Miriam Falkenberg

Antiviral activity of south Brazilian medicinal plant extracts.

Brazilian plants are potential sources of useful edible and medicinal plants. Hydromethanolic extracts prepared from 54 medicinal plants used in folk medicine to treat infections were screened for antiviral properties against five different viruses (HSV-1, HSV-2, poliovirus type 2, adenovirus type 2 and VSV). Fifty-two percent of the plant extracts exhibited antiviral against one or more tested viruses. More specifically, 42.6% showed activity against HSV-1 (herpes simplex virus type 1), 42.6% against HSV-2 (herpes simplex virus type 2), 26% against poliovirus and 24% against VSV (vesicular stomatitis virus). None of the extracts was active against adenovirus. Trixis praestans (Vell.) Cabr. and Cunila spicata Benth. extracts were further characterized for antiviral activity.

Anti-tumour effects of elatol, a marine derivative compound obtained from red algae Laurencia microcladia.

Objectives  This paper aims to evaluate the anti‐tumour properties of elatol, a compound (sesquiterpene) isolated from algae Laurencia microcladia.

Triagem de glicolipídios em plantas medicinais

Os extratos obtidos pela maceracao em CHCl3/MeOH (2:1) de 8 amostras de especies medicinais e 11 amostras comerciais de chas foram analisados por cromatografia em camada delgada (CCD). Glicolipidios foram detectados em todas as amostras, porem com diferencas quali-quantitativas. Para as plantas medicinais, a maior concentracao de glicolipidios foi detectada em Lippia alba e Cymbopogon citratus, enquanto em amostras comerciais, o melhor perfil glicolipidico foi encontrado nos extratos de C. citratus e Baccharis trimera.

Avaliação de extratos de macroalgas bênticas do litoral catarinense utilizando o teste de letalidade para Artemia salina

Samples of 19 macroalgae species (4 Chlorophyta, 5 Phaeophyta and 10 Rhodophyta) have been collected from two points of Santa Catarinas coast. The ethanolic extracts were avaluated with the brine shrimp assay in order to perform a screening for potential toxicity. A total of 25 extracts presented significant results in one or more of the tested concentrations. The phylum Rhodophyta presented more statistically significant results with the chi-square test, as well as lower values of LC50. The extracts of Acanthophora spicifera (from Canasvieiras and Ilha do Frances), Hypnea musciformis and Pterocladiella capillacea (both from Ilha do Frances) presented LC50 below 50 mg/mL. Differences between the species of same genus (Codium decorticatum and Codium isthmocladium) and the influence of environmental factors (Hypnea musciformis) were observed.

Produção de óleos essenciais em plantas de Mentha x piperita L. var. piperita (Lamiaceae) submetidas a diferentes níveis de luz e nutrição do substrato

Mentha x piperita L. var. piperita (mint pepper) is utilized due to the presence of essential oils, mainly because of the component menthol produced in glandular trichomes. The influence of light intensity and substratum fertility was evaluated on the amount produced and quality of the essential oil. The light intensities utilized were 100%, 70% and 50% of the total solar light and two levels of nutrition of the substratum were applied (forest soil and forest soil with addition of organic fertilizer. The high light intensity and the addition of fertilizer favored the growth in biomass, influencing in this sense the production of the essential oil per plant. The light intensity and the addition of fertilizer influenced the oil quality, showing the plants under full sun light and fertilization with higher menthol content than plants in shadow or without fertilization. Menthol was the major component of the essential oil.

Screening of Brazilian plants for the presence of peroxides

Chloroform or dichloromethane extracts of 357 southern Brazilian plant species were tested for the presence of peroxides by thinlayer chromatography, using the spray reagent from Huber & Frohlke. From the species tested, 71 (20%) showed positive results and most of them (56%) are Asteraceae species. The species tested were mainly from Asteraceae, but 55 more families were screened, in a total of 77 genera surveyed.

O uso das plantas medicinais sob prescrição médica: pontos de diálogo e controvérsias com o uso popular

Medicinal plants are being used in different contexts as a therapeutic resource. Some times the scientific knowledge is in conflict whit popular knowledge, but in another occasions we found a dialogue between them. In this study, where analyzed the talks of participants in three events about medicinal plants in State of Parana (Brazil) in the year of 1999. We observed that in those events, although controversies/conflicts exist between representatives of popular and scientific knowledge, a dialogue is happening, trying to reach a safe and efficient medicine to population.

