Avalia����o da atividade antioxidante e antiproliferativa do extrato aquoso de frutas tropicais

The antioxidant activity of aqueous extracts of five edible tropical fruits (Spondias lutea, Hancornia speciosa, Spondias purpurea, Manilkara zapota and Averrhoa carambola) was investigated using different methods. The amount of phenolic compounds was determined by the Folin-Ciocalteu reagent. The M. zapota had Total Antioxidant Capacity (TAC) higher than the other fruits. Extracts showed neither reducing power nor iron chelation (between 0.01 and 2.0 mg/mL). H. speciosa exhibited the highest superoxide scavenging activity (80%, 0.5 mg/mL). However, at high concentrations (8.0 mg/mL) only A. carambola, S. purpurea and S. lutea scavenging 100% of radicals formed. M. zapota and S. purpurea had higher phenolic compound levels and greater OH radical scavenging activity (92 %, 2.0 mg/mL). Antiproliferative activity was assessed with 3T3 fibroblasts and cervical tumor cells (HeLa). The most potent extract was S. purpurea (0.5 mg/mL), which inhibited HeLa cell proliferation by 52%. The most fruits showed antioxidant and antiproliferative properties, characterizing them as functional foods.

Maize-Dwelling insects omnivory in Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) egg masses

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Cient��fico e Tecnol��gico (CNPq)

Influ��ncia da Aduba����o Fosfatada - Pot��ssica na Ocorr��ncia de Pragas na Cultura da Soja

O estudo foi desenvolvido para se determinar o efeito da aduba����o fosfatada-pot��ssica da soja sobre a ocorr��ncia de insetos-praga. Os tratamentos constitu��ram um fatorial 4 x 4 (quatro doses de f��sforo e quatro doses de pot��ssio) com tr��s repeti����es. Os n��veis de f��sforo utilizados foram, respectivamente (0, 80, 120 e 160 kg/ha) de P2O5 e (0, 40, 60 e 80 kg/ha) de K2O. Foram realizadas amostragens semanais a partir do est��dio V2 da cultura, utilizando-se pano de amostragem. Os resultados indicaram uma tend��ncia de aumento populacional de Piezodorus guildinii (Westwood) para as maiores doses dos nutrientes. A ocorr��ncia de Diabrotica speciosa (Germar) foi correlacionada com alguns nutrientes das folhas.

An evaluation of direct seeding for reforestation of degraded lands in central S��o Paulo state, Brazil

As part of a larger study evaluating several silvicultural techniques for restoring tropical moist forests on abandoned agricultural lands in southeastern Brazil, direct seeding with five early-successional Atlantic forest species was tested at three degraded sites, characterized by different soil types and land-use histories, within the Environmental Protection Area at Botucatu, SP. The species used in this study were Chorisia speciosa, Croton floribundus, Enterolobium contorstisiliquum, Mimosa scabrella, and Schizolobium parahyba. Scarified seeds of each of these species were sown in prepared seed spots in replicated, 0.25 ha mixed-species plots at an initial espacement of 1 m x 1 m at each site. of the five species planted, only two, Enterolobium and Schizolobium, showed good seed germination, seedling survival, and early growth rates, averaging 4.1-4.6 cm stem diameter and 1.5-1.7 m height growth during the first 2 years after sowing. These two species constituted 88-100% of the total stand density, which ranged from 1050 to 1790 stems ha(-1) at 2 years. Despite the poor performance of the other species tested, we observed that the natural regeneration of native forest species originating from remnant forests in the general vicinity of our study sites was significantly greater within the direct-seeded plots than in unplanted control plots that were protected from fire and other disturbances. Published by Elsevier B.V. B.V.

Antimicrobial activity of some medicinal plants of the Cerrado, Brazil

In order to determine the potential of Cerrado plants as sources of antimicrobial activity, the phytochemical screening of ethanol extracts from Virola surinamensis, Qualea grandiflora, Alchornea castaneifolia, Hancornia speciosa and Curatella americana traditionally used in folk medicine are reported. Copyright (C) 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

��caros plant��colas (Acari) da Esta����o Ecol��gica do Noroeste Paulista, Estado de S��o Paulo, Brasil

O presente estudo foi realizado na Esta����o Ecol��gica do Noroeste Paulista, localizada na regi��o de S��o Jos�� do Rio Preto, Estado de S��o Paulo, Brasil, visando determinar esp��cies acarinas plant��colas associadas a fragmentos de mata nativa. Foram determinadas 83 esp��cies, pertencentes a 48 g��neros de 20 fam��lias, associadas a mais de 60 esp��cies vegetais. Trinta e oito esp��cies acarinas foram identificadas nominalmente. As mais freq��entes foram Tetranychus ludeni (Zacher, 1913) (Tetranychidae) e Iphiseiodes zuluagai (Denmark & Muma, 1972) (Phytoseiidae), coletadas sobre 15 e 14 esp��cies de plantas, respectivamente. A maior diversidade foi observada em Piper sp. (Piperaceae) (21 esp��cies acarinas), seguida de Luehea speciosa Willd. (Tiliaceae) (17), Alchornea glandulosa Poepp. & Endl. (Euphorbiaceae) (16), Bauhinia rufa (Bong.) Steud (Caesalpinaceae) (14) e Olyra sp. (Poaceae) (12).

