Various vegetables as biological catalysts were evaluated in enantioselective reduction of carbonyl compounds. The stereoselectivity of the process was in agreement with Prelog's rule for twelve of the vegetables, whereas okra and green peppers formed anti-Prelog products. Zingiber officinale exhibited the best results with 30% conversion and 89% ee. The parameters of the reaction such as time, solvent and other substrates investigated, as well as the specie, showed good chemo- and enantioselectivity.

The chemical investigation of the ethanol extracts of stems, roots and leaves of Lippia sidoides led to the isolation of: steroid β-sitosterol, naphthoquinone tecomaquinone, monoterpene carvacrol, flavonoid 4',5,7-trihydroxyflavanone (naringenin), 3',4',5,7-tetrahydroxyflavanone and 4',5,7-trihydroxy-6-methoxyflavone flavonoids mixture, and 3,4,4',6'-tetrahydroxydihydrochalcone-2'-O-β-D-glucopyranoside and 4,4',6'-trihydroxydihydrochalcone-2'-O- β-D-glucopyranoside dihydrochalcones mixture. Their structures were characterized on the basis of spectral data, mainly ¹H and 13C NMR (1D and 2D) and mass spectra. The ethanol extract and isolated compounds were evaluated for their antioxidative properties using the method of inhibition of free radical DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl).

Phytochemical investigation of a propolis sample from Alto Santo - Ceará, Brazil, allowed identification of triterpenes (lupeol, lupenone, germanicone, canaric acid) and flavonoids (quercetin, kaempferol and acacetin), which were identified by spectroscopic data (IR, MS, and NMR, including 2D techniques). This is the first report of canaric acid in propolis. Propolis extract and flavonoids showed antioxidant activity using a DPPH radical scavenging assay.