Phytochemical screening, HPLC analysis, antimicrobial and antioxidant effect of Euphorbia parviflora L. (Euphorbiaceae Juss.).

Plant extracts are actively being used worldwide due to the presence of biologically active constituents helping in the preservation of food, and to aid against various diseases owing to their antimicrobial and antioxidant potential. The present research work was carried out to investigate the phytochemical constituents, antimicrobial activity, and antioxidant activity of different extracted samples of Euphorbia parviflora. Anti-microbial studies were carried out by Agar well diffusion while the DPPH method was employed for investigating anti-oxidant activity. Three samples from methanol, chloroform, and ethyl acetate extract were tested against five different bacterial strains comprising two species from Gram-negative bacteria i.e., Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus subtilis and three species from Gram-positive bacteria i.e. Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Klebsiella pneumonia along two fungal strains i.e. Candida albicans and Aspergillus niger. The results of the qualitative phytochemical analysis showed that methanolic, chloroformic, and ethylacetate extract of Euphorbia parviflora consist of alkaloids, reducing sugars, flavonoids, terpenoids, tannins, and saponins. The total phenol and flavonoid content of E. parviflora showed that the methanolic extract of E. parviflora had a significantly higher total phenolic content (53.73 ± 0.30 mg of GAE/g) and flavonoid content (44.62 ± 0.38 mg of than other extracts. The content of total phenolic and flavonoids was more in methanolic extract as compared to other extracts of E. prolifera. The HPLC analysis showed that in the chloroform extract of E. parviflora Cinnamic acid (4.32 ± 2.89 mg/g) was dominant, in methanol extract quercetin (3.42 ± 2.89 mg/g) was dominant and in ethyl acetate extract of E. parviflora catechin (4.44 ± 2.89 mg/g) was found dominant. The antimicrobial activity revealed that amongst all the extracts the highest antibacterial activity was shown by methanolic extract against B. subtilis and Staphylococcus aureus as compared to the other extracts. The antioxidant activity revealed that methanolic extract of E. parviflora demonstrated higher antioxidant activity (82.42 ± 0.02) followed by chloroform extract (76.48 ± 0.08) at 150 µg/mL. The aim of this study was primarily to evaluate the potential of this plant as a reliable source of antimicrobials and antioxidants that may be used for the treatment of various infectious diseases in the future. The study provides evidence that this plant can act as a reliable source of antimicrobial and antioxidant agents and might be used against several infectious diseases.

Anti-inflammatory, healing and antiophidic potential of Jatropha mollissima (Pohl) Baill. (Euphorbiaceae): From popular use to pharmaceutical formulation in gel.

Jatropha mollissima (Pohl) Baill. (Euphorbiaceae) is widely used in traditional medicine to treat inflammatory disorders. So, a topical gel containing the hydroethanolic extract of its leaves was developed and evaluated for its anti-inflammatory, wound healing, and antiophidic properties in mice. First, the chemical profile of different parts of the plant was characterized by liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (LC-MS) using molecular networking. In the leaf extract, 11 compounds were characterized, with a particular emphasis on the identification of flavonoids. The gel efficiently inhibited carrageenan-induced paw edema, as well as acute and chronic croton oil-induced ear edema models, thereby reducing inflammatory and oxidative parameters in inflamed tissues. Besides anti-inflammatory activity, the herbal gel showed significant wound healing activity. The edematogenic, hemorrhagic and dermonecrotic activities induced by Bothrops jararaca snake venom were effectively inhibited by the treatment with J. mollissima gel. The association with the herbal gel improved in up to 90% the efficacy of commercial snake antivenom in reduce venom-induced edema. Additionally, while antivenom was not able to inhibit venom-induced dermonecrosis, treatment with herbal gel reduced in 55% the dermonocrotic halo produced. These results demonstrate the pharmacological potential of the herbal gel containing J. mollissima extract, which could be a strong candidate for the development of herbal products that can be used to complement the current antivenom therapy against snake venom local toxicity.

