ABSTRACT The antimicrobial potential of extracts of bark and leaves of Cassia bakeriana Craib, Fabaceae, against aerobic and anaerobic oral bacteria was evaluated by the microdilution broth method. For crude ethanol extracts and organic fractions tested, the bark dichloromethane phase showed a significant antibacterial effect, with MIC values ranging from 12.5 to 100 µg/ml for most of the microorganisms tested. Thus, a bioassay-guided fractionation of this fraction was performed. This fractionation led to isolation of the 1,8-dihydroxy-anthraquinone-3-carboxylic acid, also known as cassic acid or rhein. It is the first time that this bioactive anthraquinone has been isolated from this plant. Rhein exhibited good selectivity and high activity against anaerobic microorganisms, with MIC values ranging between 3.12 µg/ml (11.0 µM) and 25 µg/ml (88.0 µM). These results were considered very promising since the most active samples and rhein showed greater selectivity against oral microorganisms than toxicity to Vero cells.

The essential oil obtained from the leaves of Eugenia uniflora L., Myrtaceae, which grows in the Brazilian savannah, was studied by gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Furanodiene (1.2%) was thermally rearranged to curzerene (85.1%) to produce a combined content of 86.3%. GC analysis carried out under mild conditions (with a constant temperature of 100 ºC) showed that the furanodiene concentration was three-fold greater than the curzerene concentration, i.e., the essential oil contained 64.7% furanodiene and 21.6% curzerene. Germacrene B also rearranged to γ-elemene and the concentration of both was 2.3%. Special care should be taken when conventional gas chromatography analysis is used for quantifying compounds that can rearrange at high temperatures.

Os extratos em etanol e diclorometano de uma própolis verde de Baccharis dracunculifolia foram analisados por CLAE-ICPA-EM e CG-EM, respectivamente. A técnica de CLAE-EM-ICPA, no modo positivo, forneceu uma completa e inequívoca composição química da amostra de própolis verde. Ela serve como impressão digital para amostras diferentes de própolis. A composição do extrato em etanol consistiu fundamentalmente de ácido cinâmico e derivados, flavonóides, ácido benzóico e alguns benzoatos, aromáticos não hidroxilados, e ácidos e ésteres alifáticos, os quais são normalmente ignorados na literatura porque não absorvem luz UV. Os constituintes principais do extrato em diclorometano foram compostos prenilados, alcanos e terpenóides.

Ethanol and dichloromethane extracts of a Brazilian green propolis from Baccharis dracunculifolia were analyzed by HPLC-APCI-MS and GC-MS, respectively. The HPLC-APCI-MS technique, at the positive mode, furnished a complete and unequivocal chemical composition of the green propolis sample. It serves as fingerprint for different propolis samples. The composition of the ethanol extract consisted mainly of cinnamic acid and derivatives, flavonoids, benzoic acid and a few benzoates, non-hydroxylated aromatics, and aliphatic acids and esters, which are normally not reported in the literature because they do not absorb UV light. The main constituents of the dichloromethane extract were prenylated compounds, alkanes and terpenoids.

O presente trabalho apresenta um marcador químico (MQ) volátil, de fácil detecção por cromatografia gasosa, para a própolis do alecrim-do-campo (Baccharis dracunculifolia). Trata-se do composto volátil mais abundante no extrato em diclorometano de própolis verdes dessa planta, mas que aparece, também, em diferentes concentrações, em extratos de diclorometano de própolis marrom, preta, vermelha e amarela, provenientes de regiões que contêm Baccharis dracunculifolia. O MQ está presente no extrato dos ápices vegetativos de alecrim em concentração significativa, mas sua concentração na folha de alecrim é baixa. Própolis de regiões sem alecrim não possuem o MQ. Este composto foi isolado recentemente e se trata do 3-prenilcinamato de alila. Amostras comerciais de extratos etanólicos de própolis verdes foram analisadas e a de primeira qualidade, tipo exportação, apresentou maior concentração de MQ. Tal descoberta facilita o rápido controle de qualidade de extratos etanólicos de própolis verdes.

In the present work a volatile chemical marker (CM) for the Baccharis dracunculifolia (Bd) propolis is proposed, which is easily detectable by gas chromatography. It is the most abundant volatile compound in dichloromethane extracts of green propolis from this plant, but it appears also, in different concentrations, in dichloromethane extracts of brown, dark and red propolis from regions where Bd grows. The CM is present in significative concentration in the bud extract of Bd, in contrast to the leaf extract where its concentration is low. Propolis from regions without Bd does not contain the CM. This compound was recently isolated; it is the allyl 3-prenylcinnamate. Commercial samples of green propolis ethanol extract were analyzed and the first quality one (exportation standard) presented the highest concentration on CM. This finding makes easier the quality control of green propolis extracts sold at the market.

