Antileishmanial Activity of Handroanthus serratifolius

This study aimed to evaluate the leishmanicidal activity of ethanol extract, fractions, and isolated substance from Handroanthus serratifolius against Leishmania amazonensis. Furthermore, this activity was related to cytotoxicity, and the selectivity index was determined. The ethanol extract was obtained by maceration of the stem powder, and the extract was subjected to fractionation on chromatographic column. The lapachol was obtained by acid base extraction followed by purification in chromatographic column. The antipromastigote activity and cytotoxicity tests were carried out by the cell viability method (MTT). Modified THP-1 cells were infected with L. amazonensis promastigotes and treated for 24 h with different concentrations of the extract, fractions, and lapachol. The ethanol extract, dichloromethane, and ethyl acetate fractions were not active against promastigotes (IC50 > 200 μg/mL) or cytotoxic (CC50 > 500 μg/mL), and the selectivity index (SI) was greater than 2.5. The ethyl acetate fraction was active only in promastigotes; it is not cytotoxic (CC50 > 500 μg/mL, SI > 5). The lapachol was selectively active only against amastigote (IS > 2.5, CC50 > 500 μg/mL). In summary, lapachol and ethyl acetate fraction are promising against amastigote and promastigote forms, respectively

Protective Effect of Baccharis trimera Extract on Acute Hepatic Injury in a Model of Inflammation Induced by Acetaminophen

Background. Acetaminophen (APAP) is a commonly used analgesic and antipyretic. When administered in high doses, APAP is a clinical problem in the US and Europe, often resulting in severe liver injury and potentially acute liver failure. Studies have demonstrated that antioxidants and anti-inflammatory agents effectively protect against the acute hepatotoxicity induced by APAP overdose. Methods. The present study attempted to investigate the protective effect of B. trimera against APAP-induced hepatic damage in rats. The liver-function markers ALT and AST, biomarkers of oxidative stress, antioxidant parameters, and histopathological changes were examined. Results. The pretreatment with B. trimera attenuated serum activities of ALT and AST that were enhanced by administration of APAP. Furthermore, pretreatment with the extract decreases the activity of the enzyme SOD and increases the activity of catalase and the concentration of total glutathione. Histopathological analysis confirmed the alleviation of liver damage and reduced lesions caused by APAP. Conclusions. The hepatoprotective action of B. trimera extract may rely on its effect on reducing the oxidative stress caused by APAP-induced hepatic damage in a rat model. General Significance. These results make the extract of B. trimera a potential candidate drug capable of protecting the liver against damage caused by APAP overdose

Antinociceptive effect of Nephelium lappaceum L. fruit peel and the participation of nitric oxide, opioid receptors, and ATP-sensitive potassium channels

Introduction:Nephelium lappaceum L. (Sapindaceae) is a plant known as rambutan. It is used for various purposes in traditional medicine.Objective: We aimed to evaluate the antinociceptive effects of the ethanol extract of the fruit peel of N. lappaceum (EENL), the mechanisms involved in these effects, and the acute toxicity in zebrafish.Methods: We performed chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry, acute toxicity assay in zebrafish, and evaluation in mice submitted to models of nociception and locomotor activity.Results: We identified (epi)-catechin, procyanidin B, and ellagic acid and its derivatives in EENL. We did not find any toxicity in zebrafish embryos incubated with EENL. The locomotor activity of mice submitted to oral pretreatment with EENL was not changed, but it reduced the abdominal constrictions induced by acetic acid, the licking/biting time in both the first and second phase of formalin testing and capsaicin testing, and carrageenan-induced paw mechanical allodynia. Oral pretreatment with EENL increased latency time in the hot plate test. This antinociceptive effect was significantly reversed by naloxone, L-arginine, and glibenclamide respectively showing the participation of opioid receptors, nitric oxide, and KATP channels as mediators of EENL-induced antinociception.Conclusion: EENL causes antinociception with the participation of opioid receptors, nitric oxide, and KATP channels, and is not toxic to zebrafish

Cytotoxic activity of extracts from Tecoma species and isolated lignans

A phytochemical study of Tecoma genus (Bignoniaceae) was accomplished by antitumor activity of ethanolic extracts. Species of this genus are composed of small shrubs often used as ornamental plants. The Tecoma stans species is used in folk medicine for different purposes. Recent work shows in vitro anticancer activity against human breast cancer. The ethanolic extracts from leaves and trunks of Tecoma casneifolia, T. garrocha, T. stans var. angustata and T. stans var. stans were tested in vitro. The assays used were against line tumor cells by the MTT method and the most active extracts were further studied. In this way, the ethanolic extract from T. stans var. stans trunks presented the higher cytotoxicity against the tumor cell lines studied (CC50 0.02 to 0.55 µg/ml) when compared to the other extracts tested (CC50 0.08 to 200.0 µg/ml). Accordingly, this extract was selected for chromatographic fractionation from which five known lignans were isolated. Further, paulownin, paulownin acetate, sesamin, olivil and cycloolivil were identified using 13C and 1H NMR, IR, UV and spectroscopy and spectrometric MS techniques. These isolated compounds were tested and exhibited CC50 ranging from 13.01 to100.0 µg/ml which is superior to the ethanolic extract of trunk of T. stans

Bioguided isolation of an antiviral compound from Xylophragma myrianthum (Cham.) Sprague (Bignoniaceae Juss.)

