Extratos de folhas de Piper regnellii (Miq.) C. DC. var. pallescens (C. DC.) Yunck (Piperaceae), uma planta medicinal utilizada no Brasil para tratar doenças infecciosas, foram testados para a atividade antifúngica sobre as leveduras Candida albicans, C. krusei, C. parapsilosis e C. tropicalis. O extrato em acetato de etila apresentou boa atividade contra C. albicans com uma CIM de 125 mg µL-1, moderada atividade contra C. krusei e C. parapsilosis (CIM de 500 mg µL-1) e foi inativo contra C. tropicalis (CMI> 1000 mg µL-1). Com base nestes resultados, o extrato em acetato de etila foi fracionado em nove frações em cromatografia de coluna de sílica gel. As frações hexano e clorofórmio mostraram variados níveis de atividade antifúngica contra as leveduras testadas. Posterior separação da fração hexânica em cromatografia de coluna resultou nas substâncias puras eupomatenóide-6, eupomatenóide-5, eupomatenóide-3 e conocarpano. A elucidação estrutural das substâncias foi baseada em dados espectrais (RMN de ¹H e de 13C, HSQC, HMBC, gNOE, IV e EM). O conocarpano foi a única substância isolada, com atividade contra as leveduras. As propriedades antifúngicas do extrato de P. regnellii demonstraram preliminar validação científica do uso da planta na medicina popular.

Piper regnellii (Miq.) C. DC. var. pallescens (C. DC.) Yunck (Piperaceae) is a medicinal plant traditionally used in Brazil to treat infectious diseases. The extracts obtained from the leaves of P. regnellii were investigated for their antifungal activities against the yeasts Candida albicans, C. krusei, C. parapsilosis, and C. tropicalis. The EtOAc extract presented a significant activity against Candida albicans with MIC at 125 µg mL-1, and a moderate activity against both C. krusei and C. parapsilosis with MIC at 500 µg mL-1. Candida tropicalis was not inhibited by this extract at concentrations as high as 1000 µg mL-1. Based on these findings, the EtOAc extract was fractionated by silica gel column chromatography into nine fractions. The hexane and CHCl3 fractions showed varied levels of antifungal activity against all test yeasts. Further column chromatography separation of the hexane fraction afforded the pure compounds eupomatenoid-6, eupomatenoid-5, eupomatenoid-3 and conocarpan. The structure of the compounds was based on spectral data (¹H and 13C NMR, HSQC, HMBC, gNOE, IR and MS). Conocarpan was the only active compound on the yeasts. The antifungal property of P. regnellii extract provides preliminary scientific validation for the traditional medicinal use of this plant.

The evaluation of the activity of the aqueous and ethyl acetate extracts of the leaves of Piper regnellii was tested against gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. The aqueous extractdisplayed a weak activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus subtilis with minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimal bactericidal concentration (MBC) of 1000 µg/ml. The ethyl acetate extract presented a good activity against S. aureus and B. subtilis with MIC and MBC at 15.62 µg/ml. In contrast to the relative low MICs for gram-positive bacteria, gram-negative bacteria were not inhibited by the extracts at concentrations < 1000 mg/ml. The ethyl acetate extract was fractionated on silica gel into nine fractions. The hexane and chloroform fractions were active against S. aureus (MIC at 3.9 µg/ml) and B. subtilis (MIC at 3.9 and 7.8 µg/ml, respectively). Using bioactivity-directed fractionation, the hexane fraction was rechromatographed to yield the antimicrobial compounds 1, 2, 5, and 6identified as eupomatenoid-6, eupomatenoid-5, eupomatenoid-3, and conocarpan, respectively. The pure compounds 1 and 2 showed a good activity against S. aureus with MIC of 1.56 µg/ml and 3.12 µg/ml, respectively. Both compounds presented MIC of 3.12 µg/ml against B. subtilis. The pure compound 6 named as conocarpan was quite active against S. aureus and B. subtilis with MIC of 6.25 µg/ml. The antibacterial properties of P. regnellii justify its use in traditional medicine for the treatment of wounds, contaminated through bacteria infections.

O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o efeito da somatotropina bovina recombinante (rBST - análogo do BST, obtido comercialmente pela técnica do DNA recombinante), sobre os aspectos hematológicos (hematócrito, eritrócitos, hemoglobina, leucócitos, neutrófilos, eosinófilos, linfócitos e monócitos) e metabólitos (glicose, insulina, IGF-I, triglicérides, colesterol total e uréia) do sangue de novilhas confinadas. Foram utilizadas 24 novilhas mestiças (½ Nelore x ½ Red Angus), com aproximadamente 18 meses de idade e peso médio 255 kg. Os animais foram alimentados com uma dieta contendo silagem de milho como volumoso e polpa de citrus peletizada e farelo de soja, como concentrado, durante 84 dias. Essa dieta foi utilizada para os três tratamentos, que se diferenciaram pela aplicação de 250 mg de rBST, por via subcutânea, na fossa ísqueo-retal, onde: 1) controle (aplicação de dois mL de solução salina); 2) dose única e 3) uma dose a cada 14 dias. Os animais foram distribuídos em delineamento inteiramente casualizado, com três tratamentos e oito repetições. Coleta de sangue foi realizada no início do experimento e nos dias 28, 56 e 84 do experimento, para as determinações dos aspectos hematológicos e metabólitos. Não houve influência da aplicação de rBST sobre os aspectos hematológicos do sangue no início e final do experimento. Todavia, independentemente do tratamento, o dia de coleta teve um efeito linear positivo sobre os níveis de hematócrito, linear negativo sobre os níveis de glicose e triglicérides e quadrático positivo sobre os níveis de IGF-I e uréia. Ainda, não foi observado efeito do dia de coleta sobre os níveis de insulina e colesterol total.

