Antinociceptive activity of Buddleja globosa (matico) in several models of pain.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Leaf extracts of Buddleja globosa (Buddlejaceae) are used in Chilean folk medicine for wound healing. The anti-inflammatory (topic and per os), analgesic (per os) effects and the antioxidant activity of Buddleja globosa were for the first time reported by us. AIM OF THE STUDY: Assess the antinociceptive activity of the methanol sequential and global extracts using complementary chemical and thermal models of pain, characterize pharmacologically the antinociception induced, evaluate seasonal influence to support Buddleja globosa medicinal use. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Global methanol, sequential methanol and ethanol (leaves collected in autumn and summer) extracts were evaluated for oral and topic analgesia in tail flick, formalin and writhing models, verbascoside and 7-O-luteolin glucoside were assayed in tail flick and writhing. Ibuprofen was used as reference. For characterization of induced antinociception, naltrexone, naltrindole, tropisetron, nor-binaltorphimine, prazosin, yohimbine, atropine, and N-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester were used as antagonists and inhibitors drugs. RESULTS: Seasonal influence was observed since autumn extract resulted less active. Extracts showed a dose-dependent antinociceptive activity in all assays, the highest effects were obtained for the formalin and writhing test. Verbascoside was more active than ibuprofen in the writhing test (67.6% and 50.0% at equimolar doses) and showed similar effects in the tail flick (topic and oral) near 25% at equivalent doses - ED25 or EC25 - to ibuprofen. Luteolin 7-O-glucoside was slightly more active in the tail flick test and nearly half active than verbascoside in the writhing assay. Effectiveness was higher for the sequential than for global alcoholic extracts, and can be increased by selective blocking of opioid receptors. Global methanol extract seems modulated only by naltrexone. CONCLUSIONS: Analgesic effect of Buddleja globosa is here demonstrated validating its use in traditional medicine. Season influence is important to be considered.

Constituents and biological activities of Schinus polygamus.

The folk medicine employs Schinus polygamus to treat arthritic pain and cleansing of wounds. As no reports of pharmacological studies supporting its anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties, extracts of increasing polarity were assayed on the base of fever, pain and inflammation, together with its antimicrobial activity. All the extracts showed pharmacological activities. From the most active extracts different metabolites were isolated that can in part explain the antipyretic, anti-inflammatory, and analgesic activity: beta-sitosterol, shikimic acid together with quercetin, previously reported. Also, the essential oil of leaves and fruits was obtained and compared with the oil obtained from Schinus polygamus collected in Argentine. Oils differed in composition and in antibacterial activity, where the Chilean species exhibited a wide spectrum of activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, and the most abundant compound found in leaves and fruits was beta-pinene, meanwhile the Argentine species showed high activity against Bacillus cereus, and the main components resulted to be alpha-phellandrene and limonene.

Pharmaco-toxicological study of Kageneckia oblonga, Rosaceae.

The probable antipyretic, antiinflammatory, analgesic and antioxidant properties of Kageneckia oblonga, Rosaceae, were investigated and the major compounds of its active extracts were isolated. The study comprised the acute toxicity of the extracts of global methanol, hexane, dichloromethane and methanol. The cytotoxicity of global methanol extract was studied in three tumoral cell lines. All the extracts exhibited the pharmacological activities under study. Methanol and dichloromethane were the most toxic extracts. From the global methanol extract, isolations were performed of prunasin, 23,24- dihydro-cucurbitacin F, and a new cucurbitacin, 3beta-(beta-D-glucosyloxy)-16alpha,23alpha-epoxycucurbita-5,24-diene-11-one. The cytotoxicity of both cucurbitacins on human neutrophils at the assayed concentrations was not statistically significant. In-vitro assays showed that both cucurbitacins can be partly responsible for the analgesic, antipyretic, and anti-inflammatory activities. Evaluation was done of the cytotoxicity of global methanol extract, 23, 24-dihydrocucurbitacin F, aqueous extracts and prunasin against P-388 murine leukaemia, A-549 human lung carcinoma and HT-29 colon carcinoma. Since global methanol extract presented a strong cytotoxicity against P-388 murine leukaemia, A-549 human lung carcinoma, and HT-29 cell lines, it is highly probable that this extract contain one or more cytotoxic compounds that could be investigated for their potential use as an agent against cancer.

