Maria do Carmo Vieira

Baccharis trimera: effect on hematological and biochemical parameters and hepatorenal evaluation in pregnant rats.

AIM OF THE STUDY This investigation evaluated the effect of a hydroethanolic extract of Baccharis trimera on pregnant Wistar rats, once the plant is well-known consumed in pregnancy and little is known on its potentially toxic effects on pregnant women. MATERIAL AND METHODS Thirty-five female rats were distributed into three groups. Those in treatments 1 and 2 were given 8.4 mg/kg of the extract orally from gestational day (GD) 1 to 19 and from GD 6 to 15, respectively, whereas those in the control group received distilled water orally from GD 1 to 19. Body weights were recorded on GD 1, 6, 15, and 20. On GD 20 animals were anesthetized, blood samples were collected and maternal livers, kidneys, and spleens were weighed and processed for histological studies. RESULTS No clinical signs of maternal toxicity and no changes in hematological parameters were observed. Urea levels and kidney weights differed significantly between animals receiving treatment 1 and controls. Histopathological alterations were found in kidneys and livers in both treatment groups. CONCLUSIONS The hydroethanolic extract of Baccharis trimera administered to pregnant rats at 8.4 mg/kg was toxic to maternal kidney and liver cells, although such alterations are reversible once administration is discontinued.

Levantamento etnobotânico e caracterização de plantas medicinais em fragmentos florestais de Dourados-MS

Objetivou-se, neste estudo, coletar e identificar especies nativas consideradas medicinais em dois fragmentos florestais no municipio de Dourados-MS. Foram identificadas 37 especies distribuidas em 28 familias as quais foram indicadas pelos mateiros da regiao por serem utilizadas pela populacao como alternativa medicinal. Das familias identificadas, as que apresentaram maior numero de especies foram Piperaceae (10,8%), Moraceae (8,1%), Smilaceae (8,1%), Myrtaceae (5,4%) e Rubiacee (5,4%). O levantamento etnobotânico indicou 45 diferentes usos medicinais para as especies e as partes mais utilizadas para o preparo de remedios sao as folhas e cascas, sendo que as doencas para as quais houve maior numero de indicacoes foram reumatismo, disenteria, diabetes, febres, tosses e cicatrizacoes.

Antioxidant and Antihyperlipidemic Effects of Campomanesia adamantium O. Berg Root

Campomanesia adamantium O. Berg, popularly known as guavira, has been used in Brazilian traditional medicine for reduction of serum lipid. The present study was carried out to investigate the antioxidant and antihyperlipidemic effects of Campomanesia adamantium root aqueous extract (ExCA). Phenolic compounds were quantified in the ExCA and gallic and ellagic acids were identified by HPLC. ExCA showed efficiency in 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl free radical scavenging, with IC50 similar to butylhydroxytoluene control, and protected the erythrocytes against lipid peroxidation induced by 2,2′-azobis(2-methylpropionamidine) dihydrochloride, reducing generated malondialdehyde. Hyperlipidemic Wistar rats treated daily by gavage during eight weeks with ExCA (200 mg/kg of body weight) showed reduced serum level of total cholesterol and triglycerides, similar to normolipidemic rats and hyperlipidemic rats treated with simvastatin (30 mg/kg of body weight) and ciprofibrate (2 mg/kg of body weight). Moreover, the treatment with ExCA also decreased malondialdehyde serum level in the hyperlipidemic rats. The body weight and organ mass were unmodified by ExCA in hyperlipidemic rats, except an increase of liver mass; however, the hepatic enzymes, alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase, were unchanged. Together, these results confirm the potential value of Campomanesia adamantium root for lowering lipid peroxidation and lipid serum level, improving risk factors for cardiometabolic diseases development.

The flavonoid content and antiproliferative, hypoglycaemic, anti-inflammatory and free radical scavenging activities of Annona dioica St. Hill

