Nutritional Potential and Bioactive Compounds in Cereus jamacaru DC: An Multifaceted Cactus From Brazilian Semiarid

Cereus jamacaru DC. is an endemic cactus of the Brazilian semiarid region empirically used by humans for forage, food and medicinal purposes. In this paper, we characterize the physicochemical and phytochemical profile of the C. jamacaru cladode and fruits, outlining their nutritional implications. We evaluate the basic physicochemical characteristic of the fruits and the main classes of chemical compounds present in aqueous and ethanolic extracts from cladode, peel, and pulp of ripe and semi-ripe fruits through qualitatively and quantitatively methods. We analyze the data through descriptive statistics and variance analysis. The fruits have appropriate pH, acidity, and total soluble solid levels for the fruit processing industry and fresh consumption. We identified the presence of saponins, tannins, flavones, flavonols, and xanthones in all samples, but alkaloids and steroids were both detected in cladodes exclusively. The phenolic compound and flavonoid contents vary according to the extraction method and sample class. The cladodes and pulp of ripe fruits have the highest flavonoid levels, while the content of phenolic compounds had a high level in peels of ripe and semi-ripe fruits. The presence of these bioactive compounds implies that C. jamacaru products have relevant pharmacological interest and functionality for human (fruits) and domestic ruminant (cladodes) food. These applications can boost the agricultural-economic exploration of C. jamacaru and contribute to income generation, and improve human and animal nutrition.

Scientometric analysis of scientific production on the genus Campomanesia Ruiz & Pav. (Myrtaceae) and most studied species - research trends involving native Brazilian plants

Brazil has rich biodiversity, harboring native plants with potential for medicinal use, including species of the Campomanesia genus. Although public policies to encourage phytotherapy advocate the best use of plant biodiversity, most species listed in official forms and monographs are exotic species. Thus, the aim of this study is to identify research trends involving the Campomanesia and main species, using scientometric tools, so that, by viewing and knowing the scientific production on the genus and species of pharmacological interest, possibilities for research with native species so that they can be integrated into Brazilian’s unified health system (SUS). The research resulted in 302 publications up to September 2021. Bibliometric analyzes on genus were then carried out with data from the WoS platform and social network analysis through of scientometric mapping, using the Vosviewer (VOS) application. Species of the genus with more than 10 publications indexed in WoS were also analyzed. Brazil leads research on the genus and C. xanthocarpa (120/302); C. adamantium (70/302); C. pubescens (33/120); C.phaea (25/302); C. lineatifolia (21/302) and C. guazumifolia (10/302) were the species with the highest publication volume. It is the first work that analyzes the scientific production on these genus of Myrtaceae family and the aforementioned species, which revealed itself a promising field of research, yet little explored, which might encourage new studies aimed at better use of Brazilian biodiversity and the safe and effective use of native plants that may bring benefits to people's health and well-being.

Volatilome and Essential Oil of Ulomoides dermestoides: A Broad-Spectrum Medical Insect

Ulomoides dermestoides are used as a broad-spectrum medical insect in the alternative treatment of various diseases. Preliminary volatilome studies carried out to date have shown, as the main components, methyl-1,4-benzoquinone, ethyl-1,4-benzoquinone, 1-tridecene, 1-pentadecene, and limonene. This work focused on the production of metabolites and their metabolic variations in U. dermestoides under stress conditions to provide additional valuable information to help better understand the broad-spectrum medical uses. To this end, VOCs were characterized by HS-SPME with PEG and CAR/PDMS fibers, and the first reported insect essential oils were obtained. In HS-SMPE, we found 17 terpenes, six quinones, five alkenes, and four aromatic compounds; in the essential oils, 53 terpenes, 54 carboxylic acids and derivatives, three alkynes, 12 alkenes (1-Pentadecene, EOT1: 77.6% and EOT2: 57.9%), 28 alkanes, nine alkyl disulfides, three aromatic compounds, 19 alcohols, three quinones, and 12 aldehydes were identified. Between both study approaches, a total of 171 secondary metabolites were identified with no previous report for U. dermestoides. A considerable number of the identified metabolites showed previous studies of the activity of pharmacological interest. Therefore, considering the wide variety of activities reported for these metabolites, this work allows a broader vision of the therapeutic potential of U. dermestoides in traditional medicine.

Bioactive Compounds from Mangrove Endophytic Fungus and Their Uses for Microorganism Control

Mangroves are ecosystems with unique characteristics due to the high salinity and amount of organic matter that house a rich biodiversity. Fungi have aroused much interest as they are an important natural source for the discovery of new bioactive compounds, with potential biotechnological and pharmacological interest. This review aims to highlight endophytic fungi isolated from mangrove plant species and the isolated bioactive compounds and their bioactivity against protozoa, bacteria and pathogenic viruses. Knowledge about this type of ecosystem is of great relevance for its preservation and as a source of new molecules for the control of pathogens that may be of importance for human, animal and environmental health.

