Attenuation of adjuvant-induced arthritis in rats by phonophoresis with an aqueous gel of the Amazonian plant Elaeoluma nuda (Sapotaceae).

BACKGROUND: Various species of the genus Pouteria (Elaeoluma) are used by the native population of Brazil because of, among other factors, their anti-inflammatory properties. The anti-inflammatory properties of the extract of the Amazonian plant Elaeoluma nuda were recently identified in prospective pharmacological studies. OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to assess the anti-inflammatory effect of phonophoresis with aqueous gel extract of E. nuda in rat adjuvant-induced arthritis. METHODOLOGY: Arthritis was induced in Lewis rats with an adjuvant. Phonophoresis with E. nuda gel was then administered daily and the results compared with those obtained with phonophoresis of diclofenac diethylammonium gel and ultrasound therapy without phonophoresis. Arthritis in the different groups was evaluated by plethysmometry. Proinflammatory cytokines TNF-α and IL-1α were quantified by cytometric bead array (CBA). RESULTS: The effect of phonophoresis of aqueous gel with E. nuda extract on arthritis in rats' paws (a 33% reduction compared with the controls) was the same as that produced by phonophoresis with diclofenac diethylammonium. Ultrasound therapy without phonophoresis produced no significant effect on the 21st day of therapy. There was a significant reduction in TNF-α and IL-1α levels in the group treated with phonophoresis with E. nuda gel (p=0.0042; p=0.0003, respectively). CONCLUSION: Our results demonstrate the anti-inflammatory effect of phonophoresis with E. nuda gel on cytokines TNF-α, IL-1α and adjuvant-induced arthritis.

Chemical composition, ethnopharmacology and biological activity of Geissospermum Allemão species (Apocynaceae Juss.)

A literatura de química e farmacologia sobre Geissospermum é revisada. Pau-pereira ou pao pereira (G. laeve (Vell.) Miers; G. vellosii Fr. All. é sinonímio) é a mais conhecida de aproximadamente seis espécies de Geissospermum. A casca de pau-pereira é usada principalmente por sua amargura e propriedades medicinais. É usada para tratar dor, doenças de fígado, febres, perda de apetite, mal-digestão, tontura, prisão de ventre e malária, entre outras enfermidades. A outra espécie de Geissospermum tem usos tradicionais semelhantes. Pau-pereira é fonte de alcaloides indólicos monoterpenoídicos isolados e extratos e frações enriquecidos nesses alcaloides que são utilizados na clínica médica para o tratamento do câncer de próstata (flavopereirina) e HIV-AIDS (flavopereirina). Também, os extratos de G. vellosii exibem atividade antinociceptíva em animais (talvez devido a 12-metoxi-1-metilaspidospermina). Amnesia induzida em camundongos é reduzida por extratos de pau-pereira e geissospermina que também possuem atividade anticolinesterase e aplicação potencial contra o mal de Alzheimer. Extratos de G. argenteum Woodson exibem atividade antibacteriana. Extratos de três espécies de Geissospermum e os alcaloides isolados aspidocarpina, flavopereirina e geissolosimina inibem fortemente o parasito da malária humana Plasmodium falciparum Welch in vitro. Duas espécies de Geissospermum inibem Plasmodium yoelii em roedores e exibem toxicidade. Os extratos de Geissospermum e alcaloides inibem P. falciparum, Leishmania infantum Nicolle e Trypanosoma cruzi Chagas e merecem estudos futuros como agentes terapêuticos.

Screening of Amazonian plants from the Adolpho Ducke forest reserve, Manaus, state of Amazonas, Brazil, for antimicrobial activity.

