Hydroalcoholic Extract of Encholirium spectabile Mart. (Bromeliaceae) in O/W Emulsions as an Additive against the UVB Radiation

The use of sunscreen is one of the photoprotection measures most used by the population, so these products must offer broad spectrum protection against UVA and UVB radiation. Encholirium spectabile, popularly known as "macambira-de-flecha", is a species characterized by its rocky outcrops and found in the Caatinga. This biome is known for extreme droughts and dry periods, and for this reason its vegetation needed to develop resistance mechanisms. The aim of this work was to evaluate the use of E. spectabile incorporated in O/W emulsion as a potential photoprotective agent and their antioxidant activity. Four chemical constituents (ferulic acid, caffeic acid, p-coumaric acid and apigenin) were identified by HPLC-DAD analysis and emulsions containing different concentrations (1, 2.5 and 5%) of the extract without and with the addition of chemical filters (octyl methoxycinnamate and benzophenone-3) were prepared and submitted to the test of preliminary stability. The Q formulation demonstrated little variation in preliminary stability test and was selected for estimated your protection against UVB and determination in vitro Protection Factor UVA. The formulations remained stable during the freeze-thaw cycle, the extract despite maintaining the UVAPF and decreasing the wavelength, showed an increase in FPS from 14.4 (control) to 18.8 (control+ Es-HA80).

Hypolipidemic potential and safety profile of the ethanolic extract and flour of the peel of Passiflora Cincinnata Mast. (Passifloraceae) in mice

Passiflora cincinnata Mast. is described as a native Caatinga species, used by nutritional and medicinal purposes, although there are still few studies and pharmacological data related to this species. This paper aims to evaluate the safety profile and hypolipidemic potential of the fruit peel of this species in mice. It was analyzed the chemical composition of ethanolic extract (EtOH-Pc) by HPLC-DAD-MS/MS, and the organic and inorganic composition of flour (MF-Pc). Also were evaluated the acute toxicity, the lipid-lowering potential of these samples, through of a pretreatment (oral: 100 and 200 mg/kg), and a single treatment with the same doses, after hyperlipidemic induction with triton WR-1339, using as animal model Swiss Mus musculus mice, besides histopathological analysis. The presence of flavonoids in the extract was confirmed, mainly C-glycosides, and antioxidant minerals and pectin, in flour. No clinical signs of toxicity or death were reported in the study. In the hyperlipidemia study model used, the analyzed substances, at all doses, notably decreased the lipid levels of TC, TG, LDL-c and VLDL-c and increase the HDL-c levels in the induced hyperlipidemic mice (p < 0.05). The results of the histopathological analysis showed that in the group only induced was identified the discrete presence of hepatic steatosis, in 2 animals at the analysis of 24 h, not being visualized in the groups treated with the substances evaluated. The results obtained in the present study suggest a hypolipidemic potential of the extract and flour, obtained from the fruit peel of Passiflora cincinnata Mast.

New ent-kaurene-type nor-diterpene and other compounds isolated from Annona vepretorum Mart. (Annonaceae)

A new nor-ent-kaurene diterpene and ten other compounds were isolated from Annona vepretorum stems, including four kaurene diterpenes, three alkamides, one sesquiterpene and two steroids. Their chemical structures were elucidated using spectroscopic methods, including 1D-, 2D-NMR, and HRESIMS. The absolute configuration of compounds 1, 5, 8, 9 and 10 was confirmed by CD experiments. Compounds 1-5 and 8-10 were evaluated for cytotoxic activity using (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) MTT method, against three human carcinoma cell lines: human colon (HCT-116), glioblastoma (SF295) and prostate (PC3). However, all isolated compounds exhibited low cytotoxic activity.

Phytochemicals and biological properties of Annona coriacea Mart. (Annonaceae): A systematic review from 1971 to 2020

Annona coriacea Mart., popularly known as "marolo", "araticum" and "araticum-liso" is a species distributed in Paraguay and Brazil, and easily found in Caatinga, Cerrado, and Pantanal biomes. The araticum has been used in folk medicine to treat stomatitis, neuralgia, rheumatism, headaches, furuncle, ulcers, and dermatitis. This systematic review aimed to provide a comprehensive overview of the ethnomedicinal use, phytochemistry, and pharmacological activity of A. coriacea. A search for scientific articles of electronic databases (Science Direct, PubMed, Lilacs, Scopus, Google Scholar, Scielo, and Web of Science) was performed identifying studies published until November 2020. All papers considering traditional medicinal uses, phytochemistry, and pharmacological properties were included. Forty-six articles (n = 212 subjects) met the inclusion criteria set for this review. Of the 46 articles reviewed, 34 were focused on biological activity investigations, while 12 were limited to phytochemical studies. These studies showed the presence of a diversity of secondary metabolites such as acetogenins, sesquiterpenes, alkaloids, flavonoids, and diterpenes. To date, pharmacological tests have demonstrated significant biological activities of this plant, being the most promising anticancer, anti-inflammatory, antiulcer, and insecticide activities. Additionally, the medicinal utilization of A. coriacea appears to be promising, supporting its possible uses for human health with antioxidant, anxiolytic, antiulcer, insecticide, and antiparasitic activities. Ultimately, comprehensive studies involving clinical trials are required to validate the existing traditional practices and their related health benefits scientifically.

