Ximenia americana root bark (Olacaceae) and Pavetta crassipes (Rubiaceae) leaf used in Nigerian traditional medicine were tested individually against clinical isolate of Mycobacterium tuberculosis by Lowenstein - Jensen method. Crude aqueous extracts of X. americana and P. crassipes exhibited minimum inhibitory activity (MIC) of 100 μg/mL and 200 μg/mL respectively. Sequential screening with solvents of different polarities was used in evaluation tests to readily locate the source of the activity against tuberculosis and for conditions related to skin diseases since it was readily available. In general, antimicrobial screening of crude extracts gave MICs ranging from 31.25 μg/mL to > 5 mg/mL, with X. americana methanol extract being most active at 31.25 μg/mL against Staphylococcus aureus. In an effort to determine possible mechanisms of action, synergistic interaction studies between standard antibiotics and plant extracts were carried out with some synergy being observed between X. americana extract and streptomycin. Hexane (MIC 60.6 μg/mL) and dichloromethane (MIC 30.5 μg/mL) fractions of X. americana exhibited 94.3 % and 96.4 % inhibition against M. tuberculosis H37HRv (virulent strain) while P. crassipes hexane fraction had 86.7% inhibition at > 64 μg/mL. Using HPLC, TLC, GC, 1D and 2D-NMR as well as mass spectral analyses it was possible to identify rutin and 5-O- caffeoyl quinic acid methyl ester from P. crassipes. It proved extremely difficult to identify compounds from LC and TLC fractions from the non-polar extracts of X. americana responsible for anti-TB activity. There was some spectroscopic evidence from these fractions for closely related phytosterol esters and individual compounds such as stigmast- 3, 5 - diene, stigmastane oleate and β-sitosterol. Subsequent LC work with refractive index detection and SFC with evaporative light scattering data confirmed that the difficulties in assignment arose from the presence of non-UV absorbing non-volatile co-eluting compounds. Preparative xviii SFC or SFC-MS with the aid of the NIST database would have been needed for identification. Overall, these results lend some credence to the claims of the Nigerian remedy and potentially could be a source of assay biomarkers for monitoring its safety, efficacy and quality as required by IRCH (International Regulatory Co-operation for Herbal Medicines).

Consumption of fruits and vegetables has been shown to reduce the risk of various types of cancer. Macro- and micro-nutrients as well as non-nutritive phytochemicals present in fruits and vegetables have been associated with this effect. This study was conducted to investigate the chemopreventive and chemotherapeutic potential of two types of fruits which are endemic to Borneo Island: Mangifera pajang (bambangan) and Artocarpus odoratissimus (tarap). The first part of the project was to study the antioxidant potential of the crude extracts of the plants in vitro. The fruits were first separated into flesh, kernel and peel for M. pajang and flesh and seed for A. odoratissmus. DPPH (2,2- diphenyl-I-picrylhydrazyl) free radical scavenging and FRAP (ferric reducing / antioxidant power) assay were employed for the antioxidant study. The result showed that the kernel of M. pajang extract displayed strongest antioxidant activity as assessed using both assays, followed by M. pajang peel, A. odoratissmus seed, M. pajang flesh and A. odoratissmus flesh. The presence of selected phytochemicals in the plant extracts was determined in the next chapter. Polyphenols have been identified as major phytochemicals in the plant extracts, and in M. pajang kernel extract represents about 10% of its total weight. Gallic acid, coumaric acid, sinapic acid, caffeic acid, ferulic acid, chlorogenic acid, naringin, hesperidin, rutin, luteolin and diosmin have been identified as the key polyphenol phytochemicals present in the kernel of M. pajang which might be responsible for the superior antioxidant properties as compared to other extracts. Concern that the results for the chemical antioxidant assay do not necessarily reflect cellular activity led to the third part of the project; assessment of the cytoprotective activity of the crude extracts against oxidative stress induced by tert-butyl hydroperoxide (t-BHP). Only M. pajang kernel extract as well as the positive control (quercetin) displayed cytoprotective activity against this toxicant. It seems that non-cell based antioxidant assay does not necessarily reflect the activity in cell-based antioxidant assay. This is shown by lack of cytoprotective activity of both M. pajang