Anti-leishmanial activity in plants from a Biological Reserve of Costa Rica. Leishmaniosis is an important human disease very difficult to treat. For this reason, many researchers in the world have been looking for anti-leishmanial chemical components present in several plant species. In Costa Rica, since no studies have been done in this field, this work aimed at the search of active chemical components in local plants that may have an activity against Leishmania sp. A total of 67 plants were selected from the Alberto Manuel Brenes Biological Reserve (REBAMB). For these collected plants, fresh or dried hidroalcoholic extracts of root, stem, mature or young leaves, flowers, and immature or mature fruits, were prepared under conventional methods. All extracts were tested for their effect against a strain of Leishmania (OCR with known characteristics). Firstly, by presumptive tests, we selected only those with some activity, and then, more specific studies were done to determine the IC 50 in µg/mL; a promising plant was considered only if at least one of its parts presented an IC 50 <100µg/mL. Under this parameter, the following active plants were obtained and their lowest and highest (23.4 and 97.5). Although the parasitic effect of fresh or dried extracts were almost similar, the fresh material slightly showed better results. That anti-parasitic effect occurred in one or more than four parts of the plant. Most of the active extracts did not produce lysis and aglutination which indicates a low toxicity. Since the species studied are different from those analyzed by other authors, we discuss the importance of these new findings, in relation to the new scientific knowledge, and the possible use of these plants as a leishmaniosis treatment. Rev. Biol. Trop. 62 (3): 1229-1240. Epub 2014 September 01.

RESUMENSe realizó una evaluación in vivo de la actividad antimalárica de las hojas, flores, frutos, corteza y raíz de 25 plantas de la Reserva Biológica Alberto Manuel Brenes (REBAMB), situada en San Ramón, Alajuela, Costa Rica. Las plantas estudiadas fueron Aphelandra aurantiaca (Scheidw.) Lindl., Aphelandra tridentata Hemsl. . Los extractos alcohólicos frescos y secos, fueron evaluados por su actividad inhibitoria de la parasitemia causada por Plasmodium berghei en ratones Swiss. Al realizar las prueba de CI 50, las plantas en que esa actividad fue muy relevante fueron (en mg kg -1 de peso): 12 para la corteza de B. frutescens, 18 para la raíz de H. appendiculata, 14 para la raíz de I. deltoidea, 4 para el fruto inmaduro de M. longipes, 21 para la raíz de N. membranacea, 19 para las hojas tiernas de P. povedae y 16 para el fruto inmaduro de S. tecaphora. Los extractos frescos presentaron una mayor actividad antimalárica que los sometidos a desecación. Este estudio es una contribución más al conocimiento del valor potencial farmacológico de la biodiversidad botánica costarricense.Palabras clave: antimaláricos, Costa Rica, in vivo, plantas, Plasmodium berghei. ABSTRACTAn evaluation of the antimalarial activity of the leaves, flowers, fruits, bark and roots of 25 plants from the Reserve Alberto Manuel Brenes Biological (REBAMB) was performed. The reserve is located in San Ramon, Alajuela, Costa Rica and the plants studied were Aphelandra aurantiaca (Scheidw.) Lindl., Aphelandra tridentata Hemsl. . The fresh and dry alcoholic extracts were evaluated in Swiss mice for their inhibitory activity on multiplication of Plasmodium berghei. When making the test IC 50 , the only plants whose activity (mg kg -1 of body weight) was relevant were: 12 for bark in B. frutescens, 18 for root in H. appendiculata, 14 for root in I. deltoidea, 4 for unripe fruits in M. longipes, 21 for root in N. membranacea, 19 for young leaves in P. povedae and 16 for unripe fruits in S. tecaphora. The fresh extracts showed greater antimalarial activity than those previously dried. This study is a contribution to the knowledge of potential medicinal value of botanical biodiversity of Costa Rica.

Anti-Leishmania (Trypanosomatidae) activity of trans-Z-α-bisabolene epoxide and isolation of safrole, in fruits of Piper auritum (Piperaceae). The leishmaniosis disease incidence is high in tropical regions, and its current treatment has shown severe secondary effects. Considering this problem, many studies have focused on plants, looking for chemical components that have anti-leishmanial activity, and are free of adverse effects for human beings. The purpose of this work was to find a chemical component with this kind of activity in Piper auritum. In a phytochemical screening of this plant, we found some cumarins, terpens, triterpens and reducing sugars; and later, we identified the components trans-Z-α-bisabolene epoxide and Safrol. The first component presented a CI50 of 50.0 µg/mL of anti-Leishmania activity. The Safrol, which is the major component of the essential oils of this plant, did not show antiparasitic activity. These results are discussed considering treatment of leishmaniasis. Rev. Biol. Trop. 66(2): 826-835. Epub 2018 June 01.

Celiac disease, gluten sensitivity and gluten intolerance are health conditions that require consumers to avoid their gluten intake. In Costa Rica, Law 8975 regulates the amount of gluten permitted in prepackaged products labeled as "gluten-free", but the parameters to be followed are not mandated for food service operations. This study investigated whether restaurants with gluten-free (GF) options in a gastronomic area of the city of San José, Costa Rica, achieved the requirements of the legislation that the dishes offered should contain less than 20 ppm gluten. Using data collected from five restaurants offering GF dishes, two provided dishes with quantities of gluten greater than 20 ppm (restaurant A, four samples and restaurant B, three samples); particularly dishes from the category "meat with sauce". Although those dishes are naturally gluten-free, when they are handled in areas of shared production, they are exposed to the risk of cross contact, furthermore the adding of misscellaneous such as: marinades, sauces and condiments, which could contain traces of gluten or hidden gluten, a risk associated with the use of ingredients without certification GF (supplier's practices and label declaration). Therefore improvements in food service procedures should be enforced. The findings of the present study emphasize the need to include restaurant foods in the relevant legislation to ensure that the gluten-intolerant sector of the population remains safe when eating out.

Despite the breadth of knowledge about malaria, its transmission, preventive measures and available treatments and its difficulty in controlling the vector and the rapid spread of resistance to current drugs, there is a stimulus to develop new research looking for active molecules. The phytochemical studies of the active extract confirmed the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, coumarins, tannins, reducing compounds, anthocyanins, terpenes, triterpenes and steroids. In the present work, it was possible to isolate a mixture of isoquinolinic alkaloids from the tender leaves of Nectandra membranacea (Laureaceae) with antimalarial activity. The mixture composed of (-) -gliazovine and (+) -aplogliazovine showed an IC 50 value of 32.18 μg/mL against the P. berghei NK65 strain. It is important to continue with these studies and their chemical components isolated from N. membranacea that could be used as an alternative the treatment of malaria.