Resumo O objetivo deste trabalho foi investigar o efeito de reguladores de crescimento de plantas (RCP) na indução de calos a partir de cotilédones de Enterolobium contortisiliquum cultivados in vitro, bem como avaliar a atividade inibitória de tripsina nestes calos. Cotilédones de E. contortisiliquum foram cultivados em meio de cultura suplementado com ácido diclorofenoxiacético (2,4-D), picloram (PIC), cinetina (KIN) e 6-benzilaminopurina (BAP). Foram mensuradas, após 60 dias, massa de calo, atividade inibitória de tripsina, observações morfogenéticas e citoquímicas, e atividade biológica. O diagrama de Pareto mostrou que apenas 0,5 mg L-1 de PIC influenciou o aumento da massa fresca, enquanto 0,5 mg L-1 de BAP influenciou a massa seca. O gráfico de análise de componentes principais mostrou a formação de dois clusters claros. A atividade inibitória de tripsina é alcançada em maior intensidade no tratamento com 0,5 mg L-1 de 2,4-D + 2,0 mg L-1 de PIC + 0,5 mg L-1 de KIN + 2,0 mg L-1 de BAP. A combinação de RCP em diferentes doses causa intensa formação de calo. Baixas concentrações de RCP resultam em maior massa fresca, massa seca e atividade biológica. A utilização de RCP é eficiente na obtenção de calos de E. contortisiliquum com satisfatória atividade inibitória de tripsina.

Abstract The objective of this work was to investigate the effect of plant growth regulators (PGR) on the induction of calli from cotyledons of Enterolobium contortisiliquum grown in vitro, as well as to evaluate the inhibitory activity of trypsin in these calli. Cotyledons of E. contortisiliquum were cultivated in culture medium supplemented with dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D), picloram (PIC), kinetin (KIN), and 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP). Callus mass, inhibitory activity of trypsin, morphogenetic and cytochemical observations, and biological activity were measured after 60 days. The Pareto diagram showed that only 0.5 mg L-1 PIC influenced the increase of fresh mass, whereas 0.5 mg L-1 BAP influenced dry mass. The principal component analysis plot showed the formation of two clear clusters. The inhibitory activity of trypsin is achieved at a higher intensity in the treatment with 0.5 mg L-1 2,4-D + 2.0 mg L-1 PIC + 0.5 mg L-1 KIN + 2.0 mg L-1 BAP. The combination of PGR at different rates causes an intense callus formation. Low concentrations of PGR result in a higher fresh mass, dry mass, and biological activity. The use of PGR is efficient in obtaining E. contortisiliquum calli with a satisfactory inhibitory activity of trypsin.

ABSTRACT Adding value to fruit residues is of great interest, since they can be presented as a viable solution in search of new drugs for the treatment of obesity and related diseases, due to bioactive substances, especially phenolic compounds. Thus, the objective of this study was to prepare the methanol extract of acerola bagasse flour, in order to evaluate its potential as a source of inhibitors of the enzymes α-amylase, α-glucosidase, lipase and trypsin, and determine the content of phenolic compounds by high performance liquid chromatography. Enzymatic inhibition assays were conducted in the presence or absence of simulated gastric fluid. In the methanol extract of acerola bagasse flour, the following phenolic compounds were identified: gallic acid, syringic and p-coumaric acid, catechin, epigallocatechin gallate, epicatechin and quercetin; epicatechin was the major compound. In the absence of gastric fluid, simulated enzymes had a variable inhibition of the acerola bagasse flour extract, except for lipase, which was not inhibited. In the presence of simulated gastric fluid, there was an inhibition of 170.08 IEU (Inhibited Enzyme Unit in µmol min−1 g−1) for α-amylase and 69.29 IEU for α-glucosidase, indicating that this extract shows potential as an adjuvant in the treatment of obesity and other dyslipidemia.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the therapeutic and toxicologic effects of the administration of the powered vegetable extract and aqueous extract of Tournefortia paniculata leaves on Wistar rats, subjected to a hypercaloric diet for 42 days. The rats were divided into five groups and were given the following treatments by gavage: T0 (control) - 1.0 mL water day-1; T1 - aqueous extract containing 14 mg phenolic compounds kg-1 rat day-1; T2 - 14 mg quercetin kg-1 rat day-1; T3 - 50 mg powered vegetable extract from T. paniculata leaves (PVE) kg-1 rat day-1 and T4 - 100 mg PVE kg-1 rat day-1. The treatments did not significantly alter the weight, but were effective in reducing liver fat, glucose and serum triglycerides. The treatment T1 reduced food consumption and lipid peroxidation. None of the treatments showed genotoxic potential. Results showed that T. paniculata leaves possessed an anti-obesity potential. However, a more detailed study of the medicinal potential and characterization of phytochemicals in this plant would be still necessary for a better understanding of its mechanisms of action, enabling future applications in the treatment of this pathology or for various therapeutic purposes.

Os frutos da lichieira cv. Bengal possuem aproximadamente 50% de casca e semente, que são descartadas. Estes subprodutos apresentam compostos antioxidantes capazes de bloquear os efeitos danosos dos radicais livres, no organismo. Foram avaliados os compostos bioativos (ácido ascórbico, betacaroteno, licopeno e fenóis) e a atividade antioxidante, em diferentes extratos da casca, polpa e semente de lichia, in natura e secas a 45 ºC, os quais foram submetidos à análise de componentes principais, para elucidar quais compostos são responsáveis por esta atividade. A análise de componentes principais explicou 82,90% da variância do perfil antioxidante da lichia. A casca apresentou maiores teores de fenólicos, ácido ascórbico, betacaroteno e atividade antioxidante, enquanto a semente destacou-se pelos teores de licopeno. Com a secagem, houve decréscimo nos teores de ácido ascórbico e betacaroteno e na atividade antioxidante e aumento nos teores de fenólicos e licopeno. A atividade antioxidante encontrada na casca e semente de lichia é elevada e se deve, sobretudo, ao ácido ascórbico e ao betacaroteno, conforme demonstrado pela análise de componentes principais, o que possibilita o uso destas frações como fontes de antioxidantes naturais.

Fruit of the lychee cv. Bengal are approximately 50% peel and seeds, which are discarded. These by-products have antioxidant compounds which are capable of blocking the harmful effects of free radicals in the body. Bioactive compounds (ascorbic acid, beta-carotene, lycopene and phenols) and antioxidant activity were evaluated in different extracts, both fresh and dried at 45 °C, of the skin, pulp and seeds of the lychee, which were subjected to principal component analysis to clarify which of the compounds are responsible for this activity. Principal component analysis explained 82.90% of the variance of the antioxidant profile of the lychee. The peel displayed higher levels of phenols, ascorbic acid, beta-carotene and antioxidant activity, while the seeds stood out due to their levels of lycopene. With drying, there was a decrease in the levels of ascorbic acid and beta-carotene and in antioxidant activity, with an increase in the levels of phenols and lycopene. The antioxidant activity found in the peel and seeds of the lychee is high, and is mainly due to ascorbic acid and beta-carotene, as demonstrated by principal component analysis, allowing the use of these fractions as sources of natural antioxidants.