RESUMO: "Levantamento das plantas medicinais usadas na região Nordeste do Brasil". Este trabalho teve como objetivo um levantamento das plantas e dos seus usos como medicinais, as quais são utilizadas com fi ns terapêuticos na região Nordeste do Brasil. A área de estudo é reconhecida por uma rica biodiversidade, principalmente de plantas e de hábitats, abrangendo desde a Floresta Amazônica, Floresta Atlântica, sistemas de mangues e dunas costeiras, até fl orestas secas e savanas. Como resultados, foram registrados um total de 650 espécies pertencentes a 407 gêneros e 111 famílias, e suas informações etnomedicinais. A diversidade fl orística é dominada por vegetais superiores e apenas cinco espécies das famílias Aspleniaceae, Cyatheaceae, Equisetaceae, Polypodiaceae e Selaginellaceae pertencem ao grupo das Pteridófi tas, que corresconde a menos que 1% do total das espécies registradas. Este estudo sugere a grande importância da investigação das espécies farmacologicamente ainda não estudadas, uma vez que seus usos populares estão registrados.

Solanum subg. Leptostemonum contains approximately 350-450 species, including the cultivated eggplant, S. melongena. Most species placed in this subgenus form a monophyletic group, the Leptostemonum clade, characterized by the presence of stellate hairs and prickles, leading to the common name of "spiny solanums". Here we present a phylogenetic analysis that circumscribes the major clades within the spiny solanums and examines the relationships among them, with an emphasis on New World species. Of particular interest is the clarification of the clade limits and species composition of groups that have not been well-sampled. We also increase sampling of taxa that have been previously analyzed in molecular studies, namely those in the Torva, Micracantha, and Erythrotrichum clades. These groups have convergent morphological characteristics that have challenged taxonomists, making classification difficult. Results from our study delimit 14 clades within the spiny solanums, including the newly designated Asterophorum, Gardneri, Sisymbriifolium, and Thomasiifolium clades. We also establish the placement of species not previously sampled, especially those endemic to Brazil. These results give an increased understanding of the evolution of the Leptostemonum clade by defining monophyletic groups within it and identify areas of the phylogenetic tree that remain unresolved and require further taxon sampling.

Wissadula periplocifolia (L.) C. Presl (Malvaceae) is commonly used in Brazil to treat bee stings and as an antiseptic. The antioxidant properties of its extracts have been previously demonstrated, thus justifying a phytochemical investigation for its bioactive phenolic constituents. This has yielded five new sulphated flavonoids: 8-O-sulphate isoscutellarein (yannin) (1a); 4 1 -O-methyl-7-O-sulphate isoscutellarein (beltraonin) (1b); 7-O-sulphate acacetin (wissadulin) (2a); 4 1 -O-methyl-8-O-sulphate isoscutellarein (caicoine) (2b) and 3 1 -O-methyl-8-O-sulphate hypolaetin (pedroin) (3b) along with the known flavonoids 7,4 1 -di-O-methyl-8-O-sulphate isoscutellarein (4), acacetin, apigenin, isoscutellarein, 4 1 -O-methyl isoscutellarein, 7,4 1 -di-O-methylisoscutellarein, astragalin and tiliroside. The compounds were isolated by column chromatography and identified by NMR ( 1 H, 13 C, HMQC, HMBC and COSY) and LC-HRMS. A cell based assay was carried out to evaluate the preliminary cytotoxic properties of the flavonoids against UVW glioma and PC-3M prostate cancer cells as well as non-tumour cell lines. The obtained results showed that acacetin, tiliroside, a mixture of acacetin + apigenin and the sulphated flavonoids 2a + 2b exhibited inhibitory activity against at least one of the cell lines tested. Among the tested flavonoids acacetin and tiliroside showed lower IC 50 values, presenting promising antitumor effects.

RESUMO -(Flora da Paraíba, Brasil: Erythroxylaceae Kunth). Neste trabalho apresenta-se o tratamento taxonômico da família Erythroxylaceae como parte do projeto "Flora da Paraíba", que vem sendo realizado com o objetivo de identificar e catalogar as espécies da flora local. Realizaram-se coletas e observações de campo para as identificações, descrições e ilustrações botânicas, que foram efetuadas após estudos morfológicos, com o auxílio da bibliografia especializada, complementados pela análise de fotos de tipos e de espécimes de herbários nacionais e internacionais. Palavras-chave: Erythroxylaceae, Erythroxylum, flora, taxonomia, Nordeste do Brasil ABSTRACT -(Flora of Paraíba, Brazil: Erythroxylaceae Kunth). A taxonomic treatment of the Erythroxylaceae family was undertaken as part of the project "Flora da Paraíba" which aims to identify and catalogue the species of the local flora. Botanical identification and illustrations were supported by morphological studies and bibliography, analysis of the types and specimens from national and international herbaria, complemented by field observations. Thirteen species of Erythroxylaceae belonging to the genus Erythroxylum were found in

