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

Caracterização dos sistemas de produção de leite caprino no Estado do Ceará, Brasil.

Resumo: Objetivou-se avaliar os sistemas de produção de rebanhos caprinos, em Unidades Produtoras de Leite (UPLs) de base familiar, em Quixadá, Ceará, visando avaliar a promoção do desenvolvimento sustentável da caprinocultura leiteira na região semiárida do Nordeste brasileiro. As informações foram obtidas por meio de questionários, em entrevistas individuais e presenciais aplicadas em dez propriedades rurais, com informações relacionadas ao perfil socioeconômico dos produtores e aos sistemas de produção utilizados. Ficou constatado que os sistemas de produção das UPLs foram caracterizados como extensivo e com baixa aplicação de tecnologias, limitados pelos recursos forrageiros e hídricos do semiárido. Concluiu-se que a exploração de caprinos leiteiros no Ceará caracteriza-se como atividade técnica e economicamente viável, desde que utilizadas tecnologias adequadas e que priorizem, principalmente, o manejo alimentar e sanitário. [Characterization of goat milk production systems in Ceará State, Brazil]. Abstract: The aim of this work was to evaluate the production systems of goat milk in farms of Quixadá, Ceará State, Brazil, in view of the promotion of sustainable development of dairy goat in the semiarid region of Northeast Brazil. The informations were obtained from questionnaire completed through individual interwies and presencial applied to 10 properties in the municipality, with information related to socio-economic profile of producers and production systems used. It was demonstrated that the production systems of goat milk farms were characterized as extensive and low application of technology, limited by forage and water resources in semiarid. We conclude that the operation of dairy goats in this state is characterized as an economically viable technical activity, provided it is used and appropriate technologies that focus mainly food and health management

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

Avaliação quantitativa do conteúdo ruminal de bubalinos com e sem suplementação de torta de dendê (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) na Amazônia Oriental.

O estabelecimento de modelos mecanicistas para a medição das emissões de gases de efeito estufa, provenientes da fermentação entérica, requer detalhamento da dinâmica dos nutrientes no rúmen. Assim, este trabalho visa quantificar os conteúdos ruminais, através de esvaziamento, pesagem e amostragem, via fístulas no rúmen de bubalinos mestiços Murrah-Mediterrâneo, suplementados com torta de dendê (Elaeis guineensisJacq.), na Embrapa Amazônia Oriental, Belém, Pará, emdois blocos (períodos), quatro repetições (quatro animais), com dois tratamentos (com e sem suplementação) e cinco tempos de amostragem. Foi utilizado o método das bolas para estimar o volume de espaço vazio da porção superior do rúmen. Os esvaziamentos foram realizados nos tempos: zero, duas, quatro, seis e oito horas após a ingestão da dieta. A média dos volumes nos tratamentos com e sem suplementação, respectivamente, foram: 0,093 e 0,089 m3. À medida que se passava o tempo e o jejum alimentar dos animais, aumentava o volume do espaço vazio nos pré-estômagos, e reduzia linearmente o volume de líquido ocupado, em ambos os tratamentos, comportamento diferente da porção sólid

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

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

Morpho-anatomical study of the cladodes of Homalocladium platycladum (F.J. Muell.) L.H. Bailey (Polygonaceae)

Homalocladium platycladum is a Polygonaceae species, popularly known as fita-de-moça or solitária that has been used as ornamental and medicinal plant, according to Oriental and Brazilian traditional medicine. The aim of this work was to evaluate the morpho-anatomy of the H. platycladum cladodes. The botanical material was fixed, sectioned and prepared according to usual light and scanning microtechniques. The cladode presented epidermal cells coated with thick and striate cuticle. The uniseriate epidermis showed paracytic stomata and glandular trichomes inserted in small depressions. These trichomes were capitate and presented short stalk and multicellular head. The cortex showed strands of chlorenchyma alternating with sclerenchyma that was an extension of a sclerenchymatic sheath. An internal boundary of the cortex was represented by a starch sheath. The vascular system consisted of collateral bundles and the pith showed parenchymatic cells and idioblasts containing calcium oxalate druses