ABSTRACT
La investigación fitoquimica fue llevada a cabo paralelamente con la investigación microbiologica, tomado en cuenta la actividad antibacteriana y antimicótica de cada una de las plantas medicinales. Los resultados obtenidos del Screening Fitoquímico Preliminar de las 63 plantas medicinales investigadas, pertenecientes a 28 familias, 49 géneros y 63 especies, son los siguientes: Alcaloides en 20, esteroles en 46, Flavonoides en 23, taninos en 35 Saponinas en 24, Artraquinonas en 18, Heterósidos Cardiotónicos en 8, Sesquiterpenolactonas en 5 y Cumarinas en 9. Se seleccionó cuatro plantas: Monina obtusifolia, Heisteria acuminata, Schinus molle, Baccharis tiendalensis, cuyos extractos totales presentaron una actividad antibacteriana y/o antimicótica excelente para continuar con el fraccionamiento y purificación de metabolitos bioactivos. De aquellas fracciones que tienen actividad antibacteriana y/o antifúngica excelente, se aisló, purificó, y caracterizó metabolitos secundarios que mantienen esta actividad biológica: Bifénilos y Xantonas en Monina obtusifolia y sesquiferpenos y triterpenos en Schinus molle.
Subject(s)
Antibodies, Fungal/administration & dosage , Antigens, Bacterial/administration & dosage , Antigens, Fungal/administration & dosage , Plants, Medicinal , ResearchABSTRACT
The objective of the present study was to develop an efficient and reproducible protocol of immunization of guinea pigs with P. brasiliensis antigens as an animal model for future studies of protective immunity mechanisms. We tested three different antigens (particulate, soluble and combined) and six protocols in the presence and absence of Freund's complete adjuvant and with different numbers of immunizing doses and variable length of time between the last immunizing dose and challenge. The efficacy of the immunizing protocol was evaluated by measuring the humoral and cellular anti-P. brasiliensis immune response of the animals, using immunodiffusion, skin test and macrophage migration inhibition test. It was observed that: 1. Three immunizing doses of the antigens induced a more marked response than two doses; 2. The highest immune response was obtained with the use of Freund's complete adjuvant; 3. Animals challenged a long time (week 6) after the last immunizing dose showed good anti-P. brasiliensis immune response; 4. The particulate antigen induced the lowest immune response. The soluble and the combined antigens were equally efficient in raising good humoral and cellular anti-P. brasiliensis immune response