RESUMORealizou-se um estudo da flora e da estrutura da vegetação no Cariri Paraibano com o objetivo de subsidiar estratégias para conservação e uso sustentável da caatinga na região. No levantamento florístico considerouse toda a área do Cariri, mas para os estudos de estrutura foram selecionadas duas localidades em diferentes estádios de conservação: a RPPN Fazenda Almas (7°2815"S, 36°53'51"W), Cariri Ocidental, área mais preservada, e a Estação Experimental de São João do Cariri (7º23'48"S e 36º31'55"W), Cariri Oriental, com vegetação bastante alterada. No levantamento florístico foram observadas 396 espécies, sendo a família Leguminosae a mais diversa. Em São João do Cariri foram observadas 26 espécies arbóreo-arbustivas e a dominância de Caesalpinia pyramidalis, Croton sonderianus, Combretum leprosum e Jatropha mollissima. Na Fazenda Almas registraram-se 67 espécies arbóreo-arbustivas, destacando-se também Croton sonderianus e Caesalpinia pyramidalis e ainda Manihot catingae. A baixa diversidade florística encontrada na EE São João do Cariri refletiu-se em todos os parâmetros estruturais de vegetação analisados indicando a degradação da vegetação local, que há anos é utilizada para pastoreio de caprinos. A diversidade na RPPN Fazenda Almas foi bastante superior à observada em São João do Cariri e em outras áreas de caatinga na Paraíba. Palavras-chave: Caatinga, diversidade, estrutura, Paraíba ABSTRACT VEGETATION AND FLORA IN THE CARIRI REGION OF PARAÍBA.A study of the flora and vegetation of the Cariri Region of Paraíba was carried out in order to support strategies for conservation and sustainable use of the region's caatinga. For the floristic survey, the whole Cariri region was considered, but for the study of vegetation structure, two areas in different states of preservation were chosen: a well-preserved site, the Fazenda Almas private reserve (RPPN; 7°2815"S, 36°53'51"W), and a significantly altered site, the São João do Cariri Experimental Station (7º23'48"S and 36º31'55"W). In the floristic survey 396 species were observed, with the family Leguminosae being the most diverse. In São João do Cariri, 26 species of trees or shrubs were observed with the dominants being Caesalpinia pyramidalis, Croton sonderianus, Combretum leprosum and Jatropha mollissima. In Fazenda Almas, 67 species of trees or shrubs were found, with the most prominent being Croton sonderianus, Caesalpinia pyramidalis, and also Manihot catingae. The low diversity found at the São João de Caririri site was reflected in all the structural parameters of the vegetation, indicating a degradation of the local vegetation which has been used for years for grazing goats. The species diversity in the Fazenda Almas RPPN was much higher than that observed in São João do Cariri or other areas of caatinga in Paraíba.

Stingless bees in Brazil are indigenous and found all over the country. Bee pollen is used for its nutritional value in the human diet. It is made up of natural flower pollen mixed with nectar and bee secretions. In order to evaluate the chemical composition, free radical scavenging activity, and botanical origin, sample of pollen loads from stingless bee, Melipona rufiventris (Uruçu amarela) was studied. The EtOAc extract of pollen of Melipona rufiventris yielded the following compounds: p-hydroxycinnamic acid, dihydroquercetin, isorhamnetin, isorhamnetin-3-O-(6"-O-E-pcoumaroyl)-β-D-glucopyranoside, luteolin, and quercetin. This is the first report of the isolation of isorhamnetin-3-O-(6"-O-E-p-coumaroyl)-β-D-glucopyranoside from pollen. The free radical-scavenging activities of different solvent extracts of pollen were determined using DPPH assay. This activity decreases in the order: EtOAc>EtOH>Hexane extract. It appears that the EtOAc extract of the pollen is a good scavenger of active oxygen species. The botanical evaluation of pollen loads showed the composition by two pollen types, with the dominant type (97.3%) being Scoparia dulcis (L.) (Scrophulariaceae) and the minor one Senna obtusifolia (L.) Irwin & Barneby (Fabaceae). This suggests a specific foraging behavior in Melipona rufiventris bees, even in an environment with such a rich botanical diversity as the Northeastern Brazil.

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