Triterpenes and the Antimycobacterial Activity of Duroia macrophylla

Duroia macrophylla popularly known as “cabeça-de-urubú,” “apuruí,” or “puruí-grande-da-mata” occurs in the Amazon Forest. Its leaves and branches were collected twice and extracted with dichloromethane and methanol. All extracts were subjected to phytochemical investigation and terpenes and flavonoids were found in all dichloromethane and methanol extracts, respectively. Methanol extracts from both branches (1st collection) and leaves (2nd collection) presented hydrolyzed tannins, yet alkaloids were only detected in the dichloromethane and methanol extracts from branches at the 2nd collection. Phenol compounds were found in both dichloromethane extracts' collections. The action of every extract was assayed against Mycobacterium tuberculosis (RMPr, H37Rv, and INHr strains), showing that the dichloromethane extract from leaves (1st collection) has the major biological activity, with a MIC of 6.25 μg/mL for the INHr strain, 25.0 μg/mL for the RMPr strain, and ≤6.25 μg/mL for the H37Rv strain. The chromatographic fractioning of the dichloromethane extract from leaves (1st collection) yielded the isolation of two triterpenes: oleanolic and ursolic acids, which were identified by NMR analysis and reported for the first time in the Duroia genus

Respiratory symptoms and active tuberculosis in a prison in Southern Brazil: associated epidemiologic variables

Backgound and Objectives: This study is justified by the high TB prevalence in prisons, which constitutes a public health problem and aims to estimate the prevalence of active tuberculosis (TB) and determine the variables associated with respiratory symptoms in a prison in Brazil. Methods: This is a descriptive study of 262 inmates divided into respiratory symptomatic and asymptomatic groups. Samples were evaluated by microscopy following the cultivation of the sputum from symptomatic individuals. Associated epidemiological variables were also evaluated. Results: Among the 262 inmates included, 178 (68%) were considered symptomatic, and of these, 25 (14%) were diagnosed with active TB. The contribution of culturing in the detection of TB cases was 48%. The prevalence of active TB was 9,542/100.000. Low educational level, use of drugs and alcohol, prison recidivism, and previous TB and HIV-positive status were associated with the presence of respiratory symptoms. Being male, single, black, a prison recidivist, an alcoholic and HIV-seropositive was associated with the development of TB. The rate of TB/HIV co infection was 60%. The outcome was death in 12% of patients. Drug therapy interruption was reported by 96% of patients. Conclusions: The studied population showed a high prevalence of TB and TB/HIV co-infection. In addition, the rates of drug therapy interruption and mortality were alarmingly elevated. KEYWORDS: Epidemiology. Tuberculosis. Coinfections. HIV infection. Prisons

Avaliação das atividades antifúngica, antimicobacteriana e larvicida de Duroia macrophylla e D. saccifera

Bachground and objective: The wide Amazonian biodiversity has been identified as a source of natural product candidates to various pharmacological activities, particularly in combating infectious diseases. Some species, such as the genus Duroia, belonging to the Rubiaceae family, has been characterized by the production of secondary metabolites with important biological properties, but there are few studies with species of this genus. Thus, the objective of this study was to evaluate the antimycobacterial, antifungal and antiparasitic activity of D. macrophylla and D. saccifera extracts by determining the minimum inhibitory concentration and minimum larvicide concentration. Methods: Were collected plant materials of the D. macrophylla and D. saccifera in Forest Reserve A. Ducke in Manaus AM, from which were prepared dichloromethane, methanol and aqueous extracts and determined the minimum inhibitory concentration and larvicidal concentration. Results: With regard to D. saccifera¸ extracts the dichloromethane extract of the branches was the most active against the fungal species and mycobacterial strains evaluated. On the other hand, the methanol and dichloromethane extract of the D. macrophylla leaves, were most active against Candida sp. and Mycobacterium tuberculosis, respectively, but none of the six evaluated extracts showed antiparasitic activity against Toxocara canis. Conclusion: These results demonstrate the antimicrobial properties of these Amazonian plants for the development of new therapies in the treatment of infectious diseases such as tuberculosis and candidiasis.Justificativa e objetivos: A vasta biodiversidade amazônica tem sido apontada como uma fonte de produtos naturais candidatos a diversas atividades farmacológicas, principalmente no combate a doenças infecciosas. Algumas espécies, tais como as pertencentes ao gênero Duroia, da família Rubiaceae, têm sido caracterizadas pela produção de metabólitos secundários com propriedades biológicas importantes, porém são escassos os estudos com espécies deste gênero. Desta forma, o objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar a atividade antimicobacteriana, antifúngica e antiparasitária de extratos de D. macrophylla e D. saccifera. Métodos: Foram coletados materiais vegetais de D. macrophylla e D. saccifera na Reserva Florestal A. Ducke em Manaus- AM, a partir dos quais foram preparados extratos diclorometânico, metanólico e aquoso e determinada a concentração inibitória e concentração larvicida mínima. Resultados: No que diz respeito aos extratos de D. saccifera¸ o extrato diclorometânico dos galhos foi o mais ativo frente às espécies fúngicas e as cepas micobacterianas avaliadas. Por outro lado, o extrato metanólico e o diclorometânico das folhas de D. macrophylla, foram os mais ativos frente a Candida sp. e Mycobacterium tuberculosis, respectivamente, porém, nenhum dos seis extratos avaliados apresentaram atividade antiparasitária frente a Toxocara canis. Conclusão: Esses resultados demonstram as propriedades antimicrobianas dessas plantas amazônicas para o desenvolvimento de novas alternativas terapêuticas no tratamento de doenças infecciosas, tais como a tuberculose e candidíase

