Medicinal plants of ethnopharmacological relevance in Sierra de Ancasti, Catamarca, Argentina

The aim of this work is to document the knowledge, significance, and uses of medicinal plants in the rural population of Ancasti, Catamarca, Argentina, considered an area of great biodiversity. The community defines itself as criollos-serranos and its subsistence economy is associated with traditional livestock production systems and small-scale agriculture. The techniques used in ethnobiology were adopted as a methodological framework. Informants were selected intentionally based on their expertise or by snowball sampling. The specific information about the topic was gathered by records and documentation of species, open interviews and specific semi-structured surveys, participant observation and records of a rapid rural diagnosis. For quantitative analysis, two indices were applied, including: Relative Importance (RI), and Informant Consensus Factor (ICF). A total of 209 medicinal plant and 5 species of fungi belonging to 70 families were recorded. Asteraceae was dominating with 25 species. Herbs were leading with a 45% contribution, followed by shrubs. The RI index highlights species like Rosmarinus officinalis, Vachellia caven and Cestrum parqui, also others rarely referred to in previous studies, as in the case of Lithraea molleoides. The medicinal flora in Ancasti, Catamarca is highly diverse and remained scarcely explored so far. Its composition accounts for a set of species and applications that are shared with those of other regions of central and northwestern Argentina, highlighting the presence of intercultural contacts.

Medicinal plants used for traditional veterinary in the Sierras de Córdoba (Argentina): An ethnobotanical comparison with human medicinal uses

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>This is a first description of the main ethnoveterinary features of the peasants in the Sierras de Córdoba. The aim of this study was to analyze the use of medicinal plants and other traditional therapeutic practices for healing domestic animals and cattle. Our particular goals were to: characterize veterinary ethnobotanical knowledge considering age, gender and role of the specialists; interpret the cultural features of the traditional local veterinary medicine and plant uses associated to it; compare the plants used in traditional veterinary medicine, with those used in human medicine in the same region.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Fieldwork was carried out as part of an ethnobotanic regional study where 64 informants were interviewed regarding medicinal plants used in veterinary medicine throughout 2001-2010. Based participant observation and open and semi-structured interviews we obtained information on the traditional practices of diagnosis and healing, focusing on the veterinary uses given to plants (part of the plant used, method of preparation and administration). Plants speciemens were collected with the informants and their vernacular and scientific names were registered in a database. Non-parametric statistic was used to evaluate differences in medicinal plant knowledge, use, and valorization by local people. A comparison between traditional veterinary medicine and previous human medicine studies developed in the region was performed by analyzing the percentages of common species and uses, and by considering Sorensen's Similarity Index.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>A total of 127 medicinal uses were registered, corresponding to 70 species of plants belonging to 39 botanic families. Veterinary ethnobotanical knowledge was specialized, restricted, in general, to cattle breeders (mainly men) and to a less degree to healers, and was independent of the age of the interviewees. Native plants were mostly used as skin cicatrizants, disinfectants or for treating digestive disorders. Together with a vast repertoire of plant pharmacopoeia, the therapies also involve religious or ritualistic practices and other popular remedies that evidence the influence of traditional Hispanic-European knowledge. Although the traditional veterinary knowledge seems to be similar or else is inlcuded in the local human ethnomedicine, sharing a common group of plants, it has distinct traits originated by a constant assessment of new applications specifically destined to the treatment of animals.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Veterinary medicine is a fountain of relevant vernacular knowledge, a permanent source for testing new applications with valuable ethnobotanical interest. Knowledge on medicinal applications of native plants will allow future validations and tests for new homeopathic or phytotherapeutic preparations.</p

Static black hole solutions with a self interacting conformally coupled scalar field

