Actividad insecticida y reguladora del crecimiento de extractos de blachnum chillones (blechnaceae) y condolía microphylla cav. (rhamnaceae), sobre larvas de gallería melonada (L.) (lepidoptera: pyralidae) / Insecticidal activity and growth regulatory of blechnum chilense (blechnaceae) and condalia microphylla cav. (rhamnaceae) extracts, on larvae of galleria mellonella (linnaeus) (lepidoptera: pyralidae)

Galleria mellonella (L.) es una de las plagas más importantes para la apicultura, debido a que en su estado larval se alimentan de la cera, polen y miel almacenados en los panales de Apis mellifera (L.). El objetivo del presente estudio fue determinar la actividad insecticida y reguladora del crecimiento de extractos obtenidos a partir de hojas y tallos de Blechnum chilense (Kaulf.) Mett y Condalia microphylla Cav. sobre larvas (L2) de G. mellonella. Los extractos fueron obtenidos con solventes orgánicos de diferente polaridad. Los resultados obtenidos indican que, el extracto de B. chilense obtenido con acetato de etilo y el extracto de C. microphylla obtenido con acetona, tienen efecto insecticida efectivo sobre larvas de G. mellonella y a aplicado en dosis sub-letales afectan negativamente la ganancia de peso larvario. A su vez, el extracto obtenido de B. chilense presentó actividad reguladora del desarrollo larvario de G. mellonella, induciendo el estado de pupa en forma prematura.

Galleria mellonella (L.) is the most detrimental pest to beekeeping, due the larvae feeds on hive of Apis mellifera (L.) consuming the wax, pollen and honey. The aim of this study was to determine the insecticidal activity and growth regulatory activity of extracts obtained from leaves and stems of Blechnum chilense (Kaulf.) Mett and Condalia microphylla Cav. for larvae of G. mellonella. The extracts were obtained with organic solvents of different polarity. The results show that the extract of B. chilense obtained with ethyl acetate, and the extract of C. microphylla obtained with acetone have effective insecticidal activity on larvae of G. mellonella, when applied at sub-lethal doses affect adversely the larval weight gain. In turn, the extract obtained from B. chilense showed regulatory activity on larval development of G. mellonella, inducing pupal stage prematurely.

A rapid preparative-TLC/GC-MS methodology for discriminating between two filmy ferns (Hymenophyllaceae) native from the temperate rain forest of Southern Chile based on their soluble carbohydrates / Una metodología de CCF-preparativa/CG-EM rápida para discriminar entre dos helechos película(Hymenophyllaceae) nativos del bosque templado del sur de Chile basada en sus hidratos de carbono

Filmy ferns are a conspicuous epiphytic component of the temperate rain forest of southern Chile and the more abundant genus is Hymenophyllum represented by 19 species, they are a primitive fern family sharing their limited water lost control (poikilohydricity) with lower non-vascular plants, such as bryophytes and lichens. Because, carbohydrate accumulation is a desiccation tolerance mechanism proposed for desiccation-tolerant vascularized plants, the aim of this investigation was to propose a methodology for soluble carbohydrate analysis in native ferns. Preparative- TLC showed to be a simple and rapid technique for separating Hymenophyllum sugars. GC-MS analysis allowed identifying glucitol (2.0 percent), sucrose (2.0 percent), alpha or beta-melibiose (5.0 percent) and salidroside (4.4 percent) in H. cruentum carbohydrate profile from H. dentatum showed significant differences presenting only two sugars sucrose (1.4 percent) and alpha or beta-melibiose (3.2 percent). Furthermore, salidroside, an antioxidant compound, was identified only in H. cruentum. Our results suggest that H. cruentum, has higher preventive mechanisms than H. dentatum; that would allow delay the effects of desiccation (prevent a rapid dehydration) and thus survive to short periods of drought present in the study area. Due to the presence of salidroside in H. cruentum this species should be more resistant to oxidative stress that H. dentatum.

