ABSTRACT Plants can stablish symbiosis with arburcular mycorrhiza fungi (AMF), in which the fungus uses carbohydrates synthesized by plant photosynthesis in exchange for soil nutrients. AMF symbiosis may benefit plants by increasing the rates of nutrient uptake, tolerance to abiotic stresses, protection against pathogens and, by promoting resilience of forest species to adverse conditions. Knowledge about the diversity of mycorrhizas may help stablish relationships of species selection, AMF production and inoculation. Therefore, the objective of this review is to compile information to identify existing patterns in AMF diversity in Brazilian forest ecosystems. Compilation was based in 74 articles (in English, Portuguese and Spanish languages) searched in the Web of Knowledge and selected for having the keywords “forest”, “diversity”, “mycorrhizal” and “Brazil”, and that identified AMF species by spore morphology. Compilation resulted in a list of 164 AMF species and indicated that AMF species are not plant host specific but they are selected by environmental conditions where the host grows. Some AMF species were ubiquitous and some were rare in forest ecosystems. Rare AMF species may be an artefact of AMF identification because, in comparison to molecular tools, spore morphology may underestimate AMF diversity. Four AMF species, Acaulospora scrobiculata, Acaulospora foveata, Clareoideglomus etunicatum and Glomus macrocarpum, were ubiquitous to several biomes, existed in different stage of forest succession and seemed to be adapted to different forest managements. Therefore, A. scrobiculata, A. foveata, A. mellea, C. etunicatum and G. macrocarpum could have potential to be used as AMF inoculant in forest species.

RESUMO Ottonia martiana é uma planta popularmente conhecida no Brasil pelo uso para dor de dente. Extrato etanólico (EE), fração hexano (HF), fração diclorometano (DF) e piperovatina, obtidos de O. martiana, foram ensaiados in vitro e in vivo. A toxicidade aguda de EE foi determinada e valores de LD50 164,5 e 65,0 mg/kg pelas rotas oral e intraperitoneal, respectivamente, indicaram alta toxicidade para EE in vivo, explicando seu uso popular somente por meio da administração tópica. Um efeito local similar ao anestésico do EE e das frações foi observado em modelos experimentais utilizando indução de dor e tal efeito envolveu uma ação analgésica. A atividade antimicobacteriana de EE, HF, DF e piperovatina foi avaliada contra Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv ATCC 27924. EE, HF, DF e piperovatina mostraram um efeito antimicobacteriano potencial com MICs de 16,0, 62,0, 62,0 e 8,0 μg/mL, respectivamente. Piperovatina foi mais efetiva que EE e as outras frações. Os valores do índice de seletividade (SI=IC50/MIC) calculados para EE, HF, DF e piperovatina, baseados em MICs e na citotoxicidade contra J774 macrófagos (IC50 pelo teste MTT), revelaram valores de 6,43, 2,34, 1,5 e 9,66, respectivamente.

ABSTRACT Ottonia martiana is a plant popularly known in Brazil by the use for toothache. Ethanolic extract (EE), hexane fraction (HF), dichloromethane fraction (DF) and piperovatine obtained from O. martiana were assayed in vitro and in vivo. The acute toxicity of EE was determined, and LD50 values of 164.5 and 65.0 mg/kg by the oral and intraperitoneal routes, respectively, indicated a high toxicity for EE in vivo, explaining its popular use by topical administration only. A local anesthetic-like effect of EE and its fractions was observed in experimental models using pain induction, and such effect involved an analgesic action. The antimycobacterial activity of EE, HF, DF and piperovatine was evaluated against Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv ATCC 27924. EE, HF, DF, and piperovatine showed a potential antimycobacterial effect with MICs of 16.0, 62.0, 62.0 and 8.0 μg/mL, respectively. Piperovatine was more effective than the EE or the other fractions. The selectivity index (SI=IC50/MIC) values calculated for EE, HF, DF and piperovatine based on the MICs and the cytotoxicity against J774 macrophages (IC50 by MTT assay) revealed values of 6.43, 2.34, 1.5 and 9.66, respectively.

