Helicteres sacarolha A. St.- Hil. et al.: gastroprotective and possible mechanism of actions in experimental animals

AbstractEthnopharmacological relevanceHelicteres sacarolha A. St.- Hil. et al. popularly known in Brazil as ‘semente-de-macaco’, is widely employed in the popular medicine in many of parts of Brazil in the alleviation of symptoms of ailments such as peptic ulcer and inflammation. Up to the present, there is no study addressing the gastroprotective activity of the hydroethanolic extract of H. sacarolha and its possible mechanism of actions.Materials and methodsThe hydroethanolic (70%) extract of H. sacarolha (HEHs) was obtained by maceration. The gastroprotective activity was assessed using gastric ulcer models induced by acidified ethanol, piroxicam, and water restraint stress in mice and rats at doses of 20, 50 and 250mg/kg p.o. Mechanistic studies involved the antisecretory assay evaluated with pylorus ligation in rats and pre-treatments with appropriate antagonists/inhibitors such as yohimbine, glibenclamide, indomethacin and l-NAME, effect on catalase and myeloperoxidase activities and gastric mucus determination using acidified ethanol- induced ulcer in mice.ResultsHEHs at all doses tested demonstrated potent gastroprotective activities in the acute ulcer models. The gastroprotective activity of HEHs was attenuated by pre-treatments with yohimbine, glibenclamide, indomethacin and l-NAME. HEHs effectively reduced basal gastric juice production without any effect on the free and total acidity. The gastroprotective action of HEHs involved increasing the antioxidant enzyme catalase and mucus secretion and inhibition of neutrophyl infiltration as reflected by the reduction in the myeloperoxidase activity.ConclusionThe results of this study gave a scientific support for the popular use of the leaves of H. sacarolha in the treatment of gastric ulcers and that it has a multi-targeted action

Pharmacological mechanisms underlying the anti-ulcer activity of methanol extract and canthin-6-one of Simaba ferruginea A. St-Hil. in animal models

AbstractRelevanceSimaba ferruginea A. St-Hil. (Simaroubaceae) is a subshrub typical of the Brazilian Cerrado, whose rhizomes are popularly used as infusion or decoction for the treatment of gastric ulcers, diarrhea and fever.Aim of the studyTo evaluate the pharmacological mechanism(s) of action of the antiulcer effects of the methanol extract of Simaba ferruginea and its alkaloid canthin-6-one.Materials and methodsRhizome of Simaba ferruginea was macerated with methanol to obtain the methanol extract (MESf) from which was obtained, the chloroform fraction. Canthin-6-one alkaloid (Cant) was purified and then isolated from the chloroform fraction (CFSf). The isolated Cant was identified by HPLC. Anti-ulcer assays were determined using ethanol and indomethacin-induced ulcer models in mice and rats respectively. In order to determine the probable mechanisms of actions of MESf and Cant animals were pretreated with l-NAME prior to anti-ulcer agent treatments and ulcer induction and nitric oxide (NO) level determined in order to assess NO involvement in the gastroprotective effects. Assays of malondialdehyde (MDA), myeloperoxidase (MPO), pro-inflammatory cytokines: interleukin 8 (IL-8) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) were also carried out according to previously described methods.ResultsThe results indicate that the antiulcerogenic effects of MESf and Cant in ethanol-induced ulcer is mediated in part through increase in the production of protective endogenous NO as the antiulcerogenic activity of MESf and Cant was reduced in animals pre-treated with l-NAME. In indomethacin-induced ulcer pre-treatment with MESf and Cant showed reduction in the levels of MPO and MDA in the gastric tissue, thus indicating the participation of the antioxidant mechanisms on the gastroprotective effects. The plasma levels of IL-8 in ulcerated rats with indomethacin were also reduced by Cant, but not by MESf, indicating that inhibition of this cytokine contributes to the gastroprotective effect of Cant. However MESf and Cant had no effect on the mucosal membrane levels of PGE2, indicating that the gastroprotective effects of these agents is independent of PGE2 modulation.ConclusionThe results obtained in this study with MESf and Cant added insights into the pharmacological mechanisms involved in their mode of antiulcer action. The results indicate that Cant is one of the compounds responsible for these effects. Such findings are of extreme importance in the strive for future development of potent, safer and effective antiulcer agent. The efficacy of MESf and Cant in gastroprotection shows that Simaba ferruginea might be a promising antiulcer herbal medicine, in addition to confirming the popular use of this plant against gastric ulcer models utilised in this study

ANTIMICROBIAL AND ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITIES OF SELECTED PLANTS USED BY POPULATIONS FROM JURUENA VALLEY, LEGAL AMAZON, BRAZIL

Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate selected Brazilian plants from Juruena valley region of Mato Grosso, for their in vitro antimicrobial and antioxidant activities.Methods: The powder obtained from different parts of the twenty-six (26) plants were macerated in hydroethanolic solution to obtain the extracts. The hydroethanolic extracts were tested for their in vitro antimicrobial activity by determining the MIC using broth microdilution. The 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical, ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) and nitric oxide (NO) methods were used for the determination of antioxidant activities. Correlation between classes of secondary metabolites and antioxidant activity was assessed.Results: Phanera glabra extract (HEPg) showed broad antibacterial spectrum, presenting the best activity against Klebsiella pneumoniae. Hevea microphylla extract (HEHm) presented a narrow spectrum of antibacterial activity with strong effect against Shigella flexneri. The only plant with broad spectrum antifungal activity was Bertholletia excelsa (HEBe), with moderate activity against strains of Aspergillus and Candida. The following extracts were prominent regarding their activities in the DPPH and FRAP assays-HEBe, Cariniana rubra (HECr) and in the FRAP assay alone, Cedrela odorata (HECo) and HEPg. None of the extracts was active in the NO assay. A significant association was observed between DPPH activity and the total phenolic contents.Conclusion: Our results justified the use of some of the investigated plants in the Brazilian ethnomedicine. The antibacterial activities of these plants are bacteriostatic in nature. These findings support that a number of investigated plants could be a valuable source of new antioxidant and antimicrobial compounds that can potentially deliver novel mechanisms of actions.However, further studies are required