We study static, spherically symmetric black hole solutions of the Einstein equations with a positive cosmological constant and a conformally coupled self interacting scalar field. Exact solutions for this model found by Mart{\'\i}nez, Troncoso, and Zanelli, (MTZ), were subsequently shown to be unstable under linear perturbations, with modes that diverge arbitrarily fast. We find that the moduli space of static, spherically symmetric solutions that have a regular horizon -and satisfy the weak and dominant energy conditions outside the horizon- is a singular subset of a two dimensional space parameterized by the horizon radius and the value of the scalar field at the horizon. The singularity of this space of solutions provides an explanation for the instability of the MTZ spacetimes, and leads to the conclusion that, if we include stability as a criterion, there are no physically acceptable black hole solutions for this system that contain a cosmological horizon in the exterior of its event horizon.Comment: 22 pages, 5 figures (replaced figure #4), final version, to be published in PR

Advances in novel activation methods to perform green organic synthesis using recyclable heteropolyacid catalysis

Highly functionalized, high value added bioactive molecules are generally obtained by synthetic procedures that are highly selective, economical, with high atom economy, and environmentally friendly. Following these guidelines, the use of recoverable solid catalysts, nonpolluting substrates, or toxic organic solvent contributes greatly to these demands. In the last three decades, heteropolyacids (HPAs) and its derivatives have received great attention as recyclable solid catalysts, due to their strong Brönsted acidity, excellent oxidizing capacity under mild conditions, and various reuse cycles without appreciable loss of their catalytic activity. However, new activation methods should be investigated to improve the sustainability of a process using HPAs. In this review, we report the latest advances associated with the synthesis of potentially bioactive molecules using more energy efficient alternatives such as microwaves, ultrasound, mechanochemistry, and photochemistry to minimize the energy consumption associated with organic synthesis. The transformations studied include construction reaction, heterocycle synthesis, selective oxidation, and biomass recovery.Fil: Ruiz, Diego Manuel. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias y Forestales. Departamento de Ciencias Exactas. Cátedra de Química Orgánica; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de la Plata. Facultad de Cs.agrarias y Forestales. Centro de Investigacion En Sanidad Vegetal.; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Ciencias Aplicadas "Dr. Jorge J. Ronco". Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Ciencias Aplicadas; ArgentinaFil: Pasquale, Gustavo Antonio. Universidad Nacional de la Plata. Facultad de Cs.agrarias y Forestales. Centro de Investigacion En Sanidad Vegetal.; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias y Forestales. Departamento de Ciencias Exactas. Cátedra de Química Orgánica; ArgentinaFil: Martínez, José J.. Universidad Pedagógica y Tecnológica de Colombia; ColombiaFil: Romanelli, Gustavo Pablo. Universidad Nacional de la Plata. Facultad de Cs.agrarias y Forestales. Centro de Investigacion En Sanidad Vegetal.; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias y Forestales. Departamento de Ciencias Exactas. Cátedra de Química Orgánica; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Ciencias Aplicadas "Dr. Jorge J. Ronco". Universidad Nacional de la Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Ciencias Aplicadas; Argentin

Estatus de fósforo en aguas superficiales de Puerto Rico: 1989-1997.