Três óleos essenciais extraídos das folhas, frutos e raízes de Ottonia martiana Miq. (Piperaceae), espécie comum da floresta Atlântica brasileira, e conhecida popularmente por "anestésia", foram analisados por CG-EM e submetidos a um ensaio antibacteriano bioautográfico frente a Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 25923), Staphylococcus epidermidis (ATCC 12228), Pseudomonas aerogenes (ATCC 27853) e Escherichia coli (ATCC 25922). Setenta e sete compostos foram identificados e submetidos a uma análise comparativa, a qual revelou uma variabilidade no teor dos componentes majoritários desses óleos (espatulenol, óxido de cariofileno, (E)-nerolidol, viridiflorol, beta-cariofileno, delta cadineno e aloaromadendreno). A presença de zonas de inibição de crescimento bacteriano nos bioautogramas analisados (Rfs 0,29 e 0,34) revelou o potencial antibacteriano dos óleos analisados frente às bactérias Gram-positivas testadas e permitiu identificar alguns dos componentes bioativos.

Three essential oils extracted from leaves, fruits and roots of Ottonia martiana Miq. (Piperaceae), common species in Brazilian Rain Forest, known as "anestésia", were analyzed by GC-MS and tested in an antibacterial assay against Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 25923), Staphylococcus epidermidis (ATCC 12228), Pseudomonas aerogenes (ATCC 27853) and Escherichia coli (ATCC 25922). Seventy-seven compounds were identified and submitted to a comparative analysis, which revealed variability on the amount of principal components of these oils (spathulenol, caryophyllene oxide, (E)-nerolidol, viridiflorol, beta-caryophyllene,deltacadinene and alloaromadendrene). Inhibition zones of bacterial growth in the bioautograms (Rfs 0.29 and 0.34) showed antimicrobial activity of essential oils against tested Gram-positive bacteria and permitted to identify some bioactive components.

Two amides, piperovatine and isopiperlonguminine, were isolated from the roots of Ottonia martiana Miq., a herbaceous shrub commonly used in folk medicine in the treatment of toothache. The crude extract (CE) and isolated compounds were submitted to bioautography and allelopathic assay. The bioautograms allowed the detection of compounds with antibacterial activity and the identification of the bioactive substance piperovatine. The CE and amides exhibited an allelopathic effect on Lactuca sativa (lettuce) seedling growth but did not affect the seeds' germinability.

Conhecida popularmente como áster-arbustiva, margarida-de-são-miguel e monte-cassino, Aster lanceolatus é uma planta ornamental de corte. Sabendo-se que não existem estudos que atestem a atividade biológica desta espécie, procurou-se neste trabalho atividades antibacteriana e antifúngica. Para tanto se utilizaram extratos brutos etanólicos de duas porções distintas, das flores e dos caules com folhas. Para a atividade antibacteriana, oito bactérias patogênicas foram submetidas a ensaio de difusão em gel e concentração inibitória mínima. Demonstrou-se atividade do extrato bruto etanólico de flores contra Streptococcus pyogenes, em difusão em gel e atividade de extrato bruto etanólico de caules e folhas contra Salmonella typhimurium e Streptococcus pyogenes em concentração inibitória mínima. Para a atividade antifúngica, utilizaram-se três fungos patogênicos em ensaios de crescimento micelial em placas e bioautografia direta. No ensaio de crescimento micelial em placas verificou-se a inibição de Fusarium oxysporum e na bioautografia direta, inibição do Cylindrocladium spathulatum. Os resultados delinearam uma nova fonte de pesquisa, as plantas ornamentais. Estas podem ser fonte de constituintes químicos capazes de servirem como protótipos para novos agentes terapêuticos e para tratamento sanitário de plantas medicinais.

Popularly known as aster-arbustiva, margarida-de-são-miguel and monte-cassino, Aster lanceolatus is an ornamental plant. Having the knowledge that there is no studies on the biological activity of this species, this work aimed to check the antibacterial and antifungal activities. The ethanol extracts of the flowers and of the stems with leaves were used. For the antibacterial activity eight pathogenic bacteria were submitted to the diffusion test in gel and minimal inhibitory concentration. The activity of the ethanolic extract of the flowers has been demonstrated against Streptococcus pyogenes in diffusion in gel and the activity of the ethanol extract of the stems and leaves against Salmonella typhimurium and Streptococcus pyogenes in minimal inhibitory concentration. For the antifungal activity, three pathogenic yeasts have been used in the micelial growth tests in plates and direct bioautography. In the micelial growth tests in plates the inhibition of Fusarium oxysporum has been verified and in the direct bioautography, inhibition of the Cylindrocladium spathulatum. The results indicated a new research source, the ornamental plants. These can be the source of chemicals capable of serving as prototypes for new therapeutic agents and for sanitary treatment of medicinal plants.