Ecuadorian Plant Research Articles

Therapeutic Applications of Essential Oils from Native and Cultivated Ecuadorian Plants: Cutaneous Candidiasis and Dermal Anti-Inflammatory Activity.

Essential oils are a complex mixture of aromatic substances whose pharmacological actions, including antimicrobial, antioxidant, anticancer, and anti-inflammatory activities, have been widely reported. This study aimed to evaluate the anti-Candida and dermal anti-inflammatory activity of essential oils from native and cultivated Ecuadorian plants. Essential oils from Bursera graveolens, Dacryodes peruviana, Mespilodaphne quixos, and Melaleuca armillaris were isolated by hydrodistillation and were characterized physically and chemically. Its tolerance was analyzed by in vitro and in vivo studies. The antifungal activity was studied against Candida albicans, Candida glabrata, and Candida parapsilosis, whereas the anti-inflammatory effect was evaluated by a mouse ear edema model. The main compounds were limonene, α-phellandrene, (E)-methyl cinnamate, and 1,8-cineole, respectively. All essential oils showed high tolerability for skin application, antifungal activity against the three Candida strains, and anti-inflammatory efficacy by decreasing edema and overexpression of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Dacryodes peruviana essential oil showed the highest antifungal activity. On the other hand, Dacryodes peruviana and Melaleuca armillaris showed the greatest anti-inflammatory potential, decreasing edema by 53.3% and 65.25%, respectively, and inhibiting the overexpression of TNF-α, IL-8, IL-17A, and IL-23. The results suggest that these essential oils could be used as alternative therapies in the treatment of both cutaneous candidiasis and dermal inflammation.

Hepatoprotective effect of a Novel Functional Drink based on Ecuadorian Plant Species

Liver diseases are considered a severe public health problem involving disorders that alter liver function. Since the liver plays an essential role in the metabolism and detoxification of substances that enter the organism, it is susceptible to damage caused by xenobiotic agents such as viruses, alcohol, and drugs. Acetaminophen is an over‐the‐counter drug widely used as an antipyretic and analgesic. It is safe at therapeutic doses, but it is easily overused, causing severe liver diseases. In a previous study, our investigation group developed a functional drink from the aqueous extracts of Ilex guayusa, Vernonanthura patens, and cocoa husks. This combination presented various bioactive compounds with antioxidant properties that could help reduce oxidative stress in pathologic conditions. For the above mentioned, the study's objective was to evaluate the hepatoprotective effect of the beverage through an in vivo test. Male mice were treated with two formulations (pre‐formulated and microencapsulated) of the functional drink in three concentrations for seven days as a preventive oral treatment. After that, mice were induced to liver damage at a single intraperitoneal dose of acetaminophen (250 mg/kg of body weight). The evaluation was based on the liver damage biomarkers, ALT, and AST; anatomopathological studies were also evaluated. The results showed that the best formulation as an oral pre‐treatment was the pre‐formulated. The pre‐formulated beverage attenuated the injury caused by the acetaminophen by inhibiting serum ALT and AST activities and reducing liver macro and microscopic liver alterations. The successful doses were at 250 and 1000 mg/kg b.w. The microencapsulated did not present adequate liver protection at any doses evaluated because it has no statistical difference with the toxic model group.In conclusion, the present study demonstrated for the first time that the functional drink effectively prevented acetaminophen‐induced liver injury in vivo. Our data indicated that the pre‐formulated was the most effective pre‐treatment to attenuate the hepatic injury. These results suggested that this beverage possessed antioxidative activity that likely contributed to its protective effect against acetaminophen liver damage.*Corresponding Author: Orellana‐Manzano Andrea, email: akorella@espol.edu.ec

Acaricidal Efficacy of Plants from Ecuador, Ambrosia peruviana (Asteraceae) and Lepechinia mutica (Lamiaceae) against Larvae and Engorged Adult Females of the Common Cattle Tick, Rhipicephalus microplus.

