Can the aqueous decoction of mango flowers be used as an antiulcer agent?

This study was designed to determine the effect of Mangifera indica flowers decoction, on the acute and subacute models of induced ulcer in mice and rats. A single oral administration of the aqueous decoction (AD) from M. indica up to a dose of 5 g/kg, p.o. did not produce any signs or symptom of toxicity in the treated animals. The oral pre-treatment with AD (250, 500 and 1000 mg/kg) in rats with gastric lesions induced by ethanol, decreased the gastric lesions from 89.0 +/- 6.71 (control group) to 9.25 +/- 2.75, 4.50 +/- 3.30 and 0, respectively. Pretreatment with AD (250, 500 and 1000 mg/kg) to mice with HCl/ethanol- or stress-induced gastric lesions resulted in a dose-dependent significant decrease of lesion index. In the piroxicam-induced gastric lesions, the gastroprotective effect of AD was reducing with the increase of the AD dose. In the pylorus-ligature, AD (p.o.) significantly decreased the acid output indicating the antisecretory property involved in the gastroprotective effect of M. indica. Treatment with AD during 14 consecutive days significantly accelerated the healing process in subacute gastric ulcer induced by acetic acid in rats. Pretreatment with N-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME), an inhibitor of NO-synthase, did not abolish the gastroprotective effects (99% with saline versus 80% With L-NAME) of AD against ethanol-induced gastric lesions. Pretreatment with N-ethylmaleimide (NEM), a blocker of endogenous sulphydryl group, significantly abolished the protective effects of AD against ethanol-induced gastric ulcers (95% with saline versus 47% with NEM). Phytochemical screening showed the presence of steroids, triterpenes, phenolic compounds and flavonoids. Estimation of the global polyphenol content in the AD was performed by Folin-Ciocalteu method and showed approximately 53% of total phenolic on this extract. These findings indicate the potential gastroprotective and ulcer-healing properties of aqueous decoction of M. indica flowers and further support its popular use in gastrointestinal disorders in Caribbean. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V.. All rights reserved.

Polyphenols with Antiulcerogenic Action from Aqueous Decoction of Mango Leaves (Mangifera indica L.)

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

The Effects of Propolis and its Isolated Compounds on Cytokine Production by Murine Macrophages

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

Contributions to the floral anatomy of Juncaceae (Poales - Monocotyledons)

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Fatty acids and bioactive compounds of the pulps and kernels of Brazilian palm species, guariroba (Syagrus oleraces), jeriva (Syagrus romanzoffiana) and macauba (Acrocomia aculeata)

BACKGROUND: Bioactive compounds are capable of providing health benefits, reducing disease incidence or favoring body functioning. There is a growing search for vegetable oils containing such compounds. This study aimed to characterize the pulp and kernel oils of the Brazilian palm species guariroba (Syagrus oleracea), jeriva (Syagrus romanzoffiana) and macauba (Acrocomia aculeata), aiming at possible uses in several industries.RESULTS: Fatty acid composition, phenolic and carotenoid contents, tocopherol composition were evaluated. The majority of the fatty acids in pulps were oleic and linoleic; macauba pulp contained 526 g kg(-1) of oleic acid. Lauric acid was detected in the kernels of all three species as the major saturated fatty acid, in amounts ranging from 325.8 to 424.3 g kg(-1). The jeriva pulp contained carotenoids and tocopherols on average of 1219 mu g g(-1) and 323.50 mg kg(-1), respectively.CONCLUSION: The pulps contained more unsaturated fatty acids than the kernels, mainly oleic and linoleic. Moreover, the pulps showed higher carotenoid and tocopherol contents. The kernels showed a predominance of saturated fatty acids, especially lauric acid. The fatty acid profiles of the kernels suggest that these oils may be better suited for the cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries than for use in foods. (C) 2011 Society of Chemical Industry

Antioxidant activity, fatty acid profile and tocopherols of Tamarindus indica L. seeds

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Phytochemicals and Antioxidant Activity of Citrus Seed Oils

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

Phenolic Composition of the Brazilian Seedless Table Grape Varieties BRS Clara and BRS Morena

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

Antiulcerogenic activity of Indigofera truxillensis Kunth

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

Effect of Mouriri pusa extracts on experimentally induced gastric lesions in rodents: Role of endogenous sulfhydryls compounds and nitric oxide in gastroprotection

Several plants are used in folk medicine to treat gastrointestinal disorders. Mouriri pusa Gardn. (Melastomataceae) is a medicinal plant commonly used in the central region of Brazil against gastric ulcer. Two organic extracts methanolic (MeOH) and dichloromethane (DCM) obtained by sequential extraction from the leaves of Mouriri pusa were evaluated for their ability to protect the gastric mucosa against injuries caused by necrotizing agents (0.3 M HCl/60% EtOH, absolute ethanol, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, stress and pylorus ligature) in mice and rats. The best results were obtained after pretreatment with MeOH extract whereas the DCM extract did not show the same significant antiulcerogenic activity. No acute toxicity was observed in animals treated with 5 g/kg, p.o. of MeOH extract. The mechanism involving the antiulcerogenic action of MeOH extract seemed to be related to NO generation and also suggested the effective participation of endogenous sulfhydryl group in the gastroprotective action. Phytochemical investigation of the MeOH extract of Mouriri pusa yielded tannins, flavonoids and (-)-epicatechin. The presence of these phenolic compounds probably would explain the antiulcerogenic effect of the polar extract of Mouriri pusa leaves. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V.. All rights reserved.

