A review on mycotoxins and mycotoxicoses in ruminants and Equidae in South America.

Of the mycotoxicoses caused by molds contaminating grains or their byproducts, leukoencephalomalacia of horses and less frequently aflatoxicosis in cattle have been reported in South America. However, the most important group of mycotoxins in the region are those caused by fungi that infect forages and other types of plants and have regional distribution. In this group, ergotism is important, both caused by Claviceps purpurea infecting grains or by Epichloë coenophiala infecting Schedonorus arundinaceus. Other important mycotoxicoses are those caused by indole-diterpenes produced by Clavicipitaceous fungi including Claviceps paspali in Paspalum spp., Claviceps cynodontes in Cynodon dactylon, and by Periglandula a seed transmitted symbiont associated with the tremorgenic plant Ipomoea asarifolia. The latter is an important poisoning in the northeastern and northern Brazil. Other important mycotoxicoses are those caused by swainsonine containing plants. It was demonstrated that swainsonine contained in Ipomoea carnea var. fistulosa is produced by an epibiotic fungus of the order Chaetothyriales whose mycelia develop on the adaxial surface of the leaves. Swainsonine is also produced by the symbiotic, endobiotic fungi Alternaria section Undifilum spp., which is associated with Astragalus spp. in the Argentinian Patagonia causing poisoning. Another form of mycotoxicosis occurs in poisoning by Baccharis spp., mainly B. coridifolia, a very important toxic plant in South America that contains macrocyclic trichothecenes probably produced by an endophytic fungus that has not yet been identified. Pithomycotoxicosis caused by Pithomyces chartarum used to be an important mycotoxicosis in the region, mainly in cattle grazing improved pastures of legumes and grasses. Slaframine poisoning, diplodiosis and poisoning by barley contaminated by Aspergillus clavatus has been rarely diagnosed in Brazil, Uruguay and Argentina.

Volatile Constituents from Baccharis spp. L. (Asteraceae): Chemical Support for the Conservation of Threatened Species in Uruguay.

Chemical bioprospecting is an important tool for generating knowledge regarding local human-threatened floras and for conservation management. For Baccharis L. (Asteraceae), several volatile components have been reported for Brazil, Argentina, Bolivia, and Chile as a result of bioprospection, but not for Uruguayan flora, which is composed of more than 50 native species. In this work, through collection of aerial parts of different species and volatile simultaneous-distillation extraction and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analyses, twelve native species of Baccharis were studied (B. articulata, B. cultrata, B. genistifolia, B. gibertii, B. gnaphalioides, B. ochracea, B. phyteumoides, B. punctulata, B. crispa, B. dracunculifolia, B. linearifolia subsp. linearifolia, and B. spicata). A detailed analysis of the male and female volatile composition was conducted for the last four species. The profiles of B. cultrata, B. genistifolia, B. gibertii, and B. gnaphalioides are reported for the first time. Because half of the species analyzed in this work are in Uruguay and are threatened or potentially threatened by human economic activities, the importance of their conservation as natural, sustainable resources is highlighted.

Ação dos óleos essenciais produzidos por Baccharis Dracunculifolia d. c. e Baccharis Uncinella d. c. (Asteraceae) sobre a atividade hialuronidase / The effects of the essential oils produced by Baccharis Dracunculifolia D. C. and Baccharis Uncinella D. C. (Asteraceae) about the hyaluronidase activity

A hialuronidase é uma enzima que tem a capacidade de hidrolisar o ácido hialurônico que se localiza no interstício celular. Esse ácido tem a propriedade de manter as células aderidas. Por ação da hialuronidase, esse polímero é transformado em pequenos fragmentos, diminuindo sua viscosidade, facilitando a difusão dos componentes antigênicospara o interior das células. Estudos com o gênero Baccharis relatam propriedades capazes de inibir a ação da hialuronidase por extratos e óleos essenciais produzidos por espécies desse gênero. Buscando avaliar a atividade antiinfl amatória de óleos essenciais produzidos por B. uncinella e B. dracunculifolia é que este trabalho foi desenvolvido. A inibição da atividade de hialuronidase foi determinada conforme metodologia descrita por Reissing; Strominger e Leloir, (1955), Aronson e Davidson (1967) e Kuppusamy; Khoo e Das (1990). Os resultados obtidos mostraram que a atividade enzimática foi inibida 77,86% na presença de 50?L do óleo de B. dracunculifolia e de 74,40% para o óleo de B. uncinella. Com esses resultados podemos verifi car a capacidade dos dois óleos em neutralizar a ação da hialuronidase celular, comprovando assim, que os dois óleos estudados possuem atividade antiinfl amatória

