Technology Prospection of Ora-pro-Nóbis (Pereskia aculeata Mill.): A Non-conventional Food Plant.

BACKGROUND: The ora-pro-nóbis (Pereskia aculeata Mill.) is a plant from Brazilian biodiversity used for food and medicinal purposes. It has ample technological potential, however, it is still underutilized, being classified as a Non-Conventional Food Plant (PANC). Prospective studies in intellectual property banks make it possible to expand perspectives for scientific research, enhancing the generation of new products. OBJECTIVE: Evaluate the patents of products containing Pereskia aculeata Mill. for the areas of food and health in intellectual property databases. METHODS: The study was conducted through structured prospective investigation (collection, processing and analysis) in 4 patent databases: National Institute of Intellectual Property (INPI) - Brazil, United States Patent and Trademark Office, World Trade Organization Intellectual Property (WIPO) and Espacenet. RESULTS: The evaluation showed a reduced number of registered patents. In general, 8 patent applications were examined, of which 7 are directly associated with the species (and its derivatives) and 1 is related to a device specially designed for harvesting leaves/fruits and removing thorns. The focus of the patents was the use of the species in the food, pharmaceutical and biotechnological areas, with emphasis on the use of the leaves in the extraction of mucilage and proteins. CONCLUSION: This study showed that Pereskia aculeata Mill. is a technologically promising plant, because of its nutritional and medicinal composition, and it is important to encourage innovation and the development of new products with the species.

Medicinal plants of the Caatinga, northeastern Brazil: Ethnopharmacopeia (1980-1990) of the late professor Francisco José de Abreu Matos.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL IMPORTANCE: The Caatinga (semi-arid region), is an exclusively Brazilian biome. Considering the scarcity of ethnobotanical and ethnopharmacological studies in this region before the year 2000, this study presents data from ethnobotanical expeditions carried out between 1980 and 1990, by the late professor Francisco José de Abreu Matos (1924-2008). The information revealed in this present work are valuable and remained unpublished until now. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The objective was to organize, systematize and analyze ethnobotanical and ethnopharmacological data using ethnobotanical analytical techniques. The most cited native species in each use category were selected for literature review of the pharmacological studies related to their ethnomedicinal uses. RESULTS: Revision of the botanical nomenclature led to the botanical confirmation of 272 plants, of which 84 (30.9%) were reclassified. These represented 71 families and 220 genera that were cited 1957 times. 153 (56.3%) of these plant species are native to Brazil, of which 36 (23.4%) are endemic to the Caatinga. The use reports (RU) associated with these plants, according to the body systems (ICPC-2) in decreasing order of UR and the ICF values were respiratory system (93 species, 407 UR, ICF 0.77), digestive system (119 species, 373 UR, ICF 0.68), general and nonspecific symptoms (95 species, 219 UR, ICF 0.58), female genital system (60 species, 184 UR, ICF 0.68), skin (71 species, 156 UR, ICF 0.55), cardiovascular (50 species, 99 UR, ICF 0.50), blood and immune system diseases (46 species, 96 UR, ICF 0.53), urological (44 species, 88 UR, ICF 0.51), musculoskeletal (33 species, 80 UR, ICF 0.60), psychological (21 species, 71 UR, ICF 0.60), while others represent less than 10.0% of the UR. The most cited plants in the disease categories were Dysphania ambrosioides (28), Pombalia calceolaria (28) Hymenaea courbaril (26), Myracrodruon urundeuva (50), Brassica juncea subsp. integrifolia (16), Scoparia dulcis (22), Phyllanthus niruri (14), Egletes viscosa (25), Lippia alba (16), Erythroxylum vacciniifolium (9) and Salvia rosmarinus (21). The most prominent clades of the medicinal plants based on cluster analysis were the Lamiids (Euasterids)-497 UR and the Fabids (Eurosids I) - 468 UR. Association between certain phylogenetic clades and use-category were also observed and discussed. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated a new approach in ethnopharmacology by mapping plant usages to diseases prevalent in a community from old ethnobotanical travel reports. In addition to revealing the therapeutic potential of Caatinga species using cluster analysis.

Farmácias Vivas: caracterização de marcadores químicos ativos para avaliação da qualidade da matéria-prima, intermediário e fitoterápico à base de cidreira (Lippia alba), Quimiotipo II / Live Pharmacies: characterization of active chemical markers for evaluation of the quality of raw material, intermediate and phytotherapeutic based on bushy matgrass (Lippia alba), Chemotype II