Elevated phosphorus (P) concentrations in Puerto Rico's surface waters are suspected to be the primary cause of observed eutrophication.This paper summarizes total P concentrations (TP), historical trends, and relationships between biological and chemical parameters at twenty-two surface water monitoring stations of eleven rivers from 1989 through 1997. Four rivers had median TP concentrations in excess of 0.1 mg P/L (which is considered a threshold limit for eutrophication). The remaining seven rivers, excluding Rio Guajataca, had at least 25% of the sampling episodes exceeding 0.1 mg P/L. When all data (n = 539) were considered, TP in the central 50% of the samples (25 to 75 interquartile range) ranged from 0.04 to 0.29, with mean and median values of 0.30 and 0.09 mg P/L, respectively. Pearson correlation coefficients between TP and fecal coliform bacteria, fecal streptococcal bacteria, and total Kjeidhal nitrogen were 0.38, 0.36, and 0.84, respectively, for all the rivers combined. For rivers with the highest TP concentrations differing relationships between TP and biological and chemical parameters were obtained, thus suggesting that diverse sources were contributing to P loads in rivers. Excluding two stations in Rio Grande de Añasco and Rio Grande de Arecibo, the trend was for TP concentrations to decrease or not change from 1989 to 1997. Approximately half of the variation in P loads in all rivers combined was due to instantaneous hydrologic flow discharge, a finding which corroborates our hypothesis that a number of factors (agricultural non-point sources, background non-point sources, point sources) are contributing to the observed TP concentrations.Los niveles elevados de fósforo (P) están implicados en la eutroficación que se observa en algunos cuerpos de agua superficiales de Puerto Rico. Este trabajo resume las concentraciones de fósforo, tendencias y relaciones entre parámetros biológicos y químicos encontradas en 22 estaciones de monitoreo localizadas en 11 ríos, entre 1989 y 1997. Cuatro ríos tenían concentraciones medianas de fósforo por encima de 0.1 mg P/L (considerado un nivel umbral para la eutroficación de aguas). Las concentraciones de fósforo en los restantes siete ríos, excluyendo el Río Guajataca, excedieron valores de 0.1 mg P/L en 25% de los episodios. Al considerar todos los datos (n = 539), el 50% de las muestras (25 a 75 percentila) tenían un recorrido de 0.04 a 0.29, con medias y medianas de 0.30 y 0.09 mg P/L, respectivamente. Los coeficientes de correlación Pearson, entre fósforo total (PT) y bacterias coliformes fecales, bacterias conformes estreptococales y nitrógeno total Kjeldal fueron 0.38, 0.36 y 0.84, respectivamente, para todos los ríos combinados. Para los ríos con mayores concentraciones de fósforo, se obtuvieron diferentes relaciones entre PT y los parámetros biológicos y químicos seleccionados. Excluyendo dos estaciones en el Río Grande de Añasco y el Río Grande de Arecibo, se observó una disminución o ningún cambio en las concentraciones de fósforo entre 1989 y 1997. Aproximadamente la mitad de la variación en descargas de fósforo en todos los ríos se debió a descarga hidrológica. Estos datos corroboran nuestra hipótesis de que una combinación de factores (fuentes dispersas agrícolas, fuentes dispersas no-agrícolas y fuentes precisas) están aportando fósforo a las aguas superficiales evaluadas

Uso de plantas medicinales en el tratamiento de afecciones transmitidas por el agua en una comunidad toba (qom) del Impenetrable (Chaco, Argentina): Una perspectiva etnoecológica y sanitaria

Se caracteriza a través de una investigación etnoecológica y participativa, las representaciones y prácticas vernáculas relacionadas con la prevención y tratamiento natural de problemáticas sanitarias que se transmiten a través del agua (como cólera, diarrea, gastroenteritis, disentería, hepatitis), entre los tobas (qom) del Chaco Impenetrable. Se documentaron en este contexto el uso de 64 especies medicinales vinculadas con el alivio de los síntomas gastrointestinales característicos de estas dolencias. Los resultados se discuten en orden a la planificación y desarrollo de estrategias locales de protección de la salud ambiental en comunidades indígenas del Gran Chaco

Nanopartículas magnéticas funcionalizadas y modificadas con entrecruzamiento para mejorar la inmovilización de la invertasa

