Leaves and branches of Machaerium hirtum Vell. (Fabaceae), native to South America, were subjected to phytopharmacological investigation in order to identify its major chemical constituents and evaluate its extracts, fractions and isolated compounds in assays for anti-inflammatory activities. These were performed using mouse ear edema model, pleurisy and myeloperoxidase activity assays. Six compounds were isolated and identified as the flavanones swertisin and isovitexin, the alkaloid 4-hydroxy-N-methylproline, the triterpenes friedelin and lupeol, and the steroids sitosterol and stigmasterol. These compounds were identified by nuclear magnetic resonance of ¹H and ¹³C data, in comparison with literature.

This phytochemical investigation of Guettarda pohliana leaves led to the isolation of the triterpenes pomolic acid, rotundic acid, 3β,6α,19α,23-tetrahydroxyurs-12-en-28-oic acid, clethric acid, ursolic acid and oleanolic acid, the monoterpenoids loliolide and secoxyloganin, besides daucosterol and steroids. The structures of the isolated compounds were assigned on the basis of NMR data, including two-dimensional NMR methods. The anti-inflammatory activity of the crude methanolic extracts from leaves and roots, as well as of their fractions, was evaluated.

The cytotoxic activity of crude extracts and their fractions from leaves and roots of G. pohliana was assessed against nine human cancer cell lines: melanoma (UACC-62), breast (MCF-7), breast expressing the multidrug resistance phenotype (NCI-ADR), lung (NCI-460), prostate (PCO-3), kidney (786-0), ovarian (OVCAR), colon (HT-29) and leukaemia (K-562). The hexane fraction from leaves (HL) and ethyl acetate (EAR), chloroform (CR) and hydromethanolic (HMR) fractions from roots were the most active fractions against K-562 with GI₅₀ values being lower than 1 μg mL^− 1. Also, CR and HMR fractions were active against UACC-62 cell line in the same order of magnitude. The phytochemical study of the CR fraction allowed identifying the known iridoids secoxyloganin, sweroside and loganin.

The phytochemical investigation of Guettarda pohliana roots led to the isolation of 28-O-beta-D-glycopyranosyl-3-O-beta-D-quinovopyranosyl quinovic acid, 28-O-beta-D-glycopyranosyl-3-O-beta-D-glycopyranosyl quinovic acid, 3-O-beta-D-glycopyranosyl quinovic acid, 28-O-beta-D-glycopyranosyl-3-O-beta-D-glycopyranosyl cincholic acid along with quinovic acid, daucosterol and 4,5-O-dicaffeoyl quinic acid. The structures of the isolated compounds were assigned on the basis of spectroscopic data, including two-dimensional NMR methods. The antiradical activity of the crude methanolic extract and of its fractions was evaluated

The aerial parts of L. cultratus were submitted to a phytopharmacological investigation in order to isolate and identify the major secondary metabolites and evaluate its crude extract, fractions and isolated compounds for antiproliferative activity. Seven compounds were isolated and identified as the chalcones 2′,4′-dihydroxy-5′-prenylchalcone (1) and isocordoin (2), the flavanone 8-prenylpinocembrin (3), the alkaloid 4-hydroxy-N-methylproline (4), the triterpenes lupeol and lupenone. These compounds were identified by nuclear magnetic resonance of ¹H and ¹³C data in comparison with literature. Hexanic fraction and chalcone 2′,4′-dihydroxy-5′-prenylchalcone showed potent results against human cancer cell lines tested. Graphical abstract