Ricardo Tabach

Antiulcer effect of the pepper trees Schinus terebinthifolius Raddi (aroeira-da-praia) and Myracrodruon urundeuva Allemão, Anacardiaceae (aroeira-do-sertão)

Schinus terebinthifolius Raddi and the Myracrodruon urundeuva Allemao were evaluated in rats and mice for antiulcer effects, as these two plants are widely used in Brazil for gastric ulcer treatment. Extracts of the plants showed a marked protective effect against gastric ulcerations induced by immobilization stress at low temperature in rats. They also showed an increase in the pH and volume of the gastric contents, and reduction in gastric hemorrhage in rats, and decrease in intestinal transit in mice, even at the low doses of 3.4 mg/kg (1/4 of the dose used by humans).

Use of anorectic amphetamine-like drugs by Brazilian women.

The history of anorectic drug use was investigated in 2370 subjects in São Paulo and Brasília cities. Socio-demographic data and the number of previous treatments to lose weight were obtained. When the last treatment was drug-based, the substance(s) used, its duration, the occurrence of adverse reactions, and whether it was adequate were studied. There was a prevalence of female patients, 92.7%, in both cities and as many as 72.4% of them had already undergone from 1 to >10 previous treatments. Out of those patients, 75.37% had undergone pharmacological treatment, 79.2% of those with amphetamine-like anorectic drugs. Treatment was longer than 3 months in half of the cases, and 60% of the subjects had a Body Mass Index below 29.9. Over 50% of the subjects was given amphetamine-like drugs through compounded formulas containing four or more substances, which had been specifically tailored by the doctor for each patient. On the other hand, 86.3% of all the subjects reported adverse reactions to the amphetamine-like drugs, 37.4% of them sought medical advice, and 3.9% required hospitalization. In conclusion, the use of amphetamine-like drugs in Brazil is particularly prevalent among women and this use is strongly related to the culture of slimness as a symbol of beauty.

Chemical composition of hydroethanolic extracts from five species of the Passiflora genus

The diversified genus Passiflora is well distributed all over Brazil, and many species have been long used as medicinal plants, mainly against anxiety disturbances. This effect has been attributed to its rich flavonoid composition. Flavonoids’ main class, flavonoid glycosides, has presented central action, particularly as sedative-hypnotic, anxiolytic and analgesic. The objective of the present study was to make a phytochemical screening of five little studied Passiflora species, in order to evaluate their phenolic composition. For this aim, HPLC-DAD-ESI-MS/MS was used. After the preparation of the hydroalcoholic extracts, each species was evaluated by direct injection electrospray ionization (ESI) and tandem mass spectrometry. Although belonging to the same genus, the composition of each species presented particularities; this justifies the importance of studies aiming for the phenolic composition of different Passiflora species. Flavones C-glycosides were detected in all extracts, and are found as the main constituents in P. vitifolia, P. coccinea, P. bahiensis and P. sidifolia. In this last one, flavone-6,8-di-C-glycoside, apigenin-6-C-rhamnosyl-8-C-arabinoside are present in high content. Cyclopassiflosides were found in high content together with cyanogenic glycosides in P. quadrangularis, while in P. coccinea, besides flavones-C-glycosides were also found procyanidins.

Preclinical toxicological assessment of a phytotherapeutic product--CPV (based on dry extracts of Crataegus oxyacantha L., Passiflora incarnata L., and Valeriana officinalis L.).

Associations of plants have been widely used, for centuries, in Ayurveda and in Chinese medicine and have been increasingly acknowledged in Western medicine. The objective of this study is to assess the level of toxicity of an association of three plants: Crataegus oxyacantha, Passiflora incarnata, and Valeriana officinalis (CPV extract). This association was administered to rats, mice, and dogs, both acute and chronically for 180 days. The tests used in the acute experiments were: observational pharmacological screening, LD50, motor coordination and motor activity. Chronic tests carried out were: weight gain/loss and behavioral parameters in rats and in mice; estrus cycle, effects on fertility, and teratogenic studies in rats and of mutagenic features in mice, in addition to the Ames test. The following parameters were assessed in dogs: weight gain/loss, general physical conditions, water/food consumption and anatomopathological examination of the organs subsequent to the 180 days of treatment. All of the results were negative, showing that CPV administered in high doses and over a long period of time presents no toxicity, suggestive of the fact that this is an association devoid of risk for human beings. Copyright

Plants With Possible Anxiolytic and/or Hypnotic Effects Indicated by Three Brazilian Cultures - Indians, Afro-Brazilians, and River-Dwellers

Abstract This study shows that, in spite of the great biological and cultural potential in Brazil, there is, even today, no phytomedicines originating from this flora, as an alternative to allopathic anxiolytics and hypnotics prescribed by psychiatry. Thirty-nine plants with potential anxiolytic effects and 28 hypnotics were indicated in the course of ethnopharmacological surveys carried out with Afro-Brazilians and/or Quilombolas, the Caboclo population (river-dwellers), and Indians in Brazil. Practically no pharmacological studies have been found in the scientific literature as evidence of their popular use. From the phytochemical point of view, it is of interest to observe that flavonoids, essential oils, phenolic acids, and alkaloids are the chemical constituents predominantly present in these species, both in those indicated as anxiolytic, and the hypnotic.

