Seasonal behavior of Thalassia testudinum (Hydrocharitaceae) metabolites.

The marine angiosperm Thalassia testudinum, commonly known as turtle grass, is a dominant seagrass that grows in the Caribbean Sea shelf associated to Syringodium filiforme. The hydroalcoholic extract of T. testudinum is rich in polyphenols; the most abundant metabolite in this extract is thalassiolin B, a glycosilated flavonoid with skin damage repairing properties, and antioxidant capacity among others.

[In vivo antiplasmodial activity of Mycale laxissima and Clathria echinata sponges].

Introduction: the search of new antimalarial compounds comprises, among its challenges, the development of therapeutic alternatives for cerebral malaria; due to the high mortality and neurological deficiencies that persist after treatment with recommended drugs.

Objectives: to evaluate the activity of organic fractions of Mycale laxissima and Clathria echinata in the cerebral malaria model of infection of C57BL/6 mice with Plasmodium berghei ANKA.

Methods: preparative fractions of both species were obtained by reverse-phase flash chromatography.

[Antioxidant effect and polyphenol content of Syringodium filiforme (Cymodoceaceae)].

The marine phanerogam Syringodium filiforme, known as "manatee grass", is a common species that grows in coastal areas associated to Thalassia testudinum. With the aim to describe some of its possible chemical characteristics, this study was performed with a sample of 1.2 kg, collected in March 2009, in Guanabo beach, Havana, Cuba.

Leishmanicidal activity of Echinaster (Othilia) echinophorus crude extract.

In this study, a methanolic extract from Echinaster (Othilia) echinophorus was evaluated for activity against Leishmania amazonensis. The extract showed activity against the promastigote and amastigote forms with IC50 values of 62.9 and 37.