Understanding the Cerrado biome, medicinal properties of a Piperaceae, and consequences of seasonal variation in Amazonian upland lakes

The Cerrado is a very important biome that occupies vast areas of Brazil, having a significant diversity of both fauna and flora (e.g., Furley 1999). The increasing deforestation of this area has generated a well known (albeit perhaps still not well understood) negative impact on its biodiversity and there is an awareness of the necessity of studies regarding native plants including those with medicinal properties (e.g., Tozin et al. 2015) and economic potentials (e.g., Dresch et al. 2015). The distribution of the distinct Cerrado physiognomies is still an open question despite the fact that different approaches, such as climatic conditions and soil composition, have been invoked (e.g., Silva and Bates 2002). In the present issue of the Annals of the Brazilian Academy of Sciences, Mattos et al. (2016) have tried a new perspective to address the dynamics and the organization of the Cerrado biome: the complexity paradigm. The authors have discussed some of the theoretical aspects and models associated with the complexity paradigm and how they might be applied. Some results opposed previous studies (Mattos et al. 2016) and their approach will surely foster discussion about this important topic.

Talking about plants, despite the heavily dependence of populations from developing countries on plantbased traditional medicine (WHO 2002), there is a general lack of scientific knowledge of their medicinal properties (e.g., Kinghorn and Balandrin 1993), although several have a high potential to mitigate diseases in dozens of countries (e.g., Antinarelli et al. 2015). Among the more commonly used plants in tropical and subtropical areas are the Piperaceae (e.g., Cunico et al. 2015). In the present issue of the AABC, López et al. (2016) explore the anesthetic activity of Ottonia anisum, a Piperaceae that is commonly found in the Atlantic forest, confirming its efficiency.

Lastly, I would like to highlight the publication of Sahoo et al. (2016) on hydro-biogeochemical properties of two lakes situated in Amazonia, more specifically in the Serra dos Carajás. This whole region includes some of the most important iron ore deposits of Brazil that influences the local vegetation (Porto and Silva 1989, Nunes et al 2015). Sahoo et al. (2016) concentrate their work on two upland lakes, called Amendoim and Violão, respectively, and monitored them between 2013 and 2014 in order to establish seasonal variations of the water quality in a closed catchment-lake systems with restricted human influence. Studies on the effect of natural processes in lakes in upland tropical areas are rather scarce, making this contribution very stimulating, whose results might be applicable to other upland lakes.

REFERENCES

• ANTINARELLI LMR, PINTO NC, SCIO E and COIMBRA ES. 2015. Antileishmanial activity of some Brazilian plants, with particular reference to Casearia sylvestris. An Acad Bras Cienc 87: 733-742.
• CUNICO MM, TREBIEN HA, GALETTI FC, MIGUEL OG, MIGUEL MD, AUER CG, SILVA CL and DE SOUZA AO. 2015. Investigation of local anesthetic and antimycobacterial activity of Ottonia martiana Miq. (Piperaceae). An Acad Bras Cienc 87: 1991-2000.
• DE MATTOS SHVL, VICENTE LE, PEREZ FILHO A and PIQUEIRA JRC. 2016. Contributions of the complexity paradigm to the understanding of Cerrado´s organization and dynamics. An Acad Bras Cienc 88: 2417-2427.
• DRESCH DM, MASETTO TE and SCALON SPQ. 2015. Campomanesia adamantium (Cambess.) O. Berg seed desiccation: influence on vigor and nucleic acids. An Acad Bras Cienc 87: 2217-2228.
• FURLEY PA. 1999. The nature and diversity of neotropical savanna vegetation with particular reference to the Brazilian cerrados. Global Ecol Biogeogr 8: 223-241.
• KINGHORN AD and BALANDRIN MF. 1993. Human medicinal agents from plants. Washington, DC, ACS Symposium Series 534: 1-356.
• LÓPEZ KSE, MARQUES AM, MOREIRA DL, VELOZO LS, SUDO RT, ZAPATA-SUDO G, GUIMARÃES EF and KAPLAN MAC. 2016. Local anesthethic activity from extracts, fractions and pure compounds from the roots of Ottonia anisum Spreng. ( Piperaceae). An Acad Bras Cienc 88: 2229-2237.
• NUNES JA, SCHAEFER CEGR, FERREIRA JÚNIOR WG, NERI AV, CORREA GR and ENRIGHT NJ. 2015. Soil-vegetation relationships on a banded ironstone ´island´, Carajás Plateau, Brazilian Eastern Amazonia. An Acad Bras Cienc 87: 2097-2110.
• PORTO ML and SILVA MFF. 1989. Tipos de Vegetação Metalófila em Áreas da Serra de Carajás e de Minas Gerais, Brasil. Act Bot Bras 3: 13-21.
• SAHOO PK ET AL. 2016. Influence of seasonal variation on the hydro-biogeochemical characteristics of two upland lakes in the Southeastern Amazon, Brazil. An Acad Bras Cienc 88: 2211-2227.
• SILVA JMC and BATES JM. 2002. Biogeographic patterns and conservation in the South American cerrado: a tropical savanna hotspot. BioScience 52: 225-233.
• TOZIN LRS, MARQUES MOM and RODRIGUES TM. 2015. Glandular trichome density and essential oil composition in leaves and inflorescences of Lippia origanoides Kunth (Verbenaceae) in the Brazilian Cerrado. An Acad Bras Cienc 87: 943-953.
• WHO - WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION 2002. General guidelines for methodologies on research and evaluation of traditional medicine. World Health Organization Geneva, 74 p.

Publication Dates

• Publication in this collection
  Oct-Dec 2016