Estudo comparativo dos efeitos do extrato de Ginkgo biloba L. e Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer na reprodução de ratos machos e fêmeas Wistar

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

Clinical Study of a Multivitamin and Polymineral Complex Associated With Panax ginseng Extract (Natus Gerin (R))

This study aimed to stablish the efficacy of a multivitamin and polyminerals supplemented with Panax ginseng extract (Natus Gerin(R)) on patients subjected to common physical or mental stress. Patients were randomly divided in two groups and underwent a thorough clinical examination. Group A received Natus Gerin(R) capsules and B placebo capsules. Two capsules were taken daily during meals during four weeks. Mood and physical activity were evaluated through a questionnaire assessing quality of life. From the 176 patients enrolled, 17 were excluded due to voluntary withdrawal, 81 completed the study in group A and 78 in group B. The treatment with Natus Gerin(R) increased the quality of life when compared to placebo. After 15 and 30 days, group A showed a significant increase in average scoring score from 1.78 to 3.78, and finally 5.32 points. The study has shown that the daily use of Natus Gerin(R) can be effective in improving quality of life in patients suffering from physical and mental stress.

Clinical study of a multivitamin and polymineral complex associated with Panax ginseng extract (Natus Gerin®)

This study aimed to stablish the efficacy of a multivitamin and polyminerals supplemented with Panax ginseng extract (Natus Gerin ®) on patients subjected to common physical or mental stress. Patients were randomly divided in two groups and underwent a thorough clinical examination. Group A received Natus Gerin ® capsules and B placebo capsules. Two capsules were taken daily during meals during four weeks. Mood and physical activity were evaluated through a questionnaire assessing quality of life. From the 176 patients enrolled, 17 were excluded due to voluntary withdrawal, 81 completed the study in group A and 78 in group B. The treatment with Natus Gerin ® increased the quality of life when compared to placebo. After 15 and 30 days, group A showed a significant increase in average scoring score from 1.78 to 3.78, and finally 5.32 points. The study has shown that the daily use of Natus Gerin ® can be effective in improving quality of life in patients suffering from physical and mental stress.

Development of an analytical method for the quantification of pfaffic acid in Brazilian ginseng (Hebanthe eriantha)

Hebanthe eriantha (Poir.) Pedersen (Amaranthaceae), which is known as Brazilian ginseng is widely used in folk medicine as an aphrodisiac and antidiabetic tonic. The anti-tumor activity, attributed to the pfaffic acid present in roots of H. eriantha, is responsible for the great interest in the commercialization of this species. In Brazil, the species H. eriantha is mainly used in commercial preparations, although other plants of the genus Pfaffia and Hebanthe have been marketed as Pfaffia paniculata or Brazilian ginseng. The pfaffic acid present in the roots is mainly conjugated with sugars (pfaffosides) and can be used as an active marker of H. eriantha, which helps to differentiate this species from others marketed as Brazilian ginseng. The main objective of this study was to develop and validate a liquid chromatographic method to quantify pfaffic acid in the roots of H. eriantha. The extraction and hydrolysis conditions were optimized using an univariate and experimental design, respectively, and the quantification of pfaffic acid by high performance liquid chromatography with diode-array detection (HPLC-DAD) was validated. This method was used to evaluate the pfaffic acid content in 30 different genotypes of the species from a germplasm collection. The content of pfaffic acid ranged from 0.97 to 4.29% (w/w) on a dry weight basis. © 2013 Elsevier B.V.

Double-Blind clinical study of a multivitamin and polymineral complex associated with Panax ginseng (Gerovital)

The present study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of a multivitamin and poly minerals supplemented with Panax ginseng extract (Gerovital®) on patients suffering from common physical or mental stress. The study design was controlled, parallel and double blind. Patients were randomly divided in two groups and underwent a thorough clinical and laboratory examination. Group A received placebo capsules and group B received Gerovital® capsules. In both cases, two capsules were taken daily during meals for eight weeks. Mood as well as physical activity were evaluated through a questionnaire assessing quality of life. From the 126 patients enrolled, 12 patients (8 in group A and 4 in group B) were excluded due to voluntary withdrawal, 55 patients completed the study in group A and 59 in group B. The treatment with Gerovital® significantly increased the quality of life when compared to placebo. After 15 days of study no difference between groups was observed. However, at 30th, 45th and 60th day, group B showed a statistically significant increase in average score from 30.05 to 41.96, 47.01 and finally 50.81 points. No increase in body weight was detected in either group. No difference in blood pressure or heart rate was also observed between treatments. The present study has shown that the daily use of Gerovital® over a 2-month period can be effective in improving quality of life in patients suffering from physical and mental stress among individuals of different ages, ranging from adults to elderly. Moreover, its use has been associated to a lower incidence of flu-like seasonal respiratory illnesses. Finally, the incidence of undesired effects was similar to placebo.

