Efecto del aceite esencial de Rosmarinus officinalis sobre Porphyromonas gingivalis cultivada in vitro / Effect of essential oil of Rosmarinus officinalis on Porphyromonas gingivalis cultivated in vitro

El interés por los productos naturales como fuente de agentes antimicrobianos ha ido en aumento. Estudios previos han demostrado que extractos de plantas pueden inhibir la proliferación bacteriana en la cavidad oral. El objetivo de este estudio fue determinar la susceptibilidad in vitro de Porphyromonas gingivalis ATCC 33277 frente al aceite esencial de Rosmarinus officinalis. Para la evaluación de la actividad antimicrobiana del aceite esencial se utilizó el método cuantitativo de dilución en agar, descrito por Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) para bacterias anaerobias. El aceite esencial de R. officinalis demostró una concentración mínima inhibitoria (CMI) contra Porphyromonas gingivalis ATCC 33277 de 1000 μg/ml. Estos resultados sugieren que el aceite esencial podría ser útil como un agente antibacteriano en preparaciones de uso oral.

The interest in natural products as a source of antimicrobial agents has been increasing. Previous studies have shown that plant extract may inhibit bacterial growth in the oral cavity. The aim of this study was to determine the in vitro susceptibility of Porphyromonas gingivalis ATCC 33277 against the essential oil of Rosmarinus officinalis. To evaluate the antimicrobial activity of the essential oil, quantitative agar dilution method described by the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) for anaerobic bacteria was used. The essential oil of R. officinalis showed a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 1000 µg/ml against Porphyromonas gingivalis ATCC 33277. These results suggest that essential oil of R. officinalis may be useful as an antibacterial agent in oral preparations.

Subcutaneous antifungal screening of Latin American plant extracts against Sporothrix schenckii and Fonsecaea pedrosoi.

CONTEXT: Subcutaneous mycoses are chronic infections caused by slow growing environmental fungi. Latin American plants are used in folk medicine to treat these afflictions. Moreover, the potential of the rich Latin American biodiversity for this purpose has not been fully explored. OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study was to screen Latin American plant extracts against two species of subcutaneous fungi: Sporothrix schenckii and Fonsecaea pedrosoi. MATERIALS AND METHODS: One hundred ninety-five organic extracts from 151 Latin American plants were screened against two subcutaneous fungi by the agar dilution method at a concentration of 100 µg/mL, and minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of active extracts were determined. Positive (amphothericin B) and negative (50% ethanol) controls were used. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: Twenty eight extracts showed activity at ≤100 µg/mL. Of these, four extracts from Gnaphalium gaudichaudianum DC (Asteraceae), Plumeria rubra L (Apocynaceae), Tecoma stans (L.) Juss. ex Kunth. (Bignoniaceae), and Trichostigma octandum (L.), H. Walter showed activity against F. pedrosoi at MIC 12.5 µg/mL; and, four extracts from Bourreria huanita (Lex.) Hemsl. (Boraginaceae), Phytolacca bogotensis Kunth (Phytolaccaceae), Monnina xalapensis Kunth (Polygalaceae) and Crataegus pubescens (C. Presl) C. Presl (Rosaceae) against S. schenckii. This is the first report on antifungal activity of the Latin American plants against these two subcutaneous fungi. CONCLUSION: S. schenkii and F. pedrosoi were inhibited by B. huanita (MIC: 12.5 and 25 µg/mL), G. gaudichaudianum (MIC: 50 and 12.5 µg/mL) and T. triflora (MIC: 25 µg/mL).

Screening of Latin American plants for antiparasitic activities against malaria, Chagas disease, and leishmaniasis.

