Anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive activities of Phyllanthus niruri spray-dried standardized extract

Phyllanthus niruri L., Euphorbiaceae, spray-dried standardized extract was studied for its anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive activities in adult albino rats and mice. The anti-inflammatory effect of spray-dried standardized extract was observed in carrageenan-induced paw edema and thioglycolate-induced leukocyte migration, while antinociceptive effects were observed using Randall & Selitto, tail flick, and hot plate tests. This study showed that intraperitoneal spray-dried standardized extract at 100, 200, 800, or 1600 mg/kg reduced the vascular response in the inflammatory process of paw edema induced by 1% carrageenan. Oral spray-dried standardized extract at 100 or 200 mg/kg inhibited leukocyte migration to the site of inflammation induced by 3% thioglycolate. In rats, at 100 and 200 mg/kg intraperitoneally, the extract exhibited a marked peripheral analgesic effect in a Randall & Selitto assay and showed significant central analgesic activity in a hot plate and tail flick assay. In conclusion, this study suggested that Phyllanthus niruri spray-dried standardized extract has potent inflammatory and antinociceptive activities and that these activities are not modified by standard drying process, making it feasible to use the dry extract standardized to obtain a phytotherapic preparation and thus validating its use for the treatment of pain and inflammation disorders.

Technological development of aqueous extracts from Calycophyllum spruceanum (Benth.) Hook. f. ex K. Schum., Rubiaceae, (mulateiro) using factorial design

The aim of the present work is to characterize the vegetal raw material of the Calycophyllum spruceanum (Benth.) Hook. f. ex K. Schum., Rubiaceae, known as "mulateiro", and to evaluate the influence of extractive parameters for attainment of standardized aqueous extractive solutions. The physical-chemical characterization of the samples was performed using pharmacopoeic and not pharmacopoeic methodologies. A 2³ factorial design was used to evaluate the influence of extraction techniques (infusion/decoction), drug: solvent ratio (2.5 and 7.5 percent), and extraction time (5 and 15 min) on the total tannin content of aqueous extractive solutions from C. spruceanum. The extractive solution that showed higher total tannin and dry residue content had their physical-chemical characteristics determined. The results suggest that an aqueous extractive solution from rinds of C. spruceanum barks with higher tanning yield (9.9 g percent), must be standardized using decoction as extraction methodology, with 2.5 percent of vegetal drug for an extraction time of 15 min. The results of the physical-chemical characterization suggest that environmental factors modify the properties of this species and, therefore, they can influence the quality and security of a product derived from this medicinal plant.

Avaliação da redução da carga microbiana de droga vegetal através do processamento tecnológico: decocção e secagem por aspersão / Evaluation of microbial contamination reduction on plants through technological process of decoction and spray dry

As plantas medicinais podem representar importantes alternativas terapêuticas. No entanto, para elaboração de um fitoterápico a contaminação microbiana constitui um problema a ser vencido. O processamento tecnológico da matéria-prima envolve etapas, geralmente, desfavoráveis à sobrevivência de microrganismos, sendo sua eliminação dependente da carga microbiana inicial e das condições de trabalho utilizadas. Assim, este estudo teve como objetivo verificar a contaminação microbiana presente nas partes aéreas de Phyllanthus niruri e produtos derivados, solução extrativa (SE) e produto seco por aspersão (PSA), a fim de avaliar a redução da contaminação após a decocção e a secagem por aspersão. A determinação dos microrganismos viáveis nos produtos foi realizada através do método de contagem em placas, e a quantificação de coliformes totais pela técnica do número mais provável. Os resultados demonstraram que carga microbiana dos produtos analisados encontrava-se abaixo do limite máximo permitido. Em relação à droga vegetal, a solução extrativa apresentou carga microbiana consideravelmente menor, sugerindo que a decocção tenha sido responsável pela redução de 98,3 por cento da contaminação inicial. Por outro lado, a carga microbiana do PSA foi semelhante a da SE, indicando que os microrganismos não são afetados pela operação de secagem por aspersão.

Medicinal plants can be important therapeutic alternative, however microbiological contamination of plants represent a problem to be solved before the production. The technologic process of raw material has many stages, generally, adverse to microbial growth, but its complete elimination depends on the initial and work condition utilized. The aim of this work was to verify the microbial contamination of Phyllanthus niruri aerial parts and derivatives products, such as extractive solution (SE) and spray dried extract (PSA) with the purpose of evaluating the decrease of the contamination after the decoction and the spray dry. The microbiological analysis of the products was performed by total plate count and MPN coliform. The results showed that the contamination of the products was below the limit maxim. The contamination in the SE was significantly lower than in the plant and this fact suggest that the decoction was responsible for a reduction of 98,3 percent of the initial contamination. On the other hand, the PSA contamination was similar the SE thus suggesting that the spray dry did not affect the microorganisms present in the initial product.