Regulating herbal medicine. [Regulación de la medicina herbal]

Over the last decades, phytotherapy has attainednew status in the world public health scenario. Theincreasing use of herbal medicines, due at least inpart to the growth of the elderly population and theirassociated chronic diseases (Grünwald and Buettel,1996), has made this market attractive to investors. Infact, the global market for herbal medicines stands atover USD$ 60 billion annually (Sharma et al., 2008).The World Health Organization currentlyrecommends and encourages the inclusion oftraditional herbal medicines in health care programs,as these drugs are available at low cost (WHO, 2002,2003, 2008). Indeed, following this recommendation,and considering the worldwide trend towards suchtreatment, several Latin American countries haveincluded medicinal plants and herbal medicines asmajor topics in their health policy agenda. On theother hand, the growth of this practice has also beencause for concern to authorities monitoring its impacton public health..

Quality of medicines : deficiencies found by Brazilian Health Regulatory Agency (ANVISA) on good manufacturing practices international inspections

The circulation of poor quality medicines, especially in the developing countries, is a public health concern. Compliance with good manufacturing practices (GMP) is essential to ensure the quality, efficacy, and safety of medicines. This study evaluated the outcomes of the Brazilian Health Regulatory Agency's (ANVISA) international inspections of two years (2015 and 2016) and compared these to those of other regulatory authorities. The information from 255 inspection reports was analyzed, and the type and extent of deficiencies were collected. In the period evaluated, 62.75% of ANVISA-inspected companies were classified as GMP ªsatisfactory,º 24.71% were classified as having ªon demandº status, and 12.55% of inspections concluded that the company did not comply with Brazilian GMP regulations (ªunsatisfactoryº). The most common areas of deficiency were documentation (28.63%) and premises (26.27%). The pattern of deficiencies was similar to the findings of other regulatory agencies. However, ANVISA detected a more significant number of non-compliance results than other authorities, which may be caused by differences in classifications adopted by each Agency. Furthermore, manufacturers inspected by ANVISA may follow different standards and practices for products manufactured for the Brazilian market. Disclosure of main GMP deficiencies found can be useful for encouraging the industry to comply with GMP, and additional guidelines in the specific areas where deficiencies are often identified may be useful to industry to improve GMP compliance. Harmonization of GMP guidelines and inspection procedures are the key steps to avoid duplicate work, but regulatory authorities also need to work together to enforce the proper level of GMP compliance by pharmaceutical manufacturers, assuring high quality and safe medicines supply

Triagem das atividades antimicrobiana e citotóxica de algumas plantas medicinais brasileiras usadas na cidade de Governador Valadares

Ethanol extracts from medicinal plants commonly used by Governador Valadares people were tested for antimicrobial activity and cytotoxicity (BST assay). The field survey was conducted during the years 1997-2000 by means of direct interviews with healing men ("raizeiros") who showed familiarity with local used remedies. A total of 33 crude extracts from 32 plant species was studied. Ten extracts (Costus pisonis, Cymbopogon nardus, Eclipta alba, Eleutherine bulbosa, Erigium foetidium, Euphorbia tirucalli, Mikania hirsutissima, Momordica charantia, Solidago microglossa and Plectranthus ornatus) presented brine shrimp toxicity (LD50Os extratos etanólicos de plantas medicinais utilizadas por moradores da cidade de Governador Valadares foram avaliados quanto às atividades antimicrobiana e citotóxica. A pesquisa de campo foi realizada durante o período de 1997-2000, por meio de entrevistas com os raizeiros locais. Foram avaliados 33 extratos brutos de um total de 32 espécies. Desses extratos, dez apresentaram toxicidade às larvas de Artemia salina (DL5

Systematic organization of medicinal plant information : a monograph template proposal

The use of medicinal plants in Brazil is widespread and is supported by public policies; it has the objective of providing the population with safe and effective herbal medicines of adequate quality. An action in these policies is to develop medicinal plant monographs to gather published information and decide which medicinal plants should be financed by the Brazilian government and distributed by the public health system. Currently, the monographs published worldwide do not present unified information regarding medicinal plants, and generally, they do not cover enough requirements for herbal medicine registration. The aim of this study is to develop a monograph model with standardized information not only about botany, agronomy, quality control, safety, and efficacy but also about relating regulatory aspects that support herbal medicine regulation. The development of standardized monographs favors the fast authorization and distribution of herbal medicines in the public system. The model also points out the lacking studies that should be carried out to supplement the necessary regulatory information of medicinal plants