Bitter acids from hydroethanolic extracts of Humulus lupulus L., Cannabaceae, used as anxiolytic

Humulus lupulus L., Cannabaceae, e usada como sedativo e ansiolitico na medicina popular. O metodo de HPLC-DAD-ESI-MSn representa uma ferramenta poderosa para a analise de produtos naturais, desde que ela fornece o espectro de UV e informacoes estruturais sobre os constituintes da mistura. O objetivo deste trabalho foi o de caracterizar os constituintes encontrados no extrato hidroalcoolico. Os constituintes 1-9 foram tentativamente caracterizados atraves do UV/DAD e ionizacao por electrospray (MS/MS) depois da separacao usando fase reversa, tempo de retencao e dados da literatura. Os principais compostos fenolicos (baseados na area dos picos) foram caracterizados como acido hulupinico (9), coulupona (8), dois alfa-acidos amargos oxidados (principais constituintes), um deles sendo um derivado da coumulinona oxidada (5) e o outro um derivado da humulinona oxidada (7), junto com uma procianidina B (3) e os flavonoides rutina (4) e o canferol-7-O-rutinosideo (6). Esta planta conhecida devido as suas propriedades ansioliticas e por ser um componente da cerveja, mostrou derivados oxidados de alfa-acidos, como principais constituintes do extrato hidroalcoolico.

Constituents from Maytenus ilicifolia leaves and bioguided fractionation for gastroprotective activity

Maytenus ilicifolia Mart. ex Reissek is traditionally used in Brazil for treatment of gastric ulcers. Here we report the phytochemical investigation of an ethanol extract of M. ilicifolia leaves (EEMIL) aiming at the isolation of constituents which were used as chemical markers to monitor an activity-guided fractionation of a lyophilized aqueous extract of M. ilicifolia leaves (LAEMIL). From EEMIL, four flavonoids were isolated, namely the tri-flavonoid glycosides mauritianin (1), trifolin, (2) hyperin (4), and epi-catechin (5). Fractionation of LAEMIL led to 5 fractions which afforded the tetra-glycoside kaempferol derivative (3), and galactitol (6). LAEMIL and its fractions were evaluated in rats for their effects on gastric secretion volume and pH. HPLC (High Performance Liquid Chromatography) analysis revealed that only fractions containing the tri- and tetra-flavonoid glycosides 1 and 3 caused significant increase of gastric volume and pH, thus indicating that these glycosides play an important role on the gastroprotective effect of M.ilicifolia leaves.

Pharmacological evaluation of a phytotherapeutic product - CPV (dry extract of Crataegus oxyacantha L., Passiflora incarnata L. and Valeriana officinalis L.) in laboratory animals

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the central effects of the phytotherapeutic product-CPV (dry extract of Crataegus oxyacantha, Passiflora incarnata and Valeriana officinalis) in animals models. In order to investigate the psychopharmacological profile of CPV extract, an evaluation toward anxiolytic effect of this extract on the elevated plus-maze (EPM) was carried out. Other effects such as neuroleptic (blockade of the stereotyped behavior induced by apomorphine), analgesic (hot plate; acetic acid writhing and tail-flick tests) and on the memory (passive avoidance test) were also analyzed. CPV extract (430 and 860 mg/ kg) presented an anxiolytic effect on rats (increased the number of entries into the open arms in the EPM) and, furthermore, a tendency of slight amnesic effect for the doses (430 and 860 mg/kg), but less intense when compared to diazepam (1.5 mg/kg). The extract did not show neuroleptic or analgesic effects.

Effects of a hydroalcoholic extract of Turnera diffusa Willd. ex Schult., Turneraceae, in tests for adaptogenic activity

The objective of the present study was to assess whether Turnera diffusa Willd. ex Schult., Turneraceae, (TD), plant known in popular medicine as tonic and aphrodisiac, has other effects that are characteristic of an adaptogen substance, such as improvement of the memory and reduction of the damage caused by stress. We carried out an initial screening to detect a possible toxicity of the plant. In that phase of the study we used tests of observational screening; evaluation of acute toxicity; measurement of motor activity and motor coordination, and sleeping time induced by pentobarbital, and observed that the extract presented low toxicity and no stimulant or depressant effect on the animals. We then performed specific tests for the evaluation of an adaptogen effect. TD did not protect the stomach of the animals from the formation of ulcers, neither did it alter the plasmatic levels of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and corticosterone of the animals submitted to immobilization and cold. As regards the evaluation of memory in passive avoidance, TD did not inhibit scopolamine-induced amnesia. Additionally, the hydroalcoholic extract presented low antioxidant activity in vitro. In the models used, TD produced no changes in relation to a possible adaptogen effect.

Saponins, tannins and flavonols found in hydroethanolic extract from Periandra dulcis roots

Periandra dulcis Mart. ex Benth. Fabaceae (Syn.: P. mediterranea (Vell.) Taub.) is native to the northern and middle parts of Brazil. In Brazilian ethnomedicine, their roots are used as anti inflammatory, expectorant, diuretic and laxative. An HPLC-ESI-MS/MS system was employed to provide a rapid method to make a tentative characterization of the compounds found in the hydroethanolic extract from P. dulcis roots. The structures of sixteen compounds found in this hydroethanolic extract were suggested mainly by MS data conjugated with the UVDAD spectra, reference compounds and available mass spectra data in literature. Saponin derivatives of hederagenin and soyasapogenol E, such as hederagenin-3-O-rhamnosyl glucosyl glucuronide, soyasapogenol E-3-O-rhamnosyl glucosyl glucuronide and periandrin isomers were found as the main constituents, with a minor content of flavonols quercetin and myricetin glycosides derivatives and hydrolysable tannins, such as dihexahydroxydiphenoyl galloyl glucoside and trisgalloyl hexahydroxydiphenoyl glucose. To the best of our knowledge, with exception of periandrins found in the roots, nothing has been published about the chemical composition of P. dulcis..