Papers by Armando Caceres
Combinatorial Chemistry & High Throughput Screening
Background: The Litsea genus has four native species from Mesoamerica. Litsea guatemalensis Mez. ... more Background: The Litsea genus has four native species from Mesoamerica. Litsea guatemalensis Mez. is a native tree, traditionally used as a condiment and herbal medicine in the region. It has demonstrated antimicrobial, aromatic, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activity. Bioactive fractionation attributed the anti-inflammatory and anti-hyperalgesic activities to pinocembrin, scopoletin, and 5,7,3´4´-tetrahydroxy-isoflavone. In silico analysis, these molecules were analyzed on receptors involved in the anti-inflammatory process to determine which pathways they interact. Objective: To analyze and evaluate 5,7,3',4'-tetrahydroxyisoflavone, pinocembrin, and scopoletin using the in silico analysis against selected receptors involved in the inflammatory pathway. Method: Known receptors involved in the anti-inflammatory process found as protein-ligand complex in the Protein Data Bank (PDB) were used as references for each receptor and compared with the molecules of interest. The G...
Combinatorial Chemistry & High Throughput Screening
Introduction: Chia (Salvia hispanica L.) is a plant from the Lamiaceae family that has been used ... more Introduction: Chia (Salvia hispanica L.) is a plant from the Lamiaceae family that has been used as ancestral food, medicine, and oil, with culinary, artistic, and religious purposes by most of the Mesoamerican civilizations. Native from Mesoamerica, introduced into South America, Australia, and Europe, it is presently consumed as a nutritional and functional food. Objective: This research aims to characterize ancient native cultivars from four provenances in Guatemala to recommend their direct consumption by the population as well as to establish its trade. Method: Seed samples were collected in four places where they have been cultivated for several generations. The oil was obtained by expression and analyzed chemically by gas chromatography following standard qualitative and quantitative methods. Results: Variations in oil yield and some of the characteristic parameters of the phytochemical analysis were obtained. In general, the profile was similar to most of the reported data i...
Ciencia, Tecnología y Salud
There are few scientific studies that explore the use of medicinal plants for snakebite envenomin... more There are few scientific studies that explore the use of medicinal plants for snakebite envenoming in Central America, although plant-based therapies have been traditionally used in the region. This work reviews the studies conducted in Central America to assess the ability of extracts obtained from plants of local ethnomedical use to inhibit toxic activities of the venom of Bothrops asper, the snake responsible for approximately half of the snakebite envenomings in these countries. The search prioritized the description of the plants used in Guatemala since most of the studies described in this work were conducted in that country, although references to other countries are included. Information concerning secondary metabolites and other pharmacological activities of these plant species, relevant to the treatment of snakebites, was also described. The literature search was conducted in the Google Scholar, PubMed, and Scopus databases and completed with locally available literature. ...
Journal of Ethnopharmacology
International Journal of Phytocosmetics and Natural Ingredients
Boletín de la Oficina Sanitaria Panamericana, 1971
Ciencia, Tecnología y Salud, 2018
Plantas nodrizas son aquellas especies vegetales útiles para la sobrevivencia y convivencia de ot... more Plantas nodrizas son aquellas especies vegetales útiles para la sobrevivencia y convivencia de otras especies. Abies guatemalensis Rehder (pinabete), es una especie endémica en peligro de extinción y para asegurar su sobrevivencia es necesario estudiar sus plantas nodrizas. Se colectaron seis especies de plantas nodrizas provenientes de bosque Los Cuervos, Ixchiguán, San Marcos, se secaron a la sombra en un horno, hasta obtener un porcentaje de humedad < 10%. Se obtuvieron extractos etanólicos por percolación y concentración empleando rotavapor; los aceites esenciales fueron extraídos por hidrodestilación con Neoclevenger. Para los análisis de actividad biológica se realizaron ensayos contra bacterias, hongos, levaduras, larvas de insectos, nauplios de Artemia salina y actividad antioxidante. Los aceites esenciales presentaron un porcentaje de rendimiento < 0.3%. Cinco de los seis extractos etanólicos demostraron baja actividad antimicrobiana y larvicida (CIM: 1 mg/mL). Respec...
Ciencia, Tecnología y Salud, 2021
Neurolaena lobata es utilizada tradicionalmente en Centroamérica para tratar la mordedura de serp... more Neurolaena lobata es utilizada tradicionalmente en Centroamérica para tratar la mordedura de serpiente, pero su efectividad para contrarrestar el envenenamiento producido por Bothrops asper ha sido poco estudiada. Se evaluó la capacidad del extracto etanólico de sus hojas para inhibir las actividades proteolítica, fosfolipasa A2 (PLA2; evaluada como hemólisis indirecta) y coagulante del veneno in vitro. El material vegetal fue colectado en Izabal, Guatemala, secado, se hicieron extracciones con etanol y se evaluó la presencia de actividades proteolítica, PLA2 y coagulante intrínsecas en ensayos de concentración-actividad. Los efectos inhibitorios de la actividad proteolítica y PLA2 del veneno se evaluaron después de pre-incubar concentraciones variables del extracto con concentraciones fijas de veneno. La inhibición de la actividad coagulante del veneno no fue evaluada porque el extracto presentó actividad anticoagulante intrínseca dependiente de la concentración. El extracto inhibi...
