Abstract The pulp oil of Caryocar brasiliense Camb., better known as pequi, is used in the typical cuisine of the Brazilian Cerrado region. It is also used in folk medicine to combat several types of disease of the respiratory system and skin. However, since its exploration is purely extractive, the exhaustion of this plant is already foreseen. Thus, in order to establish the sustainable use of pequi and contribute to its maintenance, this study aimed to develop a phytocosmetic with antioxidant and photoprotective properties using the oil of this fruit. Initially, the cytotoxicity of the oil was evaluated in order to establish the safety of its use and its fatty acid composition. Then, from the cream enriched with the oil, it was evaluated the antioxidant and photoprotector potentials, quantified the total phenolic content and examined the quality of the formulation. Pequi oil showed high percentages of palmitic (52.11%) and oleic (44.57%) fatty acids and absence of cytotoxicity. The analysis of the cream revealed 168.8 mg of total phenols in gallic acid equivalent per 100 g of oil. The evaluation of antioxidant activity showed an EC50 of 2.921 mg/mL and a capacity of inhibiting the lipoperoxidation process higher than 100%. The obtained sun protection factor was 11.40 at the concentration of 6.25 mg/mL. The quality tests revealed small disturbances in the cream stability that can be solved by further research and improvement of the formulation. The pequi oil can be converted into a phytocosmetic of great commercial value.

ABSTRACT INTRODUCTION: Schistosomiasis, a parasitic disease caused by trematode flatworms of the genus Schistosoma, affects more than 200 million people worldwide, and its control is dependent on a single drug, praziquantel. Here, we report the in vitro effect of rotundifolone, a monoterpene isolated from Mentha x villosa (Lamiaceae), on Schistosoma mansoni adult worms. METHODS: The in vitro effect of rotundifolone on adult Schistosoma mansoni was evaluated by analysis of behavior and mortality and through a scanning electron microscopic analysis of ultrastructural changes in the tegument of the worms. RESULTS: At concentrations of 3.54 and 7.09μg/mL-1 rotundifolone, no worm mortality was observed at any of the sampling intervals. A minor reduction in movement of the tail, suckers, and gynecophoral canal membrane was observed after 96 h of exposure to 7.09μg/mL-1 rotundifolone. At 70.96μg/mL-1, a lack of movement was observed from 72h onwards and all worms were deemed dead; similar effects were observed at 48h with 177.4μg/mL-1, and at 24h with 354.8μg/mL-1 and 700.96μg/mL-1. Rotundifolone also caused death of all parasites and separation of coupled pairs into individual males and females after 24h at 354.8μg/mL-1. CONCLUSIONS: The main changes in the tegument induced by the different ROT treatments were: after 24h incubation, bubble lesions spread over the entire body and loss of tubercles occurred in some regions of the ventral region.

Introduction: The essential oil Mentha x villosa (MVEO) has a wide range of actions, including antibacterial, antifungal, antiprotozoal and schistosomicidal actions. The present study aimed to investigate the ultrastructural changes of MVEO on the tegument of adult Schistosoma mansoni. Materials and Methods: Different concentrations of MVEO were tested on S. mansoni adult worms in vitro. Ultrastructural changes on the tegument of these adult worms were evaluated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Results: The MVEO caused the death of all worms at 500 μg mL-1 after 24 h. After 24h of 500 μg mL-1 MVEO treatment, bubble lesions were observed over the entire body of worms and they presented loss of tubercles in some regions of the ventral portion. In the evaluation by TEM, S. mansoni adult worms treated with MVEO, 500 μg mL-1, presented changes in the tegument and vacuoles in the syncytial matrix region. Glycogen granules close to the muscle fibers were visible. Conclusion: The ability of MVEO to cause extensive ultrastructural damage to S. mansoni adult worms correlates with its schistosomicidal effects and confirms earlier findings with S. mansoni.

