Chemical and biological studies of microorganisms associated with the medicinal plant Alternanthera brasiliana (Amaranthaceae)

• Grant number: 08/07494-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Start date: March 01, 2009
• End date: February 28, 2011
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Chemistry - Organic Chemistry
• Principal Investigator: Edson Rodrigues Filho
• Grantee: Marília Almeida Trapp
• Host Institution: Centro de Ciências Exatas e de Tecnologia (CCET). Universidade Federal de São Carlos (UFSCAR). São Carlos , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The aim of this project, proposed for the master degree of Marília Almeida Trapp, is to study the secondary metabolites production by microorganisms isolated from medicinal plant Alternathera brasiliana. This plant is widely used by Brazilian people as a folk medicine for the treatment of numerous infections. However, little is known about its chemical composition and the microorganisms that live in association with it. In this project, we are proposing to isolate endophytic microorganisms from different parts of A. brasiliana in an attempt to correlate secondary metabolites produced by microorganisms with those produced by the plant. Two main bioassays, antibiose and citotoxicity, will help to find active principles in extracts obtained from microorganisms cultures. Dereplication strategies, employing analytical techniques such as GC-MS, LC-MS, LC-MS-MS and NMR, will be used for a rapid identification of secondary metabolites. (AU)