Our findings show that the major kaempferol glycosides may account for the renowned medicinal use of Sedum dendroideum against pain and inflammatory troubles.

The infusion of aerial parts (EI) of Eleusine indica Gaertn (Poaceae) is used in Brazil against airway inflammatory processes like influenza and pneumonia. Pre-treatment with 400 mg/kg of crude extract inhibited 98% of lung neutrophil recruitment in mice exposed to aerosols of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) from Gram-negative bacteria, in a dose-dependent manner. At 400 microg/kg, schaftoside (6-C-beta-glucopyranosyl-8-C-alpha-arabinopyranosylapigenin) and vitexin (8-C-beta-glucopyranosylapigenin), isolated from EI, inhibited 62% and 80% of lung neutrophil influx, respectively. These results may justify the popular use of E. indica against airway inflammatory processes.

Our study reports the better conditions of cultivation, harvest and extraction protocol for obtaining a K. pinnata extract exhibiting the highest antileishmanial activity. Additionally, we propose the flavonoids quercetin 3-O-α-L-arabinopyranosyl (1→2)-α-L-rhamnopyranoside and quercitrin, as satisfactory chemical markers for standardization purposes.

RESUMO:A asma é uma doença infl amatória crônica, que representa um problema de saúde pública com altos números de óbitos e elevado impacto socioeconômico. A patologia é caracterizada pela fase imediata, mediada pela resposta aguda de células infl amatórias, e a tardia, que é responsável pela resposta com envolvimento de células específi cas do sistema imunológico. Atualmente, os principais tipos de fármacos utilizados no tratamento da asma são os broncodilatadores e agentes antiinfl amatórios, que aliviam os sintomas de broncoespasmo e diminuem a infl amação das vias aéreas. Entretanto, terapias com esses medicamentos não são totalmente efi cazes e provocam efeitos adversos. A escassez de fármacos seguros e o baixo acesso da população carente aos tratamentos utilizados estimulam a busca de novas substâncias potencialmente úteis no tratamento da asma. Produtos naturais de origem vegetal representam um grande potencial farmacológico contra asma, uma vez que podem fornecer moléculas diversas com mecanismos específi cos para tratamento e controle da patologia. A busca por terapias mais efi cientes e específi cas para o processo asmático mostra que a procura nos produtos naturais é promissora e possui um papel importante para a descoberta de novas terapias contra a asma.Unitermos: Asma, infl amação crônica, células Th2, plantas medicinais, produtos naturais, metabólitos secundários.ABSTRACT: "Natural products from plant origin potentially usefull in the asthma therapy". Asthma is a chronic infl ammatory disease, which represents a huge public health problem in developed and developing countries, has high death rates and elevated socioeconomic implications. The pathology is characterized by two different phases: the initial stage, mediated by acute infl ammatory cell response and the late phase, responsible for specifi c immune cells. Currently, the main drugs used for asthma treatment are bronchodilator and anti-infl ammatory agents, which mechanisms focus the relief of symptoms and attenuation of airway infl ammation. However, therapies with those drugs have side effects besides they are not totally effective. Poor accessibility in the development countries and scarcity of safety drugs lead the search for new drugs to asthma treatment. Herbal natural products have elevated pharmacological potential against asthma, once they provide several molecules with specifi c mechanisms for the pathology control and treatment. Thus, search in herbal natural products plays an important role to fi nd out specifi c and effective mechanisms.

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