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Human activities, especially in industry, have contributed to soil contamination with heavy or toxic metals. The objective of this study was to determine the chelating effect and antioxidant activity of pyrogallol, as well as to evaluate its cytoprotective activity in prokaryotic and eukaryotic models, animal and plant, respectively, against toxic mercury chloride action. Antioxidant activity was determined by DPPH where pyrogallol showed considerable action, chelating even iron ions. For the microbiologic activity assays, microdilution was performed to obtain the minimal inhibitory concentration, minimum bactericidal and minimum fungicide concentration, from which the sub-inhibitory concentrations were determined. The product did not conferred cytoprotection to the tested bacteria and fungi. To evaluate plant cytoprotection, Lactuta sativa seeds were used together with the product at a sub-allelopathic concentration with different HgCl 2 concentrations. In this case, the tannin conferred cytoprotection to the plant model, allowing the best growth and development of caulicles and radicles, thus preserving tissues necessary for plant survival. From the results, it is observable that pyrogallol possesses cytoprotective action in the eukaryotic plant model, this action being useful as an alternative which favors the growth of plants in contaminated areas, as the recovering of crop fields or reforestation projects.

A ligand, formed from the coupling of gallic acid with ethylenediamine, namely 3,4,5‐trihydroxy‐N‐{2‐[(3,4,5‐trihydroxyphenyl)formamido]ethyl}benzamide (GEtH2), and its Cu(II), Ni(II) and Co(II) complexes, were synthesized. The corresponding structures were described by elemental analysis, infrared spectroscopy, 1H and 13C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The data revealed that GEtH2 acts as a binegative tetradentate ligand via carbonyl oxygen atoms and deprotonated amide nitrogen. The paper discusses the thermal decomposition behavior of the prepared ligand and its complexes and evaluates the kinetic and thermodynamic parameters of the stage of decomposition using the Coats–Redfern method. The analysis studies of TGA data reflected potential and good thermal stability of GEtH2 and its metal complexes. The photocatalytic performances of the complexes for the decomposition of methyl orange (MO) under ultraviolet irradiation were also investigated. The result showed that the degradation of MO after 150 min irradiation is 76.96, 85.55 and 71.86% for Cu(II), Ni(II) and Co(II) complexes, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The toxic effects of mercury in earthworms and the potential alleviation effect of hydrogen-rich water (HRW) using ATR-FTIR and LC–MS analysis methods were investigated. Different concentrations of mercury chloride (H1: 5 µg/mL, H2: 10 µg/mL, H3: 20 µg/mL, H4: 40 µg/mL, and C1: control) and mercury chloride prepared in hydrogen-rich water (H5: 5 µg/mL, H6: 10 µg/mL, H7: 20 µg/mL, H8: 40 µg/mL, and C2: control) were injected into earthworms. The changes and reductions in some bands representing proteins, lipids, and polysaccharides (3280 cm−1, 2922 cm−1, 2855 cm−1, 1170 cm−1, and 1047 cm−1) showed that protective effects could occur in groups prepared with hydrogen-rich water. In the FTIR results, it was found that these bands in the H3 group were more affected and decreased by the influence of mercury on earthworms than the H7 group prepared with hydrogen. LC–MS analysis showed that the changes in some ions of the highest dose groups (H4 and H8) were different, and mercury caused oxidative DNA damage in earthworms. When the high-level application groups of mercury, i.e., H4 and H8 were compared with the controls, the ion exchange ([M + H] + ; m/z 283.1) representing the 8-Oxo-dG level in earthworms was higher in the H4 group than the H8 group. This reveals that HRW exhibited the potential ability to alleviate the toxic effects of mercury; however, a longer period of HRW treatment may be necessary to distinguish an obvious effect. The ATR-FTIR spectroscopy provided a rapid and precise method for monitoring the changes in biological tissues caused by a toxic compound at the molecular level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Leguminosae or Fabaceae belongs to the Fabales order and comprises about 727 genera and 19.327 species. It is the largest family on Brazilian soil. Its biodiversity is present in practically the entire vegetal composition, showing its ecological importance in different ecosystems. It is subdivided into six subfamilies (Caesalpinioideae, Dialioideae, Detarioideae, Cercidoideae, Duparquetia idea and Papilionoideae). It has applications in different areas such as food, reforestation, wood industry, ornamentals, forages and herbal medicine. The secondary metabolites of this family are quite diverse, including the class of flavonoids, phenolic acids, tannins, anthocyanins, coumarins, saponins, phytosteroids and terpenoids, making it the second-largest family to be used with therapeutic resources in the world. Studies reveal important bioactive properties related to species, such as: Antioxidant, antimicrobial, antiproliferative, anti-tumor, anti-inflammatory, anti-leishmania, healing, cardioprotective, hypoglycemic, myorelaxant, antiulcerogenic, serine proteinase inhibition, chemoprotective and anti-wrinkles. In this context, this work aims to present a review on the Libidibia ferrea (Mart. ex Tul.) L.P. Queiroz, Inga edulis Mart, Bauhinia purpurea L. Hymenaea courbaril L, Schizolobium parahyba var. amazonicum (Huber ex Ducke) Barneby, Parkia multijuga Benth, Parkianitida Miq., Pterodon emarginatus Vogel and Phanera splendens (Kunth) Vaz species belonging to Leguminosae, approaching its botanical aspects, its occurrence and uses, as well as its chemodiversity and the associated biological activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]