Duguetia furfuracea, Annonaceae, uma invasora de pastagens, é também usada na medicina tradicional em diversos estados no Brasil. Devido à significante diferença de odor entre dois grupos de indivíduos desta planta em um remanescente de cerrado em Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul, seis amostras foram selecionadas de acordo com a intensidade de odor em suas folhas: In-01, In-03 e In-05: odor pronunciado (Perfil A); In-02, In-04 e In-06: odor fraco ou ausência de odor (Perfil B). As folhas foram coletadas e submetidas a hidrodestilação para obtenção dos óleos essenciais, os quais foram analisados por CG/EM. Uma boa compatibilidade foi encontrada entre os resultados obtidos por CG/EM e a análise olfativa adotada para as amostras: espécimes odor pronunciado apresentaram uma alta porcentagem de monoterpenos e alguns sesquiterpenos: In-01 (β-felandreno, 42,2%; mirceno, 6,8%; α-felandreno, 4,6%); In-03 (terpin-4-ol, 21,6%; sabineno, 17,3%; p-cimeno, 5,6%); In-05 (sabineno, 25,1%; terpin-4-ol, 16,2%; p-cimeno, 8,3%). Apenas sesquiterpenos foram encontrados nos espécimes que apresentaram odor fraco ou ausência do mesmo (com constituinte majoritário biciclogermacreno: 21,4%, 24,0%, and 29,1%, respectivamente, para os In-02, In-04 e In-06).

Duguetia furfuracea, Annonaceae, a pasture weed, is also used in folk medicine in several Brazilian states. Because of the significant difference in odor between two groups of this plant in a remnant patch of savanna in Campo Grande county, Mato Grosso do Sul, six samples were selected according to the odor intensity in the leaves (In-01, In-03, and In-05: pronounced odor; In-02, In-04, and In-06: weak odor or its absence). The leaves were collected and subjected to steam distillation for extraction of essential oils, which were analyzed by GC-MS. A good agreement was found between CG/MS results and olfactory evaluation of the samples: specimens exhibiting leaf scent had a high percentage of monoterpenes and some sesquiterpenes, as follows: In-01 (β-phellandrene, 42.2%; myrcene, 6.8%; α-phellandrene, 4.6%); In-03 (terpin-4-ol, 21.6%; sabinene, 17.3%; p-cymene, 5.6%); In-05 (sabinene, 25.1%; terpin-4-ol, 16.2%; p-cymene, 8.3%). Only sesquiterpenes were found in the specimens having weakly scented or scentless leaves (main constituent bicyclogermacrene: 21.4%, 24.0%, and 29.1%, respectively, for In-02, In-04 and In-06).

No presente trabalho foi realizado um estudo fitoquímico com os diferentes extratos obtidos a partir de órgãos subterrâneos de Duguetia furfuracea (Annonaceae), o qual incluiu o teste de toxicidade para Artemia salina. O extrato alcaloídico, obtido das cascas do caule subterrâneo, conduziu ao isolamento de (-)-duguetina beta-N-óxido, de (-)-duguetina, dicentrinona, (-)-N-metiltetraidropalmatina e (+)-N-metilglaucina. Do extrato etanólico do cerne do caule subterrâneo obteve-se alantoína por precipitação. O óleo volátil e o extrato apolar também foram extraídos das cascas do caule subterrâneo. As substâncias 2,4,5-trimetoxiestireno, alfa-gurjuneno, aromadendreno, biciclogermacreno, (E)-metil-isoeugenol e a-asarona foram isoladas a partir do óleo volátil, e as substâncias policarpol, óxido de beta-cariofileno, 2,4,5-trimetóxi-estireno, alfa-asarona e asaraldeído foram obtidas do extrato em éter de petróleo. Este estudo descreve pela primeira vez o alcalóide beta-N-óxido de (-)-duguetina, e a ocorrência das substâncias (-)-N-metiltetraidropalmatina e (+)-N-metilglaucina na família Annonaceae. Todos os extratos se mostraram tóxicos nos testes com Artemia salina.

In the present investigation the underground parts of Duguetia furfuracea (Annonaceae) were used to conduct a phytochemical study that included the brine shrimp (Artemia salina) lethality bioassay. The substances (-)-duguetine beta-N-oxide, (-)-duguetine, dicentrinone, (-)-N-methyltetrahydropalmatine, and (+)-N-methylglaucine were isolated from the alkaloid extract of the bark of the underground stem, and the ureide allantoin was also isolated by precipitation from the ethanol extract of the wood of the underground stem. A fresh volatile oil and a nonpolar extract were also obtained from the underground stem bark. The substances 2,4,5-trimethoxystyrene, a-gurjunene, aromadendrene, bicyclogermacrene, (E)-methylisoeugenol, and alpha-asarone were isolated from the fresh volatile oil and polycarpol, beta-caryophyllene oxide, 2,4,5-trimethoxystyrene, a-asarone, and asaraldehyde were obtained from the petroleum ether extract. The present study describes for the first time the alkaloid (-)-duguetine beta-N-oxide and the occurrence of (-)-N-methyltetrahydropalmatine and (+)-N-methylglaucine in the family Annonaceae. All extracts were active in the brine shrimp lethality bioassay.

