Chemical and Pharmacological Survey on Brazilian Medicinal Plants Using Ethnopharmacological Information as a Tool

Abstract

The project encompasses plants from the following families: Palmae, Lamiaceae, Acanthaceae, Leguminosae and Gesneriaceae. Regarding the pharmacology, several models have been used like antinociceptive, antiinflammatory, antioxidant, molluscicidal, anti-diabetes, anti-microbial and nitric oxide production inhibition. Results showed that utilizing ethnopharmacological information is a very important way to search for new bioactive molecules. It is noteworthy to mention the activity of Açaí fruit extracts in the inhibition of nitric oxide production. It was also possible to identify flavonoids responsible for the antidiabetic activity in plants belonging to the family Leguminosae. Acanthaceae extracts showed important antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory activities, as they are very rich in steroids and triterpenes. The same could be said about plants belonging to Lamiaceae that gave several examples of this kind of pharmacological property due to its steroid and triterpenoid compounds. One specie of Lamiaceae also produced a great amount of dihydroxylated triterpenoids with great molluscicidal potencial. Palmae species, rich in fatty acids and steroids led to enriched extracts responsible for the anti-BPH activities. Plants belonging to Gesneriaceae were antioxidant due to their flavonoid content. Polar extracts and isolated molecules, isolated from many species were able to donate hydrogen radical to DPPH.

Inhibitory effects of Euterpe oleracea Mart. on nitric oxide production and iNOS expression

“…In our study, no fraction developed NO scavenger activity, the exception being the ethyl acetate and n-butanolic fractions from fruits (FrE and FrB) which showed some activity. Even when C3G and C3R were added to the SNAP solution, no drastic reductions were observed in the nitrite levels been IC 50 of 150 and 169 M. The antioxidant effect observed to anthocyanins is related to superoxide scavenger capacity and also to the scavenger ability observed in the evaluation by DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhidrazyl) method (Menezes et al, 2005), and seems to have no correlation with effects on NO. Menezes et al (2005) described how the less polar fractions from fruits have compounds from steroidal skeleton together with great amount of fatty acids, and the more polar ones contain, in addition to other flavonoids, glucosyl flavonoids, mainly cyanidin derivatives.…”

“…Because its pharmacological properties and bioactive constituents have not yet been fully characterized, and also because of the significance of its juice in folk medicine, a study of its pharmacological effects is overdue. Moreover, a great variety of açaí products are now being produced and commercialized as possessing anti-ageing properties and antioxidant activity (Menezes et al, 2005). They are also being used topically for the management of inflammatory skin conditions associated with acne, for example.…”

Medicinal plants used in Rondônia, Western Amazon, Brazil

“…E. oleracea was cited for the treatment of anemia in this study, the roots being used in two forms of preparation, decoction or maceration. Menezes et al (2005) mention that its juice is used in Northern and Northeastern Brazil in cases of pain, fever, and flu.…”

Antinociceptive activity of fractions from Couroupita guianensis Aubl. leaves

“…After filtration, the crude ethanol extract (CEE) was concentrated under reduced pressure yielding 59 g. CEE was suspended in ethanol/water (1:4) and partitioned successively in hexane, dichloromethane, ethyl acetate and nbutanol, yielding 7.7, 12.4, 12.0, and 9.0 g, respectively, after solvent evaporation. This procedure is in accordance to Menezes et al (2005).…”