ABSTRACT The Colo-Colo (Leopardus colocola) has a wide geographical distribution in South America. We document different types of habitats like forestal plantations, vineyard, hydrophilic, and deciduous forest, coastal desert, and Andean Steppe that it uses in Central Chile through trail cameras and direct observations. In this study, this cat was registered both in natural and heavily modified environments. More information is needed to understand if this felid’s records in intervened areas are mostly associated with movements between patches of native vegetation or regular use.

RESUMEN El gato Colo-Colo (Leopardus colocola) tiene una amplia distribución en Sudamérica. A través de cámaras trampas y observaciones directas, documentamos diferentes hábitats como plantaciones forestales, viñas, bosque hidrófilo y caducifolio, desierto costero y Estepa Andina que utiliza en Chile Central. En este estudio, este felino fue registrado en ambientes naturales y altamente intervenidos. Se necesita más información para entender si los registros de este felino en áreas intervenidas están asociados a movimientos entre parches de vegetación nativa o a un uso regular.

ABSTRACT Leptocarpha rivularis is an autochthonous plant of the southern zone of Chile known as “Palo negro” that has been traditionally used by Mapuche people as anti-inflammatory and reliever of abdominal pain. More recently, aqueous infusion of this plant is being used in the treatment of cancer. The main phytochemical components of L. rivularis have been identified as a sesquiterpene lactones (SQL) being leptocarpine (LTC) the major component, which exhibits pro-apoptotic action against a variety of cancer cells lines. In this study we intend to compare the in vitro cytotoxicity against cancer cell lines of two different polarity extracts and LTC. To overcome the poor water-solubility of extracts they have been encapsulated in polymer micelles and its effect on activity has been assessed. The results indicate that both extracts reduce cell viability of all cancer cell lines. The IC50 values obtained for ethyl acetate are in the range of 11-16 μg/mL, and this activity is explained in terms of a synergic effect generated by SQL different to LTC. The IC50 values of extracts incorporated into polymer micelles formed by Pluronic F127 are 200 times lower than those measured for ethyl acetate extract applied in homogeneous solution. Finally, by assessing changes in cell and nuclear morphology it is suggested that the observed cytotoxicity of free and entrapped extracts is produced by apoptotic process. In conclusion, these results suggest that plant extracts may show an increased activity as result of synergic effect of minority components, and an important enhancement of cytotoxicity is induced by entrapment into polymer micelles.

ABSTRACT Fungi are the primary infectious agents in plants causing significant economic losses in agroindustry. Traditionally, these pathogens have been treated with different synthetic fungicides such as hydroxianilides, anilinopyrimidines, and azoles, to name a few. However, the indiscriminate use of these chemicals has increased fungi resistance in plants. Natural products have been researched as a control, and an alternative to these synthetic fungicides since they are not harmful to health and contribute to the environment caring. This review describes plants extracts, essential oils, and active compounds or secondary metabolites as antifungal agents both, in vitro and in vivo. Active compounds have been recently described as the best candidates for the control of phytopathogenic fungi. When metabolized by plants, these compounds concentrations rely on the environmental conditions and pathogens incidence. However, one issue regarding the direct application of these preformed compounds in plants touch upon their low persistence in the environment, and their even lower bioavailability than synthetic fungicides. Hence the challenge is to develop useful formulations based on natural products to increase the compounds solubility facilitating thus their application in the field while maintaining their properties.

The aim of this study was to determine the influence of substituents in aromatic ring and the side chain of safrole on the antioxidant capacity and toxicity of twelve synthetic derivatives of safrole (S1-S12). Each compound was analyzed by two antioxidant methods: DPPH and bleaching of β-carotene (DBC). Among the derivates of safrol assayed, S5, S6, S9, S10 and S11 showed the strongest antioxidant capacity: DPPH method, first order specific rate constant (0.0152, 0.0211, 0.0432, 0.0317 and 0.0072) and DBC (22.41 ± 0.13%, 10.71 ± 0.05 %, 9.12 ± 0.89 %, 30.97 ± 0.92 % and 19.08 ± 0.31 %), respectively. The toxicity of the active compounds was evaluated by means of two techniques, Artemia salina, LD50 (4466 ± 1057 ppm, 630 ± 108 ppm, 1513 ± 797 ppm, 1585 ± 317 ppm, 1259 ± 242 ppm) and red cells, Haemolysis (1.58 ± 0.98%, 4.02 ± 2.03%, 8.42 ± 1.38%, 2.59 ± 2.31%, 2.92 ± 0.52%), to provide preliminary information that can be used as a basis for further studies to contribute to the search for new antioxidants.