Control measures against common cattle tick Rhipicephalus microplus are of the upmost importance because of considerable, deleterious impact on a farm’s economy. Due to resistance phenomena to synthetic acaricides being a constraint in affected farms, the search for plant derivatives as acaricides has increased dramatically in recent years. In this work, essential oils obtained from two Ecuadorian plants, Ambrosia peruviana and Lepechinia mutica (EOAp, EOLm), traditionally used as insecticides in indigenous communities, were studied on larvae and engorged females at the parasitic stages of R. microplus. Larvae and females were treated with five (0.0625, 0.125, 0.25, 0.50 and 1%) and six concentrations (0.125, 0.25, 0.50, 1, 2 and 4%), respectively, of each EOsAp/Lm. A 98–99% larval mortality was achieved with 0.5% of both EOsAp/Lm. EOAp inhibited oviposition and egg hatching up to 82% and 80%, respectively, and had an overall efficacy of 93.12%. Efficacy of EOLm was 72.84%, due to the low influence of EOLm on reproductive parameters. By steam distillation and GC-MS analysis, γ-Curcumene was identified as the main constituent (52.02%) in the EOAp and Shyobunol (10.80%) in EOLm. The results suggest that major components of both essential oils should be further studied as promissory acaricides against R. microplus.

Pharmacology and Phytochemistry of Ecuadorian Medicinal Plants: An Update and Perspectives.

The use of plants as therapeutic agents is part of the traditional medicine that is practiced by many indigenous communities in Ecuador. The aim of this study was to update a review published in 2016 by including the studies that were carried out in the period 2016–July 2021 on about 120 Ecuadorian medicinal plants. Relevant data on raw extracts and isolated secondary metabolites were retrieved from different databases, resulting in 104 references. They included phytochemical and pharmacological studies on several non-volatile compounds, as well as the chemical composition of essential oils (EOs). The tested biological activities are also reported. The potential of Ecuadorian plants as sources of products for practical applications in different fields, as well the perspectives of future investigations, are discussed in the last part of the review.

Chemical Composition and Anticholinesterase Activity of the Essential Oil of Leaves and Flowers from the Ecuadorian Plant Lepechinia paniculata (Kunth) Epling.

This work aimed to study the chemical composition, cholinesterase inhibitory activity, and enantiomeric analysis of the essential oil from the aerial parts (leaves and flowers) of the plant Lepechinia paniculata (Kunth) Epling from Ecuador. The essential oil (EO) was obtained through steam distillation. The chemical composition of the oil was evaluated by gas chromatography, coupled to mass spectrometry (GC–MS) and a flame ionization detector (GC-FID). The analyses led to the identification of 69 compounds in total, of which 40 were found in the leaves and 29 were found in the flowers of the plant. The major components found in the oil were 1,8-Cineole, β-Pinene, δ-3-Carene, α-Pinene, (E)-Caryophyllene, Guaiol, and β-Phellandrene. Flower essential oil showed interesting selective inhibitory activity against both enzymes AChE (28.2 ± 1.8 2 µg/mL) and BuChE (28.8 ± 1.5 µg/mL). By contrast, the EO of the leaves showed moderate mean inhibitory activity against acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE), with IC50 values of 38.2 ± 2.9 µg/mL and 47.4 ± 2.3 µg/mL, respectively.

Acute Oral Toxicity of a Novel Functional Drink base on Ecuadorian Plant Species

A novel functional drink with nutraceutical properties was formulated from the aqueous extracts of Ilex guayusa, and Vernonanthura patens leaves, and cocoa husks. This combination presents bioactive compounds, such as phenolic compounds, with antioxidant properties of pharmacological interest. However, it is known that the interaction of herbal extracts compounds may cause adverse toxic effects on human health. To evaluate this functional drink's innocuity, we estimated the acute oral toxicity in experimental mice. The toxicological study was carried out following the FASEB Statement of Principles for the Use of Animals in Research and Education. Female albino mice were treated with a single oral dose (2000 mg/kg of body weight) of the aqueous extract of the functional drink's two formulations. In addition, changes in behavior, body weight, food and water consumption, and histopathological studies were evaluated. No signs of adverse toxicity and mortality were observed after a single oral dose of 2000 mg/kg b.w. Likewise, there were no significant body and organ weight changes, food and water consumption behavior, and no histopathological changes were observed in the main organs evaluated. In conclusion, this functional drink can be categorized as “non-toxic,” according to the Globally Harmonized Classification System (GHS), making it a potent antioxidant beverage with high nutritional value.