peel and A. odoratissimus extracts despite their considerably high antioxidant activity in DPPH free radical scavenging and FRAP assay. In order to study which proteins might be involved in the cytoprotection mechanism, western blotting method was employed to determine the expression of various Cytoprotective proteins [i.e. quinone reductase (NQO I), glutathione peroxidase (OR), methionine sulfoxide reductase A (MSRA), heat shock protein 27 (HSP27) and heat shock protein 70 (HSP 70)]. Different cytoprotective mechanisms were observed by the kernel extracts and quercetin. In the present study, NQOI, OR, MSRA, HSP27 and HSP 70 have been shown to be involved in the cytoprotection activity of quercetin while only OR and MSRA were involved in the cytoprotection activity of M. pajang kernel extracts. Other cytoprotective proteins remain to be studied to fully understand the cytoprotection mechanism of both plant extract and quercetin. Some chemopreventive agents have been shown to suppress cancer proliferation, induce apoptosis in cancer cells as well as inhibit angiogenesis and metastasis in pre-clinical and clinical trials. Thus, the last part of the project was to determine the anti-cancer potential of plant extracts in a variety of cancer cell lines (derived from breast, colon, liver and ovarian carcinoma). The results showed that the kernel extract of M. pajang displayed strong anti proliferative activity in breast cancer cell lines (MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231). The kernel extract induced cell cycle arrest in MCF-7 cells at the sub-G1 (apoptosis) phase of the cell cycle in a time-dependent manner. For MDA-MB-231 cells, the kernel extract induced strong G2-M arrest in cell cycle progression at 24 hours, resulting in substantial sub-G1 (apoptosis) arrest after 48 and 72 hours of incubation. Staining with Annexin V -FITC and propidium iodide revealed that this apoptosis occurred early in both cell types, 36 hours for MCF-7 cells and 24 hours for MDA-MB- 231 cells, with 14.0% and 16.5% of the cells respectively undergoing apoptosis at these times. This apoptosis appeared to be dependent on caspases-2 and -3 in MCF-7 cells and on caspases-2, -3 and -9 in MDA-MB-231 cells. As a conclusion, from the two plants (M. pajang and A. odoratissimus) studied, the extract of M. pajang kernel displayed diverse health benefit properties, antioxidant, chemoprevention and chemotherapeutic potential. M. pajang could be fully utilized for pharmaceutical, nutraceutical as well as food products. Further study (i.e. animal and clinical study, isolation of pure compounds, bioavailability study) are required to determine the efficacy in human population.

This thesis presents results obtained from the investigation of secondary metabolites through screening of marine organisms, marine-derived microbes, and microbes form under-explored habitats. The first part includes the isolation of eight cytotoxic diterpene derivatives of which four were new from the organic extract of the sponge <i>Spongionella </i>sp. obtained from the U.S. National Cancer Institute’s Open Repository Program, the isolation of three new antibacterial dibenzofuran derivatives and a known butyrolactone from ascomycete Super1F1-09 isolated from the Indo-Pacific sponge <i>Acanthella cavernosa. </i>An attempt to synthesize these compounds was conducted. This part also includes the isolation of five known pyrroloiminoquinone alkaloids, from the Fijian sponge <i>Zyzzya</i> sp., which showed potent antiprotozoal activity. The second part comprises the use of OSMAC approach for the isolation of four new ansamycin-type polyketides, three new macrolactones and one known siderophore from <i>Streptomyces </i>strain C34 isolated from Atacama Desert, Chile. These compounds showed good antibacterial activity with one of the ansamycins showed pronounced antibacterial activity against a panel of clinical isolates of methicillin-sensitive as well as methicillin-resistant <i>S. aureus</i> (MRSA). This part also contains the use of microbial co-culture for the induction of secondary metabolites. It comprises the isolation of ten antiprotozoal fungal metabolites, of which one was new, from <i>Aspergillus fumigatus </i>when co-cultured with the novel strain <i>Streptomyces </i>C2 isolated from Atacama Desert. In conclusion, natural products from diverse sources proved to be the major resource of drug discovery. This thesis describes the isolation and structural characterisation of 35 compounds, 15 of which were new. Extremophiles proved to be a good source for new secondary metabolites.

