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RESUMO:Achyrocline satureioides (marcela) é utilizada na medicina popular brasileira, na forma de chá, como tratamento de patologias digestivas e infl amatórias. O efeito anti-proliferativo de infusões de marcela sobre o ciclo celular da cebola foi avaliado, utilizando-se infl orescências de marcela recém coletadas (2005) e após armazenamento por 30 meses (2003). Preparou-se as infusões em duas concentrações: 5,0 mg/mL (concentração usual como chá) e 20 mg/mL. Utilizaram-se 3 grupos de 6 bulbos de cebola para cada população de marcela. Retirou-se um grupo de bulbos controle de cada população. Todos os bulbos enraizados em água destilada foram transferidos para os extratos de marcela e permaneceram por 24 horas, (os bulbos controle permaneceram em água). As radículas foram coletadas, fi xadas em etanol-ácido acético (3:1) por 24 h e estocadas em álcool 70%. Foram analisadas 6000 células por grupo de bulbos, e os índices mitóticos calculados submetidos a análise estatística pelo teste 2 a 5%. Conclui-se que as infusões de marcela possuem ação antiproliferativa sobre o ciclo celular da cebola e que essa ação inibitória da divisão celular aumenta conforme aumento da concentração, bem como após o armazenamento.Unitermos: Achyrocline satureioides, Allium cepa, Asteraceae, Liliaceae, atividade antiproliferativa, índice mitótico, planta medicinal.ABSTRACT: "Anti-proliferative effect of infusions of Achyrocline satureioides on the Allium cepa cell cycle". Achyrocline saturoides (marcela) is used in Brazilian folk medicine as a tea in the treatment of digestive and infl ammatory diseases. The anti-proliferative effect of infusions of marcela on onion cell cycle was evaluated by using the infl orescences of recently collected marcela and after the storage for 30 months. Marcela infl orescences were collected for the infusion preparations in 2003 and in 2005 (used still fresh). We prepared the infusions at two concentrations 5.0 mg/mL (concentration used as tea) and 20 mg/mL. We used two groups of six onion bulbs for each population of marcela, and one group of bulbs of each population was withdrawn as a control group. All bulbs rooted in distilled water and after they were transferred to the extracts of marcela and they were kept there for 24 hours (control bulbs remained under water). The root tips were collected, after fi xed in ethanol acetic acid (3:1) for 24 hours and, stored under alcohol 70%. A total of 6000 cells per group of bulbs was analyzed, and the mitotic indexes were calculated and undergone to statistical analysis by using 2 at 5%. The conclusions were that the infusions of marcela have anti-proliferative action on the cell cycle of onion and that this inhibitory action on the cell division increases according to the increase of the infusion concentration, after storage as well.

RESUMOPaspalum notatum Poaceae é uma importante espécie forrageira com ampla ocorrência no sul do Brasil, sendo constituída de biótipos sexuais (diplóides) e apomíticos (tetraplóides, ocasionalmente tri e pentaplóides). Este trabalho teve por objetivo a avaliação agronômica e a análise da persistência em uma coleção de acessos de P. notatum. Avaliaram-se 52 acessos de P. notatum, a cultivar comercial Pensacola e dois biótipos de P. guenoarum, Baio e Azulão. As avaliações foram realizadas em plantas individuais, em delineamento completamente casualizado, com cinco repetições durante os anos de [2008][2009]. Houve variação na produção de forragem dos diferentes acessos, sendo que a maioria dos acessos de P. notatum apresentou elevadas produções de matéria seca (de 469 g planta -1 a 109 g planta -1 de matéria seca de forragem total (MSFT)) ao serem comparados com a cultivar Pensacola (27 g planta -1 de MSFT). Os acessos 48N, 95N, 30N e V4 obtiveram as maiores produções (469, 380, 258 e 237 g planta -1 de MSFT, respectivamente), além de apresentarem persistência ao inverno da região. Conclui-se que a coleção avaliada pode ser de grande importância em futuros estudos de melhoramento genético com P. notatum. Palavras-chave:Forrageira, grama-forquilha, melhoramento genético. Agronomic evaluation and persistence analysis in a collection of Paspalum notatum Flügge (Poaceae) accessions ABSTRACTPaspalum notatum is an important forage species widely occurring in Southern Brazil, consisting of sexual (diploid) and apomitic (tetraploid, occasionally tri and pentaploid) biotypes. This work has the objective to perform an agronomic characterization and persistence analysis of a collection of P. notatum accessions. Fifty two accessions of P. notatum, the commercial cultivar Pensacola and two biotypes of P. guenoarum, Baio and Azulão were evaluated. The assessments were performed in individual plants, in a completely randomized design, with five replicates, during the years of 2008-2009. There was variation for forage production among the different accessions, with the majority of the accessions of P. notatum showing high dry matter yield (ranging from 469 g plant -1 to 109 g plant -1 of total forage dry matter (TFDM)) when compared to the cultivar Pensacola (27 g plant -1 of TFDM). The accessions 48N, 95N, 30N and V4 showed the highest yields (469, 380, 258 and 237 g plant -1 of TFDM) and also persistence to the winter in the region. It was concluded that the collection analyzed can be important in futures studies for P. notatum genetic improvement.

