Radical Scavenging Capacity of Piper arboreum and Piper tuberculatum (Piperaceae)

In the scope of our ongoing researchers on antioxidant compounds, twenty four extracts and fractions obtained from Piper arboreum Aublet and Piper tuberculatum Jacq. (Piperaceae) were screened for radical scavenging capacity (RSC) by using DPPH colorimetric assay. The strongest activity was found in ethyl acetate fractions from the leaves of P. arboreum IC(50) = 5.70 mu g/mL) and P. tuberculatum IC(50) = 8.40 mu g/mL). Hydromethanol fractions of the leaves of P. tuberculatum and P. arboreum showed moderate RSC, with values of IC(50) (mu g/mL) of 11.9 and 19.2, respectively. Additionally, a brief phytochemical study of the ethyl acetate fraction of P. arboreum leaves affording quercetin (1) and quercitrin (2), two flavonols with antioxidant activity previously described in the literature.

Atividade tripanocida de Piper arboreum e Piper tuberculatum (Piperaceae)

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

Radical Scavenging Capacity of Piper arboreum and Piper tuberculatum (Piperaceae)

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

Antimicrobial activity of Piper arboreum and Piper tuberculatum (Piperaceae) against opportunistic yeasts

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

Composition and antifungal activity of essential oils from Piper aduncum, Piper arboreum and Piper tuberculatum

The composition of essential oils from leaves, stems and fruits of Piper aduncum, P arboreum and P. tuberculatum was examined by means of GC-MS and alltifungal assay. There was a predominance of monoterpenes in P aduncum and P tuberculatum and of sesquiterpenes in P arboreum. P aduncum showed the richest essential oil composition, including linalool. The essential oils from fruits of P. aduncum and R tuberculatum showed the highest antifungal activity with the MIC of 10 mu g as determined against Cladosporium cladosponoides and C. sphaerospermum, respectively. This is the first report of the composition of essential oils from P. tuberculatum.

Antifungal amides from Piper arboreum and Piper tuberculatum

In continuation of our study of the Piperaceae we have isolated several amides, mainly those bearing isobutyl, pyrrolidine, dihydropyridone and piperidine moieties. Bioactivity-guided fractionation of extracts from leaves of Piper arboreum yielded two new amides, N-[10-(13,14-methylenedioxyphenyl)-7(E),9(Z)-pentadienoyl]-pyrrolidine (1), arboreumine (2) together with the known compounds N-[10-(13,14-methylenedioxyphenyl)-7(E)-pentaenoyl]-pyrrolidine (3) and N-[10-(13,14-methylenedioxyphenyl)-7(L, 9(E)-pentadienoyl]-pyrrolidine (4). Catalytic hydrogenation of 3 yielded the amide iV-[10-(13,14-methylenedioxyphenyl)-pentanoyl]-pyrrolidine (5). We also have isolated six amides (6-11) and two antifungal cinnamoyl derivatives (12, 13) from seeds and leaves of Piper tuberculatum. Compounds 1-11 showed antifungal activity as determined by direct bioautography against Cladosporium sphaerospermum while compounds 3-4 and 6-13 also showed antifungal activity against C. cladosporioides. (C) 2002 Published by Elsevier B.V. Ltd.

Estudo Morfo-anatômico da Folha e do Caule de Piper arboreum Aubl. (Piperaceae)

The genus Piper L. includes a great number of medicinal interest species. P. arboreum is frequent in forests of Maringa, Parana State, Brazil. Its leaves and stem are analyzed morphologic and anatomically, freehand sectioned in cross-section and longitudinal section, and were stained in astra blue and safranin. Petiole and midrib base present 15-20 vascular bundles. The blade is hypostomatic, dorsiventral and shows staurocytic stomatal complex, subepidermis and oil idioblasts. The stem possesses medullary vascular bundles; a typical endodermis is not observed, as it occurs in other Piper species.

