Vascular plants of oxbow lakes of Turvo River, Upper Paraná River basin, São Paulo State, Brazil

Vascular plants were investigated in oxbow lakes of Turvo River, Upper Paraná River basin, between Icém and Nova Granada municipalities, state of São Paulo, Brazil. In this region, six lagoons were sampled: Ganzella, Mustafá, Braço Morto, 45, Federal, and Parente. The survey showed a total of 54 species, 36 genera and 22 families. The species richest families were Poaceae, Cyperaceae, and Polygonaceae. Eichhornia crassipes (Pontederiaceae) was the single species encountered in all the six lakes. © 2010 Check List and Authors.

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 μg/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 μg/mL), with reasonable SI values (5.2 to 6.1), while moderate to low activity (EC 50 > 100 μg/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 μg/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.

A simple method based on HR-CS FAAS for multi-element determination of Cu, Fe, Mn and Zn in medicinal plants

A simple method to determine Cu, Fe, Mn and Zn in single aliquots of medicinal plants by HR-CS FAAS is proposed. The main lines for Cu, Mn and Zn, and the alternate line measured at the wing of the main line for Fe at 248.327 nm allowed calibration within the 0.025 - 2.0 mg L-1 Cu, 1.0 - 20.0 mg L-1 Fe, 0.05 - 2.0 mg L-1 Mn, 0.025 - 0.75 mg L-1 Zn ranges. Nineteen medicinal plants and two certified plant reference materials were analyzed. Results were in agreement at a 95% confidence level (paired t-test) with reference values. Limits of detection were 0.12 μg L-1 Cu, 330 μg L-1 Fe, 1.42 μg L-1 Mn and 8.12 μg L-1 Zn. Relative standard deviations (n=12) were ≤ 3% for all analytes. Recoveries in the 89 - 105% (Cu), 95 - 108% (Fe), 94 - 107% (Mn), and 93 - 110% (Zn) ranges were obtained.