Constituents and biological activities from Muehlenbeckia hastulata.

Muehlenbeckia hastulata (J. E.Sm.) Johnst. used mainly for its abortive properties was found active for oxytoxic and analgesic activities in a biological activity screening (oxytoxic, analgesic, antimicrobial, cytotoxic and xanthine oxidase assay). Epicatechin, emodin-8-glycoside and rutin were isolated from the aerial part and the root of the plant.

Topical anti-inflammatory activity of 2alpha-hydroxy pentacyclic triterpene acids from the leaves of Ugni molinae.

Leaf extracts of Ugni molinae Turcz. are used in the Chilean cosmetic industry on the assumption that they have decongestant, regenerative, and anti-aging properties. A bioassay-guided fractionation of this plant material showed that some extracts have potent anti-inflammatory activities. Further fractionation led to the isolation and identification of betulinic acid, a mixture of ursolic and oleanolic acids, and the 2alpha-hydroxy derivatives alphitolic, asiatic, and corosolic acids. The latter three were evaluated in vivo in the mouse ear assay for their topical anti-inflammatory activity, inducing inflammation with either arachidonic acid (AA) or 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13 acetate (TPA). Only corosolic acid was active in the AA assay, with similar potency to nimesulide, but all three triterpene acids inhibited TPA-induced inflammation with potencies comparable to that of indomethacin.

Two new dammarane triterpenoids from Kageneckia angustifolia D. Don.

Two new dammarane triterpenoids, 20R,21-epoxydammar-24-ene-3,23-dione and 20R,21-epoxy-3beta-hydroxydammar-24-ene-23-one have been isolated from the aerial parts of Kageneckia angustifolia D. Don, Rosaceae, along with the previously reported triterpenoids oleanolic acid and 3beta-(beta-D-glucosyloxy)-16alpha,23alpha-epoxycucurbita-5,24-dien-11-one and the phenolic prunasin. The structures of these compounds were established by MS, 1D- and 2D-NMR experiments, and the structure of the new compounds were confirmed by X-ray diffraction analysis.

Antibacterial diterpenoids from Fabiana densa var. ramulosa.

A biologically monitored fractionation of the resinous exudate of Fabiana densa Remy var. ramulosa Wedd. led to the isolation of the two new diterpenes: ent-beyer-15-en-18-O-succinate and ent-beyer-15-en-18-O-oxalate as the unique compounds responsible for the observed antibacterial activity of this extract. Their structures were determined by 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopy.

Methyl psilalate: a new antimicrobial metabolite from Psila boliviensis.

Psila boliviensis (Wedd.) Cabr. yielded a new phenylpropanoid, named methyl psilalate. The structure was established by means of standard spectroscopic techniques. The microbiological evaluation of the compound revealed antibacterial activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria.

Caracterización química y sensorial de tres tés digestivos / Chemical and sensorial characterization of three digestive teas

Se estudiaron tres tés digestivos: de manzanilla (Matricaria chamomilla), de menta (Mentha piperita) y de boldo (Peumus boldus Molina) por análisis sensorial descriptivo cuantitativo y por cromatografia en capa fina de la infusión y el extacto. Los principios activos se relacionaron con las percepciones sensoriales para explicar su elección y diferenciación. Para la caracterización sensorial de cada uno de los productos por un panel entrenado se desarrolló una lista de descriptores que posteriormente se cuantificaron en escala semiestructurada de intensidad, de 10 cm. Para probar la diferenciación de las infusiones se realizó un análisis de varianza (ANOVA) de 3 variables: muestra, jueces y repeticiones y el teste de Duncan sobre el conjunto de descriptores de los 3 productos (Statgraphics 5.0)...