Thesis (Ph. D.)--Duke University, 2007. / Includes bibliographical references.

Note:

No description available.

The Four O'clock Family (Nyctaginaceae) has a number of genera with unusual morphological and ecological characters, several of which appear to have a "tendency" to evolve repeatedly in Nyctaginaceae. I present a molecular phylogeny for the Nyctaginaceae, consider taxonomic implications, biogeographic patterns, and the evolution of cleistogamy and gypsophily. These characters have each evolved multiple times in the xeric-adapted genera of the family. Further progress towards understanding these phenomena requires specific investigation of the ecology of pollination and gypsum tolerance. In the genus Boerhavia, an intensively sampled phylogeny based on internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and nitrate reductase (NIA) sequences provides new insights into relationships among species in the genus, and identifies a clade of annual species centered in the Sonoran Desert. Phylogeographic patterns are present in the genus that may reflect both relatively ancient vicariant events as well as the post-Pleistocene expansion of the Sonoran Desert. Many species in this group are found to be genetically cohesive, however two annual species complexes are found which species were nonmonophyletic. Since several mechanisms can potentially lead to the finding of nonmonophyletic species, Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphisms (AFLPs) were used to examine the structure of genetic variation in the two complexes. These data show that in these two groups, different evolutionary mechanisms are needed to explain the distribution of genetic diversity within and among populations. A complex comprised of Boerhavia spicata and B. xanti shows little evidence of genetic divergence between the species in Sonora, a pattern which may indicate recent contact between two very closely related forms. In contrast, high genetic structure between populations is found in the other complex, which contains the species with umbellate inflorescences. This complex includes several nominal species with highly restricted distributions, whose evolution may have been facilitated by low gene flow among populations. Little evidence was found for associations of inbreeding within populations, and floral traits which might be expected to influence outcrossing rates. / Dissertation

Orientador: Wagner Vilegas / Banca: Wagner Vilegas / Banca: Jairo Kenupp Bastos / Banca: Luiz Claudio Di Stasi / Resumo: Esse trabalho é parte do projeto temático BIOTA-FAPESP: "Uso Sustentável da Biodiversidade Brasileira: Prospecção Químico-Farmacológica de Plantas Superiores" e visa contribuir com a caracterização do Bioma-Cerrado do estado de São Paulo, investigando espécies brasileiras de interesse químico-medicinal. Dentre as espécies com particular interesse estão as do gênero Guapira (Nyctaginaceae), com informações etnofarmacológicas de uso para problemas estomacais. G. noxia é conhecida popularmente como "Maria-mole" ou "Capa-rosa" e tem ocorrência no cerrado brasileiro. Essa espécie é utilizada na medicina popular como antiúlcera. Apesar do uso popular, ainda não há informações sobre a composição química e ensaios farmacológicos desta espécie e que cuja caracterização está sendo descrita pela primeira vez. O extrato metanólico das folhas de G. noxia foi fracionado por técnicas cromatográficas convencionais (Permeação em gel, HPLC) e a as substâncias resultantes foram identificadas através de métodos espectroscópicos (RMN, IV, UV e EM). Esse trabalho levou à identificação de oito heterosídeos de flanovóides (com três e duas unidades de açúcares) derivados da quercetina, da isorhamnetina e do kaempferol, além da alantoína e de um ciclitol. Além disso, foi estabelecido o perfil cromatográfico do extrato metanólico, juntamente com a quantificação do teor de compostos fenólicos e de flavonóides totais, com vistas à sua completa caracterização química. O estudo farmacológico do extrato metanólico evidenciou principalmente as atividades antiúlcera, antimicrobiana e imunomodulatória. A presença dos flavonóides e demais compostos fenólicos pode justificar os efeitos biológicos atribuídos à espécie. Como conclusão, este estudo contribuiu para aprofundar o conhecimento químicofarmacológico sobre Guapira noxia, que ocorre no cerrado brasileiro. / Abstract: This work is part of the BIOTA-FAPESP project "Sustaintable use of the Brazilian Biodiversity: Chemical and Pharmacological Prospection on Higher Plants", which intents to contribute to improve the knowledge of the biome Cerrado of the State São Paulo, Brazil. Species from the Guapira (Nyctaginaceae) genus have special interest, since they are used in folk medicine as antiulcerogenic agent. G. noxia is known in folk medicine as "Maria-mole" or "Capa-rosa" and occurs naturally in the Brazilian cerrado, being used due to its antiulcerogenic propertie. Although the folk use, there is no data about chemical and pharmacological studies on this species. We describe here the first chemical and