Publications by authors named "Braz-Filho R"

Diplopods are terrestrial arthropods important for the dynamics of terrestrial ecosystems. One of the reasons for that can be their low predation rate due to their defensive secretion. Thus, Orthoporus fuscipes, a species belonging to this group and endemic to northeastern Brazil, was investigated as to its population structure and chemical constituents of defensive secretion.

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Neglected Tropical Diseases are a significant concern as they encompass various infections caused by pathogens prevalent in tropical regions. The limited and often highly toxic treatment options for these diseases necessitate the exploration of new therapeutic candidates. In the present study, the lignan methylpiperitol was isolated after several chromatographic steps from Persea fulva L.

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Introduction: The botanical family Acanthaceae (order Lamiales) potentially comprises 4900 species in 191 genera with extensive morphological, habit and habitat diversity. The family is widely distributed throughout the world but is especially rich in tropical and subtropical regions. Many of its species have great ornamental importance and are broadly used for medicinal purposes in several countries of Asia and Africa.

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Ethnopharmacological Relevance: The Tabernaemontana genus belongs to the Apocynaceae family of which 30 species are found in Brazil. Some Tabernaemontana species are used by Brazilian indigenous people and other communities, or are listed in the Yanomami Pharmacopeia. Ethnopharmacological data include use(s) for muscle problems, depressed sternum, back pain, abscess, indigestion, eye irritation, earache, itching, vaginal discharge, as an aid for older people who are slow and forgetful, mosquito and snake bites, infection by the human botfly larvae, calmative, and fever.

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Myrtaceae is one of the most diverse and abundant botanical families, exhibiting wide diversity in the chemical composition of essential oils (EOs). EOs have various biotechnological applications such as controlling the populations of organisms that negatively impact humans. This study aimed to extract EOs from Myrtaceae species, chemically characterize them, and evaluate their larvicidal and fungicidal effects.

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Article Synopsis
  • A new cyclic natural compound, formed from succinic acid and two alanine amino acid units, was isolated from honey extract and its structure was determined through various NMR techniques.
  • In cell culture studies, this compound reduced the number of tachyzoites (a parasitic stage) by 40-56% within 24 hours, and 25-50% over 72 hours, in a dose-dependent manner.
  • The compound showed no toxicity to glial cells at concentrations up to 25 µg/mL and was associated with increased nitric oxide levels, suggesting a potential impact on DNA synthesis and protein production in affected cells.
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The alkaloid Aspidocarpine was isolated from the bark of Aspidosperma desmanthum. Its structure was elucidated by the spectral data of 1H and 13C-NMR (1D and 2D) and high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRESIMS). The antihypertensive activity was investigated by intravenous infusion in Wistar rats.

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Nordine was reported to be an unusual humulene-type macrocyclic sesquiterpenoid that contains an ether-bridged bicyclic ring between C-10 and C-6 with a hydroxy group at position 2. Here, we report the structure revision of nordine based on incongruities found for carbon chemical shifts in the originally proposed structure, in addition to formation of a diacetylated derivative. As expected, a single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis unambiguously confirmed our proposal that the nordine () structure contains an ether-bridged bicyclic ring between C-10 and C-7 and hydroxy groups at C-2 and C-6.

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COVID-19, caused by SARS-CoV-2, is a viral infection that has generated one of the most significant health problems in the world. Spike glycoprotein is a crucial enzyme in viral replication and transcription mediation. There are reports in the literature on using bile acid in the fight against this virus through tests.

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Lindl. is an important genus of the Apocynaceae family, not only as ornamental plants but also for its medicinal uses. In Brazil, species are indicated to treat asthma and skin infections, their anti-inflammatory potential and wound healing properties are also reported in the literature.

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Non-domesticated species may represent a treasure chest of defensive molecules which must be investigated and rescued. Clitoria fairchildiana R. Howard is a non-domesticated Fabacea, native from the Amazonian Forest whose seeds are exquisitely refractory to insect predation.

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A new nor--kaurene diterpene and ten other compounds were isolated from 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 , , , and was confirmed by CD experiments.

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The antioxidant activity of Tetragonisca angustula honey (TAH) and its ethanolic extract (TAEE) were investigated. The total levels of phenolic (TPC) and flavonoids (TFC) were also evaluated. The results for TPC were 19.

