Physicochemical characterization of a hydrophilic model drug-loaded PHBV microparticles obtained by the double emulsion/solvent evaporation technique

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Gochnatia polymorpha: macro- and microscopic identification of leaf and stem for pharmacognostic quality control

AbstractGochnatia polymorpha (Less.) Cabrera, Asteraceae, is popularly known as cambará and cambara-de-folha-grande in Brazil. It is used in traditional medicine to treat respiratory and gastrointestinal disorders. Pharmacological studies revealed antiinflammatory, antispasmodic, antibacterial and antiviral activities. The goal of this paper was to carry out morphological and anatomical studies in order to describe the aerial parts of G. polymorpha. The botanical material was collected, fixed, and prepared according to usual light and scanning electron microtechniques. The leaves are simple, oblong-lanceolate to elliptical-lanceolate in form with mucronate acute apex, rounded base, entire or slightly toothed margin, and short petiole. In transection, the epidermis is uniseriate along the leaf blade. A subepidermal layer next to the adaxial side is present. Anomocytic stomata are seen only on the abaxial surface. Capitate glandular trichomes and T-shaped non-glandular trichomes occur on the leaves. The mesophyll is dorsiventral and minor collateral vascular bundles are enclosed by a sheath of thickwalled parenchymatic cells. The midrib is biconvex and the petiole has a circular shape. The epidermis of the stem consists of a single layer of cells with glandular and nonglandular trichomes. The vascular cylinder shows typical structure and perivascular fiber caps are next to the phloem

Anatomical study and phytochemical screening of leaves from Eucalyptus benthamii Maiden et Cambage

O óleo essencial das folhas de Eucalyptus benthamii Maiden et Cambage, espécie de elevada resistência ao frio, contém α-pineno como constituinte majoritário. Este trabalho avaliou a anatomia foliar de E. benthamii e realizou um screening fitoquímico para investigar a presença de outros metabólitos secundários nas folhas desse táxon. A partir do material botânico fixado, foram conduzidas as análises anatômicas, utilizando os métodos usuais de microscopia fotônica e eletrônica. O screening fitoquímico foi desenvolvido por meio de reações específicas para triterpenos/esteróides, alcalóides, antraquinonas, cumarinas, flavonóides, saponinas e taninos. A anatomia foliar evidenciou estômatos anomocíticos em ambas as faces do limbo foliar, mesofilo heterogêneo simétrico isobilateral, nervura mediana plano-convexa e sistema vascular do tipo bicolateral em arco aberto. Também foram visualizados idioblastos contendo cristais de oxalato de cálcio, cavidades secretoras com conteúdo lipofílico e súber cicatricial. O estudo fitoquímico revelou a presença de triterpenos e/ou esteróides, glicosídeos flavônicos, glicosídeos saponínicos e taninos.Eucalyptus benthamii Maiden et Cambage is a species with remarkable cold tolerance. Its essential oil showed α-pinene as the major constituent. The aim of this paper was to evaluate the anatomy of leaves from E. benthamii. Also a phytochemical screening of others secondary metabolites was investigated. The anatomical analyses of previously fixed leaves from E. benthamii were performed by the usual light and scanning microtechniques. Phytochemical study was carried out by qualitative reactions for triterpenes/steroids, alkaloids, anthraquinones, coumarins, flavonoids, saponins and tannins. Anomocytic stomata were observed on both surfaces of leaves from E. benthamii. Foliar blade showed a heterogeneous and symmetrical mesophyll as isobilateral arrange. The midrib showed plain-convex cross-section and was traversed by a bicollateral vascular bundle in open arc. Idioblasts with calcium oxalate prisms, secretory cavities with oil content and lenticel-like structures were also reported. The phytochemical screening revealed triterpenes/steroids, flavonoid glycosides, saponin glycosides and tannins.Colegio de Farmacéuticos de la Provincia de Buenos Aire

Pharmacobotanical study of Baccharis singularis (Vell.) G.M. Barroso, Asteraceae

Baccharis is an important genus of Asteraceae and it comprehends approximately 400 species, many of which are frequently used in folk medicine as analgesic, diuretic, spasmolytic, antidiabetic, antiseptic and stomachic. Baccharis singularis belongs to the Singularis group and is popularly known as cambará-de-praia and cambará-da-serra. It is a shrub which occurs in Brazil, from Bahia to Rio Grande do Sul. The present study has aimed to investigate the morpho-anatomy of the aerial vegetative parts of this species for pharmacognostic purposes. The plant material was processed according to standard methods of light and scanning electron microscopy. Non-glandular trichomes, flagelliform, simple and uniseriate, secretory ducts located near the phloem, calcium oxalate crystals in the perimedullary region of the stem and in the ground parenchyma of the petiole are valued characters which contribute to the species identification.Colegio de Farmacéuticos de la Provincia de Buenos Aire

Schinus molle: anatomy of leaves and stems, chemical composition and insecticidal activities of volatile oil against bed bug (Cimex lectularius)

