Effects of Calendula officinalis extract on liver histopathology, lipid profile, and oxidative stress in rats submitted to a diet rich in cholesterol and carbohydrates

ABSTRACT Purpose: To evaluate the modulatory properties of Calendula officinalis L. (Asteraceae) (C. officinalis) extract on cafeteria diet-fed rats. Methods: A cafeteria diet was administered ad libitum for 45 days to induce dyslipidemia. Then, the rats were treated with the formulations containing C. officinalis in the doses of 50, 100, and 150 mg/kg or only with the vehicle formulation; the control group received a commercial ration. Results: The cafeteria diet decreased glutathione S-transferase activity and high-density lipoprotein plasmatic levels and damaged the hepatic architecture. The C. officinalis extract was able to reduce lipid infiltration in liver tissue and to modulate oxidative stress and lipid profile markers. Conclusions: The correlations between the variables suggest a pathological connection between oxidative stress markers and serum lipid profile.

Saponins, tannins and flavonols found in hydroethanolic extract from Periandra dulcis roots

Periandra dulcis Mart. ex Benth. Fabaceae (Syn.: P. mediterranea (Vell.) Taub.) is native to the northern and middle parts of Brazil. In Brazilian ethnomedicine, their roots are used as anti inflammatory, expectorant, diuretic and laxative. An HPLC-ESI-MS/MS system was employed to provide a rapid method to make a tentative characterization of the compounds found in the hydroethanolic extract from P. dulcis roots. The structures of sixteen compounds found in this hydroethanolic extract were suggested mainly by MS data conjugated with the UVDAD spectra, reference compounds and available mass spectra data in literature. Saponin derivatives of hederagenin and soyasapogenol E, such as hederagenin-3-O-rhamnosyl glucosyl glucuronide, soyasapogenol E-3-O-rhamnosyl glucosyl glucuronide and periandrin isomers were found as the main constituents, with a minor content of flavonols quercetin and myricetin glycosides derivatives and hydrolysable tannins, such as dihexahydroxydiphenoyl galloyl glucoside and trisgalloyl hexahydroxydiphenoyl glucose.To the best of our knowledge, with exception of periandrins found in the roots, nothing has been published about the chemical composition of P. dulcis..

Chemical composition of hydroethanolic extracts from five species of the Passiflora genus

The diversified genus Passiflora is well distributed all over Brazil, and many species have been long used as medicinal plants, mainly against anxiety disturbances. This effect has been attributed to its rich flavonoid composition. Flavonoids’ main class, flavonoid glycosides, has presented central action, particularly as sedative-hypnotic, anxiolytic and analgesic. The objective of the present study was to make a phytochemical screening of five little studied Passiflora species, in order to evaluate their phenolic composition. For this aim, HPLC-DAD-ESI-MS/MS was used. After the preparation of the hydroalcoholic extracts, each species was evaluated by direct injection electrospray ionization (ESI) and tandem mass spectrometry. Although belonging to the same genus, the composition of each species presented particularities; this justifies the importance of studies aiming for the phenolic composition of different Passiflora species. Flavones C-glycosides were detected in all extracts, and are found as the main constituents in P. vitifolia, P. coccinea, P. bahiensis and P. sidifolia. In this last one, flavone-6,8-di-C-glycoside, apigenin-6-C-rhamnosyl-8-C-arabinoside are present in high content. Cyclopassiflosides were found in high content together with cyanogenic glycosides in P. quadrangularis, while in P. coccinea, besides flavones-C-glycosides were also found procyanidins.

