The use of an integrated molecular-, chemical- and biological-based approach for promoting the better use and conservation of medicinal species: a case study of Brazilian quinas

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Quina is a popular name originally attributed to Cinchona pubescens Vahl (=Cinchona succirubra) and Cinchona. calisaya Wedd., species native from Peru that have the antimalarial alkaloid quinine. In Brazil, bitter barks substitutes for the Peruvian species began to be used centuries ago, and they still are sold in popular markets. To assess the authenticity and the conditions on which samples of quinas have been commercialized, using the DNA barcode, chemical and biological assays.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Starting with 28 samples of barks acquired on a popular market, 23 had their DNA extracted successfully. The regions matK and rbcL were amplified and sequenced for 15 and 23 samples, respectively. Phytochemical analyses were performed by chromatographic methods, and biological essays were done by antimalarial tests in vitro.

RESULTS

The identified species belonged to six different families, many of them endangered or with no correlation with use in traditional medicine as a Brazilian quina. The absence of typical bitter chemical substances indicated that barks have been collected from other species or from very young trees. The results of biological essays confirm the lack of standardization of the sold materials.

CONCLUSION

The integrated approaches proved to be efficient to evaluate medicinal plants sold in popular markets and can be useful for promoting their better use and conservation.

Improvement of viral recombinant protein-based immunoassays using nanostructured hybrids as solid support

Protein adsorption onto solid surfaces is a complex process playing an important role in biological systems, being crucial to maintain the three-dimensional conformation during molecules interaction. Polymers hybrid network could be used to perform immunoassays with the required high level specificity. We have developed a novel route for incorporating recombinant protein from Bovine Herpesvirus into a network using as template Poly(vinyl alcohol) chemically tailored with five organosilanes followed by FTIR spectroscopy characterization. Protein expressed in E. coli was incorporated into hybrid network; all the PVA-hybrids interacted with this biomolecule and FTIR vibrational bands have endorsed the results. PVA hybrids modified with 3-(triethoxysilyl) propylisocyanate-TESPI presented the best result in the immunoassay, enhancing the sera specificity in comparison with the commercial microplate. We have successfully developed organic-inorganic hybrid based on PVA-silane to be used in serological tests with recombinant protein as a promising tool for the development and production new diagnostic assays.