Anti-asthmatic and anxiolytic effects of Herissantia tiubae, a Brazilian medicinal plant.

Herissantia tiubae (HtE) is a Brazilian plant used in folk medicine to treat inflammatory diseases. Our aim was to determine whether the HtE has anti-inflammatory and anxiolytic effects in a murine model of asthma. Ovalbumin (OVA)-sensitized BALB/c mice were treated with HtE (50, 100, or 200 mg/kg) or dexamethasone before each OVA challenge. After the last challenge, animals were subjected to anxiety tests and respiratory measurements. Following euthanasia, we quantified immune cells in the bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL), serum IgE titer and cytokine levels, cellular infiltration and mucus content in the lung tissues, and cellular composition of the mediastinal lymph nodes. OVA challenge in sensitized animals caused: (1) reduction of mean respiratory and dominant respiratory rate (from 398 ± 12 to 286 ± 20 cicles per minute (cpm) and from 320 ± 14 to 162 ± 15 cpm, respectively); (2) increase in behavioral markers of anxiety tests; (3) substantial pro-inflammatory effects, including rise in OVA-specific IgE titer (from 0 to 1:2048) and these inflammatory effect diminished the titer to 1:512 after HtE treatment; rise in plasma IL-13 (from 13 ng/mL in saline to 227 ng/mL in OVA and HtE treatment restored to 1.29 ng/mL; rise in total BAL cell count (from 0.742 cells/mL in saline to 11.77 cells/mL in OVA), with prominent eosinophilia. H. tiubae extract affected respiratory parameters similarly to aminophylline, behavioral changes comparable to diazepam, and inflammation being as efficient as dexamethasone. H. tiubae extract (HtE) possesses both anti-inflammatory and anxiolytic properties in the murine model of asthma.

First chemical constituents from Cordia exaltata Lam and antimicrobial activity of two neolignans.

The phytochemical study of Cordia exaltata Lam. (Boraginaceae) led to the isolation, through chromatographic techniques, of nineteen secondary metabolites: 8,8'dimethyl-3,4,3',4'-dimethylenedioxy-7-oxo-2,7'cyclolignan (1), 8,8'-dimethyl-4,5-dimethoxy-3',4'-methylenodioxy-7-oxo-2,7'cyclolignan (2), sitosterol (3a), stigmasterol (3b), sitosterol-3-O-ß-D-glucopyranoside (4a), stigmasterol-3-O-ß-D-glucopyranoside (4b), phaeophytin A (5), 13²-hydroxyphaeophytin A (6), 17³-ethoxypheophorbide A (7), 13²-hydroxy-17³-ethoxypheophorbide A (8), m-methoxy-p-hydroxybenzaldehyde (9), (E)-7-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-7-propenoic acid (10), 1-benzopyran-2-one (11), 7-hydroxy-1-benzopyran-2-one (12), 2,5-bis-(3',4'-methylenedioxiphenyl)-3,4-dimethyltetrahydrofuran (13), 3,4,5,3',5'-pentamethoxy-1'-allyl-8.O.4'-neolignan (14), 3,5,7,3',4'-pentahydroxyflavonol (15), 5,7-dihydroxy-4'-methoxyflavone (16), 5,8-dihydroxy-7,4'-dimethoxyflavone (17), kaempherol 3-O-ß-D-glucosyl-6''-α-L-ramnopyranoside (18) and kaempherol 3,7-di-O-α-L-ramnopyranoside (19). Their structures were identified by ¹H and ¹³C-NMR using one and two-dimensional techniques. In addition, the antimicrobial activity of compounds 1, 2, 13 and 14 against bacteria and fungi are reported here for the first time.

Effect of N-salicyloyltryptamine (STP), a novel tryptamine analogue, on parameters of cell viability, oxidative stress, and immunomodulation in RAW 264.7 macrophages.

Immunomodulatory actions exerted by some classes of tryptamines, such as benzoyltryptamine analogues, suggest these molecules as promising candidates to develop new therapies to treat conditions associated to acute and chronic pain and inflammation. N-salicyloyltryptamine (STP) was observed to act as an anticonvulsive agent and exert antinociceptive effects in mouse. In the present work, we performed a screening of cytotoxic, cytoprotective, immunomodulatory, and redox properties of STP in RAW 264.7 macrophages challenged with hydrogen peroxide and LPS. Our results show that STP presents no cytotoxicity in the range of 0.001 to 1 µg/mL, but doses of 50 and 100 µg/mL caused loss of cell viability (IC(50) = 22.75 µg/mL). Similarly, STP at 0.001 to 1 µg/mL did not cause oxidative stress to RAW 264.7 cells, although it did not prevent cell death induced by H(2)O(2) 0.5 mM. At 1 µg/mL, STP reversed some redox and inflammatory parameters induced by LPS. These include thiol (sulfhydryl) oxidation, superoxide dismutase activation, and morphological changes associated to macrophage activation. Besides, STP significantly inhibited LPS-induced TNF-α and IL-1ß release, as well as CD40 and TNF-α protein upregulation. Signaling events induced by LPS, such as phosphorylation of ERK 1/2 and IκBα and p65 nuclear translocation (NF-kB activation) were also inhibited by STP. These data indicate that STP is able to modulate inflammatory parameters at doses that do not interfere in cell viability.

Secondary metabolites from Sida rhombifolia L. (Malvaceae) and the vasorelaxant activity of cryptolepinone.

The phytochemical study of Sida rhombifolia L. (Malvaceae) led to the isolation through chromatographic techniques of eleven secondary metabolites: sitosterol (1a) and stigmasterol (1b), sitosterol-3-O-b-D-glucopyranoside (2a) and stigmasterol-3-O-b-D-glucopyranoside (2b), phaeophytin A (3), 17³-ethoxypheophorbide A (4), 13²-hydroxy phaeophytin B (5), 17³-ethoxypheophorbide B (6), 5,7-dihydroxy-4'-methoxyflavone (7), cryptolepinone (8) and a salt of cryptolepine (9). Their structures were identified by ¹H- and ¹³C-NMR using one- and two-dimensional techniques. In addition, the vasorelaxant activity of cryptolepinone in rat mesenteric artery rings is reported herein for the first time.