Chemical Composition and Anticholinesterase Activity of the Essential Oil from the Ecuadorian Plant Salvia pichinchensis Benth

Chemical Composition and Anticholinesterase Activity of the Essential Oil from the Ecuadorian Plant Salvia pichinchensis Benth

Selective BuChE inhibitory activity, chemical composition, and enantiomer content of the volatile oil from the Ecuadorian plant Clinopodium brownei

This paper describes the chemical composition and the enantiomer content of the volatile oil hydrodistilled from Clinopodium brownei (Sw.) Kuntze, Lamiaceae. The plant was collected in the South of Ecuador. Thirty one components were identified by GC-MS, which accounted for the 96.15% of the volatile oil. The major components were pulegone (48.44%), menthone (34.55%) and β-acorenol (3.41%). Oxygenated monoterpenes (86.06%), followed by oxygenated sesquiterpenes (5.36%) constituted the most abundant fractions. The enantiomeric compositions of β-pinene, sabinene, 3-octanol, menthone, pulegone and menthyl acetate were determined by enantioselective GC-MS. (-)-Menthone showed the highest enantiomeric excess (ee=83.4%). In in vitro tests, the volatile oil showed high selective inhibitory activity for butyrylcholinesterase with an IC50, 13.4±1.8μg/ml. In contrast, it was weakly active against acetylcholinesterase with an IC50 >250μg/ml.

In Vitro Anti-Inflammatory Effect of Salvia sagittata Ethanolic Extract on Primary Cultures of Porcine Aortic Endothelial Cells.

The aim of the present research was to study the effects of an ethanolic extract of Salvia sagittata Ruiz & Pav (SSEE), an endemic Ecuadorian plant traditionally used to treat inflammation and different intestinal affections, on primary cultures of porcine aortic endothelial cells (pAECs). pAECs were cultured in the presence of different concentrations (1-200 μg/mL) of SSEE for 24 h, and cytotoxicity was evaluated by the MTT assay. SSEE did not negatively affect cellular viability at any concentration tested. Cell cycle was analyzed and no significant change was observed. Then, the anti-inflammatory effects of SSEE on pAECs were analyzed using a lipopolysaccharide (LPS) as the inflammatory stimulus. Different markers involved in the inflammatory process, such as cytokines and protective molecules, were evaluated by real-time quantitative PCR and Western blot. SSEE showed the ability to restore pAEC physiological conditions reducing interleukin-6 and increasing Heme Oxygenase-1 protein levels. The phytochemical composition of SSEE was also evaluated via HPLC-DAD and spectrophotometric assays. The presence of different phenolic acids and flavonoids was revealed, with rosmarinic acid as the most abundant component. SSEE possesses an interesting antioxidant activity, as assessed through both the Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC) and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assays. In conclusion, results suggest that SSEE is endowed with an in vitro anti-inflammatory effect. This represents the initial step in finding a possible scientific support for the traditional therapeutic use of this plant.

Discovering the Pharmacological Potential of Ecuadorian Market Plants using a Screens-to-nature Participatory Approach

Objective: Edible plants of medicinal value can serve as a resource for sustainable development in Ecuador, a country rich in agrobiodiversity and traditional ecological knowledge. This study surveyed the nematicidal, antimicrobial, and antioxidant potential of plants sold in local Ecuadorian markets through participatory scientific discovery workshops with local Ecuadorian students and researchers, while simultaneously enhancing the knowledge and technological capacity of workshop participants. Methods: Edible plants were purchased from city markets at 3 distinct research sites in Ecuador - Cuenca, Quito, and Santa Elena. Botanical identification and traditional uses of each plant were assessed via herbarium specimen preparation and reference to ethnobotanical texts. Portable screens-to-nature (STN) extraction and assay technologies were employed to rapidly and qualitatively detect roundworm lethality, antibacterial, antifungal, and free radical scavenging activities of the plants during 3-day STN workshops at each research site. Participant learning was assessed through a retrospective pretest-posttest administered at the end of each STN workshop. Results: A total of 50 plants were collected, representing 30 vascular plant families and a wide variety of traditional uses. Thirty-two participants among 3 STN workshops identified 1 plant with nematicidal activity, 14 plants with antibacterial activity, 20 plants with antifungal activity, and 41 plants with antioxidant activity. Nearly half of the plants (24 species) demonstrated both antimicrobial and antioxidant activities, correlating to their reported uses to treat both infectious and chronic/metabolic disorders in traditional Ecuadorian medicine. During the STN workshops, participant knowledge of pharmacological screening increased by 77%, whereas knowledge of biodiversity and conservation increased by 69%. Conclusion: This study demonstrated that STN technologies, employed through a participatory research approach, are highly efficient in the detection of biochemical activities of traditionally used plants. Furthermore, edible Ecuadorian plants possess nematicidal, antimicrobial and antioxidant properties with potential for further development as functional foods, botanical supplements, or cosmetics.

