Technical aspects on production of fluid extract from Brosimum gaudichaudii Trécul roots

Chemical Characterization, Antioxidant and Cytotoxic Activities of the Edible Fruits of Brosimun gaudichaudii Trécul, a Native Plant of the Cerrado Biome

In Brazil, there is a large diversity of species of small edible fruits that are considered sources of nutrients and functional properties. They present a high innovation domain for the pharmaceutical, cosmetic and food industries due to their health-promoting properties. Edible fruits from Brosimum gaudichaudii (Moraceae) are widely consumed and used in folk medicine and in feed by the population of the Brazilian Cerrado. Nevertheless, detailed information on the chemical fingerprint, antiradical activity and safety aspects of these fruits is still unknown. Thus, the aim of this work was to investigate the bioactive compounds of hydroethanolic extracts of fruits from Brosimum gaudichaudii using high-performance liquid chromatography combined with mass spectrometry using electrospray ionization (HPLC ESI-MS). Eighteen different compounds, including flavonoids, coumarins, arylbenzofurans, terpenoids, stilbenes, xanthones and esters, were detected. Moreover, the study indicated that the hydroethanolic extract of fruits from B. gaudichaudii presented low scavenging activity against 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radicals (IC₅₀ >800 μg mL^-1 ) and was cytotoxic (IC₅₀ <30 μg mL^-1 ) in Chinese hamster ovary cells (CHO-K1) by an in vitro assay. This is the first report of the chemical profile, antioxidant activity and cytotoxic properties of the hydroethanolic extract of fruits from B. gaudichaudii.

Combinations of Blue and Red LEDs Increase the Morphophysiological Performance and Furanocoumarin Production of Brosimum gaudichaudii Trécul in vitro

Brosimum gaudichaudii is a plant species with medicinal relevance due to its furanocoumarin accumulation. The accumulation of these compounds in the root promotes predatory extractivism, which threatens the conservation of the species. In addition, little is known about the conditions for culturing of this species in vitro. The present study aimed to investigate how the application of different spectra of LEDs (white, blue, red, and combinations of blue and red at 1:1 and 3:1 ratios) can impact the morphophysiological and biochemical characteristics of B. gaudichaudii under different in vitro conditions. To evaluate the production of furanocoumarins in its leaves, which are easy-to-collect perennial organs, we cultured nodal segments in 50-mL tubes with MS medium under 100 μmol m^-2 s^-1 light and a photoperiod of 16 h for 50 days. We then submitted the seedlings biometric, anatomical, biochemical, and physiological evaluations. The different spectral qualities influenced several characteristics of the seedlings. Plants grown under red light showed greater stem elongation and larger and thinner leaves, strategies aimed at capturing a higher ratio of radiant energy. Exposure to the blue/red ratio of 1:1 induced increases in the concentration of the furanocoumarin psoralen, probably due to the diversion of carbon from primary metabolism, which resulted in lower growth. Cultivation under blue light or blue:red light at 3:1 triggered anatomical and physiological changes that led to higher production of secondary metabolites in the leaves, and at the 3:1 ratio, the seedlings also had a high growth rate. These results highlight the fundamental role of light in stimulating the production of secondary metabolites, which has important implications for the production of compounds of interest and indirect consequences for the conservation of B. gaudichaudii.

Ethnopharmacology of Fruit Plants: A Literature Review on the Toxicological, Phytochemical, Cultural Aspects, and a Mechanistic Approach to the Pharmacological Effects of Four Widely Used Species

Fruit plants have been widely used by the population as a source of food, income and in the treatment of various diseases due to their nutritional and pharmacological properties. The aim of this study was to review information from the most current research about the phytochemical composition, biological and toxicological properties of four fruit species widely used by the world population in order to support the safe medicinal use of these species and encourage further studies on their therapeutic properties. The reviewed species are: Talisia esculenta, Brosimum gaudichaudii, Genipa americana, and Bromelia antiacantha. The review presents the botanical description of these species, their geographical distribution, forms of use in popular medicine, phytochemical studies and molecules isolated from different plant organs. The description of the pharmacological mechanism of action of secondary metabolites isolated from these species was detailed and toxicity studies related to them were reviewed. The present study demonstrates the significant concentration of phenolic compounds in these species and their anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor, photosensitizing properties, among others. Such species provide important molecules with pharmacological activity that serve as raw materials for the development of new drugs, making further studies necessary to elucidate mechanisms of action not yet understood and prove the safety for use in humans.