José Eduardo Brasil Pereira Pinto

Analgesic and antidiarrheal properties of Ocimum selloi essential oil in mice

Ocimum selloi essential oil (2, 20, and 200 mg/kg; p.o.) reduced, in a dose-dependent way, the abdominal contraction induced by acetic acid (0.6%; i.p.) and the diarrhea episodes induced by castor oil in mice. At the higher dose (200 mg/kg; p.o.), the essential oil significantly reduced intestinal transit (P<0.05) in the charcoal meal test. The main component detected in O. selloi essential oil was methyl chavicol (98%; GC and GC/MS).These effects seems to support the use of O. selloi against diarrhea, intestinal spasm and visceral pain.

Produção vegetal e de óleo essencial de boldo pequeno em função de fontes de adubos orgânicos

A aplicacao de fertilizantes orgânicos, em plantas medicinais e aromaticas, normalmente modifica positivamente a producao vegetal e de oleo essencial. Neste contexto, tendo por fim avaliar a resposta de plantas de Plectranthus neochilus Schltr., cultivadas com diferentes fontes de adubos orgânicos, o presente trabalho estudou a producao de biomassa, teor, rendimento e composicao quimica do oleo essencial. As mudas, apos a aclimatizacao, foram transplantadas para vasos de dez litros, acondicionados em casa de vegetacao. O experimento foi constituido por quatro tratamentos e quatro repeticoes (16 parcelas), sendo cada parcela composta por cinco vasos. Os tratamentos foram: ausencia de adubo orgânico (testemunha); aplicacao de 60 t ha-1 de esterco bovino; 30 t ha-1 de esterco avicola; 60 t ha-1 de composto orgânico. Aos 120 dias de cultivo, as plantas foram colhidas e uma parte das folhas frescas foi destinada a extracao do oleo essencial. O restante do material vegetal foi seco em estufa, ate atingir peso constante, para a determinacao da biomassa seca. As analises quimicas do oleo foram realizadas por cromatografia gasosa (CG-DIC e CG-EM). As fontes de adubo orgânico testadas promoveram diferencas entre os tratamentos em relacao a producao de biomassa, rendimento e composicao do oleo essencial de P. neochilus. A utilizacao de diferentes fertilizantes orgânicos nao modificou o teor de oleo volatil.

Expression of potato DAHP synthase in Escherichia coli

Abstract Expression of a potato ( Solanum tuberosum L.) cDNA encoding 3-deoxy- d - arabino -heptulosonate 7-phosphate synthase, the first enzyme of the shikimate pathway, complemented an Escherichia coli mutant devoid of the enzyme. While the potato cDNA encodes a protein with an amino terminal putative transit sequence for chloroplast import, immunocytochemistry localized the E. coli synthesized potato enzyme to the bacterial cytosol.

The Shikimate Pathway’s First Enzyme

The shikimate pathway, a major route of carbon metabolism, leads to the biosynthesis of the three aromatic amino acids phenylalanine, tyrosine, and tryptophan (Herrmann, 1983; Pittard, 1987). In some plants, more than 20% of the fixed carbon flows through this pathway, the bulk for biosynthesis of secondary metabolites such as lignins, phytoalexins, and alkaloids.

Organic systems in the growth and essential-oil production of the yarrow

Fertilization of the soil with organic fertilizers has been gaining importance within the concept of sustainable crop production. This study aimed evaluates the effects of dosages of cattle and poultry manure on Achillea millefolium L. as regards the vegetative growth and the content and chemical composition of its essential oil. For the cattle manure fertilization the dosages evaluated were: 1) soil with no fertilizer; 2) soil + 3.0 kg m-2; 3) soil + 6.0 kg m-2; 4) soil + 9.0 kg m-2 and 5) soil + 12.0 kg m-2. For fertilization with poultry manure: 1) soil without fertilizer; 2) soil + 1.5 kg m-2; 3) soil + 3.0 kg m-2; 4) soil + 4.5 kg m-2 and 5) soil + 6.0 kg m-2. The experimental design was completely randomized, with four replications per treatment and four plants per experimental plot. Harvesting took place at 110 days and the following variables were measured: shoot and root dry biomass; root to shoot ratio and the content, yield and chemical composition of the essential oil. Data were submitted to variance and regression analyses. A. millefolium has more intense response in fertilization with poultry manure than to that of cattle, where the dosage of 6 kg m-2 presented the greatest shoot dry weight and highest yield of essential oil. Without regard to fertilization, the essential oil of A. millefolium consists mainly of chamazulene, with the applied treatments not significantly interfering in the oil chemical composition and content.

First record of Aethalion reticulatum (Hemiptera: Aethalionidae) in Vernonia condensata (Asteraceae), a medicinal plant from Brazil

Vernonia condensata Baker, 1875 (Asteraceae) is a medicinal plant from Brazil considered as a host plant of leafhopper pests in agricultural crops. Aethalion reticulatum Linnaeus, 1767 (Hemiptera: Aethalionidae) was observed in V. condensata in Lavras county, Minas Gerais State, Brazil. Immature and adult individuals of A. reticulatum were collected from V. condensata for identification, which represents the first recording of this pest in this plant. The presence of eggs, nymphs and adults of this insect on the plant shows that A. reticulatum has completed its life cycle, indicating that V. condensata is a potential host plant for A. reticulatum.

