Contribuição ao estudo farmacognóstico da Piper ovatum Vahl

RESUMO:O presente estudo descreve as características morfo-anatômicas dos órgãos vegetativos e do pó da Piper ovatum Vahl de modo que os dados obtidos possam ser utilizados como referência em análises de controle de qualidade de amostras de fármacos, a fim de verificar sua autenticidade. As raízes, caules, pecíolos e folhas foram fixadas, seccionadas à mão livre e coradas, as secções transversais e paradérmicas foram analisadas por microscopia óptica e a superfície do limbo foi observada, também, por microscopia eletrônica de varredura (MEV). Os órgãos vegetativos da P. ovatumapresentam morfologia e anatomia similar às outras espécies dePiper. No entanto, não foram observadas inclusões celulares nas folhas de P. ovatum. Análises por MEV mostraram a presença de tricomas glandulares constituídos de pedúnculo unicelular e porção secretora globóide igualmente unicelular recoberto por cutícula, na epiderme abaxial das folhas. Também foi observada a presença de uma cutícula espessa e que origina crostas no limite entre uma célula e outra, em ambas as superfícies foliares. No mesófilo foi observada a presença de idioblastos oleíferos característica marcante de outras espécies de Piperaceae. Além disso, na microscopia do pó foram observados hipoderme e idioblastos oleíferos em fragmentos do limbo, fragmentos de fibras esclerenquimáticas do caule, além de células esclerosas isoladas ou em grupos no pecíolo. O perfil cromatográfico do extrato hidroetanólico das folhas de P. ovatum foi obtido por cromatografia líquida de alta eficiência (CLAE). Nas análises por CLAE foram identificados como substâncias majoritárias do extrato as amidas piperovatina e piperlonguminina nos tempos de retenção de 10,25 e 10,81 min., respectivamente

Effect of a topical formulation containing <i>Calophyllum brasiliense</i> Camb. extract on cutaneous wound healing in rats

<div><p>This study evaluated the wound healing effects of topical application of an emulsion containing the HPLC-standardised extract from <i>Calophyllum brasiliense</i> Cambess (Clusiaceae) leaves in rats. The macroscopic analysis demonstrated that the wounds treated with the <i>C. brasiliense</i> emulsion healed earlier than the wounds treated with emulsion base and Dersani®. The percentage of wound healing in the group treated with the <i>C. brasiliense</i> emulsion was significantly higher than in the other groups at 7 and 14 days. On day 14, the animals treated with the <i>C. brasiliense</i> emulsion exhibited a 90.67% reduction of the wound areas. The histological evaluation revealed that on day 21, the group treated with the <i>C. brasiliense</i> emulsion exhibited a significant increase in fibroblasts compared with the other groups. Thus, the <i>C. brasiliense</i> emulsion had healing properties in the topical treatment of wounds and accelerated the healing process.</p></div

Effects of a methanolic fraction of soybean seeds on the transcriptional activity of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPAR)

Since the anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic and hypolipidemic effects of soy isoflavones may be mediated by activation of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPAR), the present study investigated whether the methanolic fractions obtained from soybean seeds (E1) and soybean seed coats with hypocotyls (E2) could influence PPAR&#945;, PPAR&#947; and PPAR&#946;/&#948; transcriptional activity. The isoflavones from E1 and E2 were quantified by HPLC analysis. E1 and E2 were rich in isoflavones (daidzin, glycitin, genistin, malonyldaidzin, malonylglycitin, malonylgenistin, daidzein, glycitein, and genistein). Moreover, E1 and E2 showed no evidence of genetically modified material containing the gene CP4 EPSPS. To investigate PPAR transcriptional activity, human promonocytic U-937 cells were treated with E1 and E2 (200, 400, 800, and 1600 µg/mL), positive controls or vehicle. Data are reported as fold-activation of the luciferase reporter driven by the PPAR-responsive element. Dose-response analysis revealed that E1 and E2 induced the transcriptional activity of PPAR&#945; (P < 0.001), with activation comparable to that obtained with 0.1 mM bezafibrate (positive control) at 1600 µg/mL (4-fold) and 800 µg/mL (9-fold), respectively. In addition, dose-response analysis revealed that E1 and E2 activated PPAR&#946;/&#948; (P < 0.05), and the activation at 800 µg/mL (4- and 9-fold, respectively) was comparable to that of 0.1 mM bezafibrate (positive control). However, no effect on PPAR&#947; was observed. Activation of PPAR&#945; is consistent with the lipid-lowering activity of soy isoflavones in vivo, but further studies are needed to determine the physiological significance of PPAR&#946;/&#948; activation