Clusia Fluminensis Research Articles

Potencial de extratos aquosos dos frutos de Clusia fluminensis em neutralizar efeitos locais causados por veneno de Bothrops jararaca

Potencial de extratos aquosos dos frutos de Clusia fluminensis em neutralizar efeitos locais causados por veneno de Bothrops jararaca

Structure of Leaf Galls in Clusia fluminensis Planch and Triana (Clusiaceae): Sex-Biased Development in a Dioecious Host Plant.

Galls are remarkable parasite–plant interactions that develop in different organs. They are induced by various organisms which manipulate or reprogram plant development. Galls in dioecious species and their effects on the host plant are seldom described in the literature. This paper presents a novel study of galls in a dioecious plant of the neotropical region. Our study aimed to analyze gall development and describe morphological and metabolic changes in galled leaves caused by Cecidomyiidae (Diptera) in Clusia fluminensis (Clusiaceae), a dioecious plant from Brazilian restinga. We investigated male and female individuals to detect different responses and sex-biased interactions. The non-galled leaves of female and male individuals of C. fluminensis exhibited similar anatomical structures. Nevertheless, galls developed only in male individuals. The activity of the Cecidomyiidae led to several morphological and anatomical changes, such as the hypertrophy of the leaf blade, especially the chlorenchyma. Our results indicated an interesting exception for the pattern of storage of lipids and starch in Cecidomyiidae galls, and sex-biased development in a dioecious plant, with the variation of metabolic compounds, especially phenolics and flavonoids, which may inhibit gall development in female individuals.

Utilization of the Plant Clusia Fluminensis Planch & Triana Against Some Toxic Activities of the Venom of Bothrops jararaca and B. jararacussu Snake Venom Toxic Activities.

In Brazil, the Bothrops genus accounts for 87% of registered snakebites, which are characterized by hemorrhage, tissue necrosis, hemostatic disturbances, and death. The treatment recommended by governments is the administration of specific antivenoms. Although antivenom efficiently prevents venom-induced lethality, it has limited efficacy in terms of preventing local tissue damage. Thus, researchers are seeking alternative therapies able to inhibit the main toxic effects of venoms, without compromising safety. The study aimed to test the ability of aqueous extracts of leaves, stems, and fruits of the plant Clusia fluminensis to neutralize some toxic effects induced by the venoms of Bothrops jararaca and Bothrops jararacussu. The plant extracts were incubated with venoms for 30 min. at 25 °C, and then in vitro (coagulant and proteolytic) and in vivo (hemorrhagic, myotoxic, and edematogenic) activities were evaluated. In addition, the extracts were administered to animals (by oral, intravenous or subcutaneous routes) before or after the injection of venom samples, and then hemorrhage and edema assays were performed. In addition, a gel solution of the fruit extract was produced and tested in terms of reducing hemorrhage effects. A chemical prospection was performed to identify the main classes of compounds present in the extracts. All the extracts inhibited the activities of the two venoms, regardless of the experimental protocol or route of administration of the extracts. Moreover, the gel of the fruit extract inhibited the venom-induced-hemorrhage. The extracts comprised of tannins, flavonoids, saponins, steroids, and terpenoids. Antivenom properties of C. fluminensis extracts deserve further investigation in order to gain detailed knowledge regarding the neutralization profile of these extracts.

Revealing the development of secretory structures in the leaves of Clusia fluminensis and Clusia lanceolata (Clusiaceae)

Clusia (Clusiaceae) species are known for their large ecological and pharmacological relevance, which are associated with the presence of secretory structures found in all plant organs, such as colleters and secretory ducts. Despite their importance, detailed aspects on the origin and development of such remarkable structures remains unknown and understanding their structure and activity ranges will contribute to taxonomic, phylogenetic and pharmacological studies. In this sense, we aimed to analyze secretory structures in Clusia fluminensis and Clusia lanceolata leaves to answer the following questions: (i) how does the ontogeny process occur? (ii) which classes of substances are produced by these secretory structures? (iii) how does the secretory process occur? For this it was used light, epifluorescence, confocal and electron microscopy. Colleters and secretory ducts were found in C. fluminensis and C. lanceolata leaves. The colleters have their origin in the protoderm and subepidermal layers of ground meristem and produce mucopolysaccharides and phenols when matured. Some indicatives imply that the entire structure is involved in the granulocrine secretory process. The latex ducts presented schizogenous origin in both species. In the leaf primordia these ducts incorporate meristematic cells by the end of already formed stem ducts. These meristematic cells undergo mitotic divisions and the middle lamella between them dissolute, causing the formation of the lumen. In expanded leaves such cells are distributed throughout the leaf lamina and present branches. Epithelial cells produce latex, which is secreted by a granulocrine process. Based on the nature of the secretions and the early development, colleters and latex ducts seems to be involved in the plant defense.