This thesis presents results from investigations of secondary metabolites from marine organisms. The first part pursued the isolation of new compounds from soft bodied marine organisms, the study of aqueous extracts from the different algae and soft bodied marine organisms permitted the selection of one extract from the red alga <i>Laurencia </i>sp., from which six new sesquiterpenes cyclic ethers were isolated. The investigation of the sponge <i>Stylotella aurantium </i>collected from Fijian waters, resulted in isolation of seven previously reported pyrrole alkaloids. The second part focused on the exploration of three novel actinomycete microbes isolated from Mariana Trench sediment, collected at depth 10,898 m (Challenger Deep; 11°19’911’’ N; 142°12’372’’E) for the production of bioactive compounds. Seven novel phenazine alkaloids, dermacozines (A-I), were isolated from the fermentation broth of two Mariana Trench microbes <i>Dermacoccus abyssi</i> strain MT1.1 and <i>Dermacoccus </i>strain MT1.2. The investigated cytotoxic activity against leukaemia cell line (K562) showed that dermacozine F and G have moderate activity with IC_50s of 9 and 7 <i>μ</i>M, respectively, while the highest radical scavenger activity was observed with dermacozine C with an IC₅₀ value of 21 <i>μ</i>M. Investigation of <i>Micromonspora</i> sp. isolated from Mariana Trench sediment led to the isolation of six compounds including: one unusual depeptide and the known deferoxamine together with four known diketopiprazines. Finally, the last part of work focused on the investigation of molecular basis of cold temperature and high pressure adapted growth in extremophilic microbes such as <i>Photobacterium profundum sp.</i> The overall aim of this project was to understand more about the high pressure and cold-adapted growth of two novel <i>P. profundum</i> strains SS9R (Piezophile) and 3TCK (Piezosensitive) by studying the surface of polysaccharides which play an important role in the cold-adapted growth of <i>P. profundum</i> <i>SS9.</i>

Το γένος Hypericum L. περιλαμβάνει πάνω από 450 taxa παγκοσμίως, ενώ στην Ελλάδα έχουν καταγραφεί 50 taxa (35 είδη και 15 υποείδη). Το υπερικό είναι γνωστό από την αρχαιότητα για την επουλωτική και αντικαταθλιπτική του δράση. Το H. perforatum αποτελεί το γνωστότερο είδος από το οποίο προκύπτουν τα εμπορικά διαθέσιμα φυτικά εκχυλίσματα. Η έρευνα της χημικής σύστασης των εκχυλισμάτων του υπερικού έχει αναδείξει την παρουσία ενώσεων μοναδικών ως προς τη δομή και περιορισμένης κατανομής, όπως οι ναφθοδιανθρόνες και οι φλωρογλουκινόλες. Το Hypericum vesiculosum Griseb. ανήκει στο ίδιο γένος με το H. perforatum L., ωστόσο δεν έχει μελετηθεί ως προς την φυτοχημική του σύσταση. Xαρακτηρίζεται υπενδημικό αυτοφυές φυτό και εξαπλώνεται στη βόρεια και ανατολική Ελλάδα, στη βόρεια και κεντρική Ελλάδα και στην Πελοπόννησο. Σκοπός της παρούσας εργασίας ήταν η φυτοχημική ανάλυση του H. vesiculosum και η μελέτη της αγχολυτικής δράσης του μεθανολικού εκχυλίσματος σε γηραιούς θηλυκούς και αρσενικούς μύες. Το φυτό συλλέχθηκε στην Πελοπόννησο από την περιοχή της λίμνης Στυμφαλίας, του νομού Κορινθίας. Τα μεθανολικά εκχυλίσματα των H. vesiculosum και H. perforatum μελετήθηκαν και συγκρίθηκαν ως προς τη φυτοχημική τους σύσταση με τη χρήση υγρής χρωματογραφίας υψηλής απόδοσης με ανιχνευτή συστοιχίας φωτοδιόδων (High Performance Liquid Chromatography – Diode Array, HPLC – DAD), σε στήλη αντίστροφης φάσης Luna C-18. Παρατηρήθηκε ταύτιση των HPLC χρωματογραφημάτων