Lippia alba (Mill.) N.E.Br. is an aromatic and medicinal shrub native to the American continent. Despite its potential as a source of essential oil for the pharmaceutical and cosmetics industries, few selection and genetic improvement studies have been carried out. The aim of this study was to provide genetic information on this species for breeding programs, showing its selection potential, by investigating clonal half-sib progenies. The following characteristics were evaluated per plant: leaf dry mass (LDM), total dry mass (TDM), leaf yield (LY), essential oil yield (EOY) and oil production (OP). Estimates were made for the several genetic parameters including absolute genetic gain at 30% selection intensity, correlations and relative contribution of additive and environmental effects to phenotypic correlation. Two experimental trials on 30 progenies were conducted: one in Campinas, state of São Paulo (SP), Brazil, with two harvests of the aerial part, and one in Monte Alegre do Sul, SP, Brazil, with only one harvest. The trials were conducted in a randomized block design consisting of subplots with three replications, each plot (progeny) consisting of 8 to 15 clonally-replicated plants with subplot harvesting. Variations were detected between progenies and harvests, as well as progeny/harvest interactions in the split plot experiment. High heritability and genetic gains were obtained at both sites for LDM, TDM and OP. The lowest variations among progenies were obtained for LY and EOY, highlighting selection problems. Negative additive genetic correlations were obtained for EOY × LDM, EOY × TDM, LY × TDM and LY × LDM. Selection for LDM resulted in increased oil production per plant (OP), even where there was a negative correlation between LDM × EOY.

A espécie Lippia alba da família Verbenaceae, aromática e medicinal, é um arbusto nativo com muito vigor e variabilidade genética. O principal interesse dos estudos com esta espécie são os óleos essenciais, cujas funções têm sido comprovadas cientificamente para aplicações nas indústrias de fármacos, cosmética, perfumaria e alimentícia. Apesar desta importância potencial, inexistem pesquisas sobre estimativas de parâmetros genéticos nesta espécie como forma de subsidiar o melhoramento que até o presente momento é incipiente. Este trabalho teve como objetivo, avaliar o potencial genético de Lippia alba, estimando parâmetros genéticos inicialmente em caracteres obtidos em nível de estacas, uma vez que é a forma tradicional de multiplicação da espécie. Os caracteres avaliados foram: sobrevivência (S%), comprimento de brotos (Cb) e massa de brotos (Mb). Nesses estudos iniciais de parâmetros genéticos, envolvendo vigor de estacas, formaram-se três grupos de progênies com tamanhos efetivos de 30, 23 e 7. Excetuando-se S%, obtiveram-se altas herdabilidades, no sentido restrito, para os três tamanhos efetivos, variando de 90,2% a 94,5% para Mb e 95,2 %a 97,1% para Cb. Para S%, os valores de herdabilidade foram moderados, entre 50,0% e 56,0%. Os ganhos genéticos foram semelhantes também nos três grupos de progênies formados, refletindo ampla variabilidade genética mesmo para o grupo de reduzido tamanho efetivo de progênies. As correlações genéticas aditivas foram elevadas (87,9% a 99,9%), com predomínio nas correlações fenotípicas (G% entre 94,1% a 98,8%). Apesar das correlações elevadas de ambiente a proporção destes efeitos ambientais na correlação fenotípica foi baixa (E% entre 1,2% a 5,9%).

The species Lippia alba, belonging to the Verbenaceae family, is a vigorous wild bush with aromatic and medicinal properties. Due to the presence of several essential oils, it is used among others, mostly in drugs and cosmetics, perfumes. The species is poorly studied and no genetic parameter is known to help breeding programs. The main purpose of this research was to evaluate survival (S%), branches length (BL) and fresh weight (FW), in three progenies. High heritabilities, (FM 90.2% - 94.5%; BL 95.2% - 97.1%), in the narrow sense, were observed in all progeny groups, except for S% (50.0% - 56.0%). Genetic gains were similar for all three traits, strongly suggesting the presence of large genetic variability. Additive genetic correlations were high (87.9% - 98.8%) and predominate in the phenotypic correlations (G% - 94.1% - 98.8%). Despite the high environmental correlations, their effects on the phenotypic correlations were quite small (E% 1.2 % - 5.9%).