Sacha Inchi: The Promising Source of Functional Oil for Anti-Aging Product.

Sacha inchi (Plukenetia volubilis) oil is constituted with macronutrients and the health benefit fatty acids. In this context, the efficient of Sacha inchi oil for anti-aging product is presented. The light-clear yellowish seed oil of Sacha inchi was revealed on its physicochemical properties that are in the same range of the commercializing plant-oil supplied for topical products. The oil was GC/MS exhibited to be constituted with α-linolenic (51.72%) and linoleic (24.3%) acids, with unsaturated/saturated fatty acids ratio of 21.26. The oil was noted onto its potent in vitro antioxidant activity assessed by ABTS, DPPH and FRAP assays. In addition, the oil (1-3%) was proved to be safe in normal human fibroblast cells. Furthermore, the oil exhibited cellular antioxidant with inhibitory effect against MMP-2. Sacha inchi oil is therefore highlighted as a potential source of nutraceutical especially for anti-aging product. The oil is specified for the product development in terms of physicochemical, chemical and biological profiles. Innovative processing of Sacha inchi is therefore encouraged as the promising plant for anti-aging product.

Synthesis of CuO/polyaniline/multiwalled carbon nanotube composites using Macaranga indica leaves extract as hydrogen gas sensor.

In this study, we describe the fabrication of hydrogen gas sensors in the form of nanocomposites containing metal oxides such as copper oxide (CuO), multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), and polyaniline (PANI) using a green synthesis method. We used Macaranga indica (M. indica) leaf extract as a reducing and stabilizing agent to prepare copper oxide nanoparticles (CuONPs). The sample was analyzed using various techniques to determine its physicochemical, morphological, and elemental composition. The XRD data showed that the sample is a CuO/PANI/MWCNT nanocomposite by the best match with the reported data. SEM images revealed a uniform distribution of MWCNTs and spherical CuO nanoparticles of 30-40 nm throughout the CNT network. EDX confirmed that the prepared sample is a pure and inline combination of Cu, O, C, and N. Due to the presence of bioactive elements and PANI, we observed 17% and 25% weight loss for CuO and CuO/PANI/MWCNTs. It was found that this combination of materials can detect H2 gas in concentrations ranging from 110 to 2 ppm at temperatures of 200 and 250 °C. As H2 concentration increased, sensitivity varied from 5% to 20%, but response and recovery times were about 290 and 500 s, respectively, for 40 ppm H2 gas. A logistic function fit to Ra/Rg versus H2 was performed using Y = A2 + (A1 - A2)/(1 + (x/x0)p). The energy bands among the CuO/PANI/MWCNT heterointerfaces were used to demonstrate enhanced H2 gas-sensing properties.

Application of an aqueous enzymatic-ultrasound cavitation method for the separation of Sapium sebiferum seed kernel oil.

An aqueous enzymatic-ultrasound cavitation extraction (AEUCE) method was developed to separate Sapium sebiferum seed kernel oil. In this process, neutral proteinase was screened as the propriate enzyme. The Plackett-Burman and Box-Behnken designs were employed to optimize AEUCE. We determined the optimal extraction conditions, producing an oil yield of 84.22 ± 3.17 %. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis indicated that the S. sebiferum seed kernel oil was abundant in unsaturated fatty acids (>92 %) and that the compositions of the fatty acid profiles extracted by AEUCE were similar to those obtained from Soxhlet extraction, but their contents were slightly different. The physicochemical properties analysis showed that the oil extracted by AEUCE was comparable to that obtained from Soxhlet extraction. The results showed that the developed AEUCE is an efficient technique that can separate high-quality plant oils. The S. sebiferum seed kernel oil obtained from this extraction method is a promising substitute for vegetable oils used in biodiesel production.

Molecular genetics, seed morphology and fatty acids diversity in castor (Ricinus communis L., Euphorbiaceae) Iranian populations.

