Actividad antimalárica in vitro y citotoxicidad de algunas plantas medicinales Cubanas seleccionadas

Terrestrial plants have been demonstrated to be sources of antimalarial compounds. In Cuba, little is known about antimalarial potentials of plant species used as medicinals. For that reason, we evaluated the antimalarial activity of 14 plant species used in Cuba as antimalarial, antipyretic and/or antiparasitic. Hydroalcoholic extracts were prepared and tested in vitro for the antimalarial activity against Plasmodium falciparum Ghana strain and over human cell line MRC-5 to determine cytotoxicity. Parasite multiplication was determined microscopically by the direct count of Giemsa stained parasites. A colorimetric assay was used to quantify cytotoxicity. Nine extracts showed IC50 values lower than 100 µg/mL against P. falciparum, four extracts were classified as marginally active (SI < 4), one as partially active (Parthenium hysterophorus) exhibiting SI equal to 6.2 and two extracts as active (Bambusa vulgaris and Punica granatum), showing SI &gt; 10. B. vulgaris showed the most potent and specific antiplasmodial action (IC50 = 4.7 µg/mL, SI = 28.9). Phytochemical characterization of active extracts confirmed the presence of triterpenoids in B. vulgaris and polar compounds with phenol free groups and fluorescent metabolites in both extracts as major phytocompounds, by thin layer chromatography. In conclusion, antimalarial use of B. vulgaris and P. hysterophorus was validated. B. vulgaris and P. granatum extracts were selected for follow-up because of their strong antimalarial activity.Las plantas terrestres han demostrado ser fuentes de compuestos antimaláricos. En Cuba, el conocimiento sobre el potencial antimalárico de las plantas medicinales es escaso. Por esta razón, evaluamos la actividad antimalárica de 14 especies de plantas usadas en Cuba como antimaláricas, antipiréticas y/o antiparasitarias. Se prepararon extractos hidroalcohólicos y se probaron in vitro frente a la cepa Ghana de Plasmodium falciparum para la actividad antimalárica y frente a la línea celular humana MRC-5 para determinar citotoxicidad. La multiplicación de los parásitos se determinó microscópicamente mediante el conteo directo de los parásitos teñidos con Giemsa. Un ensayo colorimétrico se utilizó para cuantificar la citotoxicidad. Nueve extractos mostraron valores de CI50 frente a Plasmodium falciparum por debajo de 100 µg/mL; cuatro extractos se clasificaron como marginalmente activos (IS < 4), uno parcialmente activo (Parthenium hysterophorus) exhibiendo IS de 6.2 y dos activos (Bambusa vulgaris y Punica granatum) mostrando IS&gt;10. B. vulgaris, mostró la acción más potente y específica (CI50 = 4,7 µg/mL, IS = 28,9). La caracterización fitoquímica de los extractos más activos; confirmó la presencia de triterpenoides en B. vulgaris y de compuestos polares con grupos fenólicos libres y metabolitos fluorescentes en ambos extractos como fitocompuestos principales mediante cromatografía en capa delgada. En conclusión, se validó el uso antimalárico de B. vulgaris y P. hysterophorus. Los extractos de B. vulgaris y P. granatum se seleccionaron para seguimiento por su potente actividad antimalárica

Marine Biodiversity in the Caribbean: Regional Estimates and Distribution Patterns

This paper provides an analysis of the distribution patterns of marine biodiversity and summarizes the major activities of the Census of Marine Life program in the Caribbean region. The coastal Caribbean region is a large marine ecosystem (LME) characterized by coral reefs, mangroves, and seagrasses, but including other environments, such as sandy beaches and rocky shores. These tropical ecosystems incorporate a high diversity of associated flora and fauna, and the nations that border the Caribbean collectively encompass a major global marine biodiversity hot spot. We analyze the state of knowledge of marine biodiversity based on the geographic distribution of georeferenced species records and regional taxonomic lists. A total of 12,046 marine species are reported in this paper for the Caribbean region. These include representatives from 31 animal phyla, two plant phyla, one group of Chromista, and three groups of Protoctista. Sampling effort has been greatest in shallow, nearshore waters, where there is relatively good coverage of species records; offshore and deep environments have been less studied. Additionally, we found that the currently accepted classification of marine ecoregions of the Caribbean did not apply for the benthic distributions of five relatively well known taxonomic groups. Coastal species richness tends to concentrate along the Antillean arc (Cuba to the southernmost Antilles) and the northern coast of South America (Venezuela – Colombia), while no pattern can be observed in the deep sea with the available data. Several factors make it impossible to determine the extent to which these distribution patterns accurately reflect the true situation for marine biodiversity in general: (1) highly localized concentrations of collecting effort and a lack of collecting in many areas and ecosystems, (2) high variability among collecting methods, (3) limited taxonomic expertise for many groups, and (4) differing levels of activity in the study of different taxa

The Helicobacter pylori Genome Project : insights into H. pylori population structure from analysis of a worldwide collection of complete genomes

Helicobacter pylori, a dominant member of the gastric microbiota, shares co-evolutionary history with humans. This has led to the development of genetically distinct H. pylori subpopulations associated with the geographic origin of the host and with differential gastric disease risk. Here, we provide insights into H. pylori population structure as a part of the Helicobacter pylori Genome Project (HpGP), a multi-disciplinary initiative aimed at elucidating H. pylori pathogenesis and identifying new therapeutic targets. We collected 1011 well-characterized clinical strains from 50 countries and generated high-quality genome sequences. We analysed core genome diversity and population structure of the HpGP dataset and 255 worldwide reference genomes to outline the ancestral contribution to Eurasian, African, and American populations. We found evidence of substantial contribution of population hpNorthAsia and subpopulation hspUral in Northern European H. pylori. The genomes of H. pylori isolated from northern and southern Indigenous Americans differed in that bacteria isolated in northern Indigenous communities were more similar to North Asian H. pylori while the southern had higher relatedness to hpEastAsia. Notably, we also found a highly clonal yet geographically dispersed North American subpopulation, which is negative for the cag pathogenicity island, and present in 7% of sequenced US genomes. We expect the HpGP dataset and the corresponding strains to become a major asset for H. pylori genomics

Overall survival in the OlympiA phase III trial of adjuvant olaparib in patients with germline pathogenic variants in BRCA1/2 and high-risk, early breast cancer

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