Antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory activities of the ethanolic extract, fractions and 8-methoxylapachenol from Sinningia allagophylla tubers.

This study investigated the antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory activities of the ethanolic extract (EESAl), fractions and the compound 8-methoxylapachenol (8ML) obtained from the tubers of Sinningia allagophylla. Male Swiss mice were treated with EESAl (3-300 mg/kg) or vehicle by oral route (p.o.) 1 hr before the injection of formalin 2.5% or carrageenan (Cg) into the hind paw. EESAl (3-30 mg/kg) reduced the inflammatory phase of the nociceptive behaviour induced by formalin (around 65% for all doses). EESAl (3-300 mg/kg, p.o.) also reduced Cg-induced mechanical hyperalgesia and oedema in a dose-dependent fashion but did not change the hot-plate latency or the motor performance of the animals. Oral administration of petroleum ether fraction (PE, 3 mg/kg), but not in the methanolic fraction (30 mg/kg), reduced both Cg-induced oedema and hyperalgesia. Compound 8ML isolated from PE (1.8 mg/kg, p.o.) abolished Cg-induced hyperalgesia but also did not change hot-plate latency or motor performance of the animals. 8ML administration into the paw (0.75-750 pg) dose-dependently reduced Cg-induced hyperalgesia. 8ML (750 pg) also blocked the hyperalgesia induced by tumour necrosis factor (TNF-α), interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß) and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2 ) but failed to change the hyperalgesia induced by cytokine-induced neutrophil chemoattractant-1 (CINC-1) and dopamine (Dopa). These results suggest that EESAl has an important antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory activity, the former one related, at least in part, to the reduction in the hyperalgesia. Similarly, 8ML reduced Cg-induced oedema and mechanical hyperalgesia and seems to act in peripheral sites and on the prostaglandin rather than on the sympathetic component of the Cg-inflammatory hyperalgesia.

Essential oil and other constituents from Magnolia ovata fruit.

The volatile and non-volatile constituents of the unripe fruits of Magnolia ovata (A. St.-Hil.) Spreng. (Magnoliaceae) were studied. The essential oils were obtained by hydrodistillation of the fruit of two plant populations (A and B) and analyzed by GC/FID and GC/MS. The oil of sample A was rich in sesquiterpenes, mainly spathulenol (19.3%), while the oil of sample B showed a predominance of aliphatic compounds, mainly hexadecanoic acid (52.0%). Extracts of the dried fruit contained fourteen known compounds including nine lignoids (magnovatin A, magnovatin B, acuminatin, licarin A, oleiferin A, oleiferin C, kadsurenin M, 4-O-demethylkadsurenim M and 7-epi-virolin), two sesquiterpene lactones (parthenolide and michelenolide) and three alkaloids (lysicamine, lanuginosine and O-methylmoschatoline). Michelenolide, 7-epi-virolin and lisycamine are reported for the first time in the species, while the remaining compounds have already been reported in the leaves and/or trunk bark o f Magnolia ovata. Acetylation o f oleiferin A yielded a ne wcompound, acetyl oleiferin A, whose NMR data and that of michelenolide are furnished.

Chemical composition and cytotoxic activity of the essential oil from the leaves of Casearia lasiophylla

The essential oil obtained by hydrodistillation from fresh leaves of Casearia lasiophylla Eichler, Salicaceae, was analyzed by gas capillary (GC/FID and GC/MS). The cytotoxicity of the leaves essential oil was tested in vitro againstU251 (glioma), UACC-62 (melanoma), MCF-7 (breast), NC1-ADR/RES (ovarian-resistant), NCI-H460 (lung), PC03 (prostate), OVCAR-3 (ovarian), HT-29 (colon) and K562 (leukemia) human cancer cells and against VERO (no cancer cell). The yield of oil was 0.02 percent. Fifty two compounds were identified, representing 87.1 percent of the total of the oil. The main components were identified as germacrene D (18.6 percent), β-caryophyllene (14.7 percent), δ-cadinene (6.2 percent), and α-cadinol (5.4 percent). The oil exhibited antiproliferative activity against all cell lines (TGI<100 µg/mL), with exception of NCI-H460 cell line (TGI 191.31 µg/mL). The highest activity was observed against UACC-62 (TGI 7.30 µg/mL), and K562 (TGI 7.56 µg/mL) cell lines. The observed activity could be related to high content of germacrene D and β-caryophyllene, compounds known as cytotoxic.