Procedures of immobilization invertase have been developed using different supports. However, disadvantages such as use of smallparticles for invertase immobilizations in packed-bed reactors are being solved using magnetic particles. In this study, compositescontaining Fe3O4 were prepared by incorporation of a polysiloxane layer required for the physical adsorption of the invertase.Besides, the functionalized magnetite was activated with glutaraldehyde and polyethylenimine (PEI) with the aim of performinga covalent immobilization. The effect of different conditions such as enzyme: support ratio, pH, and temperature were analyzedin the preservation of invertase. The results demonstrated that the optimum enzyme:support ratio is higher for covalent bondingthan for physical adsorption. The ideal pH for the immobilized enzyme is 5.0, and the enzymatic activity is retained until 70 ◦C.The values of km are similar in both immobilization methods. The analysis of the effect of pH and thermostability showed thatthe catalytic activity of invertase is not affected in comparison with the free enzyme. The covalent immobilization displays higherefficiency in the immobilization process (Fε), less inhibition and twice as much stability. The enzymes immobilized by physicaland covalent methods can be reused for up to four cycles and can be removed from the reaction medium by applying an externalmagnetic field.Keywords: invertase, Fe3O4, immobilization, compositesSe han desarrollado procedimientos de inmovilización con invertasa utilizando diferentes soportes. Sin embargo, las desventajas como el uso de partículas pequeñas para inmovilizaciones de invertasa en reactores de lecho compacto se están resolviendo utilizando partículas magnéticas. En este estudio, los compuestos que contienen Fe3O4se prepararon mediante la incorporación de una capa de polisiloxano necesaria para la adsorción física de la invertasa. Además, la magnetita funcionalizada se activó conglutaraldehído y polietilenimina (PEI) con el objetivo de realizar una inmovilización covalente. Se analizó el efecto de diferentescondiciones como la relación enzima: soporte, pH y temperatura en la conservación de la invertasa. Los resultados demostraron que la relación enzima: soporte óptima es mayor para la unión covalente que para la adsorción física. El pH ideal para la enzimainmovilizada es 5,0 y la actividad enzimática se mantiene hasta 70◦C. Los valores dekmson similares en ambos métodos de inmovilización. El análisis del efecto del pH y la termoestabilidad mostró que la actividad catalítica de la invertasa no se ve afectada en comparación con la enzima libre. La inmovilización covalente muestra una mayor eficacia en el proceso de inmovilización (Fε),menos inhibición y el doble de estabilidad. Las enzimas inmovilizadas por métodos físicos y covalentes se pueden reutilizar hasta por cuatro ciclos y se pueden eliminar del medio de reacción aplicando un campo magnético externo.Fil: Vargas Lizarazo, Annie Yojaira. Universidad Pedagógica y Tecnológica de Colombia; ColombiaFil: Romanelli, Gustavo Pablo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Ciencias Aplicadas "Dr. Jorge J. Ronco". Universidad Nacional de la Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Ciencias Aplicadas; ArgentinaFil: Martínez, José J.. Universidad Pedagógica y Tecnológica de Colombia; Colombi

Preyssler Heteropolyacids in the Self-Etherification of 5-Hydroxymethylfurfural to 5,5′-[Oxybis(methylene)]bis-2-furfural Under Mild Reaction Conditions

The synthesis of 5,5′-[oxybis(methylene)]bis-2-furfural (OBMF) from 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (5-HMF) was studied using bulk and alumina-supported Preyssler heteropolyacids (HPAs). The formation of OBMF was related to the amount of Brønsted acid sites, and the lowest yield of OBMF was obtained with supported HPAs. However, the Lewis acidity of the HPA supported on Al2O3 favored the formation of 2,5-dimethylfurane. The effects of solvent, catalyst loading, temperature, and reaction time on the selectivity to OBMF from 5-HMF were studied to optimize OBMF production using bulk Preyssler HPAs; a yield of 84 % to OBMF was obtained at 5 h and 343 K. These results demonstrate that bulk Preyssler HPA is a good candidate for OBMF synthesis under mild reaction conditions.Fil: Páez, Alexander. Universidad Pedagógica y Tecnológica de Colombia; ColombiaFil: Rojas, Hugo A.. Universidad Pedagógica y Tecnológica de Colombia;Fil: Portilla Zúñiga, Omar Miguel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Ciencias Aplicadas ; ArgentinaFil: Sathicq, Angel Gabriel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Ciencias Aplicadas ; ArgentinaFil: Afonso, Carlos A. M.. Universidade de Lisboa; PortugalFil: Romanelli, Gustavo Pablo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Ciencias Aplicadas ; ArgentinaFil: Martínez, José J.. Universidad Pedagógica y Tecnológica de Colombia; Colombi

