There has been marked interest in recent years in the use of plants for the treatment of diabetes. Plants have been found in many countries which have been indicated as having hypoglycemic activity. The present work is an up-to-date review with 178 references of crude plant extracts and chemically defi ned molecules with hypoglycemic activity from South, Central and North America. The review refers to 224 plants with their families, parts used and type of extract, organism tested and activity. It also includes 40 compounds isolated from those plants. Some aspects of recent research with natural products from plants directed to the treatment of diabetes are discussed.

Unitermos: Etnobotânica, plantas medicinais, fitoterapia, saúde bucal.ABSTRACT: "Etnobotanical studies of medicinal plants for oral conditions in the municipality of João Pessoa, Brazil". The objective of this research was to carry out an ethnobotanical study about the indication of medicinal plants for oral conditions, as well as to investigate the use of medicinal plants among users of dental services in the city of João Pessoa, Brazil. The work consisted of two stages of investigation: traditional healers ("raizeiros") (n = 20) and users (n = 200). A structured form was applied to the healers in order to know which medicinal plant they marketed most for oral pathologies. Later, a form was applied to the users of public services (n = 100) and private services (n = 100) to obtain information about the use phytotherapy. The most frequent plants used for oral problems that were sold by the healers were: "babatenon" (Pithecelobium avaremotemo Mart.), "aroeira" (Schinus terebinthifolius Raddi), cashew tree known as "cajueiro roxo" (Anacardium occidentale L.) and "quixaba" (Bumelia sartorum Mart.). Among the users, 80% reported the use of medicinal plants. The most cited were pomegranate (Punica granatum L.), cashew tree, "juá" (Zizyphus joazeiro Mart.), and mint leaf known as "hortelã da folha graúda" (Plectrantus amboinicus Lour). The data suggest that a good deal of the local population, mainly public service users do use medicinal plants. It is necessary, though more studies to prove the effective action of the plants under scientific basis.

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Molecular Hybridization is an approach in rational drug design where new chemical entities are obtained by combining two or more pharmacophoric units from different bioactive compounds into a single molecule. Through this approach, medicinal chemists hope that the new hybrid derivative presents: better affinity and efficacy when compared to the parent drugs; a modified selectivity profile with improvement over pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic restrictions; dual or multiple modes of action; reduction of undesirable side effects; decreases in drug-drug interactions; reduced emergence or spread of drug resistance in microorganisms and protozoans; and lower cost. The approach has been successfully used by many research groups around the world and has had very promising results with diseases having multifactorial profiles, like Alzheimer´s, Parkinson´s disease, cancer, inflammation, and hypertension among others. The purpose of this paper is to conduct an updated review of molecular hybridization and multitarget profiling (a rational drug design approach), and its applications to the design and discovery of novel hybrid compounds with anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, anticancer and antiprotozoal (leishmaniasis, malaria, and schistosomiasis) activities over the last six years.

The purpose of the study was to evaluate the efficacy of an extract of Panax ginseng in patients with fibromyalgia. A randomized, double-blind, controlled clinical trial was carried out over 12 weeks to compare the effects of P. ginseng (100 mg/d) with amitriptyline (25 mg/d) and placebo in 38 patients with fibromyalgia: 13 in Group I (amitriptyline), 13 in Group II (placebo), and 12 in Group III (P. ginseng). Ratings on the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) revealed a reduction in pain in the P. ginseng group (p < .0001), an improvement in fatigue (p < .0001) and an improvement in sleep (p < .001), with respect to baseline characteristics, but there were no differences between the three groups. With respect to anxiety, improvements occurred in the P. ginseng group compared to baseline (p < .0001); however, amitriptyline treatment resulted in significantly greater improvements (p < .05). P. ginseng reduced the number of tender points and improved patients' quality of life (using the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire - FIQ); however, there were no differences between groups. The beneficial effects experienced by patients for all parameters suggest a need for further studies to be performed on the tolerability and efficacy of this phytotherapic as a complementary therapy for fibromyalgia.

RESUMO: "O papel controvertido da kava (Piper methysticum G. Foster) -Fitoterápico ansiolítico, na hepatite tóxica". Kava é um fi toterápico ansiolítico usado no tratamento da insônia e da ansiedade. Alguns casos de hepatotoxicidade induzida pela kava foram relatados na literatura, levando à proibição do seu uso em muitos países. Clinicamente, o espectro dessas alterações variou de elevações transitórias das enzimas hepáticas, até à falência hepática fulminante e morte. Em alguns casos, realizou-se transplante hepático. Este artigo revisa a literatura atual sobre a hepatite tóxica provavelmente relacionada à kava, discute os possíveis mecanismos responsáveis pela hepatotoxicidade potencialmente grave e descreve alguns aspectos que devem ser considerados quando eventos adversos hepáticos pareçam ser relacionados à administração dessa substância. Conclui-se que a possível toxicidade hepática pela kava ainda deve ser investigada e que algumas medidas antes e durante o seu uso são importantes, dada a possibilidade de disfunção hepática grave. Unitermos:Piper methysticum, Piperaceae, kava, hepatite tóxica. ABSTRACT:Kava is an anxiolytic herbal medicine used in the treatment of sleep and anxiety disorders. Some cases of kava-induced hepatotoxicity have been reported in the literature leading to its banishment in most countries worldwide. Clinically, the spectrum ranged from transient elevations of liver enzyme levels to fulminant liver failure and death. Liver transplantation was performed in a few cases. This paper provides a review of the currently available literature on kava-related toxic hepatitis which may result from its use, discusses the possible mechanisms for the potentially severe hepatotoxicity and describes some features which must be considered when adverse liver effects seem to be associated to kava administration. In conclusion, the incidence of kava toxicity on the liver remains to be investigated; however, some concerns before or during kava use are important, due to the possibility of severe liver dysfunction.

RESUMO: "Produtos naturais com atividade antileprótica". A hanseníase é uma doença crônica infecciosa ocasionada pelo Mycobacterium leprae. Foi considerada incurável por muitos anos. Atualmente a lepra é uma doença em desaparecimento, apesar de podermos encontrá-la principalmente nos países da zona tropical. O Brasil é o país que tem o segundo maior número de casos de lepra ao redor do mundo com quase 30.000 novos casos diagnosticados em 2005. Este trabalho teve como objetivo revisar a literatura dos vegetais e substâncias de origem natural com atividade antileprótica. Foram encontradas 11 plantas e 17 substâncias isoladas de plantas e microrganismos que foram classifi cados em grupos químicos adequados. Alguns aspectos de pesquisa recente com produtos naturais direcionados à produção de drogas contra a lepra também são discutidos. Foram consultadas 63 referências.Unitermos: Mycobacterium leprae, lepra, hanseníase, doença de Hansen, produtos naturais, plantas medicinais, revisão. ABSTRACTS: Leprosy is a chronic infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium leprae bacillus.It was considered to be an incurable disease for ages. Nowadays leprosy is a vanishing disease although we can meet it principally in the tropical zone countries. Brazil has the second greatest number of leprosy cases around the world with almost 30,000 new cases diagnosed in 2005. The present work constitutes a literature review on plant extracts and chemically defi ned molecules of natural origin showing antileprotic activity. The review refers to 11 plants, their families, and geographical distribution, the utilized parts, the type of extract and the tested organism. It also includes 17 compounds isolated from higher plants and microorganisms, classifi ed into appropriate chemical groups. Some aspects of recent antileprotic-activity-directed research on natural products are discussed. For this purpose 63 references were consulted.

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