BACKGROUND: Castor (Ricinus communis L.) seeds contain a large amount of oil that has several biological activities. In the current research, phytogeographic distribution, seed morphological characteristics, molecular genetic diversity and structure, and fatty acid composition were investigated in nine Iranian castor populations. METHODS AND RESULTS: The cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) protocol was used to extract the nuclear genomes. These were later amplified using 13 SCoT molecular primers. The phytogeographic distribution was determined based on the Zohary mapping, GC apparatus determined the fatty acid composition of the seeds. GenAlex, STRUCTURE, GenoDive, PopGene, and PopART software were used for the statistical analyzes. On phytogeographic mapping, the harvested populations belonged to different districts of the Euro-Siberian and Irano-Turanian regions (Holarctic kingdom). Most of the quantitative morphological traits of the seeds differed significantly (P ≤ 0.05) between the populations. The AMOVA test demonstrated a large proportion of significant genetic diversity assigned among populations, which were approved by some estimated parameters of genetic diversity such as Nm, Ht, Hs, and Gst. Nei's genetic distance and structure analysis confirmed the existence of two main genotype groups and some intermediates. However, there was no isolation by distance between the genotypes. Unsaturated fatty acids were detected as the main component of seed oil with linoleic and ricinoleic acids. Significant correlations were detected between the main fatty acids of seed oil with seed morphological traits, geographic distance and the geographic parameters of habitats. According to the composition of the seed fatty acids, four chemotypes groups were detected. CONCLUSIONS: The classification patterns of the populations based on molecular genetic data, fatty acid composition, and phytogeographic mapping were not identical. These findings indicated that Iranian castor populations had unusual seed fatty acid composition which strongly depended on habitat geographic factors and seed morphological traits. However, the identified chemotypes and genotypes can be used in future breeding programs.

Unreported ent-rosane diterpenes from Croton niveus Jacq. (Euphorbiaceae). Cytotoxic activity and docking studies.

From the bioactive extract of the euphorbiaceous Croton niveus Jacq., three previously unreported ent-rosane diterpenes have been isolated and characterized by conventional methods, in addition to the known compounds lupeol, cajucarinolide and some phytosterols. Two of the ent-rosane diterpenes displayed activity against HCT-15 and PC-3 cancer cell lines, and the results of docking calculations of these compounds with NF-κB and STAT3 receptors agreed with the proposed mode of action of diterpenes against PC-3 cells.

Comprehensive Characterization of Oils and Fats of Six Species from the Colombian Amazon Region with Industrial Potential.

The Colombian Amazon is a megadiverse region with high potential for commercial use in the pharmaceutical, food, and cosmetic industries, constantly expanding and looking for new alternatives from natural resources; unfortunately, few characterization reports of its profitable non-timber species in Colombia have been conducted. This work aimed to perform a comprehensive analysis of traditionally used species: Carapa guianensis (Andiroba), Euterpe precatoria (Asai), Mauritia flexuosa (Miriti), Astrocaryum murumuru (Murumuru), Plukenetia volubilis (Sacha Inchi), and Caryodendron orinocense H.Karst (Cacay). For this purpose, oil and fat quality indices, phytosterol, carotenoid, tocopherol, and tocotrienol content, as well as density and refractive index, were measured to establish their quality level. Multivariate analysis showed four groups of samples; such differences were mainly due to the composition rather than quality indices and physical properties, especially the content of saturated and unsaturated fatty acids. All species reported a precise composition, which makes them noninterchangeable, and Miriti oil arose as the most versatile ingredient for the industry. The Colombian Amazon region is a promising source of quality raw material, especially for oils/fats and unsaturated fatty acids; this resulted in the most interest for pharmaceutical, food, and cosmetic purposes.

Microcapsules of Sacha Inchi seed oil (Plukenetia volubilis L.) obtained by spray drying as a potential ingredient to formulate functional foods.

