Phytochemical and antifungal activity of anthraquinones and root and leaf extracts of Coccoloba mollis on phytopathogens

The aim of this work was to study the phytochemical and antifungal activity of anthraquinones and root and leaf extracts of Coccoloba mollis on phytopathogens. The chemical analysis of ethanolic extracts showed a mixture of long-chain hydrocarbons, carboxyl esters and 3-taraxerone in the leaf extract. Two anthraquinones (emodin and physcion) were isolated and identified from the root extract. Phytochemical screening using the pharmacognostic methods revealed the presence of flavonoids and tannins in the leaves and roots. Anthraquinones were only found in the root extract, no alkaloids, coumarins, saponins and simple phenolics were present. The antifungal activity of C. mollis extracts and anthraquinones isolated from the root of this plant against Botryospheria ribis, B. rhodina, Lasiodiplodia theobromae and Fusarium sp showed promising results for their use as fungicides, where emodin was the most active compound, which inhibited the microorganisms tested up to 44 percent.

Evaluation of extracts from Coccoloba mollis using the Salmonella/microsome system and in vivo tests

The common everyday use of medicinal plants is an ancient, and still very widespread practice, whereby the need for studies on their possible toxicity and mutagenic properties. The species Coccoloba mollis has been much used in phytotherapy, mainly in cases involving loss of memory and stress. In order to investigate its genotoxic and mutagenic potential, ethanolic extracts from the leaves and roots underwent Salmonella/microsome assaying (TA98 and TA100 strains, with and without exogenous metabolism - S9), besides comet and micronucleus tests in vivo.There was no significant increase in the number of revertants/plate of Salmonella strains in any of the analyzed root-extract concentrations, although the extract itself was extremely toxic to the Salmonella TA98 strain in the tests carried out with S9 (doses varying from 0.005 to 0.5 µg/plate). On the other hand, the leaf-extract induced mutations in the TA98 strain in the absence of S9 in the highest concentration evaluated, although at very low mutagenic potency (0.004 rev/µg). Furthermore, there was no statistically significant increase in the number of comets and micronuclei, in treatments involving Swiss mice. It was obvious that extracts of Coccoloba mollis, under the described experimental conditions, are not mutagenic.

Constituintes químicos das folhas e do caule de Coccoloba mollisCasaretto (Polygonaceae) / Chemical constituents from leaves and stem of Coccoloba mollis Casaretto (Polygonaceae)

O estudo químico das frações neutra em hexano das folhas e em diclorometano do caule de Coccoloba mollis resultou no isolamento de um triterpeno pentacíclico (simiarenol), que pela primeira vez ocorre em Polygonaceae, dois fitoesteróides (sitostenona e sitosterol), um diterpeno (trans-fitol) e de um benzenóide (ácido vanílico) que está sendo descrito pela vez neste gênero. A identificação estrutural destes compostos foi feita com base na análise dos dados espectrais (IV, EM e RMN, incluindo DEPT e HMQC), bem como pela comparação com dados descritos na literatura.

This work describes the isolation of a pentacyclic triterpene (simiarenol), described for the first time in this family, two phytosteroids (sitostenone and sitosterol), a diterpene (trans-phytol) and a benzenoid (vanillic acid), described for the first time in this genus, from leaves and stem of Coccoloba mollis. These compounds were identified on basis of their spectral data (IR, MS and NMR, including DEPT and HMQC), as well as by comparison with literature data.

Trioecy in Coccoloba cereifera Schwacke (Polygonaceae), a narrow endemic and threatened tropical species

Trioecy, the co-occurrence of the males, females, and hermaphrodite morphs in natural populations, is a rare and poorly studied breeding system. It is expressed in Coccoloba cereifera, an endemic, and endangered species from the rupestrian fields of Serra do Cipó, southeastern Brazil. Male individuals produce staminate flowers but no fruits. Female individuals produce pistillate flowers and set fruits. Both staminate and pistillate flowers present non-functional organs of the opposite sex that simulate perfect flowers. Hermaphrodite individuals produce two different perfect flowers, each one belonging to distinct individuals, and set fruits. Perfect flowers differ in the amount of pollen produced, in pollen viability, and in some morphological traits. Two Hymenoptera species visited the flowers sporadically. The low natural fructification indicated a limited pollination, while the fruit set recorded in bagged pistillate flowers indicated agamospermy. Female individuals represent more than 40 percent of the population studied and must be the result of agamospermic seeds.

A trioicia, a coocorrência, em população natural, de indivíduos masculinos, femininos e hermafroditas, é um sistema reprodutivo raro e pouco estudado. Coccoloba cereifera (Polygonaceae), espécie endêmica e em perigo de extinção dos campos rupestres da Serra do Cipó, sudeste brasileiro, apresenta esse sistema. Indivíduos masculinos produzem flores estaminadas e não frutificam. Indivíduos femininos produzem flores pistiladas e frutificam. Ambas flores estaminadas e pistiladas apresentam órgãos não-funcionais do sexo oposto, tornando-as semelhantes às flores perfeitas. Indivíduos hermafroditas produzem dois tipos de flores perfeitas, cada um pertencente a indivíduos distintos, e ambos frutificam. As flores perfeitas diferem entre si na quantidade de pólen produzido, na viabilidade do pólen e em algumas características morfológicas. Duas espécies de Hymenoptera visitaram as flores esporadicamente. A baixa frutificação natural indicou uma polinização limitada, ao passo que a frutificação registrada em flores pistiladas, isoladas por sacos, indicou agamospermia. Indivíduos femininos representaram mais que 40 por cento da população estudada e devem ser resultantes de sementes agamospérmicas.

