Maria Arlene Pessoa da Silva

Ethnopharmacology of medicinal plants of carrasco, northeastern Brazil

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE The goal of this study was to conduct an ethnobotanical survey of medicinal species from the carrasco vegetation of the Araripe National Forest, state of Ceará, Brazil, as well as determining species with bioprospecting potential MATERIALS AND METHODS The ethnobotanical data were collected through semi-structured interviews and a free list. The relative importance of the plants cited was assessed, as well as species that stood out with respect to bodily systems, on the basis of informant consensus. RESULTS A total of 32 species belonging to 29 genera and 20 families were recorded. Of this total, six species (19%) showed great versatility regarding their uses in regard to up to seven bodily systems. The therapeutic indications were grouped into 14 categories of bodily systems. Circulatory and genitourinary disorders, endocrine, nutritional and metabolic diseases, and undefined pain or disease showed the greatest consensus between informants. CONCLUSIONS Ximenia americana, Himathantus drasticus, Stryphnodndron rotundifolium, Bowdichia virgilioides, and Hymenaea courbaril were the species warranting more in-depth study, on the basis of versatility and informant consensus on the uses of the species.

Polyphenolic Composition and Evaluation of Antioxidant Activity, Osmotic Fragility and Cytotoxic Effects of Raphiodon echinus (Nees & Mart.) Schauer

Raphiodon echinus (R. echinus) is used in Brazilian folk medicine for the treatment of inflammation, coughs, and infectious diseases. However, no information is available on the potential antioxidant, cytotoxicity and genotoxicity of this plant. In this study, the polyphenolic constituents, antioxidant capacity and potential toxic effects of aqueous and ethanolic extracts of R. echinus on human erythrocytes and leukocytes were investigated for the first time. R. echinus extracts showed the presence of Gallic, chlorogenic, caffeic and ellagic acids, rutin, quercitrin and quercetin. Aqueous and ethanolic extracts of R. echinus exhibited antioxidant activity in DPPH radical scavenging with IC50 = 111.9 μg/mL (EtOH extract) and IC50 = 227.9 μg/mL (aqueous extract). The extracts inhibited Fe2+ (10 μM) induced thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) formation in rat brain and liver homogenates. The extracts (30–480 μg/mL) did not induce genotoxicity, cytotoxicity or osmotic fragility in human blood cells. The findings of this present study therefore suggest that the therapeutic effect of R. echinus may be, in part, related to its antioxidant potential. Nevertheless, further in vitro and in vivo studies are required to ascertain the safety margin of its use in folk medicine.

Antimicrobial Activity and Modulatory Effect of Essential Oil from the Leaf of Rhaphiodon echinus (Nees & Mart) Schauer on Some Antimicrobial Drugs

Background: Rhaphiodon echinus is a weed plant used in the Brazilian folk medicinal for the treatment of infectious diseases. In this study, the essential oil of R. echinus leaf was investigated for its antimicrobial properties. Methods: The chemical constituents of the essential oil were characterized by GC-MS. The antimicrobial properties were determined by studying by the microdilution method the effect of the oil alone, and in combination with antifungal or antibiotic drugs against the fungi Candida albicans, Candida krusei and Candida tropicalis and the microbes Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas. In addition, the iron (II) chelation potential of the oil was determined. Results: The results showed the presence of β-caryophyllene and bicyclogermacrene in major compounds, and revealed a low antifungal and antibacterial activity of the essential oil, but a strong modulatory effect on antimicrobial drugs when associated with the oil. The essential oil showed iron (II) chelation activity. Conclusions: The GC-MS characterization revealed the presence of monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes in the essential oil and metal chelation potential, which may be responsible in part for the modulatory effect of the oil. These findings suggest that essential oil of R. echinus is a natural product capable of enhancing the antibacterial and antifungal activity of antimicrobial drugs.

Antimicrobial, modulatory and chemical analysis of the oil of Croton limae

Abstract Context: Croton sp. are plants with a well-reported antimicrobial activity. Croton limae A.P. Gomes, M.F. Sales P.E. Berry (Euphorbiaceae), known as ‘marmeleiro-prateado’, is commonly used to manage abdominal pain in Brazil. Objective: This work evaluates the phytochemical composition, antimicrobial and modulatory activities of the essential oil of C. limae leaves (EOCL). Materials and methods: The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and the modulation of the antibiotic activity were determined using a microdilution method. The concentration of EOCL ranged between 512 and 8 μg/mL. Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumonia, Candida tropicalis, C. krusei and C. albicans strains were used in the MIC and modulation assays. The antibiotics, amikacin, gentamicin and neomycin, and the antifungals, amphotericin B, benzoylmetronidazole and nystatin, were used in concentrations ranging between 2500 and 2.5 μg/mL. The phytochemical analysis of the EOCL was performed through gas chromatography coupled to a mass spectrometer (GC/MS). Results: Only Staphylococcus aureus was inhibited by a clinically relevant concentration of EOCL (MIC 512 μg/mL). Synergism between the EOCL and amikacin against S. aureus (9.76 μg/mL) and E. coli (39.062 μg/mL); neomycin against E. coli (2.44 μg/mL); and benzoylmetronidazole against C. krusei (256 μg/mL) were observed. The GC/MS analysis identified cedrol, eucalyptol and α-pinene as the main compounds of EOCL. Conclusion: EOCL inhibited the growth of S. aureus and potentiated the antibiotic and antifungal effects of drugs against all bacterial and Candida strains, respectively.

ESTRUTURA, DISPERSÃO E DISTRIBUIÇÃO ESPACIAL DE Copaifera langsdorfii Desf. NA FLORESTA NACIONAL DO ARARIPE, CEARÁ, BRASIL

O modo como uma especie esta distribuida e os fatores relacionados com essa distribuicao no ambiente facilitam o entendimento de sua ecologia, provendo informacoes basicas para o seu manejo e conservacao. Apesar do crescente numero de estudos em areas florestais objetivando conhecer os padroes de distribuicao e os processos a eles inerentes, estudos com esse enfoque sao ainda incipientes no Brasil. A dispersao de diasporos representa uma importante etapa na distribuicao de uma especie no ambiente. Este trabalha objetivou conhecer a estrutura da populacao, a distribuicao espacial e as aves dispersoras de Copaifera langsdorffii Desff. na mata umida da Floresta Nacional do Araripe. A coleta dos dados ocorreu em 90 parcelas de 10m x 10m cada, nas localidades conhecidas como Coruja e Luanda, distante 3,5 km da Casa Sede do IBAMA, coordenadas 7o 14’ S e 39o 28’ W. no municipio do Crato, no periodo de maio de 2014 a abril de 2015. Foram amostrados apenas individuos com DAP ≥ 5 cm (15 cm de circunferencia). O grafico da distribucao diametrica forma uma curva exponencial negativa, indicio de populacao estavel. Turdus leucomelas e Elaenia sp. estao entre seus dispersores. A sua distribuicao espacial e agregada e provavelvente esta associada as condicoes ambientais e interacoes ecologicas. Palavras-chave : Copaifera langsdorffii. Floresta do Araripe. Dispersores