The known geranylhydroquinone 2, geranylorcinol 4 and the derivative (E)-4-(3,7-dimethylocta-2,6-dienyl)-5-methylbenzene-1,3-diol 5, were prepared by Electrophilic Aromatic Substitution (EAS) reactions between the corresponding phenol derivatives containing electron-donor subtituents and geraniol using BF3XOEt2 as a catalyst. In addition, spectroscopic NMR information for 4 and 5 is complemented. Furthermore, the new (E)-2-(3,7-dimethylocta-2,6-dienyl) benzene-1,3,5-triol (geranylphloroglucinol) 13, (E)-2-(3,7-dimethylocta-2,6-dienyl)-1,3,5-trimethoxybenzene 14, (E)-2-(3,7-dimethylocta-2,6-dienyl)-6-methoxyphenol 15, (E)-3-(3,7-dimethylocta-2,6-dienyl)-2-methoxyphenol 16, (E)-5-(3,7-dimethylocta-2,6-dienyl)-2-methoxyphenol 17, (E)-4-(3,7-dimethylocta-2,6-dienyl)benzene-1,3-diol 18, (E)-3-(3,7-dimethylocta-2,6-dienyl)benzene-1,2-diol 19, (E)-4-(3,7-dimethylocta-2,6-dienyl)-5-isopropyl-2-methylphenol 20, (E)-2-(3,7-dimethylocta-2,6-dienyl)-4-isopropyl-3-methylphenol 21, (E)-2-(3,7-dimethylocta-2,6-dienyl)-4-isopropyl-5-methylphenol 22, and(E)-2-tert-butyl-4-(3,7-dimethylocta-2,6-dienyl)-5-methylphenol 23 were also prepared with this synthesis strategy. All the synthesized compounds were fully characterized and their structures were established by IR, MS and mainly NMR spectroscopic dates.

Natural geranylhydroquinone 1 and geranyl-p-methoxyphenol 2 were prepared by Electrophilic Aromatic Substitution (EAS) reactions between geraniol and 1,4-hydroquinone or p-methoxyphenol respectively, using BF3∙Et2O as a catalyst. Furthermore, natural geranylquinone 3, geranyl-1,4-dimethoxyquinone 4 and the new geranyl-4-methoxyphenyl acetate 5 were obtained by chemical transformations of 1 and 2. The compounds were evaluated for their in vitro cytotoxicity activities against cultured human cancer cells of PC-3 human prostate cancer, MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 breast carcinoma, and Dermal Human Fibroblasts DHF. IC50 values were in the µM range.

Proliferation and cell fate determination in the developing embryo are extrinsically regulated by multiple interactions among diverse secreted factors, such as Sonic Hedgehog (SHh), which act in a concentration-dependent manner. The fact that SHh is secreted as a lipid-modified protein suggests the existence of a mechanism to regulate its movement across embryonic fields. We have previously shown that heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPGs) are required for SHh binding and signalling. However, it was not determined which specific HSPG was responsible for these functions. Here we evaluated the contribution of perlecan on SHh localization and activity. To understand the mechanism of action of perlecan at the cellular level, we studied the role of perlecan-SHh interaction in SHh activity using both cell culture and biochemical assays. Our findings show that perlecan is a crucial anchor and modulator of SHh activity acting as an extracellular positive regulator of SHh.

Toxicity and antioxidant capacity of eugenol derivatives (E2 = 2-Methoxy-4-[1-propenylphenyl]acetate, E3 = 4-Allyl-2-methoxyphenylacetate, E4 = 4-Allyl-2-methoxy-4-nitrophenol, E5 = 5-Allyl-3-nitrobenzene-1,2-diol, E6 = 4-Allyl-2-methoxy-5-nitrophenyl acetate) were evaluated in order to determine the influence of the sustituents. E2-E6 were synthesized from eugenol (E1). E1 was extracted from cloves oil, and E2-E6 were obtained through acetylation and nitration reactions. Antioxidant capacity evaluated by DPPH (1, 1-Diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazil) and ORAC fluorescein demonstrated that E1 and E5 have a higher capacity and the minor toxicity evaluated by red blood cells haemolysis and the Artemia saline test. In accordance with our results, the compound's (E1-E5) use in the pharmaceutical, cosmetic and or food industries could be suggested.