Vasorelaxant Activity of (2S)-Sakuranetin and Other Flavonoids Isolated from the Green Propolis of the Caatinga Mimosa tenuiflora.

Some in vitro and in vivo evidence is consistent with the cardiovascular beneficial activity of propolis. As the single actors responsible for this effect have never been identified, an in-depth investigation of flavonoids isolated from the green propolis of the Caatinga Mimosa tenuiflora was performed and their mechanism of action was described. A comprehensive electrophysiology, functional, and molecular docking approach was applied. Most flavanones and flavones were effective CaV1.2 channel blockers with a potency order of (2S)-sakuranetin > eriodictyol-7,3'-methyl ether > quercetin 3-methyl ether > 5,4'-dihydroxy-6,7-dimethoxyflavanone > santin > axillarin > penduletin > kumatakenin, ermanin and viscosine being weak or modest stimulators. Except for eriodictyol 5-O-methyl ether, all the flavonoids were also effective spasmolytic agents of vascular rings, kumatakenin and viscosine also showing an endothelium-dependent activity. (2S)-Sakuranetin also stimulated KCa1.1 channels both in single myocytes and vascular rings. In silico analysis provided interesting insights into the mode of action of (2S)-sakuranetin within both CaV1.2 and KCa1.1 channels. The green propolis of the Caatinga Mimosa tenuiflora is a valuable source of multi-target vasoactive flavonoids: this evidence reinforces its nutraceutical value in the cardiovascular disease prevention arena.

Chemical profile and evaluation of the pharmacological activity of the dry extract and fraction of ethyl acetate obtained from the leaves of Mimosa caesalpiniifolia.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Mimosa caesalpiniifolia (Sansão-do-Campo) is a native species of the caatinga in northeastern Brazil that has been studied for its potential anti-inflammatory and antidepressant activity. It is popularly consumed as a medicinal plant and its pharmacological benefits are evidenced in the literature. AIM OF THE STUDY: The present work was carried out to promote the chemical profile and evaluate the pharmacological activity of the dry extract and the ethyl acetate fraction obtained from the dry leaves of Mimosa caesalpiniifolia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The leaves were collected in the municipality of Alfenas-MG and subjected to drying, followed by division in a knife mill. The preparation of the dry extract was carried out by the extraction method using simple percolation and the fraction was obtained by liquid-liquid partition. Part of the extractive solution was concentrated in a rotary evaporator followed by a drying process using the spray technique with the addition of colloidal silicon dioxide. The dry extract (33.33%) showed a higher yield in mass when compared to the yield of the ethyl acetate fraction (19.67%). The in vivo pharmacological evaluation was conducted with a total of 82 male Wistar rats that underwent cecal ligation and perforation surgery to induce the inflammatory process. One week after surgery, these animals were treated for 7 days with the dry extract and the ethyl acetate fraction and submitted to behavioral tests (open field and forced swimming). RESULTS: The chemical results were obtained through analysis by HPLC-PDA coupled to a mass spectrometer, enabling the verification of the presence of phenolic acids, flavonoids, aglycones, and glycosides, in addition to tannins. This corroborates with data present in the literature for the genus Mimosa sp. Some compounds had their structure determined, where they were identified as catechin (m/z 288.97), cassiaocidentalin A (m/z 560.75), and procyanidin B2 [(epi)catechin-(epi)catechin; m/z 576.83)]. It was found that the animals that were submitted to the treatment did not present statistically significant results, demonstrating that the pharmacological action evaluated in the test was not highlighted in this type of experiment. The groups that underwent treatment had an aggravated locomotor activity. CONCLUSIONS: The results found with the chemical study contributed to the knowledge of the plant species studied. On the other hand, further studies are needed to provide a better understanding of the pharmacological evaluation of Mimosa caesalpiniifolia.

Preservation of Mimosa tenuiflora Antiaflatoxigenic Activity Using Microencapsulation by Spray-Drying.

Mimosa tenuiflora aqueous extract (MAE) is rich in phenolic compounds. Among them, condensed tannins have been demonstrated to exhibit a strong antioxidant and antiaflatoxin B1 activities in Aspergillus flavus. Since antioxidant capacity can change with time due to environmental interactions, this study aimed to evaluate the ability of encapsulation by spray-drying of Mimosa tenuiflora aqueous extract to preserve their biological activities through storage. A dry formulation may also facilitate transportation and uses. For that, three different wall materials were used and compared for their efficiency. Total phenolic content, antioxidant activity, antifungal and antiaflatoxin activities were measured after the production of the microparticles and after one year of storage at room temperature. These results confirmed that encapsulation by spray-drying using polysaccharide wall materials is able to preserve antiaflatoxin activity of Mimosa tenuiflora extract better than freezing.

