Background and PurposeLeaves of Jacaranda decurrens are used in traditional Brazilian medicine to treat metabolic diseases related to increased reactive oxygen species. The present study evaluated the antioxidant and cytotoxic potential of hydroethanolic extract from the leaves of Jacaranda decurrens subsp. symmetrifoliolata.Experimental ApproachPhenolic compounds, flavonoids and saponins were evaluated in an ethanol∶water (80∶20, v/v) extract from the leaves of Jacaranda decurrens subsp. symmetrifoliolata (E-Jds). The antioxidant activity of E-Jds was investigated by assessing the following: 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging activity; protection against 2,2′-azobis (2-amidinopropane) dihydrochloride (AAPH)-induced hemolysis of erythrocytes; in vitro and in vivo malondialdehyde dosage; and the ability to activate antioxidant enzymes. K562 leukemia cells were used for the cytotoxic evaluation of E-Jds and for the assessment of the cell death profile through flow cytometry.Key ResultsPhenolic and flavonoid compounds were quantified as 14.38% and 2.15%, respectively, of E-Jds. These phenolic and flavonoid compounds proved to be able to scavenge DPPH free radicals with an IC50 of 9.3±3.3 µg/mL, to protect up to 50% of erythrocytes against AAPH-induced hemolysis and to reduce in vitro and in vivo malondialdehyde levels up to 84% and 22%, respectively. E-Jds also increased glutathione peroxidase enzyme activity, with a concomitant decrease in superoxide dismutase and catalase activity, and exhibited dose-dependent cytotoxic activity on K562 erythroleukemia cells with cell death occurring via both late apoptosis and necrosis.ConclusionsE-Jds exhibits in vitro and in vivo antioxidant potential, which may be the mechanism mediating the metabolic activities reported in folk medicine. Furthermore, the cytotoxic activity identified in this study contributes with the knowledge of antiproliferative activities that have been described in the literature for the genus Jacaranda.

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RESUMORealizou-se este trabalho com o objetivo de avaliar o crescimento, desenvolvimento e a produção de flores de Tropaeolum majus L., em função do uso de cama de frango e de resíduo orgânico misto, associados ou não ao nitrogênio. O trabalho foi desenvolvido no Horto de Plantas Medicinais -HPM, da Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul UFMS, em Dourados MS, no período de maio a outubro de 2002. Os tratamentos em estudo foram testemunha (solo normal) -T, nitrogênio (60 kg.ha -1 N, na forma de sulfato de amônio) -N, cama (15000 kg ha -1 de cama de frango semidecomposta) -CF, cama mais nitrogênio -CFN, resíduo misto (15000 kg ha -1 ) RM e resíduo misto mais nitrogênio -RMN, dispostos no delineamento experimental de blocos casualizados, com quatro repetições. As características avaliadas foram: altura das plantas, biomassa fresca e seca da parte aérea sem flores, biomassa fresca e seca das flores, número de flores, diâmetro e altura das flores, teor de N e P nas folhas e flores. A maior altura da planta foi de 36,33 cm no tratamento CF. As plantas do tratamento CFN apresentaram as maiores produções de biomassa fresca (52195,69 kg.ha -1 ) e seca (6281,14 kg ha -1 ) de parte aérea sem flores, e de biomassa fresca (3150,97 kg.ha -1 ), seca (232,17 kg ha -1 ) e de número de flores (50,49 milhões ha -1 ). Os diâmetros e os comprimentos das flores não variaram com os tratamentos utilizados. Os teores médios de N (33,0 e 32,0 g kg -1 ) e de P (1,9 e 3,3 g kg -1 ) nas folhas e nas flores, respectivamente, estiveram dentro daqueles citados para a espécie. Termos para indexação:Resíduo misto, cama de frango, nutrição mineral, produtividade. ABSTRACTThe objective of this work was to evaluate growth, development and yield of Trapaeolum majus L. flowers as a function of the use of chicken manure and mixed organic residue associated or not with Nitrogen. The work was carried out at Medicinal Plant Garden HPM of the Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul UFMS, in Dourados MS, from May to October, 2002. Studied treatments were control (normal soil) -T, nitrogen (60 kg.ha -1 of N, in ammonia sulfate form) -N, chicken manure (15000 kg ha -1 of semi-decomposed chicken manure) -CF, chicken manure associated with nitrogen -CFN, mixed residue (15000 kg ha -1 ) RM and mixed residue associated with nitrogen -RMN, which were established in a randomized experimental design with four replications. Evaluated characteristics were plant height, dried and fresh matter of aerial part without flowers, fresh and dried matter of flowers, flower diameter and height, N and P content in leaves and flowers. The highest plant height was of 36.33 cm in CF treatment. Plants from CFN treatment showed the greatest yield of fresh (52,195.69 kg.ha -1 ) and dried (6,281.14 kg.ha -1 ) matters of aerial parts without flowers, and of fresh (3,150.97 kg.ha -1 ) and dried (232.17 kg.ha -1 ) matters and number of flowers (50.49 millions.ha -1 ). Diameters and heights of flowers did not varied with treatments used. The highest contents of N (35.6 g kg -1 ) and...

Myracrodruon urundeuva is a plant native to Brazil, which is used by the indigenous population for the treatment of candidiasis. The aims of this study were to evaluate the antifungal activity of extract against human vaginal Candida species and evaluate the possible toxicological activities of M. urundeuva. Initially, ethanol extracts, ethyl acetate fractions, and hydroalcoholic fractions of the bark and leaf of M. urundeuva were used to determine the minimum inhibitory concentration. The extracts that showed antifungal activity were characterized by liquid chromatography and subjected to toxicity assessment. Toxic, cytotoxic, genotoxic, and mutagenic testing were performed using Allium cepa and Ames assays with the ethanol extracts of the bark and leaves. Hemolytic activity was evaluated in erythrocytes and acute toxicity in rats. The ethanol bark extracts showed best activity against Candida albicans, C. krusei, and C. tropicalis ATCC (4-512 µg/mL). Chemical characterization indicated the presence of flavonoids and tannins in the extracts. Hemolytic activity, genotoxicity, and mutagenicity were not observed. The results of the Ames and A. cepa tests were also in agreement, ethanol bark extracts and ethanol leaf extracts of M. urundeuva showed absence of mutagenic activity. Similar results were observed in the A. cepa assay and acute toxicity test in rats. M. urundeuva bark extracts showed potential for the treatment of vaginal infections caused Candida species, as a topical.

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