Neuroprotective role of Tinospora cordifolia extract in streptozotocin induced neuropathic pain

Abstract Diabetic Neuropathy (DN) is one of the prevailing micro vascular complications of diabetes which can be characterized by neuropathic pain. Streptozotocin (STZ) induced diabetes in the rat has been increasingly used as a model of painful diabetic neuropathy. STZ injection leads to neurotoxicity of peripheral nerves that leads to development of Peripheral Diabetic Neuropathy in rat model. The present study was aimed at exploring the protective role of Tinospora cordifolia extract in STZ induced neurotoxicity and evaluating mechanisms responsible for attenuating neuropathic pain. Neuropathic pain markers like hyperalgesia, allodynia and motor deficits were assessed before STZ injection and after the treatment with 250 mg/kg and 500 mg/kg dose of Tinospora cordifolia. Oxidative stress markers, NGF expression in sciatic nerve were observed after seven weeks treatment. Our results demonstrated that seven weeks treatment with Tinospora cordifolia leaf extract significantly relieved thermal hyperalgesia and allodynia by increasing the antioxidant enzyme levels, decreasing the lipid peroxidation and by increasing the Nerve growth factor (NGF) expression in diabetic rat sciatic nerves. Our findings highlighted the beneficial effects of oral administration of Tinospora cordifolia extract in attenuating diabetic neuropathic pain, possibly through a strong antioxidant activity and by inducing NGF m RNA in sciatic nerves.

Orthomene (Menispermaceae) in the Brazilian Amazon / Orthomene (Menispermaceae) na Amazônia brasileira

Orthomene comprises four species distributed from Central to South America, of which three occur in phytogeographic domains of Brazil. In Brazil, Amazonia is the main center of diversity for the genus. This work is a taxonomic treatment of Orthomene in Brazil and involved analyzing field collections (between January 2017 and July 2018), types and botanical specimens from 32 national and foreign herbaria. The three species in the study area are Orthomene hirsuta,Orthomene prancei and Orthomene schomburgkii. The latter is the most common and widely distributed species of the genus in the country. An identification key, descriptions, illustrations, distribution data, and additional comments for each species are provided. (AU)

Orthomene possui quatro espécies, distribuídas desde a América Central até a América do Sul, sendo que três ocorrem nos domínios fitogeográficos brasileiros. No Brasil, a Amazônia brasileira é considerada o principal centro de diversidade do gênero. O tratamento taxonômico envolveu a análise de material coletado (entre janeiro de 2017 e julho de 2018), tipos e amostras dos espécimes de Orthomene depositados em 32 herbários nacionais e estrangeiros. O gênero está representado na área de estudo por três espécies: Orthomene hirsuta,Orthomene prancei e Orthomene schomburgkii, sendo esta última a mais comum e amplamente distribuída nas regiões brasileiras de sua ocorrência. São apresentadas uma chave de identificação, descrições e ilustrações das espécies, bem como dados adicionais sobre distribuição geográfica e comentários sobre as mesmas.(AU)

A multi-locus phylogeny for the Neotropical Anomospermeae (Menispermaceae): Implications for taxonomy and biogeography.

Neotropical rainforests cover about half of the world's tropical rainforests and house most of the biodiversity available on Earth. Australasia has been suggested as a potential source for Neotropical diversity. However, it remains unclear whether megathermal lineages could indeed have migrated to South America though Antarctica. The Neotropical Anomospermeae (Menispermaceae) consists of large, canopy lianas and is entirely restricted to tropical lowland rainforests. The sister relationship identified between this group and its Australasian ally represents an excellent model to test hypotheses regarding past connections between those landmasses. In this study, we used six chloroplast and two nuclear DNA markers to reconstruct phylogenetic relationships within the Neotropical Anomospermeae (Menispermaceae). The phylogeny of this group was then used as basis to reconstruct its biogeographical history. The phylogenetic framework reconstructed here strongly supports the monophyly of the Neotropical Anomospermeae and recovers the species of Anomospermum in three different clades: (i) Anomospermum sect. Anomospermum plus Orthomene; (ii) Anomospermum grandifolium and A. solimoesanum (Anomospermum sect. Elissarrhena); and (iii) Anomospermum bolivianum (Anomospermum sect. Elissarrhena). Each of these clades is recognized as a different genus and the necessary taxonomic changes are proposed. Furthermore, the Neotropical Anomospermeae seems to have split from its Australasian sister-group at c. 62 Ma. Ancestral area reconstructions support an Australasian origin for the Neotropical Anomospermeae, providing additional support for the hypothesis that Australasia is a source of Neotropical diversity, with megathermal lineages having dispersed via Antarctica. The Neotropical Anomospermeae differentiated in the late Eocene and subsequently diversified rapidly into seven lineages, suggesting that Neotropical lowland rainforests resembling modern rainforests physiognomically and structurally might not have developed until the late Eocene. The Neotropical Anomospermeae exemplifies the contributions of Australasian migration to Neotropical diversity.

Fossil moonseeds from the Paleogene of West Gondwana (Patagonia, Argentina).