ανάμεσα στα δύο taxa, σε μεγάλο βαθμό, ενώ ταυτοποιήθηκαν και ποσοτικοποιήθηκαν οι ενώσεις χλωρογενικό οξύ, ρουτίνη, υπεροζίτης, ισοκεριστρίνη, κερσιτρίνη, κερσετίνη, αμεντοφλαβόνη, κερσετίνη, υπερικίνη και υπερικίνη στο H. vesiculosum για πρώτη φορά. Όλες οι κορυφές που ταυτοποιήθηκαν ήταν σε μικρότερο ποσοστό στο Η. vesiculosum σε σχέση με το H. perforatum, με εξαίρεση την κερσιτρίνη σε ποσοστό 20,3%. Οι ναφθοδιανθρόνες στο σύνολο τους ήταν λιγότερες σε ποσοστό 85%. Με σκοπό την απομόνωση των ναφθοδιανθρονών από το ξηρό μεθανολικό εκχύλισμα πραγματοποιήθηκαν διαδοχικές κλασματώσεις με εξάνιο και οξικό αιθυλεστέρα, αλλά και κλασική υγρή χρωματογραφία στήλης με Silica 60A και Sephadex LH-20. Ύστερα από καθαρισμό τους με ημιπαρασκευαστικό HPLC και καθαρότητα μεγαλύτερη από 98%, πραγματοποιήθηκε η ταυτοποίηση τους με φασματομετρία μάζας (Mass Spectrometry, MS), όπου διαπιστώθηκε ότι οι απομονωθείσες ενώσεις ήταν η υπερικίνη, με μοριακό βάρος 504 και η ψευδοϋπερικίνη, με μοριακό βάρος 520. H αγχολυτική δράση του μεθανολικού εκχυλίσματος από το H. vesiculosum εξετάσθηκε σε γηραιούς αρσενικούς και θηλυκούς μύες, ηλικίας περίπου 12 μηνών, με τη δοκιμή του ανοικτού πεδίου (Open Field Test). Η χορήγηση του εκχυλίσματος έγινε ενδοπεριτοναϊκά 24 ώρες και 1 ώρα πριν από τη δοκιμασία, σε ποσότητα 250mg/Kg. Η παράμετρος που εξετάστηκε ήταν ο θιγμοτακτισμός μετρώντας τον χρόνο που παρέμειναν οι μύες στην περιφέρεια της συσκευής. Τα αποτελέσματα επιβεβαίωσαν την αγχολυτική δράση του εκχυλίσματος στους γηραιούς μύες και στα δύο φύλα. Συγκεκριμένα ο χρόνος θιγμοτακτισμού μειώθηκε σε ποσοστό 24% στις ομάδες που έλαβαν το εκχύλισμα. Στο H. vesiculosum εδείχθη για πρώτη φορά η παρουσία των ναφθοδιανθρονών και έγινε σύγκριση της φυτοχημικής του σύστασης σε σχέση με το H. perforatum. Η αγχολυτική δράση που επέδειξε το φυτό στους γηραιούς μύες, θα μπορούσε να χρησιμοποιηθεί στην θεραπευτική για μελλοντική εφαρμογή η οποία, ωστόσο, χρειάζεται περαιτέρω διερεύνηση. / The genus Hypericum L. includes over 450 taxa worldwide and in Greece there have been recorded 50 taxa (35 species and 15 subspecies). St. John’s wort is known since ancient times for it’s healing and antidepressant actions. H. perforatum is the best known species from which the commercially available herbal extracts are produced. The investigation of Hypericum extracts’ chemical composition has revealed the presence of unique compounds, in structure and limited distribution, such as naphthodianthrones and phloroglucinols. The taxon Hypericum vesiculosum Griseb. belongs to the same genus with H. perforatum L., however, it has not been studied before for its phytochemical composition. It is a subendemic plant and spreads to the northern and eastern Greece, the northern and central Greece and the Peloponnese. The purpose of this study was the phytochemical analysis of H. vesiculosum and investigation of methanolic extract’s potential anxiolytic activity, in aged female and male mice. The plant was collected from the Peloponnese region of Lake Stymfalia (prefecture of Corinthia). The methanol extract of H. vesiculosum Griseb. and H. perforatum L. were analysed with high performance liquid chromatography, connected with a photodiode array detector (High Performance Liquid Chromatography - Diode Array, HPLC - DAD) and a reversed phase column Luna C-18. The HPLC chromatograms demonstrated great resemblance between the two taxa. In H. vesiculosum, the compounds chlorogenic acid, rutin, hyperoside, isoquercitrin, quercitrin, quercetin, amentoflavone, hypericin