BackgroundAnnona dioica St. Hill (Annonacaeae) is a Brazilian plant used in folk medicine for the treatment of several types of rheumatisms and diarrhoea. The focus of this work was to evaluate the in vitro antiproliferative and antioxidant activity and the in vivo hypoglycaemic and anti-inflammatory activity of A. dioica and identify the principal constituents of this plant.MethodsThe crude methanol extract (EAD) and hexane (HF), chloroform (CF), ethyl acetate (EAF) and hydromethanol fractions (HMF) were evaluated for free radical scavenging activity using the DPPH assay. The EAD and EAF were assayed for hypoglycaemic activity in rats. The EAD was tested in an antiproliferation assay and for anti-inflammatory effects in paw oedema, in addition to myeloperoxidase activity induced by carrageenan (Cg) in mice. The EAF was assayed using chromatographic methods.ResultsThe fractionation of the EAF through chromatographic methods identified derivatives of the flavonoids quercetin and kaempferol. Among all the tested fractions, the ethyl acetate and hydromethanol fractions were the most potent, exhibiting an IC50 of 8.53 and 10.57 μg/mL, respectively, which is comparable to that of the commercial antioxidant butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT). The oral administration of the EAD (100 mg/kg) and EAF (15 mg/kg) inhibited the increase of glucose levels, resulting in a hypoglycaemic effect. The EAD (30 to 300 mg/kg) exhibited an anti-oedematogenic effect in Cg-induced paw oedema in a time- and dose-dependent manner. The results showed a reduction of MPO activity by A. dioica 6 h after the induction of paw oedema at all doses tested with maximal inhibition at 300 mg/kg.ConclusionsOur results reveal for the first time that compounds contained in the A. dioica leaves exert anti-inflammatory, hypoglycaemic, antiproliferative, and antioxidant effects. The antioxidant activity may be associated with the presence of flavonoids.

Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) and evaluation of antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of essential oil of Campomanesia adamantium (Cambess.) O. Berg (Guavira)

The essential oils from Campomanesia adamantium (Cambess.) O. Berg leaves, collected in the reproductive (flowering and fruit-bearing) and vegetative stages, were characterized by GC-MS (Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry). A total of 95 compounds of the essential oils were identified. In the reproductive stage (flowering) the major constituents were monoterpenes (limonene, α-pinene and β-pinene) while during the vegetative stage the major constituents were the sesquiterpenes (bicyclogermacrene and globulol). The essential oil of the reproductive stage shows high antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Candida albicans, and all show moderate activity against Escherichia coli. The essential oils were also evaluated for their radical-scavenging activity by DPPH. The chemogeographical variations of the oil composition from the four distinct localities studied all contained α-pinene, β-pinene, limonene, linalool, β-caryophyllene, germacrene D and bicyclogermacrene, however the samples from Jardim city contained neither limonene nor linalool.

Anti-inflammatory effects and acute toxicity of hydroethanolic extract of Jacaranda decurrens roots in adult male rats

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Jacaranda decurrens subsp. symmetrifoliolata Farias and Proença (Bignoniaceae) is a species traditionally used for the treatment of inflammatory diseases. However, until this moment, there is no scientific evidence of these effects. AIM OF STUDY To evaluate the anti-inflammatory effects of hydroethanolic root extract of Jacaranda decurrens in rats and to determine the safe of this plant after acute exposure. MATERIALS AND METHODS The acute toxicity of Jacaranda decurrens root extract (EJD) was evaluated by oral administration to male rats as single doses of 0; 500; 1000 or 2000 mg/kg body weight. General behavior and toxic symptoms were observed for 14 days. The anti-inflammatory activity was evaluated in carrageenan-induced inflammatory paw edema and myeloperoxidase activity in male rats. RESULTS No signs of acute toxicity were observed, indicating that the LD(50) is greater than 2000 mg/kg. EJD (100 and 300 mg/kg) significantly reduced edema formation and at higher dose, the reduction was similar to dexamethasone. A significant decrease in myeloperoxidase activity was also observed. CONCLUSIONS The present study shows that Jacaranda decurrens extract has anti-inflammatory properties in rats without causing acute toxicity. These properties observed may be due to the presence of bioactive constituents such as ursolic acid.

Evaluation of Antioxidant Activity, Total Flavonoids, Tannins and Phenolic Compounds in Psychotria Leaf Extracts

The antioxidant activity of Psychotria carthagenensis, P. leiocarpa, P. capillacea and P. deflexa (Rubiaceae) extracts were investigated, and the concentrations of total phenolics, flavonoids, condensed tannins and flavonols were determined. The chemical compositions of the extracts were investigated using the high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC/PAD) method. We used 1,1-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl free radical (DPPH), β-Carotene bleaching and 2,2-azinobis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) radical cations to determine antioxidant activity. The ability to scavenge radical was measured in these experiments by the discoloration of the solution. Concentrations of constituents were measured spectrophotometrically. P. carthagenensis and P. capillacea exhibited the highest antioxidant activity, in the DPPH test, β-carotene bleaching and ABTS system. The highest phenolic, flavonoid, condensed tannin and flavonol concentration was found in P. carthagenensis and P. capillacea extracts. HPLC-PDA analysis of P. carthagenensis and P. capillacea revealed hydroxycinnamic acid (p-coumaric acid). This is the first report on the antioxidant properties and constituent analysis of these Psychotria extracts.

