€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ *****ARCHIVOS LATINOAMERICANOS DE NUTRICION***** Arellano ML Carranco JM Perez-Gil RF Hernandez PE Partida IH Ripoll SH [Chemical composition of 6 unconventional plants from Oaxaca State, Mexico, as potential resources for animal feed] Estudio de la composicion quimica de 6 plantas no convencionales del Estado de Oaxaca, Mexico, como recursos potenciales en la alimentacion animal. In: Arch Latinoam Nutr (1993 Sep) 43(3):264-8 ISSN: 0004-0622 (Published in Spanish) Characteristics and distribution of six plants are described. The chemical composition and in vitro digestibility of leaf and stem of Polymnia maculata, Trigonospermum annuum, Buddleia parviflora Kunt, Canna indica L, Gnaphalium oxyphyllum y Saurauia scabrida Hensl., selected for farmers information, were analysed as a potential resources in animal feeding. The results in dry matter: Crude protein (%): Go and Ss 10.9, Bp 16.7, Pm 11.7 and Ta 11.3. Cell wall (%): Go 54.1, Ss 52.3, Ci 54.4, Bp 68.3, Pm 27.8 and Ta 30.9. Lignin (%): Go and Ss 16.6, Ci 15.5, Bp 10.4, Pm 10.6 and Ta 13.3. IN vitro dry matter digestibility (%): Go 55.1, Ss 37.6, Ci 55.4, Bp 46.5, Pm 82.4 and Ta 81.4. Calcium and phosphorus (mg/100g) respectively: Go 1095 and 379, Ss 1132 and 387, Ci 600 and 421, Bp 800 and 855, Pm 1146 and 421 and Ta 905 and 480. Tannic acid (mg/100g): Go 1450, Ss 1480, Bp 575, Ci 518, Pm 3329 and Ta 2760. Trypsin inhibitor (UIT/g): Go 22264, Ss 29720, Bp 755, Ci 4228, Pm 931 and Ta 4412. Hemagglutinins were detected in Pm and Ta. Alkaloids were detected as scarce in Bp, Ci and Pm, moderate in Ta. Saponins and Cyanogenic glucosides were not detected. It is concluded that Pm and Ta could be considered as a forage for ruminants; Go, Bp and Ci as a complement; recommended the voluntary intake, in vivo digestibility and weight increase trials. €€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ *****JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY***** Caceres A Alvarez AV Ovando AE Samayoa BE Plants used in Guatemala for the treatment of respiratory diseases. 1. Screening of 68 plants against gram-positive bacteria. In: J Ethnopharmacol (1991 Feb) 31(2):193-208 ISSN: 0378-8741 Respiratory ailments are important causes of morbidity and mortality in developing countries. Ethnobotanical surveys and literature reviews conducted in Guatemala during 1986-88 showed that 234 plants from 75 families, most of them of American origin, have been used for the treatment of respiratory ailments. Three Gram-positive bacteria causing respiratory infections (Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pneumoniae and Streptococcus pyogenes) were used to screen 68 of the most commonly used plants for activity. Twenty-eight of these (41.2%) inhibited the growth of one or more of the bacteria tested. Staphylococcus aureus was inhibited by 18 of the plant extracts, while 7 extracts were effective against Streptococcus pyogenes. Plants of American origin which exhibited antibacterial activity were: Gnaphalium viscosum, Lippia alba, Lippia dulcis, Physalis philadelphica, Satureja brownei, Solanum nigrescens and Tagetes lucida. These preliminary in vitro results provide scientific basis for the use of these plants against bacterial respiratory infections. €€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ Caceres A Cano O Samayoa B Aguilar L Plants used in Guatemala for the treatment of gastrointestinal disorders. 