Zanthoxylum Rhoifolium Research Articles

Antibacterial and Antifungal Activities of Volatile Oils from Zanthoxylum Rhoifolium. Leaves

The volatile oil extracted from Zanthoxylum rhoifolium. Lam (Rutaceae) leaves was tested to verify its antimicrobial activity efficacy against six types of different high-virulent Gram-negative bacteria isolated from clinical material and against three different types of fungi (two yeast and a filamentous one). Some results were different from those observed in the literature, and these differences might have occurred due to seasonal, geographic, or nutritional variations of the plants. Nevertheless, the volatile oil was found to be very efficient against Salmonella enteritidis. and Shigella sonnei., bacteria responsible for diarrhea and for a huge number of deaths. Regarding the fungi, a great capacity of the volatile oil in inhibiting the growth of Aspergillus flavus. was found, although it does not affect Candida tropicalis. and Candida guilliermondii. growth.

Evaluation of French Guiana traditional antimalarial remedies

In order to evaluate the antimalarial potential of traditional remedies used in French Guiana, 35 remedies were prepared in their traditional form and screened for blood schizonticidal activity in vitro on Plasmodium falciparum chloroquine resistant strain (W2). Some of these extracts were screened in vivo against Plasmodium yoelii rodent malaria. Ferriprotoporphyrin inhibition test was also performed. Four remedies, widely used among the population as preventives, were tested by means of a test involving Plasmodium hepatic stage. Among all, five remedies were able to inhibit more than 50% of the parasite growth in vivo at around 100 mg/kg: Irlbachia alata (Gentiananceae), Picrolemma pseudocoffea (Simaroubaceae), Quassia amara (Simaroubaceae), Tinospora crispa (Menispermaceae) and Zanthoxylum rhoifolium (Rutaceae). Five remedies displayed an IC 50 in vitro <10 μg/ml: Picrolemma pseudocoffea, Pseudoxandra cuspidata (Annonaceae) and Quassia amara leaves and stem, together with a multi-ingredient recipe. Two remedies were more active than a Cinchona preparation on the ferriprotoporphyrin inhibition test: Picrolemma pseudocoffea and Quassia amara. We also showed that a traditional preventive remedy, made from Geissospermum argenteum bark macerated in rum, was able to impair the intrahepatic cycle of the parasite. For the first time, traditional remedies from French Guiana have been directly tested on malarial pharmacological assays and some have been shown to be active.

Biochemical characterization of selected plant species from Brazilian Savannas

The aim of this work was to analyze and quantify the presence of antinutritional compounds such as lectins and trypsin-like inhibitors, polyphenols and tannins, and enzymatic activity of peroxidases and proteases in the seeds of Annona crassiflora Mart. (araticum), Hymenaea courbaril L. var. courbaril (jatobá), Plathymenia reticulata Benth. (vinhático), Zanthoxylum rhoifolium Lam. (maminha de porca), Apeiba tibourbou Aubl. (pau jangada), Salacia crassiflora Mart G. Don. (bacupari), and Sclerolobium paniculatum Vog. (carvoeiro). The results suggested that these plants could be used as new source of food.

Constituents of the Essential Oil of Zanthoxylum rhoifolium Lam

The essential oil of the leaves and thin branches of Zanthoxylum rhoifolium was obtained by hydrodistillation and analyzed by GC/MS. The essential oil was found to be rich in 2-undecanone (33.9%), bicyclogermacrene (17.5%) and germacrene D (12.4%).

Composition and antibacterial activity of the essential oils from Zanthoxylum rhoifolium.

The essential oils from the aerial parts of leaves, fruits and flowers of Zanthoxylum rhoifolium of Southern Brazil (Rio Grande do Sul), were analysed by GC, GC/MS, and chiral phase gas chromatography (CPGC). Forty-eight compounds were identified from the essential oils. The major constituents of the essential oil of the leaves were germacrene D (34 %) and bicyclogermacrene (23 %) and of the fruits, menth-2-en-1-ol (46.2 %), beta-myrcene (30.2 %), (-)-linalool (15 %) and (-)-alpha-terpineol (8.45 %). beta-Myrcene (65 %) and menth-2-en-1-ol (5.4 %) dominate the essential oil of the flowers. The oils of the leaves and fruits were bioactive with antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus (Gram positive), and Klebsiella pneumoniae and Salmonella setubal bacteria (Gram negative) microorganisms, while the essential oil of the flowers was inactive.

Análise florística e estrutural de um fragmento de Floresta Ombrófila Mista Montana, situado em Criúva, RS - Brasil.

O presente trabalho teve como objetivo conhecer e analisar a composição florística e descrever a estrutura do componente arbóreo de um fragmento de Floresta Ombrófila Mista Montana, localizado no município de Criúva, RS. Em oito parcelas de 10 x 100 m foram inventariados 673 indivíduos com DAP  5 cm, distribuídos em 37 espécies, pertencentes a 32 gêneros e 22 famílias. O valor do índice de diversidade de Shannon foi de 2,768. As famílias que apresentaram maior número de indivíduos amostrados são: Araucariaceae, Myrsinaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Anacardiaceae e Rutaceae. O dossel dessa floresta é dominado pela Araucaria angustifolia e o sub-bosque por espécies das famílias Lauraceae e Myrtaceae. A densidade total encontrada foi de 841,25 indivíduos/ha, com DAP médio de 24,01 cm e altura média de 9,34 m. As cinco espécies que tiveram os maiores valores de importância, em ordem decrescente, foram: Araucaria angustifolia, Sebastiania commersoniana, Lithraea brasiliensis, Zanthoxylum rhoifolium e Myrcia sp.. O fragmento apresenta uma considerável diversidade florística de espécies, apesar das perturbações sofridas no passado. Para que a vegetação atinja as características florísticas e estruturais próximas às da vegetação original é preciso evitar a presença de bovinos e eqüinos na área e explorações da floresta.

Caracterização morfo-anatômica da semente de Zanthoxylum rhoifolium Lam. – Rutaceae

The morphology and anatomy of the seeds of Zanthoxylum rhoifolium Lam. were described and ilustrated, emphazing the seed coat and development.The seeds are obovoid, black, anatropous, bitegmic, exarillate and albuminous. The endosperm is celular with a protein grain storage. The embryo is axial, oblique to seed axis, white, dominant, and the cotyledons have a protein grain storage.

Benzophenanthridine alkaloids from Zanthoxylum rhoifolium

A novel benzophenanthridine alkaloid, named zanthoxyline, was isolated from the bark of Zanthoxylum rhoifolium, together with the known compounds, dihydronitidine, 6-oxynitidine and skimmianine. The structure of the new compound was elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic investigations and elemental analysis.

Chemistry of Zanthoxylum rhoifolium: A new secofuroquinoline alkaloid

Six coumarins, four furoquinoline alkaloids, one glycosylflavonoid, two triterpenes, and one steroid have been characterized from stems, leaves and fruit of Zanthoxylum rhoifolium Lam. var. petiolulatum Engler ( Fagara rhoifolium), of which one furoquinoline alkaloid is a new compound. The composition is very different from other reported studies of Z. rhoifolium. The structures of the compounds isolated were determined by spectroscopic methods.