Abstract The aim of this study was to evaluate chemical characteristics and biological activity of progenies from the first cycle of recurrent selection of Varronia curassavica in order to identify promising progenies for the next stages of the breeding program. The seeds were collected from the parental accession VCUR-503 (chemotype E-caryophyllene/viridiflorol) and subsequently sown in seedling containers and transplanted to the field. The essential oil was extracted 300 days after transplanting, and the levels of E-caryophyllene and viridiflorol were analyzed, as well as their activity against the protozoan Ichthyophthirius multifiliis. Application of the recurrent selection method resulted in increased levels of both compounds. The levels of E-caryophyllene (0.00-23.61%) and viridiflorol (0.00-64.74%) exhibited significant variation within the population under study. The essential oil rich in viridiflorol from progenies led to high mortality (72%) of the protozoan. Promising progenies for the second cycle of recurrent selection were identified based on the variables analyzed. program VCUR503 VCUR 503 VCUR-50 chemotype Ecaryophyllene/viridiflorol Ecaryophylleneviridiflorol E caryophyllene/viridiflorol caryophyllene E-caryophyllene/viridiflorol field 30 transplanting Ecaryophyllene analyzed multifiliis compounds 0.0023.61% 0002361 0.00 23.61% 0 00 23 61 (0.00-23.61% 0.0064.74% 0006474 64.74% 64 74 (0.00-64.74% 72% 72 (72% VCUR50 50 VCUR-5 caryophylleneviridiflorol 3 0023 0.0023.61 000236 000 0.0 2361 23.61 2 6 (0.00-23.61 0064 0.0064.74 000647 6474 64.74 7 (0.00-64.74 (72 VCUR5 5 VCUR- 002 0.0023.6 00023 0. 236 23.6 (0.00-23.6 006 0.0064.7 00064 647 64.7 (0.00-64.7 (7 0.0023. 0002 23. (0.00-23. 0.0064. 0006 64. (0.00-64. ( 0.0023 (0.00-23 0.0064 (0.00-64 0.002 (0.00-2 0.006 (0.00-6 (0.00- (0.00 (0.0 (0. (0

Abstract The objective of this work was to analyze the content and the chemical diversity of the essential oil (EO) of 22 Eplingiella fruticosa plants collected in Sergipe, Brazil. EOs were obtained from dry leaves by hydrodistillation and analyzed by GC/MS-FID. The mean EO contents ranged from 0.75 to 1.28%. The compounds found in greater amounts formed two clusters. The first cluster consisted of 15 plants and presented bicyclogermacrene (6.29-16.24%), spathulenol (7.59-15.23%), β-caryophyllene (5.77-12.97%), and caryophyllene oxide (5.00-11.90%) as major compounds. The second cluster consisted of seven plants and had 1,8-cineole (8.96-15.51%), α-pinene (5.46-13.77%), and camphor (4.08-11.40%) as major compounds. Results indicate chemical variability of the EO among E. fruticosa plants from the state of Sergipe. This information may assist in conservation strategies by providing data for investigation of biological activities of EO.

Phytochemical investigation of the hexane extract from the stem of Xylopia laevigata led to the isolation of the ent-kaurane diterpenoids, ent-kaur-16-en-19-oic acid, 4-epi-kaurenic acid, ent-16β-hydroxy-17-acetoxy-kauran-19-al, ent-3β-hydroxy-kaur-16-en-19-oic acid, and ent-16β,17-dihydroxy-kauran-19-oic acid, as well as spathulenol and a mixture of β-sitosterol, stigmasterol and campesterol. The identification of the compounds was performed on the basis of spectrometric methods including GC-MS, IR, and 1D and 2D NMR. Potent larvicidal activity against Aedes aegypti larvae with LC50 of 62.7 µg mL-1 was found for ent-3β-hydroxy-kaur-16-en-19-oic acid. This compound also showed significant antifungal activity against Candida glabrata and Candida dubliniensis with MIC values of 62.5 µg mL-1.

In order to evaluate the effects of environmental factors on the content of secondary metabolites, the chemical profiles of infusions from leaves of seven genotypes of Lippia gracilis Schauer, sourced from two locations (Sergipe and Bahia state) and collected during different seasons: summer (with and without irrigation) and winter, were determined by HPLC-DAD. The fingerprint chromatograms were analyzed by PCA to evaluate similarities and differences among the samples. Results revealed differences among genotypes collected and cultivated under the same conditions, suggesting that three genotypes have greater resistance to drought conditions.

The biological activity of seven extracts from leaves of different Jatropha curcas L (Euphorbiaceae) accessions was evaluated on Spodoptera frugiperda. Methanol extracts were incorporated into an artificial diet and offered to the larval stage of S. frugiperda. The parameters evaluated were length of larval and pupal stages, mortality of larval and total cycle stage, and weight of pupae. The extracts of the EMB accessions showed the best result for larval mortality at 60.00 and 56.67%, compared with the control, respectively. Hexane partition of the methanol extract of the leaves of PM-14 accessions allowed the identification of phytosterols, phytol and n-alkanols.