Neuroinflammation and hypersensitivity evidenced by the acute and 28-day repeated dose toxicity tests of ostrich oil in mice.

The ostrich oil (OO) has been topically used for decades to treat skin diseases. Its oral use has been encouraged through e-commerce advertising several health benefits to OO without scientific evidence on its safety or effectiveness. This study presents the chromatographic profile of a commercially available OO and its acute and 28-day repeated dose in vivo toxicological profiles.

Gastroprotective effect of Artemisia absinthium L.: A medicinal plant used in the treatment of digestive disorders.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Wormwood (Artemisia absinthium L.) is traditionally used for stomach pain and gastric relief. However, its possible gastroprotective effect has not yet been experimentally evaluated.

Two morphotypes versus two chemotypes of Psidium cattleyanum: Chemical and pharmacological comparison and a rational approach for marker selection.

Psidium cattleyanum has two morphotypes: one with yellow fruits and other with red fruits. The leaves are popularly used as anti-inflammatory. However, no distinction is made between the types.

Azepine-Indole Alkaloids From Modulate 5-HT Receptors and Prevent Protein Toxicity in Transgenic .

Nemorosine A () and fargesine (), the main azepine-indole alkaloids of , were explored for their pharmacological profile on neurodegenerative disorders (NDs) applying a combined -- approach. By using and as queries for similarity-based searches of the ChEMBL database, structurally related compounds were identified to modulate the 5-HT receptor; experiments confirmed an agonistic effect for and (24 and 36% at 10 μM, respectively), which might be linked to cognition-enhancing properties. This and the previously reported target profile of and , which also includes BuChE and MAO-A inhibition, prompted the evaluation of these compounds in several models linked to 5-HT modulation and proteotoxicity.

Quality Control of Herbal Medicines: From Traditional Techniques to State-of-the-art Approaches.

Herbal medicines are important options for the treatment of several illnesses. Although their therapeutic applicability has been demonstrated throughout history, several concerns about their safety and efficacy are raised regularly. Quality control of articles of botanical origin, including plant materials, plant extracts, and herbal medicines, remains a challenge.

Psidium L. genus: A review on its chemical characterization, preclinical and clinical studies.

The Myrtaceae family is considered one of the largest known botanical families and the genus Psidium is among the most economically interesting. Psidium genus comprises approximately 112 species, and it has been extensively studied, mainly because of Psidium guavaja species. Phytochemical investigations confirmed the presence of phenolics as the main compounds, as well as the essential oils, which were also widely investigated.

An ultrasound assisted extraction-solid-phase extraction-ultra-performance liquid chromatography combined strategy for atropine determination in Atropa belladonna leaves.

Atropine is an antimuscarinic alkaloid identified in Atropa belladonna. In pharmacopeias, percolation is standardized as an extraction method for A. belladonna leaves, along with liquid-liquid extraction as a cleanup procedure and titration as an analytical method for assaying the atropine in the leaves.

Usnic acid enantiomers restore cognitive deficits and neurochemical alterations induced by Aβ in mice.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most prevalent form of dementia with a complex pathophysiology not fully elucidated but with limited pharmacological treatment. The Usnic acid (UA) is a lichen secondary metabolite found in two enantiomeric forms: (R)-(+)-UA or (S)-(-)-UA, with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory potential. Thus, given the role of neuroinflammation and oxidative injury in the AD, this study aimed to investigate experimentally the cognitive enhancing and anti-neuroinflammatory effects of UA enantiomers.

Kopsanone and N-oxide isolated from Mart. (Apocynaceae) leaves and their MAO-A inhibitory activity.

Mart., popularly known as 'guatambu' or 'peroba', is found from North American (Mexico) to South American (Argentina) continents and in Brazil. Two indole alkaloids were isolated from leaves of , kopsanone () and unreported (4)-oxide-kopsanone ().

Açaí berries (Euterpe oleracea Mart.) dried extract improves ethanol-induced ulcer in rats.

