Colombian Flora Research Articles

DNA Interaction of Plant Extracts from Colombian Flora

This study presents the results of DNA interaction of 52 methanol and 51 dichloromethane crude plant extracts with herring sperm DNA evaluated in terms of absorbance reduction of the peak, following the HPLC method described by Pezzuto and his colleagues. The 103 plant extracts belong to the Asteraceae, Euphorbiaceae, Melastomataceae, Rubiaceae, and Solanaceae families and were collected in the Regional Natural Park Ucumarí (RNPU; Colombia). The highest percentages of DNA interaction within the six plant families studied were shown by the methanol extracts of Schistocarpha sinforosi. Cuatrec. (68.30%) Aspilla quinquenervis. Blake (50.74%), and Verbesina nudipes. Blake (43.20%), all members of the Asteraceae family, followed by the methanol extract of Deprea glabra. (Standl.) A.T. Hunziker (41.01%), a species of the Solanaceae family. The dichloromethane plant extracts studied displayed, a low percentage of DNA interaction.

In vitro inhibition of acetylcholinesterase by crude plant extracts from Colombian flora

The methanol extracts from five different plant families (Asteraceae, Euphorbiaceae, Melastomataceae, Rubiaceae, and Solanaceae) collected at Regional Natural Park Ucumarí (Colombia), were screened for their acetylcholinesterase inhibitory activity through the modified Ellman's spectrophotometric method. The best inhibitory activities on this study were shown by the extracts of Solanum leucocarpum Dunal (IC50 = 204.59 mg/l) and Witheringia coccoloboides (Damm) (IC50 = 220.68 mg/l), both plants belonging to the Solanaceae family.

Leishmanicidal activity of Pycnoporus sanguineus

In the search for antiparasite compounds from the Colombian flora, an active compound against Leishmania (Viannia) panamensis amastigotes was isolated from the fungi Pycnoporus sanguineus. The structural elucid-ation was achieved with spectroscopic methods ((1)H and (13)C NMR and MS). This compound was identified as ergosterol 5,8-endoperoxide.