Morfologia comparada de pl��ntulas e plantas jovens de leguminosas arb��reas nativas: esp��cies de Phaseoleae, Sophoreae, Swartzieae e Tephrosieae

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Cient��fico e Tecnol��gico (CNPq)

Honey bee as an effective pollinating agent of pumpkin

Funda����o de Amparo �� Pesquisa do Estado de S��o Paulo (FAPESP)

Revis��o de plantas Brasileiras com comprovado efeito hipoglicemiante no controle do diabetes mellitus

Plants have been used in the cure of diseases from the origins of the humanity. At present, in Brazil, the use is common because of the difficulty of access of part of the population to medical assistance. It is commonly believed that the medicinal plants of traditional use were already tested and ratified by the long-lasting use by the human species, being considered effective medicines, presenting no collateral effects, not needful, therefore, of evaluation. The miraculous self-medication with medicinal plants goes to the point of substituting therapies in serious diseases such as those of hypoglycemic or anti-diabetic effect. For the test of medicinal plants, it is necessary to consider the material quality to be tested, the plant component used, extraction method, dosage, and the experimental species used. Several plants have already had hypoglycemic effects proven experimentally. The objective of this paper was to accomplish a revision of Brazilian medicinal plants, used popularly, as hypoglycemics that had effects proven in animals and in humans.

Mutagenic effect of native species of the Brazilian Cerrado with anti-ulcerogenic activity

Neea theifera Oerted (Nyctaginaceae), Guapira noxia Linn. (Nyctaginaceae) and Hancornia speciosa Gomes (Apocynaceae) are plant species found in Brazilian Cerrado used popularly for the treatment of gastric ulcers. Here they are assessed for mutagenic activity by analysis of the reverse mutations induced in Salmonella typhimurium strains TA100, TA98, TA102 and TA97a, by extracts of the plants, with and without metabolic activation. Methanol and chloroform extracts of N. theifera and G. noxia and methanolic and aqueous extracts of H. speciosa were tested at five different concentrations. It was found that only the methanolic extract of H. speciosa exhibited a positive mutagenic effect, on strains TA98 and TA100 in the absence of metabolic activation. The phytochemical analysis of the species suggested that condensed tannins are the main compounds responsible for the observed effect.

Antiviral activity of plants occurring in the state of minas gerais (Brazil): Part III

A total of 24 extracts from 14 plant species collected at the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil, and belonging to five botanical families (Annonaceae, Apocynaceae, Ochnaceae, Polygonaceae and Vitaceae) was screened for cytotoxicity in cultured Vero cells and for antiviral activity against human herpes virus type 1 (HSV-1), vaccinia virus (VACV) and murine encephalomyocarditis virus (EMCV). The highest cytotoxicity (CC 50 < 10 ��g/mL) was observed for the ethanol extracts from Annona coriacea fruits and seeds. Extracts from Hancornia speciosa, Ouratea castaneafolia and O. semisrrata were the only ones that have shown activity against all the three viruses assayed. Extracts from Polygonum spectabile, Hancornia speciosa, Himatanthus phagedaenica, Ouratea spectabilis and O. semiserrata were the most active against HSV-1 (EC 50 < 50 mg/mL), with favorable SI values (8.0 to 10.0). Hancornia speciosa and Anaxagorea dolichocarpa were the most active against EMCV (EC 50 50 - 100 ��g/mL), with reasonable SI values (5.2 to 6.1), while moderate to low activity (EC 50 > 100 ��g/mL) was observed for Ouratea spectabilis and O. semiserrata. A total of 7 plant species, Ouratea semiserrata, O. spectabilis, O. castanaeafolia, Rollinia laurifolia, Cissus erosa, Polygonum spectabile, and Hancornia speciosa, were active against VACV, disclosing EC50 < 50 ��g/mL and SI values ranging from 6.6 to 67.3. In total, 10 out of the 14 species were selected from a literature survey on plants used to treat viral diseases in Brazil; these species were responsible for 70% of the positive results.

Comportamento alimentar, biogeografia e estudo bioac��stico de periquito rico, Brotogeris tirica (aves, Psittacidae) no Estado de S��o Paulo

P��s-gradua����o em Ci��ncias Biol��gicas (Zoologia) - IBB

Avalia����o de desempenho de fibras lignocelul��sicas na sor����o de ��leos diesel e biodiesel

Coordena����o de Aperfei��oamento de Pessoal de N��vel Superior (CAPES)

Empates nos baba��uais: do espa��o dom��stico ao espa��o p��blico - lutas de quebradeiras de coco baba��u no Maranh��o

O eixo principal da an��lise volta-se aos condicionantes presentes no processo de constru����o das rela����es de g��nero no chamado Movimento ASSEMA. Busca-se apreender, analisando diferentes momentos da hist��ria de constitui����o desse Movimento, em que condi����o se d�� a participa����o de mulheres e homens, tanto na esfera privada quanto p��blica. Estuda-se o contexto e as situa����es que levam as mulheres denominadas como quebradeiras de coco baba��u a questionar a equidade de g��nero, tanto no dom��nio da casa como no espa��o p��blico.

Atores, canais de comercializa����o e consumo da mangaba no nordeste brasileiro

O objetivo deste artigo �� analisar processos que v��o do extrativismo ao consumo da mangaba, enfatizando os diferentes atores em cena, as suas rela����es, os canais de comercializa����o e as caracter��sticas do consumo. A pesquisa foi realizada no nordeste do Brasil (BA, AL, SE e PE), por meio de m��todos qualitatitivos e quantitativos. Os principais resultados mostram uma fraca tend��ncia de domestica����o para atender �� demanda crescente do mercado e amea��as ao extrativismo por fatores externos.