In order to explore rationally the medical potential of the plant biodiversity of the Central and South American region as a source of novel antiparasitic molecules, a multinational Organization of American States (OAS) project, which included the participation of multidisciplinary research centers from Argentina, Bolivia, Colombia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Nicaragua and Panama, was carried out during the period 2001-2004. This project aimed at screening organic plant extracts for antitrypanosomal, antileishmanial and antimalarial activities and subsequently isolating and characterizing bioactive molecules. Plants for antiparasitic screening were selected from a database of ethnomedical uses of Latin American plants (PlanMedia) based on the amount of biological and chemical information available in the literature. We report here the evaluation of 452 extracts from 311 plant species in vitro screens against Plasmodium falciparum, Leishmania mexicana, and Trypanosoma cruzi. Out of 311 species tested, 17 plants (5.4%) showed antiparasitic activities at IC(50) values < or = 10 microg/mL. The most active plants were Acnistus arborescens (L.) Schltdl. (Solanaceae) (leaf, EtOH, IC(50): 4 microg/mL) Monochaetum myrtoideum Naudin (Melastomataceae) (leaf, MeOH, IC(50): 5 microg/mL) and Bourreria huanita (Lex.) Hemsl. (Boraginaceae) (branch, EtOH, IC(50): 6 microg/mL). These were selectively active against P. falciparum, L. mexicana and T. cruzi, respectively.

Value of the ethnomedical information for the discovery of plants with antifungal properties. A survey among seven Latin American countries.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: This study reports the antifungal evaluation of 327 plant species (92 families and 251 genera) from seven Latin American countries which were selected on the basis of their reported ethnomedical uses and compared them with plants selected at random. AIM OF THE STUDY: (a) The main aim of this study was to investigate whether the probability of detecting antifungal plants is higher when plants have reports of ethnopharmacological uses related to fungal infections (PAU group) than when they are selected at random (PNAU group). (b) The second objective was to determine, within the PAU group, whether the probability of obtaining a positive result will be higher when the plants are tested against dermatophytes, than against yeasts or Aspergillus spp. (c) The third goal was to investigate, within all MICs0.05). (c) Within the detected antifungal plants from both groups, plants of the PAU group displayed higher activities (lower MICs) than those of PNAU group against dermatophytes (p<0.05) but not against yeasts or Aspergillus spp. CONCLUSIONS: Considering that dermatophytes are the cause of superficial fungal infections, which can be easily detected and followed by traditional healers, our findings suggest that the ethnopharmacological approach is useful in guiding the detection of antifungal plants in Latin America mainly for infections in which the pathological expression is obvious and, therefore, the cure can be clearly observed.

[Antiinflammatory activity of extracts and fractions obtained from Physalis peruviana L. calyces]. / Actividad antinflamatoria de extractos y fracciones obtenidas de cálices de Physalis peruviana L.

INTRODUCTION: Cape gooseberry calyces (Physalis peruviana) have been used in folk medicine for their medicinal properties including anticancer, antimycobacterial, antipyretic, diuretic, immunomodulatory and antiinflammatory properties. OBJECTIVE: The antiinflammatory effect was evaluated for extracts and fractions obtained from Physalis peruviana calyces in a mice model of acute inflammation. The fractions responsible for antiinflammatory activity were extracted for possible identification. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The Physalis peruviana calyces were extracted by percolation with organic solvents. The primary hydroalcoholic fraction was purified by column chromatography. The antiinflammatory effect of extracts and fractions was evaluated using the 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate-induced mouse model of ear edema. RESULTS: Thirty-eight secondary fractions were obtained by column chromatography of primary hydroalcoholic fraction. Six fractions, evaluated in 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate-induced inflammation assay, showed significant antiinflammatory activity (p<0.05). The major fraction, Pp-D28-LF, showed a significant dose-dependent response at doses over 250 microg/ear. CONCLUSION: The antiinflammatory activity attributed to Physalis peruviana calyces was confirmed and validated its use in folk medicine. Fractions responsible for the antiinflammatory action were identified and seem promising for phytomedicinal development. Further studies are needed to isolate and identify the active constituents of these fractions as well as to ascertain the mechanisms involved in the antiinflammatory effect.