Los helechos película se pueden encontrar en el bosque templado lluvioso del sur de Chile, siendo el género más abundante Hymenophyllum representado con 19 especies. Son una familia de helechos primitivos que comparten la limitación de control de pérdida de agua (poiquilohidrícos) con plantas no vasculares, tales como briófitas y líquenes. Como el contenido de hidratos de carbono ha sido asociado a la protección de la planta durante la desecación, su análisis es una herramienta importante para dilucidar el mecanismo asociado a este fenómeno. El objetivo de esta investigación fue proponer una metodología fácil y rápida para el análisis de hidratos de carbono en helechos nativos. La CCF-preparativa permitió la separación de hidratos de carbono presentes en plantas del género Hymenophyllum. El análisis por GC-MS logró identificar glucitol (2,0 por ciento), sacarosa (2,0 por ciento), alfa o Beta-melibiosa (5.0 por ciento) y salidrosido (4,4 por ciento) en H. cruentum. El perfil de hidratos de carbono de H. dentatum mostró diferencias significativas, mostrando sólo dos compuestos sacarosa (1,4 por ciento) y alfa o beta- melibiosa (3.2 por ciento). Además, salidrosido, un compuesto antioxidante, sólo fue identificado en H. cruentum. Nuestros resultados sugieren que ante la menor tolerancia a la desecación observada previamente en H. cruentum, esta especie presenta mecanismos que le permitirían retardar los efectos de la desecación (prevención de una rápida pérdida de agua) y así sobrevivir a los periodos cortos de sequía presentes en la zona de estudio. Debido a La presencia de salidrosido en H. cruentum, esta especie debería ser más resistente al estrés oxidativo que H. dentatum.

Antimicrobial activity and identification of potential antimicrobial compounds from aquatic pteridophyte, Azolla microphylla Kaulf.

Azolla microphylla Kaulf. is an aquatic nitrogen fixing pteridophyte commonly found in aquatic habitats including paddy fields. Methanolic extract of the fronds of A. microphylla was subjected to partial purification by solvent partitioning with diethyl ether and ethyl acetate followed by hydrolysis, and further partitioning with ethyl acetate. The two fractions, thus obtained were tested for antibacterial activity. It was observed that the ethyl acetate fraction inhibited the growth of the pathogenic bacterium Xanthomonas oryzae. The GC-MS analysis of the ethyl acetate fraction showed several prominent peaks with retention time ranging from 8.83 to 45.54 min. A comparison of these peaks with the GC-MS libraries revealed that it could be eicosenes and heptadecanes with potential of antimicrobial activity.

Atividade antibacteriana, antifúngica e moduladora da atividade antimicrobiana de frações obtidas de Lygodium venustum SW / Antibacterial, antifungal and antimicrobial modulatory activities of fractions from Lygodium venustum SW

The traditional use of plants in popular medicine has also indicated the way in the search for pharmacological agents. The need for new drugs is evidenced by the strong resistance of microorganisms. The fern Lygodium venustum had its antimicrobial potential measured, in this work, by the broth microdilution method. Its ability to modulate the action of antibiotics was also tested. Its hexane, dichloromethane and methanol fractions obtained from the ethanolic extract of fresh leaves were assayed. The Minimum Inhibitory Concentration was evaluated from the standard strains of Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Candida albicans, Candida tropicalis and Candida krusei. To check the modulating activity of antibiotics were used multi-resistant strains of P. aeruginosa, E. coli and S. aureus and the same yeast strains used in CIM. The drugs used in modulating were antifungal and aminoglycosides. All results showed MIC >1024ug/mL activity. The fractions neither enhanced the action of antifungal agents against strains of Candida, nor the aminoglycosides against P. aeruginosa. However, interesting results potentiating the action of these were obtained against the E. coli and S. aureus. Such results suggest that secondary metabolites which are in this plant may be used to create new drugs in combination with aminoglycosides. This was the first report of activity-modifying action of antibiotics for fractions obtained from a fern family Lygodiaceae.

