A Systematic Review for Anti-Inflammatory Property of Clusiaceae Family: A Preclinical Approach

Background. Clusiaceae family (sensu lato) is extensively used in ethnomedicine for treating a number of disease conditions which include cancer, inflammation, and infection. The aim of this review is to report the pharmacological potential of plants of Clusiaceae family with the anti-inflammatory activity in animal experiments. Methods. A systematic review about experiments investigating anti-inflammatory activity of Clusiaceae family was carried out by searching bibliographic databases such as Medline, Scopus and Embase. In this update, the search terms were “anti-inflammatory agents,” “Clusiaceae,” and “animals, laboratory.” Results. A total of 255 publications with plants this family were identified. From the initial 255 studies, a total of 21 studies were selected for the final analysis. Studies with genera Allanblackia, Clusia, Garcinia or Rheedia, and Hypericum showed significant anti-inflammatory activity. The findings include a decrease of total leukocytes, a number of neutrophils, total protein concentration, granuloma formation, and paw or ear edema formation. Other interesting findings included decreased of the MPO activity, and inflammatory mediators such as NF-κB and iNOS expression, PGE2 and Il-1β levels and a decrease in chronic inflammation. Conclusion. The data reported suggests the anti-inflammatory effect potential of Clusiaceae family in animal experiments

Chemical characterization of the essential oil from leaves of basil genotypes cultivated in different seasons

The aim of this study was to evaluate the concentration and chemical composition of the essential oil the leaves of basil cultivars and hybrids cultivated in different cropping seasons: dry season and rainy season. The variables evaluated were the content and composition of essential oils in the two seasons. The essential oil content ranged from 0.66% to 3.21% in the dry season and from 0.80% to 4.20% in the rainy season. The major compounds found among the genotypes were linalool, methyl chavicol, neral, geranial, eugenol, and methyl (E)- cinnamate, defining the formation of five groups in each season, classified in the following chemotypes: methyl chavicol (Group 1), citral (neral+geranial) (Group 2), methyl cinnamate (Group 3), linalool (Group 4), and intermediate linalool (Group 5). All the traits evaluated had heritability (h ) greater than 95% and high CVg/CVe ratio values. The cropping season affected the content and chemical compositions of basil essential oil

Characterization of teas from Lippia gracilis schauer genotypes by HPLC-DAD chromatographic profile combined with chemometric analyses

In order to evaluate the effects of environmental factors on the content of secondary metabolites, the chemical profiles of infusions from leaves of seven genotypes of Lippia gracilis Schauer, sourced from two locations (Sergipe and Bahia state) and collected during different seasons: summer (with and without irrigation) and winter, were determined by HPLC-DAD. The fingerprint chromatograms were analyzed by PCA to evaluate similarities and differences among the samples. Results revealed differences among genotypes collected and cultivated under the same conditions, suggesting that three genotypes have greater resistance to drought conditions

Essential oils of Hyptis pectinata chemotypes: isolation, binary mixtures and acute toxicity on leaf-cutting ants

Leaf-cutting ants are pests of great economic importance due to the damage they cause to agricultural and forest crops. The use of organosynthetic insecticides is the main form of control of these insects. In order to develop safer technology, the objective of this work was to evaluate the formicidal activity of the essential oils of two Hyptis pectinata genotypes (chemotypes) and their major compounds on the leaf-cutting ants Acromyrmex balzani Emery and Atta sexdens rubropilosa Forel. Bioassays of exposure pathways (contact and fumigation) and binary mixtures of the major compounds were performed. The major compounds identified in the essential oils of H. pectinata were β-caryophyllene, caryophyllene oxide and calamusenone. The essential oils of H. pectinata were toxic to the ants in both exposure pathways. Essential oils were more toxic than their major compounds alone. The chemotype calamusenone was more toxic to A. balzani in both exposure pathways. A. sexdens rubropilosa was more susceptible to the essential oil of the chemotype β-caryophyllene in both exposure pathways. In general, the binary mixtures of the major compounds resulted in additive effect of toxicity. The essential oils of H. pectinata is a raw material of great potential for the development of new insecticides

Ent-kaurane diterpenoids and other constituents from the stem of Xylopia laevigata (Annonaceae)

Phytochemical investigation of the hexane extract from the stem of Xylopia laevigata led to the isolation of the ent-kaurane diterpenoids, ent-kaur-16-en-19-oic acid, 4-epi-kaurenic acid, ent-16β-hydroxy-17-acetoxy-kauran-19-al, ent-3β-hydroxy-kaur-16-en-19-oic acid, and ent-16β,17-dihydroxy-kauran-19-oic acid, as well as spathulenol and a mixture of β-sitosterol, stigmasterol and campesterol. The identification of the compounds was performed on the basis of spectrometric methods including GC-MS, IR, and 1D and 2D NMR. Potent larvicidal activity against Aedes aegypti larvae with LC50 of 62.7 µg mL-1 was found for ent-3β-hydroxy-kaur-16-en-19-oic acid. This compound also showed significant antifungal activity against Candida glabrata and Candida dubliniensis with MIC values of 62.5 µg mL-1