Intra and interspecific analysis of the wood of two dioecious species of the restingas of Southeastern Brazil

Comparative studies of dioecious plants are still rare in the literature although they are considered of great importance for understanding the genetic variability within a species, the spatial colonization of plants in stressful environments, and differences in resource allocation for reproductive and vegetative growth, for example. Clusia fluminensis Planch. & Triana and Schinus terebinthifolia Raddi are woody, dioecious and native species of the restinga of Southeast Brazil. In this study, we described and compared the wood anatomy of pistillate flower-bearing sporophytes and staminate flower-bearing sporophytes of these species. There were no qualitative differences between sporophyte types of either species, which allowed a single taxonomical description for each of them and corroborates the homogeneity of the features analysed at the specific level. However, six of the 23 quantitative features statistically analysed differed significantly (p < 0,05) different between the sporophyte types in Clusia fluminensis, while in Schinus terebinthifolia, three quantitative features are significantly different. Eleven of the quantitative features of wood anatomy have similar patterns of variation between the two sporophyte types in the two species, eight of which are smaller in the pistillate flower-bearing sporophytes.

Leaf anatomy and epicuticular waxes composition of Clusia fluminensis Planch. & Triana (Clusiaceae)

Clusia fluminensis Planch. & Triana (Clusiaceae) is a Brazilian native species found in regions of high luminous intensity and water restriction. There are reports of its use in folk medicine, however, there is little literature information on its chemical composition and structural characterization. The results of the phytochemical study and biological tests conducted by our research group so far have shown that C. fluminensis has great potential to be used as a source of biologically active substances, making its anatomical characterization of fundamental importance. The leaf structure was analyzed through optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The leaves epicuticular waxes were analyzed by GC-MS. The leaf is hypostomatic with paracytic stomata and polygonal epidermic cells with 4 to 7 sides. The epidermis is uniseriate, with cuticle, thicker in the adaxial epidermis with cuticular flanges. The dorsiventral mesophyll showed hypodermis in the adaxial surface and numerous druses all over the mesophyll and many secretory ducts in the mesophyll and midvein. The vascular system is constituted by collateral bundles involved in numerous fibers, which in the midvein are densely grouped. The highest content of epicuticular waxes was obtained from leaves collected in summer. GC-MS data of the waxes indicated a marked presence of triterpenes such as α-amyrin, β-amyrin, lupenone, epifriedelinol and friedelin.

Accumulation and biomass partition and nutrients per tropical ornamental plants grown in Ribeira Valley region

For many ornamental plants there are no fertilization tables in Brazil and growers use, inappropriately, the same fertilizing for different species of ornamental plants. A first step is to know the nutrient uptake by these plants. The objective of this study was to determine the concentration and to characterize the accumulation of nutrients of the main tropical ornamental plants grown in the Ribeira Valley region, São Paulo state, Brazil: Clusia fluminensis, Dracaena marginata, Dypsis lutescens, Gardenia jasminoides, Ixora coccinea, Ligustrum sinense, Murraya paniculata, Podocarpus macrophyllus, Rhapis excelsa e Viburnum prunifolium. The plants were donated by local farmers and after sorting, these were divided into roots, stems and leaves, and, subsequently, washed, dried and was determined their concentration of nutrients. The experimental design was randomized using four repetitions and the species of ornamental plants were considered as treatments. The results were submitted to analysis of variance and compared by Scott-Knott test (5%). For the macronutrient, the greater accumulation of N was in Podocarpus macrophyllus. The Clusia fluminensis tree had the highest calcium and magnesium accumulations. The largest amounts of P and S were accumulated in Rhapis excelsa and Podocarpus macrophyllus. The greatest accumulation of K was in Rhapis excelsa, Dracaena marginata, Podocarpus macrophyllus, Murraya paniculata and Ixora coccinea. Smaller amounts of macronutrients were accumulated in Dypsis lutescens and Viburnum prunifolium. As for the macronutrients, the largest accumulation of Cu was observed in broad leaf Rhapis excelsa. Clusia fluminensis tree and Dracaena marginata accumulated the largest amounts of Mn. Regarding the Zn, Rhapis excelsa, Dracaena marginata and Ligustrum sinense were plants with higher accumulation. Smaller amounts of B were accumulated in Viburnum prunifolium, Dracaena marginata and Dypsis lutescens. Ligustrum sinense, Dypsis lutescens and Ixora coccinea accumulated lower amounts of Fe in relation to others. The accumulation of nutrients by ornamental plants is very different between species and this information should be used to adjust fertilizer recommendations. Ornamental plants were grouped as demand and NPK ratio, to assist in the management of fertilizer.