Secondary Metabolites

Plants are the main source for obtaining secondary metabolites that are used in the pharmaceutical, cosmetic and food industries. In nature, the performance of bioactive compounds is affected by biotic and abiotic factors, an alternative to overcome this adversity is in vitro plant cultures and particularly plant cell culture that has multiple advantages, highlighting the possibility of controlling variables to increase the content. of compounds of interest. The objective of this research was to determine and optimize the effect of some elicitors on the production of secondary flavonoid metabolites in suspension cell cultures of Thevetia peruviana on a shake flask scale. The experimental part was performed from cell cultures in suspension cells of T. peruviana maintained by the Bioconversion Laboratory of the Universidad Nacional de Colombia, sede Medellin. Firstly, methyl jasmonate (MeJa) 3 µM and salicylic acid (SA) 300 µM were added to two los of cell cultures, that circumstantially they differed in their time suspension state lot 1 (9 months) and lot 2 (3 months). Secondly, certain were evaluated, in order to be optimized; the operational parameters cosidered were: day of addition, concentration and hours of harvest. Finally, the combined effect of MeJa (0.3 µM) and SA (100 µM) was determined in different proportions, the day of elicitation and the hours of harvest were constant. Flavonoid content was quantified by UV-vis spectrophotometry usinfg the AlCl3 complexation method and was evaluated at extracellular and intracellular level. In the first part, at intracellular level, SA generated 14.6 % and 9.56 % more flavonoid content than MeJa in lots 1 and 2, respectively. In the second part, 4.14 mg EQ/g DW were generated with MeJa 0.3 µM, elicitation day 5 and harvest at 90 h; 3.75 mg EQ/g DW were generated with 100 µM SA, elicitation day 0 and harvests at 96 h. In the third part, 4.62 mg EQ / g DW were generated with the combination of MeJa (0.3 µM) – SA (100 µM) in a ratio of 20-80, elicitation on day 0 and harvest at 96 h. Eliciting cell cultures of Thevetia peruviana with MeJa and SA under optimal conditions of concentration, day of addition and hours of harvest increased the content of flavonoid compounds. The results obtained could serve as a basis for the development of investigations at the bioreactor scale.Las plantas son la principal fuente para la obtención de metabolitos secundarios que se usan en la industria farmacéutica, cosmética y alimentaria. En la naturaleza el rendimiento de compuestos bioactivos se ve afectado por factores bióticos y abióticos, una alternativa para superar esta adversidad son los cultivos vegetales in vitro y particularmente el cultivo de células en suspensión que presenta múltiples ventajas destacándose la posibilidad de controlar variables para aumentar el contenido de compuestos de interés. El objetivo del presente trabajo de investigación fue determinar y optimizar el efecto de algunos elicitores sobre la producción de metabolitos secundarios tipo flavonoides en cultivos de células en suspensión de Thevetia peruviana a escala de matraz agitado. La parte experimental se realizó a partir de cultivos de células en células en suspensión de T. peruviana que mantenía el laboratorio de bioconversiones de la Universidad Nacional de Colombia sede Medellín. Primeramente, metil jasmonato (MeJa) 3 μM y ácido salicílico (AS) 300 μM se adicionaron a dos lotes de cultivos de células; que circunstancialmente diferían en su tiempo en estado de suspensión lote 1 (9 meses) y lote 2 (3 meses). Segundamente, determinadas condiciones fueron evaluadas, con el fin de ser optimizadas; los parámetros operacionales que se consideraron fueron: día de adición, concentración y las horas de cosecha. Por último, el efecto combinado de MeJa (0,3 μM) – AS (100 μM) se determinó en diferentes proporciones, el día de elicitación y las horas de cosecha fueron constantes. El contenido de flavonoides se cuantificó por espectrofotometría UV – vis por el método de complejación de AlCl3 y se evaluaron a nivel extracelular e intracelular. En la primera parte, a nivel intracelular AS generaron 14,6 % y 9,56 % más contenido de flavonoides que MeJa en lotes 1 y 2, respectivamente. En la segunda parte, 4,14 mg EQ/g MS fueron generados con MeJa 0,3 μM, elicitación día 5 y cosecha a 90 h; por otro lado, 3,75 mg EQ/g MS fueron generados con AS 100 μM, elicitación día 0 y cosecha a 96 h. En la tercera parte, 4,62 mg EQ/g MS fueron generados con la combinación de MeJa (0,3 μM) – AS (100 μM) en proporción 20 – 80, elicitación el día 0 y cosecha a las 96 h. Elicitar cultivos celulares de Thevetia peruviana con MeJa y AS en condiciones óptimas de concentración, día de adición y horas de cosecha incrementaron el contenido de compuestos flavonoides. Los resultados obtenidos podrían servir como base para el desarrollo de investigaciones a escala de biorreactor.Maestrí

