Folkloric or galenic preparations of valerian roots and rhizomes have been used as sedatives/anxiolytics and sleep inducers since ancient times. “Valerianas” are plants that naturally grow in our region. Although some of them are used in folk medicine, they lack scientific information. We performed a comparative study of the phytochemical composition and the potential in vivo effects of ethanolic extracts of argentine valerian species: Valeriana carnosa Sm ., V. clarionifolia Phil. and V. macrorhiza Poepp. ex DC., from “Patagonia Argentina”; V. ferax (Griseb.) Höck and V. effusa Griseb., from the central part of our country, and V. officinalis (as the reference plant). All these plants were rich in phenolic compounds, evidenced the presence of ligands for the benzodiazepine binding site of the GABA A receptor and were able to induce sedation as assessed by loss-of-righting reflex assays (500 mg/kg, i.p.). Mice treated with V. macrorhiza , V. carnosa and V. ferax extracts showed reduced exploratory behaviors while V. clarionifolia produced anxiolytic-like activities (500 mg/kg, i.p.) in the Hole board test. Oral administrations (300 mg/kg and 600 mg/kg, p.o.) evidenced sedative effects for V. ferax and anxiolytic-like properties for V. macrorhiza , V. carnosa and V. clarionifolia extracts. Our native valerian species are active on the CNS, validating its folkloric use as anxiolytic/sedative and sleep enhancers.

The dewaxed dichloromethane extract of Urolepis hecatantha and the compounds isolated from it were tested for their in vitro activity on Trypanosoma cruzi epimastigotes and Leishmania infantum promastigotes. The extract of U. hecatantha showed activity against both parasites with IC50 values of 7 µg/mL and 31 µg/mL, respectively. Fractionation of the dichloromethane extract led to the isolation of euparin, jaceidin, santhemoidin C, and eucannabinolide. The sesquiterpene lactones eucannabinolide and santhemoidin C were active on T. cruzi with IC50 values of 10 ± 2 µM (4.2 µg/mL) and 18 ± 3 µM (7.6 µg/mL), respectively. Euparin and santhemoidin C were the most active on L. infantum with IC50 values of 18 ± 4 µM (3.9 µg/mL) and 19 ± 4 µM (8.0 µg/mL), respectively. Eucannabinolide has also shown drug-like pharmacokinetic and toxicity properties.

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Summary:Leguminosae is a family with high value of use for food, medicine, forage, ornamental and restoration ecology purposes. One obstacle for the use and management of many legume species is the presence of seeds with physical dormancy. Here, we evaluated the presence of physical dormancy in nine native species of Argentina and identified possible methods for breaking dormancy. Caesalpinia gilliesii, Geoffroea decorticans, and Prosopis alpataco have seeds with no physical dormancy, whereas Crotalaria incana, C. pumila, C. stipularia, Desmanthus virgatus, Galactia texana, and Senna aphylla have seeds with physical dormancy. The most effective methods for breaking physical dormancy were mechanical and wet heat (100°C) scarification for Crotalaria spp.; mechanical, acid (20 and 30 min) and wet heat scarification (80 and 100°C) for D. virgatus; mechanical scarification for G. texana and mechanical and all acid scarification treatments for S. aphylla. These results contribute to the knowledge of the germination biology for these species, and are of particular interest for their propagation in glasshouse and for restoration and conservation programs.Key words: Leguminosae, physical dormancy, scarification, seed germination.Resumen: Dormición física de las semillas de leguminosas nativas de Argentina. Leguminosae es una familia con un alto valor de uso como alimento, forraje, medicina y para fines ornamentales y de restauración ecológica. Uno de los principales problemas para el uso y manejo de muchas de estas especies es la presencia de semillas con dormición física. En el presente trabajo se evaluó la presencia de dormición física en nueve especies nativas de Argentina y los posibles métodos que permitan la salida de este estado. Las semillas de Caesalpinia gilliesii, Geoffroea decorticans y Prosopis alpataco presentaron semillas sin dormición, mientras que las semillas de Crotalaria incana, C. pumila, C. stipularia, Desmanthus virgatus, Galactia texana y Senna aphylla presentaron dormición física. Los métodos más eficientes para romper la dormición física de las semillas de las especies del género Crotalaria fueron la escarificación mecánica y el calor húmedo (100°C); la escarificación mecánica, la química (ácido sulfúrico: 20 y 30 minutos) y la escarificación con calor húmedo (80 y 100°C) para D. virgatus; la escarificación mecánica para G. texana; y la escarificación mecánica y la química (ácido sulfúrico: 10, 20 y 30 minutos) para S. aphylla. Estos resultados contribuyen al conocimiento de la biología de las semillas de estas especies y a su utilización en programas de propagación de plantas en invernaderos, restauración ecológica y conservación.Palabras clave: Dormición física, escarificación, germinación, Leguminosae.