Chemical study of Mimosa tenuiflora barks.

Mimosa tenuiflora (Willd.) Poir., popularly known as "black jurema", is a plant that is predominant in the Caatinga Biome. Drinks used in indigenous rituals use the barks of this plant that are rich in N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT), an indolic alkaloid responsible for hallucinogenic activity. The objective of this study was to evaluate the chemical and pharmacognostic characteristics of the Mimosa tenuiflora bark using nuclear magnetic resonance(NMR) analytical techniques and gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry(GC-MS) to identify and quantify the DMT present in the extract of Mimosa tenuiflora. The results showed that the plant material is within the recommended standards. Both NMR and GC-MS techniques were able to identify and quantify the DMT with NMR being the best option. In conclusion this study contributes significantly to the standardization of the studied plant material and assists in the use of these data for future development of products from on this forestry species.

A Comprehensive Review of the Ethnotraditional Uses and Biological and Pharmacological Potential of the Genus Mimosa.

The Mimosa genus belongs to the Fabaceae family of legumes and consists of about 400 species distributed all over the world. The growth forms of plants belonging to the Mimosa genus range from herbs to trees. Several species of this genus play important roles in folk medicine. In this review, we aimed to present the current knowledge of the ethnogeographical distribution, ethnotraditional uses, nutritional values, pharmaceutical potential, and toxicity of the genus Mimosa to facilitate the exploitation of its therapeutic potential for the treatment of human ailments. The present paper consists of a systematic overview of the scientific literature relating to the genus Mimosa published between 1931 and 2020, which was achieved by consulting various databases (Science Direct, Francis and Taylor, Scopus, Google Scholar, PubMed, SciELO, Web of Science, SciFinder, Wiley, Springer, Google, The Plant Database). More than 160 research articles were included in this review regarding the Mimosa genus. Mimosa species are nutritionally very important and several species are used as feed for different varieties of chickens. Studies regarding their biological potential have shown that species of the Mimosa genus have promising pharmacological properties, including antimicrobial, antioxidant, anticancer, antidiabetic, wound-healing, hypolipidemic, anti-inflammatory, hepatoprotective, antinociceptive, antiepileptic, neuropharmacological, toxicological, antiallergic, antihyperurisemic, larvicidal, antiparasitic, molluscicidal, antimutagenic, genotoxic, teratogenic, antispasmolytic, antiviral, and antivenom activities. The findings regarding the genus Mimosa suggest that this genus could be the future of the medicinal industry for the treatment of various diseases, although in the future more research should be carried out to explore its ethnopharmacological, toxicological, and nutritional attributes.

Mimosa tenuiflora Aqueous Extract: Role of Condensed Tannins in Anti-Aflatoxin B1 Activity in Aspergillus flavus.

Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) is a potent carcinogenic mycotoxin that contaminates numerous crops pre- and post-harvest. To protect foods and feeds from such toxins without resorting to pesticides, the use of plant extracts has been increasingly studied. The most interesting candidate plants are those with strong antioxidative activity because oxidation reactions may interfere with AFB1 production. The present study investigates how an aqueous extract of Mimosa tenuiflora bark affects both the growth of Aspergillus flavus and AFB1 production. The results reveal a dose-dependent inhibition of toxin synthesis with no impact on fungal growth. AFB1 inhibition is related to a down-modulation of the cluster genes of the biosynthetic pathway and especially to the two internal regulators aflR and aflS. Its strong anti-oxidative activity also allows the aqueous extract to modulate the expression of genes involved in fungal oxidative-stress response, such as msnA, mtfA, atfA, or sod1. Finally, a bio-guided fractionation of the aqueous extract demonstrates that condensed tannins play a major role in the anti-aflatoxin activity of Mimosa tenuiflora bark.

Hydrogel with silver nanoparticles synthesized by Mimosa tenuiflora for second-degree burns treatment.