Green Bioactive Compounds: Mitigation Strategies for Cultural Heritage

Damage to buildings and monuments by microbiological growth is a cause of serious concern. Due to the necessity of treatment being assessed for in situ application, it is important to select a safe and effective strategy approach that safeguards both the environment and human beings. In the past decade the most frequently used and effective biocides have been banned due to their environmental and health hazards. This paper reports the development of remediation actions based on environmentally innocuous alternatives derived from active compounds produced by Bacillus sp. in conjugation with natural plant products from Brazilian Cerrado plant extracts

Biological activity of the aqueous extract of Lychnophora pinaster Mart

Lyophilized aqueous extract (LAE) from Lychnophora pinaster Mart (Asteraceae) aerial parts was evaluated in the search of possible biological activities. LAE exhibited trypanocidal activity (113.62 μg/mL), but could not inhibit 5-lipoxygenase in vitro (17% of inhibition). LAE chemical characterization by HPLC with UV-Diode Array Detector showed the presence of caffeic acid, isochlorogenic acid, vitexin, isovitexin and quercetin, in comparison with authentic samples

α-Amylase inhibitors : a review of raw material and isolated compounds from plant source

ABSTRACTInhibition of α-amylase, enzyme that plays a role in digestion of starch and glycogen, is considered a strategy for the treatment of disorders in carbohydrate uptake, such as diabetes and obesity, as well as, dental caries and periodontal diseases. Plants are an important source of chemical constituents with potential for inhibition of α-amylase and can be used as therapeutic or functional food sources. A review about crude extracts and isolated compounds from plant source that have been tested for α-amylase inhibitory activity has been done. The analysis of the results shows a variety of crude extracts that present α-amylase inhibitory activity and some of them had relevant activity when compared with controls used in the studies. Amongst the phyto-constituents that have been investigated, flavonoids are one of them that demonstrated the highest inhibitory activities with the potential of inhibition related to number of hydroxyl groups in the molecule of the compound. Several phyto-constituents and plant species as α-amylase inhibitors are being reported in this article. Majority of studies have focused on the anti-amylase phenolic compounds

A pesquisa-ação como ferramenta para informação sobre agrotóxicos: o caso de trabalhadores rurais da Zona da Mata, Rondônia, Brasil

A região da Zona da Mata em Rondônia, Brasil, destaca-se pela grande produção de grãos e cereais, e também tem sido evidenciada pela utilização de grande quantidade e variedade de agrotóxicos por trabalhadores rurais locais. Considerando tal cenário, uma série de atividades foi planejada em municípios da Zona da Mata, no âmbito de uma pesquisa-ação, com o propósito de informar os trabalhadores rurais quanto aos riscos da má utilização de agrotóxicos e incentivar mudanças de rotina e a busca de informações técnicas. A pesquisa-ação foi desenvolvida em duas etapas. A primeira consistiu em eventos de integração entre trabalhadores rurais, órgãos públicos e o pesquisador; a segunda parte, realizada doze meses depois, consistiu da avaliação do impacto das atividades da primeira etapa na rotina de utilização de agrotóxicos.  Os achados revelaram que a maioria dos técnicos dos órgãos públicos (87,5%) e dos trabalhadores rurais (70,0%) entrevistados afirmou ter havido um aumento das consultas à assistência técnica. Quanto à utilização de agrotóxicos, 76,2% dos entrevistados relataram ter reduzido a quantidade utilizada ou ter processado a troca do agrotóxico utilizado por outros de menor toxicidade humana. É interessante observar que de acordo com 75,0% dos produtores rurais, houve um aumento na produtividade da lavoura. Dessa forma, atividades utilizando a pesquisa-ação podem constituir-se em ferramenta útil para promoção da saúde e divulgação de noções de segurança na utilização de agrotóxicos.