Este trabalho descreve a composição química dos óleos essenciais e o isolamento de onze substâncias de Eupatorium ballotifolium Kunth, Asteraceae. Os óleos essenciais foram obtidos por hidrodestilação, analisados por CG-EM e avaliados quanto às suas atividades frente à enzima acetilcolinesterase. O rendimento dos óleos foi de 0,11% para as folhas e 0,03% para os talos. Os principais constituintes dos óleos foram os sesquiterpenos β-cariofileno (24,9 e 22,2%), espatulenol (17,7 e 12,4%) e epóxi-allo-aromadendreno (23,0 e 23,6%). Do extrato hexânico da parte aérea foi isolada a mistura de β-sitosterol e estigmasterol, incluindo suas formas glicosiladas, e os triterpenos acetato de taraxasterila e taraxasterol, enquanto, do extrato etanólico foram isolados os flavonóides nepetina and 3-O-glicosil-quercetina. Do extrato hexânico das raízes foram isolados os triterpenos epi-friedelanol e damara-20,24-dien-3β-ol e do extrato etanólico a cumarina 11-hidroxi-11,12-di-hidroobliquina. As estruturas de todos os compostos foram determinadas usando técnicas espectroscópica tais como IV, EM e RMN ¹H e 13C.

This work describes the chemical composition of the essential oils and the isolation of eleven substances from Eupatorium ballotifolium Kunth, Asteraceae. The essential oils were obtained by hydrodistillation, analyzed by GC/MS and evaluated towards the acetylcholinesterase enzyme. The oils yield was of 0.11% for the leaves and 0.03% for the stems. The main constituents of the oils were the sesquiterpenes β-caryophyllene (24.9 and 22.2%), spathulenol (17.7 and 12.4%) and epoxy-allo-aromadendrene (23.0 and 23.6%). From the hexane extract of the aerial part were isolated a mixture of sitosterol and stigmasterol, its glucosides, and the triterpenes taraxasteryl acetate and taraxasterol, while from the ethanol extract were obtained the flavonoids nepetin and 3-O-glucoside-quercetin. The triterpenes epi-friedelanol and dammara-20,24-dien-3β-ol were obtained from the hexane extract of roots, while the coumarin 11-hydroxy-11,12-di-hydroobliquine was obtained from the ethanol extract. The structures of all compounds were determinate based on spectroscopic methods such as IR, MS and ¹H and 13C NMR

The chemical composition of the essential oils, obtained by hidrodistillation, from leaves of two Vernonia species (V. remotiflora and V. brasiliana), was determined by GC-FID and GC-MS. Both essential oils were predominantly constituted by sesquiterpenes (92.0 - 93.4%). The main constituents of the oil from V. brasilana were (E)-caryophyllene (36.7%), germacrene D (35.5%), and α-humulene (11.7%), while (E)-caryophyllene (42.2%) and bicyclogermacrene (20.0%) were the major ones in the oil from V. remotiflora. Although with moderate activity both oils showed acetylcholinesterase and antibacterial activities.

Antioxidantes são compostos que atuam inibindo e/ou diminuindo os efeitos desencadeados pelos radicais livres e compostos oxidantes. Os chás são bebidas populares e fontes significativas de compostos fenólicos, sendo considerados importantes integrantes das dietas devido às suas propriedades antioxidantes. O presente trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar a ação antioxidante de uma variedade de chás e condimentos mais consumidos no Brasil. Os chás analisados foram das plantas: Pneumus boldus Mold., Matricaria recutita L., Cymbopogon citratus (DC) Stapf, Baccharis trimera (Less.) DC, Camelia sinensis (L) O. Kuntze (fermentado), Camelia sinensis (não-fermentado), Lippia alba N.E. Brown,Mentha arvensis L., e Pyrus malus L. Os condimentos analisados foram: Eugenia aromatica Baill, Cinnamonum zeylanicum Blume, Laurus nobilis L. e Origanum vulgare L. O método utilizado para avaliar a ação antioxidante foi o da atividade seqüestradora de radicais livres DPPH em solução metanólica. Todas as amostras analisadas demonstraram atividade em suas diferentes concentrações. Camelia sinensis (não-fermentada) foi a mais ativa com CI50= 0,14 mg/mL, cujos principais compostos antioxidantes são epigalocatequinas. Os condimentos mais ativos foram Cinnamonum zeylanicum (CI50 = 0,37 mg/mL), Eugenia aromatica Baill (CI50 = 0,46 mg/mL) e Laurus nobilis (CI50 = 0,76 mg/mL), cujo principal antioxidante relatado foi o eugenol.

Antioxidants are compounds that remove free-radicals or minimize their availability to generate oxidative stress. Teas are popular beverages providing a significant source of phenolic compounds, important components of the human diet due to their antioxidant properties. The present work had the objective of evaluate the antioxidant action of teas and seasonings more consumed in Brazil. The analysed teas were from the plants: Pneumus boldus Mold., Matricaria recutita L., Cymbopogon citratus (DC) Stapf, Baccharis trimera (Less.) DC, Camelia sinensis (L) O. Kuntze (fermented), Camelia sinensis (not-fermented), Lippia alba N.E. Brown, Mentha arvensis L. and Pyrus malus L. The studied seasonings were: Eugenia aromatica Baill, Cinnamonum zeylanicum Blume, Laurus nobilis L. and Origanum vulgare L. The antioxidant activity was measured by the DPPH free radical scavenging method. All analysed samples demonstrated antioxidant activities. Camelia sinensis (not-fermented) (IC50= 0.14 mg/mL), was the most active and active principles are epicalocatechins. The stronger antioxidant seasonings were Cinnamonum zeylanicum (IC50 = 0.37 mg/mL), Eugenia aromatica Baill (IC50= 0.46 mg/ mL and Laurus nobilis (IC50 = 0.76 mg/mL), which presented as main antioxidant component eugenol.

Thirteen compounds, 3-O-acetyloleanolic acid (1), methyl 3,4-dihydroxy benzoate (2), lapachenol (3), tecomaquinone (4), tectoquinone (5), tectol (6), acetilated tectol (7), quercetin (8), luteolin (9), glucoluteolin (10), lippisidoquinone (11), taxifolin (12) and isolariciresinol (13), were isolated from ethanol extract of Lippia sidoides. Their structures were assigned unambiguously by a combination of 1D and 2D NMR, IR and EIMS spectral data analysis and comparison with the published data for structurally related compounds. In brazilian traditional medicine the aerial parts of this specie are used as anti-infective agent, particularly as antiseptic.