and hypericin were identified and quantified for the first time. All peaks were quantified in smaller proportion in H. vesiculosum compared to H. perforatum, with the exception of quercitrin of which the percentage was 20.3 %. The total propotion of naphthodianthrones was less than 85 % in Η. vesiculosum. In order to isolate the naphthodianthrones from the dry methanol extract, sequential fractionations were performed with hexane and ethyl acetate but also classic liquid column chromatography with Silica 60A and Sephadex LH-20. After isolating the two compounds with semipreparative HPLC and purity greater than 98%, their identification was performed with mass spectrometry (Mass Spectrometry, MS). The isolated compounds were hypericin, with molecular weight 504 and pseudohypericin, with molecular weight 520. The potential anxiolytic activity of the methanolic extract of H. vesiculosum was examined in aged male and female mice (12 months old), with the open-field test (Open Field Test). The short-term administration of the extract was intraperitoneally 24 h and 1 h before the test, at the dose of 250mg/Kg body weight. The parameter which was considered was the time the mice stayed in the periphery of the device (thigmotaxis time). The results confirmed the anxiolytic activity of the extract at the aged mice in both sexes. More specifically the thigmotaxis time was decreased in a percentage of 24% for the groups who received the extract. The presence of naphthodianthrones was shown in H. vesiculosum for the first time but also the phytochemical compositions of Η. vesiculosum and H. perforatum were compared. In conclusion, the present results show that H. vesiculosum contains the main bioactive constituents of H. perforatum in almost the same quantities and engenders anxiolytic behavior in both male and female aged mice

Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) has long been used in the Far East to aid in the recovery and prevention of illness. Ginseng, an over-the-counter herbal product in the UK, is amongst these herbal CAMs currently available to the general public. Ginseng is renowned for its rejuvenating properties and its purported ability to aid cognitive function and well-being. Despite the huge global market for ginseng there is little in the way of human research, utilising standardised ginseng extracts and well controlled methodology to support many of these claims. Additionally, ginseng's underlying mechanisms of action are poorly understood. The present thesis documents 5 double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over trials investigating the effects of Panax ginseng, following acute and chronic ingestion, on behaviour, mood and indices of glucose regulation in young healthy volunteers. The results of the five studies making this thesis suggest that both acute and chronic dosing with Panax ginseng is capable of modulating mood and cognitive performance in healthy young volunteers. Chapters 2 and 3 also demonstrate, for the first time, Panax ginseng's ability to modulate blood glucose levels following a single acute dose in overnight fasted healthy volunteers. In chapters 2 and 3, significant reductions in blood glucose levels and concomitant improvements in mental arithmetic (working memory) performance were reported. Chapter 4 revealed for the first time Panax ginseng's positive effects on traditional measures of working memory, thus posing the suggestion that previous failures