Some species of Psychotria (Rubiaceae) are important in herbal medicine, where their extracts are used internally for infections of the female reproductive system, bronchitis, gastrointestinal disturbances, skin irritations, tumors, ulcers, and eye disturbances. The antiproliferative and genotoxic effects of Psychotria myriantha Mull. Arg. and P. leiocarpa Cham. et Schlecht infusions on the Allium cepa L. cell cycle were evaluated. The teas were prepared by infusing the leaves in distilled water, in two concentrations: 1.13 mg/mL and 6.78 mg/mL. Three groups of four bulbs were used for each Psychotria species. After the bulbs rooted in distilled water, they were transferred to the teas for 24 hours, except for the control that stayed in water. The rootlets were then collected, fixed in ethanol-acetic acid (3:1) for 24 hours, and stored in 70% ethanol. For each group of bulbs, 4000 cells were analyzed, calculating the mitotic indexes, submitting them to statistic analysis, using the χ 2 test (p = 0.05). The results showed a decrease in mitotic index with an increase in tea concentration in both species. In P. leiocarpa, the mitotic index values differed significantly between the control and concentration of 6.78 mg/mL (χ 2 = 9.863). For P. myriantha, the values referring to the mitotic index differed greatly between the control and the treatments (χ 2 = 124.8). With this study, it was determined that P. myriantha and P. leiocarpa infusions possess antiproliferative effects on the A. cepa cell cycle, and teas of P. myriantha also have genotoxic activity.

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DC. (Asteraceae) no ciclo celular de Allium cepa". A espécie medicinal Solidago micrglossa DC., a qual é nativa da América do Sul, é usada como infusão (chá) para desordens estomacais na medicina popular. O objetivo desse estudo foi avaliar o potencial efeito citotóxico dessas infusões no ciclo celular de Allium cepa. Folhas in natura de três populações dessa espécie foram utilizadas no preparo das infusões em duas concentrações: 1,75 mg/mL e 14 mg/mL. Células de raízes de cebola (Allium cepa) foram usadas como sistema teste nos ensaios in vivo. As lâminas foram feitas através da técnica de esmagamento. As células foram analisadas em todos os ciclos celulares de A. cepa, totalizando 6000 células para cada grupo de bulbos. O índice mitótico (IM) foi calculado e a análise estatística foi realizada através do teste Qui-quadrado (χ 2 = 0,05). Os resultados mostraram que as infusões de S. microglossa na maior concentração (14 mg/mL) causou uma redução no IM comparado com os controles nas populações estudadas. Nas concentrações comumente usadas pelas pessoas houve um aumento significativo do IM em relação ao controle nas populações 1 e 3 e foi reduzido na população 2. Em conclusão, infusões de S. microglossa apresentam efeito antiproliferativo na maior concentração testada.Unitermos: Sistema teste vegetal, planta medicinal, citotóxico, Solidago microglossa, Asteraceae. ABSTRACT:The medicinal specie Solidago microglossa DC., which is native from South America, is used as infusion (tea) for stomach disorders in popular medicine. This study aimed to evaluate the potential cytotoxic effect of these infusions on the cell cycle of Allium cepa. In natura leaves of three populations of this species were used in preparing infusions at two concentrations: 1.75 mg/mL and 14 mg/mL. Onion (Allium cepa) root-tip cells were used as test system in in vivo assays. Slides were done through smashing technique. Cells were analyzed in all cell cycles of A. cepa, totalizing 6000 cells for each group of bulbs. The mitotic index (MI) was calculated, and the statistical analysis was carried out through the Chi-square test (χ 2 = 0.05). The results show that the infusions of S. microglossa at a highest concentration (14 mg/mL) caused a significant reduction in the MI compared with control in the studied populations. In concentrations commonly used by people there was a significant increase of MI in relation to controlled populations 1 and 3 and a decrease in population 2. In conclusion, infusions of S. microglossa presented antiproliferative effect at a highest concentration.

Plants of the family Iridaceae are well represented in the grassland vegetation of southern Brazil, occurring in the Pampa and Atlantic Forest biomes. Nevertheless, little is known about the taxonomy and evolution of Iridaceae species in southern Brazil. The main goal of this review is to compile published information about South American Iridaceae, and to discuss the evolution and genetic diversity of the family presenting our own research data in the light of the published literature. The main focus is on the genera Calydorea, Cypella, Herbertia, and Sisyrinchium. Aspects of reproductive system and of pollinator attraction are also discussed.

The objective of this study was to assess the genetic diversity among accessions of Paspalum notatum based on morphological marker traits and identify those morphological traits that contribute most to the variability among accessions. Fifty-three accessions were evaluated for the following traits: length, width, color, and pubescence of sheath; length, width, insertion angle, color of midrib, and pubescence of leaves; number, length, and angle of racemes; length of flowering stems; and plant growth habit (erect or prostrate). Multivariate analysis of the quantitative morphological data based on the Mahalanobis distance and UPGMA method grouped the accessions into 19 heterogeneous clusters. The relative contribution of each trait to cluster formation was obtained using the Singh method. Qualitative morphological traits were used to construct a dendrogram based on Jaccard's similarity, generating 13 clusters. Based on the morphological traits investigated, there is high genetic variation among accessions of P. notatum, demonstrating that these accessions have a good potential for a breeding program. Length of racemes, width of sheath, length of flowering stems, and length of leaves were found to contribute most to the variability among accessions. A number of traits contributed to a lesser degree. The set of characters used are representative of the vast phenotypic plasticity observed in P. notatum, a diversity which is likely to be related to the species apomictic form of reproduction and the origin of the accessions.