Phytotherapics of Amazonian and Cerrado biome’s medicinal plants as an alternative approach for preventive and/or curative therapy of diseases by emerging Coronavirus variants

Em face da constante emergência e reemergência de patógenos virais, como no momento atual por SARS-CoV-2, a terapia da COVID-19 tem sido polêmica. Vacinas anti-SARS-CoV-2 estão em desenvolvimento, mas a eficácia e segurança são discutíveis. Raras exceções, os fármacos são obtidos de produtos naturais ou tem sua imagem química em base ao que a natureza nos proporciona, assim que, continua--se a prospecção na biodiversidade nacional, de novas promessas na resolução dos constantes desafios que surgem de formas evolutivas virais, enquanto buscam o equilíbrio ecológico com seus hospedeiros

Antimicrobial prenylated isoflavones from the leaves of the Amazonian medicinal plant Vatairea guianensis Aubl.

Generic description of method used for collection/generation of data: Bruker Avance III 400 NMR spectrometer with 5 mm PABBO broad band probe, TopSpin 3.6. Specialized formats: Data submitted in format of Bruker TopSpin 4.3 including molfiles. Geographic location of sample collection: Leaves of V. guianensis, collected in April 2020, N 00° 13′30.3″/W 051° 33′24.2″. Language of corresponding article: English.NonPeerReviewe

Chemical and biological evaluation of Amazonian medicinal plant Vouacapoua americana Aubl

Vouacapoua americana (Fabaceae) is an economically important tree in the Amazon region and used for its highly resistant heartwood as well as for medicinal purposes. Despite its frequent use, phytochemical investigations have been limited and rather focused on ecological properties than on its pharmacological potential. In this study, we investigated the phytochemistry and bioactivity of V. americana stem bark extract and its constituents to identify eventual lead structures for further drug development. Applying hydrodistillation and subsequent GC-MS analysis, we investigated the composition of the essential oil and identified the 15 most abundant components. Moreover, the diterpenoids deacetylchagresnone (1), cassa-13(14),15-dien-oic acid (2), isoneocaesalpin H (3), (+)-vouacapenic acid (4), and (+)-methyl vouacapenate (5) were isolated from the stem bark, with compounds 2 and 4 showing pronounced effects on Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and Enterococcus faecium, respectively. During the structure elucidation of deacetylchagresnone (1), which was isolated from a natural source for the first time, we detected inconsistencies regarding the configuration of the cyclopropane ring. Thus, the structure was revised for both deacetylchagresnone (1) and the previously isolated chagresnone. Following our works on Copaifera reticulata and Vatairea guianensis, the results of this study further contribute to the knowledge of Amazonian medicinal plants.PeerReviewe

Amazonian medicinal plants efficiently inactivate Herpes and Chikungunya viruses

The Amazonian species investigated in this research are commonly utilized for their anti-inflammatory properties and their potential against various diseases. However, there is a lack of scientifically supported information validating their biological activities. In this study, a total of seventeen ethanolic or aqueous extracts derived from eight Amazonian medicinal plants were evaluated for their activity against Herpes Simplex type 1 (HSV-1) and Chikungunya viruses (CHIKV). Cytotoxicity was assessed using the sulforhodamine B method, and the antiviral potential was determined through a plaque number reduction assay. Virucidal tests were conducted according to EN 14476 standards for the most potent extracts. Additionally, the chemical composition of the most active extracts was investigated. Notably, the LMLE10, LMBA11, MEBE13, and VABE17 extracts exhibited significant activity against CHIKV and the non-acyclovir-resistant strain of HSV-1 (KOS) (SI > 9). The MEBE13 extract demonstrated unique inhibition against the acyclovir-resistant strain of HSV-1 (29-R). Virucidal assays indicated a higher level of virucidal activity compared to their antiviral activity. Moreover, the virucidal capacity of the most active extracts was sustained when tested in the presence of protein solutions against HSV-1 (KOS). In the application of EN 14476 against HSV-1 (KOS), the LMBA11 extract achieved a 99.9% inhibition rate, while the VABE17 extract reached a 90% inhibition rate. This study contributes to the understanding of medicinal species native to the Brazilian Amazon, revealing their potential in combating viral infections that have plagued humanity for centuries (HSV-1) or currently lack specific therapeutic interventions (CHIKV)