Chemical composition of hydroethanolic extracts from Siparuna guianensis, medicinal plant used as anxiolytics in Amazon region

Siparuna guianensis Aubl., Siparunaceae, is used as anxiolytic plants in folk medicine by South-American indians, "caboclos" and river-dwellers. This work focused the evaluation of phenolic composition of hydroethanolic extract of S. guianensis through HPLC-DAD-ESI/MS/MS. The constituents exhibited protonated, deprotonated and sodiated molecules and the MS/MS fragmentation of protonated, deprotonated and sodiated molecules provided product ions with rich structural information. Vicenin-2 (apigenin-6,8-di-C-glucoside) was the main constituent found in S. guianensis together quercetin-3,7-di-O-rhamnoside and kaempferol-3,7di-O-rhamnoside. A commercial extract of Passiflora incarnata (Phytomedicine) was used as surrogate standard and also was analyzed through HPLC-DAD-ESI/ MS/MS, showing flavones C-glycosides as constituents, among them, vicenin-2 and vitexin. The main constituent was vitexin. Flavonols triglycosides was also found in low content in S. guianensis and were tentatively characterized as quercetin-3O-rutinoside-7-O-rhamnoside, quercetin-3-O-pentosyl-pentoside-7-O-rhamnoside and kaempferol-3-O-pentosyl-pentoside-7-O-rhamnoside. Apigenin and kaempferol derivatives had been reported as anxiolytic agents. Flavonoids present in this extract were correlated with flavonoids reported as anxiolytics.

Effects of a hydroalcoholic extract of Turnera diffusa Willd. ex Schult., Turneraceae, in tests for adaptogenic activity

The objective of the present study was to assess whether Turnera diffusa Willd. ex Schult., Turneraceae, (TD), plant known in popular medicine as tonic and aphrodisiac, has other effects that are characteristic of an adaptogen substance, such as improvement of the memory and reduction of the damage caused by stress. We carried out an initial screening to detect a possible toxicity of the plant. In that phase of the study we used tests of observational screening; evaluation of acute toxicity; measurement of motor activity and motor coordination, and sleeping time induced by pentobarbital, and observed that the extract presented low toxicity and no stimulant or depressant effect on the animals. We then performed specific tests for the evaluation of an adaptogen effect. TD did not protect the stomach of the animals from the formation of ulcers, neither did it alter the plasmatic levels of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and corticosterone of the animals submitted to immobilization and cold. As regards the evaluation of memory in passive avoidance, TD did not inhibit scopolamine-induced amnesia. Additionally, the hydroalcoholic extract presented low antioxidant activity in vitro. In the models used, TD produced no changes in relation to a possible adaptogen effect.

Bitter acids from hydroethanolic extracts of Humulus lupulus L., Cannabaceae, used as anxiolytic

Humulus lupulus L., Cannabaceae, é usada como sedativo e ansiolítico na medicina popular. O método de HPLC-DAD-ESI-MSn representa uma ferramenta poderosa para a análise de produtos naturais, desde que ela fornece o espectro de UV e informações estruturais sobre os constituintes da mistura. O objetivo deste trabalho foi o de caracterizar os constituintes encontrados no extrato hidroalcoólico. Os constituintes 1-9 foram tentativamente caracterizados através do UV/DAD e ionização por electrospray (MS/MS) depois da separação usando fase reversa, tempo de retenção e dados da literatura. Os principais compostos fenólicos (baseados na área dos picos) foram caracterizados como ácido hulupínico (9), coulupona (8), dois alfa-ácidos amargos oxidados (principais constituintes), um deles sendo um derivado da coumulinona oxidada (5) e o outro um derivado da humulinona oxidada (7), junto com uma procianidina B (3) e os flavonoides rutina (4) e o canferol-7-O-rutinosídeo (6). Esta planta conhecida devido às suas propriedades ansiolíticas e por ser um componente da cerveja, mostrou derivados oxidados de alfa-ácidos, como principais constituintes do extrato hidroalcoólico.

