Ana Isabel Santana

Composition and biological activity of the essential oil from leaves of Plinia cerrocampanensis, a new source of α-bisabolol.

The essential oil from fresh leaves of Plinia cerrocampanensis Barrie (Myrtaceae), obtained by hydrodistillation, was analysed by GC-FID and GC-MS. Forty components, representing more than 91% of the oil, were identified. Oxygenated sesquiterpenes represented the main fraction with alpha-bisabolol (42.8%) as the major constituent, making this plant a new and good source of this substance. Biological activity of the essential oil was evaluated against several bacterial and fungal strains as well as larvae from Aedes aegypti. The highest activity was found against Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Microsporum gypseum, Trichophyton mentagrophytes and Trichophyton rubrum with MIC values from 32 to 125 microg/ml. The essential oil also showed potent inhibitory and bactericidal activities against three H. pylori strains, with MIC and MBC values of 62.5 microg/ml, and caused 100% mortality of A. aegypti larvae at a concentration of 500 microg/ml.

Screening for Antifungal Activity of Panamanian Plants

Crude extracts of Panamian plants (153 representing 28 species from 21 families) have been screened for antifungal activity against Candida albicans and Cladosporium cucumerinum. Activity was assessed in a semiquantitative fashion by bioautography on TLC plates. When tested at 100 pg, 15% of the extracts showed activity against one of the fungi, and 9% of the extracts were active against both test organisms. The most promising extracts originate from plants used in traditional medicine, such as Eursera simaruba (Burseraceae), Gliricidia sepium (Leguminosae) and Piper auritum (Piperaceae).

Constituents and Biological Activity of the Essential Oil of Eugenia acapulcensis Steud.

Abstract The essential oil from leaves of Eugenia acapulcensis Steud. obtained by hydrodistillation was analyzed by GC and GC/MS. From the MS data and retention indices obtained 56.7% of the oil consisting of 47 components could be identified. Eighty-five percent of the analyzed oil was comprised of sesquiterpenes, either hydrocarbons or oxygenated, among which α-cadinol (4.2%), spathulenol (4.2%), ω-cadinene (3.8%) and (Z)-nerolidol (3.5%) were the main ones. The oxygenated monoterpene trans-pinocarveol (4.2%) was also found as a major component of the oil.

Chemical Composition and Biological Activity of the Leaf Oil of Siparuna thecaphora (Poepp. et Endl.) A.DC.

Abstract The essential oil from the leaves of Siparuna thecaphora was analyzed by GC and GC/MS. Forty-six components were identified representing approximately 60% of the oil, among which oxygenated sesquiterpenes (27%), sesquiterpene hydrocarbons (18%) and linear oxygenated compounds (11%) were the major groups of constituents, with spathulenol (9.4%), 2-tridecanone (5.3%) and α-copaene (4.5%) being the main components. The oil exhibited bacteriostatic activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Mycobacterium smegmatis (MIC 250 (μg/mL), but no larvicidal activity against Aedes aegypti.

Chemical Composition and Biological Activity of Essential Oils from Different Species of Piper from Panama

The chemical composition of leaf essential oils from 11 species of Piper from Panama was analyzed by a combination GC-FID and GC-MS procedures. Six of them had sesquiterpene hydrocarbons as major constituents, three were characterized by monoterpene hydrocarbons, one by a diterpene, and one by a phenylpropanoid, dillapiole. The main components identified in each species were: cembratrienol (25.4 %) in Piper augustum; β-pinene (26.6 %) in Piper corrugatum; α-pinene (19.4 %) in Piper curtispicum; trans-β-farnesene (63.7 %) in Piper darienense; p-cymene (43.9 %) in Piper grande; dillapiole (57.7 %) in Piper hispidum; linalool (14.5 %), α-phellandrene (13.8 %), and limonene (12.2 %) in Piper jacquemontianum; β-caryophyllene (45.2 %) in Piper longispicum; linalool (16.5 %), α-phellandrene (11.8 %), limonene (11.4 %), and p-cymene (9.0 %) in Piper multiplinervium; β-selinene (19.0 %), β-elemene (16.1 %), and α-selinene (15.5 %) in Piper reticulatum; and germacrene D (19.7 %) in Piper trigonum. The essential oils of P. hispidum and P. longispicum at a concentration of 250 µg/mL showed larvicidal activity against Aedes aegypti, while the oils from P. curtispicum, P. multiplinervium, P. reticulatum, and P. trigonum were inactive (LC100 ≥ 500 µg/mL). The essential oils of P. grande, P. jacquemontianum, and P. multiplinervium showed no significant antifungal activity (MIC > 250 µg/mL) against several yeasts and filamentous fungal strains.