Sacha Inchi seed oil (SIO) is rich in omega 3, 6, and 9 fatty acids with important health benefits, but is temperature sensitive. Spray drying is a technology that improves the long-term stability of bioactive compounds. This work aimed to study the effect of three different homogenization techniques on some physical properties and bioavailability of microcapsules of Sacha Inchi seed oil (SIO) emulsions obtained by spray drying. Emulsions were formulated with SIO (5%, w/w), maltodextrin:sodium caseinate as wall material (10%, w/w; 85:15), Tween 20 (1%, w/w) and Span 80 (0.5%, w/w) as surfactants and water up to 100% (w/w). Emulsions were prepared using high-speed (Dispermat D-51580, 18,000 rpm, 10 min), conventional (Mixer K-MLIM50N01, Turbo speed, 5 min), and ultrasound probe (Sonics Materials VCX 750, 35% amplitude, 750 W, 30 min) homogenization. SIO microcapsules were obtained in a Mini Spray B-290 (Büchi) using two inlet temperatures of the drying air (150 and 170 °C). Moisture, density, dissolution rate, hygroscopicity, drying efficiency (EY), encapsulation efficiency (EE), loading capacity, and oil release in digestive fluids in vitro were studied. Results showed that the microcapsules obtained by spray-drying had low moisture values and high encapsulation yield and efficiency values (greater than 50% and 70%, respectively). The thermogravimetric analysis indicates that heat protection was assured, enhancing the shelf life and the ability to withstand thermal food processing. Results suggest that spray-drying encapsulation could be a suitable technology to successfully microencapsulate SIO and enhance the absorption of bioactive compounds in the intestine. This work highlights the use of Latin American biodiversity and spray drying technology to ensure the encapsulation of bioactive compounds. This technology represents an opportunity for the development of new functional foods, improving the safety and quality of conventional foods.

Liver cancer antiproliferative activity of a new nor-cucurbitacin from Mareya micrantha Müll. Arg.

Mareya micrantha Müll. Arg. (Euphorbiaceae) is a plant used in the Ivorian traditional medicinal system for various medical properties such as laxative, oxytocic, intestinal infectious diseases, malaria, etc. Six cucurbitacin derivatives (tetracyclic triterpenoids) are isolated from the leaves, stem barks or root barks of M. micrantha. Among these compounds, 29-nor-2ß,15α,20ß-trihydroxy-16α-acetyl-3,1,22-trioxo-cucurbita-4,23-diene (1) is a new nor-cucurbitacin isolated from the leaves; 29-nor-1,2,3,4,5,10-dehydro-3,15α,20ß-trihydroxy-16α-acetyl-11,22-dioxo-cucurbita-23-ene 2-O-ß-D-glucopyranoside (2) and 29-nor-2ß,15α,20ß-trihydroxy-16α-acetyl-3,11,22 trioxo-cucurbita-4,23-diene 2-O-ß-D glucopyranoside (3) are new nor-cucurbitacins recently discovered by us in leaves and isolated again for this study while dihydro-epi-isocucurbitacin D (4), tetrahydro-cucurbitacin I (5) and cucurbitacin L (6) are known cucurbitacins but newly isolated from the stem barks and the root barks of M. micrantha. Their chemical structures are established according to spectral data (UV, IR, MS and 1H, 13C NMR). Their antiproliferative activity is explored in vitro on the chemo-resistant human hepatocarcinoma cell line Hep3B. Compound 1 showed a strong and selective antiproliferative activity against this cancer cell line (IC50 value of 0.12 ± 0.05 µM) when compared to normal hepatocytes HepaRG.

An overview of the traditional use, phytochemistry, and biological activity of the genus Homalanthus.

