ABSTRACT Objective: Evaluate the inhibition of venoms from the snakes Bothrops alternatus and Bothrops moojeni by plant extracts from Jatropha curcas, Myrsine guianensis and Zanthoxylum monogynum in terms of coagulant, phospholipase and hemorrhagic activities. Methods: The plant extracts were obtained by lyophilization of leaves of Jatropha curca, Myrsine guianensis and Zanthoxylum monogynum. In vitro inhibition tests were performed with a positive control group (10 μg of crude venom), experimental groups receiving a mixture of the venom with each of the extracts at concentrations of 5 to 500 μg, and a negative control group (500 μg of extract). In vivo tests were performed with Balb/c mice (n = 4). The mice in the positive control group were injected only the venom (25 μg), the experimental groups received a mixture of the venom with each of the extracts at concentrations of 25 to 500 μg, and the negative control group received only extract (500 μg). Results: Jatropha curcas and Myrsine guianensis significantly inhibited phospholipase activity at a 1:0.5 (venom:extract) proportion. Coagulant and hemorrhagic activities were markedly inhibited at 1:1 and 1:5 proportions with Myrsine guianensis and Jatropha curcas, respectively. Phospholipase and coagulant activities were inhibited with Zanthoxylum monogynum at 1:5 and 1:10 proportions, respectively. Conclusions: The extracts analyzed inhibited the venoms from Bothrops alternatus and Bothrops moojeni due to the presence of molecules with possible antiophidic properties.

RESUMEN Objetivo: evaluar la inhibición de los venenos de las serpientes Bothrops alternatus y Bothrops moojeni por los extractos vegetales de Jatropha curcas, Myrsine guianensis y Zanthoxylum monogynum, en relación con las actividades coagulante, fosfolipasa y hemorrágica. Métodos: Los extractos vegetales se obtuvieron a partir del liofilizado de hojas de Jatropha curca, Myrsine guianensis y Zanthoxylum monogynum. Se realizaron ensayos de inhibición in vitro con un grupo de control positivo (10 μg de veneno crudo), grupos experimentales que recibieron una mezcla del veneno con cada uno de los extractos, en concentraciones de 5 a 500 μg y un grupo de control negativo (500 μg de extracto). Se realizaron ensayos in vivo con grupos de ratones Balb/c (n = 4). A los ratones del grupo de control positivo se les inyectó solamente el veneno (25 μg); a los de los grupos experimentales, una mezcla del veneno con cada uno de los extractos, en concentraciones de 25 a 500 μg; y a los del grupo de control negativo, solamente extracto (500 μg). Resultados: Jatropha curcas y Myrsine guianensis inhibieron significativamente la actividad fosfolipasa a partir de la proporción 1:0,5 (veneno:extracto). Por otro lado, las actividades coagulante y hemorrágica, fueron inhibidas expresivamente a partir de las proporciones 1:1 y 1:5 con Myrsine guianensis y Jatropha curcas, respectivamente. Las actividades fosfolipasa y coagulante fueron inhibidas con Zanthoxylum monogynum a partir de las proporciones 1:5 y 1:10, respectivamente. Conclusiones: Los extractos analizados inhibieron los venenos de Bothrops alternatus y Bothrops moojeni debido a la presencia de moléculas con posibles propiedades antiofídicas.

Essential oils from leaves, ripe and unripe fruits of Schinus terebinthifolius growing in Brazil were investigated. Oil content from either ripe or unripe fruits was similar (4.65% and 3.98%, respectively). Sesquiterpenes (from 78.0% to 90.4%) dominated the oil content of both leaves and unripe fruit. The essential oils were tested in vitro for their allelopathic activity on germination and radicle growth of Lactuca sativa and Cucumis sativus at 1,000 and 10,000 µg mL-1concentrations. The three samples tested were more active in inhibiting the radicle growth for L. sativa (88.6-92.4%) than for C. sativus (50.5-84.5%) at 10,000 µg mL-1 concentration.

O estudo químico das cascas de Ochroma lagopus Swartz levou ao isolamento e ou, identificação de uma mistura de ácidos graxos e triacilglicerídeos, de b-sitosterol (1), estigmasterol (2), daucosterol (3), estigmasterol-3-O-b-D-glicosídeo (4) e manitol (5).

Phytochemical investigation of the bark from Ochroma lagopus Swartz led to the isolation and or identification of a mixture of fatty acids and triacylglycerides, sitosterol (1), stigmasterol (2), daucosterol (3), stigmasterol-3-O-b-D-glycoside and mannitol (5).

Os flavonóides kaempherol, genisteína, naringenina, quercetina, morina, rutina, e quercitrina isolados do cultivar de soja UFV-5’ foram testados como inibidores de aldose redutase. Os melhores resultados foram obtidos usando morina e quercitrina.

The flavonoids kaempherol, genistein, naringenin, quercetin, morin, rutin and quercitrin isolated from UFV-5’soybean’s cultivars were tested as inhibitors of aldose reductase. The best results were obtained by using morin and quercitrin.