Pothomorphe umbellata (L.) Miquel é uma espécie medicinal brasileira, pertencente à família Piperaceae e popularmente conhecida como pariparoba e capeba. Desenvolve-se em regiões ricas em húmus, umidade e abaixo das sombras de árvores, que contribuem para seu melhor desenvolvimento, é considerada uma espécie esciófita. Avaliou-se o efeito do sombreamento no teor e composição química do óleo essencial de folhas Pothomorphe umbellata (Piperaceae). Mudas com nove meses foram levadas para campo em outubro de 2002 e submetidas a três níveis de sombreamento (30%, 50%, 70%) e a pleno sol, em delineamento experimental de blocos ao acaso, com quatro tratamentos e seis repetições, no esquema de parcelas subdivididas no tempo. Foram realizadas duas colheitas da parte aérea (05/2003 e 05/2004). O óleo essencial foi extraído por hidrodestilação e sua análise química realizada através de CG-EM. O maior teor de óleo essencial ocorreu na segunda colheita em plantas com 30% de sombreamento. Foram identificadas 26 substâncias químicas, sendo o trans-nerolidol, majoritário.

Pothomorphe umbellata (L.) Miquel, is a medicinal species that belong to the Piperaceae family and commonly called "pariparoba" and "caapeba". It grows in regions rich in humus, humidity and under the shade of trees, which contribute for its best growth as it is considered a species sciophyte. The effect of shade on the yield and chemical composition of essential oil of Pothomorphe umbellata (Piperaceae) leaves was evaluated. Nine-month-old seedlings were planted in October 2002 and subjected to three shade levels (30%, 50%, 70%) and full sun; the experimental design was in randomized blocks, with four treatments and six replications, in split-plot in time scheme. Two harvests of aerial part were made (05/2003 and 05/2004). Essential oil was extracted by hydrodistillation and chemically analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The highest essential oil yield was observed in the second harvest and plants under 30% shade. Twenty-six chemical substances were identified, of which trans-nerolidol was predominant.

O óleo essencial de Origanum vulgare L. Lamiaceae (orégano) apresenta variadas propriedades biológicas, de modo que seu potencial antimicrobiano tem despertado interesse para uso na conservação de alimentos. Este estudo objetivou avaliar a interferência de diferentes tratamentos térmicos (60, 80, 100 e 120 °C/1 hora) sobre a efetividade antimicrobiana e composição química do óleo essencial de O. vulgare. A efetividade antimicrobiana do óleo essencial exposto aos diferentes tratamentos térmicos foi avaliada através da observação de sua atividade antimicrobiana em concentração absoluta e através da determinação da sua CIM utilizando-se a técnica de difusão em meio sólido. O estudo da composição do óleo essencial foi realizado através de GC-MS. O óleo essencial apresentou intensa atividade antimicrobiana sobre todas as amostras microbianas ensaiadas (Candida albicans, C. krusei, C. tropicalis, Bacillus cereus, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Yersinia enterocolitica, Salmonella enterica e Serratia marcencens) mostrando amplos halos de inibição do crescimento microbiano (30a42mm). O aquecimento do óleo essencial de O. vulgare não mostrou interferência (p < 0.05) sobre sua propriedade antimicrobiana, sendo observado o desenvolvimento de halos de inibição do crescimento microbiano com diâmetros similares ou aproximados quando ensaiadas a alíquota do óleo essencial mantido em temperatura ambiente e as alíquotas submetidas a diferentes temperaturas de aquecimento. Os valores de CIM encontrados para o óleo essencial de O. vulgare oscilaram entre 10 a 40 µL.mL-1 (20 µL.mL-1 para a maioria das amostras), entretanto nenhuma diferença significativa (p < 0.05) foi notada para os valores de CIM encontrados para as alíquotas do óleo essencial exposto a diferentes temperaturas. Ademais, o aquecimento não interferiu significativamente (p < 0.05) sobre a composição química do óleo essencial. A análise da composição do óleo essencial mostrou a presença de monoterpenos, compostos terpênicos e sesquiterpenos, de modo que carvacrol (68,06 a 70,27%) e p-cimeno (12,85 a 154,81%) foram os compostos encontrados em maiores concentrações no óleo essencial. Estes resultados mostram a estabilidade térmica do óleo essencial de O. vulgare e suporta seu possível uso concomitante com altas temperaturas em sistemas de conservação de alimentos.