Medicinal plants of Ecuador: a review of plants with anticancer potential and their chemical composition

Ecuador is well known for its biodiversity and its ancient richness. This review provides an overview of Ecuadorian plant species in terms of the ethnobotany and chemistry of natural products in relation to anticancer activity. Plant species were classified into two groups: (a) Ethnomedical species with confirmed antitumor ac- tivity and (b) species indigenous to Ecuador with anti- cancer potential. This review shows that there is a great chemical diversity in Ecuadorian plants that can be used for potential antitumor therapeutics, and chemical and biological analysis confirms the biomedical use of the plant-derived compounds as cytotoxic agents for cancer

Lipophilic Components from the Ecuadorian Plant Schistocarpha Eupatorioides

Phytochemical investigation of secondary metabolites of the Ecuadorian plant Schistocarpha eupatorioides (Fenzl) Kuntze (Asteraceae) afforded three phytyl fatty acid esters along with a mixture of unidentified polyprenols, the very well known sterols beta-sitosterol and stigmasterol, and their corresponding fatty acid esters and glucosyl derivatives. The structures of the compounds were elucidated on the basis of various spectroscopic means. In addition, a volatile fraction was separated the composition of which, comprising sesquiterpene hydrocarbons as the main fraction, was determined by GC-MS.

Antibacterial activity of Ecuadorian plant extracts

The hexane, dichloromethane and methanol extracts of 13 plant taxa from Ecuador (200µg/mL) were tested against the human pathogenous bacteria Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 25923), Bacillus subtilis (Laboratory strain) and Candida albicans (ATCC 10028). Antibacterial activity of the samples was assayed using the agar diffusion method.1

Trends in floral scent chemistry in pollination syndromes: floral scent composition in hummingbird-pollinated taxa

We studied an assemblage of 17 species of bird-pollinated Ecuadorian plants (from 14 angiosperm families), including taxa pollinated by short-billed (trochiline) and sickle-billed (hermit) hummingbirds. Hummingbirds are widely supposed to ignore fragrance while visiting flowers. We collected floral headspace odours in order to test the general prediction that specialist hummingbird-pollinated flowers are scentless. In nine out of 17 of these species we failed to detect any odours using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), whereas the remaining eight species produced trace levels of volatile compounds. Most of these odour compounds were of terpenoid or lipoxygenase derivation and are commonly emitted by vegetative as well as floral plant tissues. Further studies will be required to determine whether these weak odours attract alternative pollinators, repel enemies or represent vestiges of a scented ancestry.

A screen for inhibitors of DNA recombination: identification of two new spirostanol glycosides from Chamaedorea linearis.

Two new glycosides have been isolated from the MeOH extract of the stem wood and stem bark of an Ecuadorian plant Chamaedorea linearis, and their structures have been determined by spectroscopic means and X-ray analysis of the aglycone to be 1-O-[beta-L-fucopyranosyl-(4'-sulfate)]-25R,5 alpha-spirostane-1 beta, 3 beta-diol [1]) and 1-O-[beta-L-fucopyranosyl-(4'-sulfate)]-25R,5 alpha-spirostane-1 alpha, 3 beta-diol [2]. These compounds were identified in a screen for inhibitors of recombinational DNA repair. Cytotoxic activity was also demonstrated.