ABSTRACT
Permanently submerged mangrove roots (Rhizophora mangle) are the main habitat of the ascidian Ecteinascidia turbinata in Cuba. It was occasionally found on black coral (Antiphates caribeana) between 22 and 38 meters deep. This species exhibits a wide distribution in all the mangrove keys surrounding the Island of Cuba but does not occur in riparian or fringing mangroves. Populations of this species are abundant in Cuba: in 75 percent of the 58 localities sampled the species was present and in 57 percent more than 50 percent of the roots held at least one colony. The highest colony densities were found in the northern coast of Pinar del Rio province with values near one colony per lineal meter of mangrove root. We found the highest density (1.46 col/m) and greatest biomass at Jutías Key, with values between 25 and 660 g/m. The average of wet biomass in the studied mangroves was 73.63 g/m(AU)
Subject(s)
Animals , Ecosystem , Plant Roots , Rhizophoraceae , Urochordata/physiology , Biomass , Cuba , Population Density , Population Dynamics , Urochordata/classificationABSTRACT
Permanently submerged mangrove roots (Rhizophora mangle) are the main habitat of the ascidian Ecteinascidia turbinata in Cuba. It was occasionally found on black coral (Antiphates caribeana) between 22 and 38 meters deep. This species exhibits a wide distribution in all the mangrove keys surrounding the Island of Cuba but does not occur in riparian or fringing mangroves. Populations of this species are abundant in Cuba: in 75% of the 58 localities sampled the species was present and in 57% more than 50% of the roots held at least one colony. The highest colony densities were found in the northern coast of Pinar del Rio province with values near one colony per lineal meter of mangrove root. We found the highest density (1.46 col/m) and greatest biomass at Jutías Key, with values between 25 and 660 g/m. The average of wet biomass in the studied mangroves was 73.63 g/m.
Subject(s)
Animals , Ecosystem , Plant Roots , Rhizophoraceae , Urochordata/physiology , Biomass , Cuba , Population Density , Population Dynamics , Urochordata/classificationABSTRACT
Permanently submerged mangrove roots (Rhizophora mangle) are the main habitat of the ascidian Ecteinascidia turbinata in Cuba. It was occasionally found on black coral (Antiphates caribeana) between 22 and 38 meters deep. This species exhibits a wide distribution in all the mangrove keys surrounding the Island of Cuba but does not occur in riparian or fringing mangroves. Populations of this species are abundant in Cuba: in 75% of the 58 localities sampled the species was present and in 57% more than 50% of the roots held at least one colony. The highest colony densities were found in the northern coast of Pinar del Rio province with values near one colony per lineal meter of mangrove root. We found the highest density (1.46 col/m) and greatest biomass at Jutías Key, with values between 25 and 660 g/m. The average of wet biomass in the studied mangroves was 73.63 g/m.
Subject(s)
Ecosystem , Plant Roots , Rhizophoraceae , Urochordata/physiology , Animals , Biomass , Cuba , Population Density , Population Dynamics , Urochordata/classificationABSTRACT
Se prepararon extractos etanólicos mediante maceración de ejemplares de Laurencia obtusa y Laurencia corallopsis y se evaluó su acción inhibidora in vitro sobre la cepa de Plasmodium falciparum susceptible a cloroquina F32/Tanzania, para determinar la presencia de actividad antimalárica en algas del género Laurencia en Cuba. En este género han sido identificados varios terpenoides con actividad antimalárica, los cuales proceden de plantas colectadas principalmente en las Filipinas y Brasil, sin embargo, este género es uno de los más complejos desde el punto de vista químico a escala mundial. La concentración mínima inhibitoria (CMI) contra P. falciparum de los extractos de Laurencia estuvo en el rango entre 44 y 162 µg/mL y en todos los casos se observó una relación dosis-respuesta apropiada, determinándose valores de las CI50 de los extractos de las 2 especies entre 14,82 y 51,3 µg/mL, los cuales muestran resultados comparables a numerosos estudios realizados con extractos de plantas terrestres con acción antipalúdica. La cloroquina presentó una CMI de 100 ng/mL in vitro, resultados no superados por las preparaciones crudas. En las muestras de L. obtusa se acentuó la respuesta a los ensayos para los terpenoides y/o esteroides y a los análisis de compuestos lactónicos y/o coumarinas, pero también se pudo detectar la presencia de alcaloides, azúcares reductores, saponinas y flavonoides. Teniendo en cuenta que varias moléculas pudieran contribuir a la actividad antiplasmodial del extracto total, se realizarán estudios para lograr la identificación de las sustancias activas(AU)
Subject(s)
Plasmodium falciparum , Antimalarials , EukaryotaABSTRACT
Se prepararon extractos etanólicos mediante maceración de ejemplares de Laurencia obtusa y Laurencia corallopsis y se evaluó su acción inhibidora in vitro sobre la cepa de Plasmodium falciparum susceptible a cloroquina F32/Tanzania, para determinar la presencia de actividad antimalárica en algas del género Laurencia en Cuba. En este género han sido identificados varios terpenoides con actividad antimalárica, los cuales proceden de plantas colectadas principalmente en las Filipinas y Brasil, sin embargo, este género es uno de los más complejos desde el punto de vista químico a escala mundial. La concentración mínima inhibitoria (CMI) contra P. falciparum de los extractos de Laurencia estuvo en el rango entre 44 y 162 µg/mL y en todos los casos se observó una relación dosis-respuesta apropiada, determinándose valores de las CI50 de los extractos de las 2 especies entre 14,82 y 51,3 µg/mL, los cuales muestran resultados comparables a numerosos estudios realizados con extractos de plantas terrestres con acción antipalúdica. La cloroquina presentó una CMI de 100 ng/mL in vitro, resultados no superados por las preparaciones crudas. En las muestras de L. obtusa se acentuó la respuesta a los ensayos para los terpenoides y/o esteroides y a los análisis de compuestos lactónicos y/o coumarinas, pero también se pudo detectar la presencia de alcaloides, azúcares reductores, saponinas y flavonoides. Teniendo en cuenta que varias moléculas pudieran contribuir a la actividad antiplasmodial del extracto total, se realizarán estudios para lograr la identificación de las sustancias activas
Subject(s)
Antimalarials , Eukaryota , Plasmodium falciparumABSTRACT
Several terpenoids have been identified in the genus Laurencia showing antimalarial activity; however it is a genus of great chemical complexity worldwide. The majority of these substances have been extracted from collections made in Philippines and Brazil. In order to know the presence of antimalarial activity in organisms of this genus from the North West Coast of Cuba, we prepared extracts in ethanol with the whole plant of specimens of L. obtusa and L. corallopsis and evaluated the inhibition produced by them against growth of Plasmodium falciparum, strain F32. The Minimum Inhibitory Concentrations against P. falciparum determined for Laurencia extracts were in the range of 44 and 162 microg/ml, and values of median inhibitory concentrations were between 14.82 and 51.3 microg/mL. The results are similar to those obtained for extracts from medicinal plants. The extracts did not improve chloroquine results. L. obtusa extracts gave strong reactions to the assays for terpenoids and for lactonic/coumarine compounds, but we also detected the presence of alkaloids, free reducing sugars, saponins and flavonoids. Several molecules could contribute to the observed antiplasmodial activity of the extracts, so research is in progress for the isolation and purification of new active principles.