pharmacological characterization. The methanolic extract of G. noxia leaves was fractionated by chromatography techniques (GPC, HPLC) and the substances were identified by spectrometric methods (NMR, MS, IR, UV). This approach led to identification of eight heterosides (two and three glycosides) of flavonoids derived from quercetin, isorhamnetin and kaempferol, besides one allantoin and one cyclitol. Moreover, we have established the HPLC/UV/DAD chromatographic profile of this extract, as well as the spectrophotometric quantification of phenolic compounds and flavonoids. Pharmacological investigations showed antiulcerogenic, antimicrobial and immunomodulatory properties of the methanolic extract. The presence of flavonoids and phenolic compounds may probably explain the pharmacologicals effects of the polar extract of G. noxia and their use in folk medicine. In conclusion, this study contributed to improve the knowledge of the chemistry and pharmacological activities of Guapira noxia, an species that occurs in the Brazilian cerrado. / Mestre

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:28:33Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2007-02-02Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T20:58:25Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 severi_ja_me_arafcf.pdf: 559901 bytes, checksum: 05c536f61d35ebf5def84058555c6940 (MD5) / Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) / Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP) / Esse trabalho é parte do projeto temático BIOTA-FAPESP: “Uso Sustentável da Biodiversidade Brasileira: Prospecção Químico-Farmacológica de Plantas Superiores” e visa contribuir com a caracterização do Bioma-Cerrado do estado de São Paulo, investigando espécies brasileiras de interesse químico-medicinal. Dentre as espécies com particular interesse estão as do gênero Guapira (Nyctaginaceae), com informações etnofarmacológicas de uso para problemas estomacais. G. noxia é conhecida popularmente como “Maria-mole” ou “Capa-rosa” e tem ocorrência no cerrado brasileiro. Essa espécie é utilizada na medicina popular como antiúlcera. Apesar do uso popular, ainda não há informações sobre a composição química e ensaios farmacológicos desta espécie e que cuja caracterização está sendo descrita pela primeira vez. O extrato metanólico das folhas de G. noxia foi fracionado por técnicas cromatográficas convencionais (Permeação em gel, HPLC) e a as substâncias resultantes foram identificadas através de métodos espectroscópicos (RMN, IV, UV e EM). Esse trabalho levou à identificação de oito heterosídeos de flanovóides (com três e duas unidades de açúcares) derivados da quercetina, da isorhamnetina e do kaempferol, além da alantoína e de um ciclitol. Além disso, foi estabelecido o perfil cromatográfico do extrato metanólico, juntamente com a quantificação do teor de compostos fenólicos e de flavonóides totais, com vistas à sua completa caracterização química. O estudo farmacológico do extrato metanólico evidenciou principalmente as atividades antiúlcera, antimicrobiana e imunomodulatória. A presença dos flavonóides e demais compostos fenólicos pode justificar os efeitos biológicos atribuídos à espécie. Como conclusão, este estudo contribuiu para aprofundar o conhecimento químicofarmacológico sobre Guapira noxia, que ocorre no cerrado brasileiro. / This work is part of the BIOTA-FAPESP project “Sustaintable use of the Brazilian Biodiversity: Chemical and Pharmacological Prospection on Higher Plants”, which intents to contribute to improve the knowledge of the biome Cerrado of the State São Paulo, Brazil. Species from the Guapira (Nyctaginaceae) genus have special interest, since they are used in folk medicine as antiulcerogenic agent. G. noxia is known in folk medicine as “Maria-mole” or “Capa-rosa” and occurs naturally in the Brazilian cerrado, being used due to its antiulcerogenic propertie. Although the folk use, there is no data about chemical and pharmacological studies on this species. We describe here the first chemical and pharmacological characterization. The methanolic extract of G. noxia leaves was fractionated by chromatography techniques (GPC, HPLC) and the substances were identified by spectrometric methods (NMR, MS, IR, UV). This approach led to identification of eight heterosides (two and three glycosides) of flavonoids derived from quercetin, isorhamnetin and kaempferol, besides one allantoin and one cyclitol. Moreover, we have established the HPLC/UV/DAD chromatographic profile of this extract, as well as the spectrophotometric quantification of phenolic compounds and flavonoids. Pharmacological investigations showed antiulcerogenic, antimicrobial and immunomodulatory properties of the methanolic extract. The presence of flavonoids and phenolic compounds may probably explain the pharmacologicals effects of the polar extract of G. noxia and their use in folk medicine. In conclusion, this study contributed to improve the knowledge of the chemistry and pharmacological activities of Guapira noxia, an species that occurs in the Brazilian cerrado.