Origanum vulgare L. (oregano), Lamiaceae, essential oil has a variety of biological properties and its antimicrobial activity has received a renewed interest for use in food conservation. The aim of this study was to evaluate the interference of heating on the antimicrobial activity and chemical composition of O. vulgare essential oil. The antimicrobial activity of the essential oil kept at room temperature and exposed to different heating temperatures (60, 80, 100 and 120 °C during 1 hour) was evaluated by observing antimicrobial effectiveness at absolute concentration and determining MIC values by the solid medium diffusion procedure. The essential oil chemical composition analysis was performed by GC-MS. O. vulgare essential oil showed interesting antimicrobial activity on all assayed microbial strains (Candida albicans, C.krusei, C. tropicalis, Bacillus cereus, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Yersinia enterocolitica, Salmonella enterica, Serratia marcencens), noted by large growth inhibition zones (30-42 mm). Heating treatment showed no significant interference (p < 0.05) on the essential oil antimicrobial activity, noted by the development of microbial growth inhibition zones with similar or close diameters when evaluating the essential oil kept at room temperature and after exposure to different thermal treatments. MIC values oscillated between 10and 40 µL.mL-1 (20µL.mL-1 for most strains). However, no significant difference (p < 0.05) was noted among the MIC values found for the essential oil aliquots exposed to different temperatures. Moreover, heating did not significantly (p < 0.05) affect the chemical composition of O. vulgare essential oil. Monoterpenes, terpenic compounds and sesquiterpenes were found in the essential oil, with carvacrol (68.06-70.27%) and p-cymene (12.85-15.81%) being the compounds found in the highest amounts. These results showed the thermal stability and intense antimicrobial properties of O. vulgare essential oil and support its possible concomitant use with heating temperatures in order to reach microbial safety in foods.

A Lippia alba (Verbenaceae) é um arbusto produtor de óleo essencial com importantes atividades biológicas, farmacológicas e aromatizantes. Visando o cultivo sustentado de uma nova espécie com potencial econômico, os objetivos deste trabalho foram avaliar o desempenho da L. alba para massa de folha fresca (MF), massa de folha seca (MS), sintomas de vírus (SV - Cucumber mosaic virus, CMV), rendimento de óleo essencial (RE) e composição química do óleo (CQ), e avaliar a estabilidade e adaptabilidade fenotípica para o caráter MS. Dez genótipos pertencentes a quatro grupos químicos foram testados em seis experimentos instalados no estado de São Paulo, Brasil, com delineamento em blocos ao acaso e duas plantas por parcela. Em Monte Alegre do Sul e Pindorama, foi utilizado espaçamento de 2,0 x 0,4 x 1,6 m e em Campinas, foram instalados quatro experimentos 1,0 x 0,4 x 0,6 m sob condições distintas de adubação e irrigação. O efeito de genótipo foi significativo para todas as características avaliadas, revelando elevada produtividade de folhas do IAC-16 (citral), RE Yamamoto et al. superior dos quimiotipos linalol e limoneno/carvona e susceptibilidade deste último ao CMV. As oscilações no desempenho dos genótipos nos diferentes experimentos foram de baixa magnitude para os caracteres fitoquímicos (RE e CQ) e nenhuma variação qualitativa foi observada para CQ. Os genótipos IAC-2 (linalol) e IAC-13 (limoneno/carvona) apresentaram-se estáveis para MS e com ampla adaptabilidade, e são recomendados para o início do cultivo da espécie. A presente pesquisa fornece subsídios também para o início de programas de melhoramento genético em L. alba.

