Anacardium microcarpum extract and fractions protect against paraquat-induced toxicity in Drosophila melanogaster

Anacardium microcarpum Ducke (Anacardiaceae) is a native species of Brazil used in folk medicine for the treatment of several illnesses although its antioxidant activity has been reported in vitro, there is no evidence of this effect in an in vivo model. Here, we investigated the potential protective effect of hydroalcoholic extract (AMHE), methanol (AMMF) and acetate (AMAF) fraction of A. microcarpum against paraquat toxicity on survivorship, locomotor performance, antioxidant enzymes activity and reactive species using Drosophila melanogaster. Flies were exposed to the extract or fractions (1 and 10 mg/ml) in the presence or absence of paraquat (5 mM) in sucrose solution for 72 h. In addition, total phenolic content of extract and fractions was evaluated as well as ABTS radical scavenging capacity. Our results demonstrated that AMAF presented higher content of phenols and ABTS chelating potential. Treatment of flies with the extract or fractions did not alter the survivorship, locomotor ability, and acetylcholinesterase (AchE) activity per se. Paraquat caused 85 % mortality of flies and 30 % increase in reactive species generation, which were significantly attenuated by AMHE and AMMF. AAMF increased catalase activity (from 66.77 ± 6.64 to 223.94 ± 25.92 mU/mg of protein), while AMAF increased GST activity (from 477.76 ± 92 to 770.19 ± 147.92 mU/mg of protein) and catalase activity (from 66.77 ± 6.64 to 220.54 ± 26.63 mU/mg of protein). AMHE and AMMF were more effective in protecting against paraquat toxicity. Taken together, the data indicate the potential of this plant in acting as a protective and antioxidant agent in vivo

EFEITOS DO ÓLEO ESSENCIAL DO Croton argyrophylloides NAS LESÕES GÁSTRICAS INDUZIDAS POR ETANOL E INDOMETACINA EM CAMUNDONGOS.

A úlcera péptica afeta milhões de pessoas, suas recidivas são elevadas e muitos medicamentos utilizados no tratamento apresentam efeitos adversos, por isso o estudo de plantas medicinais que tem ação protetora sobre o estômago assume grande importância na atualidade. Sobre o óleo essencial do Croton argyrophylloides (OECA) não existem estudos em úlceras gástricas. O objetivo desse estudo foi avaliar o efeito do OECA sobre úlceras gástricas induzidas. É um estudo experimental com abordagem quantitativa. Foram utilizados camundongos Swiss no qual foram mantidos em jejum antes do experimento. Estes foram pré-tratados com administração do OECA antes da indução da úlcera por etanol e indometacina; foram laparatomizados para ressecção dos seus estômagos e retirada do muco.Os estômagos foram digitalizados para análise das lesões. Concluímos que o OECA mostrou-se eficaz na redução das lesões gástricas associadas à administração de etanol e indometacina por meio do aumento da produção de muco.(http://dx.doi.org/10.14295/cad.cult.cienc.v13i2.686

USO DE FITOTERÁPICOS NOS AMBIENTES DE PROMOÇÃO DA SAÚDE

No presente estudo objetivou-se realizar uma análise da bibliográfia atualizada sobre o uso de fitoterápicos nos ambientes de promoção a saúde e avaliar a aceitação da população e profissionais da saúde em geral á esta terapêutica. A pesquisa foi pautada em uma revisão de literatura, realizada junto às bases de dados online Literatura Latino-Americana e do Caribe em Ciências da Saúde (LILACS), Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online (MEDLINE) e Scientific Electronic Library Online (SCIELO). Os resultados obtidos, em uma amostra de 24 artigos, apontaram que a fitoterapia, apesar de implantada no Sistema Único de Saúde (SUS) brasileiro desde 2006, pela Política Nacional de Plantas Medicinais e Fitoterápicos, ainda é pouco conhecida pelos profissionais e usuários. A aceitação da fitoterapia na sociedade brasileira é amplamente esperada, o número de espécies de plantas medicinais aceitas pelo SUS tem aumentado e há crescimento no número de grupos de pesquisa voltados à prospecção de novas plantas.  DOI:   http://dx.doi.org/10.14295/cad.cult.cienc.v14i2.105