The hyaluronidase is an enzyme that has the capacity of hydrolyzing the hyaluronic acid located in the cellular interstice. This acid has the property of maintaining the cells adhered. Because of the hyaluronidase, thispolymer is transformed into small fragments, decreasing its viscosity, enabling the diffusion of the antigenic components inside the cells. Studies with the Baccharis gender present properties which are capable of inhibiting the hyaluronidase effects by extracts and essential oils produced by species of this gender. This paper was developed in order to evaluatethe anti-infl ammatory activity of the essential oils produced by B. uncinella and B. dracunculifolia. The inhibition of the hialuronidase activity was determined according to the methodology described by Reissing; Strominger and Leloir (1955), Aronson and Davidson (1967) and Kuppusamy; Khoo and Das (1990). The results showed that the enzymaticactivity was 77,86% inhibited in the presence of 50?L B. dracunculifolia oil and 74,40% for the B. uncinella oil. through these results we verifi ed the capacity neutralizing the cellular hyaluronidase activity of both oils, thus proving that the studied oils have anti-infl ammatory activity

Atividade antioxidante dos óleos essenciais produzidos por Baccharis dracunculifolia d. c. e Baccharis uncinella d. c. (asteraceae) / Antioxidant activity of the essential oils produced by Baccharis dracunculifolia d. c. and Baccharis uncinella d. c. (asteraceae)

Espécies reativas de oxigênio potencialmente danosas são produzidas continuamente nas células como conseqüência tanto do metabolismo aeróbico normal quanto por fatores externos. Estudos com o gênero Baccharis relatam propriedades antioxidantes de extratos e óleos essenciais produzidos por espécies desse gênero. Buscando avaliar a atividade antioxidante de óleos essenciais produzidos por B. uncinella e B. dracunculifolia é que este trabalho foi desenvolvido. A metodologia utilizada para avaliar a atividade antioxidante foi a descrita por Pratt; Watts (1964); Hammerschimidt; Pratt (1978) e Pratt; Birac (1979) que consiste na avaliação por meio de reações de oxidação acoplada do beta-caroteno e do ácido linoléico. Os resultados mostraram que os dois óleos avaliados podem inibir a formação de espécies reativas de oxigênio em até 65,66% para B. dracunculifolia e 52,18% para B. uncinella quando na presença de 50 [mi]L de ambos os óleos. Esses resultados foram diminuindo proporcionalmente aos volumes dos óleos. Com esses resultados podemos afirmar que os óleos essenciais produzidos por essas duas espécies de Baccharis possuem atividade antioxidante

Reactive species of potentially harmful oxygen are continually produced in the cells as a consequence of the normal aerobic metabolism as well as the external factors. Studies with the Baccharis gender present antioxidant properties of extracts and essential oils produced by the species of this gender. This work was developed aiming to evaluate the antioxidant activity of essential oils produced by B. uncinella and B. dracunculifolia. The methodology used to evaluate the antioxidant activity was described by Pratt; Watts (1964); Hammerschimidt; Pratt (1978) and Pratt; Birac (1979), which consists of assessing the oxidation attached to beta-carotene and linoleic acid through reactions. The results showed that both essential oils evaluated might inhibit the formation of oxygen reactive species in 65,66% for B. dracunculifolia and 52,18% for B. uncinella in the presence of 50 [mi]L of both oils. These results were decreasing proportionally to the oil volumes. Due to these results, we can affi rm that the essential oils produced by these two species of Baccharis have antioxidant activity