Identification of flavonoids in Hymenaea martiana Hayne (Fabaceae) by HPLC-DAD-MSn analysis

Hymenaea martiana is a native tree known in Brazil as 'jatobá' and used in folk medicine to treat pain and inflammation. The aim of this work was to identify the flavonoids present in the crude ethanolic extract and ethyl acetate fraction using HPLC-DAD and LC-MSⁿ analysis. The ethanolic extract was partitioned to obtain the ethyl acetate fraction. The analysis of astilbin content also was carried out by HPLC analysis. HPLC-DAD-ESI/MSⁿ analysis of the ethanolic extract and ethyl acetate fraction revealed the presence of eleven peaks in the chromatograms, and all these peaks were identified: taxifolin, eucryphin, astilbin and 3 diastereoisomers, engeletin and 2 diastereoisomers, quercitrin and 2,6,3',4'-tetrahydroxy-2-benzylcoumaran-3-one. The ethyl acetate fraction had a higher astilbin concentration (151.87 µg/mL) than the ethanolic extract (40.13 µg/mL). In conclusion, the species could be considered a good source of flavonoids, which can be related to the main chemotaxonomic markers for the genus Hymenaea.

1H HR-MAS NMR-based metabolomics study of different persimmon cultivars (Diospyros kaki) during fruit development

¹H HR-MAS NMR spectroscopy was used to track the metabolic changes throughout the whole development of astringent ('Giombo') and non-astringent ('Fuyu') cultivars of persimmon (Diospyros kaki). The NMR data revealed the low concentration of amino acids (threonine, alanine, citrulline and GABA) and organic acids (malic acid). In addition, the signals of carbohydrates (sucrose, glucose and fructose) seemed to play the most important role in the fruit development. In both cultivars, the growth was characterized by fluctuating sucrose concentration along with a constant increase in both glucose and fructose. In the initial growth stage, the polyphenol composition was quite different between the cultivars. Gallic acid was detected throughout the growth of 'Giombo', while for 'Fuyu', signals of polyphenols disappeared over time. Additional multivariate analysis suggested that these cultivars share many metabolic similarities during development. These findings might help the comprehension of fruit development, which in turn, impacts the quality of the fruits.

Home matters: work and household predictors of smoking and cessation among blue-collar workers

OBJECTIVE

This study examined the joint influence of work- and household-related variables on smoking behavior among a population representative sample of blue-collar workers with live-in partners.

METHODS

The study used data on 1389 blue-collar workers from the Tobacco Use Supplement to the United States Current Population Survey 2002 to 2003 longitudinal overlap sample. Unadjusted and adjusted logistical regression analyses, which employed sampling and replicate weights to account for sampling design, were run to estimate independent and joint effects of the predictors.

RESULTS

In adjusted analyses, partner smoking (OR=4.97, 95%CI=3.02-8.18) and complete and partial home smoking policy (OR=0.16, 95%CI=0.09-0.29 and OR=0.39, 95%CI=0.23-0.68, respectively) were significant predictors of smoking status, but worksite smoking policies and presence of a young child under 5 in the household were not (p>0.05). Baseline complete home smoking ban was a significant predictor of subsequent cessation (OR=3.49, 95%CI=1.19-10.23), while partner smoking status, workplace smoking policy, and the presence of a young child in the home did not predict cessation (p>0.05).

CONCLUSION

Household-related variables were significant predictors of smoking status and cessation among blue-collar workers. Current efforts to decrease smoking in this group, which are mostly focused on work-related risk factors, should consider how to incorporate household risk factors.

