The phytochemical investigation of Rollinia leptopetala led to the isolation of a new compound named α-terpinyl caffeate, and five known compounds, being three sesquiterpenes, spathulenol, β-caryophyllene and 4β,10α-aromadendrane-diol, and two alkaloids, (-)-3-hydroxynornuciferine and (+)-norisocorydine. These alkaloids are being described for the first time in this genus. The structures of the compounds were determined by analysis of IR, MS and NMR data, as well as by comparison with literature data. The crude extract of R. leptopetala leaves demonstrated a weak cytotoxicity on sarcoma 180 cells with an IC50 of 512.3 µg/mL. However, the in vivo results showed that the extract exhibited a significant dose-dependent tumor growth reduction.

O objetivo desta pesquisa foi realizar um estudo etnobotânico sobre a indicação de plantas medicinais para tratamentos de patologias bucais, bem como investigar sobre o uso de plantas medicinais entre usuários de serviços odontológicos na cidade de João Pessoa, Brasil. O levantamento consistiu em duas etapas de investigação: raizeiros (n = 20) e usuários (n = 200). Foi aplicado um formulário aos raizeiros a fim de saber quais plantas medicinais são mais comercializadas para problemas bucais. Posteriormente, foi aplicado um formulário dirigido aos usuários de serviço público (n = 100) e particular (n = 100) com o objetivo obter informações sobre a utilização de fitoterápicos. As plantas de uso odontológico mais vendidas pelos raizeiros foram: babatenon (Pithecelobium avaremotemo Mart.), aroeira (Schinus terebinthifolius Raddi), cajueiro roxo (Anacardium occidentale L.) e quixaba (Bumelia sartorum Mart.). Dentre os usuários, 80% afirmam utilizar plantas medicinais, sendo as mais citadas: a romã (Punica granatum L.), cajueiro roxo, juá (Zizyphus joazeiro Mart.), e hortelã de folha graúda (Plectrantus amboinicus Lour). Os dados sugerem que boa parte da população local, principalmente serviço público, faz uso de plantas medicinais, sendo necessária a realização de mais estudos que possam comprovar cientificamente a ação das mesmas.

The objective of this research was to carry out an ethnobotanical study about the indication of medicinal plants for oral conditions, as well as to investigate the use of medicinal plants among users of dental services in the city of João Pessoa, Brazil. The work consisted of two stages of investigation: traditional healers ("raizeiros") (n = 20) and users (n = 200). A structured form was applied to the healers in order to know which medicinal plant they marketed most for oral pathologies. Later, a form was applied to the users of public services (n = 100) and private services (n = 100) to obtain information about the use phytotherapy. The most frequent plants used for oral problems that were sold by the healers were: "babatenon" (Pithecelobium avaremotemo Mart.), "aroeira" (Schinus terebinthifolius Raddi), cashew tree known as "cajueiro roxo" (Anacardium occidentale L.) and "quixaba" (Bumelia sartorum Mart.). Among the users, 80% reported the use of medicinal plants. The most cited were pomegranate (Punica granatum L.), cashew tree, "juá" (Zizyphus joazeiro Mart.), and mint leaf known as "hortelã da folha graúda" (Plectrantus amboinicus Lour). The data suggest that a good deal of the local population, mainly public service users do use medicinal plants. It is necessary, though more studies to prove the effective action of the plants under scientific basis.

A Jatropha gossypiifolia L. apesar de ser usada na medicina popular com finalidades diversas, é uma espécie classicamente catalogada como tóxica. Este trabalho teve como objetivo a pesquisa de alterações histopatológicas em vísceras de ratos sob tratamento agudo com o extrato etanólico (EE) da Jatropha gossypiifolia L. Ratos Wistar foram tratados por via oral (gavagem) com doses únicas do extrato de até 5 g/kg e observados por 14 dias. Após esse período, os animais foram sacrificados por tração cervical e as vísceras foram coletadas. O coração, o fígado e o rim foram seccionados por incisão sagital e os pulmões submetidos à perfusão via traquéia, com solução de formol a 10%. As secções teciduais foram processadas conforme os métodos habituais, coradas pela hematoxilina-eosina e tricômico e observadas ao microscópio óptico. Apenas nos animais tratados com a maior dose do extrato (5 g/kg) foram observadas alterações em fígado e pulmão evidenciadas por resposta inflamatória e estimulação do sistema imunitário. Estes resultados indicam uma toxicidade aguda oral relativamente baixa; entretanto, corroboram com os indícios de hepatotoxicidade já publicados, expondo ainda um potencial de toxicidade pulmonar do produto, o que ressalta a importância de estudos toxicológicos de longa duração com o EE da espécie Jatropha gossypiifolia L.

Jatropha gossypiifolia L. has been used in folk medicine in Brazil despite its classification as a toxic plant. The aim of this work was the assessment of histopathological a lterations in rats after acute treatment with the ethanol extract (EE) from Jatropha gossypiifolia L. Wistar rats were treated by gavage with single doses of EE until the limit dose of 5 g/kg (w.b.). 14 days after treatment the rats were sacrificed and the viscera were collected. The hard, liver and kidney were sectioned by sagittal incision and the lung submitted to perfusion with phormol (10%). The histological sections were processed by the usual methods in hematoxilin-eosin and trichrome staining and were observed through optical microscopy. Only in treated rats with 5 g/kg (w.b.) we observed some alterations in the liver and lung that means inflammatory response and immune activation. These results indicate a low oral acute toxicity, in relative terms, however, it was confirmed the hepatic toxicity already reported and showed the importance of long-term toxicological studies of the EE from Jatropha gossypiifolia L.

Cissampelos sympodialis Eichl. (Menispermaceae) has been investigated about its botanical, chemical, pharmacological and toxicological aspects in our laboratory. Previous acute toxicology studies demonstrated that in dogs as well as in Wistar rats, 5 g/kg, p.o., and 2 g/kg, i.p. of the aqueous fraction of the ethanol extract of the leaves of Cissampelos sympodialis (AFL), induced a significant increase in the phosphatase alkaline and gama glutamil tranferase (GGT) levels, that were completely reversed in 15 days after interruption of AFL treatment. The aim of the present work was to investigate the subacute toxicology effects induced by AFL in dogs. We used the methods proposed by Portaria 116/96 of the Secretaria Nacional de Vigilância Sanitária, which regulates studies of toxicity for phytomedicines in Brazil. Daily administration (p.o.) of AFL, 45 mg/kg/day (5 times the dose used by human beings), during 4 weeks, was devoid of any effect on haematological (haemogram and platelets) and on blood biochemical parametes. In conclusion, the present study, using dogs, demonstrated that AFL, in a popularly used dose, by human beings, was devoid of any toxicological effect.