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New cycloartane, 22-hydroxy-25-hydroperoxycycloart-23-en-3-one (), along with six known analogues () and three steroids (), were isolated from the leaves of . Structures were elucidated mainly on the basis of the analysis of 1D and 2D NMR (H and C) and HRESIMS spectroscopic data, involving comparison with data of the literature. The cytotoxic activities of and isolated compounds were also evaluated against human leukemia cell line Molt-4 (acute lymphoblastic) and exhibited good cytotoxic activity with IC values ranging from 10.

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Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Different species of the Simaroubaceae family are used in traditional medicine to treat malaria. Among these is Homalolepis suffruticosa (syn. Simaba suffruticosa and Quassia suffruticosa), which is native to Central Brazil and popularly known as calunga.

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Phytochemical studies of Cespedesia spathulata (Ochnaceae) leaves using 1H, 13C NMR, and GC-MS have led to the isolation of some metabolites identified for the first time in these species such as cathechin, epicatechin, vitexin, orientin, 6''-O-acetyl-vitexin, sitosterol, stigmasterol, phytol, 4,5-dihydrovomifoliol and a mixture of aliphatic methyl esters, together with ochnaflavone, which was previously isolated from this plant. The modulating activity of some fractions and compounds from Cespedesia spathulata towards tyrosinase enzyme was assayed by spectroscopic and theoretical means/experiments. The dichloromethane fraction (133 μg mL-1) and ochnaflavone (333 μM) inhibited tyrosinase activity by 20 % and 2.

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Plants have historically been a rich source of successful anticancer drugs and chemotherapeutic agents, with research indicating that this trend will continue. In this contribution, we performed high-throughput cytotoxicity screening of 702 extracts from 95 plant species, representing 40 families of the Brazilian Cerrado biome. Activity was investigated against the following cancer cell lines: colon (Colo205 and Km12), renal (A498 and U031), liver (HEP3B and SKHEP), and osteosarcoma (MG63 and MG63.

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The genus P. Browne, which belongs to the Meliaceae family, has eighteen species. Trees of this genus are of economic interest due to wood quality, as well as being the focus of studies because of relevant biologic activities as in other Meliaceae species.

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Article Synopsis
  • * The study assessed the chemical composition and nematicidal activity of C. citratus extracts, finding they were effective against specific nematode species and revealed significant ovicidal effects in multiple fractions at high concentrations.
  • * Ultrastructural analysis demonstrated that C. citratus treatments caused physical deformations in nematodes, including damage to their cuticle, muscle, intestinal cells, and mitochondria, indicating its potential as a biological control agent in sheep farming.
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Six sesquiterpenoids with unprecedented macrocyclic humulene-type structures, namely, dolichocarpols A-E (-) with ether-bridged bicyclic rings between C-10 and C-2, C-10 and C-7, C-10 and C-6 (×2), and C-6 and C-3 and dolichocarpol F () cyclized between C-7 and C-2 and with an ether bridge between C-10 and C-3, were isolated from roots. The structures of the compounds were elucidated by NMR, MS, and IR data. Absolute configurations of compounds - and were established on the basis of data from electronic circular dichroism, whereas relative configurations of compounds and were suggested by the NOESY spectrum.

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The essential oils obtained by hydrodistillation from fresh leaves of Vitex agnus-castus and Ocimum campechianum, and from fresh inflorescences of Ocimum carnosum were analysed by GC-FID and GC-MS. The major components of V. agnus-castus essential oil were identified as 1,8-cineole (47.

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There has been a rapid increase in the incidence and prevalence of opportunistic bacterial infections. Inappropriate use of current antibiotics has continuously contributed to the emergence of resistance to conventional antibiotic therapy. Therefore, the search for natural molecules that are able to combat infections is of great public interest, and many of these compounds with antimicrobial properties can be obtained from phytochemical studies of medicinal plants.

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This study represents the first phytochemical analysis of () and describes new terpenoids obtained from the root bark of this species. The fractionation of the hexane extract from the root bark led to the isolation of two new 28-nor-taraxarenes derivatives, loranthones A and B ( and ), four new tigliane diterpenes (-), three known tigliane diterpenes (-), and three known flexibilene diterpenes, tonantzitlolones A-C (-). The investigation of these compounds and the use of a molecular networking-based prioritization approach afforded two other new 28-nor-taraxarenes, loranthones C and D ( and ).

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Cissampelos sympodialis Eichler is well studied and investigated for its antiasthmatic properties, but there are no data in the literature describing antibacterial properties of alkaloids isolated from this botanical species. This work reports the isolation and characterization of phanostenine obtained from roots of C. sympodialis and describes for the first time its antimicrobial and antibiotic modulatory properties.

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