ABSTRACT: Bees generally use different botanical sources of resins for the production of propolis. The elucidation of botanical sources of propolis and identification of the effects of seasonality on the chemical profile of propolis are recognized as two important aspects in the development of a high quality product. Thus, our objective was to elucidate the botanical source and identify the effect of the seasons on the chemical profile of propolis produced in southern Brazil. The chemical profile of the samples was analysed by spectrophotometric and chromatographic techniques and the results were coupled to multivariate analysis. Field observation of the foraging behaviour of Apis mellifera L. revealed its preference for the Baccharis dracunculifolia DC. species. p-Coumaric acid, 3, 4-dicaffeoylquinic acid, 3, 5-dicaffeoylquinic acid, drupanin, and artepillin C which were identified in both plant and propolis samples. Moreover, higher artepillin C amounts have been detected in samples collected in the summer and autumn, while the main compounds of p-coumaric acid and quercetin were available in spring and winter sampled propolis, respectively. Baccharis dracunculifolia has been identified as a plant species preferred by A. mellifera in foraging resin for the production of propolis in southern Brazil. The contents of balsam, total phenolic compounds, and flavonoids varied significantly over the seasons, with values above the minimum required by the legislation, thus assuring a quality pattern for this biomass.

This paper evaluates CHCl3 and CH3OH extracts of the stem bark, branches and leaves of Drimys brasiliensis and drimane sesquiterpenes isolated from the stem bark against strains of Leishmania amazonensis and Leishmania braziliensis promastigotes and Plasmodium falciparum trophozoites. All of the extracts and compounds were tested in cell lines in comparison with reference standards and cell viability was determined by the XTT method. The CHCl3 and CH3OH extracts from the stem bark and branches yielded promising results against two strains of Leishmania, with 50% inhibitory concentrations (IC50) values ranging from 39-100 µg/mL. The CHCl3 extract of the stem bark returned IC50 values of 39 and 40.6 µg/mL for L. amazonensis and L. braziliensis, respectively. The drimanes were relatively effective: 1-β-(p-coumaroyloxy)-polygodial produced IC50 values of 5.55 and 2.52 µM for L. amazonensis and L. braziliensis, respectively, compared with 1-β-(p-methoxycinnamoyl)-polygodial, which produced respective IC50 values of 15.85 and 17.80 µM. The CHCl3 extract demonstrated activity (IC50 of 3.0 µg/mL) against P. falciparum. The IC50 values of 1-β-(p-cumaroyloxyl)-polygodial and 1-β-(p-methoxycinnamoyl)-polygodial were 1.01 and 4.87 µM, respectively, for the trophozoite strain. Therefore, the results suggest that D. brasiliensis is a promising plant from which to obtain new and effective antiparasitic agents.

The synthetic n-alkyl esters of gallic acid (GA), also known as gallates, especially propyl, octyl and dodecyl gallates, are widely employed as antioxidants by food and pharmaceutical industries. The inhibitory effects of GA and 15 gallates on Herpes Simplex Virus type 1 (HSV-1) and Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV-1) replication were investigated here. After a preliminary screening of these compounds, GA and pentyl gallate (PG) seemed to be the most active compounds against HSV-1 replication and their mode of action was characterized through a set of assays, which attempted to localize the step of the viral multiplication cycle where impairment occurred. The detected anti-HSV-1 activity was mediated by the inhibition of virus attachment to and penetration into cells, and by virucidal properties. Furthermore, an anti-HIV-1 activity was also found, to different degrees. In summary, our results suggest that both compounds could be regarded as promising candidates for the development of topical anti-HSV-1 agents, and further studies concerning the anti-HIV-1 activity of this group of molecules are merited.

Do fungo brasileiro Ganoderma australe foram isolados o ácido austrálico e o novo composto australado de metila, além de outros 9 compostos já conhecidos. Tanto o australado de metila quanto o ácido correpondente foram ativos contra fungos e bactérias Gram-positivas, sendo o éster metílico ainda ativo contra bactérias Gram-negativas.

