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This study analyzed arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) activity and soil chemical properties in Aspidosperma pyrifolium, Bauhinia ungulata, Caesalpinia pyramidalis, and Caesalpinia ferrea. AMF spores, root colonization, total glomalin-related soil protein (T-GRSP), easily extracted GRSP (EE-GRSP), and soil chemical properties were measured four times (July 2019, 2020 and December 2019, 2020). Significant differences were observed in AMF spores, root colonization, T-GRSP, and EE-GRSP among the plant species and across seasons. For soil chemical properties, we observed differences among plant species. During the dry season, B. ungulata and C. pyramidalis had the highest AMF spores and root colonization (57.3 ± 0.27 spores 50 g soil -1  and 48.8 ± 1.05, respectively), whereas during the rainy season, C. pyramidalis and C. ferrea showed the highest AMF spores and root colonization (36.6 ± 0.13 spores 50 g soil -1  and 62.2 ± 1.17, respectively). A. pyrifolium showed the highest T-GRSP in both seasons. On the basis of the soil chemical properties, we found that (i) A. pyrifolium, B. ungulata, and C. ferrea showed the highest soil organic carbon (1.32 ± 0.03 g kg -1 ), phosphorus (7.01 ± 0.26 mg kg -1 ), and soil pH (5.85 ± 0.23) and (ii) C. pyramidalis showed the highest Ca 2+ , Mg 2+ , Na + , H +  + Al 3+ , K + , and soil total nitrogen (1.36 ± 0.04, 0.73 ± 0.01, 3.72 ± 0.85, 4.56 ± 0.12 cmol c  kg -1 , 15.43 ± 1.53 mg kg -1 , and 0.16 ± 0.01 g kg -1 , respectively). Our results highlight the advantage of AMF spores as perennating structures over other AM fungal propagules in seasonal vegetation like Caatinga., (© 2024 Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

The present work aimed to investigate the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and wound healing potential of ethyl acetate fraction from Bauhinia ungulata L. (FABU) on in vitro and in vivo models. Wound healing assay using human lung adenocarcinoma A549 cell line was employed to evaluate the ability of FABU in modulating cell migration. In addition, a surgical wound model in C57BL/6 mice was used to study the healing potential of FABU incorporated into gel carbomer 940 (Carbopol®). Evaluation of lipid peroxidation, inflammatory and anti-inflammatory mediator gene expression, rate of wound closure, and histological analysis were done. FABU significantly reduced the gap area in in vitro wound healing assay, 24 h after treatment. In the animal model, FABU at 0.5% topically applied once-daily for 5 days to the surgical wounds significantly reduced the lesion area. Moreover, it significantly decreased the levels of lipid peroxidation in the lesions and decreased the relative gene expression levels of IL-1β and TNF-α in the injured region. In conclusion, our study suggests that Bauhinia ungulata can effectively promote the wound healing, probably by regulating the inflammatory environment during the early stages of the process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The present study aimed to investigate the antioxidant, immunomodulatory and antimicrobial activities of Bauhinia ungulata L. Method: A flavonoid-rich fraction was obtained from the Bauhinia ungulata L stem, called the ethyl acetate fraction of Bauhinia ungulata (FABU). The total antioxidant capacity of the FABU was determined through the phosphomolibdenium reduction method. For the evaluation of its antioxidant activity on a cell culture model, LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells were treated with different concentrations of FABU and the reactive oxygen species (ROS), nitric oxide (NO), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) production levels were measured. For the analysis of its immunomodulatory capacity, TNF-α, TGF-β and IL-10 levels were determined in the culture supernatant. In order to determinate the antimicrobial activity of FABU, antifungal and antibacterial susceptibility testing was performed against Candida albicans, methicillinsensitive Staphylococcus aureus, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains. Result: The FABU demonstrated neither significant antimicrobial activity nor immunodulatory capacity; on the other hand, its potential antioxidant activity was demonstrated by the phosphomolibdenium reduction assay. Also, FABU treatment inhibited the ROS, NO, H2O2 and TBARS levels in the supernatant of LPS-stimulated cells. Conclusion: A significant reduction in the amount of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS) was observed, in addition to lipid peroxidation inhibition. Our data suggest that the FABU is a natural antioxidant complex that may interfere in the cascade of cell damage caused by free radicals and a promising potential drug in chronic disease models in which immunopathogenicity involves high levels of RONS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

RESUMOEste trabalho visou avaliar a ação fitotóxica de extrato e frações obtidas das folhas de Bauhinia ungulata L sobre a divisão celular e atividade das enzimas α-amilase, catalase, peroxidase e polifenoloxidase em plântulas de alface (Lactuca sativa, var Grand rapis). Sementes de alface foram expostas às concentrações de 250, 500 e 1000 µg.mL-1 do extrato de Bauhinia ungulata e frações do mesmo, em condições ambientais controladas. Após três dias de protusão radicular, as raízes das plântulas foram cortadas e submetidas a preparo específico para visualização e contagem do número de células em cada fase mitótica. No sétimo dia, as amostras foram submetidas à avaliação da atividade enzimática utilizando técnica específica para cada enzima e leitura espectrofotométrica. Na análise da divisão celular observou-se que houve redução no número de células em mitose nas raízes das plântulas testadas, e a fração acetato de etila apresentou maior efeito inibitório sobre a divisão celular. O efeito sobre as enzimas que demonstram alterações no sistema de defesa antioxidante de L. sativa mostram que o extrato bruto e frações alteraram a produção das enzimas α- amilase, peroxidase, catalase e polifenol oxidase em, ao menos, uma das concentrações testadas, sendo um indicativo de estresse que interfere na divisão celular. Os resultados obtidos apontam para a presença de compostos com atividade inibidora ou estimulatória nas folhas de B. ungulata revelando potencial fitotóxico sobre as plântulas de alface.

