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Rationale: Citrus aurantium L. is a plant belonging to the Rutaceae family, whose extracts are extensively used in weight management products and as thermogenic agents. Here we present two methodologies to analyse the extracts obtained from the peels of Citrus aurantium L. that usually require multiple sample preparation and detection steps., Methods: Polar compounds of the crude extract from the peels of Citrus aurantium L. (Rutaceae) were investigated by direct infusion electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) and high-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC) coupled to desorption electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (DESI-MS). ESI-MS was performed in both positive and negative ion modes. Molecular imaging of the HPTLC plates was used for the direct analysis of the phytocompounds present in the crude extract from the peels of Citrus aurantium L. by DESI-MS imaging., Results: Characteristic mass spectra with many diagnostic ions were obtained from the extract analysis, allowing a fast and reliable identification of these species. Tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) was employed to confirm the identity of specific metabolites., Conclusions: HPTLC/DESI-MS imaging is a relatively fast, versatile, and efficient technique for natural product analysis, since many more ions are observed than with the direct infusion ESI-MS. The MS/MS technique provided information about the component structures, revealing the presence of important bioactive components. The application of DESI-MS imaging may contribute to the improvement identification and characterization of pharmacologically active compounds in phytochemistry., (Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.)

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Rubus niveus Thunb. plant belongs to Rosaceae family and have been used traditionally to treat wounds, burns, inflammation, dysentery, diarrhea and for curing excessive bleeding during menstrual cycle. The present study was undertaken to investigate the in vivo genotoxicity of Rubus niveus aerial parts extract and its possible chemoprotection on doxorubicin (DXR)-induced DNA damage. In parallel, the main phytochemicals constituents in the extract were determined., Materials and Methods: The animals were exposed to the extract for 24 and 48 h, and the doses selected were 500, 1000 and 2000 mg/kg b.w. administered by gavage alone or prior to DXR (30 mg/kg b.w.) administered by intraperitoneal injection. The endpoints analyzed were DNA damage in bone marrow and peripheral blood cells assessed by the alkaline alkaline (pH>13) comet assay and bone marrow micronucleus test., Results and Conclusion: The results of chemical analysis of the extract showed the presence of tormentic acid, stigmasterol, quercitinglucoronide (miquelianin) and niga-ichigoside F1 as main compounds. Both cytogenetic endpoints analyzed showed that there were no statistically significant differences (p>0.05) between the negative control and the treated groups with the two higher doses of Rubus niveus extract alone, demonstrating absence of genotoxic and mutagenic effects. Aneugenic/clastogenic effect was observed only at 2000 mg/kg dose. On the other hand, in the both assays and all tested doses were observed a significant reduction of DNA damage and chromosomal aberrations in all groups co-treated with DXR and extract compared to those which received only DXR. These results indicate that Rubus niveus aerial parts extract did not revealed any genotoxic effect, but presented some aneugenic/clastogenic effect at higher dose; and suggest that it could be a potential adjuvant against development of second malignant neoplasms caused by the cancer chemotherapic DXR., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Rubus imperialis Cham. Schl. (Rosaceae) is frequently used in traditional medicine as hypoglycemic, antinociceptive and antiviral remedy., Materials and Methods: Swiss albino mice were distributed in eight groups for acute treatment with Rubus imperialis extract (24 h). The extract doses selected were 50, 250 and 500 mg/kg b.w. administered by gavage alone or plus to CPA (50 mg/kg b.w.) administered by intraperitoneal injection. Control groups were treated in a similar way. Analyses were performed using the comet assay, on leukocytes (collected 4 and 24h after treatment) and liver (collected 24 h after treatment), and using the micronucleus test (MN) in bone marrow cells. Cytotoxicity was assessed by scoring 200 consecutive polychromatic (PCE) and normochromatic (NCE) erythrocytes (PCE/NCE ratio)., Results and Conclusion: The main compounds identified in the Rubus imperialis extract were saponins and steroidal compounds, with niga-ichigoside and tormentic acid being the major compounds. Tested doses of Rubus imperialis extract showed no genotoxic effects on leukocytes from peripheral blood or liver cells by the comet assay. However, the MN test showed an increase in the frequency of micronucleated cells at the two higher doses tested, indicating that this extract has clastogenic/aneugenic effects on bone marrow cells at higher doses. On the other hand, for all cells evaluated, the three tested doses of the Rubus imperialis extract promoted inhibition of DNA damage induced by CPA. Despite the chemoprevention observed, the clastogenicity/aneugenicity observed suggested caution about either continuous or high-dose usage of Rubus imperialis aerial parts extract by humans., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The crude ethanolic extract from aerial parts of Pothomorphe umbellata L. (Piperaceae) and fractions obtained by partitions sequentially among water-methanol, methylene chloride, and ethyl acetate, as well as the major constituent, 4-nerolidylcatechol, were, respectively, evaluated and evidenced for antioxidant and cytotoxic effects through fluorometric microplate and microculture tetrazolium assays in HL-60 cells. The crude ethanolic extract demonstrated the preeminent antioxidant activity (IC50 = 1.2  μg/mL) against exogenous cytoplasmic reactive oxygen species, followed by the water-methanolic (IC50 = 4.5  μg/mL), methylene chloride (IC50 = 5.9  μg/mL), ethyl acetate (IC50 = 8.0  μg/mL), 4-nerolidylcatechol (IC50 = 8.6  μg/mL), and the sterol fractions (IC50 > 12.5  μg/mL). Vitamin C, the positive control used in this assay, presented IC50 value equivalent to 1.7  μg/mL. 4-Nerolidylcatechol (IC50 = 0.4  μg/mL) and methylene chloride fraction (IC50 = 2.3  μg/mL) presented considerable cytotoxicity probably because of the presence of an o-quinone, an auto-oxidation by product of the catechol. Polar compounds, present in the ethanol extract, appear to increase the solubility and stability of the major active constituent, acting synergistically with 4-nerolidylcatechol, improving its pharmacokinetic parameters and increasing significantly its antioxidant activity which, in turn, suggests that the aqueous-ethanolic extract, used in folklore medicine, is safe and effective.

The effects of aqueous and alkaline extracts from Agaricus blazei Murill, an edible mushroom used as folk medicine in Brazil, Japan, and China to treat several illnesses, were investigated on the basis of the inflammatory process induced by different agents. Oral administration of A. blazei extracts marginally inhibited the edema induced by nystatin. In contrast, when complete Freund's adjuvant was used as the inflammatory stimulus, both extracts were able to inhibit this process significantly (P < .05, analysis of variance followed by Tukey-Kramer multiple comparison post hoc test), although it inhibited the granulomatous tissue induction moderately. These extracts were able to decrease the ulcer wounds induced by stress. Also, administration of extracts inhibited neutrophil migration to the exudates present in the peritoneal cavity after carrageenin injection. Therefore, it is possible that A. blazei extracts can be useful in inflammatory diseases because of activation of the immune system and its cells induced by the presence of polysaccharides such as beta-glucans.