Plantas medicinales y productos derivados comercializados como antidiabéticos en la conurbación Buenos Aires-La Plata, Argentina / Medicinal plants and derived producs commercialized as antidiabetics in Buenos Aires-La Plata conurbation, Argentina

Esta contribución incluye el registro de 115 especies de plantas vasculares medicinales comercializadas como antidiabéticos en la conurbación Buenos Aires-La Plata, Argentina. La información sobre el uso local asignado como antidiabético se obtuvo de las entrevistas realizadas, datos de etiquetas, prospectos y catálogos impresos y electrónicos de los productos, y datos divulgados por los medios de comunicación, en especial Internet. Se realizó una revisión bibliografía sobre la actividad biológica y el efecto antidiabético estudiado para cada especie. Se analizó la situación de invisibidad/visibilidad de las especies tratadas, según su circulación en los circuitos comerciales restringidos (inmigrantes chinos y bolivianos) y el circuito comercial general. Del total de 115 especies antidiabéticas registradas, 90 son visibles (78,26 por ciento) y 25 invisibles (21,73 por ciento). El gran número de plantas antidiabéticas comercializadas aumenta las posibilidades de elección de la población para combatir una de las dolencias característica de la vida en las extensas áreas metropolitanas.

This contribution includes 115 medicinal vascular plants species marketed as antidiabetics in the Buenos Aires-La Plata conurbation, Argentina. Information on assigned local uses as antidiabetic was obtained from interviews, data labels, brochures and print and electronic catalogs,also, data reported by the media, especially the Internet. A literature review on biological activity and antidiabetic effect studied for each species was conducted. The invisibility/visibility situation of the treated species was analyzed according to their circulation in the restricted commercial circuit (Chinese and Bolivian immigrants) and the general commercial circuit. Of the total of 115 recorded antidiabetic species, 90 are visible (78.26 percent) and 25 invisible (21.73 percent). The large number of the marketed antidiabetic plants increases the choice of the population to combat one of the ailments characteristic of life in large metropolitan areas.

Antifungal activity of plant extracts with potential to control plant pathogens in pineapple

Objective: To evaluate the in vitro antifungal activity of extracts, resins, oils and mother tinctures from plants against the filamentous fungi Fusarium guttiforme (F. guttiforme) and Chalara paradoxa, and to evaluate the control of the pineapple fusariosis in situ using mother tinctures. Methods: The screening of the antifungal potential of 131 extract forms from 63 plant species was performed in vitro by using plate-hole method. To control pineapple fusariosis in situ, preventive and post-infection treatments were performed on detached pineapple leaves of cv. Pérola (susceptible). Results: The quantitative study indicated that among the 49 mother tincture samples analyzed, 46% were effective against F. guttiforme and 29% for the Chalara paradoxa. The natural plant extracts, mother tincture of Glycyrrhiza glabra (MTGG1), mother tincture of Myroxylon balsamum (MTBT2), mother tincture of Aloe vera (MTAV3), mother tincture of Allium sativum (MTAS4), resin of Protium heptaphyllum (RESAM5) and crude extracts of Rhizophora mangle (CEMV6), exhibited an antifungal activity against F. guttiforme. In the preventive treatment against pineapple fusariosis, MTAV3, MTAS4 and MTGG1 were statistically similar to the treatment with tebuconazol fungicide. The curative treatments with MTAV3, MTAS4, MTGG1 and MTBT2 presented similar activity to fungicide (P < 0.05). Conclusions: The findings of the present study concluded that mother tinctures can effectively control phytopathogens. The mother tincture extract of Myroxylon balsamum showed antifungal activity and was used here for the first time for inhibition of phytopathogenic fungi. This study paves the way for the development of bioactive natural products with phytosanitary applications, with the added benefits of an environmentally safe and economically viable product.

