Genotoxicity of polar and apolar extracts obtained from Qualea multiflora and Qualea grandiflora

Ethnopharmacological relevance: The species Qualea grandiflora and Qualea multiflora, which belong to the Vochysiaceae family, are common in the Brazilian savannah (Cerrado biome), and the local inhabitants use these species to treat external ulcers and gastric diseases and as an anti-inflammatory agent. Studies have demonstrated that these plants contain compounds that exhibit pharmacological activities; however, the risks associated with their consumption are not known.Material and methods: In the present study, the mutagenicity of polar and apolar extracts from Qualea grandiflora and Qualea multiflora were assessed by employing the Ames assay with and without metabolic activation. Additionally, phytochemical analyses (HPLC-ESI-IT-MS, HPLC-UV-PDA and GC-IT-MS) were performed to identify the chemical constituents present in these species, including the evaluation of physico-chemical properties, such as polarity or apolarity of the organic compounds, which are related to each fraction obtained. These studies provide important information regarding the biochemical behaviour of these compounds.Results: All extracts exhibited mutagenicity, inducing frameshift mutations and base substitutions in DNA. Phytochemical analysis identified terpenes, ellagic acid derivatives and phytosteroids.Conclusions: The mutagenicity observed might be due to the presence of pentacyclic triterpenes and polyphenols, which are able to generate reactive oxygen species (ROS) and result in the potential to cause DNA damage. The genetic risk identified in this present work shows that special attention should be considered for the use of compounds obtained from these plant species in medicinal treatments. Further studies must be conducted to identify safe therapeutic doses. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Atividade antiinflamatória e antitumoral da fração terpenoídica e de -sitosterol obtidos de qualea multiflora

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Efeito dos componentes obtidos de qualea multiflora sobre modelo tumoral mamário murino e sua influência no sistema imunológico

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

Effect of Qualea multiflora on Macrophages and Tumour Cells

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

The role of qualea multiflora on mammary tumour cells and immune system

Species of the genus Qualea are used by the Brazilian public as a natural anti-inflammatory. Based on this evidence, we evaluated the effects of terpene fractions (βF and TF) obtained from Qualea multiflora on nitric oxide production (Griess assay), cytokines (IL-1, IL-10, IL-12, and TNF-a) and the transcription factor NF-κB by peritoneal macrophages. Since there is a relationship between inflammation and cancer, the cytotoxicity of βF and TF against mammary tumoural cell lineage, and macrophages was evaluated. Inhibition levels close to 90% of the production of NO, IL-1, IL-12 and TNF-a; about 32% of NF-κB; and a large stimulation of IL-10 production (close to the positive control) by peritoneal macrophages were observed in response to βF and TF which are correlated with anti-inflammatory activity. Additionally, the samples showed exceptional cytotoxic activity against tumoural cells but not against macrophages. Since anti-inflammatory activity is important in tumour inhibition, further examination of potential anti-cancerous activity of Qualea multiflora is warranted.

Identification of ellagic acid derivatives in methanolic extracts from Qualea species

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

Florística e fitossociologia de área de cerrado S.S. no município de Patrocínio Paulista, nordeste do Estado de São Paulo

A necessidade de se conhecer mais sobre o Bioma Cerrado torna-se cada vez mais urgente, devido à sua destruição acelerada. Este trabalho realizou o levantamento florístico-fitossociológico de uma área de cerrado sensu stricto na Fazenda Santa Cecília, município de Patrocínio Paulista, nordeste do Estado de São Paulo (20º 46' 2 S e 47º 14' 24 W, 836 m de altitude e Neossolo Quartzarênico). em 30 parcelas de 10 x 10 m, foram amostrados 511 indivíduos arbustivo-arbóreos de PAP > 15 cm, pertencentes a 30 famílias, 38 gêneros e 53 espécies. As famílias com maior riqueza específica foram Fabaceae (sete espécies), Myrtaceae (cinco espécies), Vochysiaceae (quatro espécies), Annonaceae (três espécies) e Caesalpiniaceae (três espécies), totalizando 45% das espécies. As espécies de maior valor de importância (IVI) foram: Qualea grandiflora (62,38), Dalbergia miscolobium (22,24), Styrax camporum (21,86), Ocotea corymbosa (18,02), Qualea parviflora (14,97) e Qualea multiflora (11,46). A comunidade arbórea apresentou densidade de 1.703 indivíduos por hectare, índice de Shannon (H') de 3,05 e índice de similaridade de Jaccard (ISj) de 45% quando comparado com área próxima de cerrado.