V1-Methyl-8-phenyl-1,3-diazaspiro[4.5]decane-2,4-dione

A simple, fast and cost-effective three-step synthesis of 1-methyl-8-phenyl-1,3-diazaspiro[4.5]decane-2,4-dione has been developed. The reactions described herein proceed readily, with high yields and no further purification. Therefore, the proposed method, with an overall yield of 60%, offers a facile pathway to the synthesis of N-1 monosubstituted spiro carbocyclic imidazolidine-2,4-diones (hydantoins), which constitute a privileged class of heterocyclic scaffolds with pharmacological interest.

Seaweed-Based Interventions for Diabetic Complications: An Analytical Discourse

Modern sedentary lifestyle has given rise to a number of health issues; diabetes mellitus is one of them, another worldwide emergency, which is usually attributed either by deficiency or by insensitivity of insulin hormone; the master-regulator of blood glucose level. Seaweeds are rich reservoirs of a plethora of bioactive compounds with a great assortment of therapeutic potential. The goal of this communication is to represent the state-of-the-art about what is known for the anti-hyperglycemic properties recognized in seaweeds, emphasizing about their assets of several bioactive principles, their modes of action over targets of pharmacological interest, in addition to their precise extraction procedures. Various bioactive molecules from seaweed origin, mainly polyphenols, can inhibit several drug targets like α-glucosidase, α-amylase, aldose reductase, protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B, angiotensin-converting enzymes and dipeptidyl peptidase-4 to achieve good glycemic control.

New Antibiotics for Multidrug-Resistant Bacterial Strains: Latest Research Developments and Future Perspectives

The present work aims to examine the worrying problem of antibiotic resistance and the emergence of multidrug-resistant bacterial strains, which have now become really common in hospitals and risk hindering the global control of infectious diseases. After a careful examination of these phenomena and multiple mechanisms that make certain bacteria resistant to specific antibiotics that were originally effective in the treatment of infections caused by the same pathogens, possible strategies to stem antibiotic resistance are analyzed. This paper, therefore, focuses on the most promising new chemical compounds in the current pipeline active against multidrug-resistant organisms that are innovative compared to traditional antibiotics: Firstly, the main antibacterial agents in clinical development (Phase III) from 2017 to 2020 are listed (with special attention on the treatment of infections caused by the pathogens Neisseria gonorrhoeae, including multidrug-resistant isolates, and Clostridium difficile), and then the paper moves on to the new agents of pharmacological interest that have been approved during the same period. They include tetracycline derivatives (eravacycline), fourth generation fluoroquinolones (delafloxacin), new combinations between one β-lactam and one β-lactamase inhibitor (meropenem and vaborbactam), siderophore cephalosporins (cefiderocol), new aminoglycosides (plazomicin), and agents in development for treating drug-resistant TB (pretomanid). It concludes with the advantages that can result from the use of these compounds, also mentioning other approaches, still poorly developed, for combating antibiotic resistance: Nanoparticles delivery systems for antibiotics.

A One-Pot Approach to Novel Pyridazine C-Nucleosides

The synthesis of glycosides and modified nucleosides represents a wide research field in organic chemistry. The classical methodology is based on coupling reactions between a glycosyl donor and an acceptor. An alternative strategy for new C-nucleosides is used in this approach, which consists of modifying a pre-existent furyl aglycone. This approach is applied to obtain novel pyridazine C-nucleosides starting with 2- and 3-(ribofuranosyl)furans. It is based on singlet oxygen [4+2] cycloaddition followed by reduction and hydrazine cyclization under neutral conditions. The mild three-step one-pot procedure leads stereoselectively to novel pyridazine C-nucleosides of pharmacological interest. The use of acetyls as protecting groups provides an elegant direct route to a deprotected new pyridazine C-nucleoside.

Ethnobotanical assessment in protected area from Brazilian Atlantic Forest

In the present study, we conducted a survey on ethnobotanical information of chemical-pharmacological interest, which was acquired via on-site interviews using semi-structured questionnaires with informants in the community in Mucuri Basin in Minas Gerais, Brazil. 184 interviews were conducted with residents with 102 botanical species in approximately 87 genera and 41 families cited. In addition, respiratory system diseases were the most cited, accounting for 26.35% of the cases cited. Lippia alba (lemon balm) was the most cited species with a corrected popular use concordance of about 86.11%. The results suggested that vegetables are important therapeutic resources for the population. Such ethnobotanical studies are fundamental for the understanding and conservation of local culture with regard to the exploitation of medicinal plants. The findings of the present study contribute to the documentation of medicinal species in a Brazilian state characterized by mining, which implies the suppression of vegetation growth or the impairment of regeneration, which could lead to the disappearance of critical and invaluable plant species. The preservation of ethnobotanical knowledge is vital in areas with high human activity and areas undergoing deforestation.