Antifungal activity of plant extracts with potential to control plant pathogens in pineapple

Objective: To evaluate the in vitro antifungal activity of extracts, resins, oils and mother tinctures from plants against the filamentous fungi Fusarium guttiforme (F. guttiforme) and Chalara paradoxa, and to evaluate the control of the pineapple fusariosis in situ using mother tinctures. Methods: The screening of the antifungal potential of 131 extract forms from 63 plant species was performed in vitro by using plate-hole method. To control pineapple fusar-iosis in situ, preventive and post-infection treatments were performed on detached pineapple leaves of cv. P′erola (susceptible). Results: The quantitative study indicated that among the 49 mother tincture samples analyzed, 46% were effective against F. guttiforme and 29% for the Chalara paradoxa. The natural plant extracts, mother tincture of Glycyrrhiza glabra (MTGG1), mother tincture of Myroxylon balsamum (MTBT2), mother tincture of Aloe vera (MTAV3), mother tincture of Allium sativum (MTAS4), resin of Protium heptaphyllum (RESAM5) and crude extracts of Rhizophora mangle (CEMV6), exhibited an antifungal activity against F. guttiforme. In the preventive treatment against pineapple fusariosis, MTAV3, MTAS4 and MTGG1 were statistically similar to the treatment with tebuconazol fungicide. The curative treatments with MTAV3, MTAS4, MTGG1 and MTBT2 presented similar activity to fungicide (P Conclusions: The findings of the present study concluded that mother tinctures can effectively control phytopathogens. The mother tincture extract of Myroxylon balsamum showed antifungal activity and was used here for the first time for inhibition of phyto-pathogenic fungi. This study paves the way for the development of bioactive natural products with phytosanitary applications, with the added benefits of an environmentally safe and economically viable product.

Plant products in dental and periodontal disease: An overview.

Dental diseases if left unchecked can lead to major health problems, on the other side periodontal diseases are recognized as a major public health problem throughout the world and is the most common cause of tooth loss in adults. Plant products are recently introduced herbal formulations that are more beneficial than the conventional therapies. There are number of traditional herbal remedies for the treatment and management of diseases related to teeth, gum and oral hygiene. The aim of this review is to present a brief overview of the various herbal formulations and their application in prevention, treatment and maintenance of oral health.

Free Radicals: Health Implications and their Mitigation by Herbals.

Free radicals pose serious threat to tissues and vital organs, especially membrane lipids, proteins and nucleic acids of cells. Overproduction of reactive oxygen/ nitrogen species (ROS/RNS) and other related radicals lead to oxidative stress which has been implicated in aging and a number of diseases. Free radicals react with biomolecules and cause lipid peroxidation, loss of enzyme activity, mutation and carcinogenesis. A number of degenerative diseases including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and adverse hepatic conditions have been attributed to accumulation of free radicals. Diseases resulting from radical overload might also lead to different types of cancers. However free radicals at low or moderate levels are vital to human health. ROS and RNS produced in a well regulated manner help maintain homeostasis at the cellular level in the normal healthy tissues and play an important role as signaling molecules. Cellular antioxidant enzyme systems including superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidases/reductase, peroxiredoxins along with non enzymatic antioxidants viz., tocopherols, vitamin C and glutathione etc., apart from several dietary components protect cells and organisms from the lethal effects of excessive ROS production. Natural products of plant origin have been used in traditional medicine for the treatment of diseases resulting from radical overload. The diversity of phytochemicals such as polyphenols, flavonoids, carotenes and saponins etc. present in plants and dietary components provide drug leads for the development of novel therapeutic agents. This review deals with the components of free radical biology, their adverse consequences in humans and amelioration of diseases by botanical therapeutics.

In Silico Docking to Explicate Interface between Plant-Originated Inhibitors and E6 Oncogenic Protein of Highly Threatening Human Papillomavirus 18

The leading cause of cancer mortality globally amongst the women is due to human papillomavirus (HPV) infection. There is need to explore anti-cancerous drugs against this life-threatening infection. Traditionally, different natural compounds such as withaferin A, artemisinin, ursolic acid, ferulic acid, (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate, berberin, resveratrol, jaceosidin, curcumin, gingerol, indol-3-carbinol, and silymarin have been used as hopeful source of cancer treatment. These natural inhibitors have been shown to block HPV infection by different researchers. In the present study, we explored these natural compounds against E6 oncoprotein of high risk HPV18, which is known to inactivate tumor suppressor p53 protein. E6, a high throughput protein model of HPV18, was predicted to anticipate the interaction mechanism of E6 oncoprotein with these natural inhibitors using structure-based drug designing approach. Docking analysis showed the interaction of these natural inhibitors with p53 binding site of E6 protein residues 108-117 (CQKPLNPAEK) and help reinstatement of normal p53 functioning. Further, docking analysis besides helping in silico validations of natural compounds also helped elucidating the molecular mechanism of inhibition of HPV oncoproteins.