1. Screening of 84 plants against enterobacteria. In: J Ethnopharmacol (1990 Aug) 30(1):55-73 ISSN: 0378-8741 Gastrointestinal disorders are important causes of morbidity in developing countries. Natural healing is the traditional way of treating these diseases in Guatemala. Ethnobotanical surveys and literature reviews showed that 385 plants from 95 families are used in Guatemala for the treatment of gastrointestinal disorders. The activity of 84 of the most commonly used plants was screened in vitro against five enterobacteria pathogenic to man (enteropathogenic Escherichia coli, Salmonella enteritidis, Salmonella typhi, Shigella dysenteriae and Shigella flexneri). Results indicate that 34 (40.48%) plants inhibit one or more of the enterobacteria tested. The most commonly inhibited bacterium was S. typhi (33.73%) and the most resistant was E. coli (7.35%). The plants of American origin which exhibited the best antibacterial activity were: Byrsonima crassifolia, Diphysa robinioides, Gnaphalium stramineum, Guazuma ulmifolia, Psidium guajava, Sambucus mexicana, Simarouba glauca, Smilax lundelii, Spondias purpurea and Tagetes lucida. These results indicate a scientific basis for use of these medicinal plants for attacking enterobacterial infections in man. €€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ *****JOURNAL OF NATURAL PRODUCTS***** Kubo I Yokokawa Y Kinst-Hori I Tyrosinase inhibitors from Bolivian medicinal plants. In: J Nat Prod (1995 May) 58(5):739-43 ISSN: 0163-3864 Bioassay-guided fractionation monitored by mushroom tyrosinase (EC 1.14.18.1) activity, afforded six inhibitors from three Bolivian medicinal plants, Buddleia coriacea, Gnaphalium cheiranthifolium, and Scheelea princeps. These inhibitors, which are all known phenolic compounds, inhibited the oxidation of L-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (L- DOPA) mediated by a mushroom tyrosinase. Registry Numbers: EC 1.14.18.1 (Monophenol Monooxygenase) €€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ *****PLANTA MEDICA***** Cuadra P Fajardo V Munoz O Arrieta A Urzua A Determination of the effect of 8-O-(2-methyl-2-butenoyl)-5,7- dihydroxy-3-methoxyflavone from Gnaphalium robustum on growth of Escherichia coli K-12 by optical density and electrical conductance measurements [letter] In: Planta Med (1994 Dec) 60(6):598-9 ISSN: 0032-0943 [No Abstract Available] €€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ *****REVISTA ARGENTINA DE MICROBIOLOGIA***** Mongelli E Desmarchelier C Coussio J Ciccia G [Antimicrobial activity and interaction with DNA of medicinal plants from the Peruvian Amazon region] Actividad antimicrobiana e interaccion con el ADN de plantas medicinales de la Amazonia peruana. In: Rev Argent Microbiol (1995 Oct-Dec) 27(4):199-203 ISSN: 0325-7541 (Published in Spanish) Decoctions of four plants used for the treatment of different infections by indigenous groups of the Peruvian Amazon, i.e. Abuta grandifolia, Cyperus articulatus, Gnaphalium spicatum and Pothomorphe peltata were evaluated for antimicrobial activity by the "stroke method" in agar plates. Tested organisms included Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Salmonella gallinarum, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Candida albicans, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Mycobacterium gordonae. All decoctions showed antimicrobial activity against at least one of the tested organisms. The A. grandifolia and C. articulatis decoctions partially inhibited the growth of P. aeruginosa. S. aureus was completely inhibited by C. articulatus decoction and only partially inhibited by G. spicatum and P. peltata. The A. grandifolia decoction also showed a partial inhibition against M. gordonae, showing a clear correlation between the ethnopharmacological use and the observed activity. Methanolic extracts of plants were analyzed by using the DNA-methyl green bioassay. The methanolic extract of P. peltata (concentration 1000 micrograms/ml) showed a decrease of 30% regarding to the initial absorbance of the DNA-MG complex suggesting the possible interaction with DNA. Registry Numbers: 82-94-0 (Methyl Green) 9007-49-2 (DNA) €€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€