Triterpenes from the flowers of Gochnatia polymorpha subsp. floccosa

Phytochemical study of the flowers of Gochnatia polymorpha subsp. floccosa, Asteraceae, yielded eleven known triterpenes identified as lupeol, lupeyl acetate, lupeyl palmitate, taraxasterol, taraxasteryl acetate, pseudotaraxasterol, pseudotaraxasterol acetate, α-amyrin, α-amyryl palmitate, β-amyrin and β-amyryl palmitate, along with sitosterol, stigmasterol, palmitic and stearic acids. These compounds are been reported for the first time in the species. The compounds were identified by analysis of NMR spectra (¹H, 13C and DEPT), GC-MS and comparison with literature data. Previous work have reported the isolation of triterpenes, diterpenes, sesquiterpenes, flavonoids, coumarins and phenolic compounds from aerial parts and roots from G. polymorpha.

Estudo da adaptação da espécie Piper hispidinervum C. DC. (pimenta longa) à região do Vale do Itajaí - SC, através da composição química do óleo essencial obtido por hidrodestilação por micro-ondas e convencional / Adaptation studies of Piper hispidinervum C. DC. (long pepper) species in Itajaí Valley - SC, by the chemical composition of essential oil obtained by microwave and traditional hydrodistillation

Neste trabalho, a espécie Piper hispidinervum (pimenta longa), endêmica do estado do Acre, foi cultivada na região do Vale do Itajaí - SC, e sua adaptação foi avaliada em relação à composição química do óleo essencial obtido pelos processos de hidrodestilação convencional e por micro-ondas. O safrol foi identificado como o constituinte majoritário do óleo essencial desta espécie, o qual foi empregado como parâmetro de avaliação da capacidade de adaptação desta planta à região sul do Brasil, já que a proposta abrange avaliar a utilização desta espécie como fonte alternativa de safrol, em substituição a Canela Sassafrás (Ocotea odorifera), espécie muito explorada até a década de 90 nesta região. As amostras da planta foram obtidas de diferentes regiões do Acre e foram cultivadas na estação experimental da EPAGRI - Itajaí-SC. O óleo essencial das folhas forneceu um teor médio de safrol entre 76,6% e 89,9%. A análise por CG-DIC e CG-EM do óleo com maior concentração de safrol, apresentou os seguintes constituintes: safrol (89,93%), α-terpineno (0,35%), (E)-ß-ocimeno (0,54%), terpinoleno (3,10%), valenceno (0,21%), (Z)-ß-bisaboleno (1,70%) e guaiol (0,29%).

In this work a Piper hispidinervum specie (long pepper), endemic from the Acre state, was grown in Itajaí Valley in Santa Catarina State, and its adaptation was evaluated in relation to chemical composition of essential oil obtained by traditional hydrodistillation and microwave hydrodistillation. The safrole was identified as the major constituent of the essential oil of this specie, which was used as a measure of evaluation of the adaptation capacity of this plant in the southern Brazil, as the proposal includes the evaluation of the usage of this specie as an alternative source of safrole, replacing Sassafras Cinnamon (Ocotea odorifera), widely explored specie in this region until the 90's decade. The plant samples were obtained from different regions of the Acre state and were cultivated at the experimental station of EPAGRI Itajaí - SC. The essential oil of the leaves provided an average content of safrole between 76.6% and 89.9%. The analysis by GC-FID and GC-MS of the oil with higher safrole content, presented the following relative constitution: safrole (89.93%), α-terpinene (0.35%), (E)-ß-ocimene (0.54%), terpinolene (3.10%), valencene (0.21%), (Z)-ß-bisabolene (1.70%) and guaiol (0.29%).