Anti-inflammatory effects of Brazilian ginseng (Pfaffia paniculata) on TNBS-induced intestinal inflammation: experimental evidence

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic, relapsing, idiopathic inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract. Clinical studies suggest that the initiation of IBD is multifactorial, involving genetics, the immune system and environmental factors, such as diet, drugs and stress. Pfaffia paniculata is an adaptogenic medicinal plant used in Brazilian folk medicine as an anti-stress agent. Thus, we hypothesised that the P. paniculata enhances the response of animals subjected to colonic inflammation. Our aim was to investigate the intestinal anti-inflammatory activity of P. paniculata in rats before or after induction of intestinal inflammation using trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid (TNBS). The animals were divided into groups that received the vehicle, prednisolone or P. paniculata extract daily starting 14days before or 7days after TNBS induction. At the end of the procedure, the animals were killed and their colons were assessed for the macroscopic damage score (MDS), extent of the lesion (EL) and weight/length ratio, myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity and glutathione (GSH), cytokines and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels. Histological evaluation and ultrastructural analysis of the colonic samples were performed. Treatment with the 200mg/kg dose on the curative schedule was able to reduce the MDS and the EL. In addition, MPO activity was reduced, GSH levels were maintained, and the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines and CRP were decreased. In conclusion, the protective effect of P. paniculata was related to reduced oxidative stress and CRP colonic levels, and due to immunomodulatory activity as evidenced by reduced levels of IL-1β, INF-γ, TNF-α and IL-6.

Influência de diferentes meios de cultura sobre o crescimento de Pfaffia glomerata (Spreng.) Pedersen (Amaranthaceae) para conservação in vitro

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

Sazonalidade na produção de raízes e teor de β-ecdisona em acessos de fáfia

As raízes de espécies de Pfaffia são utilizadas há muito na medicina popular no Brasil, especialmente como tônicas, afrodisíacas e antidiabéticas. Nas margens e ilhas do Rio Paraná, vegeta naturalmente a espécie Pfaffia glomerata (Spreng.) Pedersen, que corre risco de extinção pela coleta intensiva de suas raízes. Para preservá-la, é preciso desenvolver sistemas que permitam seu uso sustentável. Nesse contexto, foi avaliada a sazonalidade da produção de biomassa e o teor de β-ecdisona em raízes de diferentes acessos de P. glomerata. A coleta dos acessos foi realizada ao longo dos rios Paraná (A1 e A3), Ivaí (A2) e Paranapanema (A4). Mudas produzidas a partir desses acessos foram plantadas experimentalmente em área de ocorrência natural da espécie. O delineamento utilizado foi blocos casualizados, com parcelas subdivididas (acessos nas parcelas; épocas de colheita nas subparcelas), quatro repetições e subparcelas com seis plantas na área útil. Foram realizadas quatro colheitas: oito, dez, doze e quatorze meses após o plantio. As maiores produtividades em massa seca (MS) de raízes foram alcançadas na terceira colheita, com 38,41 g planta-1. Já o acesso A4 foi significativamente mais produtivo que os demais, tanto para massa fresca (94,67 g planta-1), quanto para MS de raízes (26,39 g planta-1). A relação MF/MS das raízes, com média de 26,9% (3,7:1), foi pouco influenciada pela origem dos acessos, embora tenha se alterado significativamente ao longo das colheitas (de 4,1:1, na primeira colheita, a 3,3:1, na terceira colheita, que correspondeu ao valor máximo). O teor de β-ecdisona foi estatisticamente similar nas três primeiras colheitas, variando de 0,26 a 0,38%, com redução drástica na última colheita (0,16%). Os acessos A2 e A3 foram aqueles com teor de β-ecdisona mais altos, respectivamente 0,36 e 0,30%. Considerando os resultados obtidos, sugere-se que a terceira colheita, que corresponde a doze meses após o transplante, como a mais adequada para colheita das raízes.

Avaliação da atividade anti-inflamatória intestinal de Pfaffia glomerata (Spreng.) Pedersen

Pós-graduação em Ciências Biológicas (Farmacologia) - IBB

Caracterização morfológica, química e conservação in vitro de Pfaffia glomerata(Sprengel)Pedersen

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Estudo agronômico de fáfia (Pfaffia glomerata (Spreng) Pedersen: sazonalidade na produção de raízes e conteúdo de' Beta'- ecdisona em diferentes acessos de São Paulo, Paraná e Mato Grosso do Sul

Pós-graduação em Agronomia (Horticultura) - FCA