The rise of medicalization of plants in Brazil: A temporal perspective on vernacular names.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Brazilian plant species used in folk medicine have acquired several popular names related to commercial medicines in recent decades. This fact has directly effect to the medicalization process. AIM OF THE STUDY: Evaluate the rise of medicalized popular names of medicinal plants in Brazil. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Medicalized popular names of medicinal plants were recorded from 314 ethnobotanical articles in eleven scientific journals published between 1980 and 2017. RESULTS: The review included 141 ethnobotanical articles containing medicalized names from 314 articles consulted. The presence of medicalized names in Brazilian ethnobotanical studies has increased significantly since the 2000s. A total of 85 medicalized popular names were recorded according with phonetic and graphical similarity. The most cited medicalized names were Anador, Insulin, Terramycin, Vick, Novalgin and Penicillin. The prevalence of medicalized name citations in ethnobotanical surveys over non-medicalized names for several species indicates the existence of medicalized plant species. CONCLUSION: Since the 2000s, an increasing number of ethnobotanical studies revealed the appropriation of drug names by folk medicine through the changes of vernacular names of medicinal plants. This medicalization process is mostly related to the expansion of the Brazilian Unified Health System, pharmaceutical industry marketing and Non-Governmental Organizations in the last decades.

New insights on the phylogenetic relationships among the traditional Philodendron subgenera and the other groups of the Homalomena clade (Araceae).

Philodendron (Araceae) is one of the largest Neotropical plant genera, with approximately 500 species and at least 1000 species predicted. There is a considerable ecological diversity in the group, although most species occur in the humid forests of tropical America. Despite being relatively well-studied in taxonomic analyses, the relationships among the traditional morphological groups of the genus are not well-established, mainly regarding the three traditional subgenera, referred here as Philodendron sensu lato (s.l.), P. subg. Pteromischum, P. subg. Philodendron and P. subg. Meconostigma, which was recently recognized as a separate genus, Thaumatophyllum. Therefore, the present work evaluates the phylogenetic position and the monophyly of Philodendron s.l. and its three main subdivisions, and the sister groups within the Homalomena clade, which also includes the Neotropical genus Adelonema, the two Asian genera Homalomena and Furtadoa, and the two African genera Cercestis and Culcasia, by means of molecular phylogenetic approaches including chloroplast DNA (atpF-atpH, rpl32-trnL, trnQ-5'-rps16 and trnV-ndhC) and nuclear (ITS2) markers. The monophyly of Philodendron s.l. and its three lineages is confirmed and our analyses corroborate previous morphologic data indicating Thaumatophyllum as sister to the clade formed by P. subg. Pteromischum and P. subg. Philodendron.

Novelties in Brazilian Tradescantia L. (Commelinaceae).

We present a new record to the Brazilian territory (i.e. Tradescantia boliviana), the rediscovery of a species exclusively known from the cultivated type collection (i.e. T. valida), the description of a new taxon (i.e. T. chrysophylla), synonyms for T. crassula and T. boliviana, correct the typification of T. crassula, and designation of a lectotype for T. ambigua and T. ambigua var. pilosula. Furthermore, we present illustrations, comments, distribution maps, and identification keys for the studied taxa.

Oxidation of monoterpenes in Protium heptaphyllum oleoresins.

Protium heptaphyllum (Burseraceae) oleoresins are rich in volatile monoterpenes, exhibiting a chemical composition that can be strongly altered with time. The present work aimed to discuss the temporal change of the volatile composition of these oleoresins, and search for related supporting evidence. Samples of P. heptaphyllum oleoresin were collected separately for fresh (n = 10) and aged (n = 8) oleoresins, with the essential oils obtained by hydrodistillation analyzed by GC-FID and GC-MS. Fresh oleoresins were characterized by a high content of terpinolene (28.2-69.7%), whereas aged ones contained large amounts of p-cymene (18.7-43.0%) and p-cymen-8-ol (8.2-31.8%). Multivariate analyses were performed based on the yield and major essential oil components to clearly demonstrate the existence of two subsets (fresh and aged oleoresins). In addition, an analysis of the partial genome sequencing of the species was carried out, producing the largest amount of data for the genus Protium. Subsequently, were searched for nucleotide sequences responsible for the enzymes involved in the biosynthesis of monoterpenes. Two hypotheses were formulated to understand the oxidation process during aging of the oleoresins: (i) a natural chemical oxidation of terpenes and (ii) an oxidation catalyzed by enzymes produced by microorganisms associated with the plant. The results suggested that terpinolene was most likely oxidized to p-cymene, which, in turn, was oxidized into p-cymen-8-ol during natural aging of the exudate due to abiotic factors.

In Vitro Antileukemic Activity of Xanthosoma sagittifolium (Taioba) Leaf Extract.

