The present study reports the molecular dereplication and the evaluation of anti-Trypanosoma cruzi activity of volatile oils from inflorescences, leaves, branches, and roots of Saururus cernuus L. (Saururaceae). Chemically, the oils showed the predominance of sesquiterpenes in inflorescences (64.04%) and branches (63.82%), with β-sesquiphellandrene (25.50%) and (E)-caryophyllene (22.40%) corresponding to the main constituents of each oil. Furthermore, it was possible to detect safrole as the most predominant compound in the leaves oil (49.09%). On the other hand, the oil from roots was mainly composed by monoterpenes (84.60%), with limonene in higher concentration (38.41%), followed by α-pinene (20.19%), and camphene (14.71%). The oils from inflorescences and branches displayed higher antitrypanosomal potency with EC50 values of 7.1 and 8.8 μg mL-1, respectively, followed by the oils from the roots and inflorescences, with EC50 values of 17.3 and 30.4 μg mL-1, respectively. Additionally, branches and inflorescences oils displayed no toxicity in mammalian NCTC cells (CC50 > 200 μg mL-1). Using two PLS-DA methods, it was possible to suggest that the anti-T. cruzi activity of the tested oils could be associated with the presence of β-sesquiphellandrene, safrole, β-elemene, and α-zingiberene whereas threo-austrobailignan-5, β-sesquiphellandrene, α-humulene, germacrene D, and bicyclogermacrene play a role in the cytotoxicity against NCTC cells.

Meliaceae representatives are economically important in several aspects including the production of highly prized woods (mahogany, cedar, etc.), constituents for cosmetics, and insecticides. The present study aimed to verify the chemical composition as well as leishmanicidal and cytotoxic potential of essential oils from leaves of two different populations of Guarea macrophylla collected at cities of São Paulo (population I) and Cubatão (population II), São Paulo State, Brazil. Chemically, the oils showed the predominance of sesquiterpenes: cis-β-guaiene, bicyclogermacrene, viridiflorol, and isolongifolan-7α-ol from population I and α-copaene, E-caryophyllene, cis-β-guaiene, and γ-amorphene from population II. In vitro antileishmanial activity against promastigote forms of Leishmania (L.) amazonensis of essential oils was evaluated and displayed 50% effective concentration (EC50) values ranging from 11.8 to 20.5 µg mL-1. Furthermore, toxicity against peritoneal macrophages of BALB/c mice was observed, with 50% cytotoxic concentration (CC50) ranging from 17.7 to > 100 µg mL-1. Multivariate statistical analysis revealed the influence of each constituent of the oils against L. amazonensis being 1,10-di-epi-cubenol, α-amorphene, E-caryophyllene, isopimara-7,15-diene, and β-elemene associated with the antileishmanial potential.