In this work we use Mimosa tenuiflora (MtE) extracts as reducing agents to synthesize silver nanoparticles (AgMt NPs) which were characterized by DPPH and Total Polyphenols Assays, UV-visible, X-ray diffractometer (XRD), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). AgMt NPs possess average sizes of 21 nm and fcc crystalline structure, it was also confirmed that the MtE is present in the AgMt NPs even after the cleaning protocol applied. Subsequently, carbopol hydrogels were made and the MtE and the synthesized AgMt NPs were dispersed in different gels (MtE-G and AgMt NPs-G, respectively) at 100 µg/g concentration. The gels were characterized by UV-Vis, IR, and rheology. Antimicrobial tests were performed using Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. Burn wound healing was evaluated in a second-degree burn injury on a Wistar rats model for 14 days and additional skin biopsies were examined with histopathological analysis. Gel with commercial silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) was prepared and employed as a control on the biological assays. Hydrogel system containing silver nanoparticles synthesized with Mimosa tenuiflora (AgMt NPs-G) is a promising therapeutic strategy for burn wound healing, this due to bactericidal and anti-inflammatory effects, which promotes a more effective recovery (in percentage terms) by damaged area.

Mimosa tenuiflora's antimicrobial activity on bacteria and fungi from medical importance: an integrative review.

The misuse of antimicrobials has led to the appearance of several multi-resistant pathogens and, as a result, it has been necessary to search for new compounds that are effective against these microorganisms. Faced with this scenario, one of the forms that has been arousing the interest of scholars is the obtaining of antimicrobial compounds from medicinal plants, since, through them, effective compounds are usually obtained against pathogens and with low toxicity to humans and animals. In Brazilian Caatinga, there are several medicinal plants with antimicrobial properties, and one of them is Mimosa tenuiflora (Willd.) Poir., also known as Jurema Preta, popularly used to treat comorbidities that affect mainly the skin. In view of this, to investigate its antimicrobial potential, a bibliographical survey of experimental articles, published in the last 10 years, which analyzed the antimicrobial activity of M. tenuiflora in bacteria and fungi of importance, was made. Thus, it was possible to observe that the extracts obtained from M. tenuiflora showed in vitro antimicrobial activity. In addition, the compounds flavonoids and tannins are likely to be the main responsible for Mimosa tenuiflora's antimicrobial activity. Thus, M. tenuiflora presents a high study potential in microbial growth control.

The Effect of Growth Medium Strength on Minimum Inhibitory Concentrations of Tannins and Tannin Extracts against E. coli.

In this study the effect of growth medium strength on the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of different tannins and tannin extracts against Escherichia coli was systematically investigated for the first time. Three pure compounds (vescalagin, castalagin and gallic acid) and five extracts (chestnut, quebracho, mimosa, Colistizer and tannic acid) were studied. Broth microdilution was assayed and bacteria were grown using different growth medium strengths varying from half to double the concentration recommended by the producer. MICs were determined using the iodonitrotetrazolium chloride (INT) dye or turbidity measurements. It was observed that MIC values depend on the growth medium strength. With an increase in the growth medium concentration MIC values rose roughly linearly for all samples, while their relative order remained unchanged, indicating that a direct interaction of tannins with growth medium nutrients represents the likely source of their antimicrobial activity. Understanding the effect of growth medium strength can finally yield a plausible explanation for the observed variation in MIC values reported in the scientific literature as well as provide help in planning proper applications of tannins in the livestock production.

Use of plant materials for the bioremediation of soil from an industrial site.

Bioremediation is one of the existing techniques applied for treating oil-contaminated soil, which can be improved by the incorporation of low-cost nutritional materials. This study aimed to assess the addition of two low-cost plant residues, sugarcane bagasse (SCB) and leaf litter (LL) of the forest leguminous Mimosa caesalpiniifolia plant (sabiá), either separately or combined, to a contaminated soil from a petroleum refinery area, analyzed after 90 days of treatment. Individually, both amounts of SCB (20 and 40 g kg-1) favored the growth of total heterotrophic bacteria and total fungi, while LL at 20 g kg-1 better stimulated the hydrocarbon-degrading microorganism's activity in the soil. However, no TPH removal was observed under any of these conditions. Higher microbial growth was detected by the application of both plant residues in multicontaminated soil. The maximum TPH removal of 30% was achieved in amended soil with 20 g kg-1 SCB and 20 kg-1 LL. All the experimental conditions revealed changes in the microbial community structure, related to the handling of the soil, with abundance of Alphaproteobacteria. This study demonstrates the effectiveness of the plant residues SCB and LL as low-cost nutritional materials for biodegradation of hydrocarbon in real oil contaminated soil by indigenous populations.