Objectives: Açaí (Euterpe oleracea) is widely consumed in Brazil and known for its numerous health-beneficial properties. This study investigated the gastroprotective potential of the dried açaí berries extract (DAE).

Methods: Dried açaí berries extract effect was evaluated against ethanol-induced gastric ulcer in rats.

Bioactive Azepine-Indole Alkaloids from .

Phytochemical investigation of the alkaloid extract of the aerial parts of led to the isolation and characterization of 10 azepine-indole alkaloids, i.e., cimitrypazepine (), fargesine (), nemorosines A (), and B (), nemorosinosides A-F (-), as well as two β-carboline derivatives, 10-hydroxyisodolichantoside () and 10-hydroxydolichantoside (), an isoxazole alkaloid, nemorosinoside G (), serotonin (), bufotenine (), and ()-gentianol ().

Xanthones and Cancer: from Natural Sources to Mechanisms of Action.

Xanthones are a class of heterocyclic natural products that have been widely studied for their pharmacological potential. In fact, they have been serving as scaffolds for the design of derivatives focusing on drug development. One of the main study targets of xanthones is their anticancer activity.

Phenolic profile by HPLC-ESI-MS/MS of six Brazilian species and their potential as cholinesterase inhibitors.

genus is known for its phenolic metabolites, which may influence the progression of the Alzheimer Disease. This study aimed to evaluate the anticholinesterase effects of six species from Brazil. Leaves and stems were submitted to maceration (methanol) and partitioned with dichloromethane and ethyl acetate (EtOAc).

Aromatase (CYP19) inhibition by biflavonoids obtained from the branches of Garcinia gardneriana (Clusiaceae).

Overexpression of aromatase in breast cancer cells may substantially influence its progression and maintenance. In this sense, the inhibition of aromatase is a key target for the treatment of breast cancer in postmenopausal women. Although several flavonoids had already demonstrated the capacity of inhibiting aromatase activity, the role of biflavonoids as aromatase inhibitors is poorly studied.

Experimental Design Methodologies for the Optimization of Chiral Separations: An Overview.

In this chapter, the application of design of experiments (DoE) for chiral separation optimization using supercritical fluid chromatography (SFC), liquid chromatography (LC), capillary electrophoresis (CE), and capillary electrochromatography (CEC) methods is reviewed. Both screening and optimization steps are covered, including a discussion of each aspect, such as factor-, level-, and response selection. Different designs are also presented, highlighting their applications.

Hydroalcoholic extract of Tagetes erecta L. flowers, rich in the carotenoid lutein, attenuates inflammatory cytokine secretion and improves the oxidative stress in an animal model of ulcerative colitis.

Given the role of oxidative stress in ulcerative colitis (UC) etiology, and the amount of lutein (a carotenoid with antioxidant properties) in the dry hydroalcoholic extract of Tagetes erecta flowers (DHETE), this study investigated the intestinal anti-inflammatory properties of DHETE in an animal model of UC. The amount of lutein in the extract was determined by H-nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, and total phenols, radical scavenger capability, cytotoxicity, and effects on reactive oxygen species and nitric oxide production were evaluated in vitro. Experimental UC was established by adding 5% dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) to drinking water, with the effects of DHETE (30-300 mg/kg, once a day for 7 days) on the morphological (colon length and weight), clinical (disease activity index and body weight loss), microscopic (histological score and mucin levels), and biochemical parameters analyzed.

All that glitters is not gold: Panning cytotoxic natural products and derivatives with a fused tricyclic backbone by the estimation of their leadlikeness for cancer treatment.

Tricyclic compounds call the attention because of their pharmacological properties, and are considered a preferred platform for the development of drugs. Especially, in cancer treatment, these planar compounds are known for their ability to stack with DNA base pairs, acting as intercalators. In this sense, natural products (NPs) are a prodigal source of polycyclic compounds, comprising classes, such as carbolines, anthraquinones and xanthones.

Targeted Isolation of Monoterpene Indole Alkaloids from Palicourea sessilis.