Homalanthus species are native to tropical Asia and the Pacific region. This genus, comprising 23 accepted species, received less scientific attention compared to other genera of the Euphorbiaceae family. Seven Homalanthus species, such as H. giganteus, H. macradenius, H. nutans, H. nervosus, N. novoguineensis, H. populneus, and H. populifolius, have been reported to treat various health problems in traditional medicine. Only a few Homalanthus species have been investigated for their biological activities, including antibacterial, anti-HIV, anti-protozoal, estrogenic, and wound-healing activities. From a phytochemical point of view ent-atisane, ent-kaurane, and tigliane diterpenoids, triterpenoids, coumarins, and flavonol glycosides were found to be characteristic metabolites of the genus. The most promising compound is prostratin, isolated from H. nutans, with anti-HIV activity and the ability to eradicate the HIV reservoir in infected patients by mechanism of protein kinase C (PKC) agonist. This review provides information on traditional usage, phytochemistry, and biological activity of the genus Homalanthus with the aim to delineate future research directions.

Evaluation of molluscicidal activity on Biomphalaria glabrata (Say, 1818) and phytochemical characterization of hydroalcoholic extract of leaves of Ricinus communis L. (EUPHORBIACEAE).

Schistosomiasis is a parasitic infection of great prevalence worldwide, affecting 250 million people in 78 countries. Faced with this problem, studies that seek to analyze molluscicidal activity from plant extracts have stood out. The present work aimed to obtain the phytochemical characterization and investigate the molluscicidal activity in the hydroalcoholic extract of Ricinus communis leaves on Biomphalaria glabrata. The hydroalcoholic extract was prepared by macerated with solvent ethanol P.A 96%, followed by filtration and concentration in rotary evaporator. Next, five groups of snails with 10 animals each, one being the negative control group, were submitted to treatments with four concentrations of 25, 50, 75 and 100 mg/L of hydroalcoholic extract of R. communis. The parameters mortality, physiological and behavioral aspects of mollusks were analyzed during 96h. The chemical characterization of the extract was performed by high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (LC-MS). Chemical characterization revealed the presence of tannins, flavonoids and ricinin alkaloid, but under the conditions analyzed, the presence of saponins was not observed. There was no significant molluscicidal activity of the extract. However, a greater influence was observed in the diet, in addition to the motility and physiological state of the snails (alteration of cephalopodal mass and oviposition). The toxicity test was performed with Artemia salina and no toxicity was observed for this microcrustacean. It is expected that the results obtained contribute to the fight against the expansion of schistosomiasis and that they make room for other studies that investigate the molluscicidal action of plant extracts.

Crotofoligandrin, a new endoperoxide crotofolane-type diterpenoid from the twigs of Croton oligandrus Pierre ex. Hutch (Euphorbiaceae).

Crotofoligandrin (1), a new endoperoxide crotofolane-type diterpenoid was isolated from the dichloromethane/methanol (1:1) extract of the twigs of Croton oligandrus Pierre Ex Hutch along with thirteen known secondary metabolites including 1-nonacosanol (2), lupenone (3), friedelin (4), ß-sitosterol (5), taraxerol (6), (-)-hardwickiic acid (7), apigenin (8), acetyl aleuritolic acid (9), betulinic acid (10), fokihodgin C 3-acetate (11), D-mannitol (12), scopoletin (13) and quercetin (14). The structures of the isolated compounds were determined based on their spectroscopic data. The crude extract and the isolated compounds were assessed in vitro for their antioxidant, lipoxygenase, butyrylcholinesterase (BChE), urease and glucosidase inhibitory potentials. Compounds 1-3, and 10 displayed activities on all the performed bioassays. All the tested samples showed strong to significant antioxidant activity with compound 1 being the most potent (IC50 39.4 µM).

Unique guanidine-conjugated catechins from the leaves of Alchornea rugosa and their autophagy modulating activity.