Ethnobotanical study of medicinal plants by population of Valley of Juruena Region, Legal Amazon, Mato Grosso, Brazil

Ethnopharmacological importance The use of medicinal plants for treatment, cure and prevention of diseases has been described by many people since time immemorial. Because of this use, commercial and scientific interests have emerged, making it necessary to realize ethnobotanical surveys of medicinal plants species, which is important for subsequent chemical and pharmacological bioprospections. Aim of the study This study aimed at surveying, identifying, cataloging and documenting the medicinal plants species used in the Valley of Juruena, Northwestern Mato Grosso, Legal Amazon Brazil for the treatment of various human diseases, as well as assessed the species of interest for bioprospecting potential. Materials and methods Informants were interviewed using semi-structured form to capture information on socio-demographic and ethnopharmacological data of medicinal plants such as vernacular name, uses, geographic origin, habit, form of preparation and part used. Results were analyzed using descriptive and quantitative means: indices of use-report (Ur) and informant consensus factor (ICF), for the selection of plant species with therapeutic potential. Results Three hundred and thirty two (332) plants species belonging to 90 families were reported for medicinal purposes and totaling 3973 use-reports were reported by 365 (92.9%) of the people interviewed. Asteraceae (32.2%), Fabaceae (26.7%) and Lamiaceae (24.4%) families were the most represented, with majority being species native (64.45%) to Brazil. Leaves (64.5%) were the part of the plant most used and infusion (45.7%) was the most utilized form. Gastrointestinal disorders followed by respiratory complaints topped the list of use-reports. The native or naturalized plants with the highest use reports in the order of decreasing absolute frequency per each emic-category are Cymbopogon citratus (DC.) Stapfc (104), Mentha pulegium L. (94), Arrabidaea chica (Humb. & Bonpl.) B. Verl. (97), Alternanthera brasiliana (L.) Kuntze (71), Baccharis crispa Spreng (57), Phyllanthus niruri L. (48), Gossypium barbadense L. (44), Solidago microglossa DC. (40) and Bauhinia forficata L. (20). And the most cited exotics are: Chenopodium ambrosioides L. (151), Aloe vera (L.) Burm. f., (89) and Rosmarinus officinalis L. (72). In some cases, high ICF values were found, which reflects high degree of homogeneity of consensus among informants in this region on medicinal plants. Conclusion The population of Valle of Juruena makes use of a wide array of medicinal plants distributed in all use categories with predominance of those use in the treatments of gastrointestinal and respiratory ailments. The therapeutic potential of some of the species of medicinal importance extensively utilized by the population of the region have been scientifically validated, and are therefore promising prototype of new drugs. However, there are some of these species whose ethnomedicinal uses are yet to be scientifically verified and thus constitute an unexplored terrain for future biological/pharmacological studies

Avaliação da intensidade do treinamento de basquete em cadeira de rodas por monitoramento da frequência cardíaca em pessoas com deficiência física

Objetivo: Verificar a intensidade do basquete em cadeira de rodas (BCR) em pessoas com deficiência (PCD) durante 8 semanas de intervenção. Métodos: Estudo experimental longitudinal com 13 PCD foi avaliado o monitoramento da FC, freqüência cardíaca média (FCMéd) para cálculo da frequência cardíaca mínima (FCMin) e % frequência cardíaca de treinamento (% FCT) foram baseados na FCpico. Estes foram então analisados para possível correlação com o tipo, nível e tempo da lesão, bem como os valores antropométricos obtidos por bioimpedância. Resultados: Após análise estatística, nas variáveis independentes verificou-se que o percentual de gordura corporal (p <0,01), água intracelular e extracelular foram correlacionado positivamente (p <0,05) com % FCT. As variáveis dependentes, classificação funcional, nível e tipo de lesão e IMC não foram significativas (p> 0,05) quando correlacionadas com a FCpico. Conclusões: A maioria dos participantes obteve a % FCT acima de 60% da FCpico e indicando que a intervenção auxiliou na promoção da saúde cardiovascular, além dos benefícios mencionados dos níveis de hidratação e % gordura corporal de cada indivíduo. O presente estudo pode servir de base científica para o educador físico e afins, principalmente no que diz respeito ao uso do basquete em cadeira de rodas na reabilitação ou treino de aptidão física para PCD.Objective: To verify the intensity of wheelchair basketball (WB) in people with disabilities (PWD) during 8 weeks intervention. Methods: Longitudinal experimental study of 13 male WB in PWD was assessed and HR, mean heart rate (HRMean) were monitored for the calculation of minimum heart rate (HRMin). %THR were based on the HRpeak. These were then analyzed for possible correlation with the type, level and time of injury, as well as the anthropometric values obtained through bio-impedance. Results: After statistical analysis, of the independent variables, the percentage body fat (p < 0.01), intracellular and extracellular water were found to be positively correlated (p < 0.05) with %THR. The dependent variables, functional classification, level and type of lesion and BMI were not significant (p > 0.05) when correlated with HRpeak. Conclusions: The majority of the participants´ % THR was above 60% of the HRpeak thus indicating that the intervention aided in the promotion of cardiovascular health, besides the mentioned benefits of hydration levels and % body fat of each individual. The present study could serve as a scientific base for the physical educationist alike, and the likes, particularly regarding the use of wheelchair basketball in the rehabilitation or physical fitness workout for PWD