@article {178, title = {Trypanocidal Potentialities of Skimmianine an Alkaloid Isolated from Zanthoxylum pistaciifolium Griseb Leaves}, journal = {Pharmacognosy Research}, volume = {12}, year = {2020}, month = {August 2020}, pages = {322-327}, type = {Original Article}, chapter = {322}, abstract = {

Background: Zanthoxylum pistaciifolium Griseb (Rutaceae) is an endemic Cuban species traditionally used for respiratory ailment treatments and religious practices. Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the in vitro antimicrobial activity from Z. pistaciifolium leaves. Materials and Methods: Four phases obtained from the ethanolic extract were tested against bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa), fungi (six Candida spp.) and parasites (Leishmania amazonensis and Trypanosoma cruzi) by microdilution methods. In addition, the cytotoxicity was determined against peritoneal macrophages from BALB/c mice and fibroblast cells L929 using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide and resazurin assay. Results: The hexane-butanone phase was the most active against Candida spp. and exhibited moderate effect on T. cruzi trypomastigote (39.3 {\textpm} 5.5 μg/mL). The skimmianine isolated from this phase and characterized by nuclear magnetic resonance showed a median inhibitory concentration of 58.0 {\textpm} 4.0 μg/mL against T. cruzi trypomastigotes and 31.2\% {\textpm} 6.5\% of inhibition on amastigote form at 100 μg/mL. Antiprotozoal activity of this alkaloid was selective with a selectivity index of 9. Conclusion: The current study demonstrated for the first time the antimicrobial potential of the leaves of Z. pistaciifolium, supporting its ethnobotanical uses. The trypanocidal activity observed for the alkaloid skimmianine could contribute to development future of an herbal medicine for the treatment of Chagas diseases.

}, keywords = {Antifungal activity, Hexane-butanone phase, Skimmianine, Trypanocidal, Zanthoxylum pistaciifolium}, doi = {10.4103/pr.pr_44_19}, author = {Yamil{\'e} Heredia Diaz and Julio C{\'e}sar Escalona Arranz and Rosalia Gonz{\'a}lez Fern{\'a}ndez and Ania Ochoa Pacheco and Jesus Garc{\'\i}a D{\'\i}az and Lianet Monzote Fidalgo and Denise da Gama Ja{\'e}n Batista and Cristiane Franca da Silva and Paul Cos} } @article {468, title = {Bioassay-guided In vitro Study of the Antimicrobial and Cytotoxic Properties of the Leaves from Excoecaria Lucida Sw}, journal = {Pharmacognosy Research}, volume = {9}, year = {2017}, month = {November 2017}, pages = {396-400}, type = {Original Article}, chapter = {396}, abstract = {

Background: Excoecaria lucida Sw. (Euphorbiaceae) is a plant conventionally used throughout the Caribbean in the treatment of infectious diseases. Objective: To evaluate, using bioassay-guided fractionation, the in vitro cytotoxicity and antimicrobial activity of E. lucida leaves. Materials and Methods: A 95\% ethanol crude extract was dried and fractionated by solid-liquid separation in four phases (hexane, dichloromethane, ethyl acetate, and butanol). Antimicrobial activity (3 bacteria, 6 yeasts, and 2 fungi) was evaluated by the dilution method with resazurin (2048, 512, 128, 32, and 8 {\textmu}g/mL). The cytotoxicity assays were evaluated in two cell lines: MRC-5 and RAW 264.7; calculating the selectivity index. Assays were performed for the total extract, the isolated compound with the highest yield, and the ethyl acetate and butanol phases. Isolated compounds were characterized by nuclear magnetic resonance and mass spectrometry techniques. Results: Fractionation process led to the isolation of ellagic acid (784.29 mg), 3,3{\textquoteright},4{\textquoteright}-tri-O-methyl ellagic 4-O-β-D-glucopyranoside acid (6.1 mg), and corilagin (6.91 mg). The most active were ethyl acetate phase and ellagic acid with IC50 = 128 μg/mL against seven and five different species of microorganisms, respectively. The total extract (IC50 = 512 {\textmu}g/mL) and the ethyl acetate phase (IC50 = 128 {\textmu}g/mL) were cytotoxic in both cell lines, while butanol phase and ellagic acid both with IC50 \>2048 {\textmu}g/mL seemed to be safer. Conclusions: The results obtained indicate that the Excoecaria leaves can be conventionally used as antimicrobial, but it should be present that some cytotoxicity could appear. In addition, the three identified compounds were reported for the first time in the species.

}, keywords = {Corilagin, Ellagic acid, Ethnopharmacological use, Selectivity index, Tannins}, doi = {10.4103/pr.pr_124_16}, author = {Ania Ochoa-Pacheco and Julio C{\'e}sar Escalona Arranz and Munyewu Beaven and Renato Peres-Roses and Yordania Matos G{\'a}mez and Miladis I Camacho-Pozo and Gabriel Llaurad{\'o} Maury and Ma{\'\i}ra Bidart de Macedo and Paul Cos and Josean Fechine Tavares and Marcelo Sobral da Silva} }