Abstract During grain storage, a considerable amount of product is lost because of insects, such as Zabrotes subfasciatus. Currently, to mitigate these risks, studies are searching for plants with potential for the control of agricultural pests, also known as botanical insecticides. In this study, the fumigant toxicity of the essential oils of Piper callosum (PC-EO), Piper marginatum (PM-EO) and Vitex agnus-castus (VA-EO) against Zabrotes subfasciatus was investigated. The essential oils of PC-EO, PM-EO and VA-EO were analysed by gas chromatography (GC-MS), and the major components were 3,4-methylenedioxypropiophenone (10.4%), bicyclogermacrene (10.1%) and germacrene D (9.9%) for PM-EO; safrol (29.3%) for PC-EO; and 1,8-cineol (23.8%) for VA-EO. In fumigation tests, VA-EO killed 100% Zabrotes subfasciatus at a concentration of 0.004 µL/L air after 24 h of treatment, whereas PC-EO and PM-EO at 0.01 µL/L air caused 100% Z. subfasciatus mortality after 48 h. The VA-EO sample provided the lowest LD50 after 24 h (0.17 µL/L air), followed by PC-EO (0.78 µL/L air) and PM-EO (1.17 µL/L air). These results demonstrate that the essential oils of these species can be an alternative to control pests in stored products. This is the first report of the fumigant potential of these species against Z. subfasciatus.

ABSTRACT Abnormal multiplication of oral bacteria causes dental caries and dental plaque. These diseases continue to be major public health concerns worldwide, mainly in developing countries. In this study, the chemical composition and antimicrobial activity of the essential oil of Vitex agnus-castus leaves (VAC‒EO) collected in the North of Brazil against a representative panel of cariogenic bacteria were investigated. The antimicrobial activity of VAC-EO was evaluated in terms of its minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values by using the broth microdilution method in 96-well microplates. The chemical constituents of VAC-EO were identified by gas chromatography (GC‒FID) and gas chromatography‒mass spectrometry (GC‒MS). VAC‒EO displayed some activity against all the investigated oral pathogens; MIC values ranged from 15.6 to 200 μg/mL. VAC-EO had promising activity against Streptococcus mutans (MIC= 15.6 μg/mL), Lactobacillus casei (MIC= 15.6 μg/mL), and Streptococcus mitis (MIC= 31.2 μg/mL). The compounds 1,8-cineole (23.8%), (E)-β-farnesene (14.6%), (E)-caryophyllene (12.5%), sabinene (11.4%), and α-terpinyl acetate (7.7%) were the major chemical constituents of VAC‒EO. VAC-EO displays antimicrobial activity against cariogenic bacteria. The efficacy of VAC-EO against S. mutans is noteworthy and should be further investigated.

Abstract Methanolic extracts of the Brazilian endemic ascidian Eudistoma vannamei have been extensively studied for their cytotoxic activity against several human cancer cell lines. Previous work reported the occurrence of purine derivatives and staurosporine alkaloids as the major nitrogen-containing compounds. In this study, we report the occurrence of three pyrimidine alkaloids in addition to cholesterol, sitosterol and stigmasterol.

Bemisia tabaci (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) biótipo B é uma das mais limitantes pragas do tomateiro no mundo. A produção do tomateiro é altamente dependente de inseticidas, ocasionando problemas ao produtor, consumidor e ambiente. Uma alternativa promissora para redução dos efeitos maléficos ocasionados pelo uso indiscriminado de inseticidas sintéticos são os inseticidas de origem botânica. Este trabalho objetivou avaliar o efeito de extratos aquosos a 3% (p/v) de diferentes estruturas de treze espécies botânicas no comportamento dos insetos adultos de B. tabaci biótipo B bem como sua atividade inseticida sobre ovos, ninfas e adultos do inseto em tomate. A água destilada foi utilizada como controle negativo e o inseticida tiametoxam (18 g/100 L de água) como controle positivo. O extrato à base de folhas de Toona ciliata foi o mais eficiente nos testes em que foram avaliados o efeito dos extratos sobre o comportamento da mosca-branca, diminuindo o número de insetos adultos e ovos em folíolos de tomateiro. O extrato de folhas de Piper aduncum apresentou o maior efeito ovicida (78,00% de ninfas não eclodidas), no entanto foi pouco efetivo sobre ninfas e adultos. Os extratos de folhas de Trichilia pallida, Trichilia casaretti e Toona ciliata apresentaram os maiores índices de controle (67,9; 60,3; 55,1%, respectivamente). Para adultos, T. pallida foi o mais eficiente (72,8%). Com base nos resultados, a aplicação dos extratos de T. pallida, T. ciliata e T. casaretti mostra-se promissora no manejo de infestações de B. tabaci biótipo B em tomateiro.

