O extrato etanólico da casca do caule de Sacoglottis uchi Huber (conhecida popularmente como “uchi” na Amazônia) foi submetido a fracionamento cromatográfico. As frações eluídas com diclorometano forneceram o triterpeno pentacíclico 3-oxo-friedelina (1). As frações em diclorometano:metanol forneceram os triterpenos pentacíclicos pseudotaraxasterol (2), lupeol (3), a-amirina (4), betulina (5) e 2ß,3ß-di-hidroxi-urs-12-en-28-oato de metila (6), além de uma mistura dos esteróides sitosterol (7) e estigmasterol (8). Suas estruturas químicas foram determinadas por espectroscopia de RMN e comparação com os dados espectroscópicos descritos na literatura. Todas as substâncias isoladas são descritas pela primeira vez nesta espécie.

The ethanol extract from stem bark of Sacoglottis uchi Huber (popularly known as “uchi” in the Amazon Region) was submitted to chromatographic fractionation. The dichloromethane fractions provided the pentacyclic triterpene 3-oxo-friedelin (1). The dichloromethane:methanol fractions provided the pentacyclic triterpenes pseudotaraxasterol (2), lupeol (3), a-amyrin (4), betulin (5), and methyl 2ß,3ß-dihydroxy-urs-12-en-28-oate (6) and a mixture of the steroids sitosterol (7) and stigmasterol (8). Their chemical structures were determined by NMR spectroscopy and comparison with spectroscopic data from the literature. All compounds are described for the first time in this species.

The Acanthaceae family is an important source of therapeutic drugs, and the ethnopharmacological knowledge of this family requires urgent documentation as several of its species are near extinction. Justicia is the largest genus of Acanthaceae, with approximately 600 species. The present work provides a review addressing the chemistry and pharmacology of the genus Justicia. In addition, the biological activities of compounds isolated from the genus are also covered. The chemical and pharmacological information in the present work may inspire new biomedical applications for the species of Justicia, considering atom economy, the synthesis of environmentally benign products without producing toxic by-products, the use of renewable sources of raw materials, and the search for processes with maximal efficiency of energy.

From the ethanolic extract of the stem of A. esperanzae ethyl and methyl fatty acid esters, fatty acids, aristolochic I and II acids, and β-cubebin were isolated. In addiction asarinin, populifolic and 2-oxo-populifolic acids, aristolactams AIa and AII, and sitosterol 3-O-β-D-glucopyranoside were also isolated and firstly described in the species. Asarinin and β-cubebin showed antibacterial activity against Bacillus cereus and aristolochic acid I against Staphylococcus aureus and Listeria monocitogenes.