Six topics are presented, relevant to agricultural research on two horticultural varieties of Mirabilis expansa (Ruiz and Pav.) Standl. Chapter 1, “Review of the economic and ethno-botany of the genera of the family Nyctaginaceae," includes a summary of literature on the topics included in the title, and an original taxonomic update of plant names used correctly and incorrectly as synonyms for Mirabilis jalapa, the type name for the plant family Nyctaginaceae. M. jalapa has been substituted for medicinal jalap from Mexico. Names in the Convolvulaceae for medicinal Jalap are also updated here, as they show the origin of many names which have been incorrectly used as synonyms in the Mirabilis literature. Chapter 2, “History of Mirabilis expansa (Ruiz and Pav.) Standl.; Growth and use in the Andes,” is also a literature review, incorporating information from several documents and papers which have only recently become readily available internationally via the Internet. These documents were translated into English for this chapter. Research in Chapter 3, “Field trials of Mirabilis expansa (Ruiz and Pav.) Standl. grown in North America; Growth, yield and quality traits,” showed that M. expansa horticultural varieties 'L' and 'T' are tolerant to the intense weather conditions of southern Illinois, when grown on constructed sand plots. In Chapter 4, “Amino Acid profiles for two horticultural varieties of Mirabilis expansa (Ruiz and Pav.) Standl.: A rare indigenous Andean crop grown in southern Illinois,” M. expansa was examined for its amino acid values and those values considered in terms of differnces between the two varieties and above and below ground structures. In addition, soil amendments peat and steer manure, considered alone and together, as well as structure and variety, were examined for their effect on production of amino acids in ANOVAs and Tukey-adjusted LS-Means run in SAS 9.3. In Chapter 5, “Nutrients, Comparison of Amino Acid Profiles, and Cytotoxicity Testing for Mirabilis expansa (Ruiz and Pav.) Standl.,” the amino acid profiles for M. expansa from the previous chapter are compared to profiles for other crops, eggs and milk. M. expansa is shown relatively to contain extremely high amounts of total protein. In addition published values for other nutrients for M. expansa taken from translated material are combined into two tables. Also, a cytotoxicity assay carried out in collaboration with researchers at Ohio State University was used to see if the southern Illinois M. expansa material was active against highly sensitive HT-29 colon cancer cells. Negative results from that assay serves as preliminary data for a lack of toxicity due to micro-molecules in the crop. Chapter 6, “Inexpensive nitrogen chambers for conservation of herbarium specimens,” was an outgrowth of the need to find a chemically benign manner for storing herbarium specimens of Mirabilis, used in research which led to the work described in the previous chapters. The results show that valved oxygen barrier bags, designed for clothing storage, with a small number of oxygen absorbers, can retain conditions for sufficient periods to treat specimens for pests. This allows the bags to be used as inexpensive nitrogen chambers, to treat herbarium specimens in place of expensive nitrogen systems or freezers, and without the toxic chemicals historically used in herbaria for the same purpose.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:25:35Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2012-02-26Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T19:32:54Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 santos_vhm_me_botib.pdf: 307676 bytes, checksum: b3ab8101968f6da200e46978ce67fad5 (MD5) / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) / Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) / A alelopatia é um mecanismo de interação bioquímica entre vegetais, considerada uma forma de adaptação química defensiva das plantas. Neste fenômeno, biomoléculas produzidas por uma planta são liberadas para o meio ambiente e influenciam no crescimento e desenvolvimento de plantas vizinhas. Assim, o objetivo deste trabalho foi investigar o potencial alelopático de extratos e frações de folhas de Neea theifera, por meio de bioensaios de pré e pós-emergência. Para tanto, sementes e plântulas de Lactuca sativa foram tratadas com o extrato orgânicos (nhexânico, acetato de etila e metanólico) em diferentes concentrações (5, 10 e 20 mg/mL), e frações do extrato metanólico bruto de Neea theifera, além de um grupo controle negativo (água). O teste de viabilidade nas sementes submetidas aos extratos foi realizado pelo teste do tetrazólio, já o teste de fitotoxicidade foi elucidado pela determinação do índice mitótico. Foi realizada também uma triagem fitoquímica por meio de reações específicas para detecção de possíveis classes químicas dos extratos avaliados, além de avaliar o perfil cromatográfico por meio de cromatografia de camada delgada e reveladores específicos. De acordo com a metodologia adotada e os resultados