ABSTRACT Sisal (Agave sisalana Perrine), a crucial natural fiber source, exhibits varying yields in China’s Guangdong and Guangxi regions. This groundbreaking study sampled soil and sisal leaves from these production hubs to explore the interplay among soil pH, enzyme activity, microorganisms, and sisal nutrition. Using PCR and high-throughput sequencing, results indicate Guangdong’s soil is mildly acidic, contrasting with Guangxi’s neutral to slightly alkaline soil. Both regions show a robust correlation between soil pH and nutrient availability (organic matter, P, K). Enhanced soil enzyme activity is observed at higher pH levels (6.09, 7.39). Dominant bacterial phyla Acidobacteria, Proteobacteria, and Actinobacteria peak at pH 7.39, 6.09, and 5.41, respectively. Fungal phyla Ascomycota, Basidiomycota, and Mortierellomycota thrive at pH 4.23, 7.39, and 6.48. Sisal leaves display optimal nutrient levels at specific pHs: N, P, and K at pH 6.09; Ca at pH 7.39; Mg at pH 6.48. Functional predictions reveal fungal abundance varies with pH, while bacterial functions like metabolism, disease resistance, and environmental adaptation are bolstered in Guangxi’s alkaline soils compared to Guangdong’s acidic ones. These findings provide a scientific basis for optimizing sisal cultivation management.

RESUMO: Pereskia aculeata, popularmente conhecida como ora-pro-nóbis, é uma Planta Alimentícia Não Convencional (PANC) nativa do Brasil. Considerando a baixa quantidade de trabalhos com a propagação da espécie e a importância de práticas mais sustentáveis voltadas para o pequeno agricultor, objetivou-se avaliar o crescimento de mudas de P. aculeata cultivadas em substratos com diferentes proporções de composto orgânico. As mudas foram obtidas por estaquia, e cultivadas em quatro substratos distintos, configurando três tratamentos e um tratamento controle. Os substratos foram preparados a partir da mistura de terra de formigueiro e substrato comercial, de forma que os tratamentos foram determinados pela quantidade de composto orgânico adicionado. No tratamento controle não foi incorporado composto orgânico, e nos demais tratamentos, o composto representava 25, 50 e 75% da massa total do substrato. Modelos lineares mistos foram aplicados a variáveis morfológicas e fisiológicas. Foi possível observar que, quanto maior a quantidade de composto orgânico no substrato, maior foi o crescimento das brotações que se desenvolveram nas estacas, efeito refletido, principalmente, pelo aumento do comprimento e do número de folhas do maior ramo, e da massa (fresca e seca) da parte aérea. A taxa de fotossíntese líquida e a eficiência quântica do fotossistema II também aumentaram significativamente com a incorporação de composto orgânico no substrato. É possível concluir que o incremento do composto orgânico promoveu o crescimento das mudas de P. aculeata, bem como seu desempenho fotossintético.

ABSTRACT: Pereskia aculeata, commonly known as ora-pro-nóbis, is a Non-Conventional Food Plant (NCFP) native to Brazil. Considering the limited number of studies on species propagation and the importance of more sustainable practices for small-scale farmers, the objective was to evaluate the growth of P. aculeata saplings cultivated in substrates with different proportions of organic compost. The saplings were obtained by cuttings and cultivated in four distinct substrates, comprising three treatments and one control group. The substrates were prepared from a mixture of ant mound soil and commercial substrate, with the treatments determined by the amount of organic compost added. In the control group, no organic compost was incorporated, while in the other treatments, the compost represented 25, 50, and 75% of the total substrate mass. Mixed linear models were applied to morphological and physiological variables. It was possible to observe that, the higher the amount of organic compost in the substrate, the greater the growth of the shoots that developed from the cuttings, a result reflected primarily in the increased length and number of leaves on the largest branch, and the dry mass of the above-ground part. The rate of net photosynthesis and effective quantum efficiency of Photosystem II also significantly increased with the incorporation of organic compost into the substrate. It can be concluded that the addition of organic compost promoted the growth of P. aculeata cutting saplings, as well as their photosynthetic performance.

