Phytochemical Screening and Antioxidant Activity of Seven Native Species Growing in the Forests of Southern Chilean Patagonia.

The genus Nothofagus is one of the most abundant in the subantarctic Patagonian forests. Five species inhabit these ecosystems, three evergreen (Nothofagus betuloides, Nothofagus dombeyi, and Nothofagus nitida) and two deciduous (Nothofagus pumilio and Nothofagus antarctica). This is the first report on the levels of secondary metabolites and the antioxidant capacity of Patagonian tree species growing in natural environments. The aim of this work was to carry out a phytochemical screening, to determine the antioxidant capacity, the sun protection factor, and the α-glucosidase and tyrosinase inhibitory activity of foliar extracts of the five previous species. Besides, Aristotelia chilensis and Berberis microphylla, two species of Patagonian shrubs growing in the same forests, were used as reference. N. dombeyi was the Nothofagus with the best antioxidant capacity. B. microphylla differed from all studied species. Moreover, the Nothofagus was split into two groups. N. betuloides and N. dombeyi are the most similar species to A. chilensis. The α-glucosidase was completely inhibited by all studied extracts. Furthermore, N. antarctica, N.pumilio, and N. nitida inhibited about 70% of the tyrosinase activity. All the results found in this study for the species of the genus Nothofagus support further research on their potential beneficial properties for human health.

Caffeates and Caffeamides: Synthetic Methodologies and Their Antioxidant Properties.

Polyphenols are secondary metabolites of plants and include a variety of chemical structures, from simple molecules such as phenolic acids to condensed tannins and highly polymerized compounds. Caffeic acid (3,4-dihydroxycinnamic acid) is one of the hydroxycinnamate metabolites more widely distributed in plant tissues. It is present in many food sources, including coffee drinks, blueberries, apples, and cider, and also in several medications of popular use, mainly those based on propolis. Its derivatives are also known to possess anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antitumor, and antibacterial activities, and can contribute to the prevention of atherosclerosis and other cardiovascular diseases. This review is an overview of the available information about the chemical synthesis and antioxidant activity of caffeic acid derivatives. Considering the relevance of these compounds in human health, many of them have been the focus of reviews, taking as a center their obtaining from the plants. There are few revisions that compile the chemical synthesis methods, in this way, we consider that this review does an important contribution.

Cellular levels of heme affect the activity of dimeric glutamyl-tRNA reductase.

Glutamyl-tRNA reductase (GluTR) is the first enzyme committed to tetrapyrrole biosynthesis by the C(5)-pathway. This enzyme transforms glutamyl-tRNA into glutamate-1-semi-aldehyde, which is then transformed into 5-amino levulinic acid by the glutamate-1-semi-aldehyde 2,1-aminomutase. Binding of heme to GluTR seems to be relevant to regulate the enzyme function. Recombinant GluTR from Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans an acidophilic bacterium that participates in bioleaching of minerals was expressed in Escherichia coli and purified as a soluble protein containing type b heme. Upon control of the cellular content of heme in E. coli, GluTR with different levels of bound heme was obtained. An inverse correlation between the activity of the enzyme and the level of bound heme to GluTR suggested a control of the enzyme activity by heme. Heme bound preferentially to dimeric GluTR. An intact dimerization domain was essential for the enzyme to be fully active. We propose that the cellular levels of heme might regulate the activity of GluTR and ultimately its own biosynthesis.

Nuevas dihidropiridinas sintéticas con propiedades antagonistas del calcio vasoselectivas / New synthetic dihydropyridines with vasoselective calcium antagonist properties

Se estudiaron las propiedades antagonistas del calcio de 2 nuevas 1,4- dihidropiridinas sintéticas (I y II). Ambos compuestos disminuyeron en gran medida las contracciones de anillos de aorta de conejo y con menor potencia inhibieron las contracciones de papilares de ventrículo derecho de rata, acortaron la duración del potencial de acción cardíaco a 0 mV y redujeron la corriente de calcio tipo L en cardiomiocitos ventriculares aislados de rata. La inhibición de la corriente de calcio tipo L fue dependiente del potencial, con un incremento de la potencia de acción en más de un orden de magnitud de concentración en células parcialmente despolarizadas (-50 mV). Estos resultados permiten concluir que las 1,4- dihidropiridinas I y II poseen acciones antagonistas del calcio vasoselectivas marcadas y este mecanismo está dado por el bloqueo de la corriente de calcio tipo L de manera dependiente del potencial(AU)

Nuevas dihidropiridinas sintéticas con propiedades antagonistas del calcio vasoselectivas / New synthetic dihydropyridines with vasoselective calcium antagonist properties

Se estudiaron las propiedades antagonistas del calcio de 2 nuevas 1,4- dihidropiridinas sintéticas (I y II). Ambos compuestos disminuyeron en gran medida las contracciones de anillos de aorta de conejo y con menor potencia inhibieron las contracciones de papilares de ventrículo derecho de rata, acortaron la duración del potencial de acción cardíaco a 0 mV y redujeron la corriente de calcio tipo L en cardiomiocitos ventriculares aislados de rata. La inhibición de la corriente de calcio tipo L fue dependiente del potencial, con un incremento de la potencia de acción en más de un orden de magnitud de concentración en células parcialmente despolarizadas (-50 mV). Estos resultados permiten concluir que las 1,4- dihidropiridinas I y II poseen acciones antagonistas del calcio vasoselectivas marcadas y este mecanismo está dado por el bloqueo de la corriente de calcio tipo L de manera dependiente del potencial