obtidos foi possível elucidar o potencial alelopático, assim como propor um mecanismo de ação dos aleloquímicos desta espécie / Allelopathy is a mechanism of biochemical interaction between plants, considered a form of adaptation of plants. In this phenomenon, biomolecules are produced by a plant and are released into the environment and influence the growth and development of neighboring plants. The objective of this study was to investigate the allelopathic potential of extracts and fractions of leaves Neea thief through bioassays pre-and post-emergence. For this purpose, seeds and seedlings of Lactuca sativa were treated with organic extract (nhexânico, ethyl acetate and methanol) at different concentrations (5, 10 and 20 mg / mL), and fractions of the brute methanol extract Neea theifera, and a negative control (water). The test of viability in seeds subjected to the extracts was carried out by the tetrazolium test, already the test phytotoxicity was elucidated by determining the mitotic index. Was also carried out a phytochemical screening through specific reactions to detect possible chemical classes of extracts assessed, and to evaluate the chromatographic profile by thin layer chromatography and revealing specific. According to the methodology used and the results obtained it was possible to elucidate the allelopathic potential, and to propose a mechanism of action of allelochemicals of this species

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:29:11Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2007-01-19Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T20:08:51Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 rinaldo_d_me_araiq.pdf: 1938518 bytes, checksum: a509ac17408e64d3137339681fe5c3e1 (MD5) / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) / Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) / Este trabalho aborda a investigação de Neea theifera Oerst. (Nyctaginaceae), uma planta brasileira conhecida popularmente como o Capa-rosa-do-campo. Esta espécie é usada na medicina popular contra doenças gástricas e diarréias. As folhas foram coletadas e extraídas sequencialmente com clorofórmio e metanol. O extrato metanólico foi fracionado por cromatografia líquida de média pressão em fase reversa, seguido de cromatografia de permeação em gel (Sephadex LH-20), e foi possível isolar os flavonóides vitexina, isovitexina, orientina, isoorientina, vicenina-2, crisoeriol, apigenina, luteolina e luteolina-7-O-[2''-O-(5'''-O-feruloil)-D-apiofuranosil]- ß-D-glicopiranosídeo, identificados por técnicas espectrométricas (RMN, UV, IV, MS). Os flavonóides presentes no extrato metanólico foram quantificados por HPLC-DAD, apresentando um teor de 5,6% no extrato metanólico e 0,85% nas folhas. Os ensaios farmacológicos in-vivo mostraram que os extratos não foram capazes de inibir as úlceras induzidas por HCl/etanol. Por outro lado, eles não apresentaram efeitos mutagênicos. Ambos os extratos apresentaram atividade antimicrobiana. O extrato clorofórmico revelou promissora atividade contra Mycobacterium tuberculosis (62,5 æm mL-1) e o extrato metanólico contra Staphylococcus aureus (50 æm mL-1). O extrato metanólico também apresentou atividade imunomodulatória. Portanto, os resultados obtidos mostraram-se importantes, pois eles sugerem que o uso popular de N. theifera como agente anti-úlcera pode não estar correto. Por outro lado, esta espécie demosntrou ser uma fonte promissora de metabólitos secundários com atividade antimicrobiana e imunomodulatória. / This work deals with the investigation of Neea theifera Oerst. (Nyctaginaceae), a Brazilian plant popularly known as 'Capa-rosa-do-campo'. This species is used in folk medicine against gastric diseases and diarrhea. Leaves were collected and extracted sequentially with chloroform and methanol. The methanolic extract was fractionated by reverse phase medium pressure liquid chromatography followed by gel permeation chromatography (Sephadex LH-20), and afforded the flavonoids vitexin, isovitexin, orientin, isoorientin, vicenin-2, chrysoeriol, apigenin, luteolin and luteolin-7-O-[2''-O-(5'''-O-feruloyl)-D-apiofuranosyl]-ß-D-glucopyranoside, identified by spectrometric techniques (NMR, UV, IR, MS). The flavonoids content in the methanolic extract was determined by HPLC-DAD as 5.6 % correspondent to 0.85 % in the leaves. In-vivo pharmacological assays did not inhibit ulcers induced by HCl / ethanol.They did not exhibit mutagenic effects. Both extracts revealed to be active against several microorganisms. The chloroformic extract showed promising activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis (62.5 æm mL-1) whereas the methanolic extract revealed strong activity against Staphylococcus aureus (50 æm mL-1). The methanolic extract also displayed immunomodulatory activity. Therefore, these results are important, and they suggest that the folk use of N. theifera as an anti-ulcer agent might not be correct. However, this species is a promising source of secondary metabolites with antimicrobial and immunomodulatory activies.

