RESUMO
The search of alternative compounds to control tropical diseases such as schistosomiasis has pointed to secondary metabolites derived from natural sources. Piper species are candidates in strategies to control the transmission of schistosomiasis due to their production of molluscicidal compounds. A new benzoic acid derivative and three flavokawains from Piper diospyrifolium, P. cumanense and P. gaudichaudianum displayed significant activities against Biomphalaria glabrata snails. Additionally, "in silico" studies were performed using docking assays and Molecular Interaction Fields to evaluate the physical-chemical differences among the compounds in order to characterize the observed activities of the test compounds against Biomphalaria glabrata snails.
Assuntos
Antiparasitários/química , Ácido Benzoico/química , Chalconas/química , Estágios do Ciclo de Vida/efeitos dos fármacos , Piper/química , Extratos Vegetais/química , Caramujos/efeitos dos fármacos , Animais , Antiparasitários/isolamento & purificação , Antiparasitários/farmacologia , Produtos Biológicos/química , Chalconas/isolamento & purificação , Chalconas/farmacologia , Reservatórios de Doenças , Humanos , Concentração Inibidora 50 , Simulação de Acoplamento Molecular , Extratos Vegetais/isolamento & purificação , Extratos Vegetais/farmacologia , Folhas de Planta/química , Schistosoma mansoni/fisiologia , Esquistossomose/prevenção & controle , Esquistossomose/transmissão , Caramujos/crescimento & desenvolvimento , Relação Estrutura-AtividadeRESUMO
The purpose of this study was to assess the in vitro antimicrobial activity of alkaloid-enriched extracts from Prosopis juliflora (Fabaceae) pods in order to evaluate them as feed additives for ruminants. As only the basic chloroformic extract (BCE), whose main constituents were juliprosopine (juliflorine), prosoflorine and juliprosine, showed Gram-positive antibacterial activity against Micrococcus luteus (MIC = 25 µg/mL), Staphylococcus aureus (MIC = 50 µg/mL) and Streptococcus mutans (MIC = 50 µg/mL), its influence on ruminal digestion was evaluated using a semi-automated in vitro gas production technique, with monensin as the positive control. Results showed that BCE has decreased gas production as efficiently as monensin after 36 h of fermentation, revealing its positive influence on gas production during ruminal digestion. Since P. juliflora is a very affordable plant, this study points out this alkaloid enriched extract from the pods of Prosopis juliflora as a potential feed additive to decrease gas production during ruminal digestion.