Preferential consumption of larger fruits of Piper arboreum (Piperaceae) by Carollia perspicillata (Phyllostomidae) in the Brazilian tropical dry forest

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Enraizamento de estacas de seis espécies nativas de mata de galeria: Bauhinia rufa (Bong.) Steud., Calophyllum brasiliense Camb., Copaifera langsdorffii Desf., Inga laurina (Sw.) Willd., Piper arboreum Aubl. e Tibouchina stenocarpa (DC.) Cogn.

Tecnicas de propagacao por meio de enraizamento de estacas tem sido amplamente empregadas na fruticultura, floricultura e silvicultura. No entanto, no Brasil, poucos estudos tem sido feitos com especies nativas. Neste estudo foi testado o enraizamento de estacas caulinares de seis especies nativas de Mata de Galeria do bioma Cerrado: Copaifera langsdorffii Desf. (copaiba), Tibouchina stenocarpa (DC.) Cogn. (quaresmeira), Piper arboreum Aubl. (pimenta-de-macaco), Inga laurina (Sw.) Willd. (inga), Calophyllum brasiliense Camb. (landim) e Bauhinia rufa (Bong.) Steud. (unha-de-vaca). Foi estudada a influencia de diferentes concentracoes de acido indolbutirico, AIB (0, 1000, 2000 e 4000 ppm), em talco, e tratamento com agua sob gotejamento no enraizamento de estacas basais e/ou apicais, conforme a especie, em duas epocas do ano, final das chuvas (marco-maio/98) e inicio da seca (junho/98). Com P. arboreum tambem foi feito um tratamento onde as estacas foram enraizadas usando agua como substrato. Os resultados mostraram que as especies apresentaram diferentes habilidades para formar raizes adventicias em estacas. As estacas de C. langsdorffii e T. stenocarpa nao formaram raizes em qualquer das epocas realizadas, enquanto P. arboreum e I. laurina formaram raizes nas estacas apicais coletadas nas duas epocas (chuvosa e seca). Porem, as estacas basais de P. arboreum formaram menos raizes do que as apicais e as estacas basais de I. laurina nao enraizaram. Ja em C. brasiliense observaram-se altas taxas de sobrevivencia das estacas coletadas nas duas epocas (final das chuvas e inicio da seca), mas nao houve enraizamento. Por ultimo, as estacas de B. rufa enraizaram somente nas coletas realizadas na estacao chuvosa. Os tratamentos auxinicos (AIB) nao tiveram efeitos sobre a percentagem final de enraizamento das estacas de P. arboreum (apicais e basais), de I. laurina (apicais) e de B. rufa, bem como sobre a porcentagem final de sobrevivencia das estacas de C. brasiliense. Entre as especies estudadas, as estacas apicais de P. arboreum apresentaram os percentuais de enraizamento mais elevados: de 63% a 83% no periodo chuvoso e de 63% a 90% no periodo seco. Nas estacas basais o enraizamento foi menor, variando de 7% a 20%, no periodo chuvoso, e de 0 a 13%, no periodo seco. A epoca de coleta afetou a sobrevivencia e o peso seco das estacas apicais de P. arboreum, mas nao o numero de estacas enraizadas. Ja nas estacas basais, onde a capacidade de enraizamento foi menor, a epoca de coleta afetou o enraizamento das estacas, mas nao a sobrevivencia. Nas estacas basais houve uma grande mortalidade das estacas nas duas epocas estudadas (chuva e seca). Em geral, os melhores resultados de enraizamento ocorreram na epoca seca para as estacas apicais e na epoca chuvosa para as estacas basais. A utilizacao de agua de torneira como substrato proporcionou resultados satisfatorios no enraizamento das estacas basais de P. arboreum tanto em copos (200 ml) com agua colocados na casa de vegetacao (87%) quanto no tanque com agua corrente (77%). Em I. laurina a epoca de coleta influenciou a sobrevivencia das estacas apicais. As estacas coletadas na estacao chuvosa apresentaram melhores resultados sobrevivencia do que aquelas coletadas na estacao seca. Nas coletas feitas no final da epoca chuvosa obteve-se uma media de 15% de enraizamento e uma variacao de 3 a 23% de estacas enraizadas conforme os tratamentos. Na seca a media foi de 7% e a variacao foi de 0 a 13%. No periodo seco as medidas de peso seco das raizes foram mais inferiores do que na epoca chuvosa. A maioria das estacas vivas de I. laurina que nao enraizaram formaram calos, sugerindo que um periodo maior de observacao pode levar a maiores percentuais de enraizamento. Em C. brasiliense a epoca de coleta influenciou a sobrevivencia das estacas, de forma que no periodo chuvoso a porcentagem media de sobrevivencia (81%) foi maior do que na epoca seca (71%). Bauhinia rufa teve uma baixa capacidade de enraizamento por meio de estacas coletadas nas duas epocas do ano: apenas 3% das estacas enraizaram quando tratadas com 1000 e 4000 ppm de AIB; nos outros tratamentos nao ocorreu enraizamento. Pelos resultados, sugere-se que P. arboreum e uma especie de facil enraizamento por meio de estacas apicais, nas duas datas estudadas (no final das chuvas e inicio da seca), mas o uso de estacas basais nestas datas e inviavel. Sugere-se tambem que, devido aos baixos percentuais de enraizamento, nas duas epocas (chuva e seca), I. laurina e B. rufa sao especies de dificil enraizamento por meio de estacas apicais e basais com folhas. Ja C. Brasiliense, C. langsdorffii e T. stenocarpa nao enraizaram e podem ser consideradas especies de dificil enraizamento, nestas duas epocas estudadas (chuvosa e seca).