to report working memory effects (using traditional working memory tasks) may have been due to poor task selection. Chapter 5 revealed an unexpected superimposed relationship between chronic and acute ingestion of Panax ginseng. The pattern of results suggests that following chronic dosing, an acute dose can further modulate cognition and mood (suggestive of a psychological dependence). The final chapter documents a different profile of cognitive and mood effects following a non-standardised Panax ginseng extract, thus highlighting the need for caution when generalising results across ginseng types and beyond the specific parameters of the methodologies utilised in any given study. Methodological differences between studies may go some way in explaining the inconsistent data patterns reported between studies, research groups and ginseng extracts. These data further highlight the need for well-controlled studies utilising standardised ginseng extracts and the need for the integration of 'theory driven' research in order to fractionate any behavioural effect. Such methodologies will inevitably lead to greater consistency between behavioural studies, at least in the first instance within the restricted population of volunteers utilised in the present thesis.

Thesis (M.Sc. (Biochemistry)) --University of Limpopo, 2013 / This study was carried out to investigate antioxidant and antibacterial properties of 9 indigenous medicinal plants, viz., Euclea undulata (mogweregwere), Momordica balsamia (mogapu badimo), sefapa badimo, Senecio asperulus (makgonatšohle), Stiburus alopecuroides (mošalašuping), serolana, Euphorbia inaequilatera (kgama-maswana), mokgagapitsi and Clerodendrum glabrum (mohlokohloko) and to further isolate compounds that relate to these properties. Four extracting solvents with varying polarities viz. n-hexane, dichloromethane, acetone and methanol were used to extract the bioactive compounds from the ground powdered plant materials. The TLC plates, developed in three solvent systems viz., benzene, ethanol and ammonia (BEA, 18:10:0.2, v/v/v); ethyl acetate, methanol and water (EMW, 10:1.35:1, v/v/v) and chloroform, ethyl acetate and formic acid (CEF, 10:8:2, v/v/v), were visualised using DPPH, vanillin-sulphuric acid, visible light at 366 nm, UV light at 254 nm and bioautography for the presence of potential antioxidant and antibacterial compounds. The results of the screening process showed that only four plants possessed antioxidant compound(s) while six plants had antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus. Euclea undulata “MKK” was observed to possess both antibacterial and antioxidant active compounds. Two antioxidant active compounds were isolated from two plants, viz., Euphorbia inaequilatera and Dicerocaryum senecioides. Solvent-solvent extraction, column chromatography and preparative TLC were used to further isolate and characterise target compounds. The antioxidant active compounds were found to separate well under EMW, an indication that the compounds are polar and intermediate-polar. The NMR spectra of the compound isolated from the D. senecioides revealed that the compound is a stilbenoid. For the first time, we report that the anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and antiproliferation properties of the D. senecioides reported by other studies performed in this laboratory could be due to this isolated stilbenoid compound. However, further studies are still necessary to confirm this assertion.

