Trophic ecology of the seagrass-inhabiting footballer demoiselle <i>Chrysiptera annulata</i> (Peters, 1855); comparison with three other reef-associated damselfishes

Many damselfishes (Pomacentridae) are herbivorous or omnivorous with an important contribution from different kinds of algae in their diet. They display different levels of territoriality and farming behavior, from almost non territorial to monoculture farmers. In addition, a few species inhabit seagrass meadows but, presently, none can be considered as seagrass-eating specialists. The footballer demoiselle, Chrysiptera annulata, is found in the seagrass meadows on the reef flat of the Great Reef of Toliara (Madagascar, Mozambique Channel). In the light of this unusual habitat for a pomacentrid, this study aimed to answer three questions: 1) What is the diet of C. annulata? 2) Do the resources supporting this diet include seagrass? 3) Does its trophic niche overlap those of other sympatric damselfishes (Pomacentrus trilineatus, Chrysiptera unimaculata and Plectroglyphidodon lacrymatus) living in close association with macrophytes or eating algae? Stomach content examination and stable isotope analysis showed that the footballer demoiselle is not a seagrass consumer but is an omnivorous/herbivorous species heavily relying on algal resources and small invertebrates. SIAR, a stable isotope mixing model, indicated it assimilated large amounts of turf algae, and various benthic or planktonic invertebrates in lower proportions. SIBER metrics revealed that the isotopic niche of the footballer demoiselle partly overlaps that of its congener, C. unimaculata, but not those of P. trilineatusand P. lacrymatus. Trophic strategies of C. annulata differed both from farming species such as P. lacrymatus and from less territorial herbivores such as P. trilineatus. Its seagrass meadow habitat on the Great Reef of Toliara allows the conquest of an unusual habitat for damselfishes and could limit competition with C. unimaculata, a species displaying the same territorial behavior and the same isotopic niche but living on the reef itself

Traditional Foods as Putative Sources of Antioxidants with Health Benefits in Konzo

Konzo is a toxico-nutritional neurological disease associated with oxidative damage induced by cyanide poisoning through the ingestion of poorly processed bitter cassava. Dietary uses and patterns, determined using food frequency questionnaires, structured interviews and direct observation in consenting households to Kahemba, the rural area most affected by konzo in the world, showed that the diet of affected population is not varied and largely dependent on cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) products. Commonly consumed foodstuffs include herbal teas, mushrooms, spices, vegetables and yams. Phytochemical composition of extracts revealed that they contained flavonoids and phenolic acids as major compounds. All extracts of investigated traditional foods at the concentration range of 0.25–20 μg/mL, displayed high radical scavenging and cellular antioxidant activities using lucigenin on equine neutrophils, related to their phenolic content. The leaves of Manihot esculenta and Manihot glaziovii exhibited the highest antioxidant activity among vegetables. Lippia multiflora is the most active of the herbal teas, Auricularia delicata of mushrooms, Dioscorea alata of yams and Ocimum basilicum of spices. Traditional foods showed more efficient effects on extracellular ROS production and MPO activity. Traditional foods have interesting antioxidant, anti-inflammatory properties and could putatively be used as functional foods or nutraceuticals in the prevention of oxidative damage associated with konzo

Alkaloids from the stem bark of Strychnos icaja

A comprehensive phytochemical study of the stem bark of Strychnos icaja was done for the first time and led to the isolation of two new monoindole alkaloids 15-hydroxyvomicine (1) and 12-methoxyicajine (2) along with 13 known alkaloids: the monoindoles N-methyl-sec-iso-pseudostrychnine (3), vomicine (4), icajine (5), 19,20-α-epoxy-12-methoxyicajine (6), 19,20-α-epoxy-12,15-dihydroxy-11-methoxyicajine (7), 19,20-α-epoxy-15-hydroxynovacine (8), 15-hydroxyicajine (9), 12-hydroxystrychnine (10), strychnine (11) and the tertiary bisindoles sungucine (12), isosungucine (13), strychnogucine C (14) and bisnordihydrotoxiferine (15). Apart from 10 and 11, the other alkaloids were isolated for the first time from the stem bark of this plant. The hemisynthetic derivative, Nb-chloromethosungucine (16) and the previously reported synthetic compound 3 were isolated from a natural source for the first time. Fractions and some isolated compounds were tested against the chloroquine-sensitive 3D7 strain of Plasmodium falciparum. The bisindole alkaloids were most active with IC50 ranging from 0.72 to 3.41 μg/ml whilst the monomers 1 and 3 were slightly active (IC50 39.92 and 40.27 μg/ml respectively) and 6 inactive. The structures of the compounds were determined based on the analysis of their spectral data. The full 1H and 13C NMR data of compounds 3, 6 and 7 are also reported in the present work for the first time