Produção de biomassa de Pfaffia glomerata (Spreng.) Pedersen e Plantago major L. em cultivo solteiro e consorciado

O objetivo do trabalho foi avaliar a capacidade produtiva da Pfaffia glomerata (Spreng.) Pedersen e de Plantago major L., em cultivo solteiro e consorciado. Os tratamentos em estudo foram tres e quatro fileiras de plantas de tansagem por canteiro, duas fileiras de fafia espacadas de 36 cm ou de 54 cm, tres fileiras de tansagem alternadas com duas fileiras de fafia (36 cm)-T3F36 e quatro fileiras de tansagem alternadas com duas fileiras de fafia (54 cm)-T4F54. Foi utilizado o delineamento blocos casualizados, com quatro repeticoes. Os espacamentos entre plantas foram de 40 cm para fafia e de 30 cm para tansagem. O tipo de cultivo e os espacamentos entre fileiras nao influenciaram significativamente a producao de massa fresca e seca da parte aerea e das raizes da fafia. Na tansagem foi observado efeito significativo da forma de cultivo em todas as caracteristicas avaliadas e do numero de fileiras para o numero de pendoes. As alturas maximas das plantas de fafia foram de 185 cm e 183 cm, aos 172 e 164 dias apos o transplante, sob cultivo solteiro, nos espacamentos de 54 cm e 36 cm, respectivamente. A razao de area equivalente (RAE), para o consorcio T3F36 foi de 1,07 e para o T4F54 foi de 1,50. No caso de recomendacao agronomica, optar-se-ia pelo consorcio T4F54.

In vitro biological screening of the anticholinesterase and antiproliferative activities of medicinal plants belonging to Annonaceae

The aim of this research was to investigate the antiproliferative and anticholinesterase activities of 11 extracts from 5 Annonaceae species in vitro. Antiproliferative activity was assessed using 10 human cancer cell lines. Thin-layer chromatography and a microplate assay were used to screen the extracts for acetylcholinesterase (AchE) inhibitors using Ellmans reagent. The chemical compositions of the active extracts were investigated using high performance liquid chromatography. Eleven extracts obtained from five Annonaceae plant species were active and were particularly effective against the UA251, NCI-470 lung, HT-29, NCI/ADR, and K-562 cell lines with growth inhibition (GI50) values of 0.04-0.06, 0.02-0.50, 0.01-0.12, 0.10-0.27, and 0.02-0.04 µg/mL, respectively. In addition, the Annona crassiflora and A. coriacea seed extracts were the most active among the tested extracts and the most effective against the tumor cell lines, with GI50 values below 8.90 µg/mL. The A. cacans extract displayed the lowest activity. Based on the microplate assay, the percent AchE inhibition of the extracts ranged from 12 to 52%, and the A. coriacea seed extract resulted in the greatest inhibition (52%). Caffeic acid, sinapic acid, and rutin were present at higher concentrations in the A. crassiflora seed samples. The A. coriacea seeds contained ferulic and sinapic acid. Overall, the results indicated that A. crassiflora and A. coriacea extracts have antiproliferative and anticholinesterase properties, which opens up new possibilities for alternative pharmacotherapy drugs.

Modelagem matemática e difusividade efetiva de folhas de aroeira durante a secagem

The drying process of agricultural products is extensively used worldwide for controlling and maintaining their quality. For medicinal and aromatic plants, this importance increases even more. Thus, this study aimed at evaluating the drying kinetics of Schinus terebinthifolius Raddi leaves, as well as adjusting different mathematical models to the experimental values of moisture ratio. The leaves were harvested with initial moisture content of approximately 65% (w.b.) and submitted to the drying process under controlled conditions of temperature (40oC, 50oC, 60oC and 70oC), up to the approximate moisture content of 10% (w.b.). Six mathematical models were adjusted to the experimental data cited at the specific literature and used to predict the drying process of agricultural products. According to the results obtained, it was concluded that the modified Henderson & Pabis and Midilli models were the ones that best represented the drying kinetics of S . terebinthifolius leaves. The temperature increase of the drying air promoted a higher rate of water removal from the product. The effective diffusion coefficient increased with the temperature elevation, and its relation to the drying temperature fitted the Arrhenius equation, which presented activation energy for the liquid diffusion, during the drying process, of 74.96 kJ mol -1 , for S . terebinthifolius leaves.