The compound verboccidentafuran (1) was identified from the essential oil of the leaves of Baccharis punctulata DC. (Asteraceae) specimens for the first time in Brazil. The variation of this compound found in male and female specimens may be associated to the existence of more than one type of chemotype, influenced by geographic variation, climatic conditions, stage of the vegetative cycle, genetic and ecological factors. The furanocadinan-type sesquiterpenes verboccidentafuran (1) and curzerene (2) have molecular descriptors with high similarities. Compound 2, found in Eugenia uniflora L. (Myrtaceae) and species of the genus Smyrnium L. (Apiaceae), is active to control seizures induced by pentylenetetrazole, what suggests a possible binding to the benzodiazepine-site of the GABAA (gamma-aminobutyric acid type A) receptor. Considering the occurrence and availability of 1 in the species B. punctulata and its structural similarity to compound 2, docking calculations were performed for the interaction of both compounds with the human a1-ß2-y2 GABAA receptor. The results suggest that both compounds 1 and 2 must have affinity for the cavity at a1-y2 interface and support the development of pharmacological research on the compound verboccidentafuran 1 as a drug candidate for modulating the GABA/benzodiazepine complex in the central nervous system.

In this research, the phytochemical study of extracts from the leaves of Siparuna cymosa, an endemic species in Brazil, was carried out for the first time, and evaluated the cytotoxic activity of this extract against leukemia cell lines. The dried leaves were powdered and subjected to extraction by exhaustive maceration with pure organic solvents. The chloroform and ethyl acetate extracts were purified by column chromatography, and the isolated compounds were identified by spectroscopic techniques. The cytotoxic activity of extracts and compounds against THP-1 (acute myeloid) and K-562 (chronic myeloid) leukemia lines was determined using 3-(4,5-dimethyl-2-thyazolyl)-2,5-diphenyl-tetrazoliumbromide (MTT) assay. The isolated compounds were 1,5,6-trimethyl-8 oxabicyclo[3.2.1]oct-6-en-3-ol, β-sitosterol-3-O-β-D-glucopyranoside, and kaempferol-3,7 di-O-α-L-rhamnoside. This is the first report of isolation of oxabicyclo-octenol in plant species. β-Sitosterol-3-O-β-D-glucopyranoside and kaempferol-3,7-di-O-α-L-rhamnoside significantly reduced the viability of tumor cells after controlled exposure for 48 h. Moreover, selectivity was at least two times higher for such lineages compared to the results found for non-tumor peripheral blood cells (PBMC). Kaempferol-3,7-di-O-α-L-rhamnoside was the most active and selective. In conclusion, metabolites from S. cymosa showed to be of scientific interest. This study shows that the biodiversity of plant species in Brazil represents an important arsenal of organic compounds and, therefore, research should be motivated aiming at the isolation of secondary metabolites.

ABSTRACT The herbicides glyphosate and 2,4-D are widely used to control weeds in various crops. The rubber tree crop is exposed to these molecules, which can interfere with its establishment. This study aimed to assess the effects caused by the drift of glyphosate, 2,4-D, and the combination of both, in different proportions corresponding to 0, 4, 8, 16, 32, and 64% of the recommended dose (1,440 and 804 g a·e·ha-1 of glyphosate and 2,4-D, respectively). The characteristic symptoms when 2,4-D was present in the drift began with wilting and shriveling of young leaves and, at the highest doses, quickly progressed to chlorosis, shoot epinasty, and edge necrosis, while mature leaves showed a brown color, culminating in a high rate of fall. The effects of glyphosate were intensified after leaf flushing, which occurred 120 days after its application and resulted in long, narrow, twisted leaves in a spiral shape and deformed shoots. Drift above 32% from the combination of glyphosate and 2,4-D resulted in a high mortality rate, while 16% damaged growth and resulted in the death of some plants. The results indicate that drift from the combination of glyphosate and 2,4-D intensifies the symptoms of phytotoxicity in rubber trees, with drift above 8% being harmful. For the herbicides applied alone, there was full recovery of the plants in the drift of up to 16%, so it is important to avoid the drift of these herbicides in the management of weeds in the rubber tree crop.