Nematocidal compounds from the seeds of Balanites aegyptiaca isolation and structure elucidation

SCOPUS: ar.jinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishe

Antiplasmodial and antitrypanosomal activity of Triclisia sacleuxii ( Pierre) Diels

info:eu-repo/semantics/publishe

Microscopic characteristics, TLC and HPLC fingerprints, and antiplasmodial activity of Cordia gilletii (Boraginaceae)

info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublishe

In vitro anticancer potential of tree extracts from the walloon region forest.

Forty-eight extracts from 16 common Belgian trees from the Walloon Region forest were evaluated for in vitro growth inhibitory activity against the human LoVo colon cancer, PC3 prostate cancer, and U373 glioblastoma cell lines. Our study was performed with the aim of selecting plant candidates in order to later isolate new anticancer compounds from an easily affordable tree material. Extracts from Alnus glutinosa (stem bark), Carpinus betulus (leaves and stem bark), Castanea sativa (stem bark), Fagus sylvatica (leaves), Ilex aquifolium (leaves), Larix decidua (leaves), Quercus petraea (stem bark), and Quercus robur (leaves) showed for the first time potent in vitro growth inhibitory activity and could become easily affordable sources of potential new anticancer agents. Root extracts from Robinia pseudoacacia, already known for containing cytotoxic lectins, also showed interesting activity.Journal ArticleResearch Support, Non-U.S. Gov'tinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishe

In vivo antimalarial activity of Keetia leucantha twigs extracts and in vitro antiplasmodial effect of their constituents

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: The West African tree Keetia leucantha (Rubiaceae) is used in traditional medicine in Benin to treat malaria. The twigs dichloromethane extract was previously shown to inhibit in vitro Plasmodium falciparum growth with no cytotoxicity (>100µg/ml on human normal fibroblasts). MATERIALS AND METHODS: The dichloromethane and aqueous extracts of twigs of K. leucantha were evaluated in vivo against Plasmodium berghei NK 173 by the 4-day suppressive test and in vitro against a chloroquine-sensitive strain of Plasmodium falciparum (3D7) using the measurement of the plasmodial lactate dehydrogenase activity. Bioguided fractionations were realized and compounds were structurally elucidated using extensive spectroscopic analysis. RESULTS: The in vivo antimalarial activity of K. leucantha dichloromethane and aqueous twigs extracts were assessed in mice at the dose of 200mg/kg/day. Both extracts exhibited significant effect in inhibiting parasite growth by 56.8% and 53.0% (p<0.0001) on day 7-postinfection. An LC-MS analysis and bioguided fractionations on the twigs dichloromethane extract led to the isolation and structural determination of scopoletin (1), stigmasterol (2), three phenolic compounds: vanillin (3), hydroxybenzaldehyde (4) and ferulaldehyde (5), eight triterpenic esters (6-13), oleanolic acid and ursolic acid. The antiplasmodial activity of the mixture of the eight triterpenic esters showed an antiplasmodial activity of 1.66 ± 0.54 µg/ml on the 3D7 strain, and the same range of activity was observed for isolated isomers mixtures. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first report on the in vivo activity of K. leucantha extracts, the isolation of thirteen compounds and analysis of their antiplasmodial activity. The results obtained may partially justify the traditional use of K. leucantha to treat malaria in Benin