Virucidal antiviral activity of Maytenus quadrangulata extract against Mayaro virus: Evidence for the presence of catechins.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Mayaro virus (MAYV) is an arbovirus endemic to the Amazon region, which comprises the states of the North and Midwest region of Brazil and encompasses the largest tropical forest in the world, the Amazon Forest. The confirmation of its potential transmission by Aedes aegypti and recent cases in Brazil, mainly in large centers in the northern region, led to the classification of Mayaro fever as an emerging disease. Traditional medicine is commonly used to treat various diseases, mainly by local riverside populations.

Correlations among neck circumference and anthropometric indicators to estimate body adiposity in people living with HIV.

Introduction: Neck circumference (NC) and anthropometric data of people living with HIV (PLWH) are correlated.

Methods: Socioeconomic, NC, body mass index (BMI), tricipital skinfold thickness (TSF), mid-arm circumference (MAC), mid-arm muscle circumference (MAMC), waist-hip ratio (WHR), waist-to-height ratio (WHtR), waist circumference (WC), and hip circumference (HC) data of 72 PLWH were correlated.

Results: Higher adiposity was observed in NC (40.

Pristimerin isolated from Salacia crassifolia (Mart. Ex. Schult.) G. Don. (Celastraceae) roots as a potential antibacterial agent against Staphylococcus aureus.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Pristimerin is a triterpenoid considered the main component of Salacia crassifolia extracts. This terpene has shown promising antitumor, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial effects. Likewise, S.

pharmacological prediction and cytotoxicity of flavonoids glycosides identified by UPLC-DAD-ESI-MS/MS in extracts of leaves cultivated in Brazil.

Ethanolic (EB) extract and hexanic (SH) and hydromethanolic (SEM) sub-extracts of leaves were submitted to cytotoxicity evaluation and to phytochemical methods. The effect of EB and SEM on cellular cycle was evaluated by propidium iodide method and the phases were quantified through flow cytometry. The cytotoxicity assessment was done using T24 and MRC5 cells, with EB and SEM (25-1200 µg/mL).

Virucidal activity of proanthocyanidin against Mayaro virus.

Mayaro virus (MAYV) is a sublethal arbovirus transmitted by mosquitoes with possible installation of an urban cycle in the Americas. Its infection causes disabling arthralgia, and still, there is no vaccine or treatment to it. We recently investigated nearly 600 compounds by molecular docking and identified epicatechin as a potent antiviral against MAYV.

Biological Activities of Red Propolis: A Review.

Background: The red propolis (RdProp) is a resin produced by Apis mellifera bees, which collect the reddish exudate on the surface of its botanic source, the species Dalbergia ecastophyllum, popularly known in Brazil as "rabo de bugio". Considered as the 13th type of Brazilian propolis, this resin has been gaining prominence due to its natural composition, rich in bioactive substances not found in other types of propolis.

Objective: This review aims to address the most important characteristics of RdProp, its botanical origin, the main constituents, its biological properties and the patents related to this natural product.

Antibacterial activity of extract and fractions from branches of Protium spruceanum and cytotoxicity on fibroblasts.

The crude ethanol extract (CEE) and fractions from branches of Protium spruceanum were subjected to antibacterial and cytotoxicity assays. Compounds of the most active fraction were identified by GC-MS and LC-MS. CEE was active against 19 bacteria and the ethyl acetate fraction (EAF) showed the lowest minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC 0.

Green Propolis: Thirteen Constituents of Polar Extract and Total Flavonoids Evaluated During Six Years through RP-HPLC.

In order to verify the chemical qualities of polar extract of Green Propolis produced in the State of Minas Gerais, Brazil, was analyzed by means of RP-HPLC, the concentration of eleven flavonoids, Artepillin C and p-coumaric acid were analyzed by means of RP-HPLC. Samples were collected in the months of February, March, May, July, September, and October, during a period of six years (2008 to 2013) and the results compared with purchased standards. Artepillin C was the main constituent (80-90%) found in all samples.

Effect of constituents from samaras of Austroplenckia populnea (Celastraceae) on human cancer cells.

