Trypanocidal activity of Piper arboreum and Piper tuberculatum (Piperaceae)

Abstract

RESUMO: "Atividade tripanocida dePiper arboreum e Piper tuberculatum (Piperaceae)". No escopo de nossas pesquisas sobre agentes bioativos da flora brasileira, vinte e quatro extratos e frações de Piper arboreum Aub. e Piper tuberculatum Jacq. (Piperaceae) tiveram sua atividade tripanocida avaliada através do ensaio colorimétrico com MTT. As atividades mais potentes foram manifestadas pelas frações hexânicas das folhas de P. arboreum (CI 50 = 13,3 µg/mL) e P. tuberculatum (CI 50 = 17,2 µg/mL). As frações hexânicas dos frutos de P. tuberculatum e P. arboreum também apresentaram efeito tóxico potente contra as formas epimastigotas de Trypanosoma cruzi, com valores de CI 50 (µg/mL) de 32,2 e 31,3, respectivamente. Adicionalmente, o estudo fitoquímico da fração hexânica das folhas de P. arboreum forneceu duas amidas pirrolidínicas, piperilina (1) e 4,5-diidropiperilina (2), que podem ser responsáveis pela atividade antiprotozoária desta fração.Unitermos: Antiprotozoário, tripanocida, Piper arboreum, Piper tuberculatum, Piperaceae, Trypanosoma cruzi. ABSTRACT:In the scope of our ongoing research on bioactive agents from Brazilian flora, twenty-four extracts and fractions obtained from Piper arboreum Aub. and Piper tuberculatum Jacq. (Piperaceae) were screened for trypanocidal activity by using MTT colorimetric assay. The strongest activity was found in hexane fractions from the leaves of P. arboreum (IC 50 = 13.3 µg/ mL) and P. tuberculatum (IC 50 = 17.2 µg/mL). Hexane fractions of the fruits of P. tuberculatum and P. arboreum showed potent toxic effects on epimastigote forms of Trypanosoma cruzi, with values of IC 50 (µg/mL) of 32.2 and 31.3, respectively. Additionally, the phytochemical study of the hexane fraction of P. arboreum leaves furnished two pyrrolidine amides, piperyline (1) and 4,5-dihydropiperyline (2), which could be responsible, at least in part for the observed antiprotozoal activity.

CHEMICAL STUDY AND ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITIES OF Piper arboreum (PIPERACEAE)

“…[9][10][11][12] Biological studies of P. arboreum have shown that their nor-volatile and volatile constituents were active against the fungi Cladosporium sphaerospermum, C. cladosporioides, Candida krusei, C. parapsilosis and Cryptococcus neoformans and protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi. 13,14 Despite the widespread use of P. arboreum in traditional medicine, very few studies of its biological potential have been performed. Therefore, we investigated the potential antifungal and antibacterial activities of the nonvolatile and volatile compounds from P. arboreum tissues.…”

Kavalactones and Benzoic Acid Derivatives from Leaves of Piper fuligineum Kunth (Piperaceae)

“…[18][19][20] The rhizome of Piper methysticum, known as "kava-kava" in Hawaii and the South Pacific Islands, is used to prepare a beverage to treat anxiety. 21,22 The major compounds isolated from this species are the kavalactones kavain and methysticin.…”

Modulatory antimicrobial activity of piper arboreum extracts

“…Antibacterial and trypanocidal activities have been reported for Piper arboreum Aub. and this plant is used by traditional communities in Brazil in the form of a decoct against rheumatism, bronchitis, and sexually transmitted diseases (AGRA et al 2007, RAMOS and KATO 2009, REGASINI et al 2009). …”