Eugenia punicifolia (Kunth) DC. is a medicinal plant used to treat diseases related to oxidative processes. In this work, 1H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and multivariate analysis have been employed to track the chemical changes and antioxidant activity of dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) extracts from E. punicifolia leaves over seasons. Principal component analysis (PCA) applied to 1H NMR allowed discriminating DMSO extracts from leaves collected in the dry and rainy seasons and pointed out sucrose, catechin, and epicatechin as responsible for separating dry season samples and quercetin, acid gallic, glucose, and fatty acids contributed for rainy samples grouping. Notably, antioxidant assays revealed that dry season extracts exhibited a higher radical scavenging capacity. When those compounds were submitted to partial least squares-discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) only sucrose and fatty acids presented variable importance projection (VIP) score > 1, both metabolites are related somehow to the defense mechanisms of the plant. This pilot study may suggest new experimental approaches for more effectively monitoring the spectrum-effect relationship of E. punicifolia leaf extracts. Kunth (Kunth DC processes work H (NMR (DMSO E PCA (PCA catechin quercetin gallic glucose grouping Notably capacity squaresdiscriminant squares discriminant PLSDA PLS DA (PLS-DA VIP (VIP 1 spectrumeffect spectrum effect

The paper describes the isolation of ergosterol peroxide, monocerin, annularin I and annularin J compounds of Exserohilum rostratum biomass extracts. Compounds were isolated by silica gel column chromatography in polarity gradient and the structures were determined by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and mass spectrometry (MS) methods. Monocerin, annularin I and annularin J compounds were tested against Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Bacillus subtilis bacteria and showed moderate activity. Annularin I and annularin J compounds are new natural products.

Baccharis glaziovii Baker, Asteraceae, also known as carqueja or carqueja-arbustinho, is a native shrub of Brazil that reaches 0.5-2.5 m in height. It is a dioecious species that blossoms from September to December. This species has cladodes, which are winged stems that belong to the “carquejas” and are widely used indiscriminately by the population due to their gastric and diuretic properties. Carquejas are included in section Caulopteraeand are difficult to identify even for taxonomists or Baccharis specialists. In the present study, a morpho-anatomical (cladodes and leaves) analysis of the medicinal plant was undertaken to improve its identification and add to the knowledge of section Caulopterae.Fragments of cladodes and leaves were collected and prepared in accordance with standard optical and scanning electron microscopy techniques. The morpho-anatomical characteristics found in B. glaziovii,include three-winged stems showing wings in a regular arrangement around the stem axis, short and petiolate leaves, flagelliform and simple non-glandular trichomes, concave-convex midrib, petioles with a concave shape and a slight projection on the adaxial face and convex with three projections on the abaxial surface, and calcium oxalate crystals in the form of raphides, styloids and pyramidal in the perimedullary region of the cladode, when evaluated as a whole, provide support for the quality control.

Neste trabalho, análises quimiométricas de espectros de NMR (ressonância magnética nuclear) de 31P{¹H} obtidos de soro sanguíneo permitiram discriminar pacientes que sofreram acidente vascular encefálico isquêmico daqueles saudáveis devido a alterações na composição química de compostos contendo fósforo. Estes resultados indicam que análises metabonômicas por NMR de 31P permitem conhecer melhor os mecanismos desencadeados pelo acidente vascular encefálico isquêmico.

In this work, chemometric analyses over 31P{¹H} NMR (nuclear magnetic ressonance) spectra of human blood serum permitted to discriminated ischemic stroke patients from health individuals due to changes in the chemical composition of phosphorus-containing compounds. These results indicate that 31P NMR-based metabonomic allowed insights over the mechanism triggered by ischemic stroke.

O sucesso no tratamento do câncer está intrinsicamente relacionado à sua prévia detecção, até mesmo antes dos sintomas surgirem. Neste contexto, estratégias metabonômicas baseadas na espectroscopia de ressonância magnética nuclear de ¹H (¹H NMR) foram empregadas para identificar as alterações metabólicas ocorridas na composição química de biofluidos de camundongos como consequência do surgimento de tumores. Através da análise discriminante por mínimos quadrados parciais (PLS-DA) dos espectros de ¹H NMR foi possível diagnosticar a presença dos tumores de Ehrlich e Sarcoma 180 após cinco e dez dias da indução dos tumores, respectivamente. Lipídeos, lipoproteínas e lactato foram os biomarcadores mais importantes indicativos do processo carcinogênico. Portanto, estratégias metabonômicas baseadas na espectroscopia de NMR podem ser valiosas ferramentas para investigar os efeitos do surgimento de anomalias celulares na composição química dos biofluidos.