Detoxifying Action of Aqueous Extracts of Mucuna pruriens Seed and Mimosa pudica Root Against Venoms of Naja nigricollis and Bitis arietans.

BACKGROUND: The World Health Organization included snakebite envenomation among Neglected Tropical Diseases in 2017. The importance of natural products from plants is enormous, given that most prescribed drugs originate from plants. Among this is Mucuna pruriens and Mimosa pudica, with many registered patents asserting their health benefits. OBJECTIVE: This study investigated the in vitro neutralizing effects of Mucuna pruriens seed and Mimosa pudica root extracts on venoms of Naja nigricollis and Bitis arietans. METHODS: In mice, the LD50 and phytochemical analysis of M. pruriens and M. pudica plant extracts were carried out prior to the evaluation of their haemolytic and fibrinolytic effect. Their effects on the activities of phospholipase A2 (PLA2) were also assessed. RESULTS: At a concentration of 50 mg/ml, both plant extracts were found to neutralize the fibrinolytic activity of N. nigricollis, but 400 mg/ml was required to neutralize the fibrinolytic activity of B. arietans. In haemolytic studies, 50 mg/ml concentration of M. pruriens extract suppressed haemolysis caused by N. nigricollis venom by 70% but at the same concentration, M. pudica extract reduced haemolysis by 49.4%. M. pruriens, at 50 mg/ml concentration, only inhibited phospholipase A2 activity by 7.7% but higher concentrations up to 400mg/ml had no effect against the venom of N. nigricollis; at 200 mg/ml. M. pudica extract inhibited PLA2 activity by 23%. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that M. pruriens and M. pudica may be considered as promising antivenom agents for people living in a snake-bite prone environment.

Evaluation of in vitro bioactivity and in vitro biocompatibility of Polycaprolactone/Hyaluronic acid/Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes/Extract from Mimosa tenuiflora composites.

BACKGROUND: The development of biomaterial scaffolds and implementation of tissue engineering techniques are necessary. Therefore, Polycaprolactone/Sodium Hyaluronate/Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes/Extract of Mimosa tenuiflora composites have been produced by a thermally-induced phase separation method. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this research was to evaluate the in vitro bioactivity and in vitro biocompatibility of the composites. METHODS: The in vitro bioactivity of the composites was assessed by soaking them in simulated body fluid for 7, 14, 21, and 28 days. The structure and composition of the composites were analyzed using scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy dispersive spectroscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Also, the in vitro biocompatibility of the composites was evaluated by means of alkaline phosphatase activity of the osteoblasts and by measuring the metabolic activity of the cells using MTT assay. RESULTS: The results show a porous and interconnected morphology with enhanced bioactivity. It was observed that the incorporation of Mimosa tenuiflora in the composites promotes increased viability of osteoblasts in the scaffolds. CONCLUSIONS: The results show the efficiency of bioactive and biocompatible composites and their potential as candidates for tissue engineering applications.

α-glucosidase inhibitors isolated from Mimosa pudica L.

The aim of the study was to isolate digestive enzymes inhibitors from Mimosa pudica through a bioassay-guided fractionation approach. Repeated silica gel and sephadex LH 20 column chromatographies of bioactive fractions afforded stigmasterol, quercetin and avicularin as digestive enzymes inhibitors whose IC50 values as compared to acarbose (351.02 ± 1.46 µg mL-1) were found to be as 91.08 ± 1.54, 75.16 ± 0.92 and 481.7 ± 0.703 µg mL-1, respectively. In conclusion, M. pudica could be a good and safe source of digestive enzymes inhibitors for the management of diabetes in future.

Effects of honey from Mimosa quadrivalvis L. (malícia) produced by the Melipona subnitida D. (jandaíra) stingless bee on dyslipidaemic rats.

