Abstract The purpose of this review is to provide information on the traditional uses, phytochemical and pharmacological studies performed with species of orchids native to the Americas and the Caribbean Islands. The treatment of inflammation is the most traditional use for plants of this family, specially in Central America, while anti-inflammatory and anticancer assays are oftenly reported in pharmacological investigations. From the chemical point of view, they are sources of phenanthrenoids and stilbenes, rare secondary metabolites not commonly found in other families of plants, as well as cycloartane triterpenes, pyrrolizidine alkaloids and flavonoids. Since just few species were chemically and pharmacologically studied, in comparison to the large number of native species (less than 0.5% of the total), the orchids of the New World may be an interesting niche for the discovery of new, bioactive natural products.

Resumo O presente estudo consistiu em avaliar a eficiência dos processos de coagulação/floculação, sedimentação e filtração, utilizando a associação do coagulante natural obtido de Moringa oleifera Lam (MO) e do coagulante sintético policloreto de alumínio (PAC) para tratamento de água. Foi utilizada água bruta proveniente da bacia do Rio Pirapó, Maringá, PR, Brasil. Os ensaios de coagulação/floculação e sedimentação foram realizados em Jar Test. Na etapa de filtração utilizou-se um filtro rápido de camada dupla de areia e antracito. A qualidade da água e a eficácia do processo foram avaliadas por meio da análise de parâmetros físicos, químicos e bacteriológicos, além da determinação do tamanho dos flocos e potencial zeta. A utilização da MO contribuiu para a redução da demanda requerida do coagulante sintético PAC. A associação dos coagulantes com 80%/20% ou 60%/40% de MO/PAC garantiram a melhoria dos parâmetros de qualidade, tais como cor aparente, turbidez e UV254nm, assim como a possibilidade de produção de água com o padrão de potabilidade adequado.

Abstract This study evaluated the efficiency of coagulation/flocculation, sedimentation and filtration processes using the combination of natural coagulant from Moringa oleifera Lam (MO) and synthetic coagulant aluminum polychloride (PAC) for water treatment. Raw water was obtained from the Pirapó River Basin, Maringá, Paraná State, Brazil. Coagulation/flocculation and sedimentation assays were carried out in a Jar Test. A two-layer rapid filter filled with sand and anthracite was used in the filtration stage. Water quality and therefore the efficiency of the process were determined by means of the analysis of physical, chemical and bacteriological parameters, including the determination of floc size and zeta potential. The utilization of MO contributed to the reduction of the required demand of synthetic coagulant PAC. The association of coagulants, with 80%/20% or 60%/40% of MO/PAC, ensured an improvement of water quality parameters, such as apparent color, turbidity and UV254nm, as well as the possibility of water production with adequate potability standard.

Quorum-sensing é um fenômeno de comunicação amplamente estudado em bactérias, o qual envolve a produção e detecção de substâncias sinalizadoras que dependem do comportamento da colônia e da densidade celular. No presente trabalho, a interação entre a substância sinalizadora (S)-N-(3-oxo-octanoil)-HSL e a membrana celular da A. tumefaciens NTL4(pZLR4) foi estudada utilizando a espectroscopia de RMN da diferença de transferência de saturação (STD-NMR). O mapa do epitopo da substância foi obtido, mostrando que a cadeia hidrofóbica acila apresentou o mais importante ponto de interação. Os resultados foram interpretados em comparação a um sistema modelo de membrana, os lipossomas. Também foi analisado o uso da β-ciclodextrina como carreador da acil-HSL.

Quorum-sensing is a widely studied communication phenomenon in bacteria, which involves the production and detection of signaling substances in relation with cell density and colony behavior. Herein, the membrane binding interactions of the signal (S)-N-(3-oxo-octanoyl)-HSL with A. tumefaciens NTL4(pZLR4) cells were studied using saturation transfer difference NMR spectroscopy (STD-NMR). The substance epitope map was obtained showing that the hydrophobic acyl chain is the most important interacting site for the signal and the cell membrane. Results were interpreted upon comparisons with a simpler system, using liposomes as membrane models. Some insights on the use of β-cyclodextrin as acyl-HSL carrier were also provided.