Laboratory evaluation of Clusia fluminensis extracts and their isolated compounds against Dysdercus peruvianus and Oncopeltus fasciatus

The effects of the hexanic extracts of the fruits and flowers of Clusia fluminensis Planch. & Triana, Clusiaceae, as well as their main constituents, the triterpene lanosterol and the benzophenone clusianone, were evaluated on hemipterans Dysdercus peruvianus and Oncopeltus fasciatus. The topical treatments of insects with the hexanic extracts significantly affected the survival of O. fasciatus, but not that of D. peruvianus. Concomitantly, extracts delayed the development of both hemipterans. Moreover, isolated lanosterol significantly reduced both the survival and development of O. fasciatus and D. peruvianus, while clusianone only reduce the survival of D. peruvianus and marginally inhibited the development of both insects. The results show the specific activity of lanosterol and clusianone against the two evaluated insect species and indicate the potential of compounds derived from C. fluminensis for the development of specific biopesticides for the control of agricultural pests. Subsequent work will examine the mode of action of lanosterol and clusianone isolates from C. fluminensis.

Biocontrol evaluation of extracts and a major component, clusianone, from Clusia fluminensis Planch. &amp; Triana against Aedes aegypti

Studies evaluated the effects of hexanic extracts from the fruits and flowers ofClusia fluminensis and the main component of the flower extract, a purified benzophenone (clusianone), against Aedes aegypti. The treatment of larvae with the crude fruit or flower extracts from C. fluminensis did not affect the survival ofAe. aegypti (50 mg/L), however, the flower extracts significantly delayed development of Ae. aegypti. In contrast, the clusianone (50 mg/L) isolate from the flower extract, representing 54.85% of this sample composition, showed a highly significant inhibition of survival, killing 93.3% of the larvae and completely blocking development of Ae. aegypti. The results showed, for the first time, high activity of clusianone against Ae. aegypti that both killed and inhibited mosquito development. Therefore, clusianone has potential for development as a biopesticide for controlling insect vectors of tropical diseases. Future work will elucidate the mode of action of clusianone isolated from C. fluminensis.

Androecia in two Clusia species: development, structure and resin secretion.

Clusia fluminensis and C.lanceolata are dioecious shrubs having resiniferous flowers with strongly distinct androecia. The aim of this study was to investigate the development and anatomy of their androecia and the ultrastructure, histochemistry and secretory process of their androecium resin glands, examining whether the cellular aspects of resin secretion differed between these two morphologically distinct androecia. Stamens differ, being free in C.fluminensis and clustered in a synandrium in C.lanceolata. Staminode sterility is due to the undifferentiated nature of the anthers in C.lanceolata and degeneration of meiocytes and anther indehiscence in C.fluminensis. Resin is produced in subepidermal cavities and canals with wide lumens. In the secretory stage, epithelial cells present sinuous walls, voluminous nuclei, polymorphic plastids associated with periplastidial reticulum, mitochondria, oil bodies, multivesicular bodies, endoplasmic reticulum and dictyosomes. The resin is released through rupture points on the distal surface of stamens and staminodes, associated with disrupted cavities and canals. Our results show morphological diversity associated with functional similarity. Also, a secretion pattern shared by the two species includes initiation of the secretory process in young floral buds, compartmentalisation of the secretion in pre-anthesis buds and release of secretions at anthesis. Cellular aspects of resin secretion in these species are quite similar, as are the chemical identities of the main components of the floral resins of the genus.

Inhibitory Effect of the Plant Clusia fluminensis against Biological Activities of Bothrops jararaca Snake Venom

The ability of extracts of the plant Clusia fluminensis Planch & Triana (Clusiaceae Lindl.) to neutralize proteolysis, clotting, hemolysis, hemorrhagic and lethality activities of Bothrops jararaca snake venom was studied. Clusianone and lanosterol from the flower and fruit extracts, respectively, were also tested. The extracts of different organs of C. fluminensis inhibited proteolysis and hemolysis induced by B. jararaca venom, but with different potencies. Only the stems prevented blood clotting. Only the acetone extract of the fruit protected mice from hemorrhage while the acetone or methanol extracts prevented mice from death. Clusianone and lanosterol did not inhibit clotting or hemorrhage, but the former inhibited proteolysis and the latter hemolysis.