This study assessed the effects of supplementation with honey from Mimosa quadrivalvis L. (malícia) (MH) produced by jandaíra stingless bees (Melipona subnitida D.) on the lipid metabolism, antioxidant status and some intestinal health parameters of rats with diet-induced dyslipidaemia. Rats were randomly divided into four groups: healthy control (HC), dyslipidaemic control (DC), healthy experimental (EHH) and dyslipidaemic experimental (EDH). Malícia honey (MH) was administered (1000 mL kg-1) via orogastric feeding for 35 days. Dyslipidaemic rats supplemented with MH showed lower food consumption, increased glucose tolerance and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, and decreased total cholesterol, LDL and AST blood levels. Counts of Bifidobacterium spp. and Lactobacillus spp. and excretion of organic acids in faeces increased in dyslipidaemic rats supplemented with MH. MH supplementation protected the colon and liver from tissue damage induced by the dyslipidaemic diet. These results show the beneficial effects of MH on the lipid metabolism, antioxidant status and intestinal health of rats with diet-induced dyslipidaemia.

Effect of herbal mixture composed of Alchemilla vulgaris and Mimosa on wound healing process.

Alchemilla vulgaris and Mimosa tenuiflora (Mimosa) have been used to treat cutaneous wounds as a traditional remedy due to their various biological activities. But, there are only a few studies about the effects of these herbs on wound healing. The purpose of this study is to investigate the wound healing effect of the herbal mixture, consisting of A. vulgaris and Mimosa, in mice and to determine the activity of the extract in vitro. In present study, application of an ointment containing the herbal mixture on the dorsal skin wounds of mice showed that the wound healing process was faster than treatment of Fusidic acid. Histological analysis demonstrated the herbal mixture promoted re-epithelialization, collagen synthesis, and especially the regeneration of skin appendages such as hair follicles. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed the herbal mixture improved angiogenesis and the stabilization of blood vessels, as well as accelerated the formation of granulation tissue. In addition, we demonstrated that herbal mixture enhanced the migration of HaCaT, fibroblasts, and HUVECs on a two-dimensional wound, and promoted the proliferation of macrophages and lymphatic vessels. Our results demonstrated that herbal mixture can promote the migration of keratinocytes, fibroblasts, and endothelial cells, and the proliferation of macrophages and lymphatic vessels. Furthermore, it showed that herbal mixture accelerates wound healing. Therefore, we suggest that herbal mixture may have a potential for therapeutic use for treatment and management of cutaneous wound.

Orofacial antinociceptive effect of Mimosa tenuiflora (Willd.) Poiret.

Mimosa tenuiflora (Willd.) Poiret, popularly known in Brazil as "jurema-preta" is widely used against bronchitis, fever, headache and inflammation. Its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive potential has already been reported. To assess the orofacial antinociceptive effect of M. tenuiflora, ethanolic extracts of M. tenuiflora (leaves, twigs, barks and roots) were submitted to in vitro tests of antioxidant activity. The extract with the highest antioxidant potential was partitioned and subjected to preliminary chemical prospecting, GC-MS, measurement of phenolic content and cytotoxicity tests of the fraction with the highest antioxidant activity. The nontoxic fraction with the highest antioxidant activity (FATEM) was subjected to tests of acute and chronic orofacial nociception and locomotor activity. The possible mechanisms of neuromodulation were also assessed. The EtOAc fraction, obtained from the ethanolic extract of M. tenuiflora barks, was the one with the highest antioxidant potential and nontoxic (FATEM), and Benzyloxyamine was the major constituent (34.27%). FATEM did not alter the locomotor system of mice and reduced significantly the orofacial nociceptive behavior induced by formalin, glutamate, capsaicin, cinnamaldehyde or acidic saline compared to the control group. FATEM also inhibited formalin- or mustard oil-induced temporomandibular nociception. In addition, it also reduced mustard oil-induced orofacial muscle nociception. However, FATEM did not alter hypertonic saline-induced corneal nociception. Neuropathic nociception was reversed by treatment with FATEM. The antinociceptive effect of FATEM was inhibited by naloxone, L-NAME and glibenclamide. FATEM has pharmacological potential for the treatment of acute and neuropathic orofacial pain and this effect is modulated by the opioid system, nitric oxide and ATP-sensitive potassium channels. These results lead us to studies of isolation and characterization of bioactive principles.

Effects of Condensed and Hydrolyzable Tannins on Rumen Metabolism with Emphasis on the Biohydrogenation of Unsaturated Fatty Acids.