Determination of Butyltin Compounds in Aquatic Animal and Plant Products Using Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry after Hydrochloric Acid-Methanol Solution Extraction / 分析化学

A simple and efficient method for the determination of organotin compounds ( OTCs) in biota by GC-MS coupling with sodium tetraethylborate ( NaBEt4 ) derivatization was established. The results showed that recoveries for each OTCs spiked in blank freeze-dryed biological samples ( 0 . 1 g ) following extraction (15 mL 0. 035 mol/L methanolic HCl solution for 1 h ) and derivatization (2 mL contained internal standard n-hexane and 0. 5 mL of 2% (m/V) NaBEt4 solution for 30 min) were above 80%. The method is fast and easy to operate for the determination of OTCs in complex biological samples. The minimum limit of detection was about 0. 01 μg/L, and relative standard deviation values were within 10% for three parallel samples.

Elucidating Molecular Interactions of Natural Inhibitors with HPV-16 E6 Oncoprotein through Docking Analysis

Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is the leading cause of cancer mortality among women worldwide. The life-threatening infection caused by HPV demands the need for designing anticancerous drugs. In the recent years, different compounds from natural origins, such as carrageenan, curcumin, epigallocatechin gallate, indole-3-carbinol, jaceosidin, and withaferin, have been used as a hopeful source of anticancer therapy. These compounds have been shown to suppress HPV infection by different researchers. In the present study, we explored these natural inhibitors against E6 oncoprotein of high-risk HPV-16, which is known to inactivate the p53 tumor suppressor protein. A robust homology model of HPV-16 E6 was built to anticipate the interaction mechanism of E6 oncoprotein with natural inhibitory molecules using a structure-based drug designing approach. Docking analysis showed the interaction of these natural compounds with the p53-binding site of E6 protein residues 113-122 (CQKPLCPEEK) and helped the restoration of p53 functioning. Docking analysis, besides helping in silico validation of natural compounds, also helps understand molecular mechanisms of protein-ligand interactions.

Determination of metals in medicinal plants highly consumed in Brazil

In this work, samples of the medicinal plants: Boldo (Peumus boldus), Castanha da Índia (Aesculus hippocastanum), Chá Verde (Camelia sinensis), Erva Cidreira (Melissa officinalis), Espinheira Santa (Maytenus ilicifolia), Guaraná (Paullinia cupana), Maracujá (Passiflora sp.), Mulungu (Erythrina velutina), Sene (Cassia angustifolia) and Valeriana (Valeriana officinalis) were evaluated BY using the Neutron Activation Analysis technique (NAA- k0) in order to determine the levels of metals and other chemical contaminants. The results showed the presence of non essential elements to the human body. The diversity of chemical impurities found even at low concentration levels, considering the potential for chronic toxicity of these elements, reinforces the need to improve the implementation of good practices by growers and traders, and the hypothesis of lack of quality control in plant products.

Neste trabalho, amostras de Boldo (Peumus boldus), Castanha da Índia (Aesculus hippocastanum), Chá Verde (Camelia sinensis), Erva Cidreira (Melissa officinalis), Espinheira Santa (Maytenus ilicifolia), Guaraná (Paullinia cupana), Maracujá (Passiflora sp.), Mulungu (Erythrina velutina), Sene (Cassia angustifolia) e Valeriana (Valeriana officinalis) foram investigadas utilizando a técnica Análise por Ativação Neutrônica (AAN-k0), a fim de se determinar os teores de metais e outros elementos químicos contaminantes. Os resultados revelaram a presença de elementos não essenciais ao organismo humano. A diversidade de impurezas químicas encontradas, mesmo em níveis de baixa concentração, considerando o potencial de toxicidade crônica desses elementos, reforça a necessidade de melhorias na aplicação de boas práticas pelos produtores e comerciantes e a hipótese de falta de controle de qualidade nos produtos vegetais.