Growth and volatiles in the micropropagation of Santa Maria herb

The aims of this study were to establish micropropagation for Chenopodium ambrosioides L. and analysis of volatile constituents in vitro as a function of different salt concentrations of MS medium and sucrose. The apical buds were established on MS medium added with 3% sucrose. The vegetative growth of nodal segments was tested in different salt concentrations of MS basic medium (0.25, 0.50, 1.00, 1.50, and 2.00) and of sucrose (5, 10, 20, 30, and 40 g L-1). Nodal and apical segments were tested in vertical and horizontal orientations. Different volumes of culture medium (20; 35, 50, 65, and 80 mL) were examined in the growth of nodal segments. Plants were acclimatized in three different substrates. The apical segments collected from matrices plants were successful when established in MS medium. A multiplication rate of 8.5 was obtained with nodal and apical segments without using growth regulator. MS medium with its salt concentration reduced by half (0.50 MS) and sucrose at the concentration of 30 g L-1 provided better in vitro growth of nodal segments. Four major volatile compounds (α-terpinene, p-cymene, Z-ascaridole, and E-ascaridole) varied at different salt concentrations and only α-terpinene showed difference for sucrose concentrations. Apical segments in vertical orientation and nodal segments in horizontal with 50 mL of culture medium showed better responses for the in vitro cultivation of C. ambrosioides L.

Growth, photosynthetic pigments and production of essential oil of long-pepper under different light conditions

Piper hispidinervum C. DC. is popularly known as long-pepper and it owns a commercial value due to the essential oil it produces. Long-pepper oil is rich in safrole and eugenoln components that have insecticidal, fungicidal and bactericidal activity. It has been establish that to medicinal plants light influences not only growth but also essential oil production. The growth, the content of photosynthetic pigments and the essential oil production of Piper hispidinervum at greenhouses with different light conditions was evaluated. The treatments were characterized by cultivation of plants for 180 days under different light conditions, produced by shading greenhouses with 50% and 30% of natural incident irradiance, two colored shading nets red (RN) and blue (BN) both blocking 50% of the incident radiation and one treatment at full-sun (0% of shade). The results showed that the treatments of 50% shade and RN and BN were the ones which stimulated the greater growth. Blue and red light also had the best production of photosynthetic pigments. Essential oil yielded more under full sun therefore this is the most indicated condition to produce seedlings for the chemical and pharmaceutical industry.

Plantlet regeneration from young leaf segments of curaua ( Ananas erectifolius ), an Amazon species

The present study reports the first efficient in vitro regeneration of Ananas erectifolius via indirect organogenesis. Leaf segments (leaf base, middle, and apex) excised from 3- or 5-week-old in vitro plantlets were cultured on 1/4 strength MS medium supplemented with different concentrations and combinations of plant growth regulators. The explants were also exposed to pulse treatment with thidiazuron (TDZ) and 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) for different periods of time. The results showed that using juvenile rather than old explants enhanced the frequency of callus induction (35.0% and 16.0%, respectively). Among the explant types tested, only leaf base segments induced calli; the highest frequency occurred via culture treatment containing 4-amino-3,5,6-trichloropicolinic acid (picloram; 48.57%), 2,4-D (40%), or TDZ (35.71%). However, only calli generated in treatments containing TDZ or N6-isopentenyladenine (2ip) were able to develop shoots (maximum 35.71% and 14.28%, respectively). A combination of TDZ and 2,4-D improved callus induction (60.0%) but did not increase shooting response. However, both callusing and shooting response increased when 10 days of pulse treatment with TDZ and 2,4-D was applied (66.83% and 48.7%, respectively). Rooted plantlets that exhibited normal growth and development were acclimatized in a greenhouse and had a survival rate of 95%.

Micropropagação e germinação de sementes in vitro de atroveran

Atroveran (Ocimum selloi Benth. - Lamiaceae) is medicinal plant used for digestive disturbs and inflammation. The objectives of this study were to establish nodal segments, seed germination and in vitro plantlet growth on sucrose and different basal salt concentrations, as well as plantlet acclimatization in different substrates. For establishment and growth, three different basal salt formulations (MS, 1/2MS and 1/4MS) and two concentration of sucrose (15 g/L, 30 g/L and control) were used. For seed germination, MS, 1/2MS, 1/4MS and 0MS (control) and two sucrose (15 g/L, 30 g/L and control) were used. For acclimatization, the substrates sand, Plantmax(r), soil and soil +cattle manure (2:1) were used. The results indicated 15 g/L of sucrose to establish the explant and nodal segment growth. The 1/2MS basal salt formulation was better to establish the explant and 1/4MS to nodal segment growth of O. selloi. The results indicated higher seed germination percentage and germination speed index on medium without sucrose. For growth up to 30 days better results were observed on 1/4MS without sucrose and for plantlet to maintain growth of O. selloi in vitro the better results indicated 1/4MS supplemented with 15 g/L of sucrose. Plantlet acclimatization of O. selloi in the substratum Plantmax(r) gave better growth.