Ação dos extratos de quatro plantas sobre larvas infectantes de nematódeos gastrintestinais de ovinos / Acción de extractos de cuatro plantas en las larvas infectivas de nematodos gastrointestinales de ovinos / Action of extracts of four plants against infective larvae of gastrointestinal nematodes of sheep

Introdução: a ação de extratos hidroalcoólicos de Eugenia uniflora L. (pitangueira), Mentha x piperita L. (hortelã), Myrcianthes pungens (O. Berg) D. Legrand (guabiju) e Peltophorum dubium (Spreng.) Taub. (canafístula) foi avaliada sobre o desenvolvimento de nematódeos gastrintestinais nas coproculturas de ovinos. Objetivo: avaliar a ação in vitro dos extratos vegetais sobre os nematódeos gastrintestinais de ovinos. Métodos: cada extrato foi testado em culturas triplicadas de fezes nas seguintes concentrações: 200, 100, 20 e 2 mg.mL-1. Como controle positivo foi utilizado moxidectina (0,001 mg.mL-1) e água destilada como controle negativo. Após incubação, as larvas recuperadas foram fixadas, coradas e conservadas para posterior leitura. Resultados: a concentração de 200 mg.mL-1 do extrato de Eugenia uniflora foi a que promoveu menor número de larvas infectantes recuperadas das coproculturas de ovinos (número de larvas por grama de fezes= 19) quando comparada as outras concentrações. Este valor foi dez vezes menor que o ldpg recuperado das coproculturas tratadas com o mesmo extrato na menor concentração (2 mg.mL-1). Conclusão: a ação do extrato de Eugenia uniflora na maior concentração não diferiu estatisticamente do controle positivo (p< 0,05), sugerindo um efeito sobre a cultura destes nematódeos gastrointestinais.

Introducción: la acción de los extractos hidroalcohólicos de Eugenia uniflora L. (pitangueira), Mentha x piperita (menta), Myrcianthes pungens (O. Berg) D. Legrand (guabiju) y Peltophorum dubium (Spreng.) Taub. (cañafístula) se valoró en el desarrollo de los nematodos gastrointestinales en cultivos fecales de ovinos. Objetivo: evaluar el efecto in vitro de extractos de plantas sobre los nematodos gastrointestinales de ovinos. Métodos: cada extracto se probó en cultivos por triplicado de las heces en las concentraciones siguientes: 200 mg.mL-1, 100 mg.mL-1, 20 mg.mL-1 y 2 mg.mL-1. Se utilizó como control positivo moxidectina (0,001 mg.mL-1) y agua destilada como control negativo. Después de la incubación, las larvas se recuperaron, se fijaron y tiñeron, y se conservaron para su posterior lectura. Resultados: la concentración de 200 mg.mL-1 de extracto de Eugenia uniflora se promovió a la disminución del número de larvas infectantes, se recuperó a partir de cultivos de heces de ovejas (número de larvas por gramos de heces= 19) en comparación con otras concentraciones. Este valor fue 10 veces menor que el recuperado de coprocultivos tratados con la concentración más baja en el extracto crudo (2 mg.mL-1). Conclusión: la acción del extracto de Eugenia uniflora en la mayor concentración no difirió estadísticamente del control positivo (p< 0,05), lo que sugiere un efecto en el cultivo de los nematodos gastrointestinales.

Introduction: an assessment was made of the action of hydroalcoholic extracts of Eugenia uniflora L. (pitangueira), Mentha x piperita (menta), Myrcianthes pungens (O. Berg) D. Legrand (guabiju) and Peltophorum dubium (Spreng.) Taub. (cañafistula) on the development of gastrointestinal nematodes in fecal cultures from sheep. Objective: evaluate the in vitro effect of the plants upon gastrointestinal nematodes of sheep. Methods: Each extract was tested in triplicate cultures of the faeces at the following concentrations: 200 mg.mL-1, 100 mg.mL-1, 20 mg.mL-1 and 2 mg.mL-1. moxidectin (0.001 mg.mL-1) was used as positive control, and distilled water as negative control. After incubation, the larvae were recovered, fixed and stained, and preserved for future reading. Results: the 200 mg.mL-1 concentration of Eugenia uniflora extract was promoted to a decrease in the number of infective larvae, and was recovered from cultures of sheep faeces (number of larvae per gram of faeces = 19), in comparison with other concentrations. This value is 10 times smaller than the one recovered from coprocultures treated with the lowest concentration in the crude extract (2 mg.mL-1). Conclusion: statistically, the action of the extract of Eugenia uniflora at the highest concentration did not differ from the positive control (p< 0.05). This is suggestive of an effect on the culture of gastrointestinal nematodes.

