Wanderlei do Amaral

Evaluation of Chemical Composition and Antileishmanial and Antituberculosis Activities of Essential Oils of Piper Species

Essential oils from fresh Piperaceae leaves were obtained by hydrodistillation and analyzed by gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS), and a total of 68 components were identified. Principal components analysis results showed a chemical variability between species, with sesquiterpene compounds predominating in the majority of species analyzed. The composition of the essential oil of Piper mosenii was described for the first time. The cytotoxicity of the essential oils was evaluated in peritoneal macrophages and the oils of P. rivinoides, P. arboretum, and P. aduncum exhibited the highest values, with cytotoxic concentration at 50% (CC50) > 200 µg/mL. Both P. diospyrifolium and P. aduncum displayed activity against Leishmania amazonensis, and were more selective for the parasite than for the macrophages, with a selectivity index (SI) of 2.35 and >5.52, respectively. These SI values were greater than the 1 for the standard drug pentamidine. The antileishmanial activity of the essential oils of P. diospyrifolium and P. aduncum was described for the first time. P. rivinoides, P. cernuum, and P. diospyrifolium displayed moderate activity against the Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv bacillus, with a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 125 µg/mL. These results are relevant and suggests their potential for therapeutic purposes. Nevertheless, further studies are required to explain the exact mechanism of action of these essential oils.Essential oils from fresh Piperaceae leaves were obtained by hydrodistillation and analyzed by gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC–MS), and a total of 68 components were identified. Principal components analysis results showed a chemical variability between species, with sesquiterpene compounds predominating in the majority of species analyzed. The composition of the essential oil of Piper mosenii was described for the first time. The cytotoxicity of the essential oils was evaluated in peritoneal macrophages and the oils of P. rivinoides, P. arboretum, and P. aduncum exhibited the highest values, with cytotoxic concentration at 50% (CC50) > 200 µg/mL. Both P. diospyrifolium and P. aduncum displayed activity against Leishmania amazonensis, and were more selective for the parasite than for the macrophages, with a selectivity index (SI) of 2.35 and >5.52, respectively. These SI values were greater than the 1 for the standard drug pentamidine. The antileishmanial activity of the essential oils of P. diospyrifolium and P. aduncum was described for the first time. P. rivinoides, P. cernuum, and P. diospyrifolium displayed moderate activity against the Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv bacillus, with a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 125 µg/mL. These results are relevant and suggests their potential for therapeutic purposes. Nevertheless, further studies are required to explain the exact mechanism of action of these essential oils.

Plantas do Gênero Xylopia: Composição Química e Potencial Farmacológico

The family Annonaceae has representatives of great medical interest, and the Xylopia species deserves attention. The Xylopia genus is composed by approximately 160 species, with geographic distribution in tropical and subtropical regions of America, Africa and Asia. This genus can present shrubs or trees. In Brazil, they can be found at the North, North-west, Central-West and Central-South Regions. The phytochemical investigations resulted mainly in the isolation of alkaloids, diterpenos, quinolines and acetogenins, with the latter presenting very interesting biological properties such as the cytotoxic, antiprotozoal and the insecticide activities.This study aimed to review the botanical, chemical and pharmacological aspects of the Xylopia genus found in Brazil, highlighting the chemical components, as the well-known pharmacological effect .

Chemical composition of the essential oils of Baccharis species from southern Brazil: a comparative study using multivariate statistical analysis

Abstract Baccharis articulata Pers., Baccharis trimera (Less) DC., Baccharis milleflora DC., Baccharis oblongifolia Pers., Baccharis anomala DC., Baccharis calvescens DC., Baccharis uncinella DC., Baccharis axillaris DC., Baccharis mesoneura DC. and Baccharis myriocephala DC. essential oils were obtained by hydrodistillation. Using gas chromatography/flame ionization detector (GC-FID), a total of 48 constituents were identified, representing for 70.3–96.7% of the chemical composition. The yield of essential oil from fresh leaf ranged from 0.02% (B. myriocephala) to 1.89% (B. uncinella). Limonene was the main constituent in all species, while α-thujene, α-pinene, sabinene, β-pinene, myrcene, p-cymene, limonene, (E)-β-ocimene, γ-terpinene, spathulenol and α- cadinol were identified in all samples. Principal Components Analysis and Cluster Analysis revealed that chemical similarity was highest for B. calvescens, B. myriocephala, B. trimera, B. milleflora, B. anomala, B. oblongifolia, B. articulata and B. uncinella.