Rosetas e concrescências cristalinas silicificadas em Piper (Piperaceae): registros inéditos de macropadrões

Piper L. (Piperaceae) é monofilético, com espécies de difícil distinção taxonômica, sendo necessários ferramentas que auxiliem a identificação interespecífica. Os objetivos do trabalho foram descrever os macropadrões e caracterizar in situ a composição química dos cristais caulinares e foliares de Piper arboreum Aubl. var. arboreum, P. callosum Ruiz & Pav. e P. tuberculatum Jacq., visando avaliar o uso dos cristais para a separação interespecífica. Para tanto, amostras foram submetidas à análise em microscopias de luz e eletrônica de varredura, microanálises espectroscópicas de raios-X por dispersão de energia e testes histoquímicos. Foram observados cristais prismáticos cuneiformes, tabulares, cúbicos e bipiramidais; ráfides; estiloides; drusas de cristais em bloco; rosetas cristalinas de estiloides e concrescências cristalinas. Foram descritos 15 macropadrões cristalinos reunidos em três categorias. Os cristais foram classificados quimicamente como: puros de oxalato de cálcio e misturas entre oxalatos e sulfatos e entre oxalatos, sulfatos e sílica. Rosetas cristalinas, concrescências cristalinas silicificadas e 14 dos 15 macropadrões cristalinos descritos são registros inéditos para inclusões biominerais de Piper e Piperaceae. Os macropadrões cristalinos caulinares e foliares observados são constitutivos e úteis à separação interespecífica das espécies estudadas. Ademais, os cristais desempenham funções relevantes para a autoecologia dos taxa de Piper analisados.

Contribution of woody habitat islands to the conservation of birds and their potential ecosystem services in an extensive Colombian rangeland

The conservation of birds and their habitats is essential to maintain well-functioning ecosystems including human-dominated habitats. In simplified or homogenized landscapes, patches of natural and semi-natural habitat are essential for the survival of plant and animal populations. We compared species composition and diversity of trees and birds between gallery forests, tree islands and hedges in a Colombian savanna landscape to assess how fragmented woody plant communities affect forest bird communities and how differences in habitat characteristics influenced bird species traits and their potential ecosystem function. Bird and tree diversity was higher in forests than in tree islands and hedges. Soil depth influenced woody species distribution, and canopy cover and tree height determined bird species distribution, resulting in plant and bird communities that mainly differed between forest and non-forest habitat. Bird and tree species and traits widely co-varied. Bird species in tree islands and hedges were on average smaller, less specialized to habitat and more tolerant to disturbance than in forest, but dietary differences did not emerge. Despite being less complex and diverse than forests, hedges and tree islands significantly contribute to the conservation of forest biodiversity in the savanna matrix. Forest fragments remain essential for the conservation of forest specialists, but hedges and tree islands facilitate spillover of more tolerant forest birds and their ecological functions such as seed dispersal from forest to the savanna matrix.

