Study of the antitumor potential of Bidens pilosa (Asteraceae) used in Brazilian folk medicine.

Aim Of The Study: Bidens pilosa (L.) (Asteraceae) is a medicinal plant traditionally used in Brazil for treating conditions that can be related to cancer. Therefore the present study was carried out to evaluate the antitumor activity of extracts obtained from the aerial parts of this plant species.

Free-radical scavenging by Ouratea parviflora in experimentally-induced liver injuries.

The antioxidant potential of crude extracts and fractions from leaves of Ouratea parviflora, a Brazilian medicinal plant used for the treatment of inflammatory diseases, was investigated in vitro through the scavenging of radicals 2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl-hydrate (DPPH), hydroxyl radical (HO*), superoxide anion (O2*-), and lipid peroxidation in rat liver homogenate. The crude extract (CEOP) and hydro-alcoholic fraction (OP4) showed strong inhibitory activity toward lipid peroxidation induced by tert-butyl peroxide (IC50 = 2.3 +/- 0.