Phytochemical investigation of the alkaloid extract of Palicourea sessilis by LC-HRMS/MS using molecular networking and an in silico MS/MS fragmentation approach suggested the presence of several new monoterpene indole alkaloids. These compounds were isolated by semipreparative HPLC, and their structures confirmed by means of HRMS, NMR, and ECD measurements as 4-N-methyllyaloside (3), 4-N-methyl-3,4-dehydrostrictosidine (4), 4β-hydroxyisodolichantoside (6), and 4α-hydroxyisodolichantoside (7), as well as the known alkaloids alline (1), N-methyltryptamine (2), isodolichantoside (5), and 5-oxodolichantoside (8). In addition, the acetylcholinesterase inhibitory activity of the compounds was evaluated up to 50 μM.

Toxicological profile and acetylcholinesterase inhibitory potential of Palicourea deflexa, a source of β-carboline alkaloids.

Palicourea genus is chemically and taxonomically close to Psychotria genus, a well-known source of neuroactive alkaloids. It has been previously reported the pharmacological potential of these alkaloids in some targets related to the neurodegenerative process. In this context, this study was carried out in order to evaluate the toxic effects and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitory potential of Palicourea deflexa fraction of total alkaloids (FTA).

The validation of Calophyllum brasiliense ("guanandi") uses in Brazilian traditional medicine as analgesic by in vivo antinociceptive evaluation and its chemical analysis.

Calophyllum brasiliense is used as anti-inflammatory and analgesic in Brazilian traditional medicine. Thus, the main purpose of this study is to evaluate the antinociceptive effect of the chloroform fraction of C. brasiliense (CFCB) roots and to investigate its main mechanism of action.

Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitory Activity of Biflavonoids from Branches of Garcinia gardneriana (Clusiaceae).

Garcinia gardneriana is chemically characterized by the presence of biflavonoids. Taking into account that flavonoids are able to inhibit monoamine oxidase (MAO) activity, in the present study, the chemical composition of the branches' extract of the plant is described for the first time and the MAO inhibitory . activity of the isolated biflavonoids was evaluated.

Essential Oil Lacks Mutagenic Activity in the /Microsome and Micronucleus Assays.

The present study aimed to investigate the mutagenic activity of essential oil. The most abundant compounds identified by GC-MS were -terpinene (25.73%), -terpinene (17.

Multifunctional Monoamine Oxidases and Cholinesterases Inhibitory Effects, as well as UPLC-DAD-MS Chemical Profile of Alkaloid Fractions Obtained from Species of the Palicoureeae Tribe.

In the present study, the effects were evaluated of alkaloid fractions (AFs) from Psychotria species and correlated genera, Palicourea and Rudgea, on monoamine oxidases (MAOs) and cholinesterases (ChEs). By HPLC-DAD and UPLC-DAD-MS analyses, indole alkaloids (IA) were detected in all AFs. For the Psychotria and Palicourea species, these IA corresponded to tetrahydro-p-carboline alkaloids (THPCA).

The use of chemometrics to study multifunctional indole alkaloids from Psychotria nemorosa (Palicourea comb. nov.). Part II: Indication of peaks related to the inhibition of butyrylcholinesterase and monoamine oxidase-A.

Psychotria nemorosa is chemically characterized by indole alkaloids and displays significant inhibitory activity on butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) and monoamine oxidase-A (MAO-A), both enzymes related to neurodegenerative disorders. In the present study, 43 samples of P. nemorosa leaves were extracted and fractionated in accordance to previously optimized methods (see Part I).

The use of chemometrics to study multifunctional indole alkaloids from Psychotria nemorosa (Palicourea comb. nov.). Part I: Extraction and fractionation optimization based on metabolic profiling.

Extraction methods evaluation to access plants metabolome is usually performed visually, lacking a truthful method of data handling. In the present study the major aim was developing reliable time- and solvent-saving extraction and fractionation methods to access alkaloid profiling of Psychotria nemorosa leaves. Ultrasound assisted extraction was selected as extraction method.