama/index.php.