Relative antioxidant activity of Brazilian medicinal plants for gastrointestinal diseases

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

Growth rings in cerrado woody species: occurrence and anatomical markers

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

Uma proposta de material didático baseado nas espécies de Vochysiaceae existentes em uma trilha no cerrado de Bauru - SP

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

Absence of mutagenicity of plants used to treat gastrointestinal disorders

The Brazilian Savanna (locally called Cerrado) is an important biome presenting several plants that are used in popular medicine. However, the risks associated with the consumption of derivatives from these plants are generally unknown. Studies with compounds obtained from different species have shown the risks of DNA damage. The present work assessed the in vivo mutagenicity of three plant species used in popular medicine to treat human gastrointestinal disorders (Mouriri pusa, Qualea grandiflora and Qualea multiflora). The micronucleus assay was performed in peripheral blood of mice submitted to acute treatments. Results showed that no assessed extracts were mutagenic in vivo. In fact, the absence of mutagenicity in the present study indicates that the extracts do not contain compounds capable of inducing DNA breaks or chromosomal loss. However, further analysis should be performed in others systems to guarantee their safety, mainly to human chronic use.

Comparison of Brazilian plants used to treat gastritis on the oxidative burst of helicobacter pylori -stimulated neutrophil

Ten Brazilian medicinal plants used to treat gastritis and ulcers were carefully selected on the basis of ethnopharmacological importance and antiulcerogenic activity previously described. The antioxidant activity of the methanolic extracts was determined in analysis conditions that simulate a real biological activity on inhibition of the oxidative burst induced in neutrophils using Helicobacter pylori as activator, by a luminol-amplified chemiluminescence assay. The extracts, at low concentration (5 g/mL), exhibited a large variation in inhibitory effects of H. pylori-induced oxidative burst ranging from 48% inhibition to inactive, but all extracts, excluding Byrsonima intermedia, had inhibitory activity over 80% at the concentration of 100 g/mL. The total suppressive antioxidant capacity measured as the effective concentration, which represents the extract concentration producing 50% inhibition of the chemiluminescence induced by H. pylori, varies from 27.2 to 56.8 g/mL and was in the following order: Qualea parviflora > Qualea multiflora > Alchornea triplinervia > Qualea grandiflora > Anacardium humile > Davilla elliptica > Mouriri pusa > Byrsonima basiloba > Alchornea glandulosa > Byrsonima intermedia. The main groups of compounds in tested extracts are presented. Differences in the phytochemical profile, quantitatively and qualitatively, of these plants can explain and justify their protective effect on the gastric mucosa caused by the neutrophil-generated ROS that occurs when H. pylori displays its evasion mechanisms. © 2013 Cibele Bonacorsi et al.

Uso sustentável da biodiversidade brasileira: prospecção químico-farmacológica em plantas superiores: qualea ssp (vochysiaceae)

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Esteroide e Triterpenos de espécies de Qualea: Bioatividade sobre Mycobacterium tuberculosis

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

Esteroide e Triterpenos de espécies de Qualea: bioatividade sobre Mycobacterium tuberculosis

The chloroform extract of bark of the tropical tree Qualea parviflora (Vochysiaceae) was fractionated by column chromatography on silica gel, yielding triterpenes (lupeol, lupenone, betulin, epi-betulinic acid and friedelin) and a steroid (β-sitosterol). β-sitosterol, lupenone and lupeol were also identified in Q. grandiflora and Q. multiflora, while friedelin was detected only in Q. Multiflora, by means of gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The anti-Mycobacterium tuberculosis activity of the chloroform extract and isolated compounds was assayed by MABA and MIC values ranged from 250.0 to 31.2 µg/mL. This study is the first to investigate the chemistry and antitubercular activity of apolar compounds from Qualea species.