Humulus lupulus L., Cannabaceae, is commonly used as light sedative and anxiolytics in folk medicine. HPLC-DAD-ESI-MSn represents a powerful tool for the analysis of natural products, since it can simultaneously provide a UV chromatogram and significant structural information about compounds in complex mixture. The aim of this work was characterize the constituents present in hydroethanolic extract. Compounds 1-9 were tentatively characterized on the basis of UV, MS/MS, after reversed phase separation, retention time and literature data. The main phenolic compounds (based on peak area) were characterized as hulupinic acid (9), cohulupone (8), two oxidized hop alfa-bitter acids (principal constituents), one being a oxidized cohumulinone (5) and the other an oxidized humulinone (7) derivatives, together with a procyanidin dimer B (3), flavonoids rutin (4) and kaempferol-7-O-rutinoside (6). This plant known, due to anxiolytic property and beer flavoring, showed oxidized hop bitter acids, as principal constituents, in its hydroethanolic extract.

Antiulcer effect of the pepper trees Schinus terebinthifolius Raddi (aroeira-da-praia) and Myracrodruon urundeuva Allemão, Anacardiaceae (aroeira-do-sertão) / Ação antiúlcera das aroeiras Schinus terebinthifolius Raddi (aroeira-da-praia) e Myracrodruon urundeuva Allemão, Anacardiaceae (aroeira-do-sertão)

Schinus terebinthifolius Raddi and the Myracrodruon urundeuva Allemão were evaluated in rats and mice for antiulcer effects, as these two plants are widely used in Brazil for gastric ulcer treatment. Extracts of the plants showed a marked protective effect against gastric ulcerations induced by immobilization stress at low temperature in rats. They also showed an increase in the pH and volume of the gastric contents, and reduction in gastric hemorrhage in rats, and decrease in intestinal transit in mice, even at the low doses of 3.4 mg/kg (1/4 of the dose used by humans).

Foram avaliados, em ratos e camundongos, os efeitos antiúlcera de duas plantas usadas popularmente no Brasil para o tratamento de "males gástricos": a Schinus terebinthifolius Raddi (aroeira-da-praia) e a Myracrodruon urundeuva Allemão (aroeira-do-sertão). Os decoctos de ambas as plantas apresentaram um marcante efeito protetor da mucosa gástrica contra as ulcerações induzidas por estresse de imobilização em baixa temperatura em ratos. Ambas as plantas apresentaram, ainda: elevação do pH, do volume do conteúdo gástrico, redução das hemorragias gástricas e do trânsito intestinal em camundongos, mesmo em doses tão reduzidas quanto 3,4 mg/kg (1/4 da dose utilizada pelo homem).

Pharmacological evaluation of a phytotherapeutic product - CPV (dry extract of Crataegus oxyacantha L., Passiflora incarnata L. and Valeriana officinalis L.) in laboratory animals / Avaliação farmacológica do produto fitoterápico - CPV (extrato seco de Crataegus oxyacantha L., Passiflora incarnata L. e Valeriana officinalis L.) em animais de laboratório

O presente estudo teve por objetivo avaliar em modelos animais, os possíveis efeitos do produto fitoterápico CPV (extrato seco de Crataegus oxyacantha, Passiflora incarnata e Valeriana officinalis) quanto à sua ação ansiolítica avaliada no modelo do labirinto em cruz elevado (LCE). Outros efeitos como neuroléptico (bloqueio da estereotipia por apomorfina), analgésico (testes: placa quente; retirada da cauda e contorções abdominais), bem como sobre a memória (esquiva passiva) também foram considerados. O extrato CPV (430 e 860 mg/kg) apresentou um efeito ansiolítico (aumento do número de entradas nos braços abertos do LCE) em ratos e uma tendência de efeito amnésico para ambas as doses (430 e 860 mg/kg), embora menos intenso quando comparado com o diazepam (1,5 mg/kg). O extrato não apresentou efeitos neuroléptico ou analgésico.