Natural guanidines, molecules that contain the guanidine moiety, are structurally unique and often exhibit potent biological activities. A phytochemical investigation of the leaves of Alchornea rugosa (Lour.) Müll.Arg. by MS/MS-based molecular networking revealed eight undescribed guanidine-flavanol conjugates named rugonines A-H. The chemical structures of the isolated compounds were comprehensively elucidated by NMR spectroscopy, HRESIMS, and circular dichroism (CD) analysis. All isolated compounds were tested for autophagosome formation in HEK293 cells stably expressing GFP-LC3. The results revealed that compounds rugonines D-G showed potential autophagy inhibitory activity.

Tragia plukenetii-Assisted Omega-Decenol as Potential Anticancer Agent: its Isolation, Characterization, and Validation.

The second most common and lethal disease is lung cancer. To combat the negative effects of today's synthetic medications, natural phytomedicines are required. Tragia plukenetii is a medicinal plant native to India that belongs to the Euphorbiaceae family. The purpose of this research is to isolate bioactive compounds from T. plukenetii leaves and then test them for anticancer property. A single compound (CH: ME-20:80) was separated using TLC, and an RF value of 0.55 was determined. Spectral analyses utilizing UV-Visible Spectrophotometer and FT-IR were used to examine the absorbance and functional groups. 13C-NMR and 1H-NMR studies revealed the tentative name of the purified phytochemical as omega-decenol (OD). Further antioxidant and anticancer properties of OD were tested for in vitro. In comparison to conventional L-ascorbic acid, the DPPH radical scavenging assay experiment yielded an IC50 of 147.48 g/ml. With an IC50 value of 24 µg/ml (Omega-decenol) and 32 µg/ml (doxorubicin), the MTT assay demonstrated the cytotoxic capability against the A549 lung cancer cell line. FACS revealed the cell cycle arrest of A549 at S phase compared to control with the high-dose IC50 (250 µg/ml) of omega-decenol. Twelve major compounds were detected in the active fraction using GC-MS analysis, where n-hexadecanoic acid was found as a major. Omega-decenol showed good binding affinity against EGFR, amongst other receptors in the in silico docking study. This research reveals the potent anticancer activity of the isolated compound omega-decenol from T. plukenetii leaves and provides a key path to understanding the molecular interaction in anticancer aspects against adenocarcinoma.

Chemical characterization, cytotoxicity, antimicrobial and antioxidant potential of Justicia pectoralis Jacq and Croton jacobinensis Baill extracts

Abstract In this research, aqueous and ethanolic extracts from Justicia pectoralis Jacq and Croton Jacobinensis Baill were characterized. The UPLC-QTOF-MSE analysis was performed on the extracts identified, predominantly, flavonoids, tannins and acids. The extracts did not indicate toxicity in human epithelial cells. C. jacobinensis presented a concentration of phenolics 60.5% higher than J. pectoralis in all scenarios evaluated and, for both samples, the hydroalcoholic extract at 70% exhibited the best efficiency in the extraction (14501.3 and 32521.5 mg GAE 100 g-1 for J. pectoralis and C. jacobinensis, respectively). The antioxidant activity presented a positive correlation with the concentration of phenolics, being 1.186,1 and 1.507,9 µM of Trolox for J. pectoralis and C. jacobinensis at 70% of ethanol; however, it was not verified statistical difference between the ethanolic solutions (p < 0.05). The antimicrobial activity of J. pectoralis extracts was highlighted once was the most effective against gram-positive bacteria. The results suggest that both J. pectoralis and C. jacobinensis extracts present the potential to be applied as natural additives due to their antioxidant and antimicrobial activity and safety. Thus, it is suggesting the development of studies that could investigate the interaction of these plant extracts with food matrices is required

Phytochemical characterization, antioxidant potential and antibacterial activity of the Croton argyrophylloides Muell. Arg. (Euphorbiaceae) / Caracterização fitoquímica, potencial antioxidante e atividade antibacteriana do Croton argyrophylloides Muell. Arg. (Euphorbiaceae)