SEPARATION OF CLUSIANONE FROM CLUSIA FLUMINENSIS PLANCH. AND TRIANA (CLUSIACEAE) BY HIGH SPEED COUNTER-CURRENT CHROMATOGRAPHY (HSCCC)

The floral resins of the genus Clusia L. (Clusiaceae Lindl.) mainly consist of polyisoprenylated benzophenones, a class of substances which is noteworthy due to its broad spectrum of biological activities. This paper describes the isolation of clusianone from the male flowers of Clusia fluminensis Planch. & Triana, a native species from the Brazilian coast, using, for the first time, high-speed counter-current chromatography with a nonaqueous solvent system composed of n-hexane–acetonitrile–methanol (2:1.25:0.5, v/v/v) in 2 hr, with purity higher than 90%.

Antioxidant activity and flavonoid content of Clusia fluminensis Planch. &amp; Triana

Clusia fluminensis Planch. & Triana (Clusiaceae Lindl.) is a native species found in regions of high luminosity and water restriction. The aim of this study was to evaluate the antioxidant activity of Clusia fluminensis crude extracts through the scavenging of the stable free radical DPPH, and the determination of flavones and flavonols content in these extracts. The fruit acetonic extract showed the lowest EC(50) value (2.71 ± 0.34 g extract / g DPPH), the lowest percentage of remaining DPPH at the concentrations of 125 and 250 µg/mL (about 4% in both), and also the greatest percentage of flavones and flavonols (13.93 ± 0.21 %). Statistical analysis suggests a positive correlation between the presence of flavonoids and the antioxidant activity of this extract. From the obtained results it can be inferred that the acetonic extract of C. fluminensis fruits is an interesting target for the search of substances with antioxidant activity, especially flavonoids.

Plant morpho-physiological variation under distinct environmental extremes in restinga vegetation

ABSTRACT This paper is a synthesis of over ten years of research on inter- and intra-population variation in morphophysiology of six plant species at the Jacarepiá restinga: the shrubs Alchornea triplinervia, Andira legalis, Clusia fluminensis and Myrsine parvifolia, the bromeliad Aechmea maasii (formerly identified as Aechmea bromeliifolia, now recognized as a species only found in Central Brazil) and the geophyte palm Allagoptera arenaria. Individual shape, stature and growth, leaf anatomy, photoinhibition, and carbon, nitrogen and water use were the main parameters studied. The isolated study of intra-specific variation in one or a few of the above-mentioned traits often does not allow a distinction between acclimation and stress symptoms. Thus, we used an approach that integrated morphology, anatomy, physiology and also population parameters. Variation in morphological, anatomical and physiological traits was found for the majority of these species, and often indicated great acclimation capacity to distinct environmental extremes. This acclimation capacity may be partly responsible for the broad colonization success of extreme habitats in restingas, by species often originating in mesic forest environments. This phenomenon is an additional element to be accounted for as an important component of the high biodiversity of the Atlantic forest complex. Finally, we discuss implications for biodiversity conservation of intra-specific variation at the population level.

Daily rhythm of MnSOD in the C3-CAM intermediate Clusia fluminensis Planch. et Triana.

The C3-CAM intermediate plant Clusia fluminensis under well-watered at low light conditions opens stomata during the light period. In leaf extracts of this plant we have found two copper-zinc superoxide dismutases (CuZnSODs) and two manganese SODs: MnSOD-like protein (MnSOD II) and MnSOD I. Daily rhythm of the MnSOD I shows maximum activity during the afternoon hours and it is accompanied by only a very small tendency to increase in catalase (CAT) activity and lowering of citrate level.

Biomechanics of Isolated Plant Cuticles

Abstract:The mechanical properties of isolated cuticles of leaves (Yucca aloifolia, Clusia fluminensis, Nerium oleander, Hedera helix) and one fruit (Lycopersicon esculentum) were investigated by means of a tensile test. Samples of the leaves and the fruit were cut to identical size (12.5 × 50 mm) and the cuticles were enzymatically isolated, cleaned, and air dried. The morphology of the isolated cuticular membranes (CM) was investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and showed considerable differences. The thickness of the CM was determined by a digital image analysis system and ranged between 2.4 and 13.4 μm. The CM were subjected to a tensile test and the results are presented as stress‐strain diagrams. From the latter, Young's moduli were calculated, a measure for the stiffness which allows the direct comparison of different materials. The obtained values ranged between 0.1 and 1.3 CPa. Hydration of CM caused a decrease of Young's moduli of about 35–50%. A possible role of the cuticle as a factor for the stabilization of plant organs is discussed.