Qualea grandiflora, a Brazilian Cerrado medicinal plant presents an important antiulcer activity

Qualea grandiflora is one of the species widely used in folk medicine to treat gastric ulcers in Cerrado of the central region of Brazil. The hydroalcoholic extract of bark (HE) of Qualea grandiflora was investigated for their ability to prevent and heal lesions in the gastric mucosa. The oral administration of HE exhibited antiulcer activity decreasing the ulcerative index induced by HCl/ethanol solution, indomethacin/bethanechol and stress. In the Shay model, results showed that HE (p.o.) only reduced the severity of gastric lesions without effects on pH, gastric acidity or volume. When given by intraduodenal route, HE changed the pH, but did not modify the other parameters of the gastric juice. These data were in accordance with those obtained when HE was administered orally for 14 days after gastric ulcers were induced by acetic acid in rats. HE presented healing process in subacute gastric ulcer induced by acetic acid in rats. Moreover, histological examinations showed the simple columnar epithelium, lamina propria with simple branched tubular glandules with dilated lumen and large amounts of mucus secretion. Phytochemical investigation of HE led to the detection of terpenes, steroids, saponins, phenolic compounds and tannins in this extract, which may be involved in the observed activity. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V.. All rights reserved.

Qualidade dos méis produzidos por Melipona fasciculata Smith da região do cerrado maranhense

The honey of Melipona fasciculata is few known in terms of composition, and therefore generally associated with the characteristics of the honey of Apis mellifera. This study contributes to the knowledge of the physico-chemical characteristics of honey of M. fasciculata of the municipalities of Barra do Corda, Jenipapo dos Vieiras, Fernando Falcão, Carolina and Riachão, in cerrado region from Maranhão. The parameters studied were: moisture, pH, acidity, reducing sugars, apparent sucrose, hydroxymethylfurfural, diastase activity, insoluble solids, ash and color. Some of the observed patterns may conform to the established for A. mellifera, but others must be accompanied by a specific legislation.

Helminths from Lizards (Reptilia: Squamata) at the Cerrado of Goias State, Brazil

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

Helminths from Seven Species of Lizards (Reptilia: Squamata) at the Cerrado of Mato Grosso do Sul State, Brazil

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

The effect of the land use on phytoplankton assemblages of a Cerrado stream (Brazil)

OBJETIVO: Nosso objetivo foi investigar se o uso do solo do ambiente terrestre adjacente influencia a estrutura das assembleias fitoplanctônicas (composição, riqueza, diversidade e abundância) e biomassa (clorofila-a) em um riacho de Cerrado durante diferentes períodos do ano. MÉTODOS: Os trabalhos de campo foram realizados trimestralmente durante dois anos. RESULTADOS: As variáveis físico-químicas que melhor indicaram as diferenças nas condições da água foram condutividade, oxigênio dissolvido e transparência. Também houve um notável aumento na concentração de nitrogênio, fósforo e material em suspensão na água durante o verão devido aos efeitos da pluviosidade. As assembleias fitoplanctônicas foram compostas por 64 espécies. Cryptophyceae foi o grupo mais abundante, seguido por Bacillariophyceae. Para ambos os anos, a riqueza e a diversidade foram maiores durante a primavera e no outono, enquanto que a abundância do fitoplâncton e a concentração de clorofila-a foram mais elevados durante o outono e verão. A análise de agrupamento e a analise de correspondência canônica mostraram que a sazonalidade e o uso do solo são fatores importantes na estruturação das assembleias ao longo do ano. As alterações nas assembleias fitoplanctônicas ocorreram provavelmente em função da variação na intensidade e freqüência da mistura da água e da entrada de nutrientes oriundo do sistema terrestre adjacente para o aquático. CONCLUSÃO: A estrutura das assembleias fitoplanctônicas mostrou ser altamente influenciada pelo uso do solo, corroborando com a hipótese inicial do trabalho.

Influência da ação antrópica sobre a fauna de macroinvertebrados aquáticos em riachos de uma região de cerrado do sudoeste do Estado de São Paulo

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

Predation of herps by spiders (Araneae) in the Brazilian Cerrado.