Los combustibles biomasicos se derivan de material vegetal de origen reciente. Su combustion insu... more Los combustibles biomasicos se derivan de material vegetal de origen reciente. Su combustion insuficiente produce gran cantidad de compuestos nocivos, los cuales en altas concentraciones podrian causar la muerte. Debido a esta combustion incompleta, se libera una gran cantidad de sustancias organicas de caracter diferente a las propias del combustible, existiendo 7 categorias mayores que se han utilizado para la determinacion de la calidad del aire. Particulas suspendidas totales (TSP), monoxido de carbono (CO), hidrocarburos, oxidos de azufre (SO), oxido de nitrogeno (NO), ozono y plomo (1,2). La cantidad de contaminantes depende de varios factores, los cuales se han clasificado en aquellos que involucran el diseno, localizacion y/o la operacion de la estufa en donde se quema el combustible y aquellos concernientes al propio combustible (3). En la mayoria de hogares rurales y tortillerias de Guatemala, el uso de fuego abierto esta muy difundido y tiene especial importancia porque p...
En las ultimas decadas, la terapia de plasma rico en plaquetas (PRP) ha despertado mucha atencion... more En las ultimas decadas, la terapia de plasma rico en plaquetas (PRP) ha despertado mucha atencion en el area de la medicina regenerativa, siendo aplicada a diferentes patologias sistemicas y localizadas. El PRP proporciona diversos factores de crecimiento y proteinas que pueden estimular al proceso de regeneracion celular, representa un factor importante para su uso clinico generalizado, en diferentes tejidos en donde el suministro de sangre es lento o limitado y apoya la recuperacion, cicatrizacion, activacion biologica de celulas de defensa, estabilizacion en la regeneracion celular y tisular, teniendo uso clinico en casi todas las especialidades medicas. Esta revision tiene como objetivo presentar las bases teoricas para la potencial aplicacion del PRP y sus factores de crecimiento en tratamientos que buscan una terapia regenerativa por bioestimulacion de la aplicacion autologa, en patologias para las cuales aun no existe tratamiento especifico. Se revisaron articulos de los ulti...
Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 2022
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE For thousands of years, different cultural groups have used and tr... more ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE For thousands of years, different cultural groups have used and transformed natural resources for medicinal purposes focused on psychological or neurological conditions. Some of these are recognized as central nervous system (CNS) disorders and diseases, whereas other ethnopsychiatric interpretations are explained in culture-specific terms. In traditional Mayan medicine, several herbs have been part of treatments and rituals focused on cultural and ethnomedical concepts. AIM OF REVIEW This study aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the medicinal plants used in Mesoamerica by traditional healers and Mayan groups to CNS disorders and associate the traditional use with demonstrated pharmacological evidence to establish a solid foundation for directing future research. METHODS A systematic search for primary sources of plant use reports for traditional CNS-related remedies of Mesoamerica were obtained from library catalogs, thesis and scientific databases (PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar; and Science Direct), and entered in a database with data analyzed in terms of the usage frequency, use by ethnic groups, plant endemism, and pharmacological investigation. RESULTS A total of 155 plants used for ethnopsychiatric conditions in Mesoamerica by Mayan groups were found, encompassing 127 native species. Of these, only 49 native species have reported in vitro or in vivo pharmacological analyses. The most commonly reported ethnopsychiatric conditions are related to anxiety, depression, memory loss, epilepsy, and insomnia. The extent of the scientific evidence available to understand the pharmacological application for their use against CNS disorders varied between different plant species, with the most prominent evidence shown by Annona cherimola, Justicia pectoralis, J. spicigera, Mimosa pudica, Persea americana, Petiveria alliacea, Piper amalago, Psidium guajava, Tagetes erecta and T. lucida. CONCLUSION Available pharmacological data suggest that different plant species used in traditional Mayan medicine may target the CNS, mainly related to GABA, serotonin, acetylcholine, or neuroprotective pathways. However, more research is required, given the limited data regarding mechanism of action at the preclinical in vivo level, identification of active compounds, scarce number of clinical studies, and the dearth of peer-reviewed studies.
Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 2021
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Snakebite envenoming is a public health problem of high impact in ... more ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Snakebite envenoming is a public health problem of high impact in Central America. Bothrops asper, known as barba amarilla, terciopelo, and equis, is the snake species responsible for most snakebites in Central America. In this region, there is a long-standing tradition on the use of plants in the management of snakebites, especially in indigenous communities. Ethnomedical use of Eryngium foetidum L., Neurolaena lobata (L.) Cass. and Pimenta dioica (L.) Merr. to treat snakebite envenoming has been reported in Belice, Guatemala, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica. Extracts of the leaves of these plants have shown anti-venom activities in in vitro assays in previous studies. AIM OF THE STUDY To assess the ability of organic fractions from these three plants to inhibit enzymatic activities associated with toxicity of the venom of B. asper, and to study, by docking analysis, the interaction of metalloproteinase and phospholipases A2 (PLA2) from B. asper venom with secondary metabolites previously described in these plants. MATERIALS AND METHODS Organic fractions were obtained from these three plant species and their ability to neutralize proteolytic, PLA2 and in vitro coagulant activities of B. asper venom was assessed. A phytochemical analysis was carried out in these fractions. The interaction of secondary metabolites previously described in these plants with three toxins from B. asper venom (a metalloproteinase, a PLA2 and a PLA2 homologue) was investigated by docking analysis. RESULTS The inhibitory activity of plants was mainly concentrated in their polar fractions. Acetonic fraction from P. dioica was the most active against PLA2 activity, while the acetonic fraction of E. foetidum completely inhibited the proteolytic activity of the venom. Coagulant activity was partially inhibited only by the acetone and ethyl acetate fractions of P. dioica. Phytochemical analysis of the most bioactive fractions identified flavonoids, saponins, essential oils, coumarins, alkaloids, tannins and sesquiterpene lactones. Docking analysis revealed high affinity interactions of several secondary metabolites of these plants with residues in the vicinity of the catalytic site of these enzymes and, in the case of PLA2 homologue myotoxin II, in the hydrophobic channel. CONCLUSIONS Various fractions from these plants have inhibitory activity against enzymatic actions of B. asper venom which are directly associated with toxicological effects. Docking analysis showed structural evidence of the interaction of secondary metabolites with three toxins. These observations provide support to the potential of these plants to inhibit relevant toxic components of this snake venom.
Ciencia, Tecnología y Salud, 2015
Se determinó la capacidad de los extractos de seis plantas de uso etnomédico (Acacia hindsii, Ari... more Se determinó la capacidad de los extractos de seis plantas de uso etnomédico (Acacia hindsii, Aristolochia maxima, Cissampelos pareira, Hamelia patens, Piper peltatum y Sansevieria hyacinthoides) para neutralizar los efectos proteolítico y fosfolipasa A2 (PLA2) del veneno de Bothrops asper, la principal especie causante de envenenamiento en el país. Estos efectos, indicadores de la capacidad miotóxica, hemorrágica e inflamatoria del veneno, se evaluaron en ensayos controlados in vitro. Las plantas fueron colectadas, secadas y extraídas por percolación con etanol. Los resultados demuestran que ninguno de los extractos posee actividad PLA2 o proteolítica intrínseca a las dosis estudiadas. Se determinó que tres de los extractos neutralizaron pobremente (< 50%) los efectos estudiados: S. hyacinthoides neutralizó 13.90 ± 6.41% del efecto PLA2 y P. peltatum y C. pareira el 32.98 ± 5.51% y 24.52 ± 7.45%, respectivamente, del efecto proteolítico. Por ello, ningún extracto se eva...
Ciencia, Tecnología y Salud, 2017
Existen pocos estudios científicos que demuestren el valor terapéutico de las plantas en la medic... more Existen pocos estudios científicos que demuestren el valor terapéutico de las plantas en la medicina tradicional centroamericana para tratar el envenenamiento ofídico. En este estudio se evaluó la capacidad de los extractos etanólicos de nueve plantas de uso etnomédico en Centroamérica (Acacia hindsii, Aristolochia maxima, Bursera simaruba, Cissampelos pareira, Eryngium foetidum, Hamelia patens, Pimenta dioica, Piper peltatum y Sansevieria hyacinthoides) para inhibir el efecto coagulante del veneno de Bothrops asper. Tres de ellas (B. simaruba, E. foetidum y P. dioica) también fueron evaluadas en cuanto a su capacidad inhibitoria de los efectos fosfolipasa A2 (PLA2) y proteolítico del veneno. Las plantas fueron colectadas en Guatemala, secadas, extraídas con etanol y los efectos inhibitorios evaluados in vitro después de preincubar concentraciones variables de extracto con concentraciones fijas de veneno. Los resultados demostraron que ninguno de los extractos logró inhibir los efec...
Ciencia, Tecnología y Salud, Nov 16, 2015
Ciencia, Tecnología y Salud, 2018
La elaboración de un manuscrito y su publicación en revistas indexadas, es la culminación de un p... more La elaboración de un manuscrito y su publicación en revistas indexadas, es la culminación de un proyecto de investigación, es la forma en que los investigadores comparten el nuevo conocimiento con sus pares y constituye el principal mecanismo de visibilidad personal e institucional, a nivel nacional e internacional. El presente ensayo tuvo como objetivo elaborar una guía básica de cómo preparar un manuscrito y brindar elementos prácticos para lograr su publicación. Se describen los 10 pasos, que señalan el orden en que deben abordarse las secciónes de un artículo científico, así como el contenido de las mismas. Finalmente se presenta una figura que mediante preguntas e indicaciones, resume el contenido de cada una de las secciones del artículo. Se espera que con esta guía, los investigadores encuentren una herramienta útil que les ayude a escribir y publicar artículos científicos.
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Papers by Armando Caceres