The use bulbs of Eleutherine bulbosa for treatament of diseases caused by malaria, amoeba and bacteria. This study accomplished the botanical and phytochemical characterization, antimicrobial activity and cytotoxic of E. bulbosa. For the anatomical studies, the studied material was fixed in formaldehyde – acetic acid and ethanol and it was dyed in safranin and in astra blue. For histochemistry, was fixed in buffered neutral formalin and in ferrous sulphate in formalina. Ethanolic Extract (EE) was submitted to fractionation in a chromatographic column and four (4) fractions were obtained from it. The Dichloromethane Fraction (DF) was submitted to a new fractionation. The biological activity was evalueted by diffusion in agar, microdilution and celular viability MTT. The bulb of E. bulbosa is characterized by a reduced caulinar axis and by succulent amiliferous cataphylls, epidermis with the presence of anthocyanins, homogeneous mesophyll with idioblasts of prismatic crystals of calcium oxalate and phenolic compounds. In agar diffusion it was observed that EE, DF and ethyl acetate fraction (ACF) were active for Staphylococcus aureus. In microdilution, DF (Inhibitory minimum concentration= 125 µg/ mL) was more active. For all samples the Minimous Bactericidal Concentration was >1000 µg/ mL. The fractionation contributes positively with the citotoxicity, being subfractions S1 and S2 the most citotoxic ones. The Fraction Dichloromethane was the most active one for S. aureus and more citotoxicity to VERO cells. Probably the less citotoxicity of EE is related to the presence of anthocyanins that are present on bulbs epidermis.

Grown-love (Portulaca pilosa L) is used in Amazon medicine for the treatment of diseases caused by bacteria, wound care. The objective of this work was to conduct a botanical survey of P. pilosa, as well as to evaluate its leishmanicidal activity. For the botanical studies techniques of epidermal decoupling and histological sections were used (by hand and microtome). The ethanol extract (EE) of aerial parts of P. pilosa was obtained by maceration, followed by concentration in evaporator route. The EE was fractionated by chromatographic column. The EE and fractions were analyzed in thin layer chromatography (TLC) and NMR. The leishmanicidal activity was evaluated against promastigotes and amastigotes of Leishmania amazonensis, and promastigotes of L. chagasi, with prior cytotoxicity assessment in murine macrophages. In anatomical terms, P. pilosa presents leaf surface with adaxial epidermal cells and sinuous walls. In the phytochemical prospection of the extract, terpenes and phenols were detected, among others. The analysis of the NMR suggested the presence of terpenes. All samples were inactive against promastigotes and amastigotes of L. (L) amazonensis. The dichloromethane fraction was active against promastigotes of L. (L) chagasi. The EE, dichloromethane, ethyl acetate and methanol fractions showed no cytotoxicity to murine peritoneal macrophages (CC50> 500 mg/mL). The dichloromethane fraction was promising for Leishmania, so futher studies may lead to the isolation of the active metabolite.

Background:Different species of Croton are used in traditional Amazonian medicine. Among the popular uses are treatment of bacterial diseases, poorly healing wounds and fevers.Objective:This study evaluated the antileishmanial, antiplasmodial and antimicrobial activities of the extracts and diterpenes of Croton palanostigma Klotzsch (Euphorbiaceae).Materials and Methods:Leaves and bark were extracted with dichloromethane and methanol. The bark dichloromethane extract (BDE) was chromatographed on a column, obtaining cordatin and aparisthman. The extracts and diterpenes were assayed thought agar disk diffusion method and their bactericidal or fungicidal effects were evaluated by minimum bactericidal or fungicidal concentration. The antiplasmodial activity was evaluated after 24 and 72 h of exposition. The antileishmanial activity was performed on promastigotes forms of Leishmania amazonensis.Results:The bark methanol extract (BME) and cordatin were not active against any microbial strains tested; BDE and leaves methanol extract (LME) were positive for Pseudomonas aeruginosa and aparisthman was positive for Candida albicans. In the determination of the minimum bactericidal concentration, neither of them were active in the highest concentration tested. The extracts and diterpenes were inactive in Plasmodium falciparum, except the LME in 72 h. Any extract was shown to be active in promastigote forms of L. amazonensis.Conclusion:These results indicate that the BDE and LME did not inhibit the bacterial growth, then they probably had bacteriostatic effect. LME presented activity in P. falciparum.