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Planta Med 2011; 77(9): 964-970
DOI: 10.1055/s-0030-1250656
Biological Screening
Original Papers
© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Antimycobacterial Activity and Alkaloid Prospection of Psychotria Species (Rubiaceae) from the Brazilian Atlantic Rainforest

Tarsila Maria da Silva Moraes1 , Marlon Heggdorne de Araújo2 , 3 , Natália R. Bernardes2 , Daniela B. de Oliveira3 , Elena B. Lasunskaia2 , Michelle Frazão Muzitano2 , 4 , Maura Da Cunha1
  • 1Laboratório de Biologia Celular e Tecidual, Centro de Biociências e Biotecnologia, Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense Darcy Ribeiro, Campos dos Goytacazes, RJ, Brazil
  • 2Laboratório de Biologia do Reconhecer, Centro de Biociências e Biotecnologia, Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense Darcy Ribeiro, Campos dos Goytacazes, RJ, Brazil
  • 3Laboratório de Tecnologia de Alimentos, Centro de Ciências e Tecnologias Agropecuárias, Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense Darcy Ribeiro, Campos dos Goytacazes, RJ, Brazil
  • 4Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Campus Macaé, RJ, Brazil
Further Information

Publication History

received August 23, 2010 revised Dec. 1, 2010

accepted Dec. 3, 2010

Publication Date:
17 January 2011 (online)

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Abstract

Ten Psychotria species were collected in two fragments of Atlantic Forest in Rio de Janeiro: Psychotria pubigera (P1A and B), P. ruelliifolia (P2), P. suterela (P3), P. stachyoides (P4), P. capitata (P5), P. glaziovii (P6), P. leiocarpa (P7), P. nuda (P8), P. racemosa (P9) and P. vellosiana (P10). Ethanol extracts of these species were evaluated for their antimycobacterial activity, in an attempt to find new antituberculosis agents. Psychotria pubigera (P1A), P. ruelliifolia (P2) and P. stachyoides (P4) were the most active against Mycobacterium. The anti-inflammatory potential of these extracts was also evaluated in vitro to learn if they inhibit nitric oxide (NO) production in macrophages and if they have free-radical scavenging properties, because inflammation is a severe problem caused by tuberculosis, especially when the infection is from M. bovis or M. tuberculosis. Psychotria suterela (P3), P. stachyoides (P4) and P. capitata (P5) were the most active in inhibiting macrophage NO production but they were not the most antioxidant species. This suggests that NO inhibitory activity is not due to the scavenging of NO generated but due to a specific inhibition of iNOS activity or expression. In addition, cytotoxicity was tested in the macrophages (the host cells of the Mycobacterium) and it was verified that the extracts selectively killed the bacteria and not the host cells. When analyzing antimycobacterial, cytotoxicity and NO inhibitory activities in combination, P. stachyoides (P4) was the most promising anti-TB extract tested. Further, indol alkaloids were detected in P. suterela and P. nuda, and 5,6-dihydro-β-carboline alkaloids in all of the species studied, with the highest amounts found in P. capitata and P. racemosa.

Key words

Psychotria (Rubiaceae) - alkaloids - Mycobacterium bovis - anti‐inflammatory - antioxidant - tuberculosis

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Prof. Dr. Maura Da Cunha

Laboratório de Biologia Celular e Tecidual
Centro de Biociências e Biotecnologia
Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense

Av. Alberto Lamego, 2000

CEP 28013-602 Campos dos Goytacazes

Brazil

Phone: +55 22 27 39 72 63

Fax: +55 22 27 39 71 78

Email: maurauenf@gmail.com

Prof. Dr. Michelle Frazão Muzitano

Faculdade de Farmácia, Campus Macaé
Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro

R. Aluísio da Silva Gomes, 50

CEP 27930-560 Macaé, RJ

Brazil

Phone: +55 22 27 96 25 39

Fax: +55 22 27 96 25 39

Email: mfmuzitano@yahoo.com.br

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