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Ethanol extracts from a group of 53 marine organisms, including a newly identified species, from Baja California Sur (México), were evaluated for their antimicrobial and antiparasitic activity. The activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus faecalis, Bacillus subtilis (Gram +), Escherichia coli (Gram-) and Candida albicans (yeast) was determined by the diffusion agar method. Aplysina gerardogreeni (Demospongiae) was found to be the most active sample. In addition, A. gerardogreeni, Pacifigorgia media, and Pacifigorgia sp. possess significant activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis H 37Rv and Pacifigorgia media and Geodia sp. against Mycobacterium avium. From this group, 15 ethanol extracts were tested in vitro against Entamoeba histolytica and Giardia lamblia. Litotamnium crassiussculum, Geodia sp., Pacifigorgia sp. showed significant activity against Entamoeba histolytica while Myxilla incrustans and Muricea appressa were active against Giardia lamblia. Litotamnium crassiussculum showed activity against both trophozoites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: An ethnobotany-based approach in the selection of raw plant materials to study was implemented. Objective: To acquire raw plant materials using ethnobotanical field interviews as starting point to discover new bioactive compounds from medicinal plants of the Lao People's Democratic Republic. Methods: Using semi-structured field interviews with healers in the Lao PDR, plant samples were collected, extracted, and bio-assayed to detect bioactivity against cancer, HIV/AIDS, TB, malaria. Plant species demonstrating activity were recollected and the extracts subjected to a bioassay-guided isolation protocol to isolate and identify the active compounds. Results: Field interviews with 118 healers in 15 of 17 provinces of Lao PDR yielded 753 collections (573 species) with 955 plant samples. Of these 955, 50 extracts demonstrated activity in the anticancer, 10 in the anti-HIV, 30 in the anti-TB, and 52 in the antimalarial assay. Recollection of actives followed by bioassay-guided isolation processes yielded a series of new and known in vitro-active anticancer and antimalarial compounds from 5 species. Discussion: Laos has a rich biodiversity, harboring an estimated 8000-11,000 species of plants. In a country highly dependent on traditional medicine for its primary health care, this rich plant diversity serves as a major source of their medication. Conclusions: Ethnobotanical survey has demonstrated the richness of plant-based traditional medicine of Lao PDR, taxonomically and therapeutically. Biological assays of extracts of half of the 955 samples followed by in-depth studies of a number of actives have yielded a series of new bioactive compounds against the diseases of cancer and malaria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bioassay-guided fractionation of the chloroform extract of Byrsonima fagifolia leaves led to the isolation of active antitubercular compounds alkane dotriacontane (Minimal Inhibitory Concentration—MIC, 62.5 μgmL-1), triterpenoids as bassic acid (MIC = 2.5 μgmL-1), α-amyrin acetate (MIC = 62.5 μgmL-1), a mixture of lupeol, α- and β-amyrin (MIC = 31.5 μgmL-1) and a mixture of lupeol, and acetates of α- and β-amyrin (MIC = 31.5 μgmL-1). The antimycobacterial activity was determined by the Microplate Alamar Blue Assay (MABA) and the structures of promising compounds were determined by spectroscopic analysis. This investigation constitutes the first report of a chemical and antitubercular study of apolar compounds from B. fagifolia Niedenzu (IK). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]