Ethnopharmacological study of Stryphnodendron rotundifolium in two communities in the semi-arid region of northeastern Brazil

AbstractThis work describes the local knowledge of the medicinal use of Stryphnodendron rotundifolium Mart., Fabaceae, according to informants in two areas of the Araripe bioregion, in the Northeast Region of Brazil. We used interviews to investigate the ethnomedicinal use of the local species to determine the mode of use, frequency of administration, duration of treatment and restrictions of use. In traditional medicine, the use of S. rotundifolium is associated with the treatment of inflammatory and infectious diseases. The part of the plant most used was the stem bark (86.11%), the predominant mode of preparation was immersion in water (52.83%), and oral administration was the most cited (48.43%). For inflammatory and infectious diseases, the treatment lasted 3-10 days and the frequency of administration was 2-3 times/day. For gastroprotective effects, treatment lasted up to 30 days, and the herb was administered 1-3 times/day. For pain complaints, the therapy varied from 2-3 days to continuous administration. The informants (46.87%) did not mention restrictions of use, except for pregnant women, with a rate of 25%. A comparison of these results with the ethnopharmacological information from other studies showed that some of the traditional indications are scientifically supported by the literature or clinical studies. Nevertheless, the results showed that pharmacologists have not fully investigated all the possible bioactivities that healers credit to this plant

Chemical Composition and In Vitro Antiprotozoal Properties of Cephaelis ipepacuanha / Composição Química e Propriedades Antiprotozoárias In Vitro da Cephaelis ipepacuanha

Background: Cephaelis ipecacuanha is a medicinal plant used in folk medicine for the treatment of amebiasis. However, the pharmacological properties of this species remain poorly understood.Objective: Characterize chemical composition and in vitro antiprotozoal activity of Cephaelis ipecacuanha. Method: The aqueous extract was lyophilized using the Chisrt Alpha apparatus and transferred to 96-well plates at concentrations ranging from 62.5 to 1000 ?g / mL. The antiprotozoal activities against Trypanosoma cruzi, Leishmania brasiliensis, and L. infantum were evaluated after 72h incubation. Fibroblasts incubated at the same conditions for 24h were used as a cytotoxicity control. The readings were performed by spectrophotometry after staining with resazurin. The chemical composition of the extract was analyzed by High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC-DAD).Results: The results demonstrated that C. ipecacuanha had moderate antiprotozoal activity against T. cruzi. However, its cytotoxicity against the fibroblasts was significantly higher.Conclusion: This finding suggests that the use of this plant by the population, besides not having significant benefits, can cause associated health risks

Ethnobiological survey of plants and animals used for the treatment of acute respiratory infections in children of a traditional community in the Municipality of Barbalha, Ceará, Brazil

Background: The use of natural resources for the treatment of acute respiratory infections in children is a widespread practice within traditional communities, especially by women by being the primary caregivers. This study aimed to perform ethnobiological survey of plants and animals used for the treatment of acute respiratory infections in children of a traditional community in the municipality of Barbalha, Ceará, Brazil. Methods: It is a descriptive exploratory study with a quantitative approach, developed in Sítio Santo Antônio, in the municipality of Barbalha, Ceará, Brazil. As a tool for data collection, was applied a questionnaire and a semi-structured interview. Data analysis used descriptive statistics (simple and percentage rate) and the Relative Frequency of Citation.Results: The research included a total of 54 informants. In total, there were 38 species cited. According to the Relative Frequency of Citation the following species were the most cited: Ocimum basilicum L. (0.59), Eucalyptus globulus Labill (0.59), Plectranthus amboinicus (L.) Spreng (0.42), Hyptis suaveolens (L.) Poit. (0.24), Allium aescalonicum L. (0.22) and Mentha arvensis L. (0.18). Among the symptoms  mentioned by the research subjects to treat the acute respiratory infections in childhood, there were: fever; cough; coughing with secretions; sore throat;  hoarseness; tiredness; nasal congestion.Conclusions: It is important the knowledge about the usefulness of natural resources as alternative practices in diseases treatment, seeking to rescue popular knowledge used in the traditional community and fomenting the need to consider cultural aspects in the full practice to children´s health care.Keywords: Ethnobotany; Ethnomedicine; Acute respiratory infections; Natural  products; Children's Health

