Paulo Roberto H. Moreno

Inhaled linalool-induced sedation in mice.

Linalool is a monoterpene often found as a major component of essential oils obtained from aromatic plant species, many of which are used in traditional medical systems as hypno-sedatives. Psychopharmacological evaluations of linalool (i.p. and i.c.v.) revealed marked sedative and anticonvulsant central effects in various mouse models. Considering this profile and alleged effects of inhaled lavender essential oil, the purpose of this study was to examine the sedative effects of inhaled linalool in mice. Mice were placed in an inhalation chamber during 60 min, in an atmosphere saturated with 1% or 3% linalool. Immediately after inhalation, animals were evaluated regarding locomotion, barbiturate-induced sleeping time, body temperature and motor coordination (rota-rod test). The 1% and 3% linalool increased (p<0.01) pentobarbital sleeping time and reduced (p<0.01) body temperature. The 3% linalool decreased (p<0.01) locomotion. Motor coordination was not affected. Hence, linalool inhaled for 1h seems to induce sedation without significant impairment in motor abilities, a side effect shared by most psycholeptic drugs.

Effects of inhaled Linalool in anxiety, social interaction and aggressive behavior in mice

Aromatherapy uses essential oils (EOs) for several medical purposes, including relaxation. The association between the use of aromas and a decrease in anxiety could be a valuable instrument in managing anxiety in an ever increasing anxiogenic daily life style. Linalool is a monoterpene commonly found as the major volatile component of EOs in several aromatic plant species. Adding to previously reported sedative effects of inhaled linalool, the aim of this study was to investigate the effects of inhaled linalool on anxiety, aggressiveness and social interaction in mice. Additionally, we investigated the effects of inhaled linalool on the acquisition phase of a step-down memory task in mice. Inhaled linalool showed anxiolytic properties in the light/dark test, increased social interaction and decreased aggressive behavior; impaired memory was only seen the higher dose of linalool. These results strengthen the suggestion that inhaling linalool rich essential oils can be useful as a mean to attain relaxation and counteract anxiety.

Ervatamia coronaria: chemical constituents and some pharmacological activities.

A new bisindole alkaloid, 19,20-dihydroervahanine A was isolated from the stems of Ervatamia coronaria grown in Brazil, together with five known alkaloids: coronaridine, heyneanine, voacristine, voacamine, descarbomethoxyvoacamine and five phenolic acids: vanillic, gentisic, syringic, 4-hydroxybenzoic and salicylic acid. The aqueous and alcoholic extracts, when administered p.o. or i.p. to rats 1 h before subplantar injection of carrageenin had a significant anti-inflammatory effect. The alcoholic extract also had an analgesic effect and increased the pentobarbital induced sleeping time.

Screening of Brazilian plants for antimicrobial and dnadamaging activities: I. Atlantic rain forest . Ecological station juréia-itatins

Abstract I. Atlantic Rain For est ΠEcological S tation JurOia-Itatins) Crude extracts from 88 plant species occurring in SaoPaulo State (Brazil), collected in an Atlantic Forest region, have been screened for antimicrobial and DNA-damagingactivities. Of the 114 extracts assayed for antibacterial activity, only the extracts from leaves and stems of Aspidospermaramiflorum (Apocynaceae) showed a slight activity against Escherichia coli . In the antifungal assay with Candida albicans, no active extract was observed, while in the bioautography assay with Cladosporium sphaerospermu m and C. cladosporioides 12% were active. However , only the extract of Psychotria mapour eoides (Rubiaceae) stems showed a strong inhibition ofboth fungi. The DNA-damaging assay with mutant strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae resulted in 17.5 % of activeextracts. The majority (55 %) of the active extracts showed selectivity for the DNA-repair mechanism of topoisomerase IIand only 20 % showed a selective response for the mechanism of topoisomerase I.

A computer-assisted approach for chemotaxonomic studies — diterpenes in Lamiaceae

This paper describes a new computer approach for chemotaxonomic studies. The methodology employed enables the search for chemical substructures as taxonomic descriptors using an expert system built with plant natural products. The operation of the system was tested with diterpenes as taxonomic markers in Lamiaceae.