In addition to nine known steroidal compounds, australic acid and the new methyl australate have been isolated from the Brazilian fungus Ganoderma australe. Both methyl australate and its corresponding acid were shown to be active against fungi and Gram-positive bacteria, the methyl ester being also active against Gram-negative bacteria.

The present paper describes the chemical composition and biological activities of artichoke cultivated in Brazil. Our studies demonstrated that glycosyl flavonoids (cynaroside and scolymoside), are the major constituents, along with cynaropicrin, a sesquiterpene lactone, and the triterpene lupeol. Cynarin, which is the main compound described for artichoke, was detected in very low concentration. Hexanic fraction exhibited considerable cytotoxicity and diuretic activities.

In the present study, new N-aryl and N-alkylarylcyclic imides were synthesized and their antibacterial properties against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus were evaluated by using the diffusion method. All compounds were obtained in good yield (54 - 95%) and characterized by spectral data (¹H-NMR, MS, IR) and elemental analysis (CHN). The biological results indicated that some compounds exert significative antibacterial effects, confirming previous studies on biological activities of cyclic imides.

Foi descrito um mecanismo geral para a etapa de ataque da reação de nucleófilos nitrogenados com compostos carbonílicos para formar intermediários de adição neutro. Este mecansimo geral está baseado na importância relativa do mecanismo "concertado" com respeito ao mecanismo "por etapas". O mecanismo "concertado" envolve o ataque da base nitrogenada ao composto carbonílico catalisado pelo íon hidrônio, enquanto que o mecanismo "por etapas" envolve a formação prévia de um intermediário tetraédrico zwiteriônico (T±), com posterior transferência de próton a partir do íon hidrônio. A importância relativa destes dois passos origina três diferentes tipos de perfis de velocidade em função do pH. A importância do mecanismo "por etapas" depende da estabilidade do intermediário T±, que por sua vez depende do pKa do nucleófilo nitrogenado e da constante de equilíbrio (Kad) para a formação do intermediário neutro (T0). A comparação entre as reações de p-clorobenzaldeído e norcanfor com diferentes nucleófilos nitrogenados mostra que o mecanismo geral depende de cada tipo de composto carbonílico. Isto deve-se a dois fatos: A grande influência dos efeitos estéricos e eletrônicos na estrutura dos compostos carbonílicos, e o fato de que o valor do pKa do nucleófilo nitrogenado é o fator mais importante na predição dos perfis. O pKa do nucleófilo nitrogenado está mais relacionado com a estabilidade do intermediário T± que de T0, enquanto que o valor de Kad está relacionado apenas com a estabilidade do intermediário T0.

It have been described a general mechanism for the attack step of the reactions between nitrogen nucleophiles and carbonyl compounds to form a neutral tetrahedral addition intermediate. This general mechanism is based on the relative importance of the "concerted" hydronium-ion catalyzed attack of the nitrogen base on the carbonyl compound with respect to the "step wise" mechanism that involves the previous formation of a zwitterionic tetrahedral intermediate (T±) and the posterior proton transfer to it from the hydronium-ion. The relative importance of this pathway gives origin to three kinds of profile rates vs pH for these reactions. On the other hand, the importance of the "stepwise" mechanism was attributed to a dependence on the stability of the T± intermediate that is related to the pKa of the nitrogen base and the Kad (the equilibrium constant for the formation of the neutral tetrahedral addition intermediate (T0)). The comparison of the reactions of p-chlorobenzaldehyde and norcamphor with different nitrogen nucleophiles led to the observation that the general mechanism depends on each type of carbonyl compound. This is due to the great influence of the steric and electronic effects of the compounds structure, and the fact that the pKa value of the nitrogen base, which is more related to the stability of the T± than the T0 intermediate, is more important as a factor of prediction of the profiles than the value of Kad, this value being more related to the stability of the T0 intermediate.