Xanthosoma sagittifolium Schott is a herb of the Araceae family, popularly known as taioba, which is consumed as food in some regions of Brazil, Africa, and Asia. This species has already been evaluated for the antifungal activities. However, based on its potential antitumor activity, the present study further aimed to examine the antitumor, as well as chelation, activity of X. sagittifolium leaf extract. Results showed that hydroethanolic extract of X. sagittifolium leaves (HEXs-L) exhibits cytotoxic effects against the immortalized line of human T-lymphocytic (Jurkat) and myelogenous (K562) leukemia cells, but not nontumor RAW 264.7 macrophages or NIH/3T3 fibroblasts. HEXs-L inhibited 50.3% of Jurkat cell proliferation, reducing by 20% cells in G2/M phase, but increasing cells in sub-G1 phase, thereby inducing apoptosis by 54%. In addition, HEXs-L inhibited NO production by 59%, as determined by Griess reaction, and chelated 93.8% of free Fe(II), as demonstrated by ferrozine assay. Phytochemical studies were carried out by ESI-MS, identifying apigenin di-C-glycosides as major compounds. Overall, this work revealed that leaf extract of Xanthosoma sagittifolium presented chelating activity and in vitro antitumor activity, arresting cell cycle and inducing apoptosis of leukemia cells, thus providing evidence that taioba leaves may have practical application in cancer therapy.

Spatial variation in the stable isotopes of 13C and 15N and trophic position of Leporinus friderici (Characiformes, Anostomidae) in Corumbá Reservoir, Brazil.

Stable isotopes of carbon (delta13C) and nitrogen (delta15N) were used to describe sources of energy and trophic position for adult Leporinus friderici in the area of the Corumbá Reservoir, Brazil. Samples were collected from April 1999 to March 2000. Spatial variations were not identified in the isotopic composition. The maximum and minimum contribution of C4 plants calculated integrating the variation of plants and fish were 47.7% and 2.4%, respectively. Among C3 plants, periphyton presented closer isotopic values to those observed for fishes, corresponding to an important carbon source. The proportion of ingested plant item is larger in rivers upstream from the reservoir (42.7%), which justifies the smaller trophic level among there. However, in the reservoir, the ingestion of fish was 81.4%, while ingested plants contributed with 18.6%. Downstream from the dam, participation of plant item was even smaller (14.4%). Although the trophic position calculated with diet data was proportional to the one calculated with delta15N values, the former elevated the trophic level of L. friderici in the food web, because estimated trophic positions were based on fish items belonging to the 2nd (a) and to the 3rd (b) trophic levels.

Spatial variation in the stable isotopes of 13C and 15N and trophic position of Leporinus friderici (Characiformes, Anostomidae) in Corumbá Reservoir, Brazil

Stable isotopes of carbon (delta13C) and nitrogen (delta15N) were used to describe sources of energy and trophic position for adult Leporinus friderici in the area of the Corumbá Reservoir, Brazil. Samples were collected from April 1999 to March 2000. Spatial variations were not identified in the isotopic composition. The maximum and minimum contribution of C4 plants calculated integrating the variation of plants and fish were 47.7 percent and 2.4 percent, respectively. Among C3 plants, periphyton presented closer isotopic values to those observed for fishes, corresponding to an important carbon source. The proportion of ingested plant item is larger in rivers upstream from the reservoir (42.7 percent), which justifies the smaller trophic level among there. However, in the reservoir, the ingestion of fish was 81.4 percent, while ingested plants contributed with 18.6 percent. Downstream from the dam, participation of plant item was even smaller (14.4 percent). Although the trophic position calculated with diet data was proportional to the one calculated with delta15N values, the former elevated the trophic level of L. friderici in the food web, because estimated trophic positions were based on fish items belonging to the 2nd (a) and to the 3rd (b) trophic levels.

Isótopos estáveis de carbono (delta13C) e nitrogênio (delta15N) foram utilizados para descrever as fontes de energia e a posição trófica de adultos de Leporinus friderici na área do reservatório de Corumbá, Brasil. As amostras foram coletadas entre abril de 1999 e março de 2000. Variações espaciais não foram identificadas quanto à composição isotópica da espécie. As contribuições máximas e mínimas das plantas C4, foram de 47,7 por cento e 2,4 por cento, respectivamente. Entre as plantas C3, o perífiton correspondeu a uma das mais importantes fontes de carbono para a espécie, pois seus valores isotópicos foram os mais próximos àqueles observados para os peixes. A proporção ingerida do item vegetal foi maior em rios localizados a montante do reservatório (42,7 por cento), justificando a menor posição trófica registrada para a espécie entre os ambientes estudados, enquanto no reservatório esta proporção foi de 18,6 por cento, sendo que o item peixes atingiu 81,4 por cento. A jusante do reservatório, a participação das plantas foi ainda menor, atingindo 14,4 por cento. Embora a posição trófica da espécie, calculada com os dados de dieta, fossem proporcionais àqueles calculados com os valores de delta15N, os primeiros elevaram o nível trófico de L. friderici na cadeia alimentar, pois estas foram baseadas nos itens peixe, cujas espécies pertenciam ao segundo e ao terceiro nível trófico.