ABSTRACT
Abstract Averrhoa bilimbi L. and A. carambola L., Oxalidaceae, are the only two species of the genus Averrhoa L. Their leaves are widely used in folk medicine as an adjuvant in the treatment of diabetes. Some species may contain, for example, calcium oxalate crystals, which may lead to risk in its use when there is predisposition of individuals with reduced renal activity. Therefore, there are still few studies on the content of oxalic acid present in them, highlighting the importance of this investigation. The objective of this work was to conduct a comparative anatomical and histochemical study between the species and determining its content of oxalic acid. Semipermanent histological slides were prepared, following common plant anatomy procedures, for analysis of the leaflets in optical microscopy, polarization and scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometry. To determine the total, soluble and insoluble oxalate content was used titration with potassium permanganate. The anatomical characterization allowed identifying the characters useful in the differentiation of the species. The histochemistry revealed the location of the metabolites. Chemical microanalyses demonstrated that the crystals are of calcium oxalate. A. carambola presented the highest levels of total oxalate and soluble oxalate. The study assists in the identification and quality control of A. bilimbi and A. carambola and brings new data on its oxalic acid content, which are important, in view of the medicinal use of the species.
ABSTRACT
ABSTRACT Eugenia uniflora L., Myrtaceae, popularly known as "pitanga", is used in traditional medicine due the properties attributed to its chemical content, these being mainly hydrolysable tannins and flavonoids. This study provides a qualitative and quantitative evaluation of chemical profile from leaves of E. uniflora. The HPLC analysis was carried out on a C18 column (4.6 mm × 250 mm, 5 µm) by gradient elution with methanol and water (acidified with trifluoracetic acid); and silica gel Plates 60-F 254 with 10-12 µm and 5-6 µm particles, respectively for TLC and High HPTLC analysis. The chromatographic data obtained from HPLC, TLC and HPTLC presented bands and peaks related to flavonoids (myricitrin and derivatives) and tannins (gallic and ellagic acids), which were observed from different samples. The chromatographic similarities enabled the building of a typical fingerprint for the herbal material. The similarity analysis of the sample data by Pearson correlation showed R values >0.9 among peaks (HPLC) and bands (HPTLC). In addition, the analytical methodology developed by HPLC enabled the satisfactory quantification of marker substances [ellagic acid = 0.22% and 0.20% (m/m); gallic acid = 0.20% and 0.43%; myricitrin = 0.42 and 1.74% (m/m) in herbal drug and crude extract, respectively]. The procedure was also validated in accordance with the assays required by Brazilian legislation. Thus, the HPTLC and HPLC methods developed in this study provide helpful and simple tools for the quality evaluation both qualitatively and quantitatively of raw materials and extractives from leaves of E. uniflora.
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ABSTRACT Ageratum conyzoides L., belonging to the family Asteraceae, is a tropical plant found in some regions of Africa, Asia and South America. This species is popularly known as billy goat weed, “mentrasto” and “catinga-de-bode” and has a large variety of secondary metabolites and biological activities mentioned in the literature. The objective of this work was to contribute the pharmacobotanical standardization of A. conyzoides. Cross-sections were obtained, by hand, for microscopic characterization of root, stem, petiole and leaf blade; to the leaf blade were still made paradermal and longitudinal sections, scanning electron microscopy analysis and maceration. The analysis showed that secretory structures ducts are evidenced only in the petiole and the leaf blade. The root has parenchymatous medullar region; stem, petiole and leaf blade exhibit striated cuticle. Non-glandular trichomes are present in stem, petiole and leaf blade, while capitate glandular trichomes are present only in the leaf blade and are restricted to the abaxial face. These anatomical features are useful for diagnosis of the species and provide support to their quality control.
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AbstractThe aim of this study was to evaluate the influences of variables of preparation on total flavonoids content from extractive solution of Lippia sidoides Cham., Verbenaceae. Thus a 23 factorial design was used to study the importance of plant proportion, the extraction method and solvent on the extraction of flavonoid. The methodology of determination of chemicals in factorial design was validated according to the parameters required by Brazilian Health Agency. The extraction solution was selected through a full factorial design where the best conditions to achieve the highest content of flavonoids were: 7.5% (w/v) of plant with ethanol 50% (v/v) as solvent. The polyphenols content was determined by LC method and its relationship with the antioxidant and free radical scavenging activities was evaluated. The free radical scavenging activities and antioxidant potentials were determined for different concentrations using various in vitro models. Our results indicate that extracts exhibited a significant dose-dependent antioxidant effect as evaluated by TRAP/TAR assays. Besides, we observed an antioxidant activity against hydroxyl radicals and nitric oxide, and protection against lipid peroxidation in vitro. Our results suggest that the extract presents significant in vitro antioxidant potential indicating promising perspectives for its use as pharmaceutical/or food additive.
ABSTRACT
The roots from Operculina macrocarpa (L.) Urb., Convolvulaceae, are widely used in Brazilian traditional medicine as a laxative and purgative. The biological properties of this drug material have been attributed to its polysaccharides content. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate the polysaccharide content in drug material from O. macrocarpa by spectrophotometric quantitative analysis. The root was used as plant material and the botanical identification was performed by macro and microscopic analysis. The plant material was used to validate the spectrophotometric procedures at 490 nm for the quantification of the reaction product from drug polysaccharides and phenol-sulfuric acid solution. The analytical procedure was evaluated in order to comply with the necessary legal requirements by the determination of the following parameters: specificity, linearity, selectivity, precision, accuracy and robustness. This study provides with a simple and valid analytical procedure (linear, precise, accurate and reproducible), which can be satisfactorily used for quality control and standardization of herbal drug from O. macrocarpa.
