Pharmaceutical properties of 'sucupira' (Pterodon spp.)

The plant of the genus Pterodon (Fabaceae, Leguminosae), commonly known as 'sucupira' or 'faveira', are disseminated throughout the central region of Brazil and has frequently been used in popular medicine for its anti-rheumatic, analgesic, and anti-inflammatory properties. In recent years, interest in these plants has increased considerably. The biological effects of different phytoextracts and pure metabolites have been investigated in several experimental models in vivo and in vitro. The literature describes flavonoids, triterpene and steroids, while one paper presented studies with proteins isolated from the genus. This review provides an overview of phytochemical and pharmacological research in Pterodon, showing the main chemical compounds studied to date, and focusing on the relationship between these molecules and their biological activity. Furthermore, this study paves the way for more in-depth investigation, isolation and characterization of the molecules of this plant genus.As plantas do gênero Pterodon (Fabaceae/Leguminosae), conhecidas popularmente como "sucupira branca" ou "faveira", encontram-se distribuídas pela região central do Brasil e são frequentemente utilizadas na medicina popular por suas propriedades antirreumáticas, analgésicas e antiinflamatórias. Nos últimos anos, o interesse por estas plantas tem aumentado consideravelmente. Os efeitos biológicos dos diferentes fitoextratos e metabólitos puros têm sido investigados em vários modelos experimentais in vivo e in vitro. A literatura descreve flavonóides, triterpenos, esteróides e apenas um trabalho mostra estudos com proteínas isoladas do gênero. Esta revisão apresenta de maneira geral as investigações farmacológicas e fitoquímicas de Pterodon, mostrando os principais compostos já estudados, sua composição química, focando na relação entre estas moléculas e sua atividade biológica. Mais ainda, nós abrimos as portas para maior investigação, isolamento e caracterização de moléculas deste gênero de plantas

Mimosine and cyclophosphamide: a potential new combination therapy used to prevent tumor development

The effects of mimosine (MI), which is an amino acid that is derived from Leucaena leucocephala, were evaluated on the growth of ascitic Ehrlich tumors, and the effects of the combination treatment of MI and cyclophosphamide (CY) on tumor growth were also assessed. Mice were divided into groups that received the following treatments over the course of 20 days: phosphate buffer solution (CO), MI, Ehrlich cells (E), E plus CY (EC), E plus MI (EM) and E plus MI and CY (EMC). No signs of toxicity were detected in the mice from the MI group. The mice from the EMC group showed reductions in body weights when compared with those from the E group. The animals from the EC, EM and EMC groups showed reductions in ascitic volume compared with those from the E group. The mice from the EMC group showed reductions in total cell numbers of ascitic fluid compared with those from the E, EC and EM groups. The combination of MI and CY was the most effective treatment for Ehrlich tumor ascites

Identificação de princípios ativos presentes na Ipomoea carnea brasileira

Dentre as espécies pertencentes à família das Convolvulaceae destacam-se as Ipomoeas, amplamente distribuídas por todo o mundo, bastante conhecidas e cultivadas devido ao aspecto ornamental que suas flores campanuladas e de cores vibrantes oferecem. É sabido porém que espécies de Ipomoeas são tóxicas. A Ipomoea carnea, espécie de nosso estudo, provoca emagrecimento, apatia, incoordenção motora, fraqueza progressiva e até mesmo a morte em animais de produção, se ingerida por período prolongado. Os alcalóides suainsonina e calisteginas presentes nesta planta são certamente responsáveis por tais efeitos tóxicos, já que inibem a ação das manosidases e glicosidases, enzimas fundamentais para um adequado metabolismo de carboidratos pelo organismo. O presente trabalho teve como objetivo verificar e caracterizar os constituintes químicos da I. carneabrasileira. Assim, empregando-se as cromatografias de camada delgada e líquida acoplada a detector de massas, além da ressonância nuclear de prótons e carbono, foram detectados no extrato aquoso obtido das folhas da planta, 0,09% de suainsonina, 0,11% de calistegina B2, 0,14% de calistegina B1, 0,06% de calistegina C1 e o aminoácido não protéico N-metil-trans-4-hidroxi-L-prolina.In the Convolvulaceae family, the Ipomoeas species are cultivated and found in all regions of the world because of their ornamental bright coloured flowers. It is well known that some Ipomoeas species are toxic. Ipomoea carnea, species of this study, causes depression, general weakness, loss of body weight, stagering gait and death of animals after prolonged periods of plant intake. These toxic effects are attributed to the alkaloids swainsonine and calystegines present in the plant, wich promotes inhibition of galactosidases and manosidases, important enzymes for an adequate metabolism of carbohydrates in the organism. The objective of the present study was to detect and characterize the chemical components of the Brazillian plant. For that, thin layer chromatography, high pressure liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry detector and nuclear ressonance of protons and carbon were used. The aqueous extract of I. carnea presented 0.09% swainsonine, 0.11% calystegine B2, 0.14% of calystegine B1 , 0.06% calystegine C1 and the no proteic imino acid N-methyl-trans-4-hydroxy-L-proline