The essential oils obtained by hydrodistilation from leaves of Bauhinia pulchella Benth. and Bauhinia ungulata L. were analysed by GC-FID and GC-MS. The major components of B. pulchella essential oil were identified as α-pinene (23.9%), caryophyllene oxide (22.4%) and β-pinene (12.2%), while in the B. ungulata essential oil were caryophyllene oxide (23.0%), (E)-caryophyllene (14.5%) and a-copaene (7.2%). The essential oils were subsequently evaluated for their larvicidal and cytotoxic activities. Larval bioassay against Aedes aegypti of B. pulchella and B. ungulata essential oils showed LC50 values of 105.9 ± 1.5 and 75.1 ± 2.8 mg/mL, respectively. The essential oils were evaluated against four human cancer cells lines: HL-60 (promyelocytic leukemia), MCF-7 (breast adenocarcinoma), NCI-H292 (lung carcinoma) and HEP-2 (cervical adenocarcinoma), showing IC50 values in the range of 9.9 to 53.1 mg/mL. This is the first report on chemical composition of essential from leaves of B. pulchella and on larvicidal and cytotoxic activities of the essential oils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] A new lectin from Bauhinia ungulata seeds (BUL) was purified and characterized. [•] BUL showed antifungal activity against phytopathogenic species. [•] BUL exhibits antiproliferative effect against cells of human colon adenocarcinoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Background and Aims Under the microgametophytic competition hypothesis, a non-random pattern of seed abortion is expected, in which only the most vigorous seeds reach maturity. In a previous study, it was found that Bauhinia ungulata (Fabaceae) exhibits a pattern of seed abortion dependent on the position of the ovule within the ovary; ovules located in the stylar half of the fruit, close to the point of entry of pollen tubes to the ovary, have a low probability of seed abortion, whereas ovules in the basal half of the fruit are aborted with a high probability.• Methods A series of experimental fruits was generated, in which ovules from either the stylar (treatments 1 and 2) or the basal (treatments 3 and 4) half of fruits were destroyed, to evaluate whether these patterns of selective seed abortion have an effect on the vigour of the offspring in B. ungulata.• Key Results Only 53 % of the seed from control fruits germinated. Seed set in fruits from treatments 1 and 2 showed a significantly lower (33–43 %) percentage of germination; the germination of seeds from fruits in treatments 3 and 4 (49–51 %) did not differ from control seeds. In addition, it was found that the differences in vigour of the offspring are not random with respect to the position of the ovule in the pod.• Conclusions The overall performance of the seeds correlated with their likelihood of maturation. Seeds located at the basal half of the treatment fruits showed lower values of vigour than seeds located on the stylar half. The differences were more marked for early measures of fitness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Background and Aims It has been claimed that ovules linearly ordered within a fruit differ in their probabilities of reaching maturity. This was investigated by studying the effect the position of an ovule within the pod has on seed abortion and seed production in Bauhinia ungulata. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Air-dried leaves of Bauhinia ungulata L. were submitted to volatile oil isolation by hydrodistillation to produce an oil in 0.007% yield. The oil obtained was examined by gas chromatography (GC-FID) and gas chromatography mass spectrometiy (GC/MS). Thirteen compounds comprising 95.9% of the total peak area were identified. The main constituents identified were spathulenol (47.7%) and camyophyllene oxide (18.3%). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new bibenzyl, 2'-hydroxy-3,5-dimethoxy-4-methylbibenzyl (1) and four known compounds identified as 2'-hydroxy-3,5-dimethoxybibenzyl (2), liquiritigenin (3), guibourtinidol (4) and fisetinidol (5) were isolated from the roots of Bauhinia ungulata L. Phytochemical investigations of the stems of B. ungulata led to the isolation of the known compounds identified as liquiritigenin (3), guibourtinidol (4), fisetinidol (5), taraxerol (6), betulinic acid (7), taraxerone (8), glutinol (9), a mixture of sitosterol (10) and stigmasterol (11), pacharin (12), naringenin (13) and eriodictyol (14). The structures of these compounds were elucidated on the basis of their spectral data (IR, MS, 1D- and 2D-NMR). The cytotoxicity of the bibenzyl 1 has been evaluated against four human cancer cell lines, showing the IC 50 values of 4.3 and 6.5 μg ml -1 against pro-myelocytic leukemia (HL-60) and cervical adenocarcinoma (HEP-2) cell lines, respectively. This article also registers for the first time the 13 C-NMR data of the known bibenzyl 2., (© 2016 Wiley-VHCA AG, Zurich, Switzerland.)