Species of genus Sida are used around the world for a large amount of therapeutic treatments, including hyperglycemia. α-Glucosidase inhibitors are recognized as valuable tools for reducing postprandial hyperglycemia by retarding absorption of glucose. The effect of extracts and isolated compounds of S. acuta and S. rhombifolia on inhibition of α-glucosidase as primary screening of anti-hyperglycemic activity was tested using yeast and mammalian α-glucosidases. When yeast α-glucosidase was used the acetone extracts of S. acuta and S. rhombifolia showed IC50 values of 8.49 ± 0.66 and 8.10 ± 0.34 µg mL-1, respectively, and the most active compound was p-hydroxyphenethyl trans-ferulate (IC50 19.24 ± 1.73 µmol L-1) followed by β-sitosteryl glucopyranoside (IC5032.70 ± 1.35 µmol L-1). However, the activity of extracts and isolated compounds decreased significantly when mammalian α-glucosidase was used, indicating that substrates affinity is higher for type 1 enzymes. The antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities of extracts and isolates were also tested since many diabetic complications are associated to the oxidative stress and inflammatory immune responses. Acetone extracts were the most active in all evaluations. p-Hydroxyphenethyl trans-ferulate, could be associated to these activities, since it was active in the three evaluations. This effect could be related to its phenolic character.

The chemical study of Roldana platanifolia led to the isolation of β-caryophyllene, five eremophilanolides, chlorogenic acid, and a mixture of β-sitosterol-stigmasterol, β-sitosteryl glucopyranoside, and sucrose. The anti-inflammatory activities of the extracts and isolated products were tested using the 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) model of induced acute inflammation. The acetone and methanol extracts showed dose dependent activities (ID50 0.21 and 0.32 mg/ear, respectively), while none of the isolated compounds exhibited relevant edema inhibition. The active extracts were also evaluated with the myeloperoxidase assay technique (MPO) to determine their ability to prevent neutrophil infiltration. Results showed that the anti-inflammatory activity was related to the compound’s ability to inhibit pro-inflammatory mediators such as neutrophils.

O estudo químico da Villasenoria orcuttii, a única espécie do gênero Villasenoria, levou ao isolamento de três diterpenos acíclicos, dois deles descritos pela primeira vez. Dois alcaloides pirrolizidínicos, florosenina e floridanina, entre outros compostos já conhecidos, também foram isolados. A configuração absoluta da floridanina foi determinada por análise de raios X usando dispersão anômala com radiação Cu Kα e seus dados de ressonância magnética nuclear (RMN) de¹ H e de13 C foram corrigidos.

The chemical study of Villasenoria orcuttii, the only species of the genus Villasenoria, afforded three acyclic diterpenes, two of them described for the first time. Two pyrrolizidine alkaloids, florosenine and floridanine, among other known compounds were also isolated. The absolute configuration of floridanine was determined by X-ray analysis using anomalous dispersion with Cu Kαradiation, and its¹ H and13 C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) data were corrected.