Damage and drying modify the composition of Mikania glomerata and Mikania laevigata leaves

ABSTRACT This study compared the influence of mechanical damage and drying on the chemical composition of Mikania glomerata Spreng. and Mikania laevigata Sch.Bip. ex Baker, Asteraceae, leaves. Leaves were collected 1-24 h after damage. Oven-drying at 40ºC and shade-drying at ambient temperature were compared to lyophilization. Samples were extracted in 70% ethanol and analyzed by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography with mass spectrometry. Significant (p < 0.05) increases of caffeoylquinic acids were observed in damaged leaves of both species and coumarin decreased in M. laevigata, indicating stress. Although the final water content was similar, the drying method affected the leaf composition. In shade-dried leaves of M. laevigata coumarin decreased and the presence of umbelliferone was observed; caffeoylquinic acid contents increased for 288 h in in both species. Apparently, enzymes were inactivated after 6 h in oven drying, stabilizing their chemical composition, while shade drying allowed enzymatic and microbial activity to continue; illustrating the importance of post harvesting procedures on the quality of medicinal plants.

Melipona mondury produces a geopropolis with antioxidant, antibacterial and antiproliferative activities

ABSTRACT Geopropolis is a special type of propolis produced by stingless bees. Several pharmacological properties have been described for different types of geopropolis, but there have been no previous studies of the geopropolis from Melipona mondury. In this study, we investigated the antioxidant, antibacterial, and antiproliferative activities of M. mondury geopropolis, and determined its chemical profile. The antioxidant activity was determined using in vitro ABTS·+, ·DPPH, and β-carotene/linoleic acid co-oxidation methods. The antibacterial activity was determined using a microdilution method with Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, and methicillin-resistant S. aureus. The antiproliferative effect was determined in tumor cell lines using the Alamar Blue assay. The chemical profile was obtained using UHPLC-MS and UHPLC-MS/MS. The butanolic fraction had the highest concentration of phenolic compounds and more potent antioxidant properties in all assays. This fraction also had bacteriostatic and bactericidal effects against all bacterial strains at low concentrations, especially S. aureus. The hexane fraction had the highest antiproliferative potential, with IC50 values ranging from 24.2 to 46.6 µg/mL in HL-60 (human promyelocytic leukemia cell) and K562 (human chronic myelocytic leukemia cell), respectively. Preliminary chemical analysis indicates the presence of terpenes and gallic acid in the geopropolis. Our results indicate the therapeutic potential of geopropolis from M. mondury against inflammatory, oxidative, infectious, and neoplastic diseases.

UHPLC–MS quantification of coumarin and chlorogenic acid in extracts of the medicinal plants known as guaco (Mikania glomerata and Mikania laevigata)

Abstract In Brazil, Mikania glomerata Spreng. and M. laevigata Sch. Bip. ex Baker, Asteraceae, known popularly as guaco, are widely used for colds and asthma. Although coumarin is adopted as the chemical marker of both species, it was not always detected in M. glomerata, for which chlorogenic acid was identified and quantified instead. The purpose of this study was to develop and validate a method to quantify both coumarin and chlorogenic acid and apply it to extracts of plants identified as M. glomerata, M. laevigata, or as guaco, to determine the pattern of composition of these two species and to observe differences between oven-dried and lyophilized leaves. A method using ultra-high resolution liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (UHPLC–MS) in the full scan mode was validated for selectivity, matrix effect, linearity, limits of detection and quantification, precision and accuracy. The concentration of coumarin varied between species and samples, therefore these two species should not be used interchangeably. The concentration of chlorogenic acid was also determined for all samples. The UHPLC–MS method permitted the quantification of coumarin and chlorogenic acid in 16 samples of guaco and several commercial samples were possibly misidentified.

Analysis of the composition of Brazilian propolis extracts by chromatography and evaluation of their in vitro activity against gram-positive bacteria

Própolis brasileira, proveniente do estado de São Paulo, foi submetida à extração usando vários solventes, resultando em extratos com diferentes composições. Estes extratos foram submetidos à Cromatografia em Camada Delgada (CCD). Análise bioautográfica das placas de CCD permitiu identificar as frações com atividade antimicrobiana, que foram então analisadas por Cromatografia Líquida de Alta Eficiência (CLAE). Ensaios in vitro freqüentemente utilizados para avaliar a atividade de própolis frente a bactérias Gram-positivas foram comparados para determinar qual renderia os resultados mais consistentes. A atividade bactericida destes extratos foi analisada por Diluição Seriada em Tubos e por testes de Difusão em Agar. O método de Diluição em Tubos permitiu obter os resultados mais consistentes e a Concentração Bactericida Mínima dos extratos variou entre 2,5 e 20,0 mg/mL, para as espécies de bactérias Gram-positivas testadas. Os resultados do método de Difusão em Agar foram diretamente proporcionais à hidrossolubilidade dos extratos, e não avaliaram a atividade bactericida corretamente. A atividade bactericida desta amostra resultou da combinação de vários componentes, identificados por CLAE, que foram extraídos preferencialmente usando etanol 50 per center como solvente.