Spondias tuberosa (umbu) has been studied from the perspective of natural product and pharmacology, revealing relevant biological activities. Therefore, from the point of view of chemical and biological studies, deepening knowledge about this species is of great importance. Additionally, the evaluation related to the metabolic variations of the same species during different phenological evolution stages is also an interesting aspect of the research. Thereby, ultra performance liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (UPLC-QToF-MSE) was used to trace the chemical profile from umbu leaves at different phenological stages, allowing the detection of 40 metabolites, which 16 were annotated, such as phenolics and anacardic acids. Furthermore, the use of chemoinformatics tools allowed obtaining information on phenological development in the three leaves phases: post-flowering (young leaves), full production and senescence. The antiglycation activity assay revealed a potential inhibition of the formation of advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) in the leaves at different phenological stages. The antioxidant activity was satisfactory and in agreement with previously reported results, evidencing the potential for using umbu leaves, currently completely discarded, as an alternative source of antioxidants, which may provide increased added value to the cultivation of umbu, stimulating family farming and the recovery of tree density in degraded areas.

Abstract Antimicrobial drug resistance is a challenge to public health. Various microorganisms, including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), Pseudomonas aeruginosa, carbapenemase-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pythium insidiosum, and Candida auris, have developed resistance to commonly used antimicrobials in infection disease treatments. Consequently, there is an urgent need to explore and develop novel therapeutic drugs. Natural products, particularly medicinal plants, have received attention in the quest for innovative treatments for various diseases. Plantago major is a plant endowed with several biological properties, such as antibacterial, antifungal, and healing actions. This study aimed to investigate the antimicrobial activities of the methanolic extract obtained from the leaves of P. major. Microdilution assays were conducted to determine the minimum inhibitory concentration and minimum bactericidal and fungicidal concentration. Additionally, synergism with antimicrobial drugs was assessed using a time-kill curve analysis. A synergistic bactericidal interaction between the extract and imipenem was observed against carbapenemase-producing K. pneumoniae. For MRSA, a bacteriostatic synergism was noted in combinations of the extract with cephalotin and oxacillin. For C. auris, a fungistatic interaction was observed between the extract and amphotericin B. These results suggest the presence of bioactive compounds within the extract with therapeutic potential for combating infections caused by these microorganisms.

Abstract Belonging to the Alismataceae family, Echinodorus macrophyllus, known in Brazil as “chapéu de couro”, is popular in the food industry, where it is used in teas and infusions. The objective of this study was to evaluate the active chemical compounds in the powder of E. macrophyllus leaves extracted by two different methods (Soxhlet [SXT] and ultrasound-assisted extraction [UAE]), quantify the total phenolic compound (TPC) and total flavonoid (TFC) content, and evaluate the antioxidant potential and larvicidal activity. The SXT extraction was the most efficient (6.05% yield). Analysis by thin-layer chromatography (TLC) and high-performance liquid chromatography with a diode array detector (HPLC-DAD) evidenced the presence of cinnamic acid derivatives, flavones, and flavanones in the extracts. The TPC was higher in the SXT extract (7.71±0.05 µg GAE/mL). However, there was no significant difference in TFC. The SXT extract exhibited greater antioxidant potential according to the ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) method (IC50=3.37±0.45 µg/mL), while the UAE extract showed higher activity using 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) (IC50=42.16±5.79 µg/mL). Both extracts were nontoxic to Artemia salina, suggesting the potential health benefits of this plant, which is rich in phenolic compounds and diverse pharmacological properties.

Abstract Z. kleinii is an endemic species in Brazil. No reports of popular use, regarding its chemical composition or biological activities were reported to date. The study aimed to investigated the chemical composition of the essential oil of Zanthoxylum kleinii leaves and evaluate its antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Enterococcus faecalis and methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus. The essential oil was extracted from fresh leaves by hydrodistillation method, using a Clevenger apparatus, having a yield of 0.12% (v/m) volume of essential oil in relation to the amount of plant material. Quantitative analysis was performed by GC-MS and the results showed that the essential oil contains 30 compounds. The major compounds are monoterpene hydrocarbons, including β-phellandrene (37.80%), α-pinene (13.32%) and myrcene (10.05%). The essential oil showed no antibacterial activity against the strains tested (E. coli, P. aeruginosa, E. faecalis and S. aureus).