© 2019 by the authors The investigation of the constituents that were isolated from Turnera diffusa (damiana) for their inhibitory activities against recombinant human monoamine oxidases (MAO-A and MAO-B) in vitro identified acacetin 7-methyl ether as a potent selective inhibitor of MAO-B (IC50 = 198 nM). Acacetin 7-methyl ether (also known as 5-hydroxy-40, 7-dimethoxyflavone) is a naturally occurring flavone that is present in many plants and vegetables. Acacetin 7-methyl ether was four-fold less potent as an inhibitor of MAO-B when compared to acacetin (IC50 = 50 nM). However, acacetin 7-methyl ether was \u3e500-fold selective against MAO-B over MAO-A as compared to only two-fold selectivity shown by acacetin. Even though the IC50 for inhibition of MAO-B by acacetin 7-methyl ether was ~four-fold higher than that of the standard drug deprenyl (i.e., SelegilineTM or ZelaparTM, a selective MAO-B inhibitor), acacetin 7-methyl ether’s selectivity for MAO-B over MAO-A inhibition was greater than that of deprenyl (\u3e500- vs. 450-fold). The binding of acacetin 7-methyl ether to MAO-B was reversible and time-independent, as revealed by enzyme-inhibitor complex equilibrium dialysis assays. The investigation on the enzyme inhibition-kinetics analysis with varying concentrations of acacetin 7-methyl ether and the substrate (kynuramine) suggested a competitive mechanism of inhibition of MAO-B by acacetin 7-methyl ether with Ki value of 45 nM. The docking scores and binding-free energies of acacetin 7-methyl ether to the X-ray crystal structures of MAO-A and MAO-B confirmed the selectivity of binding of this molecule to MAO-B over MAO-A. In addition, molecular dynamics results also revealed that acacetin 7-methyl ether formed a stable and strong complex with MAO-B. The selective inhibition of MAO-B suggests further investigations on acacetin 7-methyl as a potential new drug lead for the treatment of neurodegenerative disorders, including Parkinson’s disease

Chemical composition and antibacterial activity of the essential oil from bark of Ocotea puberula (Rich.) Ness

Ocotea puberula (Rich.) Nees, known as canela-guaicá and canela-sebo, is a native woody species from Brazil. O. puberula has been used by indigenous communities to treat skin diseases and tumours. The aim of this work was to evaluate the chemical composition and antibacterial activity of the essential oil obtained by hydrodistillation from barks of O. puberula. Gas chromatography/mass spectrometry analysis showed spathulenol, β-pinene, bicyclogermacrene, germacrene D and α-pinene as the major volatile components. In the antibacterial activity, a very low response was demonstratedColegio de Farmacéuticos de la Provincia de Buenos Aire

Essential oil from eucalyptus benthamii Maiden et Cambage reduces nitric oxide production in lipopolysaccharide-induced murine peritoneal macrophages

Few studies are concerned about the essential oil extracted from leaves of Eucalyptus benthamii Maiden et Cambage that shows high content of α-pinene. The goal of this paper was to investigate the in vitro effect of the essential oil of E. benthamii and α-pinene on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced nitric oxide (NO) production in mouse peritoneal macrophages. Macrophages were harvested by washing with phosphate buffered saline and cultured with 10 μg/mL LPS. Three concentrations (5, 10, and 20 μg/mL) of the essential oil of E. benthamii and α-pinene were investigated. Nitrite levels were measured based on the Griess reaction, an indirect assay for NO production. The essential oil of E. benthamii significantly suppressed NO production in murine peritoneal macrophages at 10 and 20 μg/mL. In contrast, α-pinene did not inhibit NO production.Colegio de Farmacéuticos de la Provincia de Buenos Aire

Comparative morpho-anatomical study of Baccharis curitybensis Heering ex Malme and Baccharis spicata (Lam.) Baill.

The genus Baccharis L. belongs to Asteraceae and comprises several medicinal species. Both Baccharis spicata (Lam.) Baill. and Baccharis curitybensis Heering ex Malme are traditionally known as "vassoura" (broom) in Brazil. The species B. spicata has antibacterial, antioxidant and trypanocidal activities. Despite of B. curitybensis shows an external morphology quite similar to B. spicata, no chemical and pharmacological study is available about B. curitybensis. Therefore some confusion and/or problems can occur during popular use. In order to differentiate these taxa, the morpho-anatomy of their leaves and stems were investigated according to the usual light and scanning electron microtechniques. The species B. curitybensis reveals smooth and revolute margin, alternate leaf arrangement and non-capitate uniseriate glandular trichomes. Otherwise, dentate and flat margin, opposite leaf arrangement and uniseriate flagelliform non-glandular trichomes are observed in B. spicata. Morphological and anatomical data can be useful for differentiating B. curitybensis and B. spicata.Colegio de Farmacéuticos de la Provincia de Buenos Aire

Comparative study on dissolution profiles of sibutramine hydrochloride monohydrate from commercial capsules

Sibutramine hydrochloride monohydrate (SHM) has been widely used for the management of overweight and obesity. However, more restrict data have been regarded about in vitro dissolution profile of SHM from pharmaceutical dosage forms. The goal of this paper was to perform a comparative analysis on dissolution profiles of SHM from four commercial capsules (formulations F1, F2, F3 and F4) available in the Brazilian pharmaceutical market. All studied preparations reached a plateau from 85 to 100% of dissolution within 20 min in purified water, HCl 0.1 mol L-1 (pH 1.2) and phosphate buffer solution (PBS pH 6.8) that can be reported as an immediate release behavior. Formulation F4 showed the lower dissolution efficiency (73.40%) in PBS medium. However, since similarity/difference data and analysis of variance were carried out, results demonstrated no statistical differences among the evaluated formulations in the three used media. Weibull equation was chosen as the most suitable kinetic model that better adjusted the experimental dissolution data.Colegio de Farmacéuticos de la Provincia de Buenos Aire