Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina

About: Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina is a education organization based out in Florianópolis, Brazil. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Context (language use). The organization has 28408 authors who have published 55433 publications receiving 714461 citations.

Plantas usadas como medicinais no município de Ipê, RS, Brasil

Abstract: Foi realizado um levantamento das plantas medicinais utilizadas pela populacao do municipio de Ipe, RS, Brasil, visando uma investigacao da medicina tradicional, melhoramento e racionalizacao das praticas medicinais populares, em um projeto envolvendo voluntarios da comunidade. Foram entrevistadas 114 pessoas, que mencionaram 252 plantas, das quais foram identificadas 105 especies, agrupadas em 48 familias. As plantas coletadas e identificadas foram analisadas, de acordo com dados quimicos, farmacologicos e/ou toxicologicos encontrados na literatura cientifica. Os resultados obtidos mostram que a populacao deste municipio faz uso de plantas que, ainda, nao foram alvo de pesquisa quimica, farmacologica e/ou toxicologica e, tambem, que a mesma faz uso de onze especies, que sao reconhecidamente, responsaveis por efeitos colaterais indesejados, ou ainda, que sao toxicas.

Antidepressant-like effect of the extract from leaves of Schinus molle L. in mice: evidence for the involvement of the monoaminergic system.

Abstract: Schinus molle L. (Anacardiaceae), among other uses, is popularly employed for the treatment of depression. In this study, the antidepressant-like effect of the hexanic extract from leaves of S. molle was investigated in the mouse tail suspension test (TST), a predictive model of depression. The immobility time in the TST was significantly reduced by the extract (dose range 30–600 mg/kg, p.o.), without accompanying changes in ambulation when assessed in an open-field test. The efficacy of extract was found to be comparable to that of fluoxetine (10 mg/kg, p.o.). The anti-immobility effect of the extract (100 mg/kg, p.o.) was prevented by pretreatment of mice with p-chlorophenylalanine methyl ester (PCPA, 100 mg/kg, i.p., an inhibitor of serotonin synthesis, for four consecutive days), NAN-190 (0.5 mg/kg, i.p., a 5-HT1A receptor antagonist), WAY100635 (0.1 mg/kg, s.c., a selective 5-HT1A receptor antagonist), ketanserin (5 mg/kg, i.p., a 5-HT2A/2C receptor antagonist), MDL72222 (0.1 mg/kg, i.p., a 5-HT3 receptor antagonist), prazosin (1 mg/kg, i.p., an α1-adrenoceptor antagonist), yohimbine (1 mg/kg, i.p., an α2-adrenoceptor antagonist), SCH23390 (0.05 mg/kg, s.c., a D1 receptor antagonist) or sulpiride (50 mg/kg, i.p., a D2 receptor antagonist). It may be concluded that the hexanic extract of S. molle produces an antidepressant-like effect that seems to be dependent on its interaction with the serotonergic, noradrenergic and dopaminergic systems. These results provide evidence that the extract from S. molle shares with established antidepressants some pharmacological effects, at least at a preclinical level.

Phytochemical and antioedematogenic studies of commercial copaiba oils available in Brazil.

Abstract: The composition of eight samples of commercial copaiba oils, used in the Amazonian region as antiinflammatory agents and available in popular markets, were analysed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (HRGC-MS). Major differences were observed in their chemical composition and some adulterations were pointed out. When tested in vivo oils 1 and 3, and to a lesser extent oil 6, significantly inhibited bradykinin-induced oedema formation. The other tested oils had no effect. When assessed in carrageenan-induced oedema formation, oils 1, 2 and 6, but not oil 3, significantly attenuated the oedema formation. The other tested oils failed to affect carrageenan-induced paw oedema. Oils 1 and 6 were further fractionated and several sesquiterpenes and diterpenes were detected. It is suggested that the naturally occurring sesquiterpenes present in the copaiba oils seem to be responsible for the antiinflammatory action reported in the folk medicine. Furthermore, our results clearly show an adulteration in copaiba oils available in Brazil.