O tradicional uso das plantas na medicina popular vem indicando um caminho na busca de agentes farmacológicos. A necessidade de novos fármacos é evidenciada pela acentuada resistência dos microorganismos. A samambaia Lygodium venustum teve neste trabalho seu potencial antimicrobiano avaliado através do método de microdiluição em caldo. Também foi testada a sua capacidade de modular a ação de antibióticos. Foram ensaiadas suas frações hexânica, diclorometano e metanólica obtidas a partir do extrato etanólico das folhas frescas. A Concentração Inibitória Mínima foi avaliada frente às linhagens padrões de Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Candida albicans, Candida krusei e Candida tropicalis. Na verificação da atividade moduladora de antibióticos foram utilizadas linhagens multirresistentes de P. aeruginosa, E. coli e S. aureus e as mesmas linhagens fúngicas utilizadas na CIM. As drogas usadas na modulação foram antifúngicos e aminoglicosídeos. Todos os resultados da CIM demonstraram atividade > 1024ug/mL. As frações não potencializaram a ação dos antifúngicos contra as linhagens de Candida, nem dos aminoglicosídeos frente à P. aeruginosa. Porém, interessantes resultados potencializando a ação destes foram obtidos frente à E. coli e S. aureus. Tais resultados sugerem que metabólitos secundários existentes no vegetal poderão ser utilizados para constituição de novas drogas em associação com aminoglicosídeos. Este foi o primeiro relato de atividade modificadora da ação de antibióticos por frações obtidas de uma pteridófita da família Lygodiaceae.

Antioxidant activity of Blechnum chilense (Kaulf.) Mett., Curcuma domestica Valeton and Tagetes verticillata Lag. & Rodriguez / Actividad antioxidante de Blechnum chilense (Kaulf.) Mett., Curcuma domestica Valeton y Tagetes verticillata Lag. & Rodríguez

Because of the increasing interest in improving human health worldwide, phytochemical antioxidants from medicinal and food plants are of great interest. The search for new sources of antioxidants is important for the best use of biodiversity. The objective of this work was to evaluate the antioxidant activity and the total phenolic compounds with DPPH and Folin-Ciocalteu assays for extracts and fractions of Blechnum chilense, Curcuma domestica and Tagetes verticillata. B. chilense water-methanolic and EtOAc fractions, follows of C. domestica EtOAc extract showed an important quantity of total phenolic compounds. Compared with Aristotelia chilensis MeOH extract, T. verticillata extract showed good activity, follows by EtOAc fraction from B. chilense and by EtOAc extract from C. domestica, with very similar results with n-hexane fraction from B. chilense and petroleum ether extract from C. domestica. All of these results were greater than alpha-tocopherol DPPH scavenging activity. The results suggest that all plants studied could be are new sources of antioxidants and the work are following with the identification of these compounds.

Debido al creciente interés mundial en el mejoramiento de la salud humana los antioxidantes provenientes de plantas medicinales y alimenticias se han convertido en compuestos de gran interés. La búsqueda de nuevas fuentes de antioxidantes es importante para el mejor uso de la biodiversidad. El objetivo de este trabajo fue evaluar la actividad antioxidante y el contenido de fenoles totales usando el método de Folin-Ciocalteu y la actividad inhibitoria del radical DPPH de fracciones y extractos de Blechnum chilense (Kaulf.) Mett, Curcuma domestica Valeton y Tagetes verticillata Lag. & Rodr. Las fracciones acuosa-metanólica y EtOAc de B. chilense, seguida del extracto EtOAc de C. domestica, mostraron una cantidad importante de compuestos fenólicos. La prueba con DPPH mostró que la actividad secuestrante más importante, comparada con la del extracto metanólico de Aristotelia chilensis (Molina) Stuntz, fue la del extracto de T. verticillata, seguido de la fracción EtOAc de B. chilense y el extracto EtOAc de C. domestica, con resultados similares a la fracción hexánica de B. chilense y el extracto obtenido con éter de petróleo de C. domestica, superando todas la actividad secuestrante de DPPH del alfa-tocoferol. Los resultados sugieren que todas las plantas estudiadas podrían ser nuevas fuentes de antioxidantes y se está trabajando para la identificación de los compuestos responsables de la actividad.

