Determination of gibberellic acid and abscisic acid in (Zea mays L.) (ICA-V305) seeds germinated using dynamic sonication assisted solvent extraction and maceration.

Phytohormones are molecules responsible for growth, development, and metabolism regulation in plants. Gibberellic acid (GA3) and abscisic acid (ABA) are the main phytohormones involved in seed germination. Notably, it should be a highlight that GA3 induces germination, whereas ABA inhibits it. For this reason, it is important to calculate the concentration of these two phytohormones during seeds germination. Firstly, the maize seeds (MS) were germinated and samples of these were taken at different imbibition times, after that, methanol extracts were obtained using two methods of dynamic solvent extraction assisted by sonication (DSASE) and a traditional extraction method (maceration); finally, to estimate the concentration of GA3 and ABA a high performance liquid chromatographic method was used. The results of this study showed that the three extraction methods used, allowed quantifying GA3 and ABA during the maize germination time studied. However, of the two extraction methods employed, DSASE was the best technique because higher concentrations of GA3 and ABA were found. Therefore, it is important to continue using this green chemistry methodology for these and other analyses.•The extraction protocol developed was based on dynamic sonication-assisted solvent extraction.•The chromatographic method used allowed the simultaneous determination of two phytohormones with different physicochemical properties in maize seeds.•This methodology offers good sensitivity, linearity, precision, reproducibility and suitable detection and quantification limits.

Actividad ictiotóxica de extractos de dos especies colombianas del género Meriania Swartz (melastomataceae) / Ichtyotoxic activity of two colombian species extracts fromthe genus Meriania Swartz (melastomataceae)

Introducción: la familia melastomataceae es la séptima más grande del reino vegetal y ha sido utilizada en la medicina tradicional para el tratamiento de algunas enfermedades. En Colombia se encuentra representada por alrededor de 62 géneros, de los cuales Meriania ha sido poco estudiado, sin presentar reportes en la literatura de sus propiedades químicas y biológicas; por lo que el estudio de sus propiedades ictiotóxicas, constituye un acercamiento en la búsqueda de sustancias activas que permitan avanzar en el conocimiento del género y en la búsqueda de compuestos promisorios con aplicaciones biológicas. Objetivo: evaluar la actividad ictiotóxica de extractos de diferente polaridad de Meriania speciosa (Bonpl.) Naudiny Merianiaquintuplinervis Naudin. Métodos: los extractos de diferente polaridad (n-hexano, acetona 70 por ciento, metanol, acetato de etilo, n-butanol y agua) de ambas especies fueron evaluados frente a peces guppy (Poecilia reticulata Peters),sometidos durante 24 h a la acción de los extractos para la cuantificación del porcentaje de actividad ictiotóxica en una escala semicuantitativa, el test de observación de FinnSandberg-Irwin y como prueba anexa se obtuvieron cortes histopatológicos, con el fin de identificar posibles lesiones generadas por los extractos vegetales. Resultados: de acuerdo con los porcentajes de actividad ictiotóxica obtenidos en este estudio, las sustancias evaluadas se clasifican como no activas, sin embargo, los resultados aportados por el test de observación indican que las sustancias afectan el sistema nervioso y generan daño hepático en el pez. Conclusiones: los extractos vegetales de las especies de Meriania estudiadas presentan comportamientos diferentes, ya que M. speciosa ejerce un efecto psicoactivo en los peces, alterándose su sistema nervioso central, mientras que M. quintuplinervis está más relacionada con un nivel de toxicidad moderado, además de provocar un efecto vasodilatador comprobado en el hígado de P. reticulata(AU)

Introduction: Melastomataceae is the seventh largest family in the plant kingdom and has been widely used in traditional medicine for the treatment of some diseases. In Colombia it is represented by around 62 genera, of which Meriania has been understudied, without presenting reports in the literature of its chemical and biological properties; so the study of their ichtyotoxic properties constitutes an approach in the search for active substances that advance knowledge of genus and in finding promising compounds with biological applications. Objetive: To evaluate the ichtyotoxic activity of extracts of different polarity of Meriania speciosa (Bonpl.) and Meriania quintuplinervis Naudin. Methods: The extracts of different polarity (n-hexane, acetone 70 percent, methanol, ethyl acetate, n-butanol and water) of both species were evaluated against guppy (Poeciliareticulata Peters), subjected for 24 h to action extracts for quantification of the percentage of ichtyotoxic activity in a semiquantitative scale and the observation Finn Sandberg-Irwintest and histopathological sections were obtained, in order to identify potential injuries from plant extracts. Results: According to ichtyotoxic activity rates obtained in this study, the evaluated substances are classified as inactive; however, the test results indicate that the substances affect the nervous system and produce liver damage in fishes. Conclusions: The plant extracts of the Meriania species studied have different behaviors, as M. speciosahas a psychoactive effect on fishes, mainly altering the central nervous system, while M. quintuplinervisis more related to a moderate level of toxicity as well as causing a vasodilator effect found in the liver of P. reticulata(AU)