Poincianella pyramidalis (Tul) L.P. Queiroz: A review on traditional uses, phytochemistry and biological-pharmacological activities.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Poincianella pyramidalis (Tul.) LP Queiroz (Fabaceae) is an endemic tree in the Northeast of Brazil. Its flowers, leaves, stem bark and root have been used over the years to treat infections, abdominal pain, inflammation, diarrhea, heartburn, and dyspepsia. AIM OF THE STUDY: The present study is a critical assessment of the state-of-the-art concerning traditional uses, phytochemistry, pharmacology and toxicology of P. pyramidalis performed through the application of a robust research strategy to explore the therapeutic potential of P. pyramidalis extracts and isolated compounds for the treatment of human disorders. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Information related to this review was systematically collected from scientific literature databases for P. pyramidalis, including papers and patents (PubMed, Science Direct, Scopus, Web of Science, Google scholar, INPI, WIPO, EPO and USPTO), published books (e.g. Plantas Forrageiras das Caatingas), dissertations and theses. Plant taxonomy has been confirmed in the "The Plant List" database (www.theplantlist.org). RESULTS: Phytochemical analysis of P. pyramidalis shows several constituents such as flavonoids, triterpenoids and phenylpropanoids. The extract and isolated constituents exhibited a wide range of in vitro and in vivo pharmacological effects including antimicrobial, antinociceptive, anti-inflammatory, gastroprotective and neuroprotective activities. In addition, toxicity studies showed that the administration of P. pyramidalis extract was safe in non-pregnant rats but displayed teratogenic effects in rats and goats. On the other hand, the search in patent databases reported a single filing, which highlights the disparity between a large number of published scientific articles versus the almost nonexistent filing of patents. This fact evidences a still little explored technological potential of the species. CONCLUSION: P. pyramidalis represents an important therapeutic resource for the population from the Northeast of Brazil. Pharmacological studies confirmed the effectiveness of the extract or isolated compounds in the treatment of various pathologies traditionally treated with P. pyramidalis. The authors emphasize the need for in-depth research and future clinical trials in order to investigate the clinical efficacy and safety of P. pyramidalis.

Light-mediated antibacterial activity of Lippia origanoides H.B.K. in vitro.

An ethanol extract and different partition fractions obtained from Lippia origanoides H.B.K. were assayed for light-mediated activity against strains of Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and Escherichia coli (E. coli). Identical assays were conducted with and without exposure to UV-A (400-315 nm) light to test for light enhanced activity. The ethanol extract and dichloromethane fraction showed light-mediated activity against the S. aureus strain, but not against the E. coli strain. The dichloromethane fraction was more active than the ethanol extract. Naringenin did not display light-mediated activity against the tested bacteria, indicating that the light-mediated antimicrobial activity of the dichloromethane fraction is not due to its major component. The results represent the first report of light-mediated antimicrobial activity of Lippia origanoides and show that its phytochemicals could be used as light-mediated antimicrobial agents.