Pharmacological effects of Sapindus mukorossi / Efeitos farmacológicos do Sapindus mukorossi

Sapindus mukorossi is an extremely valuable medicinal plant, distributed in tropical and sub-tropical regions of Asia. The aim of present review is to form a short compilation of the phytochemical composition and pharmacological properties of this multipurpose tree. The main phytoconstituents isolated and identified from different parts of this plant are triterpenoidal saponins of oleanane, dammarane and tirucullane type. The structure and chemical names of all the types of triterpenoidal saponins reported in Sapindus mukorossi are included in this review. Many research studies have been conducted to prove the plant's potential as being spermicidal, contraceptive, hepatoprotective, emetic, anti-inflammatory and anti-protozoal. The present review highlights some of the salient pharmacological uses of Sapindus mukorossi.

Sapindus mukorossi é planta medicinal extremamente valiosa distribuída nas regiões tropical e subtropical da Ásia. O propósito da presente revisão é uma compilação curta da composição fitoquímica e das propriedades farmacológicas desta árvore que apresenta múltiplos propósitos. O principal fitoconstituinte isolado e identificado das diferentes partes desta planta são as saponinas triterpenoidais do tipo da oleana, damarana e tiruculana. A estrutura e o nome químico de todos os tipos de saponinas triterpenoidais encontrados no Sapindus mukorossi estão incluídos nesta revisão. Muitas pesquisas tem sido conduzidas para provar o potencial desta planta como espermaticida, contraceptivo, hépato-protetor, emético, anti-inflamatório e anti-protozoário. A presente revisão exalta alguns principais usos farmacológicos do Sapindus mukorossi.

Diversity of foliar endophytic fungi from the medicinal plant Sapindus saponaria L . and their localization by scanning electron microscopy

Endophytic fungi inhabit vegetable tissues or organs, without causing them any harm. Endophytes can co-evolve with plant hosts and possess species-specific interactions. They can protect the plant from insect attacks and diseases, and are also able to produce substances of biotechnological interest. In folk medicine, the bark, roots and fruits of Sapindus saponaria is used to produce substances with anxiolytic, astringent, diuretic and expectorant properties, as well as tonics, blood depuratives and cough medicine. This study evaluated the diversity of endophytic fungi present in the leaves of S. saponaria L. and observed the colonization of host plants by endophytes, using light and scanning electron microscopy. We verified that these fungi are found in intercellular and intracellular spaces. The genera of some isolates of S. saponaria were identified mainly by sequencing of ITS region of rDNA and, when possible, also by their microscopic features, as follows: Cochliobolus, Alternaria, Curvularia, Phomopsis, Diaporthe and Phoma. Phylogenetic analysis showed the existence of genetic variability of the genera Phomopsis and Diaporthe and interspecific variation among the Curvularia, Alternaria and Phoma, belonging to family Pleosporaceae.