Safety assessment and antioxidant activity of Lantana montevidensis leaves

Lantana camara, the widely studied species, and L. montevidensis, the less studied species of the genus Lantana are both used in traditional medicine for the same purpose (anti-asthma, anti-ulcer, anti-tumor, etc). However, little is known about the toxicity of L. montevidensis and there is limited information on its chemical constituents. Here, we investigated for the first time the genotoxicity and cytotoxicity of the ethanolic (EtOH) and aqueous extracts from the leaves of Lantana montevidensis in human leukocytes, as well as their ossible interaction with human erythrocyte membranes in vitro. The antioxidant activities of both extracts were also investigated in chemical and biological models. Treatment of leukocytes with EtOH or aqueous extracts (1-480 µg/mL) did not affect DNA damage index, but promoted cytotoxicity at higher concentrations (240-480 µg/mL). Both extracts did not modify the osmotic fragility of human erythrocytes. The extracts scavenged DPPH radical and prevented Fe2+-induced lipid peroxidation in rat’s brain and liver homogenates, and this was likely not attributed to Fe (II) chelation. The HPLC analysis of the extracts showed different amounts of polyphenolic compounds (isoquercitrin, gallic acid, catechin, ellagic acid, apigenin, kaempferol, caffeic acid, rutin, quercitrin, quercetin, chlorogenic acid, luteolin) that may have contributed to these effects. These results supported information on the functional use of L. mon-tevidensis in folk medicine

ESTUDO FITOQUÍMICO E POTENCIAL ANTIBACTERIANO DO LÁTEX DE Himatanthus drasticus (MART.) PLUMEL