Essential oil from the leaves of Annona vepretorum: chemical composition and bioactivity

The essential oil from the leaves of Annona vepretorun was obtained by hydrodistillation using a Clevenger-type apparatus and analyzed by GC-MS and GC-FID. Eighteen compounds representing 98.1% of the crude essential oil were identified. The major compounds identified were bicyclogermacrene (43.7%), spathulenol (11.4%), alpha-felandrene (10.0%), alpha-pinene (7.1%), (E)-beta-ocimene (6.8%), germacrene D (5.8%), and p-cymene (4.2%). The trypanocidal activity against Trypanosoma cruzi epimastigote forms, as well as, the antimicrobial and antioxidant proprieties was investigated. The essential oil showed a potent trypanocidal activity with IC50 value of 31.9 +/-1.3 microg x mL(-1). For antimicrobial activity, the best result was observed against Candida tropicalis with a MIC value of 100 microg x mL(-1). For antioxidant capacity the essential oil showed weak activity.

Essential Oil from the Leaves of Annona vepretorum: Chemical Composition and Bioactivity

The essential oil from the leaves of Annona vepretorun was obtained by hydrodistillation using a Clevenger-type apparatus and analyzed by GC-MS and GC-FID. Eighteen compounds representing 98.1% of the crude essential oil were identified. The major compounds identified were bicyclogermacrene (43.7%), spathulenol (11.4%), α-felandrene (10.0%), α-pinene (7.1%), (E)-β-ocimene (6.8%), germacrene D (5.8%), and p-cymene (4.2%). The trypanocidal activity against Trypanosoma cruzi epimastigote forms, as well as, the antimicrobial and antioxidant proprieties was investigated. The essential oil showed a potent trypanocidal activity with IC50 value of 31.9±1.3μg.mL-1. For antimicrobial activity, the best result was observed against Candida tropicalis with a MIC value of 100μg.mL-1. For antioxidant capacity the essential oil showed weak activity.

Chemical Composition and Antioxidant, Antimicrobial, and Larvicidal Activities of the Essential Oils of Annona Salzmannii and A. pickelii (Annonaceae)

The essential oils from the leaves of Annona salzmannii and A. pickelii (Annonaceae) growing in Sergipe, northeastern region of Brazil, were obtained by hydrodistillation using a Clevenger-type apparatus, and analyzed by GC/MS and GC/FID. Thirty-four compounds were identified in the essential oil of A. salzmannii and twenty-seven in that of A. pickelii; sesquiterpenes predominated in both essential oils. Bicyclogermacrene (20.3%), ( E)-caryophyllene (19.9%), δ-cadinene (15.3%), α-copaene (10.0%), and allo-aromadendrene (5.7%) were the main components of A. salzmannii, and bicyclogermacrene (45.4%), ( E)-caryophyllene (14.6%), and α-copaene (10.6%) of A. pickelii. The essential oils showed significant antioxidant capacity in the ORACFL and DPPH assays. The antimicrobial activity of these essential oils was also evaluated against bacteria and fungi, as well as the larvicidal activity against Aedes aegypti larvae.

Chemical composition and antioxidant, antimicrobial, and larvicidal activities of the essential oils of Annona salzmannii and A. pickelii (Annonaceae)

The essential oils from the leaves of Annona salzmannii and A. pickelii (Annonaceae) growing in Sergipe, northeastern region of Brazil, were obtained by hydrodistillation using a Clevenger-type apparatus, and analyzed by GC/MS and GC/FID. Thirty-four compounds were identified in the essential oil of A. salzmannii and twenty-seven in that of A. pickelii; sesquiterpenes predominated in both essential oils. Bicyclogermacrene (20.3%), (E)-caryophyllene (19.9%), delta-cadinene (15.3%), alpha-copaene (10.0%), and allo-aromadendrene (5.7%) were the main components of A. salzmannii, and bicyclogermacrene (45.4%), (E)-caryophyllene (14.6%), and alpha-copaene (10.6%) of A. pickelii. The essential oils showed significant antioxidant capacity in the ORAC(FL) and DPPH assays. The antimicrobial activity of these essential oils was also evaluated against bacteria and fungi, as well as the larvicidal activity against Aedes aegypti larvae.

Detection of hantaviruses in Brazilian rodents by SYBR-Green-based real-time RT-PCR

Current knowledge of the pathogenic hantavirus indicates that wild rodents are its primary natural reservoir. Specific primers to detect the presence of viral genomes were developed using an SYBR-Green-based real-time RT-PCR protocol. One hundred sixty-four rodents native to the Atlantic Forest biome were captured in São Paulo State, Brazil, and their tissues were tested. The presence of hantavirus RNA was detected in sixteen rodents: three specimens of Akodon montensis, three of Akodon cursor, two of Necromys lasiurus, one of Juliomys sp., one of Thaptomys nigrita, five of Oligoryzomys nigripes, and one of Oryzomys sp. This SYBR Green real-time RT-PCR method for detection of hantavirus may be useful for surveying hantaviruses in Brazil.