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Background: Africa has a rich diversity of plant species, which can be considered important sources of new chemical compounds that can be used in the development of novel therapeutic drugs. Objectives: The present study aimed at investigating the antioxidant activity and total phenolic content of extracts obtained from the roots of Phragmanthera glaucocarpa (Peyr.) Balle, a plant used in Angola folk medicine. Methods: The prepared extracts were tested for their antioxidant activity using ABTS (2,2’-azinobis-(3-ethyl-benzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid), DPPH (1’,1’-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl), and peroxide value methods. Total phenolics were evaluated by the FolinCiocalteu method. Results: For ABTS, the best EC50 result was obtained with the ethyl acetate fraction (1.06 ± 0.30 mg/mL). For the DPPH method, the methanol extract and aqueous fraction presented the best EC50 results, 0.10 ± 0.01 mg/mL and 0.10 ± 0.00 mg/mL, respectively. The ethyl acetate fraction had the highest phenolic content (280.42 ± 0.15 mg G.A.E. /g of dry extract). The best result for the peroxide reduction value on the eighth day of sunflower oil oxidation was obtained for the aqueous fraction, with 131.40 ± 1.05 meq O2 /g of lipid sample. Conclusions: The results of the present study demonstrate that the roots of the medicinal plant Phragmanthera glaucocarpa (Peyr.) Balle represent a promising source of natural phenolic compounds with antioxidant activity.

Background/Aim: Cancer is a leading cause of death. Hence, this study aimed at the optimization of niclosamide derivatives for the development of new potential anticancer agents. Materials and Methods: Niclosamide derivatives were synthesized and tested against a panel of human cancer cells: MDA and MCF7 breast cancer cells, PC3 and DU-145 prostate cancer cells, Hela cervical cancer cells, and HL-60 acute promyelocytic leukemia cells. They were also tested in nuclear factor-ĸappa B (NFĸB), V-Ki-ras2 Kirsten rat sarcoma viral oncogene (KRAS), and mitochondria transmembrane potential (MTP) assays. Results: N-(3,5-Bis(trifluoromethyl)phenyl)-5-chloro-2-hydroxybenzamide exhibited the most significant cytotoxicity against HL-60 cells, while 5-chloro-N-(2-chlorophenyl)-2-hydroxybenzamide was the most active in the NFĸB assay and 5-chloro-N-(3,5-difluorophenyl)-2-hydroxybenzamide in the MTP assay. 5-chloro-N-(2-chloro-4-(trifluoromethyl) phenyl)-2-hydroxybenzamide and 5-chloro-2-hydroxy-N-(4-hydroxyphenyl)benzamide inhibited both HL-60 cell proliferation and NFĸB. Conclusion: In-depth study of the most promising compounds is highly encouraged to further develop into potential anticancer agents those derivatives found to be significantly active.

Three new labdanes with 8α,15-epoxy ring [methyl 8α,15-epoxylabdan-16β-oate, 8α,15-epoxylabdan-16β-ol and 8α,15-epoxy-16-norlabdan-13β-ol] and five known compounds [8α,15-epoxy-16-norlabdan-13-one, 8α,15-epoxylabdan-16β-oic acid, 3β-(3'',4''-dihydroxy)(E)-cinnamoyloxylup-20(29)-ene, 3-(2',3',4',6'-tetra-O-acetyl-β-D-glucopyranosyloxy)β-sitosterol and 16-acetoxy-8α,15-epoxylabdane] were isolated from toluene and dichloromethane extracts of aerial parts of Eragrostis viscosa. The structures of all the compounds were established based on their spectroscopic data and X-ray diffraction analysis of 8α,15-epoxylabdan-16β-ol. It was also studied the genotoxicity of E. viscosa, particularly compounds 16-acetoxy-8α, 15-epoxylabdane, 8α,15-epoxy-16-norlabdan-13-one and 8α, 15-epoxilabdan-16β-ol, using a cytokinesis-block micronucleus assay and the Ames test to assess mutagenicity. Both assays were negative. Cytotoxicity was also analyzed using an MTT assay, and 8α,15-epoxy-16β-ol was shown to be the most cytotoxic of the compounds tested. E. viscosa extracts were also tested to determine their antioxidant capacities, peroxide values and total phenolic contents., Três novos labdanos com anel 8α,15-epoxi [8α,15-epoxilabdan-16β-oato de metila, 8α,15-epoxilabdan-16β-ol e 8α,15-epoxi-16-norlabdan-13β-ol] e cinco compostos conhecidos [8α,15-epoxi-16-norlabdan-13-ona, ácido 8α,15-epoxilabdan-16β-oico, β-(3’’,4’’-di-hidroxi)- (E)-cinamoiloxilup-20(29)-eno, 3-(2’,3’,4’,6’-tetra-O-acetil-β-D-glucopiranosiloxi)-β-sitosterol e 16-acetoxi-8α,15-epoxilabdano] foram isolados dos extratos de tolueno e diclorometano de partes aéreas da Eragrostis viscosa. A estrutura dos compostos foi atribuída a partir dos seus dados espectroscópicos e da análise de difração de raios X do 8α,15-epoxilabdan-16β-ol. Os compostos 16-acetóxi-8α,15-epoxilabdano, 8α,15-epoxi-16-norlabdan-13-ona e 8α,15-epoxilabdan-16β-ol não apresentam genotoxicidade e mutagenicidade, as quais foram avaliadas usando o teste dos micronúcleos e o teste de Ames, respetivamente. A citotoxicidade dos mesmos compostos foi avaliada usando o teste do MTT sendo o 8α,15-epoxilabdan-16β-ol o mais citotóxico de todos os compostos analisados. Foram também avaliadas a capacidade antioxidante, o valor peróxido e o conteúdo em fenóis totais de extratos de E. viscosa.