Influence of seasonal variation on phenolic content and in vitro antioxidant activity of Secondatia floribunda A. DC. (Apocynaceae).

This study reports the effects of seasonal variation on the total polyphenol and flavonoid content and the in vitro antioxidant activity of Secondatia floribunda A. DC. The extracts were prepared from the inner bark and heartwood of samples harvested in the 2015 to 2016. The total phenolic and flavonoid content was determined by specific qualitative tests. The in vitro antioxidant capacity was analyzed using the following tests: 1-1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical (DPPH), 2,2'-azinobis-3-ethylbenzenothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS+), ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) and iron (Fe2+) chelating activity. The total polyphenol and total flavonoid content varied over the harvest period. The DPPH and ABTS tests revealed that in the dry season had the most potent in vitro antioxidant activity, although the extracts obtained during the rainy season presented the higher Fe2+ chelating and Ferric reducing activities. In conclusion, the phenolic content and in vitro antioxidant activity are correlated, and both are influenced by seasonality.

Antidepressive effects of a chemically characterized maqui berry extract (Aristotelia chilensis (molina) stuntz) in a mouse model of Post-stroke depression.

Mood disorders occur in 30% of stroke patients, and of these post-stroke depression (PSD) is the most significant. This study aimed to evaluate the antidepressive-like effects and in vivo antioxidant activity of a chemically characterized maqui berry (Aristotelia chilensis (Molina) Stuntz) extract obtained from an optimized extraction method, on a murine PSD model. The extraction process was optimized to maximize anthocyanin content, and the phytochemical profile of the extract was evaluated using a multi-methodological approach including a liquid chromatographic method coupled with mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. The antidepressive-like activity was investigated through despair swimming and tail suspension tests. The in vivo antioxidant activity was evaluated in mouse brain tissue by measuring the activity of antioxidant enzymes and lipid peroxidation products. A number of compounds have been first identified in maqui berry here, including malvidin-glucoside, GABA, choline and trigonelline. Moreover, the results showed that the antidepressive-like activity exerted by the extract, which was found to restore normal mouse behavior in both despair swimming and tail suspension tests, could be linked to its antioxidant activity, leading to the conclusion that maqui berries might be useful for supporting pharmacological therapy of PSD by modulating oxidative stress.

Development and validation of a rapid RP-HPLC-DAD analysis method for the quantification of pilocarpine in Pilocarpus microphyllus (Rutaceae).

A method using high performance liquid chromatography with diode array detector (HPLC-DAD) for identification and quantification of pilocarpine in the extract of Pilocarpus microphyllus, popularly known as jaborandi. The analysis was conducted using RP-18 column (250 mm × 4.6 mm x 5 µm id) and a buffer solution composed of acidified water, phosphoric acid and triethylamine and methanol as a mobile phase in a flow rate of 1.0 mL/min and detection at 215  nm at 25 °C. Excellent linearity with r2 equal to 0.9999 was obtained. The recovery percentage was very satisfactory with values within the specifications. It is correct to affirm that the method has optimal intracurrent and intercurrent precision values with relative standard deviations of 0.1852% and 0.1932%, respectively. The robustness of the method, assessed through the Youden test, showed no significant influence of any of the evaluated parameters. In general, the method proved to be suitable for the intended purpose.