Toxicity and genotoxicity evaluation of Passiflora alata Curtis (Passifloraceae).

UNLABELLED: Passiflora alata is an official species of Brazilian Pharmacopoeia and its aerial parts are used as medicinal plant by local population as well as constitutes many phytomedicines commercialized in Brazil as sedative. AIMS OF STUDY: To evaluate the acute and sub-acute toxicity and genotoxicity of an aqueous spray-dried extract (PA) of Passiflora alata (2.6% flavonoids). MATERIALS AND METHODS: The acute and the sub-acute toxicity was evaluated in mice and rats, respectively. Behavioural, biochemical, hematological, histological and urine parameters were considered. Genotoxicity was assessed by using micronucleus test performed in peripheral blood and bone marrow cells and comet assay in peripheral blood leukocytes. RESULTS: Mice deaths were not observed up to 4800 mg/kg, p.o., single dose. Rats treated with aqueous extract at dose of 300 mg/kg, p.o., for 14 days did not present biochemical, hematological or histopathological significant alterations when compared to control group. However, these rats showed signs of irritability and did not show weight gain. In addition, mice acutely treated with extract 150, 300 and 600 mg/kg, p.o., presented DNA damage determined by comet assay in peripheral blood cells 3h after treatment. The effect of lower doses (12.5, 25 and 50mg/kg, p.o.) was evaluated at 3, 6 and 24h after treating. Only PA 50mg/kg (p.o.) induced significant damage at 3 and 6h. The maximum damage induction was observed at 6h. When the animals received PA 12.5, 25 or 50mg/kg/day during 3 days (i.e., 72h treatment) DNA damage (comet and micronucleus tests) increased significantly in a dose-dependent manner. CONCLUSION: In conclusion Passiflora alata presented genotoxic effect and deserves further toxicity evaluation in order to guarantee its safety for human use.

Hypnotic effect of ecdysterone isolated from Pfaffia glomerata (Spreng.) Pedersen / Efeito hipinótico de ecdisterona isolada de Pfaffia glomerata (Spreng.) Pedersen

Neste trabalho foi avaliado, em roedores, o efeito depressor das frações clorofórmio (CHCl3), acetato de etila (EtOAc) e n-butanol, obtidas das partes subterrâneas de Pfaffia glomerata, empregando-se o teste de tempo de sono barbitúrico como referência. Somente a fração lipofílica (CHCl3:EtOAc, 1:1, m/m) (i.p. 500 mg/kg; v.o. 1000 mg/kg) potenciou o tempo de sono induzido por pentobarbital. A ecdisterona foi isolada e identificada como constituinte majoritário (1,4 por cento m/m) desta fração, através de cromatografia líquida de alta eficiência e métodos espectroscópicos, respectivamente. Este composto potenciou o tempo de sono barbitúrico (100 mg/kg, i.p.; 400 mg/kg, v.o), sem causar hipotermia. Nestas mesmas doses, a ecdisterona não alterou a performance dos animais no rota-rod, esquiva inibitória e labirinto em cruz-elevado, além de não alterar o padrão de convulsões induzidas por pentilenotetrazol. Este perfil indica que esta substância, nestas doses, não apresenta perfil ansiolítico ou neurotóxico. Estes resultados indicam que a ecdisterona é o componente responsável pela ação hipnótica apresentada pela fração lipofílica obtida das partes subterrâneas de P. glomerata.

In this study the depressant effect of fractions from P. glomerata was initially evaluated using the mice barbiturate sleeping time test as reference. The fractions tested were the CHCl3, the EtOAc, the n-BuOH and the aqueous fraction obtained from P. glomerata subterraneous parts. Only the pretreatment with the lipophilic fraction (CHCl3: EtOAc, 1:1, w/w) increased the barbiturate sleeping time (i.p 500 mg/kg; v.o. 1000 mg/kg). Ecdysterone, the main substance isolated from this lipophilic fraction, was identified by spectroscopic methods and its content in the ethanol extract was determined as 1.4 percent (w/w) by HPLC. In order to investigate the hypothesis of ecdysterone displaying a depressant effect on nervous central system, an evaluation toward the hypnotic-sedative and anxiolytic effects of this drug was carried out. Ecdysterone 100 mg/kg, i.p, increased the barbiturate sleeping time without provoking hypothermia; when administered by oral route its minimal effective dose was 400 mg/kg. On the other hand, ecdysterone (100 mg/kg, i.p; 400 mg/kg, p.o) did not impair motor coordination and was ineffective on pentylenetetrazole-induced convulsion, elevated plus-maze and step-down inhibitory avoidance tests, indicating that at these doses the drug does not present an anxiolytic profile and does not cause manifest neurotoxic effects as well. In conclusion, the lipophilic fraction from P. glomerata presents a hypnotic effect being ecdysterone one of the compounds responsible for this CNS activity.