Preliminary antimicrobial activity and cytotoxicity of leaf extracts of mesua nagassarium (Burm.f. ) / Actividad antimicrobiana preliminar y citotoxicidad de extractos de hojas de Mesua nagassarium (Burm.f. )

In the present study the in vitro antimicrobial activity, along with minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC), of different extracts of leaves of Mesua nagassarium were evaluated against 13 pathogenic microorganisms. The methanol extract and its pet-ether and carbon tetrachloride soluble fractions showed the highest antimicrobial activity. The carbon tetrachloride soluble fraction showed the maximum inhibition zone of 24.33 mm against Bacillus megaterium with MIC and MBC values of 7.81 ug/ml and 250 ug/ml, respectively. Ciprofloxacin (30 ug/disc) was used as standard antimicrobial agent. In the Brine shrimp lethality bioassay, the crude methanol extract and its carbon tetrachloride soluble fraction showed significant cytotoxicity with LC50 of 2.99 and 1.74 ug/ml, respectively as compared vincristine sulphate (LC50 value 0.543 ug/ml).

En el presente estudio se evaluó la actividad antimicrobiana in vitro, incluyendo la concentración inhibitoria mínima (CIM) y la concentración bactericida mínima (CBM), de diferentes extractos obtenidos de hojas de Mesua nagassarium en 13 microorganismos patógenos. El extracto metanólico y sus fracciones solubles en éter de petróleo y tetracloruro de carbono, mostraron la mayor actividad antimicrobiana. La fracción de compuestos solubles en tetracloruro de carbono mostró la zona de inhibición máxima de 24.33 mm en Bacillus megaterium con valores de CIM y and CBM de 7.81 ug/ml y 250 ug/ml, respectivamente. Como agente antimicrobiano estándar se utilizó ciprofloxacina (30 ug/disco). En el bioensayo de mortalidad de Brine shrimp el extracto metanólico y su fracción soluble en tetracloruro de carbono mostraron importante citotoxicidad con CL50 de 2.99 y 1.74 ug/ml, respectivamente, comparadas con el sulfato de vincristina (CL50 0.543 ug/ml).

Efecto del Phlebodium Decumanum sobre los cambios en niveles plasmáticos de testosterona y cortisol inducidos por el ejercicio en sujetos no entrenados / Effects of the consumption of Phlebodium Decumanum on plasma cortisol and testosterone levels in subjects participating in an exercise program

Background: Phlebodium Decumanum is a type of fern that could have an immune or stress response modulating action. Aim: To evaluate if the consumption of a preparation obtained from Phlebodium Decumanum, modifies the changes induced by exercise in plasma levels of testosterone and cortisol. Material and methods: Fourteen male subjects aged 22 ± 2 years were randomized to consume Phlebodium Decumanum and 10 subjects, aged 23 ± 1 years were ascribed to consume a placebo. Both groups performed a standard exercise program, three times a week during one month. Plasma free testosterone and cortisol levels were measured before and 48 hours after the last session of the exercise program. Results: Cortisol levels increased significantly from 18.9 ± 6.8 to 26.2 ± 5.9 fig/dl, in the control group. In the group consuming the study product, no changes were detected (20.0 ±4.6 and 20.9 ± 5.9) fig/dl before and after the exercise program, respectively). Plasma free testosterone decreased significantly in both groups from 36.1 ± 11.04 to 20.7 ±4.3 pg/ml in the control group and from 33.7 ± 10.0 pg/ml to 18.6 ± 4.9 pg/ml in study group. Conclusions: The cortisol levels increased significantly in the control group but not in the study group. Therefore we can suggest that consumption of Phlebodium Decumanum would be able to modulate the response of this hormone to physical stress.

Characterization of toxin from cheilanthes fern and its effect on lymphocyte proliferation and DNA fragmentation.

Thin layer chromatography of aqueous extract of whole Cheilanthesfarinosa fern indicated the presence of ptaquiloside or ptaquiloside like compound, coinciding Rf values with that of Pterosin B standard. HPLC analysis revealed the presence of 26.3 mg/kg ptaquiloside. In vitro studies of the aqueous extract on lymphocyte culture revealed a correlation between stimulative indices and concentration of aqueous extract. Stimulation in lymphocyte proliferation was in order of bracken > cheilanthes > ConA> ptaquiloside standard. On incubation of lymphocyte with aqueous extract of ferns, no DNA damage was observed in isolated DNA.