Silvia Erazo

Active constituents isolated from Psoralea glandulosa L. with antiinflammatory and antipyretic activities

The antiinflammatory and antipyretic activities of the petroleum ether extract (PEE), dichloromethane extract (DME) and methanol extract (ME1) of the aerial part of Psoralea glandulosa L. (Papilionaceae) were studied. The bioactivity-guided fractionation of the active extracts yielded the isolation of bakuchiol (Bk) from the petroleum ether as the active compound, cyclobakuchiols A and B (Cbk), and angelicin (Ang) from DME.

Effect of bakuchiol on leukocyte functions and some inflammatory responses in mice

The effects of bakuchiol, a meroterpenoid isolated from the leaves of Psoralea glandulosa L., on phospholipase A2 (PLA2) activity from different sources, human neutrophil responses, zymosan air pouch and topical inflammation in mice, were investigated.

Active metabolites from Dunalia spinosa resinous exudates.

Dunalia spinosa, a plant used in folk medicine for toothaches, breathing problems and cleansing wounds, was found active as antimicrobial and antioxidant. A new (E)-aurone rutinoside (dunaurone) has been isolated from the aerial parts of the plant, and its structure was determined by spectroscopic means. Lupeol, ß-sitosterol, scopoletin, quercetin and withaferin A were also found. All the extracts exhibited strong antimicrobial activity while dunaurone showed only weak antimicrobial inhibition against Klebsiella pneumoniae; in addition it presented a significant free radical scavenging activity.

Pharmaco-toxicological study of Kageneckia oblonga, Rosaceae

The probable antipyretic, antiinflammatory, analgesic and antioxidant properties of Kageneckia oblonga, Rosaceae, were investigated and the major compounds of its active extracts were isolated. The study comprised the acute toxicity of the extracts of global methanol, hexane, dichloromethane and methanol. The cytotoxicity of global methanol extract was studied in three tumoral cell lines. All the extracts exhibited the pharmacological activities under study. Methanol and dichloromethane were the most toxic extracts. From the global methanol extract, isolations were performed of prunasin, 23,24- dihydro-cucurbitacin F, and a new cucurbitacin, 3β-(β-d-glucosyloxy)-16α,23α-epoxycucurbita-5,24-diene-11-one. The cytotoxicity of both cucurbitacins on human neutrophils at the assayed concentrations was not statistically significant. In-vitro assays showed that both cucurbitacins can be partly responsible for the analgesic, antipyretic, and anti-inflammatory activities. Evaluation was done of the cytotoxicity of global methanol extract, 23, 24-dihydrocucurbitacin F, aqueous extracts and prunasin against P-388 murine leukaemia, A-549 human lung carcinoma and HT-29 colon carcinoma. Since global methanol extract presented a strong cytotoxicity against P-388 murine leukaemia, A-549 human lung carcinoma, and HT-29 cell lines, it is highly probable that this extract contain one or more cytotoxic compounds that could be investigated for their potential use as an agent against cancer.

Biological activities and metabolites from Trevoa trinervis Miers

Chilean folklore medicine uses Trevoa trinervis Miers. (Rhamnaceae), ‘trevo’, for the treatment of inflammation caused by wounds and burns. The antiinflammatory and antipyretic activities of crude methanol, aqueous and successive hexane, dichloromethane, methanol extracts of the aerial part were studied. The fractionation of the most potent extract (dichloromethane), led to the isolation of the pentacyclic triterpenoids betulinic (the major metabolite), oleanolic and ursolic acids, along with β‐sitosterol. Evaluation of the acute oral toxicity of the crude methanol extract showed it to be nontoxic. The crude methanol and the aqueous extracts were assayed for their antineoplastic activity against P‐388 murine leukaemia, A‐549 human lung carcinoma and HT‐29 colon carcinoma showing no activity. Betulinic acid was also assayed showing some activity against the neoplastic cell lines, but only residual activity against Mel‐28 melanona cells.

Antimicrobial Activity of Isopteropodine

Bioassay-directed fractionation for the determination of antimicrobial activity of Uncaria tomentosa, has led to the isolation of isopteropodine (0.3%), a known Uncaria pentacyclic oxindol alkaloid that exhibited antibacterial activity against Gram positive bacteria.

ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITY OF PSORALEA GLANDULOSA L.

AbstractAntimicrobial activity of leaf extracts of Psoralea glandulosa L. (Papilionaceae) is reported. This study was carried out on the extracts and on the plants most abundant metabolite, bakuchiol. Antimicrobial activity against Gram. positive bacteria was observed. Bioautographic assays showed that bakuchiol was the compound responsible for this activity.

Constituents and biological activities from Muehlenbeckia hastulata

Muehlenbeckia hastulata (J. E.Sm.) Johnst. used mainly for its abortive properties was found active for oxytoxic and analgesic activities in a biological activity screening (oxytoxic, analgesic, antimicrobial, cytotoxic and xanthine oxidase assay). Epicatechin, emodin-8-glycoside and rutin were isolated from the aerial part and the root of the plant.

A new cucurbitacin glycoside from Kageneckia oblonga (Rosaceae).

Abstract A novel cucurbitacin glycoside has been isolated from aerial parts of Kageneckia oblonga R. et P. and shown to be 3β-(β-D-glucosyloxy)-16α,23α-epoxycucurbita-5,24-dien-11-one. The structure was established by usual spectroscopic and two-dimensional (2D ) NMR techniques. This compound has found to be nontoxic when tested in-vivo cell culture assays. In previous investigations we reported 23,24-dihydrocucurbitacin F and prunasine. This was the first report on cucurbitacins from the genus Kageneckia (Rosaceae).

Biological and chemical study of paico (Chenopodium chilense, Chenopodiaceae)

The methanolic extract of the aerial portion of Chenopodium chilense Schrad., used in Chilean traditional medicine as a remedy for stomach-ache, has been found to exert the major spasmolytic activity in acetylcholine contracted rat ileum. This extract, with a complex flavonoid patterns on thin layer chromatography (TLC) analysis, is practically non-toxic both for rats and brine shrimp Artemia salina in acute toxicity test.