Orientadora : Profª. Drª. Eliane Carneiro Gomes / Coorientadora : Profª. Drª. Yanna Dantas Rattmann / Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Federal do Paraná, Setor de Ciências da Saúde, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Farmacêuticas. Defesa: Curitiba, 06/12/2016 / Inclui referências : f. 91-101 / Área de concentração: Insumos, medicamentos e correlatos / Resumo: A utilização de fitoterápicos industrializados no Sistema Único de Saúde (SUS) tem crescido de maneira notável na atenção básica à saúde. O início desta ampliação ocorreu a partir de 2006 por meio da Política Nacional de Práticas Integrativas e Complementares do SUS, e da Política Nacional de Plantas Medicinais e Fitoterápicos; que, junto ao Ministério da Saúde, incentivam pesquisas e favorecem a produção, distribuição e utilização destes produtos de modo racional no SUS. Assim, este estudo investigou a inserção de Medicamentos Fitoterápicos na Atenção Básica à Saúde no município de Pinhais, localizado na Região Metropolitana de Curitiba. Neste contexto, foi investigada a utilização de fitoterápicos industrializados por pacientes atendidos nas 10 Unidades Básicas da Estratégia de saúde da família, no município de Pinhais. De forma conjunta, buscou-se identificar os fatores facilitadores e as dificuldades que envolvem a prescrição destes produtos por parte dos profissionais médicos e gestores das unidades de saúde do município estudado, com vistas a avaliar esta opção terapêutica na melhoria da saúde dos usuários. Trata-se de um estudo quantitativo, observacional e transversal. Os dados primários foram obtidos utilizando como instrumento de coleta de dados um questionário semiestruturado, aplicado aos gestores (n=10), médicos (n=44) e pacientes (n=267) da atenção básica à saúde do município escolhido. As coletas de dados aconteceram nos meses de fevereiro e março de 2016. Os gestores em sua totalidade mostraram-se favoráveis à disponibilização de fitoterápicos nas Unidades de Saúde em que atuam, considerando importante a dispensação destes aos usuários do SUS (100%). A amostra dos profissionais médicos vinculados às Unidades de Saúde do município de Pinhais foi composta por indivíduos de diferentes nacionalidades. A grande maioria dos profissionais (93,18%) considera importante a dispensação de fitoterápicos como complementar ao tratamento dos usuários na atenção básica à saúde. Porém, relatam que existem problemas que dificultam o avanço do uso de fitoterápicos no SUS, sendo a falta de conhecimento médico o motivo mais citado pelo grupo entrevistado. De um modo geral, os pacientes relataram resultados positivos com o tratamento realizado com fitoterápicos industrializados (89,33%). Pode-se observar que existe uma relação estatística significativa (p<0,05), demonstrando que as mulheres utilizam mais destes medicamentos quando comparado com os homens. O presente estudo demostrou a boa aceitação pelos pacientes em realizar um tratamento com fitoterápicos industrializados. Já os gestores e profissionais de saúde que prescrevem estes medicamentos ressaltam que ainda existem muitas dificuldades envolvidas na implantação da fitoterapia no SUS que precisam ser avaliadas, a fim de contribuir com o fortalecimento da fitoterapia como prática racional. Palavras-chaves: SUS; Fitoterápicos; Práticas Integrativas; Atenção Básica à Saúde. / Abstract: The use of industrialized herbal medicines in the Unified Health System (SUS) has grown remarkably in basic health care. The beginning of this expansion occurred as of 2006 with the National Policy of Integrative and Complementary Practices of SUS, and the National Policy of Medicinal and Phytotherapeutic Plants; which, together with the Ministry of Health, encourage research and favored the production, distribution and the use of these products in a rational way in the SUS. Thus, this study investigated the insertion of Phytotherapeutic Medications in Basic Health Care in the city of Pinhais, located in the Metropolitan Region of Curitiba. In this context, the use of industrialized herbal medicines was investigated in patients treated in the 10 Basic Units of the family health strategy, in the municipality of Pinhais. The aim was to identify the facilitating factors and the difficulties involved in the prescription of these products by the medical professionals and managers of the health units of this studied municipality, in order to evaluate this therapeutic option in improving the health of the users. It is a quantitative, observational and cross-sectional study. The primary data were obtained using a semistructured questionnaire applied to the managers (n = 10), physicians (n = 44) and patients (n = 267) of the basic health care of the chosen municipality. Data collection took place in February and March 2016. Managers in their totality were favorable to the availability of herbal medicines in the Health Units in which they work, considering their dispensation to SUS users (100%) important. The sample of medical professionals linked to the Health Units of the municipality of Pinhais was composed of individuals of different nationalities. The great majority of professionals (93.18%) consider the dispensation of phytotherapics important as a complement to the treatment of users in basic health care. However, they report that there are problems that hamper the progress of the use of herbal medicines in SUS, and the lack of medical knowledge is the reason most cited by this interviewed group. Overall, patients reported positive results with treatment with industrialized herbal medicines (89.33%). It can be observed that there is a statistically significant relationship (p <0.05), demonstrating that women use more these drugs compared to men. The present study demonstrated the good acceptance by the patients to perform a treatment with industrialized herbal medicines. The managers and health professionals who prescribe these drugs point out that there are still many difficulties involved in the implantation of phytotherapy in SUS that need to be evaluated in order to contribute to the strengthening of phytotherapy as a rational practice. Keywords: SUS; Phytotherapics; Integrative Practices; Basic Health Care.

