PARTE UTILIZADA= Used part: Látex, otras partes del árbol. 

ACCIÓN FARMACOLÓGICA= Pharmacological action: Antiofídico, antiséptico. 

COMPOSICIÓN QUÍMICA= Chemical composition: Leishmaniasis, caused by Leishmania sp., is one of the mean reason of considerable mortality and morbidity throughout the world, especially in the tropics. Cutaneous and mucocutaneous manifestations are caused by Leishmania braziliensis, and the cutaneous form is the most common one in Colombia. In the search for antileishmanial compounds from natural sources, we studied the alkaloids mixture from Ervatamia coronaria against L. braziliensis at six different concentrations (1.0, 10, 20, 25, 50 and 100 µg/mL). Macrophages J774 infected with L. braziliensis were treated with alkaloids one hour, and once a day for three days, after parasitic infection and preserving the same culture medium. Cytotoxicity with trypan blue was undertaken in macrophages J774 by using the same concentrations. Three different cultures samples were carried out. As a control we used medium alone. The alkaloids mix showed a dose/dependent activity on amastigote, but by increasing concentrations from 50 to 100 µg/mL for three days, we saw a high index of infection, probably caused by cellular death. We did not see any toxic effect on macrophages J774 at 100 µg/mL, LD₅₀/24h= 233.52 µg/mL. These results revealed a novel pharmacological activity of alkaloids from E. coronaria against amastigotes of L. braziliensis IC₅₀ = 2.6 and 12.4 µg/mL without toxicity on host cells.

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

DIVERSIDAD GENÉTICA Y MEJORAMIENTO DE PLANTAS MEDICINALES= Medicinal plants and improvement of medicinal herbs

Cell suspension cultures of Tabernaemontana catharinensis were treated with autoclaved homogenates of Candida albicans, Fusarium oxysporum, Penicillium avelanium and Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The effects caused by the concn., exposure time and the type of elicitor on the accumulation of pentacyclic triterpenes were monitored. When exposed to biotic elicitors for longer periods, some cell lines redoubled the prodn. of those triterpenes. Saccharomyces cerevisiae homogenate was the best elicitor of triterpenes in all cell lines investigated. 

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

1) In this work we describe the analgesic, anti-inflammatory and toxic activities as well as the phytochem. profile of the ethanol ext. from Tabernaemontana catharinensis A. DC. (Apocynaceae) stem bark.  Analgesic evaluation was carried out against chem. and thermal stimuli.  Anti-inflammatory activity was investigated on carrageenan-induced edema in rats and toxicol. studies (LD50) were conducted in mice.  Phytochem. analyses were performed by standardized methodol.  In an analgesic assay, acetic acid-induced writhings were significantly inhibited by ext. doses of 37.5 mg/kg (40.97%), 75 mg/kg (77.70%), and 150 mg/kg (88.98%).  A central analgesia was also obsd. using T. catharinensis ext. at all doses tested, particularly noticed at 60 and 90 min following administration.  The ext. significantly reduced edema development by 30.35% (37.5 mg/kg), 34.46% (75 mg/kg), and 56.42% (150 mg/kg) when assessed 180 min following carrageenan intraplantar injection, demonstrating an effective anti-inflammatory action.  The LD50 value was 2200 mg/kg.  Phytochem. analyses of ethanol ext. from Tabernaemontana catharinensis stem bark showed the presence of alkaloids and terpenoids, which may be responsible for the obsd. pharmacol. activities described in this work.

2) Cell suspension cultures of Tabernaemontana catharinensis were treated with autoclaved homogenates of Candida albicans, Fusarium oxysporum, Penicillium avelanium and Saccharomyces cerevisiae.  The effects caused by the concn., exposure time and the type of elicitor on the accumulation of pentacyclic triterpenes were monitored.  When exposed to biotic elicitors for longer periods, some cell lines redoubled the prodn. of those triterpenes.  Saccharomyces cerevisiae homogenate was the best elicitor of triterpenes in all cell lines investigated.

3) Partial neutralization of the myotoxic effect of Bothrops jararacussu venom (BV) and two of its myotoxins [bothropstoxin-I (BthTX-I), catalytically inactive, and II (BthTX-II), showing low PLA2 activity], by the lyophilized aq. ext. of Tabernaemontana catharinensis (AE), was studied in rat isolated soleus muscle prepns. (in vitro) and through i.m. injection in the gastrocnemius muscle (in vivo) by detn. of creatine kinase (CK) activity and histopathol. anal.  Incubation of soleus muscle for 1 h with BV or toxins (20 mg/mL) plus AE (400 mg/mL) added immediately after BV, BthTX-I or BthTX-II reduced CK levels by 53%, 37%, and 56%, resp.  The myonecrotic effects of BV (20 mg/mL) upon soleus muscle was reduced 24%, 35% and 36% when AE (400 mg/mL) was added 1 h after BV and CK was evaluated 30 min, 1 and 2 h later, resp.  For BthTX-I these values were 46%, 48% and 47%, while for BthTX-II no inhibitory effect was detected.  Histol. anal. of soleus muscle after incubation with AE (400 mg/mL, 1 h) did not reveal any change in muscle fibers, but severe necrosis induced by BV or toxins (20 mg/mL) was clearly in evidence, and decreased significantly when soleus muscle was protected by AE.  This protection was also obsd. when AE was administered 1 h after BV or BthTX-I, but not after BthTX-II.  AE did not inhibit the catalytic PLA2 activity of BthTX-II or BV and did not change the PAGE pattern of BV, BthTX-I or BthTX-II.  In vivo assays were performed in 100-g rats and maximal CK release was attained at a dose of 100 mg of BV, 3 h after injection.  AE was not effective when injected 20 s after BV or toxins.  However, injecting BV or toxins (100 mg), which were pre-incubated with AE (2 mg) caused an inhibition of 57%, 59% and 51%, resp., with zero.  Time pre-incubation, but was less effective with 1 h pre-incubation.  This plant represents a potential source of promising myotoxin inhibitors.

1) TOURSARKISSIAN, Martín. Plantas medicinales de Argentina : sus nombres botánicos, vulgares, usos y distribución geográfica. Buenos Aires : Hemisferio Sur, 1980, p.7. 

2) MORENO RODRIGUEZ, Amanda; ROBLES CAMARGO, Jorge; BELLO GARCIA, Felio J. In vitro activity of the alkaloids mixture of Ervatamia coronaria (Jacq) Staff. Apocynaceae on Leishmania braziliensis amastigotes. Revista Brasileira de Farmacognosia. 2008, vol.18, nº3.

3) PEREIRA, Paulo Sergio, et al. Enhanced triterpene production in Tabernaemontana catharinensis cell suspension cultures in response to biotic elicitors. Quimica Nova. 2007, vol.30, nº8, p.1849-1852.

4) GOMES, R. C., et al. Antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory activities of Tabernaemontana catharinensis. Pharmaceutical Biology (London, United Kingdom). 2009, vol.47, nº4, p.372-376.


5) PEREIRA, Paulo Sergio, et al. Enhanced triterpene production in Tabernaemontana catharinensis cell suspension cultures in response to biotic elicitors.  Quimica Nova. 2007, vol.30, nº8, p.1849-1852.
 
6)  VERONESE, E. L. G., et al.  Inhibition of the myotoxic activity of Bothrops jararacussu venom and its two major myotoxins, BthTX-I and BthTX-II, by the aqueous extract of Tabernaemontana catharinensis A. DC. (Apocynaceae). Phytomedicine. 2005, vol.12, nº1-2, p.123-130.