Anti-diabetic activity of Bauhinia forficata decoction in streptozotocin-diabetic rats

The effects of using Bauhinia forficata leaf decoction (150 g leaf/l water; 35.2+/-7.8 ml/100 g body weight mean daily dose) as a drinking-water substitute for about I month on streptozotocin-diabetes (STZ-diabetes) in male Wistar rats were investigated. The physico-metabolic parameters measured were: body weight, food and liquid intake, urinary volume, hepatic glycogen, serum triglycerides and cholesterol, plasma glucose, urinary glucose and urea, and the weight of epididymal and retroperitoneal adipose tissue and soleus and extensor digitorum longus muscles. The STZ-diabetic rats treated with decoction showed a significant reduction in serum and urinary glucose and urinary urea as compared to the STZ-diabetic control, no difference being seen between decoction-treated and -untreated non-diabetic rats. The other physico-metabolic factors showed no changes in treated STZ-diabetic rats. The improvement in carbohydrate metabolism seen in the rats treated with Bauhinia forficata decoction does not appear to be linked to the inhibition of glycogenolysis or the stimulation of glycogenesis nor does it appear to act in a way similar to insulin or the sulfonylureas, although it may act by the inhibition of neoglycogenesis in a manner similar to that of the biguanides. (C) 2002 Elsevier B.V. Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Mutagenic activity promoted by amentoflavone and methanolic extract of Byrsonima crassa Niedenzu

Byrsonima crassa is a plant pertaining to the Brazilian central savannah-like belt of vegetation and popularly used for the treatment of gastric dysfunctions and diarrhoea. The methanol extract contains catechin, tannins, terpenes and flavonoids; both mutagenic potential and antioxidant properties have been ascribed to flavonoids. The mutagenicity of some flavonoids is believed to be associated with the formation of reactive oxygen species and seems to depend on the number and position of hydroxyl groups. In the present study the mutagenic activity of the methanol, chloroform and 80% aqueous methanol extracts, as well as acetate and aqueous sub-fractions, of this medicinal plant were evaluated by Salmonella typhimurium assay, using strains 100, TA98, TA102 and TA97a, and in mouse reticulocytes. The results showed mutagenic activity of the methanolic extract in the TA98 strain without S9, but no mutagenicity to mouse cells in any of the extracts. The acetate fraction showed strong signs of mutagenicity without S9, suggesting that in this enriched fraction were concentrated the compounds that induced mutagenic activity. The aqueous fraction showed no mutagenic activity. The TLC and HSCCC analyses of the acetate fraction with some standard compounds permitted the isolation of the quercetin-3-O-beta-D-galactopyranoside, quercetin-3-O-alpha-L-arabinopyranoside, amentoflavone, methyl gallate and (+)-catechin, of which only the amentoflavone exhibited positive mutagenicity to TA98 (+S9, -S9). (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V.. All rights reserved.

Total polyphenols from Syzygium cumini (L.) Skeels fruit extract

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Effect of Glycolic Extract of Dillenia indica L. Combined With Microcurrent Stimulation on Experimental Lesions in Wistar Rats

This study evaluated the wound healing activity of a glycolic extract of Dillenia indica (GED) prepared from the mature fruits of the plant applied alone or in combination with microcurrent stimulation to skin wounds surgically induced on the back of Wistar rats. Methods. The animals were randomly divided into six groups: (A) negative control group; (B) group receiving microcurrent application (MC; [10 mu A/2 mins]); (C) group treated with GED; (D) group treated with an emulsion containing GED; (E) group treated with GED and MC, and (F) group treated with the emulsion containing GED and MC. Tissue samples were obtained 2, 6, and 10 days after injury and underwent structural and morphometric analysis, Results. There were observed differences in wound healing among the various treatments when compared to the control group. The combination of microcurrent plus extract or microcurrent plus emulsion containing GED was advantageous in all of the studied parameters (P < 0.05) when compared to the other groups with positive effects seen regarding newly formed tissue, number of fibroblasts, and number of newly formed blood vessels. The morphometric data confirmed the structural findings. Conclusion. Microcurrent application alone or combined with GED exerted significant effects on wound healing in this experimental model. This was probably due to the efficacy of microcurrent application since the extract alone did not significantly accelerate the healing process. D indica fruit extract most likely participates in the wound healing process as a result of its anti-inflammatory properties.