Two events of predation of herps by spiders in the Brazilian Cerrado are reported here. A lizard Micrablepharus atticolus (Sauria: Gymnophthalmidae) was found being preyed upon by Lycosa erythrognatha (Araneae: Lycosidae) and a frog Physalaemus cuvieri (Anura: Leiuperidae) was seen being preyed upon by Ancylometes sp. (Araneae: Ctenidae).

Seed predation and fruit damage of Solanum lycocarpum (Solanaceae) by rodents in the cerrado of central Brazil

Although neotropical savannas and grasslands, collectively referred to as cerrado, are rich in seed-eating species of rodents, little is known about seed predation and its determinants in this habitat. In this study, we investigated seed predation and damage to fruits of the widespread shrub Solarium lycocarpurn. In addition, the influence of two possible determinants (distance from the parental plant and total crop size) on the feeding behaviour of Oryzorrys scotti (Rodentia, Sigmodontinae) was also examined. O. scotti were captured more frequently close to the shrubs or on shrub crops, indicating that these rodents were attracted to the shrubs and that seed predation was probably distance-dependent. Moreover, the proportion of damaged fruit on the plant decreased as the total crop size increased; consequently, more productive plants were attacked proportionally less by rodents. This pattern of fruit damage may reflect predator satiation caused by the consumption of a large amount of pulp. Alternatively, secondary metabolites in S. lycocarpum fruits may reduce the pulp consumption per feeding event, thereby limiting the number of fruits damaged. (c) 2006 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Seed dispersal and spatial distribution of Attalea geraensis (Arecaceae) in two remnants of Cerrado in Southeastern Brazil

The seed dispersal system of Attalea geraensis (Arecaceae), an acaulescent palm, was investigated during one year in two Cerrado fragments in the state of São Paulo, southeastern Brazil. A. geraensis had inflorescences and infrutescences throughout the year. Two scatter-hoarding rodents (the spiny rat, Clyomys bishopi and agoutis, Dasyptocta azarae) were identified as seed predators/dispersers, able to move seeds up to 30 in from the palms, although most of the fruits (57.5%) were dispersed less than 2 in. The removal rates were high and after 20 days, 97.2% of the fruits were removed. Fruit fate was not related to fruit mass, length and diameter. The application of Morisita's index showed a more clumped distribution of adults in the smaller fragment, probably because of the absence of agoutis. Higher seed removal by rodents in the large Cerrado remnant may decrease seed predation by beetles. (C) 2007 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Mammal occurrence and roadkill in two adjacent ecoregions (Atlantic Forest and Cerrado) in south-western Brazil

This paper examines the frequencies of mammal roadkill in two adjacent biogeographic ecoregions (Atlantic Forest and Cerrado) of Brazil. Mammals were recorded during a seven-year period and over 3,900 km of roads, in order to obtain data for frequencies of species in habitats (sites) and frequencies of species killed by cars on roads. Sites (n = 80) within ecoregions (Cerrado, n = 57; Atlantic Forest, n = 23) were searched for records of mammals. Species surveyed in the entire region totaled 33, belonging to nine orders and 16 families. In the Cerrado, 31 species were recorded in habitats; of these, 25 were found dead on roads. In the Atlantic Forest ecoregions, however, we found 21 species in habitats, 16 of which were also found dead on roads. There was no overall significant difference between ecoregions for frequencies of occurrence in habitats or for roadkills, but there were differences between individual species. Hence, anteaters were mostly recorded in the Cerrado ecoregion, whereas caviomorph rodents tended to be more frequent in the Atlantic Forest ecoregion (seen mainly by roadkills). The greater number of species (overall and threatened) and the greater abundance of species records in the Cerrado suggest that this ecoregion has a greater biodiversity and is better conserved than the Atlantic Forest ecoregion, in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul, south-western Brazil.

Anatomia foliar de Erythroxylum P. Browne (Erythroxylaceae) do Cerrado do Estado de São Paulo, Brasil

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