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the central effects of the phytotherapeutic product-CPV (dry extract of Crataegus oxyacantha, Passiflora incarnata and Valeriana officinalis) in animals models. In order to investigate the psychopharmacological profile of CPV extract, an evaluation toward anxiolytic effect of this extract on the elevated plus-maze (EPM) was carried out. Other effects such as neuroleptic (blockade of the stereotyped behavior induced by apomorphine), analgesic (hot plate; acetic acid writhing and tail-flick tests) and on the memory (passive avoidance test) were also analyzed. CPV extract (430 and 860 mg/ kg) presented an anxiolytic effect on rats (increased the number of entries into the open arms in the EPM) and, furthermore, a tendency of slight amnesic effect for the doses (430 and 860 mg/kg), but less intense when compared to diazepam (1.5 mg/kg). The extract did not show neuroleptic or analgesic effects.

Treatment of drug dependence with Brazilian herbal medicines / Tratamento da dependência de drogas com plantas medicinais brasileiras

The topic "Herbal Medicines in the Treatment of Addictions" in a country must be preceded by answers to four questions: 1. Does the country in question possess a biodiversity rich enough to allow the discovery of useful medicines? 2. Do local people have tradition and culture to look for and use resources from Nature to alleviate and cure diseases, including drug dependence? 3. Is drug dependence (or addiction) present in the country in question? 4. Do people of that country recognize and diagnose such problem as a serious one? Alcohol is, by far, the most serious health problem when drug abuse is considered, reaching all of Brazilian society, including the Indians. On the contrary, other drugs may be considered as minor problems and they are not the main focus of this manuscript. The people living in Brazilian hinterland don’t have access to public health systems. Consequently, these people seek assistance from "curandeiros" and "raizeiros"; the Indians are assisted by the shaman. These "folk doctors" do not know the academic medicine and therapeutics, and resort to the local plants to treat different ailments of their patients. Furthermore, alcohol abuse and dependence are not recognized by them, according to the rules and criteria of academic medicine. We have conducted a survey in many Brazilian books, Thesis concerning phytotherapy, and several databank. The results of such searches were very disappointing. No published papers from Brazilian authors concerning the use of plants for the treatment of addictions were found in the databases and there were only three very short notes in the masterly book written by Shultes and Raffauf (1990). From the Brazilian books on folk medicine employing medicinal plants, ten mentions were disclosed: most of them dealing with treatment of alcohol problems and two to counteract "Ayahuasca" dependence.

O tema "Plantas medicinais no tratamento de dependência" em um país deve ser precedido pela resposta a quatro questões: 1. O país em questão possui biodiversidade suficiente para permitir a descoberta de remédios naturais úteis? 2. Seus habitantes possuem tradição e cultura de procurar e utilizar recursos da natureza para aliviar e curar doenças, incluindo dependência de drogas? 3. O problema de dependência de drogas está presente no país em questão? 4. Seus habitantes reconhecem e diagnosticam a dependência de drogas como um sério problema? O álcool é, de longe, o mais sério problema de saúde quando o assunto abuso de drogas é considerado, atingindo toda a sociedade brasileira, incluindo os índios. Ao contrário, outras drogas podem ser consideradas como problemas menores e não são o foco principal deste artigo. As pessoas vivendo nas terras brasileiras mais isoladas não têm acesso ao sistema público de saúde. Conseqüentemente, estas pessoas procuram tratamento com curandeiros e raizeiros; ou, no caso dos indígenas, com os shamans. Estes doutores populares não conhecem a medicina e terapêutica acadêmicas e recorrem a plantas locais para tratar as diferentes patologias que acometem seus pacientes. Entretanto, o abuso e dependência de álcool não são vistos por eles como problemas de saúde segundo as regras e critérios da medicina acadêmica. Um levantamento foi feito em diversos livros brasileiros, teses sobre fitoterapia e alguns bancos de dados. Os resultados de tal pesquisa foram frustrantes. Não foram encontrados artigos de autores brasileiros sobre o uso de plantas para o tratamento de dependência de drogas nos bancos de dados consultados e apenas três notas muito curtas em um livro clássico escrito por Shultes e Raffauf (1990). Dos livros brasileiros sobre o uso popular de plantas medicinais, foram obtidas dez menções: a maioria delas sobre o tratamento de problemas relatados ao álcool e duas delas a respeito do tratamento da dependência de "Ayahuasca".