Developmental toxicity evaluation of Pimenta pseudocaryophyllus (Gomes) Landrum, (E)-methyl isoeugenol chemotype, in Wistar rats.

BACKGROUND: Pimenta pseudocaryophyllus (Gomes) Landrum (Myrtaceae) has been traditionally used in Brazilian folk medicine. Studies have established the botanical characterization, phytochemistry profile, and pharmacological potential of this species, including antibiotic, anxiolytic, antidepressant, antioxidant, antinociceptive, and anti-inflammatory properties. Despite its widespread use, no previous study has been conducted regarding its toxicological profile, especially during pregnancy. Thus, this study investigated the developmental toxicity of the dry leaf extract of the P. pseudocaryophyllus, (E)-methyl isoeugenol chemotype, in rats. METHODS: First, the dry leaf extract was prepared by a spray-drying technique. Then, pregnant Wistar rats were orally treated with dry extract at doses of 0, 2000, 2500, or 3000 mg/kg from gestational day 6 through 15 (organogenesis period). On gestational day 21, the rats underwent cesarean sections and the reproductive outcomes and biochemistry parameters related to hepatic and renal markers were evaluated. Additionally, the fetuses were examined for external and skeletal variations and malformations. RESULTS: The spray-drying technique preserved the phytocomplex components and showed a satisfactory yield. No relevant differences were seen in the food consumption, reproductive performances, and hepatic and renal biochemical parameters between groups. However, there was a decrease in body weight gain of the dams during the organogenesis period and an increase of minor skeletal variations in the offspring (increased fetal incidences only of delayed ossification of the metacarpals, metatarsals, phalanges, sternebra, and rudimentary ribs) treated with the dry extract. CONCLUSION: The extract of P. pseudocaryophyllus, (E)-methyl isoeugenol chemotype, showed low maternal toxicity and induced minor skeletal variations in the offspring. Birth Defects Research 109:1292-1300, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Molluscicidal and ovicidal activities ofplant extracts of the Piperaceae onBiomphalaria glabrata (Say, 1818)

Schistosomiasis is a tropical disease caused by Schistosoma and occurs in 54countries, mainly in South America, the Caribbean region, Africa and the easternMediterranean. Currently, 5 to 6 million Brazilian people are infected and 30,000are under infection risk. Typical of poor regions, this disease is associated withthe lack of basic sanitation and very frequently to the use of contaminated water in agriculture, housework and leisure. One of the most efficient methods of controlling the disease is application of molluscicides to eliminate or to reduce the population of the intermediate host snail Biomphalaria glabrata. Studies on molluscicidal activity of plant extracts have been stimulated by issues such as environmental preservation, high cost and recurrent resistance of snails tosynthetic molluscicides. The aim of this study was to determine the molluscicideaction of extracts from Piperaceae species on adult and embryonic stages ofB. glabrata. Fifteen extracts from 13 Piperaceae species were obtained from stems, leaves and roots. Toxicity of extracts was evaluated against snails at two different concentrations (500 and 100ppm) and those causing 100% mortality at 100ppm concentration were selected to obtain the LC90 (lethal concentration of 90% mortality). Piper aduncum, P. crassinervium, P. cuyabanum, P. diospyrifolium and P. hostmannianum gave 100% mortality of adult snails at concentrations ranging from 10 to 60 ppm. These extracts were also assayed on embryonic stages of B. glabrata and those from P. cuyabanum and P. hostmannianum showed 100%ovicidal action at 20ppm.

Atividade antibacteriana in vitro de pimentas e pimentões (Capsicum sp. ) sobre quatro bactérias toxinfectivas alimentares / In vitro antibacterial activity of hot and sweet peppers (Capsicum sp. ) on four food toxinfective bacteria

Determinou-se in vitro a Intensidade de Atividade de Inibição Bacteriana (IINIB) e a Intensidade de Atividade de Inativação Bacteriana (IINAB), através de Testes de Diluição em Sistema de Tubos Múltiplos, de extratos de oito pimentas do gênero Capsicum, etnograficamente acessadas na região metropolitana de Porto Alegre/RS/BR, frente a inóculos bacterianos padronizados (American Type Culture Collection - ATCC), respectivamente Staphylococcus aureus (25923), Enterococcus faecalis (19433), Salmonella enteritidis (13076) e Escherichia coli (11229), em doses-desafio = 10(7) UFC mL-1. Quatro destas plantas, pimenta calabresa ("pool" Capsicum sp), pimenta-de-jardim (C.annuum), pimenta dedo-de-moça (C. baccatum) e pimenta malagueta (C. frutescens), apresentaram atividades de inibição e inativação seletivas, em ordem decrescente, para salmonela, coliforme fecal, enterococo e estafilococo. As demais, pimenta cambuci (C. baccatum) e os pimentões (C. annuum) amarelo, verde e vermelho, apresentaram nenhuma atividade. Discute-se a validade da ferramenta etnográfica na prospecção de fatores de proteção anti-bacteriana em plantas, bem como a influência da inibição/inativação na preditividade do diagnóstico bacteriológico.

The intensity of bacterial inhibition activity (IINIB) and the intensity of bacterial inactivation activity (IINAB) of extracts of eight peppers of the genus Capsicum, ethnographically located in the metropolitan region of Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil, were assessed in vitro through Dilution Tests in Multiple Tube Series against standardized bacterial inocula (American Type Culture Collection - ATCC), Staphylococcus aureus (25923), Enterococcus faecalis (19433), Salmonella enteritidis (13076), and Escherichia coli (11229), respectively, at challenge doses = 10(7) CFU mL-1. Four of these species, cayenne pepper (Capsicum sp pool), garden pepper (C. annuum), ají pepper (C. baccatum), and malagueta pepper (C. frutescens), had selective inhibition and inactivation activities, in decreasing order, to salmonella, fecal coliforms, enterococcus and staphylococcus. The remaining ones, cambuci pepper (C. baccatum) and yellow, green and red sweet peppers (C. annuum) had no activity. The validity of the ethnographic tool in the exploration of antibacterial protection factors from plants, as well as the influence of inhibition/inactivation in the bacteriological diagnosis predictability, is discussed.