Maytenus distichophylla is a medicinal species used in Northeast of Brazil. The hexane (HE), chloroform (CE), ethyl acetate (EAE) and methanol (ME) extracts and compounds from its roots were evaluated for their protective activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans. The cytotoxicity for chronic myeloid leukemia (K562), acute monocytic leukemia (THP-1), and peripheral blood mononuclear cells of normal individuals (PBMC) cells was established by MTT method using etoposide as standard. The in vivo toxicity of samples was determined using Caenorhabditis elegans model. From HE and CE were isolated: friedelan-3-one (1), b-sitosterol (2), 3-oxo-olean-9(11),12-diene (3), a mixture of pristimerin (4) and 11a-hydroxylup-20(29)-en-3-one (5), 30-hydroxylup-20(29)-en-3-one (6), friedelane-3,7-dione (7), tingenone (8) and triacylglycerol (9). The structures of 1-9 were confirmed by spectral data. All samples reduced the viability of S. aureus and present no effect against C. albicans. The HE, CE, mixture of 4/5 and 8 reduced 75% of S. aureus viability. Cytotoxic effect for K562 and THP-1 cells was caused by compounds 1, 2 and 8. All samples displayed selectivity for leukemic cells and low toxicity to PBMC cells, suggesting their potential as anticancer agents. Extracts and compounds were non-toxic to L1 larvae of C. elegans. However, most of them reduced significantly young adult worm’s survival, being considered as potential nematicides.

Salacia crassifolia traditionally known as “Bacupari-do-Cerrado” is used to treat kidney problems, and as a healing agent for coughs and malaria. The phytochemical study of the S. crassifolia roots led to the isolation of thirteen compounds: abruslactone-A (1), urs-12-ene-3β,25,30-triol (2), carioprystimerin (3), β-sitosterol (4), pristimerin (5), dispermoquinone (6), netzahualcoyonol (7), 20-hydroxy-20-epi-tingenone (8), 6-oxo-pristimerol (9), 9β,10β-epoxi-3β-hydroxy-1βH,4βH,5βH,7βH,11αH-guaian-12,8β-olide (10), 3-O-b-D-glucosyl-b-sitosterol (11), 4`-O-methylepigalocatechin (12) and cerebroside (13). The chemical structures of 1-13 were determined by IR, 1D/2D NMR together with X-ray diffractometry. Compounds 2 and 10 are herein described for the first time. Extracts of S. crassifolia and compounds 3, 5, 8 and 9 were evaluated on acetylcholinesterase inhibition, in vitro cytotoxic activity and in vivo toxicity tests using Caenorhabditis elegans model. All tested compounds inhibited acetylcholinesterase, and compounds 3, 8 and 9 demonstrated a greater potential when compared to the standard eserine. The tested compounds showed low cytotoxicity against the THP-1, K562 and MDA-MB-231 cancer cell lines. None of the tested compounds and extracts were toxic against C. elegans since the larvae survival rate in L1 stage was higher than 90%.