Background: Aiming the continuity of the studies of Austroplenckia populnea, Brazilian species of the Celastraceae family, in the present study, it was investigated the effect of crude extracts obtained with ethanol, ethyl acetate and chloroform and two purified constituents, proanthocyanidin A and 4'-O-methylepigallocatechin, both isolated from its samaras, on cancer cell proliferation assays.

Materials And Methods: The human cancer cells lines MCF-7 (ductal breast carcinoma), A549 (lung cancer), HS578T (ductal breast carcinoma) and non-cancer HEK293 (embryonic kidney cells) were treated with different concentrations of extracts and constituents and the effect was observed through the acid phosphatase method. The chemical structures of the purified compounds were identified by the respective IR and (1)H and (13)C nuclear magnetic resonance spectral data.

The triterpenes 3β-lup-20(29)-en-3-ol and 3β-lup-20(29)-en-3-yl acetate and the carbohydrate 1,2,3,4,5,6-hexa-O-acetyl-dulcitol as photosynthesis light reactions inhibitors.

Three compounds were isolated from Maytenus acanthophylla Reissek (Celastraceae): the pentacyclic triterpenes lup-20(29)-en-3β-ol (lupeol, 1) and 3β-lup-20(29)-en-3-yl acetate (2) and the carbohydrate 1,2,3,4,5,6-hexa-O-acetyldulcitol (3); lupeol was also isolated from Xylosma flexuosa. The compounds' structures were elucidated by spectroscopic and spectrometric analysis. Compound 1 acts as an energy transfer inhibitor, interacting with isolated CF₁ bound to thylakoid membrane, and dulcitol hexaacetate 3 behaves as a Hill reaction inhibitor and as an uncoupler, as determined by polarography.

Stereochemistry of 16a-hydroxyfriedelin and 3-Oxo-16-methylfriedel-16-ene established by 2D NMR spectroscopy.

Friedelin (1), 3beta-friedelinol (2), 28-hydroxyfriedelin (3), 16alpha-hydroxyfriedelin (4), 30-hydroxyfriedelin (5) and 16alpha,28-dihydroxyfriedelin (6) were isolated through fractionation of the hexane extract obtained from branches of Salacia elliptica. After a week in CDCl(3) solution, 16alpha-hydroxyfriedelin (4) reacted turning into 3-oxo-16-methylfriedel-16-ene (7). This is the first report of a dehydration followed by a Nametkin rearrangement of a pentacyclic triterpene in CDCl(3) solution occurring in the NMR tube.

Salvinia auriculata: aquatic bioindicator studied by instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA).

Through instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) the elemental chemical composition of Salvinia auriculata and Ouro Preto city public water was determined. Elements Ce, Th, Cr, Hf, Sb, Sc, Rb, Fe, Zn, Co, Au, La and Br were quantified. High chromium concentration was determined in this plant.

3-Oxo-12alpha-hydroxyfriedelane from Maytenus gonoclada: structure elucidation by (1)H and (13)C chemical shift assignments and 2D-NMR spectroscopy.

The compounds 3-oxofriedelane (1), 3beta-hydroxyfriedelane (2), 3,11-dioxofriedelane (3), 3,16-dioxofrie delane (4) and 3-oxo-12alpha-hydroxyfriedelane (5) were isolated from the hexane extract of Maytenus gonoclada Mart. (Celastraceae) leaves. Structural formula and the stereochemistry of the new pentacyclic triterpene 3-oxo-12alpha-hydroxyfriedelane (5) were established through (1)H and (13)C NMR and DEPT 135 spectral data including 2D experiments (HMBC, HMQC, COSY, and NOESY) and mass spectrometry (GC-MS).

Anti-trypanosomal activity of pentacyclic triterpenes isolated from Austroplenckia populnea (Celastraceae).

Four pentacyclic triterpenes isolated from Austroplenckia populnea and four compounds of known anti T. cruzi or anti-malarial activity were tested. Of those triterpenes tested 20alpha-hydroxy-tingenone showed high activity, epikatonic acid was less active, while populnilic and populninic acids were inactive against the trypanosome of the subgenus Schizotrypanum tested.