This work was carried out to evaluate the recombinant bovine somatotropin effect (rBST - BST analogous, commercially obtained by recombinant DNA technique), on hematological aspects (hematocrit, erythrocyte, hemoglobin, leukocyte, neutrophil, eosinophil, lymphocyte and monocyte) and metabolites (glucose, insulin, IGF-I, triglycerides, total cholesterol and urea) in heifers blood. Twenty-four crossbred heifers were used (½ Nellore x ½ Red Angus), they were approximately 18 months old and 225 kg of average body weight. All animals were fed with corn silage, citrus pulp and soybean meal during 84 days. 250 mg of rBST were administered subcutaneously, by intradermic way in the ischiorectal fossa. Treatments were: 1) control (administration of two mL of saline solution); 2) Single dose and 3) one dose each 14 days. The animals were used in a completely randomized design, with three treatments and eight replicates. The blood collect was realized in the beginning of the experiment and in the days 28, 56 and 84 of the experiment to determine the hematological aspects and metabolites. There was no influence of the rBST treatment on hematological aspects in the beginning and at the end of the experiment. However, the collect day had a positive linear effect on the hematocrit levels, negative linear on the glucose and triglycerides levels and positive quadratic on the IGF-I and urea levels. Also, the collect day effect was not observed on the insulin and total cholesterol levels.

Extracts of 13 Brazilian medicinal plants were screened for their antimicrobial activity against bacteria and yeasts. Of these, 10 plant extracts showed varied levels of antibacterial activity. Piper regnellii presented a good activity against Staphylococus aureus and Bacillus subtilis, a moderate activity on Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and a weak activity against Escherichia coli. Punica granatum showed good activity on S. aureus and was inactive against the other standard strains. Eugenia uniflora presented moderate activity on both S. aureus and E. coli. Psidium guajava,Tanacetum vulgare, Arctium lappa, Mikania glomerata, Sambucus canadensis, Plantago major and Erythrina speciosa presented some degree of antibacterial activity. Spilanthes acmella, Lippia alba, and Achillea millefolium were considered inactive. Five of the plant extracts presented compounds with Rf values similar to the antibacterial compounds visible on bioautogram. Of these, three plants belong to the Asteraceae family. This may mean that the same compounds are responsible for the antibacterial activity in these plants. Anticandidal activity was detected in nine plant extracts (P. guajava, E. uniflora, P. granatum, A. lappa, T. vulgare, M. glomerata, L. alba, P. regnellii, and P. major). The results might explain the ethnobotanical use of the studied species for the treatment of various infectious diseases.

No presente trabalho foram investigados os efeitos antibacteriano e antidiabético da planta Cissus sicyoides (CS) coletada no Brasil. Ratos diabéticos receberam água (grupo A) ou extratos da parte aérea da planta (grupo CS) durante 4 semanas. Após este período, os níveis séricos de glicose, colesterol e triglicerídeos dos ratos foram determinados. A glicemia não foi afetada pelo tratamento com CS. Entretanto, houve aumento nos níveis de colesterol e triglicerídeos nos ratos do grupo CS. Em adição, fracionamento bio-monitorado foi realizado para o isolamento de compostos com atividade antibacteriana. beta-Sitosterol e sitosterol-beta-D-glucopiranosídeo isolados mostram atividade antibacteriana contra Bacillus subtilis com concentrações mínimas inibitórias (MICs) de 50 mig/ml e 100 mig/ml, respectivamente. Apesar da crença popular, CS não mostrou atividade antidiabética. Entretanto, dois compostos isolados da parte aérea da planta (beta-sitosterol e sitosterol-beta-D-glucopiranosídeo) apresentaram fraca atividade antibacteriana.

In this work we investigated the antidiabetic and antibacterial effect of Cissus sicyoides (CS) from Brazil. Diabetic rats that received water (A group) or extracts from the aerial parts of the plant (Cs group) during four weeks were employed. After this period, serum levels of glucose, cholesterol and triglycerides were measured. Glycemia was not affected by treatment with CS. However, there was an increased cholesterol and triglyceride level in Cs group. In addition, bioassay-guided fractionation of methanolic extract from aerial parts of CS was performed for isolation of antibacterial compounds.beta-Sitosterol and sitosterol-beta-D-glucopyranoside isolated showed antibacterial activity against Bacillus subtilis with minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of 50 mug/ml and 100 mug/ml, respectively. In spite of popular belief, CS did not show antidiabetic activity. However, two compounds isolated from aerial parts of the plant (beta-sitosterol and sitosterol-beta-D-glucopyranoside) showed antibacterial activity.