Cenários para a matriz de geração de eletricidade do Ceará em 2050: pt

Based on the worldwide proposition of energy matrix scenarios for 2050, the objective of this article is to present scenarios of electricity generation for Ceará in 2050, showing the participation of sources already used in the state's electric matrix and adding new ones. The article proposes three scenarios: a conservative one, where the present proportion of electricity generation sources of the state is maintained, a transitional one, with 50% of electricity generation from non-renewable sources and the other 50% from renewable sources, and 100% renewable, without the use of fossil or nuclear fuels. Estimates for 2050 in the state are obtained by extrapolating generation data from 2011 to 2017, reaching an estimated 94,775 GWh. In the conservative scenario, it is observed that half of this generation is made by thermoelectric plants and the other half by wind farms. In the transition scenario, dominated by the use of natural gas, the exponential growth of photovoltaic generation stands out. In the 100% renewable scenario, dominated by wind farms, in addition to the similar growth of photovoltaic generation as in the transition scenario, we highlight the use of urban solid waste and solar thermal concentration plants.A partir da proposição de cenários de matrizes energéticas a nível mundial para 2050, o objetivo do presente artigo é apresentar cenários de geração de eletricidade para o estado do Ceará em 2050, mostrando a participação de fontes já usadas na matriz elétrica do estado e acrescentando novas. O artigo propõe três cenários: um conservador, onde é mantida a proporção atual das fontes de geração de eletricidade do estado, um de transição, com 50% da geração de energia elétrica oriunda de fontes não renováveis e os outros 50% provenientes de fontes renováveis, e um 100% renovável, sem o uso de combustíveis fósseis ou nuclear. As estimativas para 2050 no estado são obtidas através de extrapolação de dados de geração de 2011 a 2017, alcançando um valor estimado de 94.775 GWh. No cenário conservador, observa-se que metade dessa geração é realizada por termelétricas e a outra metade por parques eólicos. No cenário de transição, dominado pelo gás natural, destaca-se o crescimento exponencial da geração fotovoltaica. No cenário 100% renovável, dominado por parques eólicos, além do crescimento semelhante da geração fotovoltaica como no cenário de transição, destaca-se a utilização dos resíduos sólidos urbanos e de centrais solar térmicas de concentração

Chemical constituents of methanolic extracts of Jatropha curcas L and effects on Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

The biological activity of seven extracts from leaves of different Jatropha curcas L (Euphorbiaceae) accessions was evaluated on Spodoptera frugiperda. Methanol extracts were incorporated into an artificial diet and offered to the larval stage of S. frugiperda. The parameters evaluated were length of larval and pupal stages, mortality of larval and total cycle stage, and weight of pupae. The extracts of the EMB accessions showed the best result for larval mortality at 60.00 and 56.67%, compared with the control, respectively. Hexane partition of the methanol extract of the leaves of PM-14 accessions allowed the identification of phytosterols, phytol and n-alkanols

Chemical and molecular characterization of fifteen species from the Lantana (Verbenaceae) genus

The essential oil from two Lantana species (Lantana lucida Schauer and Lantana salzmannii Schauer) were evaluated for their chemical composition by GC-MS. Results showed 17 predominant compounds for L. lucida, among which β-caryophyllene (19.0%) and α- caryophyllene (or humuleno, 33.0%) were the major components. L. salzmannii showed the presence of 58 compounds, the most abundant of which were β-caryophyllene (15.6%) and selin-11-en-4-ol (11.2%). Next, cluster analyses of the chemical composition of the volatile fraction of five Lantana species from our studies (L. radula, L. canescens, L. lucida, L. salzmannii and L. camara), as well as 10 Lantana species published in the literature (L. achyranthifolia, L. aculeata, L. balansae, L. hirta, L. involucrata, L. fucata, L. salviifolia, L. trifolia, L. velutina and L. xenica) were performed. Species fell into three main groups. A cluster analysis of β-caryophyllene content was also performed which resulted in the 15 Lantana species being segregated into four main groups. In addition, Inter Simple Sequence Repeat (ISSR) was used to evaluate the genetic variation between five Lantana species collected from northeastern Brazil (L. radula, L. canescens, L. lucida, L. salzmannii and L. camara). Analysis showed a 36% similarity between L. salzmanii and L. canescens, and a 48% similarity between L. lucida and L. canescens. Overall, results indicate that it is possible to discriminate between groups of Lantana taxa based on both their chemical composition and ISSR markers. In addition, this study provided further support for using β-caryophyllene as a chemical marker for species belonging to the Lantana genus.Keywords: β-caryophyllene, Lantana, ISSR, Lantana salzmannii, Lantana lucida, Taxonom

Morinda citrifolia linn leaf extract possesses antioxidant activities and reduces nociceptive behavior and leukocyte migration

This is a copy of an article published in the Journal of Medicinal Food© 2011 - copyright Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.; Journal of Medicinal Food is available online at: http://online.liebertpub.comHerbal drugs have been used since ancient times to treat a wide range of diseases. Morinda citrifolia Linn (popularly known as ‘‘Noni’’) has been used in folk medicine by Polynesians for over 2,000 years. It is reported to have a broad range of therapeutic effects, including effects against headache, fever, arthritis, gingivitis, respiratory disorders, infections, tuberculosis, and diabetes. The aim of this study was to investigate the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antinociceptive, and antibacterial properties of the aqueous extract from M. citrifolia leaves (AEMC). Antioxidant activity was observed against lipid peroxidation, nitric oxide, and hydroxyl radicals. The antinociceptive effect of AEMC was observed in the acetic acid–induced writhing test at the higher dose. Moreover, AEMC significantly reduced the leukocyte migration in doses of 200 and 400 mg/kg and showed mild antibacterial activity. Together, the results suggest that properties of M. citrifolia leaf extract should be explored further in order to achieve newer tools for managing painful and inflammation conditions, including those related to oxidant states