Infectious diarrhoea is the second largest single cause of mortality in children under the age of five globally. Bacteria are responsible for most diarrhoeal episodes especially in developing countries, and progressive increase in antimicrobial resistance has given rise to the need to investigate other sources of therapy such as medicinal plants. Ten plant extracts were analysed for their antimicrobial activities using the agar well diffusion and broth microdilution method. Their phytochemical contents were screened, and their effect on 1, 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) was used to assess their antioxidant activities. Their toxicity profiles were evaluated using the XTT Cytotoxicity Assay. Water and methanol extracts of Adansonia digitata v ABSTRACT Infectious diarrhoea is the second largest single cause of mortality in children under the age of five globally. Bacteria are responsible for most diarrhoeal episodes especially in developing countries, and progressive increase in antimicrobial resistance has given rise to the need to investigate other sources of therapy such as medicinal plants. Ten plant extracts were analysed for their antimicrobial activities using the agar well diffusion and broth microdilution method. Their phytochemical contents were screened, and their effect on 1, 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) was used to assess their antioxidant activities. Their toxicity profiles were evaluated using the XTT Cytotoxicity Assay. Water and methanol extracts of Adansonia digitata seeds and pulp showed no inhibition against all the test organisms, while water and methanol extracts of A. digitata leaves showed inhibition, with minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) ranging from 0.39 to 6.25mg/ml. Water and methanol extracts of Garcinia livingstonei and Sclerocarya birrea barks showed good activity against all the test organisms, with MICs between 0.39 and 1.56 mg/ml. Alkaloids, phenols, flavonoids, saponins, tannins, and terpenoids were found in one or more of the plant extracts, and all the plant extracts demonstrated scavenging power against DPPH.The cytotoxicity of extracts of Garcinia livingstonei, and Sclerocarya birrea barks ranged between 105.9 μg/ml and 769.9 μg/ml. The results obtained in this study validate the traditional use of A. digitata leaves, G. livingstonei and S. birrea bark in treating bacteria causing diarrhoea. / Life Sciences / M. Sc. (Life Sciences)

Traditionally, Sceletium tortuosum has been used as a medicine and for social and spiritual purposes. The genus is distributed in the south-western parts of South Africa. This project phytochemically analysed and characterised Sceletium plant extracts and determined if any extract showed anti-malarial properties. Extracts were prepared in ethanol and methanol and various compounds were purified using column chromatography with hexane and ethyl acetate as mobile phase. The structure of isolated compounds, including mesembrine, pinitol, sucrose, mesembrenone and obtusalin, was confirmed using NMR. The Plasmodium Lactate dehydrogenase assay was used to screen all extracts and mesembrine to show that four extracts showed antimalarial activity with activity values ranging between 1.47 μg/ml and 7.32 μg/ml, well below the 10 μg/ml cut off value. The study recommends extracting compounds from fresh plant material and further research as to anti-malarial activity of compounds isolated from Sceletium tortuosum / Life & Consumer Sciences / MSc. (Life Sciences)