Browsing by Author "Maes, Louis"
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- In vitro evaluation of portuguese propolis and floral sources for antiprotozoal, antibacterial and antifungal activityPublication . Falcão, Soraia; Vale, Nuno; Cos, Paul; Gomes, Paula; Freire, Cristina; Maes, Louis; Vilas-Boas, MiguelPropolis is a beehive product with a very complex chemical composition, used since ancient times in several therapeutic treatments. As a contribution to the improvement of drugs against several tropical diseases caused by protozoa, we screened Portuguese propolis and its potential floral sources Populus x Canadensis and Cistus ladanifer against Plasmodium falciparum, Leishmania infantum, Trypanosoma brucei and Trypanosoma cruzi. The toxicity against MRC-5 fibroblast cells was evaluated to assess selectivity. The in vitro assays were performed following the recommendations of WHO Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases (TDR) and revealed moderate activity, with the propolis extracts presenting the relatively highest inhibitory effect against T. brucei. Additionally, the antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Candida albicans, Trichophyton rubrum and Aspergillus fumigatus was also verified with the better results observed against T. rubrum. The quality of the extracts was controlled by evaluating the phenolic content and antioxidant activity. The observed biological activity variations are associated with the variable chemical composition of the propolis and the potential floral sources under study.
- Screening of portuguese propolis and its plant sources for inhibitory activity against pathogenic protozoaPublication . Vale, Nuno; Falcão, Soraia; Batista, Vânia; Freire, Cristina; Maes, Louis; Vilas-Boas, MiguelPropolis is a beehive product with a very complex chemical composition, widely used in folk medicine because of its several therapeutic activities. Its biological properties and chemical composition may vary according to the geografic location and to the different plant sources. Recently, we reported the mechanism for extration and propolis sample preparation (Falca˜o et al, Anal. Bioanal. Chem., 2010, 396: 887-897). After that, we developed a new study for Portuguese propolis and plant samples found around the hive, and we present in this study the activity of these samples against pathogenic protozoa. Two different raw propolis samples from the northeast and centre of Portugal, both acquired from local beekeepers, were analysed in the present work. For the plant samples we collect the buds exudates and surface material present on the leaves, stems of Populus nigra male and female specimens and Cistus lanadifer. These samples were screened for in vitro activity against the pathogenic protozoa Plasmodium falciparum, Leishmania infantum, Trypanosoma cruzi and Trypanosoma bruci. To assess selectivity of action, cytodoxicity against MRC-5 fibroblast cells was also evaluated. We present in this communication interesting results, according to criteria set up by the WHO Special Programme for Research & Training in Tropical Diseases.