Agronomic and Nutritional Evaluation of Intraspecific Crosses in \u3cem\u3eBrachiaria decumbens\u3c/em\u3e

Brachiaria decumbens cv. Basilisk is the single most important forage grass used for pastures in the tropics. This cultivar has exceptional adaptation to acid soils, vigorous growth, ease of establishment, and good forage value throughout the year, but these favourable characteristics are counteracted by its susceptibility to insect pests such as spittlebug. Breeding to produce improved cultivars within this species was impossible until 2009 due to the lack of compatible sexual ecotypes. With the success of somatic chromosome duplication of sexually reproducing diploid plants of B. decumbens (Simioni and Valle 2009), intraspecific crosses with natural apomictic tetraploid accessions were finally possible. This paper reports the results of the agronomic and nutritional evaluation of 50 preselected intraspecific hybrids of B. decumbens

Antiviral, Cytoprotective, and Anti-Inflammatory Effect of <i>Ampelozizyphus amazonicus</i> Ducke Ethanolic Wood Extract on Chikungunya Virus Infection

Chikungunya fever, a debilitating disease caused by Chikungunya virus (CHIKV), is characterized by a high fever of sudden onset and an intense arthralgia that impairs individual regular activities. Although most symptoms are self-limited, long-term persistent arthralgia is observed in 30–40% of infected individuals. Currently, there is no vaccine or specific treatment against CHIKV infection, so there is an urgent need for the discovery of new therapeutic options for CHIKF chronic cases. This present study aims to test the antiviral, cytoprotective, and anti-inflammatory activities of an ethanol extract (FF72) from Ampelozizyphus amazonicus Ducke wood, chemically characterized using mass spectrometry, which indicated the major presence of dammarane-type triterpenoid saponins. The major saponin in the extract, with a deprotonated molecule ion m/z 897 [M-H]−, was tentatively assigned as a jujubogenin triglycoside, a dammarane-type triterpenoid saponin. Treatment with FF72 resulted in a significant reduction in both virus replication and the production of infective virions in BHK-21-infected cells. The viability of infected cells was assessed using an MTT, and the result indicated that FF72 treatment was able to revert the toxicity mediated by CHIKV infection. In addition, FF72 had a direct effect on CHIKV, since the infectivity was completely abolished in the presence of the extract. FF72 treatment also reduced the expression of the major pro-inflammatory mediators overexpressed during CHIKV infection, such as IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, and MCP-1. Overall, the present study elucidates the potential of FF72 to become a promising candidate of herbal medicine for alphaviruses infections

Anti-SARS-CoV-2 Activity of <i>Ampelozizyphus amazonicus</i> (Saracura-Mirá): Focus on the Modulation of the Spike-ACE2 Interaction by Chemically Characterized Bark Extracts by LC-DAD-APCI-MS/MS

Traditional medicine shows several treatment protocols for COVID-19 based on natural products, revealing its potential as a possible source of anti-SARS-CoV-2 agents. Ampelozizyphus amazonicus is popularly used in the Brazilian Amazon as a fortifier and tonic, and recently, it has been reported to relieve COVID-19 symptoms. This work aimed to investigate the antiviral potential of A. amazonicus, focusing on the inhibition of spike and ACE2 receptor interaction, a key step in successful infection. Although saponins are the major compounds of this plant and often reported as its active principles, a polyphenol-rich extract was the best inhibitor of the spike and ACE2 interaction. Chemical characterization of A. amazonicus bark extracts by LC-DAD-APCI-MS/MS before and after clean-up steps for polyphenol removal showed that the latter play an essential role in maintaining this activity. The effects of the extracts on viral replication were also assessed, and all samples (aqueous and ethanol extracts) demonstrated in vitro activity, inhibiting viral titers in the supernatant of Calu-3 cells after 24 hpi. By acting both in the SARS-CoV-2 cell entry process and its replication, A. amazonicus bark extracts stand out as a multitarget agent, highlighting the species as a promising candidate in the development of anti-SARS-CoV-2 drugs