Made available in DSpace on 2017-06-01T19:29:36Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 license.txt: 1748 bytes, checksum: 8a4605be74aa9ea9d79846c1fba20a33 (MD5) 5.pdf: 507025 bytes, checksum: 389b638ddf7095904b308a5b9ee53b32 (MD5) Previous issue date: 13Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais. Departamento de Microbiologia. Belo Horizonte, MG, Brasil.Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais. Departamento de Produtos Farmacêuticos. Faculdade de Farmácia. Belo Horizonte, MG, Brasil.Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais. Departamento de Química. Belo Horizonte, MG, Brasil.Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais. Departamento de Produtos Farmacêuticos. Faculdade de Farmácia. Belo Horizonte, MG, Brasil.Espécies do gênero Xylophragma Sprague são trepadeiras pertencentes à família Bignoniaceae Juss. (tribo Bignonieae Dumort.) e algumas tem um amplo espectro de usos medicinais, incluindo o tratamento de infecções. No presente artigo relatamos o fracionamento do extrato etanólico de caules de Xylophragma myrianthum (Cham.) Sprague biomonitorado por testes de atividade contra Human herpesvirus 1 (HSV-1), Dengue virus 2 (DENV-2), Encephalomyocarditis virus murino (EMCV) e Vaccinia vírus (VACV), o que levou ao isolamento de uma substância ativa, XM-1. Análises espectroscópicas permitiram a identificação desta como sendo o triterpeno ácido arjúnico, cuja atividade anti-DENV-2 e ocorrência em Bignoniaceae são relatadas pela primeira vez. X. myrianthum revela-se, portanto, como fonte de uma substância e frações antivirais.Xylophragma Sprague species (family Bignoniaceae Juss.) are climbing plants belonging to the tribe Bignonieae Juss. and some species have a wide spectrum of traditional medicinal uses including remedies for the treatment of infections. This paper reports the bioguided fractionation of an ethanol extract of X. myrianthum (Cham.) Sprague stems (EEXMS) for antiviral effects against human herpes virus type 1 (HSV-1), dengue virus 2 (DENV-2), murine encephalomyocarditis virus (EMCV) and vaccinia virus (VACV) that afforded XM-1 as an active compound. Spectroscopic analyses allowed the identification of XM-1 as arjunic acid whose occurrence in the Bignoniaceae and anti-DENV-2 activities are reported for the first time. X. myrianthum is revealed herein as a source of an antiviral compound and fractions

Synthesis of triazol derivatives of lupeol with potential antimalarial activity

The goal of this project is synthesize and characterization of derivatives of lupeol and evaluated antimalarial activity. Historically, plants are important source of antimalarial medicines, highlighting quinine (1) (Figure 1), an important      alkaloid from the Cinchona calisaya bark. This compound was an important model for cloroquine  synthesis, a drug that was widely used in malaria treatment. In addition, one of the principal medicines used today is artemisinine, isolated from the Chinese plant Artemisia annua L (2) (Figure 1), and their semi synthetic derivatives (artesunate, artemeter, arteter). However, the malaria parasite has already shown resistance    to most of these current drugs and  the search for new candidates is essential. Lupeol (3) (Figura 1) is a compound that occurs in many plant species and discloses antimalarial, antiinflamatoryl and antitumoral activities. Considering its potential as a lead antimalarial molecule, we focused our work in the synthesis of new lupeol derivatives with increased antimalarial activity(scheme 1).</div

Antiviral activity of plants occurring in the state of minas gerais (Brazil): Part III

A total of 24 extracts from 14 plant species collected at the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil, and belonging to five botanical families (Annonaceae, Apocynaceae, Ochnaceae, Polygonaceae and Vitaceae) was screened for cytotoxicity in cultured Vero cells and for antiviral activity against human herpes virus type 1 (HSV-1), vaccinia virus (VACV) and murine encephalomyocarditis virus (EMCV). The highest cytotoxicity (CC 50 100 μg/mL) was observed for Ouratea spectabilis and O. semiserrata. A total of 7 plant species, Ouratea semiserrata, O. spectabilis, O. castanaeafolia, Rollinia laurifolia, Cissus erosa, Polygonum spectabile, and Hancornia speciosa, were active against VACV, disclosing EC50 < 50 μg/mL and SI values ranging from 6.6 to 67.3. In total, 10 out of the 14 species were selected from a literature survey on plants used to treat viral diseases in Brazil; these species were responsible for 70% of the positive results

Chemical constituents of Distictella elongata (Vahl) Urb. (Bignoniaceae).

Pectolinarina, uma flavona heterosídica, foi isolada do extrato etanólico das folhas de Distictella elongata (Vahl) Urb., além de uma mistura de ácidos ursólico, pomólico e oleanólico, além de β-sitosterol. Suas estruturas foram estabelecidas com base em análise espectral (RMN de 1H e 13C 1D e 2D) em comparação com a literatura. Esta é a primeira vez em que se relata a ocorrência deste flavonoide em uma espécies da família Bignoniaceae.Pectolinarin, a flavone heteroside, was isolated from Distictella elongata (Vahl) Urb. leaves ethanol extract, along with a mixture of ursolic, pomolic and oleanolic acids, besides β-sitosterol. Their structures were established on the basis of spectral analysis (1H and 13C NMR, 1D and 2D) and they were compared with literature. This is the first report on the occurrence of this flavonoid in a species of the Bignoniaceae family