A influência do nível de radiância no crescimento da planta, rendimento e qualidade do óleo essencial de Baccharis trimera foi estudado neste trabalho. As plantas foram cultivadas sob 4 níveis de radiância: 100, 60, 50 e 20% durante um período de 259 dias. Foram avaliadas, quanto ao comprimento, número de nós, ramos, diâmetro do caule (altura do colo), acúmulo de fitomassa, conteúdo e composição do óleo essencial. O nível mais elevado de radiação causou aumento em todas as características avaliadas, exceto para o comprimento, que foi reduzido com o aumento na radiação. O rendimento de óleo essencial também aumentou com a elevação do nível de radiância.

In this research it was studied the influence of the radiation intensity on growth and on the essential oil yield of Baccharis trimera. The plants growth was studied under four levels of radiation: 100, 60, 50 and 20% during a 259-day long period. Plants were then evaluated for height, number of nodes, branches, stem diameter (at the height of the colon), biomass formation, and content and composition of the oil. The highest level of radiation caused increases in all of the variables evaluated, except for height, which was reduced with increasing radiation. Essential oil content also increased with increasing level of radiation.

The first chemical study of non-volatile constituents from the bark and stem of Melaleuca alternifolia (Myrtaceae) led to the isolation and identification of 3,3'-O-dimethylellagic acid (1) and five pentacyclic triterpenes: 2alpha,3beta,23-trihydroxyolean-12-en-28-oic acid (arjunolic acid, 2), 3beta-hydroxylup-20(29)-en-27,28-dioic acid (melaleucic acid, 3), betulinic acid (4), betuline (5), 3beta-O-acetylurs-12-en-28-oic acid (6), a mixture of fatty acids and esters, and several hydrocarbons. For 2alpha,3beta,23-trihydroxyolean-12-en-28-oic acid (2) and 3beta-O-acetylurs-12-en-28-oic acid (6) a first detailed assignment of ¹H NMR is presented.

Uma amostra da madeira de aroeira preta (Astronium urundeuva) moída em moinho de bolas foi extraída, sucessivamente, com benzeno, benzeno:etanol (2:1, vv-1), clorofórmio e água num soxhlet. A madeira extraída foi secada ao ar livre resultando o resíduo A que, em seguida, foi extraído com acetona:água (9:1, vv-1), também num soxhlet. Do extrato resultante foi obtida a lignina de madeira moída (MWL). Não considerando a MWL, a soma de todos os extratos alcançou 18,19% da madeira seca. O conteúdo em lignina de Klason de A e o conteúdo de grupos metoxila da MWL foram 23,84% e 19,00%, respectivamente. Outra amostra de A apresentou conteúdos em polissacarídeos de difícil e fácil hidrólise de 34,86% e 18,81%, respectivamente. Uma Segunda amostra de madeira moída foi submetida a uma extração única com metanol, à temperatura ambiente, fornecendo o extrato metanólico B (23,85% da madeira seca). Espectros de RMN do 13C nas fases líquida e sólida indicaram que B está constituído fundamentalmente por proantocianidinas dos tipos profisetinidina e prorobinetinidina.

An Astronium urundeuva ball-milled wood sample was successively extracted with benzene, benzene-ethanol (2:1, v/v-1), chloroform, and water in a soxhlet apparatus. The extracted wood was air-dried giving the residue A that was then treated with ketone-water (9:1), in a soxhlet apparatus. From the ketone-water extract was precipitated the milled wood lignin (MWL). With exception of MWL, the extract contents summed up 18.19% (o.d.w.). The Klason lignin content of A and the methoxyl content of the MWL were 23.84% and 19.00%, respectively. Another sample of A gave hardly and easily hydrolysable polysaccharide contents of 34.86% and 18.81%, respectively. A second sample of ball-milled wood was submitted to a single extraction with methanol, at room temperature, affording the methanol extract B (23.85% o.d.w.). Liquid and solid state 13C-NMR spectroscopies indicated that B is mainly constituted by proanthocyanidins of profisetinidin and prorobinetidin types.

Organosolv and kraft lignins were treated with ozone both in basic and acid media and the reaction was studied kinetically. In contrast to reported studies, ozone was more efective in basic medium. Kraft lignin was degraded faster than organosolv lignin in both media but in the basic medium the rate of reaction was very much faster than in the acid one: for kraft lignin, the observed degradation was 93% for 2 min of reaction in the basic medium and 56% for 10 min of reaction in the acid medium; for organosolv lignin, 47% and 25%, respectively, in the same times. Higher phenolic hydroxyl groups contents increase the reaction rate.