Analgesic, Anti-Inflammatory, and Antioxidant Activities of Byrsonima duckeana W. R. Anderson (Malpighiaceae).

Background. Byrsonima is a promising neotropical genus, rich in flavonoids and triterpenes, with several proven pharmacological properties. Nevertheless, Byrsonima duckeana W. R. Anderson is an Amazonian species almost not studied. Objective. To assess the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and analgesic activities of Byrsonima duckeana leaves. Materials and Methods. We analyzed an ethanol extract and its fractions for polyphenol content and UHPLC-MS/MS, phosphomolybdenum, DPPH, TBARS antioxidant tests, formalin-induced pain, carrageenan-induced peritonitis, acetic acid-induced abdominal writhings, and hot plate assays. Results. All the samples showed high polyphenol content and antioxidant capacity in the phosphomolybdenum, DPPH, and TBARS tests. We identified ethyl gallate, quinic acid, gallic acid, catechin, epicatechin, quercetrin, and quercetin in the samples. B. duckeana was able to reduce leukocyte migration in the carrageenan-induced peritonitis by 43% and the licking time in the formalin test by 57%. In the acetic acid-induced writhing test, the chloroform (FCL) and ethyl acetate (FEA) fractions were the most active samples. FEA was selected for the hot plate test, where all the dosages tested (5, 50, and 200 mg·kg-1) showed significant analgesic activity. Conclusion. B. duckeana has interesting analgesic and antioxidant activities, due to its high phenolic content, especially phenolic acids.

Phytochemical constituents and preliminary toxicity evaluation of leaves from Rourea induta Planch. (Connaraceae) / Constituintes fitoquímicos e avaliação preliminar de toxicidade folhas de Rourea Induta Planch. (Connaraceae)

Most active plants are toxic at high doses and it is therefore important to investigate the preliminary toxicity of plant extracts. The Rourea induta species is a potential drug with no phytochemical or biological studies registered in the literature. Thus, a phytochemical study and a toxicity analysis of the ethanolic extract obtained from the leaves of Rourea induta Planch., Connaraceae, was run. A long chain hydrocarbon, n-tetracosane, and four flavonoids were identified: quercetin, and three glycosylated derivates, quercetin-3-O-α-arabinofuranoside, quercetin-3-O-β-xyloside and quercetin-3-O-β-galactoside. This is the first time these have been isolated in this species. The structures were elucidated by 13C NMR, ¹H NMR, UV and IR spectroscopy. The toxicity evaluation of extracts was performed by the brine shrimp method and determination of hemolytic activity. The samples demonstrated no toxic potential by the analyzed methods.

A maioria das plantas ativas é tóxica em doses elevadas, portanto, é importante a investigação da toxicidade preliminar dos extratos das plantas. A espécie Rourea induta é uma droga potencial que não apresenta estudo fitoquímico ou biológico descrito na literatura. Assim, um estudo fitoquímico e análises toxicológicas foram realizados com o extrato etanólico obtido das folhas de Rourea induta Planch., Connaraceae. Foram obtidos um hidrocarboneto de cadeia longa, n-tetracosano, e quatro flavonóides, quercetina e três derivados glicosilados, quercetina-3-O-α-arabinofuranosideo, quercetina-3-O-β-xilosideo e quercetina-3-O-β-galactosideo. Esta é a primeira vez que estes compostos são isolados nesta espécie. As estruturas foram elucidadas por espectroscopia de RMN-13C, RMN-¹H, ultravioleta e infravermelho. A avaliação da toxicidade dos extratos foi analisada pelo método da Artemia salina e atividade hemolítica. Nenhuma das amostras testadas apresentou um potencial tóxico pelos métodos analisados.

Inhibition of the inflammatory and coagulant action of Bothrops atrox venom by the plant species Marsypianthes chamaedrys.

AIM OF THE STUDY: This study investigated the efficacy of Marsypianthes chamaedrys Vahl (Lamiaceae) inflorescence and leaf extracts in inhibiting the inflammatory and coagulant actions of Bothrops atrox venom. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Marsypianthes chamaedrys, which is used in Brazil as a folk medicine to treat snakebites and local inflammatory reactions, was tested in vitro to determine its ability to block indirect phospholipase A(2) and direct coagulant activities and in vivo to determine its ability to inhibit leukocyte migration and cytokine release. RESULTS: In vitro, Marsypianthes chamaedrys showed antiphospholipase A(2) and anticoagulant activities; the latter activity was also confirmed by prothrombin time (PT) and activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) in the absence of venom. Of the extracts used, those obtained from the crushed plant had the greater inhibitory activity in in vitro tests, showing that biological activity is affected by the way extracts are obtained. In vivo, Marsypianthes chamaedrys inhibited leukocyte migration and the release of the proinflammatory cytokines IL-6 and TNF-α without altering the concentration of the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10. CONCLUSIONS: As specific antivenoms are not effective in neutralizing the local action of Bothrops venoms, characterization of the anti-inflammatory mechanisms induced by Marsypianthes chamaedrys is of vital importance if the extracts of this plant species are to be used in future as adjuvants in the treatment of snakebites.