Avaliação da atividade antimicrobiana de extratos de Dioclea grandiflora Mart. ex. Benth., Fabaceae / Evaluation of antibacterial activity of Dioclea grandiflora Mart. ex. Benth., Fabaceae extracts

A espécie Dioclea grandiflora Mart. ex. Benth., Fabaceae é uma planta que pertence à família Fabaceae, popularmente conhecida como mucunã-de-caroço e olho-de-boi, e, encontra-se distribuída nas regiões da caatinga e serrado do Brasil. Os extratos aquoso, etanólico e hidroalcoólico da casca do caule, da casca da raiz e da folha de D. grandiflora, nas concentrações de 313 µg/mL a 10.000 µg/mL, foram analisados por meio de técnica de difusão em ágar, frente a vinte microrganismos representantes de bactérias Gram positivas, Gram negativas, fungos filamentosos e leveduras. O extrato aquoso da casca do caule, na concentração de 10.000 µg/mL, inibiu o crescimento de Staphylococcus aureuscom halo de 20 mm. Já o extrato hidroalcoólico da casca do caule inibiu apenas S. aureuscom halo de 18 mm, enquanto o extrato da folha inibiu o crescimento de dois dermatófitos, Trichophyton mentagrophytese Microsporum canis. Por outro lado, o extrato hidroalcoólico da casca da raiz inibiu apenas M. caniscom halo de 15 mm de diâmetro. Das frações do extrato aquoso da folha, apenas acetato de etila inibiu o crescimento de Streptococcus epidermides, Candida albicans, T. metagrophytese M. canis.Para o extrato etanólico do caule, a fração aquosa inibiu S. epidermidese S. aureus.

The species Dioclea grandifloraMart. ex. Benth., Fabaceae is a plant that belongs to the Fabaceae family, popularly known as "mucunã-de-caroço" and "olho-de-boi". It can be found distributed in mountainous regions and in the scrub savanna of Brazil. The aqueous, ethanol and hydroalcoholic extracts of stem bark, root bark and leaves of D. grandifloraon concentration from 313 µg/mL to 10.000 µg/mL, were analyzed by the agar diffusion technique, front to twenty microorganisms, representatives of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, filamentous fungi and yeasts. The aqueous extract of stem bark, on concentration of 10.000 µg/mL, inhibited the growth of Staphylococcus aureuswith a 20 mm halo. Hydroalcoholic extract of stem bark only inhibited S. aureuswith a halo of 18 mm, while leaves extract inhibited the growth of two dermatophytes, Trichophyton mentagrophytes and Microsporum canis. On the other hand, hydroalcoholic extract of root bark only inhibited M. caniswith a halo of 15 mm diameter. From the fractions of aqueous extract of leaves, only ethyl acetate inhibited the growth of Streptococcus epidermides, Candida albicans, T. mentagrophytese M. canis. For the ethanol extract of stem bark, the aqueous fraction inhibited S. epidermides and S. aureus.

In vivo assessment of possible probiotic properties of Zymomonas mobilis in a Wistar rat model

In recent years the incorporation of probiotic bacteria into foods has received increasing scientific interest for health promotion and disease prevention. The safety and probiotic properties of Zymomonas mobilis CP4 (UFPEDA-202) was studied in a Wistar rat model fed the 10(9) colony forming units (cfu)/mL-1 of the assayed strain for 30 days. No abnormal clinical signs were noted in the group receiving viable cells of Z. mobilis and water (control) during the period of the experiment. There were no significant difference (p > 0.05) in feed intake and weight gain among mice fed the Z. mobilis in comparison to the control group. No bacteria were found in blood, liver and spleen of any animals. Mice receiving Z. mobilis showed significantly differences (p < 0.05) in total and differential leucocytes count, excepting for neutrophils, after the experimental period. Otherwise, it was not found in control group. Histological examination showed that feeding mice with Z. mobilis caused no signs of adverse effects on gut, liver and spleen. From these results, Z. mobilis CP4 (UFEPEDA-202) is likely to be nonpathogenic and safe for consumption, and could have a slight modulating effect on immunological performance in mice.

Presença da acetilcolina no fruto da Solanum melongena L / Presence of acetylcholine in fruits of Solanum melongena

Apresentam-se os resultados do estudo do efeito colinomimético dos extratos aquosos do fruto de Solanum melongena L., Solanaceae, vulgarmente conhecida no Brasil como berinjela roxa. A presença de acetilcolina nos extratos foi determinada através do teste de pressäo arterial do rato, de preparaçöes de musculatura lisa e estriada e ainda de ensaios de incubaçäo do extrato com plasma humano. Os efeitos observados foram seletivamente bloqueados por atropina ou galamina e potenciados com prostigmina