Abstract The main objective of this study was to demonstrate the antimicrobial potential of the crude extract and fractions of Chenopodium ambrosioides L., popularly known as Santa-Maria herb, against microorganisms of clinical interest by the microdilution technique, and also to show the chromatographic profile of the phenolic compounds in the species. The Phytochemical screening revealed the presence of cardiotonic, anthraquinone, alkaloids, tannins and flavonoids. The analysis by HPLC-DAD revealed the presence of rutin in the crude extract (12.5 ± 0.20 mg/g), ethyl acetate (16.5 ± 0.37 mg/g) and n-butanol (8.85 ± 0.11 mg/g), whereas quercetin and chrysin were quantified in chloroform fraction (1.95 ± 0.04 and 1.04 ± 0.01 mg/g), respectively. The most promising results were obtained with the ethyl acetate fraction, which inhibited a greater number of microorganisms and presented the lowest values of MIC against Staphylococcus aureus and Enterococcus faecalis (MIC = 0.42 mg/mL), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (MIC = 34.37 mg/mL), Paenibacillus apiarus (MIC = 4.29 mg/mL) and Paenibacillus thiaminolyticus (MIC = 4.29 mg/mL). Considering mycobacterial inhibition, the best results were obtained by chloroform fraction against M. tuberculosis, M. smegmatis, and M. avium (MIC ranging from 156.25 to 625 µg/mL). This study proves, in part, that the popular use of C. ambrosioides L. can be an effective and sustainable alternative for the prevention and treatment of diseases caused by various infectious agents.

O óleo volátil das cascas do caule de Scutia buxifolia (Rhamnaceae) foi obtido por hidrodestilação e analisados por CG-EM. 21 componentes foram identificados representando 99,93% da composição total de óleo, espatulenol (35,87%), β-cubebene (17,26%), germacreno D (6,43%), linalol (5,19%) e carvacrol (4,05%) foram os principais componentes do óleo essencial de S. buxifolia. Propriedades antioxidantes e antimicrobianas do óleo essencial foram avaliadas através do ensaio do DPPH e do método de micro diluição em caldo, respectivamente. O óleo essencial de S. buxifolia apresentou interessante atividade de radical de limpeza (IC50 = 15,03 ± 0,11 µg/mL). O ensaio antibacteriano mostrou que S. buxifolia possui moderadamente atividade frente a S. aureus e Micrococcus sp. (CIM = 500 µg/mL) e E. coli (250 µg/mL). Tanto quanto pudemos avaliar, este é o primeiro estudo sobre a composicão química, atividade antioxidante e antimicrobiana do óleo essencial da cascas do tronco de S. buxifolia coletadas do Brasil.

The volatile oil from the stem bark of Scutia buxifolia (Rhamnaceae) has been obtained by hydrodistillation and analyzed by GC-MS. Twenty-one components were identified representing 99.93 % of the total oil composition, spathulenol (35.87%), β-cubebene (17.26%), germacrene D (6.43%), linalool (5.19%), carvacrol (4.05%) were the main components of S. buxifolia essential oil. Antioxidant and antimicrobial properties of the essential oil were evaluated by free radical scavenging (DPPH) assay and micro broth dilution method, respectively. S. buxifolia essential oil presented interesting radical scavenging activity (IC50 = 15.03 ± 0.11 µg/mL). The antibacterial assay showed that S. buxifolia stem bark essential oil was moderately active against the Staphylococcus aureus and Micrococcus sp. (MIC = 500 µg/mL) and Escherichia coli (250 µg/mL). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study on the composition, antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of essential oil from the S. buxifolia collected from Brazil.

A capacidade antioxidante do extrato bruto e frações dos frutos e ramos de Tabernaemontana catharinensis, foi avaliada pelo método do 2,2-difenil-1-picril hidrazil (DPPH) e o conteúdo de polifenóis, flavonoides, alcaloides e taninos condensados foram determinados pelos métodos espectrofotométricos. A fracção de acetato de etila dos frutos e a fração n-butanol dos ramos mostraram IC50 de 181,82 µg/mL e 78,19 µg/mL, respectivamente. Todas as frações foram analisadas por cromatografia líquida de alta eficiência (HPLC), nos ramos foram quantificados ácido clorogênico na fração clorofórmica (8,96 mg/g), acetato de etila (4,31 mg/g) e n-butanol (3,33 mg/g); ácido cafeico na acetato de etila (5,24 mg/g) e n-butanol (1,81 mg/g); ácido gálico (0,52 mg/g) na n-butanol. Nos frutos, ácido clorogênico, na fração clorofórmica (1,67 mg/g); rutina na acetato de etila (3,45 mg/g) e n-butanol (8,98 mg/g). O presente estudo mostrou que esses compostos quantificados podem contribuir na capacidade antioxidante que foi maior nos ramos do que nos frutos.

The antioxidant capacity of the crude extract and fractions ofTabernaemontana catharinensis fruits and branches, was evaluated by the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) method and the content of polyphenols, flavonoids, alkaloids and condensed tannins were determined by the spectrophotometric method. The ethyl acetate fraction of the fruits and the n-butanol fraction of the branches showed IC50 of 181.82 µg/mL and 78.19 µg/mL, respectively. All fractions were analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), in the branches were quantified chlorogenic acid in the chloroform (8.96 mg/g), ethyl acetate (4.31 mg/g) and n-butanol (3.33 mg/g) fractions; caffeic acid in the ethyl acetate (5.24 mg/g) and n-butanol (1.81 mg/g); gallic acid (0.52 mg/g) in the n-butanol. In the fruits, chlorogenic acid in the chloroform (1.67 mg/g); rutin in the ethyl acetate (3.45 mg/g) and n-butanol (8.98 mg/g) fractions. The present study showed that these quantified compounds can contribute to antioxidant capacity which was higher in the branches than in the fruits.