Himatanthus drasticus (Mart.) Plumel, popularly known as janaguba, is a latex medicinal plant widely used in the region of Cariri (CE) and used as an alternative source for the treatment of numerous diseases. The objective of the present work was to test the antibacterial and modulatory potential of the latex in natura (LIHD) and ethyl acetate extract of H. drasticus latex (EAEHD) alone and in combination with aminoglycoside antibiotics (amikacin and gentamicin) against standard and multiresistant strains, following the method of microdilution in Brain Heart Infusion (BHI) broth. In the evaluation of the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) results were obtained ≥ 1024 μg / mL against the standard strains of Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Klebsiella pneumoniae for both LIHD and EAEHD. The natural products presented synergism in the activity of the aminoglycosides to strains of multiresistant bacteria Escherichia coli (EC 27), Staphylococcus aureus (SA 358) and Klebsiella pneumoniae (KP 10031), however they presented antagonism to Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA 03). In the quantification of phenols, LIHD had 62.6 mg / g and EAEHD 51.8 mg / g gallic acid / g extract, and for total flavonoids, LIHD had 16.5 and EAEHD had 13.4 mg / g of flavonoids. Further research is needed for a possible use of these natural products combined with antimicrobials tested (aminoglycosides) against pathogenic strains. Through the results it was concluded that the natural products represent promising sources in the fight against bacterial resistance.Keywords: Aminoglycosides; Antimicrobian activity; Inhibitory Minimum Concentration; Himatanthus drasticus.Himatanthus drasticus (Mart.) Plumel, conhecida popularmente como janaguba, é uma espécie medicinal produtora de látex bastante utilizado na região do Cariri (CE) e empregada como fonte alternativa para o tratamento de inúmeras enfermidades. O presente trabalho teve como principal objetivo testar o potencial antibacteriano e modulador do látex in natura (LIHD) e do extrato acetato de etila do látex de H. drasticus (EAEHD) isoladamente e em associação com antibióticos aminoglicosideos (amicacina e gentamicina), frente às cepas bacterianas padrão e multirresistentes, seguindo o método de microdiluição em caldo Brain Heart Infusion (BHI). Na avaliação da concentração inibitória mínima (CIM) foram obtidos resultados ≥ 1024µg/mL frente às cepas padrão de Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa e Klebsiella pneumoniae tanto para LIHD, quanto para o EAEHD. Os produtos naturais apresentaram sinergismo na atividade dos aminoglicosídeos perante cepas de bactérias multirresistentes Escherichia coli (EC 27), Staphylococcus aureus (SA 358) e Klebsiella pneumoniae (KP 10031), entretanto apresentaram antagonismo perante Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA 03). Na quantificação de fenóis o LIHD possui 62,6 mg/g e o EAEHD 51,8 mg/g de ácido gálico/g de extrato, e para flavanóides totais o LIHD apresentou 16,5 e o EAEHD 13,4 mg/g de flavanóides. Mais pesquisas são necessárias para uma possível utilização desses produtos naturais combinados aos antimicrobianos testados (aminoglicosídeos) frente às linhagens patogênicas. Através dos resultados concluiu-se que os produtos naturais representam fontes promissoras no combate à resistência bacteriana.Palavras chave: Aminoglicosídeos, Atividade antimicrobiana, Concentração Inibitória Mínima, Himatanthus drasticus

Repeated-Doses Toxicity Study of the Essential Oil of Hyptis martiusii

Hyptis martiusii Benth. (Lamiaceae) is found in abundance in Northeastern Brazil where it is used in traditional medicine to treat gastric disorders. Since there are no studies reporting the toxicity and safety profile of this species, we investigated repeated-doses toxicity of the essential oil of Hyptis martiusii (EOHM). Swiss mice of both sexes were orally treated with EOHM (100 and 500 mg/kg) for 30 days, and biochemical, hematological, and morphological parameters were determined. No toxicity signs or deaths were recorded during the treatment with EOHM. The body weight gain was not affected, but there was an occasional variation in water and food consumption among mice of both sexes treated with both doses. The hematological and biochemical profiles did not show significant differences except for a decrease in the MCV and an increase in albumin, but these variations are within the limits described for the species. The microscopic analysis showed changes in liver, kidneys, lungs, and spleen; however, these changes do not have clinical relevance since they varied among the groups, including the control group. The results indicate that the treatment of repeated-doses with the essential oil of Hyptis martiusii showed low toxicity in mice

UPLC-MS-QTOF analysis and antifungal activity of Cumaru (Amburana cearensis).

This study was aimed at investigating the phytochemical constituents, antifungal properties and antibiotic-modifying activity of the aqueous crude extract and fractions of Amburana cearensis seeds (CEFAC). The CEFAC were chemically characterized by LC–MS/MS–QTOF. In addition, the antifungal activity was assayed by the microdilution method against strains of Candida albicans. The phytochemical profile of CEFAC exhibited phenolic compounds, organic acids, and polyphenols. The results of the assessment of antifungal activity reveled an IC(50) ranging from 45.6 to 2048 µg/mL. Interestingly, when CEFAC was associated with Fluconazole, we evidenced a decreased IC(50) (1.81–11.9 µg/mL), suggesting a synergism with antibiotic. It was possible to identify in the crude extract and fractions several phenolic compounds, organic acids, and some polyphenols in positive ionization mode. These results suggest that CEFAC may present compounds with the ability to interact and act synergistically with antimicrobial drugs, highlighting its potential as an alternative source for the development of new antimicrobial agents