Molluscicidal and Mosquitocidal Activities of the Essential oils of Thymus capitatus Hoff. et Link. and Marrubium vulgare L. / Atividades moluscicida e mosquitocida de óleos essenciais de Thymus capitatus Hoff. et Link. e de Marrubium vulgare L

Steam distillation of essential oils of aerial parts of Thymus capitatus and Marrubium vulgare L. collected at North cost of Egypt yielded 0.5% and 0.2%, respectively. Results of Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analyses of the two samples identified 96.27% and 90.19% of the total oil composition for T. capitatus and M. vulgare, respectively. The two oil samples appeared dominated by the oxygenated constituents (88.22% for T. capitatus and 57.50% for M. vulgare), composed of phenols, mainly carvacrol (32.98%) and thymol (32.82%) in essential oil of T. capitatus, and thymol (34.55%) in essential oil of M. vulgare. It was evaluated the molluscicidal activity of T. capitatus and M. vulgare essential oils on adult and eggs of Biomphalaria alexandrina as well as their mosquitocidal activity on Culex pipiens. The LC50 and LC90 of T. capitatus essential oil against adult snails was 200 and 400 ppm/3hrs, respectively, while for M. vulgare it was 50 and 100 ppm/3hrs, respectively. Moreover, M. vulgare showed LC100 ovicidal activity at 200 ppm/24 hrs while T. capitatus oil showed no ovicidal activity. It was verified mosquitocidal activity, with LC50 and LC90 of 100 and 200 ppm/12hrs respectively for larvae, and 200 and 400 ppm/12hrs respectively for pupae of C. pipiens.

A destilação por arraste a vapor dos óleos essenciais de partes aéreas de Thymus capitatus Hoff. et Link. e de Marrubium vulgare L. coletadas na costa norte do Egito resultaram em rendimento de 0,5% e 0,2%, respectivamente. Resultados de análises por cromatografia gasosa acoplada à espectrometria de massas de ambas as amostras possibilitaram a identificação de 96,27% e 90,19% dos constituintes químicos respectivamente de T. capitatus e M. vulgare. Verificou-se predomínio de constituintes oxigenados (88,22% para T. capitatus e 57,50% para M. vulgare, principalmente fenóis, como carvacrol (32,98%) e timol (32,82%) no óleo essencial de T. capitatus, e timol (34,55%) no óleo essencial de M. vulgare. Avaliou-se a atividade dos óleos essenciais obtidos contra adultos e ovos de Biomphalaria alexandrina, bem como em larvas e pupas de Culex pipiens. A CL50 e CL90 do óleo essencial de T. capitatus em moluscos adultos foi respectivamente 200 e 400 ppm/3hrs, enquanto para o óles essencial de M. vulgare verificou-se CL50 e CL90 de 50 e 100 ppm/3hrs, respectivamente. Além disso, M. vulgare apresentou atividade ovicida, com CL 100 de 200 ppm/24 horas, enquanto o óleo essencial de T. capitatus não demonstrou atividade ovicida. Verificou-se ainda atividade mosquitocida, com CL50 e CL90 de 100 e 200 ppm/12hrs respectivamente para larvas, e 200 e 400 ppm/12hrs contra pupas de C. pipiens.

Plant-Derived Antimalarial Agents: From Crude Extracts To Isolated Bioactive Compounds

Despite decades of intense research, malaria remains a deadly disease of the developing worlds. Drugresistance to limited available antimalarials, in part, has contributed to the persistence of this infectious disease. Likewise, the use of antimalarials such as artemisinin, though effective in global malaria control programs, is hampered by high cost and limited supply. Therefore, identification of an antimalarial drug that is easy to isolate and produce, inexpensive, and demonstrates little toxicity across a diverse population represents the ideal agent needed for global malaria control programs and eradication of this deadly disease. This review discusses several antimalarial compounds containing unique structural composition that have been isolated and characterized from plant sources. These compounds have exhibited promising antimalarial activities in vitro and in vivo. However, limitations such as toxicity, low bioavailability and/or poor solubility have probably restricted the scope of use for several plant products in humans. Nevertheless, plants provide novel leads, which can be developed into safe drugs by synthetic strategies as exemplified by artemether and quinoline class of antimalarials. Therefore, plant bioactive compounds described herein provide useful alternatives, which could be modulated to obtain antimalarials active against not only drug-sensitive, but also drug-resistant and multi-drug resistant strains of Plasmodium. In this direction, semi synthetic approaches to newer and modified antimalarials have provided useful insights into their applicability in antimalarial drug discovery.