Plantas utilizadas na medicina popular brasileira com potencial atividade antifúngica / Plants with potencial antifungal activity employed in Brazilian folk medicine

Neste trabalho foi realizado um levantamento bibliográfico etnobotânico sobre plantas utilizadas pela população brasileira no tratamento de sinais e sintomas relacionados às infecções fúngicas. Foram citadas 409 espécies, distribuídas em 98 famílias, com maior concentração em Fabaceae e Asteraceae. Para as dez espécies mais citadas, foi realizada uma busca relativa a estudos de atividade antifúngica na base de dados MEDLINE-PubMed. Somente foram encontrados estudos para Phytolacca americana L., Rosmarinus officinalis L., Mirabilis jalapa L., Schinus molle L. Entre as dez espécies mais utilizadas, seis correspondem a espécies nativas: Anacardium occidentale L., Cecropia peltata L., Schinus molle L., Schinus terebinthinfolius Raddi, Stryphnodendron adstringens (Mart.) Coville e Tabebuia heptaphylla (Vell.) Toledo.

The aim of this work was to draw up a list of plants used by Brazilian population for the treatment of signs and symptoms related to fungal infections and to verify the existence of scientific data related to the antifungal activity in the databasis MEDLINE-PubMed. Four hundread and nine species were listed, which are distributed in ninety eight families, mainly Fabaceae and Asteraceae. Among the more frequently mentioned species (10), only four were evaluated regarding to the antifungal activity: Phytolacca americana L., Rosmarinus officinalis L., Mirabilis jalapa L. and Schinus molle L. From those ten species, six are native (Anacardium occidentale L., Cecropia peltata L., Schinus molle L., Schinus terebinthifolius Raddi, Stryphnodendron adstringens (Mart.) Coville e Tabebuia heptaphylla (Vell.) Toledo.

Botanical (morphological, micrographic), chemical and pharmacological characteristics of Pfaffia species (Amaranthaceae) native to South Brazil

Some parameters for the quality control of P. glomerata and P. paniculata roots using their botanical and chemical characteristics are presented. it was also carried out an in vitro pharmacological screening to evaluate some biological properties of P. glomerata that could be related to its popular use as "tonic". Relating to biological assays, ethanolic extract from P. glomerata roots did not presented antiviral, antiproliferative, antifungal or MAO inhibitory activities. The cytotoxicity evaluation of P. glomerata determined that `IC IND. 50ï is >2,000 µg/mL. The main morphological and micrographic characteristics of P. glomerata and P. paniculata roots are described in this paper in order to aid in their unequivocal identification

Plantas utilizadas na medicina popular brasileira com petencial atividade antifúngica / Plants used in the Brazilian popular medicine with petencial antifúngica activity

Neste trabalho foi realizado um levantamento bibliográfico etnobotânico sobre plantas utilizadas pela população brasileira no tratamento de sinais e sintomas relacionados às infecções fúngicas. Foram citadas 409 espécies, distribuídas em 98 famílias, com maior concentração em Fabaceae e Asteraceae. Para as dez espécies mais citadas, foi realizada uma busca relativa a estudos de atividade antifúngica na base de dados MEDLINE-PubMed. Somente foram encontrados estudos para Phytolacca americana L., Rosmarinus officinalis L., Mirabilis jalapa L., Schinus molle L. Entre as dez espécies mais utilizadas, seis correspondem a espécies nativas: Anacardium occidentale L., Cecropia peltata L., Schinus molle L., Schinus terebinthinfolius Raddi, Stryphnodendron adstringens (Mart.) Coville e Tabebuia heptaphylla (Vell.) Toledo(AU)

Botanical (morphological, micrographic), chemical and pharmacologicalcharacteristics of species (Amaranthaceae) native to South Brazil

Some parameters for the quality control of P. glomerata and P. paniculata roots using their botanical and chemical characteristics are presented. It was also carried out an in vitro pharmacological screening to evaluate some biological properties of P. glomerata that could be related to its popular use as “tonic”. Relating to biological assays, ethanolic extract from P. glomerata roots did not present antiviral, antiproliferative, antifungal or MAO inhibitory activities. The cytotoxicity evaluation of P. glomerata determined that IC 50 is> 2,000µg/mL. The main morphological and micrographic characteristics of P. glomerata and P. paniculata roots are described in this paper in order to aid in their unequivocal identification(AU)