Maria de Fátima Agra

Synopsis of the plants known as medicinal and poisonous in Northeast of Brazil

The objective of this work is a survey of the species of plants and their alleged therapeutic uses which are utilized in Northeast region of Brazil. The area of this study is well known for its rich diversity of species of plants and habitats, which range from rainforest, atlantic forest, coastal dunes systems and mangroves, to dry forests and savannas. A total of 483 species belonging to 79 families along with their ethnomedicinal information have been recorded. This study aims at emphasizing the greatest importance of investigating those species of plants which have not been the subject of any pharmacological study, although their popular uses have been reported.

Survey of medicinal plants used in the region Northeast of Brazil

This work has the objective a survey of the species of plants and their uses as medicinal, which are utilized for therapeutic purposes in Northeast region of Brazil. The area of study is recognized by a rich diversity of species of plants and habitats that ranges from Rainforest, Atlantic Forest, coastal dunes systems and mangroves, to dry forests and savannas. As results, a total of 650 species belonging to 407 genera and 111 families were recorded and also their ethnomedicinal information. The floristic diversity is dominated by higher plants and only five species belonging to the families Aspleniaceae, Cyatheaceae, Equisetaceae, Polypodiaceae and Selaginellaceae were reported belonging to the Ferns group, which correspond to less than 1 % of the total of the registered species. This study aims at emphasizing the greatest importance of investigation of those species that have not been subject of pharmacological study, although their popular uses have already been reported.

Essential Oils and Their Constituents: Anticonvulsant Activity

A literature-based survey of plants species and their essential oils with anticonvulsant activity was carried out. As results, 30 species belonging to 13 families and 23 genera were identified for their activities in the experimental models used for anticonvulsant drug screening. Thirty chemical constituents of essential oils with anticonvulsant properties were described. Information on these 30 species is presented together with isolated bioactive compound studies.

Effects of umbelliferone in a murine model of allergic airway inflammation

The therapeutic effects of umbelliferone (30, 60 and 90 mg/kg), a coumarin isolated from Typha domingensis (Typhaceae) were investigated in a mouse model of bronchial asthma. BALB/c mice were immunized and challenged by nasal administration of ovalbumin. Treatment with umbelliferone (60 and 90 mg/kg) caused a marked reduction of cellularity and eosinophil numbers in bronchoalveolar lavage fluids from asthmatic mice. In addition, a decrease in mucus production and lung inflammation were observed in mice treated with umbelliferone. A reduction of IL-4, IL-5, and IL-13, but not of IFN-gamma, was found in bronchoalveolar lavage fluids of mice treated with umbelliferone, similar to that observed with dexamethasone. The levels of ovalbumin-specific IgE were not significantly altered after treatment with umbelliferone. In conclusion, our results demonstrate that umbelliferone attenuates the alteration characteristics of allergic airway inflammation. The investigation of the mechanisms of action of this molecule may contribute for the development of new drugs for the treatment of asthma.

Molluscicidal activity of some Brazilian Solanum spp. (Solanaceae) against Biomphalaria glabrata

Abstract Plants in the genus Solanum (Solanaceae) produce a great variety of steroidal saponins and glycoalkaloids that confer natural resistance against several pests. Methanolic extracts of 13 Solanum species have now been tested for molluscicidal activity against Biomphalaria glabrata. The extracts investigated were prepared from the fruit of S. asperum, S. capsicoides, S. palinacantum, S. paludosum, S. paniculatum, S. paraibanum and S. sisymbriifolium, the aerial parts of S. asperum, S. capsicoides, S. crinitum, S. diamantinense, S. megalonyx, S. palinacantum, S. paniculatum, S. sisymbriifolium and S. torvum, and the roots of S. asperum, S. asterophorum, S. palinacantum, S. paludosum, S. paniculatum and S. stipulaceum. Encouragingly, the extracts from S. asperum, S. diamantinese, S. paludosum, S. sisymbriifolium and S. stipulaceum showed significant molluscicidal activity, the median lethal concentrations recorded (20–50 μg/ml) falling well below the threshold, of 100 μg/ml, set for a potential molluscicide by the World Health Organization.