Comparação de bulas de duas marcas de tiras reagentes utilizadas no exame químico de urina

INTRODUCAO: O exame de urina proporciona informacoes sobre patologias renais e do trato urinario, bem como algumas molestias extra-renais. Usualmente o exame quimico de urina e feito com tiras reagentes, objetivando tornar a determinacao mais rapida, simples e economica. OBJETIVOS: Comparar bulas de duas marcas de tiras amplamente utilizadas em laboratorios de urinalise (Roche Combur10 Test® UX e Bayer Multistix® 10 SG). MATERIAL E METODO: Compararam-se as bulas quanto aos principios utilizados nas determinacoes de pH, proteinas, glicose, cetonas, hemoglobina, bilirrubina, urobilinogenio, nitrito, densidade e leucocitos, alem das informacoes sobre possiveis interferencias. RESULTADOS: Foram verificadas diferencas nos reagentes utilizados para deteccao dos parâmetros, como e o caso do urobilinogenio (a tira Multistix usa o reagente de Ehrlich, menos especifico e mais propenso a interferencias analiticas que o sal de diazonio derivado de metoxibenzeno, utilizado na tira Roche); para nitrito, proteina, glicose, bilirrubina e hemoglobina as diferencas foram mais sutis. DISCUSSAO: Detectou-se diversidade de informacoes quanto a possiveis interferentes, o que talvez possa ser justificado parcialmente pelas diferencas nos reagentes. Tambem foram verificadas diferencas nas informacoes sobre interferencias de um idioma para outro, destacando-se a omissao de algumas delas na bula em portugues. Observou-se grande disparidade na avaliacao da intensidade da reacao e sua expressao em cruzes, como, por exemplo, no parâmetro glicose, o que pode levar a erros na interpretacao do laudo laboratorial. CONCLUSAO: As observacoes registradas reforcam a importância de padronizacoes no exame parcial de urina.Background: The urinalysis provides information about renal and urinary diseases, as well as about some extra renal diseases. The chemical examination of urine is done with reagent strips, which allows a quick, simple and economic analyze. Objectives: To compare drug labelings of two marks of reagent strips in urinalysis (Roche Combur10 Test® UX and Bayer Multistix® 10 SG). Material and Method: The principles of pH, protein, glucose, ketone bodies, hemoglobin, bilirubin, urobilinogen, nitrite, specific gravity and leukocytes determinations, as well as the information about possible interferences were compared. Results: There were differences in the detection’s reagents of some parameters, like urobilinogen (The Ehrlich’s reagent present in Multistix is less specific and more propense to analytical interferences than diazonium salt derived of methoxybenzene, used by Roche strip); the differences in the reagents used for nitrite, protein, glucose, bilirubin and hemoglobin determinations were relatively subtle. Discussion: There was diversity of information about the potential interferences, which could be justified (at least partially) by differences in the reagents. Differences in the information about interferences had been detected between Spanish and Portuguese versions in the same product labeling, like the omission of some interferences in the product labeling in Portuguese. Great disparity in the reaction’s intensity and its expression in crosses were observed (e.g. for glucose), and it could lead to misunderstanding in the interpretation of laboratorial findings. Conclusion: These data reinforce the importance of standardizations in the urinalysis. Urinalysis

Análise cromatográfica de fitoterápicos a base de espinheira-santa (Maytenus ilicifolia)

Na analise por CCD de fitoterapicos a base de espinheira-santa (Maytenus ilicifolia Martius ex Reissek (Celastraceae), dentre oito amostras analisadas, em apenas tres delas foi identificada a presenca de M.ilicifolia. Nas cinco amostras restantes, foram identificadas a presenca de Zollernia ilicifolia e Sorocea bonplandii, duas especies adulterantes. Em apenas uma das oito amostras foi constatada a ausencia dos adulterantes citados.

Identificação de marcadores cromatográficos de Zollernia ilicifolia e Sorocea bonplandii para o controle de qualidade de espinheira-santa

As analises cromatograficas comparativas entre Maytenus ilicifolia Martius ex Reissek (Celastraceae), utilizada na medicina popular para o tratamento de problemas gastricos e Zollernia ilicifolia (Brongniart) Vogel (Fabaceae) e Sorocea bonplandii (Baillon) Burger, Lanjouw & Boer (Moraceae) revelaram a presenca de uma substância marcadora para Z. ilicifolia e tres para S. bonplandii , que podem ser usadas no controle de qualidade por CCD de amostras vegetais e fitoterapicos a base de espinheira-santa.