Chagas Disease (CD), caused by flagellate protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi, is a Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTD) that affect approximately seven million people worldwide with a restrict therapeutical arsenal. In the present study, the essential oils from 18 Myrtaceae species were extracted, chemically dereplicated, and evaluated in vitro against T. cruzi. From these, eight essential oils were considered promising (IC50<10 μg/mL and SI>10) against the protozoan: Eugenia florida, E. acutata, E. widgrenii, Calyptranthes brasilienses, C. widgreniana, Plinia cauliflora, Campomanesia xanthocarpa, and Psidium guajava. Multivariate data analysis pointed out (E)‐caryophyllene, α‐humulene, limonene, caryophyllene oxide, and α‐copaene playing an important role in the anti‐T. cruzi activity. The obtained results demonstrated the potential of essential oils of Myrtaceae species as valuable sources of bioactive compounds against T. cruzi.
The phytochemical investigation of the stem bark crude extract of Aniba firmula (Lauraceae) led to the isolation of undescribed bicyclic [3.2.1] octane neolignans, 1 and 2, characterized by unusual bicyclic patterns and two other known bicyclic neolignans 3 and 4. Anti-inflammatory bicyclic [3.2.1] octane neolignans metabolites were previously reported in the literature, and the A. firmula stands out in the Lauraceae family as a source of potentially bioactive compounds. Thus, herein the anti-inflammatory potential of four isolated compounds from A. firmula was accessed via an ex vivo anti-inflammatory model that included plasmatic quantification of the prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) inflammatory mediator. Compounds 2 and 3 exhibited significant anti-inflammatory activity by inhibiting the production of PGE2 in plasma samples, thus by interference with the cyclooxygenase (COX) inflammatory pathway. Therefore, these findings demonstrate that the bicyclic octane neolignan classes [3.2.1] can present anti-inflammatory potential.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.