Las denominaciones vernáculas y el conocimiento toba del entorno vegetal

The authors explore the perception of plants by the Toba of Rio Bermejito (Central Chaco, Argentina) by analyzing the vernacular names of Toba phytonymy. After adopting an interdisciplinary approach to the subject that combines contributions from the fields of linguistics and ethnobotany, the authors present a corpus of names and a discussion of the morpho-syntactic processes and semantic relations that are involved in the Toba naming of the species of plants. They found that the nomenclature makes reference to distinctive features and physiological or environmental aspects of the species, together with reference to their function in Toba culture. In addition, the list of plant names reveals characteristic properties of the world of hunters and gatherers; for instance, the high frequency in the list of names related to morphological aspects that call to mind the animal world as well. The analysis provides evidence of the depth and keenness of the Toba in observing and understanding their natural environment.A partir del análisis de las denominaciones vernáculas en la fitonimia toba, este trabajo aborda la percepción y el conocimiento del entorno vegetal entre los tobas del río Bermejito (Chaco Central, Argentina). Desde una perspectiva interdisciplinar que combina los aportes de la lingüistica y la etnobotánica, se presenta el corpus de nombres documentado y se estudian los procesos morfosintácticos y las relaciones semánticas que intervienen en la denominación de las especies vegetales. Entre los aspectos analizados, la nomenclatura revela referencias a características distintivas y a aspectos fisiológicos o ecológicos de las especies, así como a su uso o función para la cultura. Asimismo, las denominaciones ponen de manifiesto atributos característicos de los pueblos cazadoresrecolectores, como lo demuestra la gran proporción de nombres que apelan a caracteres morfológicos por similitud con el mundo animal. El análisis permite constatar la profundidad y minuciosidad de la observación y el conocimiento ecológico de estos indígenas chaqueños

Las plantas en la alimentación de pobladores rurales de los ambientes serranos de La Calera (Dpto. Colón, Córdoba, Argentina). Una perspectiva etnobotánica diacrónica

The work aims at characterizing the role played by food plants in the diet of rural peasants living in the mountain surroundings of Sierras Chicas, province of Córdoba. Methodologically, a process of research and obtaining ethnobotanical data in the field was followed, combining methods from the social and natural sciences and conducting complementarity qualitative and quantitative analyses. Semi-structured surveys were administered in 30 domestic units and 14 in-depth interviews were done. A total of 36 species and 42 different food applications were registered, excluding garden produce and farming vegetables; in addition to 121 present-day and traditional food preparations. A large number of culinary practices, recipes and traditional dishes compiled in this work coincide with the inventory dating back to the middle of the last century for the folklore of Cordoba’s food. In relation to food change, socio-cultural reasons related to lifestyle changes, rather than environmental reasons, were particularly visible. Finally, we found recipes increasingly less diversified, loss of ingredients and the use of traditional cultigens in domestic cooking.El trabajo propone caracterizar el rol de las plantas alimenticias en pobladores rurales campesinos de los ambientes serranos de una localidad de las Sierras Chicas de Córdoba. En lo metodológico se siguió un proceso de investigación y de obtención de datos etnobotánicos a campo, combinando metodologías de las ciencias sociales y naturales y recurriendo a la complementariedad de los análisis cualitativos y cuantitativos. Se aplicaron encuestas semiestructuradas en 30 unidades domésticas y 14 entrevistas en profundidad. Se documentaron 36 especies y 42 aplicaciones alimenticias diferentes, sin incluir las hortalizas yverduras de cultivo; así como 121 preparados alimenticios tradicionales y actuales. Una grancantidad de prácticas culinarias, recetas y platos tradicionales compilados en este trabajo coinciden con el inventario de mediados del siglo pasado para el folklore de la comida cordobesa. En lo que concierne al cambio en materia de alimentación, se visibilizan particularmente las razones socioculturales relacionadas a transformaciones en el estilo de vida, antes que motivos ambientales. Finalmente se observan recetarios cada vez menos diversificados, pérdida de ingredientes y del uso de cultígenos tradicionales en la culinaria doméstic