Avaliação das atividades antifúngica, antimicobacteriana e larvicida de Duroia macrophylla e D. saccifera

Justificativa e objetivos: A vasta biodiversidade amazônica tem sido apontada como uma fonte de produtos naturais candidatos a diversas atividades farmacológicas, principalmente no combate a doenças infecciosas. Algumas espécies, tais como as pertencentes ao gênero Duroia, da família Rubiaceae, têm sido caracterizadas pela produção de metabólitos secundários com propriedades biológicas importantes, porém são escassos os estudos com espécies deste gênero. Desta forma, o objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar a atividade antimicobacteriana, antifúngica e antiparasitária de extratos de D. macrophylla e D. saccifera. Métodos: Foram coletados materiais vegetais de D. macrophylla e D. saccifera na Reserva Florestal A. Ducke em Manaus- AM, a partir dos quais foram preparados extratos diclorometânico, metanólico e aquoso e determinada a concentração inibitória e concentração larvicida mínima. Resultados: No que diz respeito aos extratos de D. saccifera¸ o extrato diclorometânico dos galhos foi o mais ativo frente às espécies fúngicas e as cepas micobacterianas avaliadas. Por outro lado, o extrato metanólico e o diclorometânico das folhas de D. macrophylla, foram os mais ativos frente a Candida sp. e Mycobacterium tuberculosis, respectivamente, porém, nenhum dos seis extratos avaliados apresentaram atividade antiparasitária frente a Toxocara canis. Conclusão: Esses resultados demonstram as propriedades antimicrobianas dessas plantas amazônicas para o desenvolvimento de novas alternativas terapêuticas no tratamento de doenças infecciosas, tais como a tuberculose e candidíase

Triterpenes and the antimycobacterial activity of duroia macrophylla huber (Rubiaceae)

Duroia macrophylla popularly known as "cabeça-de-urubú, " "apuruí," or "puruí-grande-da-mata" occurs in the Amazon Forest. Its leaves and branches were collected twice and extracted with dichloromethane and methanol. All extracts were subjected to phytochemical investigation and terpenes and flavonoids were found in all dichloromethane and methanol extracts, respectively. Methanol extracts from both branches (1st collection) and leaves (2nd collection) presented hydrolyzed tannins, yet alkaloids were only detected in the dichloromethane and methanol extracts from branches at the 2nd collection. Phenol compounds were found in both dichloromethane extracts' collections. The action of every extract was assayed against Mycobacterium tuberculosis (RMPr, H37Rv, and INHr strains), showing that the dichloromethane extract from leaves (1st collection) has the major biological activity, with a MIC of 6.25 μg/mL for the INHr strain, 25.0 μg/mL for the RMPr strain, and ≤6.25 μg/mL for the H37Rv strain. The chromatographic fractioning of the dichloromethane extract from leaves (1st collection) yielded the isolation of two triterpenes: oleanolic and ursolic acids, which were identified by NMR analysis and reported for the first time in the Duroia genus. © 2013 Daiane Martins et al

Antimycobacterial activity of Brazilian Amazon plants extracts

Tuberculosis (TB) is one infectious disease responsible for more than 2 million of deaths worldwide. The increase of TB cases resistant to drugs normally used in treatment has reinforced the necessity of development of new antimicrobials, which should be active to resistant strains and latent bacilli, further it should reduce the treatment duration. Thus fifty-six plants extracts obtained from Brazilian Amazon forest were tested in three strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, being one pan-susceptible strain (H37Rv), one isoniazid resistant and one rifampicin resistant. Twenty-nine plants extracts were active against pan-susceptible strain, twenty-four against isoniazid resistant and thirteen against rifampicin resistant. These results indicate the potential of the Brazilian Amazon plants products as source of new antimicrobials

Antimycobacterial activity of Brazilian Amazon plants extracts

Tuberculosis (TB) is one infectious disease responsible for more than 2 million of deaths worldwide. The increase of TB cases resistant to drugs normally used in treatment has reinforced the necessity of development of new antimicrobials, which should be active to resistant strains and latent bacilli, further it should reduce the treatment duration. Thus fifty-six plants extracts obtained from Brazilian Amazon forest were tested in three strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, being one pan-susceptible strain (H37Rv), one isoniazid resistant and one rifampicin resistant. Twenty-nine plants extracts were active against pan-susceptible strain, twenty-four against isoniazid resistant and thirteen against rifampicin resistant. These results indicate the potential of the Brazilian Amazon plants products as source of new antimicrobials