Bemisia tabaci (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) biotype B is one of the most limiting pests of tomato crops in the world. Tomato yield is currently dependent on the use of pesticides, which are problematic to farmers, consumers and the environment. A promising alternative to reduce the harmful effects caused by the indiscriminated use of synthetic insecticides is the use of insecticides of botanical origin. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of 3% (w/v) aqueous extracts from different structures of thirteen botanical species on the behavior of B. tabaci biotype B adults, as well as insecticidal activity of such aqueous extracts on B. tabaci eggs, nymphs, and adults infesting tomato plants. A distilled water solution was used as a negative control, and thiamethoxam insecticide (18 g/100 L of water) as a positive control. Leaf extract of Toona ciliata was observed to have the most efficient inhibitory effect in tests of extracts on whitefly behavior. Furthermore, the use of leaf extract of Toona ciliata led to the most drastic reduction in the number of adults and eggs on tomato leaflets. Leaf extract of Piper aduncum led to the greatest observed ovicidal effect (78.00% of non-hatched nymphs); however it was not effective against nymphs and adults. The leaf extracts of Trichilia pallida, Trichilia casaretti, and Toona ciliata showed the highest control indexes (67.9, 60.3, and 55.1%, respectively). For adults mortality, T. pallida was the most effective (72.8%). Our results indicate that application of extracts of T. pallida, T. ciliata, and T. casaretti are promising strategies to manage B. tabaci biotype B on tomato.

This paper describes the antioxidant effects of thirteen phenolic compounds isolated from plants of the genus Lychnophora. Two assays were performed to evaluate these effects: a cellular test that measured the luminol-enhanced chemiluminescence produced by neutrophils stimulated with opsonized zymosan and a cell-free test involving horseradish peroxidase-H2O2-luminol. In both assays, the antioxidant activity of the phenolic compounds was dependent on their concentration and chemical structure. Our results suggest that the ability of phenolic compounds from Lychnophora species to scavenge and inhibit the generation of ROS may be a mechanism underlying the anti-inflammatory activity of extracts from Lychnophora spp.

Chemical investigation of the methanolic extract of the ascidian Didemnum psammatodes has led to the identification of the nucleosides 2'-deoxyuridine (1), thymidine (2), 2'-deoxyinosine (3) and 2'-deoxyguanosine (4), the steroids cholestanol, cholestanone and stigmasterol in mixture and batyl alcohol plus two analogs, 1-heptadecyloxy-2,3-propanediol and 1-nonadecyloxy-2,3-propanediol in mixture. Their structures were proposed by NMR, MS and comparison with literature data and GC-MS analysis.

Um método de espectrometria de massas sequencial com ionização por electrospray (IES-EM/EM) foi desenvolvido para identificação dos nucleosídeos e bases em extratos de ascídias. Para este fim realizamos um estudo sistemático de preparo de amostra associado à análise de fragmentação de uma série de nucleosídeos e bases em IES-EM/EM. Estas abordagens constituem ferramentas analíticas importantes para screening rápido e determinação estrutural de nucleosídeos e bases em extratos de ascídias, os quais podem auxiliar nos estudos ecológicos do gênero.

Electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (ESI-MS/MS) method was developed for identification of nucleosides and bases in extracts of ascidians. For this study a systematic sample preparation associated with the fragmentation pattern of a series of nucleosides and bases using ESI-MS/MS was done. These approaches constitute powerful analytical tools for rapid screening and structural assignment of nucleosides and bases in ascidian extracts.