Estudo químico das saponinas da Phytolacca thyrsiflora

As saponinas fitolacósidos B e E e uma nova saponina, o 30-metil-éster do ácido 3-O-B-D-glicopiranosil jaligônico, foram isolados do resíduo butanólico das raízes frescas de Phytolacca thyrsiflora (família Phytolaccaceae). A hidrólise ácida da saponina bruta forneceu as sapogeninas, a fitolacagenina e o ácido jaligônico. A identificação dos compostos foi realizada principalmente por análises espectroscópicas

Histological changes caused by experimental Riedeliella graciliflora (Leg. Papilionoideae) poisoning in cattle and laboratory animals Alterações histológicas na intoxicação experimental por Riedeliella graciliflora (Leg. Papilionoideae) em bovinos e animais de laboratório

Tissues from cattle, mice, rats and guinea pigs experimentally intoxicated by Riedeliella graciliflora were studied histologically. Cattle lymph nodes, spleen, Peyer patches and peribronchial lymphoid tissues had diffuse necrosis of lymphocytes, mainly in the germinal centers of the follicles. This lesion was less severe in laboratory animals. All species had severe enteritis with infiltration of the lamina propria by mononuclear cells. Some cells in this infiltrate were necrotic. Degeneration and necrosis of the epithelial cells, mainly in the tip of the villi, and detachment of the epithelial lining from the lamina propria were also observed. In the liver the trabecular structure was disrupted and the hepatocytes had some degree of individual necrosis and degeneration. A tubular nephrosis was observed in the kidneys. Liver, lung, kidney, intestine and lymph nodes had different degrees of congestion. Those lesions are similar than those caused by Polygala klotzschii, a plant that contains 5-metoxi-podophyllotoxin.Foi realizado um estudo histológico de bovinos, camundongos, ratos e coelhos intoxicados experimentalmente por Riedeliella graciliflora. Em bovinos os gânglios linfáticos, baço, placas de Peyer e tecido peribronquial apresentavam necrose do tecido linfático, afetando, principalmente, os centros germinativos dos folículos. Esta lesão foi menos severa em animais de laboratório. Em todas as espécies havia severa enterite e infiltração da lâmina propria do intestino por células mononucleares. Algumas destas células estavam necróticas. Degeneração e necrose do epitélio, principalmente na superfície das vilosidades, e descamação das células epiteliais foram, também, observadas. No fígado havia desorganização da estrutura trabecular e alguns hepatócitos apresentavam-se degenerados ou necróticos. Os rins apresentavam nefrose tubular. Diferentes graus de congestão foram observados no fígado, pulmão, rins, intestinos e linfonodos. As lesões observadas são similares às causadas por Polygala klotzschii, uma planta que contém 5-metoxi-podofilotoxina

Immunomodulatory effects of swainsonine from Ipomoea carnea in healthy mice

The objective of this study was to more clearly characterize the immunomodulatory effects of swainsonine and an Ipomoea carnea aqueous fraction using two different mouse strains: Swiss outbred mice and C57BL/6 inbred mice. The swainsonine is the main toxic principle found in the Ipomoea carnea a poisonous plant native from Brazil and other tropical countries. Many studies have shown that swainsonine promotes biological response modifications in different cell lines, such as increased murine splenic NK lymphocyte activity, improvement of peritoneal macrophage activity and macrophage cytotoxicity against tumor cells. In addition, it is suggested that swainsonine stimulates bone marrow cell proliferation in inbred mice. Therefore, we evaluated in this study the immunomodulatory effects of swainsonine and I. carnea aqueous fraction using for this analyses of macrophages activities and histology evaluation of lymphoid organ. Thereby, analyses of peritoneal macrophage activities showed decreased phagocytosis of aqueous fraction-treated Swiss mice and enhancement of both the spreading activity and PMA-induced H2O2 production of swainsonine-treated Swiss mice; however, no alterations in these parameters were observed in C57BL/6 mice. In addition, swainsonine and aqueous fraction treatment showed no differences for both Swiss and C57BL/6 mice in the thymus, spleen and bone marrow evaluations and histological analyses of liver and kidney. In conclusion, a clear difference in swainsonine immunostimulant effect was observed when considering mouse strain, while the use of swainsonine alone did not induce bone marrow cellularity in healthy mic