Lippia alba (Verbenaceae) is a shrub whose essential oil has important biological, pharmacological, and aromatizing properties. To reach the sustained cultivation of new species with economic potential, the present study aimed to evaluate L. alba performance for fresh leaf matter (FM), leaf dry matter (DM), virus symptoms (VS - Cucumber mosaic virus, CMV), oil yield (OY), and oil chemical composition (OC), and to evaluate DM stability and adaptability. Ten genotypes of four chemical groups (chemotypes) were evaluated in six experiments designed as randomized blocks with two plants per plot, over the whole State of São Paulo, Brazil. A 2.0 x 0.4 x 1.6 m spacing was used in Monte Alegre do Sul and Pindorama, while a 1.0 x 0.4 x 0.6 m spacing was used in Campinas, where four experiments were established under different irrigation and fertilization conditions. The genotype effect was significant (p < 0.05) for all traits evaluated, with high leaf productivity of IAC-16 (citral chemotype), best OY means in the linalool and limonene/carvone chemotypes, and susceptibility of the latter chemotype to CMV. The genotype performance oscillations in the six environments were significant for FM and DM, and despite their significance for phytochemical traits (OY and OC), they were of low magnitude. No qualitative variation was detected for OC. The IAC-2 (linalool) and IAC-13 (limonene/carvone) genotypes showed high stability and wide adaptability, and are recommended to establish initial cultivations of this species. This research also indicated genetic sources to start Lippia alba genetic breeding programs.

Esse estudo avaliou os efeitos dos níveis de biossólido no rendimento e na composição química do óleo essencial de Mentha piperita L. Plantas de menta foram cultivadas em casa de vegetação em vasos contendo o equivalente a 0, 28, 56 e 112 t.ha-1 de biossólido. Três avaliações foram realizadas aos 90, 110 e 120 dias após plantio (DAP). O óleo foi extraído da matéria seca da parte aérea por hidrodestilação e sua composição determinada por CG/EM. Sua produção foi afetada de modo discreto pelo biossólido, aumentando quando as plantas foram cultivadas com 28 t.ha-1, condição que não resultou em sua melhora de qualidade. O acetato de mentila foi o componente encontrado em maior porcentagem em todos os tratamentos. As plantas apresentaram aos 90 DAP maior percentagem de mentol, segundo maior constituinte do óleo, com conteúdo de 42,3% naquelas cultivadas sem biossólido. A presença do biossólido favoreceu a formação de mentofurano. Como o mentol, a mentona diminuiu com o desenvolvimento das plantas. Nessas condições, recomenda-se sua colheita aos 90 DAP, época em que o nível de mentol foi maior. Com o aumento de produção de lodo de esgoto, há necessidade de sua adequada destinação, havendo restrições para seu uso em relação ao ambiente e à planta. Assim, apesar de o cultivo com 28 t.ha-1 estar dentro do permitido pela legislação, essa condição, que aumentou o rendimento do óleo, não melhorou sua qualidade. Assim, o biossólido da Estação de Barueri não foi recomendável para o cultivo da espécie.

This research evaluated the effects of biosolid levels on yield and chemical composition of Mentha piperita L. essential oil. Mint plants were grown in a greenhouse in pots containing the equivalent to 0, 28, 56, and 112 t.ha-1 biosolid. Three evaluations were made at 90, 110, and 120 days after planting (DAP). The oil was extracted from the dry matter of shoots by hydrodistillation, and composition was determined by GC/MS. Oil production was slightly affected by the biosolid, increasing when plants were grown with 28 t.ha-1, a condition which did not result in quality improvement. Menthyl acetate was the component obtained at the highest percentage in all treatments. At 90 DAP, plants showed a higher percentage of menthol, the second-highest oil constituent, with a content of 42.3% in plants grown without biosolid. The presence of biosolid favored menthofuran formation. As with menthol, menthone decreased with plant development. Under these conditions, plant harvesting is recommended at 90 DAP, period in which the menthol level was higher. Since the production of biosolid is on the rise, a suitable destination must be given to it, and restrictions exist for its use in relation to the environment and plants. Thus, although cultivation with 28 t.ha-1 is within the limits allowed by law, such a rate, which increased oil yield, did not improve oil quality. Therefore, biosolid from the Barueri Station is not recommended for cultivation of this specie.