Antioxidant content in guava (Psidium guajava) and araca (Psidium spp.) germplasm from different Brazilian regions

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Rapid, quantitative determination of polar compounds in fats and oils by solid-phase extraction and size-exclusion chromatography using monostearin as internal standard

A rapid and simple method was developed for quantitation of polar compounds in fats and oils using monostearin as internal standard. Starting from 50 mg of oil sample, polar compounds were obtained by solid-phase extraction (silica cartridges) and subsequently separated by high-performance size-exclusion chromatography into triglyceride polymers, triglyceride dimers, oxidized triglyceride monomers, diglycerides, internal standard and fatty acids. Quantitation of total polar compounds was achieved through the internal standard method and then amounts of each group of compounds could be calculated. A pool of polar compounds was used to check linearity, precision and accuracy of the method, as well as the solid-phase extraction recovery. The procedure was applied to samples with different content of polar compounds and good quantitative results were obtained, especially for samples of low alteration level.

Efeito de poliaminas exógenas no crescimento inical in vitro e nos teores de fenóis, poliaminas e atividade da peroxidase em Aloe vera (L.) Burm.

Lateral shoots of the Aloe vera (L.) Burm. cultivated in vitro, without addition vegetal regulators, for 90 days, were inoculated in MS culture-medium, containing or not spermine and/or spermidine. After 30 days of cultivation, the plants were submitted to biochemical analysis together with micropropagated plants - that were under in vitro cultivation for 90 days - (denominated as characterization), and matrix plants (in vivo). The levels of free polyamines, total phenols, total flavonoids, and the activity of peroxidase were evaluated in the biochemical analyses. The exogenous application of spermidine have promoted large number of shoots. Spermidine and spermine have promoted, when associated, an increase in the number of shoots as well as an increase of the contents of putrescine and and flavonoids. The putrescine has presented the most significant alterations, enabling to be utilized as marker of morphogenesis in the micropropagated Aloe vera. Tissues under active growth have presented high activity of peroxidase as well as those with greater rate of oxidation. In these tissues, there were noticed also higher contents of total flavonoids, indicating the need of antioxidative compounds. The action of polyamines jointly tseemed to be benefic for the shooting of micropropagated Aloe vera.

Compostos fenólicos e atividade antioxidante de Leiothrix flavescens (Bong.) Ruhland (Eriocaulaceae)

This paper describes a chemical investigation (by high-speed counter-current chromatography) of an extract in methanol of the capitula (flower-heads) of the endemic Brazilian herb Leiothrix flavescens (Bong.) Ruhland (Eriocaulaceae). Fractionation of this extract by preparative chromatography and identification of the isolated compounds by spectrometric methods (IR, UV, ESI-MS, NMR) led to the identification of flavones (apigenin, luteolin and 6-methoxyluteolin) and 1,3-di-O-feruloyl glycerol. The antioxidant activity of the extract was determined by DPPH reduction and the total phenolic content by the Folin-Ciocalteau assay. It was found that the methanolic extract of L. flavescens possesses strong antioxidant activity. Additionally, the chemical profile provided useful data for a discussion of the taxonomy of the Eriocaulaceae.

Níveis constitutivos de compostos fenólicos podem estar relacionados à resistência da cana-de-açúcar à cigarrinha-das-raízes

The interaction of the leafhopper-of-roots with the sugar cane is still poorly marked and there is little information on resistant varieties. The phenolic compounds are involved in resistance mechanisms of the antibiosis type, but few studies are devoted to the studying role of these compounds in the interaction of plants with sucking insects. The study was conducted to determine how the sugar cane responded to the infestation of Mahanarva fimbriolata in terms of accumulation of phenolic compounds. An experiment was carried out under controlled conditions in a randomized design in a factorial schedule 3 x 2 x 4, with 3 genotypes and sugar cane, 2 levels of nymphs infestation of M. fimbriolata and sampling 4 times, with 4 repetitions. The genotypes SP80-1816 and RB72454 showed higher levels of total phenols when subjected to an infestation of the pest, but the duration of the nymphal stage and mortality of sharpshooters were significantly lower in those varieties, indicating that the increase in the concentration of phenolic compounds may had been caused by death and decay of the roots. It was not observed variation in levels of total phenols in the variety SP83- 5073 subject to an infestation of M. fimbriolata. However, the mortality of the leafhopperof- roots and duration of the stage of nymphs were significantly higher in genotype, indicating the existence of resistance-type antibiosis. Analysis of correlation showed that higher initial levels of phenolic compounds resulting in mortality of the pest can increase the duration of the nymph stage.