Navegando por Palavras-chave "Medicinal plant"

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    Inhibitory effect of the Pseudobrickellia brasiliensis (Spreng) RM King & H. Rob. aqueous extract on human lymphocyte proliferation and IFN-gamma and TNF-alpha production in vitro
    (Assoc Bras Divulg Cientifica, 2017) Almeida, V. G.; Avelar-Freitas, B. A.; Santos, M. G.; Costa, L. A.; Silva, T. J.; Pereira, W. F.; Amorim, M. L. L.; Grael, C. F. F.; Gregorio, Luiz Elídio [UNIFESP]; Rocha-Vieira, E.; Brito-Melo, G. E. A.
    Pseudobrickellia brasiliensis (Asteraceae) is a plant commonly known as arnica-do-campo and belongs to the native flora of the Brazilian Cerrado. The alcoholic extract of the plant has been used as an anti-inflammatory agent in folk medicine, but the biological mechanism of action has not been elucidated. The present study evaluated the composition of P. brasiliensis aqueous extract and its effects on pro-inflammatory cytokine production and lymphocyte proliferation. The extracts were prepared by sequential maceration of P. brasiliensis leaves in ethanol, ethyl acetate, and water. Extract cytotoxicity was evaluated by trypan blue exclusion assay, and apoptosis and necrosis were measured by staining with annexin V-FITC and propidium iodide. The ethanolic (ETA) and acetate (ACE) extracts showed cytotoxic effects. The aqueous extract (AQU) was not cytotoxic. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells stimulated with phorbol myristate acetate and ionomycin and treated with AQU (100 mu g/mL) showed reduced interferon (IFN)-gamma and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha expression. AQU also inhibited lymphocyte proliferative response after nonspecific stimulation with phytohemagglutinin. The aqueous extract was analyzed by liquid chromatography coupled with photodiode array detection and mass spectrometry. Quinic acid and its derivatives 5-caffeoylquinic acid and 3,5dicaffeoylquinic acid, as well as the flavonoids luteolin and luteolin dihexoside, were detected. All these compounds are known to exhibit anti-inflammatory activity. Taken together, these findings demonstrate that P. brasiliensis aqueous extract can inhibit the pro-inflammatory cytokine production and proliferative response of lymphocytes. These effects may be related to the presence of chemical substances with anti-inflammatory actions previously reported in scientific literature.
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    The participation of Wajapi women from the State of Amapa (Brazil) in the traditional use of medicinal plants - a case study
    (Biomed Central Ltd, 2012-12-19) Mata, Nely Dayse Santos da; Sousa, Rosinaldo Silva de; Perazzo, Fabio F. [UNIFESP]; Carvalho, Jose Carlos Tavares; Univ Fed Amapa; Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP)
    Background: the purpose of this study was to analyze the importance of traditional medicinal plants use to Wajapi women in the State of Amapa, Brazil, as well as their practices in the local common illnesses of treatment considering the prevailing practice by non-Indians.Methods: This study was conducted in the Community of the Wajapi Indigenous People, a Brazilian territory located in the central western State of Amapa. Wajapi women were selected for the interview since they have the responsibility to harvest, collect and prepare the preparations. the studied women were residents of four villages. the number of women within these four villages is 24.Results and conclusions: the findings fell into the following three categories: 1) the daily use of medicinal plants by women and main methods of application. in this category, the botanical families found included Leguminosae-Caesalpinoideae, Anacardiaceae, Meliaceae, and Rubiaceae. the main forms of use found were teas, baths, maceration, in natura, and juices; 2) Through analysis of illness and treatment records, a lack of knowledge integration in the health system was shown to be due to a variety of gaps and the need of health professionals to be more aware about the local culture which they intend to work with, what could decrease the prevailing barriers between the social groups involved; 3) Traditional knowledge and possible sustainability can be fostered by stimulating the transmission of traditional knowledge from generation to generation, therefore reducing the dependence on industrialized medicines and also by maintaining an appreciation of those practices among youngsters, who tend to question them.