ABSTRACT
The Simaroubaceae family includes 32 genera and more than 170 species of trees and brushes of pantropical distribution. The main distribution hot spots are located at tropical areas of America, extending to Africa, Madagascar and regions of Australia bathed by the Pacific. This family is characterized by the presence of quassinoids, secondary metabolites responsible of a wide spectrum of biological activities such as antitumor, antimalarial, antiviral, insecticide, feeding deterrent, amebicide, antiparasitic and herbicidal. Although the chemical and pharmacological potential of Simaroubaceae family as well as its participation in official compendia; such as British, German, French and Brazilian pharmacopoeias, and patent registration, many of its species have not been studied yet. In order to direct further investigation to approach detailed botanical, chemical and pharmacological aspects of the Simaroubaceae, the present work reviews the information regarding the main genera of the family up to 2013.
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Acanthospermum hispidum DC., Asteraceae, is widely used in folk medicine in Brazil to treat respiratory diseases; this biological property has been attributed to its phytosterol content. This study evaluated the spectrophotometric assay method to quantify the total phytosterol content in raw materials and extracts from roots of A. hispidum. The procedure was based on the quantification at 625 nm after the Liebermann-Burchard reaction. The method was evaluated for linearity, repeatability, intermediate precision, accuracy and robustness. The date indicated that the procedure is a valid analytical tool for materials and herbal derivatives from A. hispidum. .
ABSTRACT
Erythrina velutina Willd., Fabaceae, known as "mulungu", is a tree of tropical regions, as northeastern Brazil. Its bark is used in folk medicine as tranquilizer, sedative and insomnia. This study aimed to characterize the stem and leaf anatomy and to provide subsidies to quality control of the plant drug due to its wide use in folk medicine as well as its differentiation from other species with the same popular name. Samples were collected at Cuité, in Paraíba State, Brazil, fixed in FAA50, semipermanent slides were made, following usual procedures in plant anatomy. The stem shows a cylindrical contour, covered by a uniseriate epidermis covered by a thickened cuticle. It shows claviform glandular and branched trichomes with uniseriate stalk. Secretory cavities are into the phloem. The leaf epidermis has branched and glandular trichomes and anisocytic and paracytic stomata, on both sides, with predominance of branched trichomes and stomata on abaxial surface. Secretory cavities in stem and leaf, types of trichomes and stomata, its location and distribution constitute diagnostic characters for this specie. The structural characterization of the stem and leaf allows its distinction from other ones of this genus, ensuring safety for commercial pharmacological uses, allowing certification of the authenticity of raw material.
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Phyllanthus niruri L., Euphorbiaceae, spray-dried standardized extract was studied for its anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive activities in adult albino rats and mice. The anti-inflammatory effect of spray-dried standardized extract was observed in carrageenan-induced paw edema and thioglycolate-induced leukocyte migration, while antinociceptive effects were observed using Randall & Selitto, tail flick, and hot plate tests. This study showed that intraperitoneal spray-dried standardized extract at 100, 200, 800, or 1600 mg/kg reduced the vascular response in the inflammatory process of paw edema induced by 1% carrageenan. Oral spray-dried standardized extract at 100 or 200 mg/kg inhibited leukocyte migration to the site of inflammation induced by 3% thioglycolate. In rats, at 100 and 200 mg/kg intraperitoneally, the extract exhibited a marked peripheral analgesic effect in a Randall & Selitto assay and showed significant central analgesic activity in a hot plate and tail flick assay. In conclusion, this study suggested that Phyllanthus niruri spray-dried standardized extract has potent inflammatory and antinociceptive activities and that these activities are not modified by standard drying process, making it feasible to use the dry extract standardized to obtain a phytotherapic preparation and thus validating its use for the treatment of pain and inflammation disorders.
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Spectrophotometric determinations (direct dilution or after acid hydrolysis) of flavonoid content in leaves of Bauhinia forficata Link, Fabaceae, from two different regions from Brazil were compared with contents of kaempferitrin quantified by HPLC analysis. The absence of kaempferitrin peak in one sample denotes the risk of LC-method failure. On the other hand, the both spectrophotometric assays showed satisfactory performance and do not underwent influence from absence of kaempferitrin. Since several flavonoids are present in the herbal material, different content of flavonoids were observed for each analytical procedure. However, a strong positive association could be detected among methods (R²>0.99). Although a conversion factor should be adopted to compare procedures, the data showed that the spectrophotometric methods remain as an important tool for analysis of complex matrices such herbal drugs, notably when there aren't any pharmacological or chemical marker established for the species. Moreover, it's possible to suggest that the techniques studied in this work exhibit similar performance under the conditions employed. Nevertheless, before the adoption of kaempferitrin as an analytical marker by HPLC for Bauhinia species, the pharmacological knowledge should be better developed. In this cases, the use of spectrophotometric assay provide higher assurance of the reproducibility of the efficacy and safety.
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Due to its folk use, scientific reports and phytochemical screening, the purpose of this work was to study the phytochemical and the biological properties of the methanol extract and to evaluate the anti-inflammatory activity as well as determine the acute toxicity, antitumor and cytotoxic activity of the root barks of Guettarda platypoda DC., Rubiaceae. In this analysis the presence of flavonoids and therpenoids were identified. These data and the ones in the literature indicated it as a potential antioxidant and motivated the cytotoxic analysis related with three tumoral cell strains as well as to evaluate its antitumoral activity (sarcoma 180 and Ehrlich carcinoma) in female mice. Due to the presence of esteroids and the previous study of the ethanolic extract, its anti-inflammatory activity and toxicity were also evaluated. Absence or low toxicity in 2000 mg/kg doses was verified and the attention to their phytochemical and pharmacological properties is constantly increasing.