Leishmaniasis is an infection of viscera or tegument caused by protozoa Leishmania sp. The extensive period required for the treatment, which involves the use of toxic medicines, leads patients to drop treatment increasing the development of resistant forms of Leishmania sp. Lantana camara L., Verbenaceae, is a tropical plant native from America. Folk uses have been described for treatment of tumors, tetanus, rheumatism and malaria. This study evaluates the leishmanicidal activity of the essential oil of leaves from L. camara on promastigote forms of Leishmania chagasi and L. amazonensis and its toxic effects on Artemia salina (brine shrimp test), macrophage cultures and BALB/c mice. The chemical composition was evaluated using the gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometer (GC-MS). Thirty substances, mostly mono and sesquiterpenes were identified. The most representative constituents were: germacrene D (24.90%), farnesene derivatives (22%) and (E)-cariophylene (14.31%). Bioassays revealed a significant leishmanicidal activity of essential oil against L. amazonensis (IC50 0.25 µg/ mL) and a potential toxic effect on Brine shrimp (LC50 10 µg/mL) and macrophage assays (CC50 4 µg/mL), while there was no toxic manifestation on mice. The data show the relevant potential of L. camara as a source of medicine for leishmaniasis treatment.

Das estratégias adotadas pelas plantas invasoras para dominância em comunidades vegetais a liberação de aleloquímicos se sobressai. Estes compostos encontram-se em qualquer parte vegetal, principalmente em exsudatos de raízes, folhas e seus degradados sendo liberados no ambiente através de emanações voláteis ou solúveis, translocados em água. O capim-annoni-2, Eragrostis plana Nees, é uma Poaceae exótica, invasora de pastagens e com potencial alelopático. Para testar este efeito coletaram-se caules e folhas da parte mediana da planta de capim-annoni-2, que foram cortados em pedaços de 0,5cm e dispostos em três níveis de cobertura 0%, 50% e 100% em caixas gerbox, usando papel germitest como substrato sobre o material picado de capim-annoni-2. Foram colocadas para germinar 100 sementes das espécies: Paspalum notatum Flüggé, P. regnellii Mez, Megathyrsus maximus B. K. Simon e S. W. L. Jacobs, Setaria sphacelata (Schumach) Staff e C. E. Hubb ex Chipp e Lactuca sativa L. como testemunha. O delineamento foi em blocos casualizados com quatro repetições. Observou-se o efeito alelopático na germinação das sementes após o início da decomposição do tecido vegetal do capim-annoni-2. Sementes com rápida germinação, como as de M. maximus e P. regnellii bem como a L. sativa, escaparam do efeito alelopático. As espécies mais prejudicadas nos seus processos germinativos foram o P. notatum e S.sphacelata. O dano à germinação foi proporcional ao gradiente crescente do nível de cobertura do capim-annoni-2 com exceção do P. regnellii que apresentou no nível de 50% de cobertura do capim-annoni-2, aumento na germinação, porém com queda significativa da mesma no nível de 100% de cobertura. O efeito alelopático do capim-annoni-2 se dá durante a decomposição dos seus tecidos vegetais. Sementes com germinação precoce escapam destes efeitos. A germinação tardia de P. notatum e S. sphacelata as expôs ao efeito alelopático do capim-annoni-2. A germinação de P. regnellii é estimulada no nível de cobertura com capim-annoni-2 de 50%, contudo, na cobertura máxima há queda significativa na germinação de suas sementes.

Among plant strategies to invade and dominate the plant community, the release of alelochemicals is prominent. These compounds are present in all plant parts, principally, in root exudates, leaves and their degraded parts. They are released in the environment through volatile or soluble emanations, translocated in water. Capim-annoni-2 is an invasive exotic Poaceae of rangeland vegetation with allelopatic potential. To test this effect, plant structures from the mid part of capim-annoni-2 were collected and cut in small pieces of 0.5cm and placed in three covering levels of 0, 50 and 100% in gerboxes covered with germitest blotters over the cut material. A hundred seeds of Paspalum notatum Flüggé, P. regnellii Mez, Megathyrsus maximus B. K. Simon and S. W. L. Jacobs, Setaria sphacelata (Schumach) Staff and C. E. Hubb ex Chipp and Lactuca sativa L., were placed to germinate as controls. A randomized complete block design was used with four replications. The allelopatic effect was observed on the seed germination after the beginning of capim-annoni-2 plant tissue decomposition. Seeds with high speed germination, such as M. maximus and P. reginelli as well as L. sativa, escaped the allelopatic effect. The most damaged species in their germination course were P. notatum e S. sphacelata. The germination injury was proportional to the gradient increase of the capim-annoni-2 covering tissue with the exception of P. reginelli which showed, at 50% capim-annoni-2 covering level, an increase in germination, but at 100% level there was a significant germination reduction. The capim-annoni-2 allelopathic effects occur during plant tissue decomposition. Seeds with precocious germination escape these effects. The late germination of P. notatum and S. sphacelata exposed them to the capim-annoni-2 allelopathic effects. P. reginelli germination was stimulated at 50% covering level to capim-annoni-2, but at maximum level there was a significant germination decrease in its seeds.