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Triterpene acid extraction from dried apple peels of Fuji and Gala varieties in 2%NaOH/ethanol at room temperature, followed by filtration and acidification (pH 3), was investigated, comparing to a classical exhaustive extraction (Soxhlet, 2h, with ethanol and methanol, >97% recovery). Alkali-ethanol process yielded 4.35-6.86% (w/w) of whitish extracts, up to 15-times less than Soxhlet but with same recovery (P > 0.05) of ursolic and oleanolic acids. Alkaline extraction of previously defatted peels led to same recovery (P >

Euphorbia umbellata (E. umbellata) belongs to Euphorbiaceae family, popularly known as Janauba, and its latex contains a combination of phorbol esters with biological activities described to different cellular protein kinase C (PKC) isoforms. Here, we identified deoxi-phorbol esters present in E. umbellata latex alcoholic extract that are able to increase HIV transcription and reactivate virus from latency models. This activity is probably mediated by NF-kB activation followed by nuclear translocation and binding to the HIV LTR promoter. In addition, E. umbellata latex extract induced the production of pro inflammatory cytokines in vitro in human PBMC cultures. This latex extract also activates latent virus in human PBMCs isolated from HIV positive patients as well as latent SIV in non-human primate primary CD4+ T lymphocytes. Together, these results indicate that the phorbol esters present in E. umbellata latex are promising candidate compounds for future clinical trials for shock and kill therapies to promote HIV cure and eradication.

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