The hypothesis that condensed tannins have higher inhibitory effect on ruminal biohydrogenation than hydrolyzable tannins was tested. Condensed tannin extract from mimosa (CT) and hydrolyzable tannin extract from chestnut (HT) or their mixture (MIX) were incorporated (10%) into oil supplemented diets and fed to rumen fistulated sheep. Fatty acid and dimethyl acetal composition of rumen contents and bacterial biomass were determined. Selected rumen bacteria were analyzed by quantitative real time PCR. Lower ( P < 0.05) rumen volatile fatty acids concentrations were observed with CT compared to HT. Moreover, lower concentration ( P < 0.05) of Fibrobacter succinogenes, Ruminococcus flavefaciens, Ruminococcus albus, and Butyrivibrio proteoclasticus were observed with CT compared to HT. The extension of biohydrogenation of 18:2n-6 and 18:3n-3 did not differ among treatments but was much more variable with CT and MIX than with HT. The trans-/ cis-18:1 ratio in bacterial biomass was higher ( P < 0.05) with HT than CT. Thus, mimosa condensed tannins had a higher inhibitory effect on ruminal metabolism and biohydrogenation than chestnut hydrolyzable tannins.

The Anti-Inflammatory Potential of Mimosa caesalpiniifolia Following Experimental Colitis: Role of COX-2 and TNF-Alpha Expression.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the preventive and/or protective action of Mimosa caesalpiniifolia (M. caesalpiniifolia) following experimental colitis in rats. The rats were randomized into ten groups (n=10 per group), as follows: G1 - Sham group:; G2 - TNBS group; G3, G4 -colitis and treated with hydroalcoholic extract of M. caesalpiniifolia 250 mg/kg/day after and before/after inducing colitis, respectively; G5, G6 - colitis and treated with hydroalcoholic extract of M. caesalpiniifolia at 125 mg/kg/day after and before/after inducing colitis respectively; G7,G8 - colitis and treated with ethylacetate fraction of M. caesalpiniifolia at 50 mg/kg/day after and before/after inducing colitis, respectively; G9,G10 - colitis and treated with ethylacetate fraction of M. caesalpiniifolia at 50 mg/kg/day after and before/after inducing colitis, respectively. Rats treated with hydroalcoholic extract of M. caesalpiniifolia for both doses showed lower tissue damage in the distal colon. Ethylacetate fraction was effective at the highest dose only when administrated after inducing colitis. A downregulation of COX-2 was detected to rats suffering colitis and treated with M. caesalpiniifolia at high dose. On the other hand, TNF-alpha immunoexpression decreased in groups treated with M. caesalpiniifolia at low dose after inducing colitis. In summary, our results suggest that M. caesalpiniifolia attenuated the lesions of the colon, reduced inflammation, and modulates the expression of COX-2 and TNF-α during chronic colitis induced by TNBS when using for therapeutic purposes on a dose-dependent manner.

Anti-dermatophyte activity of Leguminosae plants from Southern Brazil with emphasis on Mimosa pigra (Leguminosae).

BACKGROUND: Intensive prophylactic use of antifungals leads to the increase of drug resistance and the need for new and more effective treatments are real. Plants from Leguminosae family are rich in flavonoids, for which numerous biological activities have been described, including antifungal effects. PURPOSE: To screen methanolic extracts from Leguminosae species looking for alternative sources for antifungal agents (anti-dermatophyte and anti-Candida) and their innocuity. METHODS: Antifungal activity was evaluated using the strains Candida albicans, C. krusei, C. glabrata, C. tropicalis, C. parapsilosis, Epidermophyton floccosum, Trichophyton mentagrophytes, T. rubrum and, Microsporum gypseum in the broth microdilution method. Later, the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) for Mimosa pigra, Eriosema heterophyllum, and Chamaecrista nictitans was determined. The most promising extract was fractionated and cytotoxicity and genotoxicity of the most active fraction were also assayed. RESULTS: Fungicide and/or fungistatic activity against dermatophyte strains were presented by 60% of the methanolic extracts assayed. M. pigra, E. heterophyllum, and C. nictitans methanolic extracts could inhibit dermatophyte strains at concentrations ranging from 1.9 to 1000µg/mL. M. pigra showed the lowest MIC values for a dichloromethane fraction (1.9µg/mL) without DNA damage at 10 and 50µg/mL and 100% of cell viability of human leukocytes. CONCLUSION: Our results indicate that methanolic extracts from Leguminosae plants are potential sources of antifungal compounds, mainly the extract and fractions from M. pigra. The dichloromethane fraction from M. pigra did not showed in vitro toxicity according to the applied assays.