Resumo: Este trabalho aborda a investigação de Neea theifera Oerst. (Nyctaginaceae), uma planta brasileira conhecida popularmente como o "Capa-rosa-do-campo". Esta espécie é usada na medicina popular contra doenças gástricas e diarréias. As folhas foram coletadas e extraídas sequencialmente com clorofórmio e metanol. O extrato metanólico foi fracionado por cromatografia líquida de média pressão em fase reversa, seguido de cromatografia de permeação em gel (Sephadex LH-20), e foi possível isolar os flavonóides vitexina, isovitexina, orientina, isoorientina, vicenina-2, crisoeriol, apigenina, luteolina e luteolina-7-O-[2''-O-(5'''-O-feruloil)-D-apiofuranosil]- ß-D-glicopiranosídeo, identificados por técnicas espectrométricas (RMN, UV, IV, MS). Os flavonóides presentes no extrato metanólico foram quantificados por HPLC-DAD, apresentando um teor de 5,6% no extrato metanólico e 0,85% nas folhas. Os ensaios farmacológicos in-vivo mostraram que os extratos não foram capazes de inibir as úlceras induzidas por HCl/etanol. Por outro lado, eles não apresentaram efeitos mutagênicos. Ambos os extratos apresentaram atividade antimicrobiana. O extrato clorofórmico revelou promissora atividade contra Mycobacterium tuberculosis (62,5 æm mL-1) e o extrato metanólico contra Staphylococcus aureus (50 æm mL-1). O extrato metanólico também apresentou atividade imunomodulatória. Portanto, os resultados obtidos mostraram-se importantes, pois eles sugerem que o uso popular de N. theifera como agente anti-úlcera pode não estar correto. Por outro lado, esta espécie demosntrou ser uma fonte promissora de metabólitos secundários com atividade antimicrobiana e imunomodulatória. / Abstract: This work deals with the investigation of Neea theifera Oerst. (Nyctaginaceae), a Brazilian plant popularly known as 'Capa-rosa-do-campo'. This species is used in folk medicine against gastric diseases and diarrhea. Leaves were collected and extracted sequentially with chloroform and methanol. The methanolic extract was fractionated by reverse phase medium pressure liquid chromatography followed by gel permeation chromatography (Sephadex LH-20), and afforded the flavonoids vitexin, isovitexin, orientin, isoorientin, vicenin-2, chrysoeriol, apigenin, luteolin and luteolin-7-O-[2''-O-(5'''-O-feruloyl)-D-apiofuranosyl]-ß-D-glucopyranoside, identified by spectrometric techniques (NMR, UV, IR, MS). The flavonoids content in the methanolic extract was determined by HPLC-DAD as 5.6 % correspondent to 0.85 % in the leaves. In-vivo pharmacological assays did not inhibit ulcers induced by HCl / ethanol.They did not exhibit mutagenic effects. Both extracts revealed to be active against several microorganisms. The chloroformic extract showed promising activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis (62.5 æm mL-1) whereas the methanolic extract revealed strong activity against Staphylococcus aureus (50 æm mL-1). The methanolic extract also displayed immunomodulatory activity. Therefore, these results are important, and they suggest that the folk use of N. theifera as an anti-ulcer agent might not be correct. However, this species is a promising source of secondary metabolites with antimicrobial and immunomodulatory activies. / Orientador: Wagner Vilegas / Coorientador: Lourdes Campaner dos Santos / Banca: Ian Castro-Gamboa / Banca: Sebastião Ferreira Fonseca / Mestre