Adequacy of methodology for conducting germination test in forage pea seeds / Adequação da metodologia para condução do teste de germinação em sementes de ervilha forrageira

Seeds presents variable germination performance at different temperatures and substrates, which are basic components of germination test. Within this context, this work aimed to adapt the methodology for the seeds germination's test of P. sativum subsp. arvense. The experiment required four portions of seeds, five temperature degrees (15, 20, 25, 20-30 and 15-25 °C), and two substrata (roll of paper and in sand). Seeds evaluation considered the following: moisture degree and germination test. The effect of seed portion, substrata and temperature in germination was assessed on a daily basis. It was calculated the rate of germination, of anormal plants, of dormant and dead seeds, and of speed of germination index; initial, final and average times, and synchrony. The experimental design consisted of random blocks with four replications, while conjoint analysis was the statistical procedure adopted. The germination test for forage pea seeds should be conducted at the constant temperature 20 °C in roll of paper substratewith the first count and final count on the 4th and 7th day, respectively.

As sementes apresentam desempenho germinativo variável em diferentes temperaturas e substratos, que são componentes básicos do teste de germinação. Dentro deste contexto, este trabalho teve como objetivo adequar a metodologia para o teste de germinação de sementes de P. sativum subsp. arvense. Para tanto, foram utilizados quatro lotes de sementes, cinco temperaturas (15, 20, 25, 20-30 e 15-25 °C) e dois substratos (rolo de papel e entre areia). O teor de água das sementes foi determinado antes das avaliações e o efeito dos lotes, substratos e temperaturas sobre a germinação foi avaliado diariamente. Calculou-se a porcentagem de germinação, de plântulas anormais, de sementes dormentes e mortas, o índice de velocidade de germinação, os tempos inicial, final e médio e sincronia. O delineamento adotado foi o de blocos casualizados, com quatro repetições e o procedimento estatístico adotado foi análise conjunta. O teste de germinação deve ser conduzido na temperatura constante de 20 °C, em substrato rolo de papel com primeira contagem e contagem final ao 4° e 7° dia, respectivamente.

Anticandidal effect of endophytic bacteria isolated from Equisetum arvense L. against Candida albicans and Candida glabrata

ABSTRACT Equisetum arvense, a fern species possesses a number of pharmaceutical prospective. In the present study, a total of 103 endophytic bacteria isolated from E. arvense and were evaluated for their anticandidal property against five Candida species, two C. albicans, C. glabrata, C. saitoana and C. geochares. Out of them fifty one were identified as per the morphological and molecular characterisation using 16S rRNA gene sequencing and among them, ten promising endophytic bacteria were mentioned in the present study. Among ten endophytic bacteria, Psychrobacillus insolitus and Curtobacterium oceanosedimentum exerted highest anticandidal effect against C. albicans KACC 30062 and C. glabrata KBNO6P00368, with diameter of inhibition zones of 21.30±0.41 and 18.24±0.12 mm, respectively. When the endophytic bacteria cultures were successively fractionated using different solvents, only the butanol fraction of Psychrobacillus insolitus and Curtobacterium oceanosedimentum had anticandidal activity, with inhibition zones of 20.12±0.28 mm and 12.33±0.11 mm, respectively. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum fungicidal concentration (MFC) values of the butanol fractions ranged from 250 to 500 and 500 to 1,000 µg/mL, respectively. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) analysis showed impaired membrane of C. albicans and C. glabrata at the MIC, indicating that butanol extract lysed the cell membrane and caused cell death. The endophytic bacteria derived from E. arvense can be a valuable resource for the development of natural anticandidal agents to manage candidiasis.

Antiplasmodial Potential of Traditional Medicinal Plant Thlaspi arvense.

Aim: Antiplasmodial potential of traditional medicinal plant Thlaspi arvense against Plasmodium falciparum in vitro has been evaluated. Cytotoxicity of plant extract against HeLa cell lines and normal fibroblasts has also been observed. Place and Duration of the Study: Department of Zoology, Panjab University, Chandigarh, India, between May 2013 to April 2014. Materials and Methods: Ethanolic whole plant extract of Thlaspi arvense (EWETA) was analyzed for its phytochemical constituents. In vitro cytotoxicity was determined colorimetrically by MTT assay. WHO protocol, based on assessment of schizont maturation inhibition, was employed for the evaluation of in vitro antiplasmodial activity of plant extract. Results: Phytochemical screening of EWETA revealed the presence of diterpenes, triterpenes, steroids, anthraquinones and phytosterols. EWETA was observed to inhibit schizont maturation of both chloroquine-sensitive (MRC-2) and resistant (RKL-9) strains of P. falciparum with IC50<5μg/ml and =5μg/ml respectively. The extract was revealed to be safe against both HeLa cells and normal fibroblasts with CC50>1000μg/ml. Selectivity index for Thlaspi arvense was calculated to be >200 and =200 both for chloroquine sensitive and chloroquine-resistant strains of P. falciparum with both HeLa and normal fibroblasts. Conclusion: Plant extract possesses considerable in vitro antimalarial activity with high selectivity index (SI>10) pointing field pennycress to be an active antimalarial. Hence, present study provides scientific evidence for traditional usage of the plant as an antipyretic agent.