Kava Anxiety Depression Spectrum Study (KADSS): a mixed methods RCT using an aqueous extract of Piper methysticum

Objectives: To report on the design, significance and potential impacts of the first documented human clinical trial assessing the anxiolytic and thymoleptic efficacy of an aqueous monoextract of Piper methysticum (kava). The significance of the qualitative element of our clinical trial is also explored. The Kava Anxiety Depression Spectrum Study (KADSS) is a 3-week placebocontrolled, double-blind, cross-over trial involving 60 adult participants (18—65) with elevated stable anxiety and varying levels of depressive symptoms. Aims: The aims of KADSS are: (1) to determine whether an aqueous standardised extract of kava is effective for the treatment of anxiety; (2) to assess the effects of kava on differing levels of depression; and (3) to explore participants’ experience of taking kava via qualitative research. The study also provides preliminary assessment of the safety of an aqueous extract of kava in humans. Conclusion: If results reveal that the aqueous kava preparation exerts significant anxiolytic effects and appears safe, potentially beneficial impacts may occur. Data supporting a safe and effective kava extract may encourage a re-introduction of kava to Europe, UK and Canada. This may provide a major socioeconomic benefit to Pacific Island nations, and to sufferers of anxiety disorders.

The Kava Anxiety Depression Spectrum Study (KADSS): A randomized, placebo-controlled, cross-over trial using an aqueous extract of Piper methysticum.

Rationale: Piper methysticum (Kava) has been withdrawn in European, British, and Canadian markets due to concerns over hepatotoxic reactions. The WHO recently recommended research into “aqueous” extracts of Kava. Objective: The objective of this study was to conduct the first documented human clinical trial assessing the anxiolytic and antidepressant efficacy of an aqueous extract of Kava. Design and participants: The Kava Anxiety Depression Spectrum Study was a 3-week placebo-controlled, double-blind crossover trial that recruited 60 adult participants with 1 month or more of elevated generalized anxiety. Five Kava tablets per day were prescribed containing 250 mg of kavalactones/day. Results: The aqueous extract of Kava reduced participants' Hamilton Anxiety Scale score in the first controlled phase by −9.9 (CI = 7.1, 12.7) vs. −0.8 (CI = −2.7, 4.3) for placebo and in the second controlled phase by −10.3 (CI = 5.8, 14.7) vs. +3.3 (CI = −6.8, 0.2). The pooled effect of Kava vs. placebo across phases was highly significant (p < 0.0001), with a substantial effect size (d = 2.24, η² [sub]p[sub] = 0.428). Pooled analyses also revealed highly significant relative reductions in Beck Anxiety Inventory and Montgomery–Asberg Depression Rating Scale scores. The aqueous extract was found to be safe, with no serious adverse effects and no clinical hepatotoxicity. Conclusions: The aqueous Kava preparation produced significant anxiolytic and antidepressant activity and raised no safety concerns at the dose and duration studied. Kava appears equally effective in cases where anxiety is accompanied by depression. This should encourage further study and consideration of globally reintroducing aqueous rootstock extracts of Kava for the management of anxiety.

Review : "Spatial planning and climate change" by Elizabeth Wilson and Jake Piper

This timely and thorough book seeks to provide evidence-based assessments of ways in which spatial planning may develop and deliver new strategies for addressing both the causes and impacts of climate change. The authors state that much of the analysis is informed by experiences and learning from their own involvements with climate change projects. The book aims to be relevant to a wide audience and nominates its intended readership to include planning practitioners, scholars, post-graduate students of built environment courses, politicians and the ‘interested’ public. In this regard, the authors skilfully deliver with a comprehensive and accessible dissemination of the nexus between spatial planning and climate change...