Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus: Distinct acute phase proteins vary during infestations according to the genetic composition of the bovine hosts, Bos taurus and Bos indicus

Tick bites may trigger acute phase responses. Positive and negative acute phase proteins were measured in infested cattle genetically resistant and susceptible to ticks. During heavier infestations levels of haptoglobin increased significantly in susceptible bovines; levels of serum amyloid A increased in resistant bovines; levels of alpha-l-acid glycoprotein decreased significantly in resistant bovines; levels of transferrin decreased significantly in susceptible bovines.In conclusion, tick infestations trigger acute phase responses and enhancement of specific acute phase proteins differs according to the genetic composition of hosts. Acute phase proteins may constitute useful biological signatures for monitoring the stress induced by tick infestations. (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effect of Byrsonima crassa and Phenolic Constituents on Helicobacter pylori-Induced Neutrophils Oxidative Burst

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

Chemical Composition and Antioxidant and Antimycobacterial Activities of Bromelia balansae (Bromeliaceae)

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Assessment of DNA damage induced by extracts, fractions and isolated compounds of Davilla nitida and Davilla elliptica (Dilleniaceae)

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Phenolic compounds in leaves of Alchornea triplinervia: anatomical localization, mutagenicity, and antibacterial activity

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

Mutagenic evaluation and chemical investigation of Byrsonima intermedia A. Juss. leaf extracts

Byrsonima intermedia is a native species of the cerrado formation (tropical American savannah). In Brazil, this plant has been used for the treatment of fever, in ulcers, as a diuretic, as antiasthinatics and in skin infections. Members of the genus Byrsonima (Malpighiaceae) are employed not only in the folk medicine but also as food to make juice, jellies and liquor. The aim of this work was to evaluate the mutagenic effects of Byrsonima intermedia, common name 'murici'. Phytochernical analysis of methanol extract furnished (+)catechin, (-)-epicatechin, quercetin-3-O-beta-D-galactopyranoside, methyl gallate, gallic acid, quercetin-3-O-alpha-L-arabinopyranoside, amentoflavone, quercetin, querceti n-3-O-(2-O-galloyl)-beta-galactopyranoside and quei-eetin-3-O-(2-O-galloyl)-alpha-arabinopyranoside. Methanol, hydromethanol and chloroform extracts were evaluated in inutagenic assay with Salmonella typhimurium (Ames test) and mice (Micronucleus test). The methanolic extract presented signs of mutagenic activity for the strains TA98 and TA100 in the Ames assay. Mutagenicity was not observed in vivo. (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V.. 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.

Constituents and antiulcer effect of Alchornea glandulosa: Activation of cell proliferation in gastric mucosa during the healing process

Alchornea glandulosa (Euphorbiaceae) is a plant used in folk medicine as an antiulcer agent. Rats pretreated with methanolic extract obtained from the leaves of A. glandulosa (AG) showed a dose-dependent effect and significant reduction of gastric ulcers induced by absolute ethanol at the doses of 500 (57%) and 1000 mg/kg (35%) in relation to the control group. Pretreatment of mice with AG (500, 1000 mg/kg, p.o.) showed dose-dependent activity and significantly decreased the severity of lesions caused by HCl/ethanol and by non steroidal anti inflammatory drug-induced gastric lesions. Pretreatment with AG also induced antisecretory action via local and systemic routes and a significant decrease in the total gastric acid content. The gastroprotective effects of AG involved the participation of nitric oxide and increased levels of endogenous sulfhydryl compounds, which are defensive mechanisms of the gastrointestinal mucosa against aggressive factors. The ability of AG to heal gastric ulcers was evaluated after 14 consecutive days of treatment. The results showed that single oral administrations of AG (250 mg/kg/once daily) potently stimulates gastric epithelial cell proliferation that contributes to the accelerated healing of gastric ulcers induced by acetic acid. In addition, no subacute toxicity (body weight gain, vital organs, and serum biochemical parameters) was observed during treatment with AG. Phytochemical investigation of AG led to the isolation of myricetin-3-O-alpha-L-rhamnopyranoside, quercetin-3-O-alpha-L-arabinopyranoside, quercetin-3-O-beta-D-galactopyranoside, quercetin, amentoflavone, methyl gallate, gallic acid, and pterogynidine. We also established the phytochemical profile of AG with the quantification of total phenolic compounds. These compounds may contribute to the observed antiulcerogenic effects of AG.