Abstract Croton argyrophylloides Muell. Arg., from the Euphorbiaceae family, popularly known as marmeleiro prateado or sacatinga, is a plant from the Caatinga biome commonly found in Brazil's northeastern region. The present study aimed to evaluate the antioxidant activity of the species. The phytochemical study was performed through qualitative analysis of chemical constituents and quantitative determination of the total phenol content through the Folin-Ciocalteu test. The qualitative and quantitative antioxidant tests were performed using the DPPH method (2.2 diphenyl-1-picryl hydrazil) and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP). The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was determined by microdilution in 96-well plates. The ethanolic extract of the leaves of C. argyrophylloides manifested antioxidant action in the quantitative DPPH test with a significant bioactivity of 84.70 AAO% in 500 µg/mL, with an EC50 of 236.79. The content of total phenolic compounds was 946.06 mg of gallic acid equivalents/g of sample, and total flavonoids was 58.11 mg of quercetin equivalents/g of sample, the result obtained for FRAP was 15294.44 µM Trolox/g of sample and ABTS was 718 μM Trolox of sample. The prospecting of the chemical constituents of the leaves of C. argyrophylloides revealed the presence of the main compounds that manifests the antioxidant activity and it was proven by the DPPH method that there is antioxidant activity in the analyzed sample, in addition to demonstrating a significant content of phenolic compounds and total flavonoid content in the species, which corroborates the antioxidant activity of the plant sample. The leaf extracts presented growth inhibition halos of 10 and 12 mm upon Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923.

Resumo Croton argyrophylloides Muell. Arg., pertencente à família Euphorbiaceae, conhecida popularmente como marmeleiro prateado e sacatinga, é um vegetal do bioma caatinga comumente encontrado no Nordeste do Brasil. O presente trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar a atividade antioxidante da espécie. O estudo fitoquímico foi realizado por meio de análise qualitativa dos constituintes químicos e determinação quantitativa do teor de fenóis totais pelo teste de Folin-Ciocalteu. Os testes antioxidantes qualitativos e quantitativos foram realizados pelo método do DPPH (2,2 difenil-1- picril-hidrazila) e redução do ferro (FRAP). A concentração inibitória mínima (CIM) foi determinada por microdiluição em placas de 96 poços. O extrato etanólico das folhas de C. argyrophylloides apresentou ação antioxidante no teste DPPH quantitativo com uma significativa bioatividade de 84.70 AAO% em 500 µg/mL, apresentando um CE50 de 236.79. O teor de compostos fenólicos totais, foi de 946,06 mg equivalentes de ácido gálico/g de amostra, e de flavonoides totais de 58,11 mg equivalentes de quercetina/g da amostra, o valor encontrado para FRAP foi de 15294,44 µM Trolox/g da amostra e de ABTS foi 718 μM Trolox da amostra. A prospecção dos constituintes químicos das folhas de C. argyrophylloides revelou a presença dos principais compostos que caracterizam a atividade antioxidante e foi possível comprovar pelo método de DPPH que há atividade antioxidante na amostra analisada, além de demonstrar um resultado significativo de teor de compostos fenólicos e teor de flavonoides totais na espécie e o que corrobora com a atividade antioxidante da amostra vegetal. Os extratos das folhas apresentaram halos de inibição de crescimento de 10 e 12mm frente a Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923.

Chemical Constituents of Macaranga occidentalis, Antimicrobial and Chemophenetic Studies.

