Antimycobacterial activity and alkaloid prospection of Psychotria species (Rubiaceae) from the Brazilian Atlantic Rainforest.

Ten Psychotria species were collected in two fragments of Atlantic Forest in Rio de Janeiro: Psychotria pubigera (P1A and B), P. ruelliifolia (P2), P. suterela (P3), P. stachyoides (P4), P. capitata (P5), P. glaziovii (P6), P. leiocarpa (P7), P. nuda (P8), P. racemosa (P9) and P. vellosiana (P10). Ethanol extracts of these species were evaluated for their antimycobacterial activity, in an attempt to find new antituberculosis agents. Psychotria pubigera (P1A), P. ruelliifolia (P2) and P. stachyoides (P4) were the most active against Mycobacterium. The anti-inflammatory potential of these extracts was also evaluated in vitro to learn if they inhibit nitric oxide (NO) production in macrophages and if they have free-radical scavenging properties, because inflammation is a severe problem caused by tuberculosis, especially when the infection is from M. bovis or M. tuberculosis. Psychotria suterela (P3), P. stachyoides (P4) and P. capitata (P5) were the most active in inhibiting macrophage NO production but they were not the most antioxidant species. This suggests that NO inhibitory activity is not due to the scavenging of NO generated but due to a specific inhibition of iNOS activity or expression. In addition, cytotoxicity was tested in the macrophages (the host cells of the Mycobacterium) and it was verified that the extracts selectively killed the bacteria and not the host cells. When analyzing antimycobacterial, cytotoxicity and NO inhibitory activities in combination, P. stachyoides (P4) was the most promising anti-TB extract tested. Further, indol alkaloids were detected in P. suterela and P. nuda, and 5,6-dihydro-ß-carboline alkaloids in all of the species studied, with the highest amounts found in P. capitata and P. racemosa.

Leaf blade anatomy and ultrastructure of six Simira species (Rubiaceae) from the Atlantic rain forest, Brazil.

Simira is a predominantly woody Neotropical genus comprising 41 taxa, 16 of which occur in Brazil and eight of them in the southeastern region of Brazil. Leaf blades of Simira eliezeriana Peixoto, S. glaziovii (K. Schum.) Steyem., S. grazielae Peixoto, S. pikia (K. Schum.) Steyerm., S. rubra (Mart.) Steyerm., S. sampaioana (Standl.) Steyerm. were collected in the southeastern region of Brazil and fixed according to usual methods for light and electron microscopy. The leaf blades show typical characteristics of the Rubiaceae family as dorsiventral mesophyll and paracytic stomata. The presence of two bundle sheaths that extend to the upper epidermal layer, prismatic crystal and crystal-sand, alkaloids in the mesophyll and the organization micromorphological of the outer periclinal wall are considered characteristics representative for the genus. This study also demonstrates some leaf blade characteristics that can be used to Simira species identification (leaf surface, domatia types, epicuticular wax types and patterns of epidermis anticlinal cell walls).

Leaf blade anatomy and ultrastructure of six Simira species (Rubiaceae) from the Atlantic rain forest, Brazil

Simira is a predominantly woody Neotropical genus comprising 41 taxa, 16 of which occur in Brazil and eight of them in the southeastern region of Brazil. Leaf blades of Simira eliezeriana Peixoto, S. glaziovii (K. Schum.) Steyem., S. grazielae Peixoto, S. pikia (K. Schum.) Steyerm., S. rubra (Mart.) Steyerm., S. sampaioana (Standl.) Steyerm. were collected in the southeastern region of Brazil and fixed according to usual methods for light and electron microscopy. The leaf blades show typical characteristics of the Rubiaceae family as dorsiventral mesophyll and paracytic stomata. The presence of two bundle sheaths that extend to the upper epidermal layer, prismatic crystal and crystal-sand, alkaloids in the mesophyll and the organization micromorphological of the outer periclinal wall are considered characteristics representative for the genus. This study also demonstrates some leaf blade characteristics that can be used to Simira species identification (leaf surface, domatia types, epicuticular wax types and patterns of epidermis anticlinal cell walls).