Evaluation of the antiplasmodial and leishmanicidal potential of Myrciaria dubia (Myrtaceae) extract

Abstract INTRODUCTION: Malaria and leishmaniasis are prevalent in tropical regions, which have environmental characteristics that are highly favorable to protozoa and vectors of these diseases; the transmission of these infections in sub-tropical regions, although recognized, represents only a small fraction of cases. Plants are constantly being used in the search for and acquisition of new drugs, and many compounds derived from them have been used to combat various diseases. In this study, we evaluated the action of the dichloromethanolic extract of Myrciaria dubia leaves against the protozoa Plasmodium falciparum, Leishmania amazonensis, Leishmania braziliensis, and Leishmania chagasi through bioassays. METHODS The extract from M. dubia was tested for its anti-P. falciparum activity in an anti-histidine-rich protein II immunosorbent assay. The antileishmanial assays were performed using the resazurin method, while cytotoxicity against human hepatoma (HepG2) strain was determined using the colorimetric MTT [3-(4, 5-dimethyl-2- thiazolyl)-2, 5-diphenyl-2H tetrazolium bromide] method. RESULTS The M. dubia extract presented a half-maximal inhibitory concentration equal to 2.35 (1.05)μg/mL for P. falciparum, 190.73 (6.41) μg/mL for L. amazonensis, and greater than equal to 200µg/mL for L. chagasi and L. braziliensis strains. The cytotoxic concentration for 50% of the cells was above 500μg/mL for HepG2, indicating no toxicity and greater selectivity against parasites. CONCLUSIONS The results obtained indicate the presence of antiplasmodial and leishmanicidal bioactive compounds in the dichloromethanolic extracts of M. dubia leaves, and point towards future studies to elucidate the mechanism of action for each physiological effect.

Alta similaridade cariotípica na família Emberezidae (Aves: Passeriformes) / High cariotipy similarity at the Emberezidae family (Aves: Passeriformes)

No intuito de contribuir para o conhecimento da citogenética na família Emberizidae, foram amostradas e analisadas oito espécies, empregando a técnica de cultura direta de medula óssea; na região rural pertencente ao município de Porto Nacional-TO. Seis delas, estão sendo descritas pela primeira vez: Dacnis cayana (2n=76), Tangara cayana (2n=78), Charitospiza eucosma (2n=78), Tachyphonus rufus (2n=80), Sporophila leucoptera (2n=80), e Porphyrospiza caerulescens (2n=82). Novos estudos de caracterização cromossômica foram realizados em Ramphocelus carbo (2n=78), e em Ammodramus humeralis (2n=80). Verificaram-se marcações de banda C positiva nas regiões centroméricas nos macrocromossomos, em grande parte dos microcromossomos e no braço curto do cromossomo sexual Z de T. cayana e R. carbo. As regiões organizadoras do nucléolo (NORs) foram identificadas em um par de microcromossomos; em um pequeno macrocromossomo em P. caerulescens e outro par de microcromossomos em T. cayana. Há similaridade cariotípica entre as espécies analisadas da família Emberizidae, visto que os primeiros pares de macrocromossomos apresentaram dominância de cromossomos acrocêntrico entre os quatro primeiros pares e telocêntricos entre os demais macrocromossomos, com exceção de T. rufus que apresentou uma maior predominância de cromossomos telocêntricos entre os seus primeiros pares.

This study is presented with the intention to support and contribute towards the knowledge of cytogenetic and its Emberizidae family. The 8 species have been seen in samples taken from the local rural region of Porto National-TO and cytogenetic analysis using the technique of direct culture of bone marrow. Six of the species are described here firstly the Dacnis cayana (2n=76), Tangara cayana (2n=78), Charitospiza eucosma (2n=78), Tachyphonus rufus (2n=80), Sporophila leucoptera (2n=80), and Porphyrospiza caerulescens (2n=82). New studies have characterize chromosomes were realizations in Ramphocelus carbo (2n=78), and in Ammodramus humeralis (2n=80) In R. carbo and A. humeralis, the diploid number is equal the 78 and 80 respective. The C banding shows positive marks in the centrometric region from the macro chromosome and in the short arm of the sexual chromosome Z of T. cayana e R. carbo. In P. caerulescens the nucleolus organizer regions (Nor’s) were located in a pair of micro chromosomes and in a short macro chromosome and in the pairs of micro chromosomes in T. cayana. It has conspicuous similarity which enters the analyzed species of the Emberizidae family, since the first pairs of macro chromosomes had presented predominance of chromosomes acrocentric between the first four pairs and telocentrics between the too much macro chromosomes, with exception of T. rufus that it presented a bigger predominance of telocentric chromosomes between its first pairs.