Isolation of flavonoids from Anemopaegma arvense (Vell) Stellf. ex de Souza and their antifungal activity against Trichophyton rubrum

Anemopaegma arvense (Vell) Stellf. ex de Souza belongs to the family Bignoniaceae, and is popularly known as catuaba. To evaluate the cytotoxic and antimicrobial activity of A. arvense, fraction F3 and flavonoids 1 (quercetin 3-O-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1→6)-β-D-glucopyranoside) (rutin) and flavonoid 2 (quercetin 3-O-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1→6)-β-D-galactopyranoside) were isolated from the leaves of this plant. Fraction F3 and flavonoids 1 and 2 exhibited no antibacterial activity. Furthermore, no cytotoxic activity of fraction 3 or flavonoids 1 and 2 was observed against the tumor cells tested. However, analysis of the antifungal activity of flavonoids 1 and 2 revealed minimum inhibitory concentrations of 0.5 and 0.25 mg/mL, respectively, against the Trichophyton rubrum strains tested (wild type and mutant). This study demonstrates for the first time the antifungal activity of isolated flavonoids, validating the same activity for A. arvense.

Anemopaegma arvense pertence à família Bignoniaceae, sendo conhecida popularmente como Catuaba. Para avaliação de sua atividade citotóxica e antimicrobiana, a fração cromatográfica F3 e os flavonoides 1 (quercetina 3-O-α-L-ramnopiranosil-(1→6)-β-D-glucopiranosídeo) (rutina) e flavonoide 2 (quercetina 3-O-α-L-ramnopiranosil-(1→6)-β-D-galactopiranosídeo) foram isolados das folhas de A. arvense. A fração 3 e os flavonoides não apresentaram atividade antibacteriana. Nenhuma atividade citotóxica foi observada para a fração F3 e para os flavonoides, quando avaliados contra as células tumorais em teste. Entretanto, e considerando a atividade antifúngica, o flavonóide 1 apresentou valor de concentração inibitória mínima (CIM) de 0,5 mg/mL, enquanto o flavonóide 2, CIM de 0,25 mg/mL contra as cepas selvagem e mutante de Trichophyton rubrum, demonstrando, pela primeira vez, que os flavonoides isolados possuem atividade antifúngica, o que valida a mesma atividade para A. arvense.

Anxiolytic effects of Equisetum arvense Linn. extracts in mice.

The petroleum ether (PE), chloroform (CH), ethanol (ETH) and water extracts of E. arvense stems were evaluated for anti-anxiety activity in mice using elevated plus maze model. Ketamine induced hypnosis and actophotometer was used to evaluate sedative effect with various extracts in mice. The results were compared with standard drug diazepam. The ethanolic extract of E. arvense (50 and 100 mg/kg) significantly increased the time-spent and the percentage of the open arm entries in the elevated plus-maze model which was comparable to diazepam. Ethanolic extract (100 mg/kg) prolonged the ketamine-induced total sleeping time and decreased the locomotor activity in mice. The results suggest that the ethanolic extract of E. arvense seems to possess anxiolytic effect with lower sedative activity than that of diazepam. The results could be attributed to the flavonoid content of the ethanolic extract.

Study of acute hepatotoxicity of Equisetum arvense L. in rats / Estudo da hepatotoxicidade aguda da Equisetum arvense L. em ratos

PURPOSE: To evaluate the acute hepatotoxicity of Equisentum arvense L. in rats. METHODS: Fifty Wistar rats were used, these being divided in four groups, one being the control (receiving only water) and the other groups receiving graded doses of Equisentum arvense L. (30, 50, and 100mg/kg respectively) for 14 days. Blood samples were obtained to determine TGO, TGP, FA, DHL and GT-gamma activities. After that, hepatic tissue samples were collected for the anatomopathologic analysis. RESULTS: The anatomopathologic exam of the hepatic tissue showed organ with preserved lobular structure. In the same way, there was no significant change in the seric activities of the hepatic enzymes when compared to control group. CONCLUSION: The oral treatment with graded doses of Equisentum arvense L. was not able to produce hepatic changes. Further studies are necessary to evaluate the chronic hepatotoxicity of Equisentum arvense L. in rats.

OBJETIVO: Investigar a hepatotoxicidade aguda da Equisetum arvense L. em ratos. MÉTODOS: foram utilizados 50 ratos Wistar, os quais foram divididos em quatro grupos, sendo um controle (recebendo apenas água) e os outros grupos recebendo doses crescentes de cavalinha (30, 50 e 100mg/Kg, respectivamente) por 14 dias. Foram coletadas amostras de sangue para determinação da atividade sérica de TGO, TGP, FA, DHL e gama-GT. Em seguida, foram obtidas amostras de tecido hepático para análise anatomopatológica. RESULTADOS: O exame anatomopatológico de tecido hepático demonstrou órgão com estrutura lobular preservada. Da mesma forma, não houve alteração significativa na atividade sérica das enzimas hepáticas, quando comparado ao grupo controle. CONCLUSÃO: O tratamento com doses crescentes de Equisetum arvense L., não induziu hepatotoxicidade aguda em ratos. Novos estudos são necessários para avaliar a hepatoxicidade crônica de Equisetum arvense L. em ratos.