Ethnopharmacological study of medicinal plants used in Rosário da Limeira, Minas Gerais, Brazil / Estudo Etnofarmacológico de Plantas Medicinais utilizadas em Rosário da Limeira, Minas Gerais, Brasil

In order to evaluate the popular knowledge on the use of medicinal plants and the contribution in the preservation of medicinal flora, the present work aims to rescue and organize such knowledge on medicinal species and its relation with therapeutic uses, in the city of Rosario de Limeira, MG. Data were collected January to March, 2007. Fifteen informants, all resident in urban and agricultural communities, were asked about their knowledge on medicinal plants. The current survey revealed the use of 66 species belonging to 33 families (Asteraceae with the major number of species, followed by Lamiaceae, Rutaceae, and Bignoniaceae) used in the treatment of various diseases. 44,3 percent of them grow spontaneously and 55,7 percent are cultivated. The main vegetal part used in the preparation of the phytotherapy was the leaf, and the most common preparation was the infusion. The most used species were: Baccharis trimera, Mentha sp., Plantago major, Chenopodium ambrosioides and Symphytum officinale.

Em virtude da importância do saber popular na utilização de plantas medicinais e da contribuição desse saber na preservação da flora medicinal, o trabalho atual tem o objetivo de resgatar e sistematizar o conhecimento popular de espécies medicinais e sua relação com usos terapêuticos, em Rosário de Limeira, MG. Os dados foram coletados entre janeiro e março de 2007. Quinze informantes foram entrevistados sobre seus conhecimentos das espécies medicinais, residentes nas comunidades rurais e nos bairros do município. A pesquisa revelou o uso de 66 espécies pertencentes a 33 famílias (Asteraceae com o maior número de espécies, seguido por Lamiaceae, Rutaceae e Bignoniaceae) usadas no tratamento de várias patologias. Das espécies medicinais citadas, 44,3 por cento crescem espontaneamente e 55,7 por cento são cultivadas. A principal parte vegetal usada na preparação dos fitoterápicos é a folha e a preparação mais comum é a infusão. As espécies mais usadas são: Baccharis trimera, Mentha sp., Plantago major, Chenopodium ambrosioides e Symphytum officinale.

Antimalarial activity of Bidens pilosa L. (Asteraceae) ethanol extracts from wild plants collected in various localities or plants cultivated in humus soil.

Bidens pilosa (Asteraceae), a medicinal plant used worldwide, has antimalarial activity as shown in previous work. This study tested ethanol extracts from wild plants collected in three different regions of Brazil and from plants cultivated in various soil conditions. The extracts were active in mice infected with P. berghei: doses of < or =500 mg/kg administered by oral route reduced malaria parasitaemia and mouse mortality; higher doses were found to be less effective. Tested in vitro against three P. falciparum isolates, two chloroquine resistant and one mefloquine resistant, the plants cultivated under standard conditions, and in humus enriched soil, were active; but the wild plants were the most active. Analysis using thin layer chromatography demonstrated the presence of flavonoids (compounds considered responsible for the antimalarial activity) in all plants tested, even though at different profiles. Because B. pilosa is proven to be active against P. falciparum drug-resistant parasites in vitro, and in rodent malaria in vivo, it is a good candidate for pre-clinical tests as a phytotherapeutic agent or for chemical isolation of the active compounds with the aim of finding new antimalarial drugs.

Progress of White Rot on Garlic Cultivars Planted at Different Times.

In the region of Amarantina, Minas Gerais state, Brazil, four annual experiments with garlic (Allium sativum) were established in fields infested with Sclerotium cepivorum, causal agent of garlic white rot, to investigate the effect of time of planting on the day when disease was first noticed (tonset), incidence at harvest (yf), duration of epidemics (tf - tonset), and the response of five cultivars to white rot. Most epidemiological parameters were similar among cultivars. In 1986 to 1988, no white rot was observed on garlic planted during the warm temperatures in January. The average onset of white rot occurred at different times dependent on the day of planting as average temperatures decreased from January to May. That is, for February plantings, onset occurred after 93 to 140 days (between 1 June and 5 July); for March plantings, about 90 days (15 to 28 June); for mid-April plantings, about 77 days (1 July); and mid-May plantings, about 66 days (20 July). Because of these different times of onset, the average duration of epidemics was shorter for crops planted in February (30 days) compared to crops planted in March (48 days) or April to May (54 to 69 days). In general, most disease (highest incidence and longest duration) occurred on crops planted in March to May. Therefore, severe losses to white rot would be expected when garlic is planted at the traditional times (March and April) in areas infested with sclerotia of S. cepivorum. The early planting of garlic is recommended as an important management strategy to avoid white rot in areas with these infested soils.