Lantana caatingensis Moldenke (Verbenaceae) is an endemic plant from northeastern Brazil. However, its chemical composition is almost unknown. This study aimed to characterize the chemical compounds found in L. caatingensis and investigate the antileishmanial potential of its hydroalcoholic extract and polar fractions. Compounds present in the hydroalcoholic extract obtained from L. caatingensis leaves and its polar fractions (ethyl acetate and methanolic) were analyzed by liquid chromatography with a photodiode-array detector coupled to electrospray ionization quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry. An antileishmanial assay was performed in a 96-well plate against Leishmania major promastigotes using resazurin on a plate spectrophotometer and the results were expressed as percentage of growth inhibition. Nine compounds were determined in the investigated extract and fractions, classified as flavonoids, flavonoid C-glycosides and phenylethanoid glycosides. The antileishmanial activity revealed that the hydroalcoholic extract and the ethyl acetate fraction were active against L. major promastigotes with inhibitory concentration of 71.78 and 26.86 µg mL-1, respectively, while the methanolic fraction was inactive (478.40 µg mL-1). This is the first report on the chemical composition and antileishmanial activity of L. caatingensis extracts. These results contribute to further knowledge of species belonging to the Lantana genus. Verbenaceae (Verbenaceae Brazil However unknown L photodiodearray photodiode array timeofflight time flight spectrometry 96well well 96 inhibition flavonoids Cglycosides C glycosides 7178 71 78 71.7 2686 26 86 26.8 mL1, mL1 mL 1, 1 mL-1 respectively 478.40 47840 478 40 (478.4 mL1. . mL-1) extracts genus 9 717 7 71. 268 2 8 26. mL- 478.4 4784 47 4 (478. 478. (478 (47 (4 (

Rusby, denominados rizóforos, acumulam frutanos do tipo inulina como principal carboidrato de reserva, que podem atingir até 80% da massa seca em condições naturais do cerrado. Em vista do uso crescente da inulina na indústria de produtos dietéticos e alimentícios em geral e de sua aplicação médica, o presente trabalho teve por objetivo avaliar a produção desse carboidrato em condições de campo sob o efeito da adubação mineral e tempo de cultivo. As plantas utilizadas no experimento foram obtidas por multiplicação vegetativa a partir de rizóforos coletados de plantas crescendo em condições naturais e, em seguida cultivadas em área de cerrado natural por dois anos. A adubação básica consistiu de N:P2O5:K2O (80:200:150 kg.ha-1) com uma adubação nitrogenada de cobertura (N=80 kg.ha-1). Os resultados mostraram que a adubação não estimulou o aumento da biomassa e nem a produção de inulina. O tempo de cultivo, entretanto, afetou positivamente a produtividade de V. herbacea, havendo um ganho expressivo em biomassa e em frutano total (inulina), no segundo ano de cultivo. A produção de inulina variou de 113 a 674 kg.ha-1, correspondendo a 43% da matéria seca do rizóforo. A composição básica dos frutanos não foi alterada, embora as plantas adubadas tenham apresentado maior proporção de sacarose e frutanos com grau de polimerização de 3 a 8 no segundo ano de cultivo. Os resultados obtidos até o momento indicam ser esta espécie uma fonte de inulina comparável a outras culturas comerciais, sendo recomendado, portanto, a realização de estudos agronômicos, visando ao aumento da produção desse polissacarídeo.

The underground organs of Vernonia herbacea (Vell.) Rusby, known as rhizophores, acumulate 80% of their dry mass as fructans of the inulin type. In view of the growing industrial use of fructans as dietetic and general food products, and of their medical application, the present investigation aimed at evaluating the effect of mineral fertilization and period of cultivation on the production of these carbohydrates in field trials. Plants used in the experiments were obtained by vegetative propagation from rhizophores collected from plants growing in natural areas of the cerrado, and cultivated for two years. Fertilization consisted of N:P2O5:K2O (80:200:150 kg.ha-1) plus 80 kg.ha-1 nitrogen as dressing. Soil fertilization did not stimulate biomass or inulin production, but in the second year of cultivation a dramatic gain in biomass and inulin was detected in both treated and control plants. Inulin production varied from 113 to 674 kg.ha-1 which corresponds to 43% of the rhizophore dry mass. The composition of fructans was not altered by fertilization, although treated plants had a higher proportion of sucrose and fructans with degree of polymerization 3-8 in the second year of cultivation. The results identify this species as a fructan source similar to other commercial crops and recommend further agronomic studies, aimed at increasing the production of this polysaccharide.