Desenvolvimento da camomila, rendimento e qualidade do óleo essencial em diferentes idades de colheita

Chamomile is an aromatic herb with many medicinal properties. In Brazil, it is cultivated on an extensive area in the Southern region mainly because of its climatic conditions for this culture. Chamomile harvesting is done by several cuttings of the entire plant, but the ideal starting point of this activity to obtain high production of flower heads has not been determined. This work investigated the effect of the harvesting period of chamomile on flower head development and essential oil accumulation. The experiment was carried out at field conditions in Piraquara, Parana, Brazil. The experimental design was completely randomized with five treatments (85, 92, 99, 106 and 113 days after emergency) and five replications. After each harvest, dry mass accumulation and essential oil yield and quality were evaluated. Essential oil extraction was performed by hydrodistillation, and the sample was analyzed by gas chromatography. When harvested 85 days after emergency, the flower heads presented the highest essential oil content, but three weeks later the highest flower head dry mass was obtained, which resulted on great essential oil productivity. From 113 days after emergency, there is a reduction in essential oil yield and production.

Avaliação de germoplasma de camomila e densidade de semeadura na produção e composição do óleo essencial

The cultivar Mandirituba is the only genetic material for chamomile cultivation in southern Brazil. Besides the limitations regarding floral buds and the yield of essential oil presented by this cultivar, phytosanitary problems have also been observed. The objectives of this work were to compare the genetic materials from the Netherlands, Denmark and Mandirituba and to evaluate the effect of seeding rate on floral heads development and essential oil production, yield and quality. The experiments were carried out at field conditions in Piraquara, Parana state, Brazil. The essential oil extraction was obtained by hydrodistillation using a Clevenger apparatus and the oil composition was analyzed by gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC/MS). The genetic materials from the Netherlands and Mandirituba presented statistically higher dry mass accumulation than the ones from Denmark. However the material from Mandirituba showed a great essential oil yield (4.7 mL g-1 ms) and productivity (2.40 L ha-1). The genetic material from Denmark and Mandirituba showed similar essential oil composition. The density of 1.0 kg ha-1 for cultivar Mandirituba resulted on great plant development and essential oil production. The use of 3.0 kg ha-1 of seeds did not increase plant density due to the high plant competition.

Yield and chemical composition of the essential oil of species of the Asteraceae family from Atlantic Forest, South of Brazil

Abstract The essential oil yield and composition of 17 species of the Asteraceae family were evaluated. Samples were obtained by hydrodistillation of the leaves and inflorescences and they were analyzed by GC-MS and GC-FID. A total of 13 species presented essential oils with yields ranging from 0.06 to 3.36% in fresh samples and from 0.07 to 2.53% in dried samples. Erechtites valerianifolius (Wolf) DC. produced the highest essential oil yield from both fresh and dried samples. Seventy-nine constituents were identified in essential oils from Asteraceae species, mainly consisting of monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes.

Chemical composition of Piper gaudichaudianum essential oil and its bioactivity against Lucilia cuprina (Diptera: Calliphoridae)

Abstract Piper gaudichaudianum grows abundantly throughout the Brazilian Atlantic Forest. Essential oil extracted from this species has been reported to have larvicidal properties. The aim of the study was to characterize the essential oil (EO) of P. gaudichaudianum and its insecticide activity on the third instar larvae (L3) of Lucilia cuprina under laboratory conditions. Groups of 20 L3 were placed on filter paper impregnated with increasing concentrations of 2.5–30% (v/v), equivalent to 0.39–4.77 μL/cm2, solubilized in ethanol or acetone. The toxicity was determined by L3 mortality after 6, 24 and 48 h after contact. P. gaudichaudianum EO was also characterized using CG/MS. Lethal concentrations of 50% (LC50) 24 and 48 h after EO exposure were found to be 3.69 and 2.19 when solubilized in ethanol and 9.14 and 6.05 μL/cm2 when solubilized in acetone, respectively. The major compounds were germacrene B, δ-cadinene, γ-elemene, (Z)-cariophyllene, α-copaene, (E)-cariophyllene, α-calacorene, α-humulene and (E)-nerolidol. The study demonstrated the significant biological activities of P. gaudichaudianum EO (PGEO) compounds against L. cuprina.