Abstract In the production of kale, nitrogen is one of the nutrients that the plant needs in greater quantity. Its application must be divided throughout the cycle, due to the loss by leaching. The objective of the research was to evaluate the effect of splitting organic fertilizers in topdressing on the production of kale. The experimental design was randomized blocks, with four replications, with seven treatments being evaluated in a 2 x 3 + 1 factorial scheme, the first factor was the fertilizers (castor bean cake and bokashi) and the second the application intervals (7; 14 and 21 days), in addition to the control without topdressing fertilization. The amount of each fertilizer was calculated to provide the same dose of N (40 kg ha-1) every 21 days. The following characteristics were evaluated: plant height (PH), stem diameter (SD), number of leaves per plant (NLP), leaf fresh matter mass (LFMM), leaf length at the beginning (LLB), middle (LLMe) and end (LLE) of the cycle and “SPAD” index. There was no interaction between the factors, for any characteristic evaluated. For all traits, the values observed in control was lower than treatments with topdressing. The increases of treatments of factorial in relation to the control were 37.8% (plant height); 31.8% (SD); 157.1% (NLP); 213.5% (MLFMM); 7.6% (LLB); 80.2% (LLMe) and 126.6% for the “SPAD” index. It is recommended to use castor bean cake and split it every 21 days as it results in less labor for application.

RESUMO A presença de cafeína nas folhas de Palicourea marcgravii foi relatada anteriormente, e esperava-se que a determinação desse composto em amostras animais servisse como marcador do consumo da planta. Porém, os níveis de cafeína presentes nas folhas de Palicourea são desconhecidos. Portanto, o presente estudo teve como objetivo determinar os teores de cafeína em folhas de Palicourea marcgravii e P. hoffmannseggiana. Foram coletadas folhas jovens de 10 exemplares de P. marcgravii e 10 exemplares de P. hoffmannseggiana. Além disso, as folhas jovens de dois cafeeiros (Coffea arabica) foram utilizadas como controle positivo para cafeína. Essas amostras foram submetidas à medição de cafeína por cromatografia líquida de alta eficiência (CLAE). Os níveis de cafeína encontrados nas folhas de café foram de 6,4 e 7,7mg/g, mas a cafeína não foi detectada em todas as amostras avaliadas de folhas de P. marcgravii e P. hoffmannseggiana. Como o limite de detecção do método analítico utilizado é de 0,15μg/mL, os níveis de cafeína nas folhas das duas espécies de Palicourea são insignificantes (inferiores a 3,0μg/mg), se essa substância realmente estiver presente. A ausência de cafeína nas folhas de Palicourea avaliadas neste estudo impossibilita a utilização dessa substância como marcador do consumo dessas plantas.

Analysis of variance (ANOVA)-simultaneous component analysis (ASCA) is a method of choice for factorial design studies of environmental impacts on plant metabolomes and can be used to quantitatively carry out this comparative analysis. The impacts of seven mixture design extractor systems made up of ethanol, dichloromethane, and hexane and their 1:1 binary and 1:1:1 ternary solvents for several replicate experiments (n = 3, 4, 5) were assessed using ASCA models determined from Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR), near-infrared (NIR), and UV-Vis spectroscopic measurements on yerba mate leaf extracts. This analysis considered two-factor effects: secondary sexual dimorphism (male and female plants) and cultivation systems (monoculture and agroforestry), as well as their interaction effect. The three binary solvents were found to be more efficient extractor systems for all four detectors as they found 83 main and interaction effects significant at or above the 95% confidence level compared with only 47 for the pure solvent extracts. Binary solvent extracts resulted in averages between 44.04 and 86.61% for the ASCA total effect variances compared with 40.62 to 71.07% for pure extractors. Of the 60 significant effects found for experiments with 5 repetitions 53 or 88% were obtained with only triplicate determinations. The choice of spectroscopic technique and solvent system have large impacts on metabolomic analysis results. ANOVAsimultaneous ANOVA simultaneous (ASCA ethanol dichloromethane 11 1 1: 111 1:1: n 3 4 Fouriertransform Fourier transform FTIR, FTIR , (FTIR) nearinfrared near NIR, NIR (NIR) UVVis UV Vis twofactor two factor male plants monoculture agroforestry, agroforestry agroforestry) 8 95 4404 44 04 44.0 8661 86 61 86.61 4062 40 62 40.6 7107 71 07 71.07 extractors 6 88 determinations results (FTIR (NIR 9 440 0 44. 866 86.6 406 40. 710 7 71.0 86. 71.