A cidreira (Lippia alba (Mill.) N.E. Brown), quimiotipo II, é referidapopularmente como cidreira carmelitana, rica em óleo essencial(limoneno e citral) e foi selecionada pelo Comitê Estadual de Fitoterapiapara integrar o elenco de plantas medicinais de uso nas Farmácias Vivasdo Estado do Ceará, fazendo parte da Relação de Plantas Medicinais-REPLAME/CE (Portaria 275/2012), como terapia complementar àscrises de ansiedade e insônia de leves a moderadas. Vários estudostêm relatado ações farmacológicas do citral - uma mistura de doisisômeros: trans-geranial e cis-neral – especialmente atividade sedativa.O presente trabalho tem como objetivo realizar a caracterização destesmarcadores químicos ativos para avaliação da qualidade da matériaprima,intermediário e fitoterápico à base de cidreira (Lippia alba),Quimiotipo II. A metodologia utilizada consistiu em: 1) Caracterizaçãomacro e micro morfológica das folhas de L. alba;2) Extração do óleoessencial 3) Preparação do Elixir de L. alba a 8%; 4) Análises porCromatografia Gasosa acoplada a Espectrômetro de Massas (CG-EM)e Cromatografia em Camada Delgada. Observou-se que a metodologiautilizada pode ser aplicada nos trabalhos de rotina de controle dequalidade de L. alba, quimiotipo II, tanto para caracterização macro emicromorfológica da espécie, como para caracterização do marcadoresquímicos ativos do óleo essencial (citral/neral e geranial). Observouse,ainda, que as técnicas utilizadas para obtenção do extrato fluido edo elixir extraíram estes constituintes ativos do óleo essencial, os quaisinfluenciam na qualidade e atividade destas preparações. O elixir decidreira pode representar uma alternativa terapêutica simples, segura ede baixo custo para o SUS, em consonância com a Política Nacional dePlantas Medicinais e Fitoterápicos(AU)

Lemon balm (Lippia alba (Mill.) N.E. Brown), chemotype II, is referred topopularly as Carmelite cider, rich in essential oil(limonene and citral) and was selected by the State Phytotherapy Committeeto integrate the list of medicinal plants for use in Living Pharmaciesof the State of Ceará, being part of the Relation of Medicinal Plants-REPLAME / CE (Ordinance 275/2012), as complementary therapy toanxiety and insomnia from mild to moderate. Several studieshave reported pharmacological actions of citral - a mixture of twoisomers: trans-geranial and cis-neral - especially sedative activity.The present work has the objective of characterizing theseactive chemical markers for evaluating the quality of the raw material,intermediary and herbal medicine based on lemon balm (Lippia alba),Chemotype II. The methodology used consisted of: 1) Characterizationmacro and micro morphology of L. alba leaves; 2) Extraction of oilessential 3) Preparation of the 8% L. alba Elixir; 4) Analyzes byGas Chromatography coupled to Mass Spectrometer (GC-MS)and Thin Layer Chromatography. It was observed that the methodologyused can be applied in routinequality of L. alba, chemootype II, both for macro andmicromorphological characteristics of the species, as well as characterization of the markersactive chemicals of the essential oil (citral / neral and geranial). It was observed,still, that the techniques used to obtain the fluid extract andelixir extracted these active constituents of the essential oil, whichinfluence the quality and activity of these preparations. The elixir ofcan be a simple, safe andlow cost for the SUS, in line with the National Policy ofMedicinal and Phytotherapeutic Plants(AU)

Farmácias Vivas: caracterização de marcadores químicos ativos para avaliação da qualidade da matéria-prima, intermediário e fitoterápico à base de cidreira (Lippia alba), Quimiotipo II / Live Pharmacies: characterization of active chemical markers for evaluation of the quality of raw material, intermediate and phytotherapeutic based on bushy matgrass (Lippia alba), Chemotype II

A cidreira (Lippia alba (Mill.) N.E. Brown), quimiotipo II, é referidapopularmente como cidreira carmelitana, rica em óleo essencial(limoneno e citral) e foi selecionada pelo Comitê Estadual de Fitoterapiapara integrar o elenco de plantas medicinais de uso nas Farmácias Vivasdo Estado do Ceará, fazendo parte da Relação de Plantas Medicinais-REPLAME/CE (Portaria 275/2012), como terapia complementar àscrises de ansiedade e insônia de leves a moderadas. Vários estudostêm relatado ações farmacológicas do citral - uma mistura de dois isômeros: trans-geranial e cis-neral – especialmente atividade sedativa.O presente trabalho tem como objetivo realizar a caracterização destes marcadores químicos ativos para avaliação da qualidade da matériaprima,intermediário e fitoterápico à base de cidreira (Lippia alba),Quimiotipo II. A metodologia utilizada consistiu em: 1) Caracterização macro e micro morfológica das folhas de L. alba;2) Extração do óleo essencial 3) Preparação do Elixir de L. alba a 8%; 4) Análises por Cromatografia Gasosa acoplada a Espectrômetro de Massas (CG-EM)e Cromatografia em Camada Delgada. Observou-se que a metodologia utilizada pode ser aplicada nos trabalhos de rotina de controle de qualidade de L. alba, quimiotipo II, tanto para caracterização macro e micromorfológica da espécie, como para caracterização do marcadoresquímicos ativos do óleo essencial (citral/neral e geranial). Observouse,ainda, que as técnicas utilizadas para obtenção do extrato fluido edo elixir extraíram estes constituintes ativos do óleo essencial, os quais influenciam na qualidade e atividade destas preparações. O elixir de cidreira pode representar uma alternativa terapêutica simples, segura e de baixo custo para o SUS, em consonância com a Política Nacional de Plantas Medicinais e Fitoterápicos.