Chemical and Antidiarrheal Studies ofPlinia cauliflora

Abstract

Plinia cauliflora (Mart.) Kausel, widespread in South America, has edible fruits, and its bark is commonly used against diarrhea and other disorders, on account of its astringency. Because diarrhea is still one of the most important causes of illness and death among children in developing countries, where the population turns to traditional medicine for its treatment, the present study determined the composition of fruit and leaf extracts of P. cauliflora, analyzed the activity against diarrhea by antimicrobial and gastrointestinal motility, and evaluated the cytotoxicity of the extracts. Chemical composition was determined by high-performance liquid chromatograpy-ultraviolet/photodiode array detection. Antimicrobial activity was analyzed by agar diffusion and the microdilution method against etiological agents of diarrhea. The effect on gastrointestinal motility was analyzed using an experimental model in mice. Cytotoxicity was evaluated in vitro with the fibroblast cell line SIRC CCL 60, and leaf extract showed a 50% inhibitory concentration of 0.48 lg/mL. Gallic acid, ellagic acid, and flavonoid derivatives were detected in the extracts. It was observed that fruit and leaf extracts showed some activity against Enterococcus faecalis, Escherichia coli, Salmonella sp., and Shigella sp. However, neither extract had any effect on gastrointestinal motility.

Evaluation of Antimicrobial and Cytotoxic Activities of Plant Extracts From Southern Minas Gerais Cerrado

“…Our results to B. pilosa are in accordance with the results of GARCIA et al (2011) 19 that found the extracts of B. pilosa didn't present significant cytotoxic activity against a human pulmonary tumor cell line A549. SOUZA-MOREIRA et al (2011) 39 evaluated in vitro the cytotoxicity of fruit and leaf extracts of P. cauliflora with the fibroblast cell line SIRC CCL 60, and leaf extract showed a considerable 50% inhibitory concentration of 0.48 µg/mL. In the study of SANTOS PIMENTA et al (2003) 35 , the ethanolic extracts of A. crassiflora leaves did not show cytotoxic activity, but the fractions resulting from solvent extraction showed good brine shrimp larvicidal activity.…”

Fruits as Prospective Reserves of bioactive Compounds: A Review

“…In vitro studies with peptides purified from P. edulis seeds were active against Trichoderma harzinum , Fusarium oxysporum and Aspergillus fumigatum [ 11 ]. Plinia cauliflora leaf extracts have proven to be effective in management of five different Candida species [ 30 ] and are also active against Enterobacterium fecalis , E. coli , Salmonella and S. sonei [ 24 ]. Anti-microbial activity was also reported in the Psychotria genus with klugin, cephalin, and isocephalin being the chemical compounds responsible for controlling Leishmania donovani and Plasmodium falciparum , and 14-oxoprunifoleine and stricosamide responsible for controlling Leishmania amazonensis.…”

“…Syzygium cumini fruit juice extract possessed antibacterial and gastroprotective activity [ 28 ]. In order to offer alternative to control childrens’ diarrhoea fruit and leaf extract of Plinia cauliflora was investigated [ 24 ] and it was found that leaf and fruit ethanolic extract was more effective than ampicillin against Enterobacterium fecalis , and leaf extract produced better effects than ampicillin against E. coli and Salmonella sp. but not against S. sonei .…”

“…Eugenia uniflora also produced antimicrobial [ 22 ], anti-depressant and anti-obese activity [ 23 ]. The antidiarrheal effect of leaf and fruit extracts of the Brazilian fruit tree Plinia cauliflora has been reported [ 24 ]. The antioxidant activity in leaves of the following mediterranean fruit species: cherry, peach, olive, plum, pear, apple, chestnut and pistachio were investigated and the results demonstrated that they offer powerful sources of bioactive phenol compounds for pharmaceutical purposes, beverages and natural pesticides [ 25 ].…”

Optimization of phenolic compounds extraction and a study of the edaphic effect on the physicochemical composition of freeze-dried jaboticaba peel

“…Dried jaboticaba peel product is traditionally employed in the treatment of hemoptysis, cough, bronchitis, asthma and inflammation of the tonsils. The fruit peel and leaves are used for diarrhea and dysentery as well, due to their high astringency (Souza-Moreira et al, 2011).…”