This study aimed to isolate, purify and characterize secondary metabolites present in Amburana acreana leaves, native to the state of Rondônia, using classical chromatographic methods and 1D, 2D nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. From the hydroethanolic leaves extract of A. acreana, p-hydroxybenzoic acid, vanillic acid, coumarin, campesterol 3-β-D-glucoside and amburoside B, all known compounds, were identified. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of isolation and chemical characterization of secondary metabolites in A. acreana. In addition, in vitro assays indicated that amburoside B does not have inhibitory potential on the growth of gram-negative bacteria. The presence of these compounds suggests that, thus far, amburosides (A and B) could be chemotaxonomic markers of the genus Amburana. isolate Rondônia 1D D spectroscopy A phydroxybenzoic p hydroxybenzoic acid coumarin 3βDglucoside βDglucoside 3 β glucoside identified knowledge addition gramnegative gram negative bacteria far

Protium ovatum Eng. Burseraceae is an endemic species in Brazil used in traditional medicine. This study investigated the chemical variation and the in vitro antioxidant and antimicrobial properties of dichloromethane soluble fraction of hydrolate (DSFH) from leaves of P. ovatum collected from five different vegetation physiognomies within the Cerrado Goiano. The region was characterized based on the DSFH chemical composition by gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis. Principal component analysis (PCA) and hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) were performed to compare the different DSFHs from five Savannah regions in Brazil. The DSFHs from the Cerrado stricto sensu (CSS), Mata de Galeria (MG) and Cerradão (C) regions were grouped in the negative part of PC1, showing high similarity. Samples from the C and MG regions showed antioxidant activity of IC50 = 0.98 and 0.78 mg mL-1, respectively, and 0.250 mg mL-1 of butylated hydroxytoluene (positive control). DSFH from different regions exhibited antifungal activity against Candida albicans. The results show that the chemical composition and the biological activity of DSFHs can be affected according to the area of collection. Eng medicine (DSFH P Goiano GCMS GC MS (GC-MS PCA (PCA HCA (HCA CSS, CSS , (CSS) (MG (C PC1 PC similarity IC IC5 098 0 98 0.9 078 78 0.7 mL1, mL1 mL 1, 1 respectively 0250 250 0.25 mL- positive control. control . control) albicans collection (CSS 09 9 0. 07 7 025 25 0.2 02 2

The in silico study aimed to suggest phytochemicals from Commiphora leptophloeos leaves essential oil as therapies against coronavirus disease (COVID-19) (or severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, SARS-CoV-2). For that, we used molecular docking (MD), absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, and toxicity (ADMET) parameters, and pharmacokinetic analysis. MD showed the presence of hydrophobic and hydrogen bonds for nine compounds. β-Selinene and bicyclogermacrene showed the best interaction values with the protein Mpro (ID: 6Y2F) (-5.9) and chimeric receptor complexed with its receptor human ACE2 (ID: 6VW1) (-6.1 and -5.5) proteins, as well as low gastrointestinal and high epithelial absorptions, medium permeability for Caco-2 cells and high epithelial permeability, low oral excretion, and were inhibitors of CYP2C19 and CYP2C9 enzymes. On the other hand, both were not permeable to the blood-brain barrier and inhibitors or substrates for glycoprotein-D, and showed carcinogenic potential, but only β-selinene was considered mutagenic. Although little bioavailable, both presented aspects structurally adequate, being compounds with moderate synthesis difficulty. Therefore, more analyses are necessary to evaluate the mechanism of action and unsatisfactory parameters foreseen in bioinformatic assays. COVID19 COVID 19 (COVID-19 2 SARSCoV2. SARSCoV2 SARSCoV SARS CoV . SARS-CoV-2) that MD, , (MD) absorption distribution metabolism excretion ADMET (ADMET analysis βSelinene β Selinene ID (ID 6Y2F YF Y F 5.9 59 5 9 (-5.9 ACE 6VW1 VW 6.1 61 6 1 (-6. 5.5 55 -5.5 proteins absorptions Caco2 Caco Caco- CYPC CYP C CYP2C1 CYP2C enzymes hand bloodbrain blood brain glycoproteinD, glycoproteinD glycoprotein D, D glycoprotein-D potential βselinene selinene mutagenic bioavailable adequate difficulty Therefore assays COVID1 (COVID-1 SARS-CoV-2 (MD 5. (-5. 6VW 6. (-6 -5. (COVID- SARS-CoV- (-5 (- -5 (COVID SARS-CoV ( -