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- Chemical Composition and Phytopharmaceuticals : An Overview of the Caulerpa and Cystoseira GeneraPublication . Rosa, Gonçalo P.; Barreto, Maria do Carmo; Seca, Ana M. L.; Pinto, Diana C. G. A.In recent years, macroalgae attracted increasing attention from many industries of diverse branches such as plastics, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and food. This interest is due to the diverse chemical composition existing within the various macroalgae classes, which offer the possibility of finding a wide array of primary and secondary metabolites with exciting properties and great potential for pharmacological applications. Caulerpa spp. and Cystoseira spp. produce a wide array of exciting compounds that have been isolated and showed a broad range of biological activities such as anti-inflammatory, antibiotic, antiprotozoal, antitumor, cytotoxic activities, among others. These compounds present high biomedical potential, constituting natural structures that could serve as scaffolds for designing novel leads for pharmacological purposes. However, Caulerpa and Cystoseira species and their cosmetic potential are still understudied, which shows a great research opportunity.
- The current status of bioactive metabolites from the genus JuniperusPublication . Seca, Ana M. L.; Pinto, Diana C. G. A.; Silva, Artur M. S.The genus Juniperus (family Cupressaceae) is one of the most numerous genera of the conifers (there are 102 accepted Latin binominal names). The plants are evergreen shrubs or trees, widely distributed throughout the northern hemisphere from the sea level to above timberline. Some Juniperus species are frequently used in medicinal purposes, for example Juniperus communis L. is used traditionally to cure tuberculosis while Juniperus oxycedrus L. is used in Turkey as a folk remedy in the treatment of diabetes. The richness of Juniperus species in essential oils and secondary metabolites type diterpenes, flavonoids and lignans contributes to its use in the folk medicine. Details on the most recent and relevant pharmacological studies on the bioactive secondary metabolites isolated from Juniperus species will be summarized and thoroughly discussed.
- Estado del Se, Cu y Zn y su relación con el perfil lipídico sérico en sujetos portugueses de Lisboa y el archipiélago de las AzoresPublication . Lopes, Paula Alexandra; Vicente, Luís; Rodrigues, V. O.; Santos, V. C.; Napoleão, Patrícia; Pavão, Maria Leonor; Nève, Jean; Viegas-Crespo, Ana MariaEl selenio (Se), el cobre (Cu) y el cinc (Zn) son oligoelementos esenciales para los mamíferos con funciones biológicas bien demostradas en los seres humanos (Neve y Palmieri, 2000; Viegas-Crespo y cols., 2000). Aparte de otras funciones metabólicas relevantes, desempeñan papeles importantes en la regulación del equilíbrio redox celular y ex-tracelular actuando junto con las defensas antioxidantes (Yu, 1994). Varios estudios epidemiológicos han demostrado que las concentraciones de oligoelementos esenciales dependende factores como la edad, el sexo y las situaciones fisiológicas y patológicas (Versieck y Cornelis, 1989). Además, la localización geográfica también parece ser un factor importante en la determinación de las 1as concentraciones sanguineas de oligoelementos, ya que puede relacionarse con las influencias de características geoquímicas, el aporte de alimentos y agua, las condiciones sociales y ambientales, el estilo de vida y otros factores (Robberecht y Deelstra, 1994; Viegas-Crespo y cols., 2000; Pavão y cols., en prensa). Varios estudios clínicos prospectivos han indicado que existe una relación entre las concentraciones de estos elementos y el perfil lipídico sérico (Salonen y cols., 1991; Crespo y cols., 1994; Pavão y cols., en prensa). Asimismo, se cree que la deficiencia de estos oligoelementos puede relacionarse con la aparición de enfermedades degenerativas asociadas a aterogenia y lesión vascular (Neve, 1996; Mahalingam y cols., 1997). Este estudio forma parte de un proyecto dirigido a analizar el equilíbrio oxidante/antioxidante en varias poblaciones portuguesas con diferentes perfiles socioculturales y hábitos alimentarias. En el presente trabajo se describe el estado de los oligoelementos (concentraciones séricas de Se, Cu y Zn) en los habitantes de seis comunidades de zonas urbanas, rurales y pescadoras localizadas en el continente (población de Lisboa) y en el Archipiélago de las Azores - isla de S. Miguel. Se comentan las diferencias en estos estados de oligoelementos entre las poblaciones y también se analiza su relación con el sexo, la edad y el perfil lipídico. (Introducción)
- An overview of Salicornia genus : the phytochemical and pharmacological profilePublication . Isca, Vera M. S.; Seca, Ana M. L.; Pinto, Diana C. G. A.; Silva, Artur M. S.Salicornia L. (Chenopodiaceae) is a genus of annual, apparently leafless halophytic herb that have articulated and succulent stems. The Salicornia species comprise the most salttolerant land plant and frequently occur in saline areas. The use of glasswort as food is referred by the forensic palynology as a reality at least from 550 years ago. Nowadays it is much appreciated as a gourmet product in Europe but particularly in Asian countries, where is used in fresh salads and pickles. Some of the Salicornia species display applications on folk medicine (for treatment of bronchitis, hepatitis and diarrhea) and showed important biological properties such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, hypoglycemic and cytotoxic activities. The phythochemical studies on this genus reported the presence of fatty acids, sterols, saponins, chlorogenic acid derivatives, alkaloids, flavonoids and other kind of phenolic compounds.The purpose of this review is to highlight the advances in Salicornia genus knowledge by presenting its biological and medicinal applications, phytochemical studies and the relationship between the isolated compounds with the described biological and/or medicinal properties.
- The chemical composition of the Juniperus genus (1970-2004)Publication . Seca, Ana M. L.; Silva, Artur M. S.Juniperus is an important genus widely distributed in the North hemisphere and it is used in folk medicine as well as source of cedarwood oil, a natural product with several industrial applications. The genus has attracted a great interest in the scientific communits and it has been the subject ofmore than 320 published phytochemical studies in the last 35 years. It is mainly a source of sesquiterpenes, diterpenes and lignans, some of them with very promising biological activities. The compounds identified from Juniperus species during the period 1970-2004, except essential oils fractions, are compiled in this report togetherwith the biological activities of the Juniperus extracts and of the isolated pure compounds.