Tropical forests are species-rich reserves for the discovery and development of antimicrobial drugs. The aim of this work is to investigate the in vitro antimicrobial potential of Amazon plants found within the National Institute on Amazon Research's Adolpho Ducke forest reserve, located in Manaus, state of Amazonas, Brazil. 75 methanol, chloroform and water extracts representing 12 plant species were tested for antimicrobial activity towards strains of Mycobacterium smegmatis, Escherichia coli, Streptococcus sanguis, Streptococcus oralis, Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans using the gel-diffusion method. Active extracts were further evaluated to establish minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) and antimicrobial profiles using bioautography on normal-phase thin-layer chromatography plates. Diclinanona calycina presented extracts with good antimicrobial activity and S. oralis and M. smegmatis were the most sensitive bacteria. D. calycina and Lacmellea gracilis presented extracts with the lowest MIC (48.8 microg/ml). D. calycina methanol and chloroform leaf extracts presented the best overall antimicrobial activity. All test organisms were sensitive to D. calycina branch chloroform extract in the bioautography assay. This is the first evaluation of the biological activity of these plant species and significant in vitro antimicrobial activity was detected in extracts and components from two species, D. calycina and L. gracilis.

Chemical composition, ethnopharmacology and biological activity of Geissospermum Allemão species (Apocynaceae Juss)

A literatura de química e farmacologia sobre Geissospermum é revisada. Pau-pereira ou pao pereira (G. laeve (Vell.)Miers; G. vellosii Fr. All. é sinonímio) é a mais conhecida de aproximadamente seis espécies de Geissospermum.A casca de pau-pereira é usada principalmente por sua amargura e propriedades medicinais. É usada para tratar dor, doenças de fígado, febres, perda de apetite, mal-digestão, tontura, prisão de ventre e malária, entre outras enfermidades. A outra espécie de Geissospermum tem usos tradicionais semelhantes. Pau-pereira é fonte de alcaloides indólicos monoterpenoídicos isolados e extratos e frações enriquecidos nesses alcaloides que são utilizados na clínica médica para o tratamento do câncer de próstata (flavopereirina) e HIV-AIDS (flavopereirina).Também, os extratos de G. vellosii exibem atividade antinociceptíva em animais (talvez devido a 12-metoxi-1-metilaspidospermina).Amnesia induzida em camundongos é reduzida por extratos de pau-pereira e geissospermina que também possuem atividade anticolinesterase e aplicação potencial contra o mal de Alzheimer. Extratos de G. argenteum Woodson exibem atividade antibacteriana. Extratos de três espécies de Geissospermum e os alcaloides isolados aspidocarpina, flavopereirina e geissolosimina inibem fortemente o parasito da malária humana Plasmodium falciparum Welch in vitro. Duas espécies de Geissospermum inibem Plasmodium yoelii em roedores e exibem toxicidade. Os extratos de Geissospermum e alcaloides inibem P. falciparum, Leishmania infantum Nicolle e Trypanosoma cruzi Chagas e merecem estudos futuros como agentes terapêuticos.

Screening of Amazonian plants from the Adolpho Ducke forest reserve, Manaus, state of Amazonas, Brazil, for antimicrobial activity

Tropical forests are species-rich reserves for the discovery and development of antimicrobial drugs. The aim of this work is to investigate the in vitro antimicrobial potential of Amazon plants found within the National Institute on Amazon Research's Adolpho Ducke forest reserve, located in Manaus, state of Amazonas, Brazil. 75 methanol, chloroform and water extracts representing 12 plant species were tested for antimicrobial activity towards strains of Mycobacterium smegmatis, Escherichia coli, Streptococcus sanguis, Streptococcus oralis, Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans using the gel-diffusion method. Active extracts were further evaluated to establish minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) and antimicrobial profiles using bioautography on normal-phase thin-layer chromatography plates. Diclinanona calycina presented extracts with good antimicrobial activity and S. oralis and M. smegmatis were the most sensitive bacteria. D. calycina and Lacmellea gracilis presented extracts with the lowest MIC (48.8 µg/ml). D. calycina methanol and chloroform leaf extracts presented the best overall antimicrobial activity. All test organisms were sensitive to D. calycina branch chloroform extract in the bioautography assay. This is the first evaluation of the biological activity of these plant species and significant in vitro antimicrobial activity was detected in extracts and components from two species, D. calycina and L. gracilis.