As espécies de Coccoloba P. Browne (Polygonaceae) da Amazônia brasileira / The Species of Cocoloba P. Browne (Polygonaceae) from brasilian Amazonia

O gênero Coccoloba está representado na Amazônia brasileira por 23 espécies: Coccoloba acuminata Kunth, C. arborescens (Vell.) R. A. Howard, C. ascendens Duss ex Lindau, C. brasiliensis Nees & Mart., C. charitostachya Standl., C. conduplicata Maguire, C. coronata Jacq., C. declinata (Vell.) Mart., C. densifrons Mart. ex Meisn., C. excelsa Benth., C. gentryi R. A. Howard, C. latifolia Lam., C. lehmannii Lindau, C. lucidula Benth., C. marginata Benth., C. mollis Casar., C. ovata Benth., C. paraensis Meisn., C. parimensis Benth., C. ramosissima Wedd., C. savannarum Standl., C. striata Benth. e C. tenuiflora Lindau, dentre as quais apenas C. paraensis ocorre exclusivamente na Amazônia brasileira, C. charitostachya, C. conduplicata, C. coronata, C. gentryi, C. lehmanni e C. savannarum, são citadas pela primeira vez para o Brasil. As características de maior relevância taxonômica são a posição do pecíolo em relação à ócrea, ramificação da inflorescência, tamanhos relativos das brácteas e ocréolas, perianto frutífero e pericarpo. São apresentadas chaves de identificação, descrições e ilustrações, bem como comentários sobre a distribuição geográfica, hábitats e dados fenológicos para todas as espécies estudadas.

The genus Coccoloba is represented in Brazilian Amazonia by twenty three species: Coccoloba acuminata Kunth, C. arborescens (Vell.) R. A. Howard, C. ascendens Duss ex Lindau, C. brasiliensis Nees & Mart., C. charitostachya Standl., C. conduplicata Maguire, C. coronata Jacq., C. declinata (Vell.) Mart., C. densifrons Mart. ex Meisn., C. excelsa Benth., C. gentryi R. A. Howard, C. latifolia Lam., C. lehmannii Lindau, C. lucidula Benth., C. marginata Benth., C. mollis Casar., C. ovata Benth., C. paraensis Meisn., C. parimensis Benth., C. ramosissima Wedd., C. savannarum Standl., C. striata Benth., and C. tenuiflora Lindau. Among that only C. paraensis occurs exclusively in Brazilian Amazonia. C. charitostachya, C. conduplicata, C. coronata, C. gentryi, C. lehmanni and C. savannarum are cited for the first time in Brazil. The major characters of taxonomic relevance are the petiole position in relation to ochrea, the inflorescence ramification, the relative dimensions of bracts and ochreolae, the fruiting perianth and pericarp characters. An identification key, descriptions, and illustrations are given for all taxa, as well as comments about geographic distribution, habitats and phenological dates.

As espécies de Coccoloba P. Browne (Polygonaceae) da Amazônia brasileira

The genus Coccoloba is represented in Brazilian Amazonia by twenty three species: Coccoloba acuminata Kunth, C. arborescens (Vell.) R. A. Howard, C. ascendens Duss ex Lindau, C. brasiliensis Nees & Mart., C. charitostachya Standl., C. conduplicata Maguire, C. coronata Jacq., C. declinata (Vell.) Mart., C. densifrons Mart. ex Meisn., C. excelsa Benth., C. gentryi R. A. Howard, C. latifolia Lam., C. lehmannii Lindau, C. lucidula Benth., C. marginata Benth., C. mollis Casar., C. ovata Benth., C. paraensis Meisn., C. parimensis Benth., C. ramosissima Wedd., C. savannarum Standl., C. striata Benth., and C. tenuiflora Lindau. Among that only C. paraensis occurs exclusively in Brazilian Amazonia. C. charitostachya, C. conduplicata, C. coronata, C. gentryi, C. lehmanni and C. savannarum are cited for the first time in Brazil. The major characters of taxonomic relevance are the petiole position in relation to ochrea, the inflorescence ramification, the relative dimensions of bracts and ochreolae, the fruiting perianth and pericarp characters. An identification key, descriptions, and illustrations are given for all taxa, as well as comments about geographic distribution, habitats and phenological dates.

O gênero Coccoloba está representado na Amazônia brasileira por 23 espécies: Coccoloba acuminata Kunth, C. arborescens (Vell.) R. A. Howard, C. ascendens Duss ex Lindau, C. brasiliensis Nees & Mart., C. charitostachya Standl., C. conduplicata Maguire, C. coronata Jacq., C. declinata (Vell.) Mart., C. densifrons Mart. ex Meisn., C. excelsa Benth., C. gentryi R. A. Howard, C. latifolia Lam., C. lehmannii Lindau, C. lucidula Benth., C. marginata Benth., C. mollis Casar., C. ovata Benth., C. paraensis Meisn., C. parimensis Benth., C. ramosissima Wedd., C. savannarum Standl., C. striata Benth. e C. tenuiflora Lindau, dentre as quais apenas C. paraensis ocorre exclusivamente na Amazônia brasileira, C. charitostachya, C. conduplicata, C. coronata, C. gentryi, C. lehmanni e C. savannarum, são citadas pela primeira vez para o Brasil. As características de maior relevância taxonômica são a posição do pecíolo em relação à ócrea, ramificação da inflorescência, tamanhos relativos das brácteas e ocréolas, perianto frutífero e pericarpo. São apresentadas chaves de identificação, descrições e ilustrações, bem como comentários sobre a distribuição geográfica, hábitats e dados fenológicos para todas as espécies estudadas.