Genus Triplaris (Polygonaceae): A review on traditional medicinal use, phytochemistry and biological activities.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: The genus Triplaris (Polygonaceae) comprises approximately 25 species distributed throughout South and Central America. Some species have been used in folk medicine, mainly, to treat malaria, leishmaniasis, diarrheia, dysenteria, pain and inflammation.

Aim Of The Study: The purpose of this review is to provide information on the traditional uses, phytochemistry and known biological activities of Triplaris, an important genus for South America research groups on medicinal plants, in order to explore its therapeutic potential to direct future research in the search for new bioactive molecules.

Corrigendum to: "Inclusion of vitexin in β-cyclodextrin: preparation, characterization and expectorant/antitussive activities" [Heliyon 6 (12) (December 2020) e05461].

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.

Cannabis roots: Pharmacological and toxicological studies in mice.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: There are many studies and therapeutic properties attributed to the flowers and leaves of the Cannabis species, but even with few pharmacological studies, Cannabis sativa L. (Cannabaceae) roots presents several therapeutic indications in folk medicine.

Aim Of The Study: This study aimed to evaluate the anti-inflammatory and spasmolytic effects as well as the toxicological profile of the aqueous extract of Cannabis sativa roots (CsAqEx) in mice.

Inclusion of vitexin in β-cyclodextrin: preparation, characterization and expectorant/antitussive activities.

The study aimed to include the isolated vitexin of in the β-cyclodextrin cavity to improve the solubility of this flavone. Its characterization was performed by techniques such as H NMR/ROESY (Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy), FT-IR (Infrared Spectroscopy with Fourier Transform), SEM (Morphological analysis of IC by Scanning Electron Microscopy) and dissolution study . In addition, the following activities were evaluated in the animal models: expectorant, phenol red dosage in bronchoalveolar lavage and antitussive, cough induced by citric acid.

, a new source of vitexin: HPLC quantification and pharmacological evaluation.

(Pohl) Baill is an endemic species of the biome, little studied in terms of chemical composition. The objective of this work was to develop an analytical methodology to quantify vitexin in the ethanolic extract of and to evaluate the expectorant and antitussive activities in mice. The expectorant activity was performed by measuring the phenol red obtained from the bronchoalveolar fluid in animals and the antitussive activity was evaluated by the cough method induced by citric acid (0.

Complexation with β-cyclodextrin enhances apoptosis-mediated cytotoxic effect of harman in chemoresistant BRAF-mutated melanoma cells.

Harman, a natural β-carboline alkaloid, has recently gained considerable interest due to its anticancer properties. However, its physicochemical characteristics and poor oral bioavailability have been limiting factors for its pharmaceutical development. In this paper, we described the complexation of harman (HAR) with β-cyclodextrin (βCD) as a promising alternative to improve its solubility and consequently its cytotoxic effect in chemoresistant melanoma cells (A2058 cell line).

Pre-clinical investigations of β-carboline alkaloids as antidepressant agents: A systematic review.

Depressive disorders remain a current public health problem whose prevalence has increased in the past decades. In the constant search for new therapeutic alternatives, β-carboline alkaloids have been identified as good candidates for new antidepressant drugs. In this systematic review, we summarized all pre-clinical investigations involving the use of natural or semisynthetic β-carboline in depression models.

TRPM8 Channel Activation Induced by Monoterpenoid Rotundifolone Underlies Mesenteric Artery Relaxation.

In this study, our aims were to investigate transient receptor potential melastatin-8 channels (TRPM8) involvement in rotundifolone induced relaxation in the mesenteric artery and to increase the understanding of the role of these thermosensitive TRP channels in vascular tissue. Thus, message and protein levels of TRPM8 were measured by semi-quantitative PCR and western blotting in superior mesenteric arteries from 12 week-old Spague-Dawley (SD) rats. Isometric tension recordings evaluated the relaxant response in mesenteric rings were also performed.

Dried extracts of Encholirium spectabile (Bromeliaceae) present antioxidant and photoprotective activities in vitro.

The antioxidant and photoprotective activities of dried extracts from the leaves of Encholirium spectabile were investigated. It was also evaluated the total phenolic and flavonoid contents by the Folin-Ciocalteu and aluminum chloride methods, respectively. Antioxidant activities of the extracts were evaluated by using of 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazil (DPPH) radical scavenging and β-carotene-linoleic acid bleaching and compared with ascorbic acid, butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) and butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) used as reference compounds.

Antinociceptive activity of ethanol extract from Duguetia chrysocarpa Maas (Annonaceae).

The ethanol extract from the fruits of Duguetia chrysocarpa was evaluated for its antinociceptive activity in chemical and thermal models of nociception in mice. The intraperitoneal administration of the ethanol extract (100, 200, and 400 mg/kg body weight) showed a dose-dependent inhibition of acetic-acid-induced abdominal writhes. The extract also produced a significant inhibition of both phases of the formalin test in all doses tested and increased the reaction time in hot-plate test at dose of 200 mg/kg.

Mechanisms involved in the antinociceptive effects of 7-hydroxycoumarin.

7-Hydroxycoumarin (umbelliferone, 1), the main metabolite of coumarin, has been reported to produce potent antinociceptive effects in animal models of pain. However, the biochemical events involved in antinociception mediated by 1 are currently not well understood. In the present study, the mechanisms by which 1 exerts its pharmacological actions were investigated.