Hypnotic effect of ecdysterone isolated from Pfaffia glomerata (Spreng.) Pedersen / Efeito hipinótico de ecdisterona isolada de Pfaffia glomerata (Spreng.) Pedersen

Neste trabalho foi avaliado, em roedores, o efeito depressor das frações clorofórmio (CHCl3), acetato de etila (EtOAc) e n-butanol, obtidas das partes subterrâneas de Pfaffia glomerata, empregando-se o teste de tempo de sono barbitúrico como referência. Somente a fração lipofílica (CHCl3:EtOAc, 1:1, m/m) (i.p. 500 mg/kg; v.o. 1000 mg/kg) potenciou o tempo de sono induzido por pentobarbital. A ecdisterona foi isolada e identificada como constituinte majoritário (1,4 por cento m/m) desta fração, através de cromatografia líquida de alta eficiência e métodos espectroscópicos, respectivamente. Este composto potenciou o tempo de sono barbitúrico (100 mg/kg, i.p.; 400 mg/kg, v.o), sem causar hipotermia. Nestas mesmas doses, a ecdisterona não alterou a performance dos animais no rota-rod, esquiva inibitória e labirinto em cruz-elevado, além de não alterar o padrão de convulsões induzidas por pentilenotetrazol. Este perfil indica que esta substância, nestas doses, não apresenta perfil ansiolítico ou neurotóxico. Estes resultados indicam que a ecdisterona é o componente responsável pela ação hipnótica apresentada pela fração lipofílica obtida das partes subterrâneas de P. glomerata.

In this study the depressant effect of fractions from P. glomerata was initially evaluated using the mice barbiturate sleeping time test as reference. The fractions tested were the CHCl3, the EtOAc, the n-BuOH and the aqueous fraction obtained from P. glomerata subterraneous parts. Only the pretreatment with the lipophilic fraction (CHCl3: EtOAc, 1:1, w/w) increased the barbiturate sleeping time (i.p 500 mg/kg; v.o. 1000 mg/kg). Ecdysterone, the main substance isolated from this lipophilic fraction, was identified by spectroscopic methods and its content in the ethanol extract was determined as 1.4 percent (w/w) by HPLC. In order to investigate the hypothesis of ecdysterone displaying a depressant effect on nervous central system, an evaluation toward the hypnotic-sedative and anxiolytic effects of this drug was carried out. Ecdysterone 100 mg/kg, i.p, increased the barbiturate sleeping time without provoking hypothermia; when administered by oral route its minimal effective dose was 400 mg/kg. On the other hand, ecdysterone (100 mg/kg, i.p; 400 mg/kg, p.o) did not impair motor coordination and was ineffective on pentylenetetrazole-induced convulsion, elevated plus-maze and step-down inhibitory avoidance tests, indicating that at these doses the drug does not present an anxiolytic profile and does not cause manifest neurotoxic effects as well. In conclusion, the lipophilic fraction from P. glomerata presents a hypnotic effect being ecdysterone one of the compounds responsible for this CNS activity.

Botanical (morphological, micrographic), chemical and pharmacological characteristics of Pfaffia species (Amaranthaceae) native to South Brazil

Some parameters for the quality control of P. glomerata and P. paniculata roots using their botanical and chemical characteristics are presented. it was also carried out an in vitro pharmacological screening to evaluate some biological properties of P. glomerata that could be related to its popular use as "tonic". Relating to biological assays, ethanolic extract from P. glomerata roots did not presented antiviral, antiproliferative, antifungal or MAO inhibitory activities. The cytotoxicity evaluation of P. glomerata determined that `IC IND. 50ï is >2,000 µg/mL. The main morphological and micrographic characteristics of P. glomerata and P. paniculata roots are described in this paper in order to aid in their unequivocal identification

Saponins from maté (Ilex paraguariensis) amd other South American Ilex species: ten years research on Ilx saponins

Ilex paraguariensis is widely used in South Brazil, Argentinna, Paraguay and Uruguay as a beverage (maté) and also as a traditional medicinal plant. During the past ten years, we have systematically studied the saponins of the leaves of genuine maté (Ilex paraguariensis) and the other Ilex species reported as adulterants, searching for chemical differences. Here we give a brief account of the elucidated saponin structures. Ilex paraguariensis and Ilex dumosa can be considered as saponin rich species, containing between 5-10 per cent of crude saponins in the leaves, in opposition to other species that showed a lower saponin content. All the saponins from Ilex paraguariensis leaves identified up to now are glycosides of ursolic or oleanolic acid. From Ilex dumosa, the most frequently quoted maté adulterant, we have isolated and elucidated the structures of ten saponins, almost all of them being glycosides of oleanolic acid and one of 29-hydroxyoleanolic acid. In comparison, the saponin pattern for the other South American Ilex species investigated up to now is different. The saponins from I. pseudobuxus, I. argentina, I. taubertiana and I. theezans all have the aglycones derived from the 19alpha-hydroxyursolic acid. Saponins containing this type of aglycone were not found in the leaves of Ilex paraguariensis and Ilex dumosa. These are important features, that may have taxonomical significance. Furthermore, this knowledge is necessary to develop methodologies for quality control of maté products and to identify the compounds involved in the tast, flavor and pharmacological properties.

O controle de qualidade de insumos vegetais e fitoterápicos na Faculdade de Farmácia da Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul / Quality control of plant drugs in the Faculdade de Farmácia da Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul

Säo relatadas as análises de insumos vegetais e preparaçöes fitoterápicas efetuadas no Setor de Controle de Qualidade da Faculdade de Farmácia no período 1984-1986. Os resultados obtidos säo discutidos em relaçäo ao desenvolvimento de controle de qualidade na indústria