Antidiarrhoeal effects of Mikania glomerata Spreng. (Asteraceae) leaf extract in mice

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Antioxidant Activity and Total Phenols from the Methanolic Extract of Miconia albicans (Sw.) Triana Leaves

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

Atividade antifúngica de extratos de plantas a Colletotrichum gloeosporioides

The present work aimed to evaluate the effect fungitoxic of plant extracts on the mycelial growth and on the spores germination of C. gloeosporioides. The plant extracts were obtained starting from dried ground plants, using water and ethilic alcohol as extractor. Twenty-two plant species were used to obtain the extracts. The extracts were tested by means of the incorporation of 20% (v/v) in PDA medium, before or after sterilization. The percentage of inhibition of the mycelial growth (PIM) was determined. Extract in the proportion of 50% was added to a spore suspension used to determine the percentage of inhibition of the spores germination (PIS). The hidroetanolic extracts provided larger PIM of C. gloeosporioides, while larger PIS was obtained with the aqueous extracts. Non autoclaved extracts was the most efficient in mycelial growth of C. gloeosporioides, even more than the autoclaved ones. Aqueous and hidroetanolic extracts of Momordica charantia and hidroetanolic extract of Eucalyptus citriodora provided higher PIM. Aqueous extracts of Luffa acutangula, Eucalyptus citriodora, Chenopodium ambrosioides, and Bauhinia, and hidroetanolic extracts of Ruta graveolens, Eucalyptus citriodora, Zingiber officinale and Chenopodium ambrosioides inhibited more than 90% of spores germination.

Effect of the addition of soy lecithin and Yucca schidigera extract on the properties of gelatin and glycerol based biodegradable films

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

Genotoxicity assessment of Garcinia achachairu Rusby (Clusiaceae) extract in mammalian cells in vivo

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Effect of Artemisia annua L. leaves essential oil and ethanol extract on behavioral assays

Artemisia annua tem sido utilizada tradicionalmente para o tratamento de malária e febre na China devido à presença do princípio ativo, artemisinina. O presente trabalho avaliou a atividade central de do óleo essencial obtido por hidrodestilação e do extrato etanólico bruto de folhas frescas de A. annua em modelo in vivo como parte de um screening farmacológico dessa espécie. Sono induzido por pentobarbital, nado forçado e o ensaio de campo aberto são modelos de estudo conhecidos para o estudo de fármacos sobre depressão induzida. A administração do óleo essencial ou extrato bruto etanólico de A. annua aumentaram o tempo de imobilidade no teste do nado forçado. Por outro lado, diminuíram outros parâmetros no campo aberto, como ambulação, exploração, o ato de lamber as patas ou se lamber. Ambos produtos aumentaram o tempo de sono induzido por pentobarbital, com o óleo essencial apresentando um efeito superior ao do extrato. Pela análise dos resultados, é possível sugerir que tanto o extrato bem como o óleo essencial podem atuar como depressores do Sistema Nervoso Central (SNC).

Evaluation of the genotoxic potential of Austroplenckia populnea (Reiss) Lundell chloroform fraction from barkwood extract in rodent cells in vivo

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

Clastogenicity of Piper cubeba (Piperaceae) seed extract in an in vivo mammalian cell system

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Absence of mutagenicity effects of Psidium cattleyanum Sabine (Myrtaceae) extract on peripheral blood and bone marrow cells of mice

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Mutagenicity of the Musa paradisiaca (Musaceae) fruit peel extract in mouse peripheral blood cells in vivo

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)