PREMISE OF THE STUDY: The fossil record is critical for testing biogeographic hypotheses. Menispermaceae (moonseeds) are a widespread family with a rich fossil record and alternative hypotheses related to their origin and diversification. The family is well-represented in Cenozoic deposits of the northern hemisphere, but the record in the southern hemisphere is sparse. Filling in the southern record of moonseeds will improve our ability to evaluate alternative biogeographic hypotheses. METHODS: Fossils were collected from the Salamanca (early Paleocene, Danian) and the Huitrera (early Eocene, Ypresian) formations in Chubut Province, Argentina. We photographed them using light microscopy, epifluorescence, and scanning electron microscopy and compared the fossils with similar extant and fossil Menispermaceae using herbarium specimens and published literature. KEY RESULTS: We describe fossil leaves and endocarps attributed to Menispermaceae from Argentinean Patagonia. The leaves are identified to the family, and the endocarps are further identified to the tribe Cissampelideae. The Salamancan endocarp is assigned to the extant genus Stephania. These fossils significantly expand the known range of Menispermaceae in South America, and they include the oldest (ca. 64 Ma) unequivocal evidence of the family worldwide. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings highlight the importance of West Gondwana in the evolution of Menispermaceae during the Paleogene. Currently, the fossil record does not discern between a Laurasian or Gondwanan origin; however, it does demonstrate that Menispermaceae grew well outside the tropics by the early Paleocene. The endocarps' affinity with Cissampelideae suggests that diversification of the family was well underway by the earliest Paleocene.

Phytogeographic implications of fossil endocarps of Menispermaceae from the Paleocene of Colombia.

PREMISE OF THE STUDY: Fossil leaves of Menispermaceae were previously described from the Paleocene of Colombia. Because of strong homoplasy of leaf characters, the fossils could not be placed more specifically within recognized clades, and additional data were needed to specify intrafamilial and paleogeographic relationships during the Paleocene. METHODS: Fossil endocarps of Menispermaceae were collected from the Cerrejón Formation, the recently discovered Bogotá flora, and Wyoming (∼60 Ma). We surveyed the endocarp morphology of almost all extant genera, conducted character optimization, a molecular scaffold analysis, and critically reviewed the related fossil genera. KEY RESULTS: Parallel syndromes of fruit characters have appeared in unrelated clades of the family according to current phylogenetic reconstructions. However, mapping selected endocarp characters across those clades that contain horseshoe-shaped endocarps facilitates identification and phylogenetic assessment of the fossils. Three fossil species are recognized. One of them belongs to the extant genus Stephania, which today grows only in Africa and Australasia. Palaeoluna gen. nov. is placed within the pantropical clade composed of extant Stephania, Cissampelos, and Cyclea; this morphogenus is also recognized from the Paleocene of Wyoming. Menispina gen. nov. shows similarity with several unrelated clades. CONCLUSIONS: The new fossils from Colombia reveal a complex paleobiogeographic history of the recognized clades within Menispermaceae, suggesting a more active exchange among neotropical, paleotropical, North American, and European paleoforests than previously recognized. In addition, the new fossils indicate that neotropical forests were an important biome for the radiation and dispersal of derived lineages in Menispermaceae after the Cretaceous-Paleogene boundary.

Evaluación de la acción antimitótica y embriotóxica del extracto metanólico de Abuta grandifolia (Mart) Sandwith, Abuta, Bejuco de ratón, Butua, Barbasco / Evaluation of the cytotoxic and embryotoxic actions of methanolic extract of Abuta grandifolia (Mart) Sandwith, Abuta, Bejuco de ratón, Butua, Barbasco

La Abuta grandifolia es una planta nativa de zonas tropicales húmedas de Sudamérica, perteneciente a la familia Menispermaceae, con múltiples usos en la Medicina Tradicional. Se evaluó la acción antimitótica del extracto metanólico en células de Allium cepa L (cebolla), mediante la técnica de De La Torre y la acción embriotóxica en erizo de mar, mediante la técnica de Gustafson; utilizando modelos del CYTED. Nuestros resultados indican acción antimitótica evidenciada por un retardo de las diferentes fases del ciclo celular. Asimismo, apreciamos acción embriotóxica, más no teratogénica. Los análisis estadísticos de la diferencia del número de células en las diferentes fases del ciclo celular, entre el grupo control y el tratado con Abuta grandifolia, fueron altamente significativos.

Abuta grandifolia is a native plant of tropical and humid zones of South America, that belongs to the family Menispermaceae, and which has many uses in Traditional medicine. We evaluated the antimitotic and embryotoxic action of methanolic extracts, on Allium cepa L cells and on sea urchin embryos, using CYTED models. We found antimitotic action supported by the marked delay on different phases of cell cycle pf Allium cepa L. embryotoxic action consisted mainly of blastula and gastrula-arrested embryos, but we did not appreciate teratogenis action. The results on differences of number of cells and on the different phases of the cell cycle between the control and the Abuta grandifolia treated groups were statistically significant.