Flavonoids and antiulcerogenic activity from Byrsonima crassa leaves extracts

Byrsonima crassa Niedenzu (IK) (Malpighiaceae) is used in Brazilian folk medicine for the treatment of diseases related mainly to gastric ulcers. In this study, we evaluated the potential antiulcerogenic effect of three different extracts obtained from the leaves of Byrsonima crassa namely hydromethanolic (80% MeOH), methanolic (MeOH) and chloroformic extracts (CHCl3). The oral administration (250, 500 and 1000 mg/kg) of all the extracts reduced the formation of lesions associated with HCl/ethanol administration in mice. The 80% MeOH extract significantly reduced the incidence of gastric lesions by 74, 78 and 92% at doses of 250,500 and 1000 mg/kg, respectively (P < 0.01). The MeOH extract reduced the ulceration by 93 and 99% only at the doses of 500 and 1000 mg/kg (P < 0.01). The lower gastroprotective action (69%) was observed when animals were treated with CHCl3 extract at the dose of 1000 mg/kg (P < 0.01). Phytochemical investigation of Byrsonima crassa afforded five known substances: quercetin-3-O-beta-D-galactopyranoside, quercetin-3-O-alpha-L-arabinopyranoside, the biflavonoid amentoflavone, (+)-catechin and (-)-epicatechin. The presence of these phenolic compounds may probably explain the antiulcerogenic effect of the extracts of Byrsonima crassa leaves. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V.. All rights reserved.

Application of preparative high-speed counter-current chromatography for the separation of flavonoids from the leaves of Byrsonima crassa Niedenzu (IK)

The methanolic extract of the leaves of the medicinal plant Byrsonima crassa (Malpighiaceae) contain flavonoids with antioxidant activity. They were separated in a preparative scale using high-speed counter-current chromatography. The optimum solvent system used was composed of a mixture of ethyl acetate-n-propanol-water (140:8:80 (v/v/v)) and led to a successful separation between monoglucosilated flavonoids (quercetin-3-O-alpha-L-arabinoside, quercetin-3-O-beta-D-galactoside) and the biflavonoid amentoflavone in only 3.5 h. The purities of quercetin-3-O-alpha-L-arabinoside (95 mg), quercetin-3-O-beta-D-galactoside (16 mg) and the biflavonoid amentoflavone (114 mg) were all isolated at purity over 95%. Identification was performed by H-1 NMR, C-13 NMR and UV analyses. (C) 2004 Published by Elsevier B.V.

New antifungal terpenoid glycosides from Alibertia edulis (Rubiaceae)

Phytochemical investigation from the stems of Alibertia edulis led to the isolation and identification of a new iridoid 6 beta-hydroxy-7-epigardoside methyl ester (1) and a new saponin 3 beta-O-[alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1 -> 2)-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-(1 -> 2)-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl]-28-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside pomolate (2), along with three known compounds, shanzhiside methyl ester (3), ixoside (4), and 3,4,5-trimethoxyphenyl 1-O-beta-D-apiofuranosyl-(1 -> 6)-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (5). The structures of 1 and 2 were established on the basis of their spectroscopic data. Iridoid 1 and saponin 2 exhibited moderate inhibitory activities against Candida albicans and C krusei in a dilution assay.

Isoswertisin flavones and other constituents from Peperomia obtusifolia

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

Preparative separation of flavonoids from the medicinal plant Davilla elliptica St. Hill. by high-speed counter-current chromatography

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

Relative antioxidant activity of Brazilian medicinal plants for gastrointestinal diseases

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

Isolation and HPLC quantitative analysis of flavonoid glycosides from Brazilian beverages (Maytenus ilicifolia and M-aquifolium)

Aqueous infusions of Brazilian Maytenus leaves are used as beverages, foodstuffs, and phytomedicines. Previously, we isolated two new flavonoid tetrasaccharides from the infusion of Maytenus aquifolium leaves that showed antiulcer activity. In this investigation a new flavonoid tetrasaccharide, kaempferol-3-O-alpha -L-rhamnopyranosyl (1-6)-O-[alpha -L-arabinopyranosyl (1 -->3)-O-alpha -L-rhamnopyranosyl (1-2)]-O-beta -D-galactopyranoside (3), was isolated, together with kaempferol tri- and disaccharides and quercetin trisaccharides from the aqueous infusion of Maytenus ilicifolia leaves. All structures were elucidated by ES-MS and NMR spectroscopic methods. The quantitative analysis of the flavonoid glycosides from Maytenus ilicifolia and M. aquifolium has been performed by HPLC.