Pharmacological studies of ethanolic extracts of Maytenus rigida Mart (Celastraceae) in animal models

The crude ethanol extract (EEOH) of the bark of Maytenus rigida Mart (Celastraceae) a plant used in Brazil herbal traditional medicine, was tested for anti-inflammatory, antiulcer and antidiarrhoeal activities in animal models. No acute toxicological sign was observed in animals treated with the highest dose (5000 mg/kg, p.o. or 2000 mg/kg i.p.) of EEOH. The extract doses of 250, 500 or 750 mg/kg revealed a significant inhibitory effect (P < 0,01) in carrageenin-induced rat paw oedema and exhibited ulcer-protective properties against ethanol-induced ulceration in rats. An anti-diarrhoeal activity (P < 0.01) was also observed in castor-oil-induced diarrhoeal in mice. The intestinal transit was significantly (P < 0.01) reduced, however the pretreatment did not reduce the weight of intestinal contents. These results support the popular applications of Maytenus rigida for the treatment of inflammation, ulcer and diarrhoea in Brazil herbal traditional medicine.

Brine shrimp bioassay of some species of Solanum from Northestern Brazil

The methanolic extracts of 13 Specieis of the genus Solanum (Solanaceae) have been tested for bioactivity in Artemia salina. The extracts investigated were prepared from various parts (aerial parts, roots and fruits) of S. asperum, S. capsicoides, S. palinacantum, S. paludosum, S. paniculatum, S. paraibanum, S. sisymbriifolium, S. crinitum, S. diamantinense, S. megalonyx, S. torvum, S. asterophorum and S. stipulaceum. The lethal concentrations were determined for the extracts and among thirteen plants tested, four appear to be inactive. The extracts of the fruits of S. asperum (LC50 = 420.5 µg/mL) and S. paludosum (LC50 = 548.0 µg/mL), aerial parts of S. diamantinense (LC50 = 481.0 µg/mL) and S. sisymbrifolium (LC50 = 382.7 µg/mL), and the roots of S. asperum (LC50 = 593.4 µg/mL) and S. stipulaceum (LC50 = 823.1 µg/mL), all of which previously showed molluscicidal activity against Biomphalaria glabrata were also found to be active in the present study with brine shrimp.

Alcaloides e outros constituintes de Xylopia langsdorffiana (Annonaceae)

The phytochemical investigation of Xylopia langsdorffiana led to the isolation of corytenchine, xylopinine, discretamine, xylopine, ent-atisan-16α-hydroxy-18-oic acid, 132 (S) hydroxy-173-ethoxyphaephorbide and quercetin-3-α-rhamnoside. Their structures were assigned based on spectroscopic analyses, including two-dimensional NMR techniques. Antioxidant activities of discretamine were measured using the 1,2-diphenyl- 2-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging assay.

Ocorrência de flavonas, flavonóis e seus glicosídeos em espécies do gênero Solanum (Solanaceae)

During the last decades several flavonoids of Solanum species have been isolated. This review describes the flavones, flavonols and their glycosides presently known as constituents of Solanum species.

Composição química e modulação da resistência bacteriana a drogas do óleo essencial das folhas de Rollinia leptopetala R. E. Fries

The essential oil from the leaves of Rollinia leptopetala was obtained by hydrodistillation in Clevengers apparatus and its chemical composition was analyzed by GC-MS. With this technique could be identified 22 constituents in a complex mixture of monoterpenes (54.5%) and sesquiterpenes (45.5%). The main component found in the leaves was the bicyclogermacrene (22.47%). The essential oil was assayed against a strain of Staphylococcus aureus possessing efflux mechanism of resistance to norfloxacin. Although the essential oil did not display relevant antibacterial activity in vitro, it modulated the activity of the norfloxacin, i.e. in combination with the antibiotic it was observed a fourfold reduction in the minimum inhibitory concentration for norfloxacin, indicating inhibition of efflux pump.