Medicinal plants are known as sources of potential antimicrobial compounds belonging to different classes. The aim of the present work was to evaluate the antimicrobial potential of the crude extract, fractions, and some isolated secondary metabolites from the leaves of Macaranga occidentalis, a Cameroonian medicinal plant traditionally used for the treatment of microbial infections. Repeated column chromatography of the ethyl acetate and n-butanol fractions led to the isolation of seventeen previously known compounds (1-17), among which three steroids (1-3), one triterpene (4), four flavonoids (5-8), two stilbenoids (9 and 10) four ellagic acid derivatives (11-14), one geraniinic acid derivative (15), one coumarine (16), and one glyceride (17). Their structures were elucidated mainly by means of extensive spectroscopic and spectrometric (1D and 2D NMR and, MS) analysis and comparison with the published data. The crude extract, fractions, and isolated compounds were all screened for their antimicrobial activity. None of the natural compounds was active against Candida strains. However, the crude extract, fractions, and compounds showed varying levels of antibacterial properties against at least one of the tested bacterial strains, with minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) ranging from 250 to 1000 µg/mL. The n-butanol (n-BuOH) fraction was the most active against Escherichia coli ATCC 25922, with an MIC value of 250 µg/mL. Among the isolated compounds, schweinfurthin B (10) exhibited the best activity against Staphylococcus aureus NR 46003 with a MIC value of 62.5 µg/mL. In addition, schweinfurthin O (9) and isomacarangin (6) also exhibited moderate activity against the same strain with a MIC value of 125 µg/mL. Therefore, pharmacomodulation was performed on compound 6 and three new semisynthetic derivatives (6a-c) were prepared by allylation and acetylation reactions and screened for their in vitro antimicrobial activity. None of the semisynthetic derivatives showed antimicrobial activity against the same tested strains. The chemophenetic significance of the isolated compounds is also discussed in this paper.

Modification of the Nutritional Quality and Oxidative Stability of Lupin (Lupinus mutabilis Sweet) and Sacha Inchi (Plukenetia volubilis L.) Oil Blends.

Andean lupin (Lupinus mutabilis) oil is rich in monounsaturated (54.2%) and polyunsaturated (28.5%) fatty acids but has a ω-3:ω-6 ratio (1:9.2) above the recommended values for human health. Sacha inchi (Plukenetia volubilis) oil presents a high polyunsaturated fatty acid content (linolenic 47.2% and linoleic 34.7%), along a ω-3:ω-6 ratio (1:0.74) good for human consumption. The objective of this research was to study the physico-chemical properties and oxidative stability of tarwi and sacha inchi oil blends (1:4, 1:3, 1:1, 3:1 and 4:1 w:w) with suitable ω-3:ω-6 ratios. All blends showed ω-3:ω-6 ratios between 1:0.8 and 1:1.9, acceptable from a nutritional point of view, and high total tocopherols' content (1834-688 mg/kg), thanks to sacha inchi. The oxidative stability index (OSI) of the mixtures by the Rancimat method at 120 °C ranged from 0.46 to 8.80 h. The shelf-life of 1:1 tarwi/sacha inchi oil blend was 1.26 years; its entropy (-17.43 J/mol), enthalpy (107.04 kJ/mol), activation energy (110.24 kJ/mol) and Gibbs energy (113.76 kJ/mol) suggest low oxidation reaction rates and good stability. Hence, balanced blends of tarwi/sacha inchi oils can achieve optimal nutritional properties and enhanced shelf-life.

Tigliane-Type Diterpene Esters from the Fruits of Shirakiopsis indica and Their Anti-HIV Activity.

Four new diterpene esters, shirakindicans A-D (1-4), along with eight related known diterpene esters (5-12), were isolated from the fruits of the Bangladeshi medicinal plant Shirakiopsis indica. The structures of 1-4 were elucidated by spectroscopic data analysis and electronic circular dichroism (ECD) calculations. Shirakindican A (1) was assigned as a tigliane-type diterpene ester possessing an unusual 6ß-hydroxy-1,7-dien-3-one structure, while shirakindican B (2) exhibits a tiglia-1,5-dien-3,7-dione structure. The anti-HIV activities of the isolated diterpene esters were evaluated and showed significant activities for sapintoxins A (5) and D (11), with EC50 values of 0.0074 and 0.044 µM, respectively, and TI values of 1 100 and 5 290. Sapatoxin A (12) also exhibited anti-HIV activity with an EC50 value of 0.13 µM and a TI value of 161.