Antitumor Activity of Kielmeyera Coriacea Leaf Constituents in Experimental Melanoma, Tested in Vitro and in Vivo in Syngeneic Mice

Purpose: The antitumor activity of Kielmeyera coriacea (Clusiaceae), a medicinal plant used in the treatment of parasitic, as well as fungal and bacterial infections by the Brazilian Cerrado population, was investigated. Methods: A chloroform extract (CE) of K. coriacea was tested in the murine melanoma cell line (B16F10-Nex2) and a panel of human tumor cell lines. Tumor cell migration was determined by the wound-healing assay and the in vivo antitumor activity of CE was investigated in a melanoma cell metastatic model. 1H NMR and GC/MS were used to determine CE chemical composition. Results: We found that CE exhibited strong cytotoxic activity against murine melanoma cells and a panel of human tumor cell lines in vitro. CE also inhibited growth of B16F10- Nex2 cells at sub lethal concentrations, inducing cell cycle arrest at S phase, and inhibition of tumor cell migration. Most importantly, administration of CE significantly reduced the number of melanoma metastatic nodules in vivo. Chemical analysis of CE indicated the presence of the long chain fatty compounds, 1-eicosanol, 1-docosanol, and 2-nonadecanone as main constituents. Conclusion: These results indicate that K. coriacea is a promising medicinal plant in cancer therapy exhibiting antitumor activity both in vitro and in vivo against different tumor cell lines.

Seasonal effects and antifungal activity from bark chemical constituents of Sterculia apetala (Malvaceae) at Pantanal of Miranda, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Protease-inhibiting, molecular modeling and antimicrobial activities of extracts and constituents from Helichrysum foetidum and Helichrysum mechowianum (compositae)

Background Helichrysum species are used extensively for stress-related ailments and as dressings for wounds normally encountered in circumcision rites, bruises, cuts and sores. It has been reported that Helichysum species are used to relief abdominal pain, heart burn, cough, cold, wounds, female sterility, menstrual pain. Results From the extracts of Helichrysum foetidum (L.) Moench, six known compounds were isolated and identified. They were 7, 4′-dihydroxy-5-methoxy-flavanone (1), 6′-methoxy-2′,4, 4′-trihydroxychalcone (2), 6′-methoxy-2′,4-dihydroxychalcone -4′-O-β-D-glucoside (3), apigenin (4), apigenin-7-O-β-D-glucoside (5), kaur-16-en-18-oic acid (6) while two known compounds 3,5,7-trihydroxy-8-methoxyflavone (12), 4,5-dicaffeoyl quinic acid (13) together with a mixture of phytosterol were isolated from the methanol extract of Helichrysum mechowianum Klatt. All the compounds were characterized by spectroscopic and mass spectrometric methods, and by comparison with literature data. Both extracts and all the isolates were screened for the protease inhibition, antibacterial and antifungal activities. In addition, the phytochemical profiles of both species were investigated by ESI-MS experiments. Conclusions These results showed that the protease inhibition assay of H. foetidum could be mainly attributed to the constituents of flavonoids glycosides (3, 5) while the compound (13) from H. mechowianum contributes to the stomach protecting effects. In addition, among the antibacterial and antifungal activities of all the isolates, compound (6) was found to possess a potent inhibitor effect against the tested microorganisms. The heterogeneity of the genus is also reflected in its phytochemical diversity. The differential bioactivities and determined constituents support the traditional use of the species. Molecular modelling was carried out by computing selected descriptors related to drug absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion and toxicity (ADMET).

Short communication: Variable number of tandem repeat polymorphisms in DGAT1 gene of buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis) is associated with milk constituents

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Acute toxicity and determination of the active constituents of aqueous extract of uncaria tomentosa bark in hyphessobrycon eques

Uncaria tomentosa is a medicinal plant used in folk medicine by Amazon tribes. In this study the constituents of aqueous extract of U. tomentosa bark were quantified by chromatographic technique and its lethal concentration 50 (48 h) in Hyphessobrycon eques was determined. The chromatography showed high levels of oxindole alkaloids, quinovic acid glycosides, and low molecular weight polyphenols. The CL50 48 h was 1816 mg/L. Fish showed behavior changes at concentrations above 2000 mg/L, accompanied by a significant decrease of dissolved oxygen. At the highest concentration 100% mortality was observed attributed to oxygen reduction by the amount of oxindole alkaloids, polyphenols accumulation of the extract in the gills, and the interaction of these compounds with dopamine. In conclusion, the aqueous extract of U. tomentosa did not alter the chemical components and it was shown that U. tomentosa has low toxicity to H. eques; therefore, it can be used safely in this species.

Rapid determination of 12 antibiotics and caffeine in sewage and bioreactor effluent by online column-switching liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Effect of byrosima crassa and phenolic constituents on helicobacter pylori: induced neutrophils oxdative burst

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Influências naturais e antrópicas na qualidade da água subterrânea de poços de abastecimento público na área urbana de Marília (SP)

This work evaluated the natural and anthropogenic influences on the quality of groundwater from public supply wells in the urban area of Marília, São Paulo State. Sixteen sampling points were established in the Adamantina Aquifer, Bauru Aquifer System, analyzing the following parameters: electrical conductivity, temperature, pH, total suspended solids, HCO3 - , PO4 3-, SO4 2-, Cl- , F- , N-NO3 - , Ca2+, Na+ , K+ , Mg2+, Si4+, Fe3+ and Al3+. The results indicated that the groundwater in the urban area of Marília has a slightly acid pH and low conductivity, with the ionic composition presenting a low cation and anion concentration and is classified as soft water and calciumbicarbonated water. Natural sources of elements/compounds can be attributed to the dissolution of carbonates during the water/rock interaction, controlling pH, alkalinity and electrical conductivity, and hydrolysis of other mineral constituents of sedimentary rocks from Adamantina Formation, with the exception of quartz. High concentrations of N-NO3 - found in some public supply wells in urban Marilia were due to sewage.

A sewage sludge co-composting process using respirometric monitoring method in hermetic rotary reactor

This paper has the objective of monitoring the biological activity of composting process of sewage sludge, sugarcane bagasse and ground coffee in a hermetic rotary reactor using the respirometric method in laboratory scale, in order to obtain parameters and system design for large scale projects. Another particularity of this study is the use of a hermetic reactor with gas purging cycles. Purging was performed when the percentage of oxygen reached less than 5%, thus eliminating the gaseous mixture (with elevated CO2 ratio) and the introduction of environmental air with around 21% of O2, successively until the compost was stabilized. The average purge intervals obtained were 29 h and 2 min with reactor rotation frequency of 15 min. The time of the compost stabilization was optimized in 60% if compared to the 90 days in the traditional method. The results obtained can be used to design the process in industrial scale using a simple O2 gas analyzer.