The seed oils from four plants (Scheelea phalerata, Butia capitata, Syagrus romanzoffiana, Terminalia cattapa) found in Mato Grosso do Sul were extracted at good yields. Alkaline transesterification of these seed oils to esters using methanol and ethanol was studied and also produced good yields. Oleic acid (30.5/32.3%), lauric acid (30.7/32.9%) methyl and ethyl esters, were the main components of transesterification of the oils from Scheelea phalerata and Syagrus romanzoffiana. Lauric acid (42.2%), capric acid (15.9%) and caprylic acid (14.6%) methyl and ethyl esters were the main ester components of transesterification of the oil from Butia capitata. Oleic acid (37.8%), palmitic acid (33.5%) and linoleic acid (22.6%) methyl and ethyl esters were the main components of transesterification of oil from Terminalia catappa. Based on differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) studies, the first crystallization peak temperature of esters was observed. Esters derived from oils of the family Arecaceae (Scheelea phalerata, Butia capitata, Syagrus romanzoffiana) showed the lowest points of crystallization, despite having high levels of saturated fat. Esters of Terminalia cattapa oil, rich in unsaturated fat, showed the highest crystallization temperature. This difference in behavior is probably related to the high concentration of esters derived from lauric acid and palmitic acid.

Neste trabalho, a espécie Piper hispidinervum (pimenta longa), endêmica do estado do Acre, foi cultivada na região do Vale do Itajaí - SC, e sua adaptação foi avaliada em relação à composição química do óleo essencial obtido pelos processos de hidrodestilação convencional e por micro-ondas. O safrol foi identificado como o constituinte majoritário do óleo essencial desta espécie, o qual foi empregado como parâmetro de avaliação da capacidade de adaptação desta planta à região sul do Brasil, já que a proposta abrange avaliar a utilização desta espécie como fonte alternativa de safrol, em substituição a Canela Sassafrás (Ocotea odorifera), espécie muito explorada até a década de 90 nesta região. As amostras da planta foram obtidas de diferentes regiões do Acre e foram cultivadas na estação experimental da EPAGRI - Itajaí-SC. O óleo essencial das folhas forneceu um teor médio de safrol entre 76,6% e 89,9%. A análise por CG-DIC e CG-EM do óleo com maior concentração de safrol, apresentou os seguintes constituintes: safrol (89,93%), α-terpineno (0,35%), (E)-β-ocimeno (0,54%), terpinoleno (3,10%), valenceno (0,21%), (Z)-β-bisaboleno (1,70%) e guaiol (0,29%).

In this work a Piper hispidinervum specie (long pepper), endemic from the Acre state, was grown in Itajaí Valley in Santa Catarina State, and its adaptation was evaluated in relation to chemical composition of essential oil obtained by traditional hydrodistillation and microwave hydrodistillation. The safrole was identified as the major constituent of the essential oil of this specie, which was used as a measure of evaluation of the adaptation capacity of this plant in the southern Brazil, as the proposal includes the evaluation of the usage of this specie as an alternative source of safrole, replacing Sassafras Cinnamon (Ocotea odorifera), widely explored specie in this region until the 90's decade. The plant samples were obtained from different regions of the Acre state and were cultivated at the experimental station of EPAGRI Itajaí - SC. The essential oil of the leaves provided an average content of safrole between 76.6% and 89.9%. The analysis by GC-FID and GC-MS of the oil with higher safrole content, presented the following relative constitution: safrole (89.93%), α-terpinene (0.35%), (E)-β-ocimene (0.54%), terpinolene (3.10%), valencene (0.21%), (Z)-β-bisabolene (1.70%) and guaiol (0.29%).

Os óleos essenciais, isolados por hidrodestilação de folhas e flores de Myrcia obtecta (O. Berg) Kiaersk. var. obtecta, Myrtaceae, coletadas a cada dois meses em Curitiba, Paraná, durante o período de outubro/2005 a agosto/2006, foram analisados por CG e CG/EM. Os óleos das folhas foram caracterizados pelo elevado conteúdo de sesquiterpenos cíclicos (cerca de 70%) e quantidades variáveis de monoterpenos (5,6-16,7%), compostos alifáticos (0,4-5,5%) e salicilato de metila (0,1-1,5%). Foram identificados 55 componentes, sendo que trans-calameneno (17,029,3%) foi o componente majoritário em todas as amostras. Não houve mudanças significativas na composição, excepto em outubro (floração) quando α-terpineol e trans-calameneno atingiram os maiores níveis (11,2% e 29,3%, respectivamente). O óleo das flores contém salicilato de metila (89%) como constituinte majoritário.

The essential oils isolated by hydrodistillation from leaves and flowers of Myrcia obtecta (O. Berg) Kiaersk. var. obtecta, Myrtaceae, collected bimonthly in Curitiba, Paraná state, Brazil, from October/2005 to August/2006 were analyzed by capillary GC and GC/MS. Fifty-five components were identified in the leaf oils, which were characterized by predominance of cyclic sesquiterpenes (around 70%) and variable amounts of monoterpenes (5.616.7%), aliphatic compounds (0.4-5.5%) and methyl salicylate (0.1-1.5%). The major component in all samples was trans-calamenene (17.0-29.3%). The composition did not show significant seasonal variation, except in October (flowering) when α-terpineol and trans-calamenene peaked (11.2% and 29.3%, respectively). The flower oil was characterized by high content of methyl salicylate (89%).

The essential oil isolated by hydrodistillation from flowers and root bark of Gochnatia polymorpha (Less) Cabr. ssp floccosa Cabr. (Asteraceae) was analyzed by capillary GC/MS. Thirty components were identified in oil of flowers. The composition depends on the stage of flowering. At the beginning of flowering, the main components were (E)-nerolidol (20,4%) and eugenol (17,9%) whereas at the end they were phenylacetaldehyde (14,6%) and tricosane (12,0%). In the essential oil of root bark ten sesquiterpenes were identified. The major components were beta-bisabolene (31,0%) and beta-bisabolol (21,5%). This paper describes for the first time the composition of essential oil in the genus Gochnatia.