Chemical Composition of Essential Oils from SomeCampomanesiaSpecies (Myrtaceae)

Abstract The chemical composition of leaf oils from Campomanesia aurea, C. guazumifolia, C. rhombea and C. xanthocarpa (Myrtaceae) were analyzed by GC and GC/MS. Sixty-two compounds have been identified ranging from 94–99% of the oil contents. Our results showed that all analyzed species were rich in sesquiterpenes, among them spathulenol (27.7%) and !b-caryophyllene oxide (29.0%) in C. guazumifolia; bicyclogermacrene (13.6%) and globulol (10.8%) in C. rhombea; and (E)-nerolidol (28.8%) in C. xanthocarpa. The monoterpene fraction was well represented in C. aurea (40.3%), with predominance of the α-pinene (16.5%) and myrcene (11.5%), besides C. rhombea and C. xanthocarpa that showed an important amount of linalool (9.7% and 17.2%, respectively).

Essential oil composition of fruit colour varieties of Eugenia brasiliensis Lam.

Eugenia brasiliensis Lam. is a variable species concerning fruit colour, with three recognized varieties. However, the definition of varieties is not easy for Myrtaceae species and not widely accepted. Two fruit colour varieties (purple and yellow) of E. brasiliensis had their essential oil composition analysed in order to give support to the existence of varieties for this species. Although, the major components in the leaf oil are the same monoterpenes for both varieties, α-pinene, β-pinene and 1,8-cineol, the purple fruit variety accumulates more oxygenated sesquiterpenes (33.9%) than the one with yellow fruits (3.8%). The major differences occurred in purple fruits that present as major components caryophyllene oxide (22.2%) and α-cadinol (10.4%), not found in the leaf oil, and the yellow fruit oil presented a similar composition as observed for the leaves. These fruit colour varieties of E. brasilensis can be considered as two distinct chemotypes, since the sesquiterpene pathway is more operant in the purple variety than in the yellow one, in which monoterpenes are mainly accumulated.

Biological Activities and Essential Oil Composition of Leaves of Blepharocalyx salicifolius

Infusions obtained from dried and fresh leaves of Blepharocalyx salicifolius were assessed in antibacterial (with S. aureus and E. coli), antiinflammatory, antinociceptive, antispasmodic and intestinal transit models. All samples analyzed showed significant antibacterial activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. The highest activity was observed with the dried leaves against E. coli. An infusion from fresh leaves inhibited the stimulating action of acetylcholine on intestinal musculature (average inhibition 45%). Other biological assays gave no significant results with doses up to 300 and 600 mg/kg for dried and fresh material, respectively. The essential oil obtained from fresh leaves by hydrodistillation (0.9%) was analyzed by GC and GC/MS, where 42 components were identified. The main components were 1,8-cineole (25.2%), linalool (20.4%) and ß-caryophyllene (22.9%).

Chemical constituents of the volatile oil from leaves of Annona coriacea and in vitro antiprotozoal activity

The essential oil of the leaves from Annona coriacea Mart., Annonaceae, was extracted by hydrodistillation in a Clevenger apparatus and analyzed by GC/MS and GC/FID. The oil yield was 0.05% m/m. Sixty compounds were identified, in a complex mixture of sesquiterpenes (76.7%), monoterpenes (20.0%) and other constituents (3.3%). Bicyclogermacrene was its major compound (39.8%) followed by other sesquiterpenes. Most of the monoterpenes were in low concentration (<1%). Only β-pinene and pseudolimonene presented the highest level of 1.6%. The volatile oil presented anti-leishmanial and trypanocidal activity against promastigotes of four species of Leishmania and trypomastigotes of Trypanosoma cruzi, showing to be more active against Leishmania (L.) chagasi (IC50 39.93 µ g/mL) (95% CI 28.00-56.95 µ g/mL).

Enantioselective conversion of p-hydroxypropenylbenzene to (+)-conocarpan in Piper regnellii

Abstract The biosynthetic pathway leading to the dihydrobenzofuran neolignan (+)-conocarpan in Piper regnellii leaves, was demonstrated by means of in vivo administration of labeled l -phenylalanine [U- 14 C] and by enantioselective conversion of p -hydroxypropenylbenzene to (+)-conocarpan (85% ee) by an enzyme fraction obtained from its leaves. The enzyme preparation was devoid of general peroxidase activity and showed substrate specificity towards p -hydroxypropenylbenzene since p -coumaric acid, p -coumaryl alcohol and E -isoeugenol were not converted to any product naturally occurring in the intact plant.