PARTE UTILIZADA= Used part: Hojas.

ACCIÓN FARMACOLÓGICA= Pharmacological action: Cardiotónico, excitante (hojas).

COMPOSICIÓN QUÍMICA= Chemical composition: The chem. compn. of the medicinal plant C. ecalyculata Vell., commonly known as "cha de bugre" and "porangaba", was studied. Tritriacontane [630-05-7] and an aliph. hydroxy ester was isolated from the hexane ext.; allantoin [97-59-6] and KCl was isolated from the EtOH ext.

ZONA GEOGRÁFICA= Geografical zone: E. y Centro de Brasil, NE de Argentina. 

ÚLTIMOS AVANCES EN LA QUÍMICA Y ACTIVIDADES BACTERIOLÓGICAS EN LAS PLANTAS MEDICINALES= Medicinal plants, last advances on chemistry and bacteria activities on the medicinal herbs

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Cordia ecalyculata Vell. and Echinodorus grandiflorus (Cham. & Schltdl.) Micheli are extensively used in Brazil as therapeutic preparations for indigenous groups and the general population.  These plants have been used in the folk medicine as: tonic, diuretic, anti-inflammatory, appetite suppressants, for the treatment of snake bites, and weight loss.  AIM OF THE STUDY: In this study, it was verified the possible cytotoxic and genotoxic effects of the crude extracts of.  Cordia ecalyculata and Echinodorus grandiflorus, as well as their effectiveness in treating obesity.  MATERIALS AND METHODS: The Micronucleus Test was used for the evaluation of possible clastogenic and aneugenic effects, and the Comet Assay was used for the evaluation of single-strand and double-strand DNA breaks.  The cytotoxic effects of the crude extracts were verified by PCE/NCE ratio.  Swiss mice (Mus musculus) were used as the experimental model.  RESULTS: It was observed a significant (P<0.05) increase, dose-independent, in the average frequency of micronucleated erythrocytes in peripheral blood in mice treated with either the Cordia ecalyculata or Echinodorus grandiflorus extracts, in comparison with the negative control.  There were no significant differences (P>0.05) in the frequency of micronucleated polychromatic erythrocytes for both extract treatment.  We observed that treatment with the Cordia ecalyculata extract at concentrations of 1000 and 2000 mg/kg bw resulted in a PCE/NCE ratio that was larger (P<0.05) than the negative control.  After 15 days of daily treatment, a dose of 2000 mg/kg bw of either phytotherapeutic did not reduce body mass gain or the amount of food consumed by Swiss mice when compared with the negative control (P>0.05).  CONCLUSION: The results of this study allowed us to infer that the crude extracts of Cordia ecalyculata and Echinodorus grandiflorus do not display cytotoxic or genotoxic activities.
 However, they do possess weak clastogenic activity (without significance) on peripheral blood cells.  Contrary to commonly held beliefs it was also found in this study that the extracts are not effective for obesity treatments.  Copyright 2009 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

1) TOURSARKISSIAN, Martín. Plantas medicinales de Argentina : sus nombres botánicos, vulgares, usos y distribución geográfica.  Buenos Aires : Hemisferio Sur, 1980, p.16.

2) SAITO, Maria Lucia; DE OLIVEIRA, Fernando; ALVARENGA, Marden Antonio. Allantoin and other chemical constituents of Cordia ecalyculata Vell. Revista de Farmacia e Bioquímica da Universidade de Sao Paulo . 1985, vol.21, nº1, p.14-19.
 
3) DA SILVA, Cristiano José; BASTOS, Jairo Kenupp; TAKAHASHI, Catarina Satie. Evaluation of the genotoxic and cytotoxic effects of crude extracts of Cordia ecalyculata and Echinodorus grandiflorus. Journal of Ethnopharmacology . 2010, vol.127, nº2, p.445-450.