Inulina a partir de tubérculos de Dahlia imperialis Roetz

The extraction and isolation of inulin was accomplished, from the tubers of Dahlia imperialis Roetz. (Asteraceae), obtaining a yield of 13.7 percent a dry base. The obtained product was identified by means of physical, chemical, chromatographic and spectroscopic methods; its characterization was made according to the patterns of the United States American Pharmacopeia (USP 23). Some were made assays to determine the practical and functional profits of inulin, such as its use as prebiotic food, in the manufacture of fermented milks, with bifidobacteria, specifically Bifidum infantis. In these assays, it was observed that inulin stimulates and promotes the growth of these bacteria

Evaluación de actividades enzimáticas elastasa y mieloperoxidasa como marcadores de desgranulación leucocitaria en modelos de inflamación aguda / Evaluation of some enzymatic activities as markers of leukocyte degranulation in acute inflammation models

El efecto antiinflamatorio de sustancias aisladas de plantas medicinales colombianas fue evaluado mediante dos modelos de inflamación aguda: edema auricular inducido por TPA en ratón y bolsa de aire / zimosán en rata, encontrándose resultados promisorios (ej. actividades evidentes in vitro a concentración 100 M) para amarisolide, un clerodano aislado de Salvia rubescens y los glicósidos de ésteres alifáticos aislados de cálices de Physalis peruviana. Adicionalmente, se evaluó mediante métodos colorimétricos el potencial efecto inhibitorio sobre la liberación y la actividad elastasa y mieloperoxidasa (MPO), dos enzimas de desgranulación neutrofílica implicadas en procesos inflamatorios. Los resultados apuntan a que parte del efecto antinflamatorio de dichas sustancias se debe a actividad directa y/o indirecta sobre estas enzimas

Actividad Leishmanicida y tripanocida de algunas plantas reportadas como medicinales en Colombia / Activity Leishmanicida and tripanocida of some plants reported as medicinal in Colombia

Ocho extractos crudos y dos fracciones de alcaloides obtenidos de siete especies vegetales provenientes de la flora colombiana, (abuta grandifolia, Piper holtonii, Acnistus arborescens, Croton leptostachys, Piper cumanense, Acacia farnesiana y Xilopia aromática) fueron evaluadas in vitro frente a tres especies de Leishmania danovanni y Leismania braziliensis y epimastigotes de Trypanosoma cruzi (tulahuen); dos de estas epecies (Acnistus arborescens y Piper cumanense) mostraron alta actividad en los ensayos realizados con valores de concentración inhibitoria 50 (CL50) menores de 12,5 ug/mL; cercanos a los obtenidos con el fármaco de referencia pentamidina 10 ug/mL.

Estudio fitofarmacológico de Senna spectabilis (D.C) I&B / Phytopharmacology study of Senna spectabilis (D.C.)I&B

Se realizó el estudio fitofarmacológico de Senna spectabilis. Se efectuó la extracción de los alcaloides de la corteza de la planta y se determinó su actividad farmacológica y su toxicidad. Se demostró un efecto anticoagulante de los alcaloides totales y se logró reproducir en el animal experimental las alteraciones hematológicas. Los alcaloides muestran un aumento de la actividad motriz espontánea, inferior a la producida por la anfetamina, pero notoria en la dosis de 25 mg/Kg. La administración de los alcaloides a los animales de experimentación produce, además, convulsiones. Se determinó en ratones la DL50 de los alcaloides totales, obteniéndose un resultado de 31 mg/Kg de peso. Se efectuó un estudio histopatológico de algunos órganos de las ratas y ratones utilizados en los ensayos de actividad farmacológica y se observaron daños ocasionados por la administración de los alcaloides totales

Actividad insecticida del extracto etéreo y fracciones aisladas de hojas de Ricinus comunis L., sobre Sitophilus oryzae L / Insecticidal activity of extract etheral and fractions isolated from leaves of Ricinus comunis L., on sitophilus oryzae L

Se evaluó la actividad insecticida de extractos, fracciones cromatográficas y mezclas de compuestos aislados de las hojas de Ricinus comunis L., empleando los métodos de contacto forzado e ingestión frente a insectos adultos de sitophilus oryzae L. El extracto que mostró mejor actividad insecticida fue el de éter de petróleo (p.eb. 40-60ºC), a una concentración del 5 por ciento con una mortalidad del 89 por ciento a las 72 horas. El extracto etéreo se fraccionó utilizando métodos cromatográficos, las fracciones obtenidas fueron caracterizadas a través de la técnica de CG/EM. La composición química de las fracciones indica la presencia de ésteres de ácidos grasos y alcoholes de elevado peso molecular (ceras líquidas) e hidrocarburos superiores