The success of cancer treatment is directly related to early detection before symptoms emerge, although nowadays few cancers can be detected early. In this sense, ¹H nuclear magnetic resonance (¹H NMR)-based metabonomics was used to identify metabolic changes in biofluid as a consequence of tumours growing in mice. Through partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) analysis of ¹H NMR spectra from serum samples it was possible to diagnose Ehrlich ascites and Sarcoma 180 tumours five and ten days after cell inoculation, respectively. Lipids, lipoproteins and lactate were the main biomarkers at onset as well as in the progress of carcinogenic process. Thus, NMR-based metabonomics can be a valuable tool to study the effects of tumour establishment on the chemical composition of biofluids.

No Brasil as espécies de Mikania glomerata Spreng. e M. laevigata Sch. Bip. ex Baker, Asteraceae, popularmente conhecidas como guaco, são amplamente utilizadas com evidências pré-clínicas para o tratamento de doenças onde estejam envolvidas suas ações broncodilatadoras, antialérgicas, antiasmáticas, anti-inflamatórias, antiulcerogênicas e relaxantes da musculatura lisa. Em virtude das propriedades terapêuticas atribuídas as essas espécies, ambas foram oficializadas na farmacopéia brasileira, e por serem bastante semelhantes, dificilmente são diferenciadas. Com o objetivo de contribuir com novas pesquisas, a presente revisão descreve, de forma sistematizada, sobre os aspectos farmacológicos, toxicológicos, químicos, agronômicos, morfoanatômicos, genéticos e o uso nos programas de fitoterapia do Brasil destas espécies. As principais diferenças e semelhanças entre as duas espécies são evidenciadas através da comparação das informações baseadas na literatura específica.

In Brazil the species of Mikania glomerata Spreng. and M. laevigata Sch. Bip. ex Baker, Asteraceae popularly known as guaco, are widely used with preclinical evidence for the treatment of diseases whose actions involve bronchodilators, antiallergic, anti-asthmatic, anti-inflammatory, antiulcerogenic and smooth muscles relaxant. Due to the therapeutic properties attributed to these species, both were included in the official Brazilian Pharmacopoeia, and because of their similarity, they are hardly differentiated. In order to contribute to the new research, this review describes their several aspects: pharmacology, toxicology, chemical, agricultural, anatomical, genetics and the use in herbal medicine programs in Brazil, in a systematic way. The main differences and similarities between the two species are evidenced by comparing the information based on literature.

O presente trabalho descreve o isolamento, a partir do caule de Annona amazonica, do ácido acantóico, um diterpeno do tipo pimaradieno que possui várias e importantes atividades biológicas descritas na literatura. Neste estudo foi verificado que este composto apresenta significante atividade tripanocida contra as formas epimastigotas de Trypanosoma cruzi. Também foi constatado que este diterpeno é o constituinte majoritário da planta, encontrado em cerca de 65% do extrato hexânico, demonstrando que A. amazonica é uma nova fonte natural renovável desta substância. Além do ácido acantóico, a investigação química resultou no isolamento dos alcalóides liriodenina e cassiticina, entre outros compostos, tais como terpenos, esteróides e ácidos graxos. Adicionalmente, é descrita a completa e inequívoca atribuição dos deslocamentos químicos de RMN de ¹H e 13C da cassiticina.

The present work reports the isolation of acanthoic acid, a promising pimaradiene-type diterpene with several important biological activities described in the literature, from the stems of Annona amazonica. We found that acanthoic acid has significant trypanocidal activity against the epimastigote forms of Trypanosoma cruzi. This diterpene is the major constituent of the plant, comprising at least 65% of the hexane extract, demonstrating that A. amazonica is a new renewable natural source for this compound. The chemical investigation also resulted in the isolation of the alkaloids liriodenine and cassythicine, and other compounds including terpenes, sterols, and fatty acids. Additionally, the complete and unequivocal ¹H and 13C NMR chemical shift assignments for cassythicine are provided.

A fração diclorometano obtida pelo particionamento do extrato hidroalcoólico obtido das folhas e flores de Vernonia scorpioides (Asteraceae) resultou no isolamento e caracterização de um novo poliacetileno, 5-octa-2,4,6-triinil-furan-2(5H)-ona. A determinação estrutural foi baseada em dados de espectrometria de Ressonância Magnética Nuclear mono e bidimensionais, de Massas e de Infravermelho. Foi investigado o potencial antitumoral e genotóxico do novo poliacetileno e os resultados encontrados sugerem genotoxicidade e citotoxicidade, onde a morte celular ocorreu via apoptose, envolvendo um mecanismo dependente de caspase.

The dichloromethane fraction obtained from hydroalcoholic crude extract of leaves and flowers of Vernonia scorpioides (Asteraceae) was investigated, resulting in the isolation and structure elucidation of a new polyacetylene namely 5-octa-2,4,6-triynyl-furan-2(5H)-one. The structure of the isolated compound was determined based on IR, NMR (1D and 2D) and MS spectrometric data. The antitumor potential, including cytotoxicity to tumor cells and genotoxicity, was investigated. The results suggest that apoptotic cell death may have occurred, at least in part, via a caspase-dependent mechanism.