THE POISONOUS GARDEN: THE CHEMISTRY BEHIND THE INTOXICATION BY DOMESTIC ORNAMENTAL PLANTS. In times of the COVID-19 pandemic, despite the fact families have spent more time together, the job demands and commitments that adults have now brought into their homes may mean their attention has been taken away from their children. This, combined with the absence of older family members or domestic helpers that assist in looking after the children has left them potentially more exposed to domestic accidents. Data from the National Toxic-Pharmacological Information System indicate that two-thirds of domestic intoxications with plants (usually the ornamental ones) occur in children. These accidents can be caused either by inhalation, contact with the skin, eyes and mucous membranes, as well as by ingestion. The toxicity of ornamental plants is due to the presence of substances such as oxalic acid and its highly irritating salts, alkaloids, glycosides, flavonoids, and toxic terpenes, among several other classes of secondary metabolites. In the present study, we carried out a survey of the main ornamental plants used in the country and analyzed the toxic substances that can cause numerous conditions from dermatitis in milder cases to death in more severe cases.

RESUMO Objetivo: avaliar histologicamente e macroscopicamente a influência do óleo-resina de Copaifera multijuga no processo de cicatrização de feridas cutâneas, comparando com o grupo submetido ao uso da nitrofurazona. Métodos: foram utilizados 36 ratos, divididos em três grupos de 12 animais, conforme o tratamento a ser administrado. Grupo SF (controle, recebeu soro fisiológico sobre a lesão), Grupo ÓLEO (tratamento tópico com óleo de Copaíba), Grupo NITRO (tratamento tópico com Nitrofurazona). Foi confeccionada uma ferida circular de 8mm de diâmetro no dorso de cada animal. Cada um dos três grupos de 12 animais foi subdividido em três subgrupos, de acordo com o tempo de tratamento e de eutanásia (7, 14 e 21 dias). Todos os animais receberam o tratamento proposto diariamente. As lesões foram fotografadas para mensuração de sua área, bem como, avaliados aspectos macroscópicos. As cicatrizes foram ressecadas e coradas, para quantificar e qualificar as fibras elásticas, colágenas, grau de epitelização, neovascularização e inflamação. Resultados: embora o soro fisiológico tenha proporcionado um fechamento mais rápido da ferida em sua fase inicial, a partir de 14 dias o tamanho das feridas dos três grupos testados se equivaleu. Níveis de inflamação e neovascularização foram semelhantes nos três grupos. A quantidade de fibras colágenas e elásticas foi maior nos grupos Nitrofurazona e Óleo de Copaíba. Conclusão: em ratos machos da linhagem Wistar, o óleo-resina de Copaifera multijuga influencia positivamente no processo de cicatrização, porém é menos eficaz que a nitrofurazona na cicatrização por segunda intenção.

ABSTRACT Objectives: to evaluate, histologically and macroscopically, the influence of Copaifera multijuga (Copaíba) oil-resin on the healing process of cutaneous wounds, comparing it with nitrofurazone. Methods: we divided 36 rats into three groups of 12 animals, according to the treatment to be administered. Group SL (control) received saline on the lesion; the Group OIL received topical treatment with Copaíba oil; and the Group NITRO was treated with Nitrofurazone. We inflicted a circular wound of 8mm in diameter on the back of each animal. We subdivided each of the three groups of 12 animals into three subgroups, according to treatment time and euthanasia (7, 14 and 21 days). All animals received the proposed treatment daily. We photographed the lesions for area measurement, as well as for evaluation of macroscopic aspects. We resected and stained the scars to quantify and qualify elastic fibers, collagen, degree of epithelization, neovascularization and inflammation. Results: although the saline solution provided a faster wound closure in its initial phase, after 14 days the wound size of the three groups tested was the same. Levels of inflammation and neovascularization were similar in all three groups. The amount of collagen and elastic fibers was higher in the Nitrofurazone and Copaíba oil groups. Conclusion: in male Wistar rats, Copaifera multijuga oil-resin positively influences the healing process, but it is less effective than nitrofurazone in healing by secondary intention.

Leishmaniasis is a neglected tropical disease. According to the World Health Organization, there are approximately 1.5-two million new cases of cutaneous leishmaniasis each year worldwide. Chemotherapy against leishmaniasis is based on pentavalent antimonials, which were developed more than a century ago. The goals of this study were to investigate the antileishmanial activity of diterpene acids in copaiba oil, as well as some possible targets of their action against Leishmania amazonensis. Methyl copalate and agathic, hydroxycopalic, kaurenoic, pinifolic and polyaltic acids isolated from Copaifera officinales oleoresins were utilised. Ultrastructural changes and the specific organelle targets of diterpenes were investigated with electron microscopy and flow cytometry, respectively. All compounds had some level of activity against L. amazonensis. Hydroxycopalic acid and methyl copalate demonstrated the most activity against promastigotes and had 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50) values of 2.5 and 6.0 µg/mL, respectively. However, pinifolic and kaurenoic acid demonstrated the most activity against axenic amastigote and had IC50 values of 3.5 and 4.0 µg/mL, respectively. Agathic, kaurenoic and pinifolic acid caused significant increases in plasma membrane permeability and mitochondrial membrane depolarisation of the protozoan. In conclusion, copaiba oil and its diterpene acids should be explored for the development of new antileishmanial drugs.

Fresh water sponge was used as a silica source for the synthesis of MCM-41 via the hydrothermal process. The silica was extracted from the sponge by washing with nitric acid and piranha solution. Synthesis of MCM-41 was performed at 100 °C for 5 days and the procedure was optimized, with modifications made to the leaching temperature of the silica and the synthesis of mesoporous material, which was characterized by XRD, FT-IR, SEM and adsorption of N2. The optimal result was achieved at a temperature of 135 °C for 3 days, showing ordered mesoporous material with a surface area of 1080 m² g-1.

Aniba canelilla (H.B.K.) Mez. é uma espécie arbórea da Amazônia que produz óleo essencial. A extração do óleo de suas folhas e galhos pode ser uma forma alternativa de evitar a derrubada do tronco para sua produção de óleo essencial. O objetivo deste estudo foi analisar os fatores que podem influenciar a produção de óleo essencial e sua biomassa da rebrota após a poda de folhas e galhos das árvores de A. canelilla. As copas das árvores foram podadas na estação chuvosa e, após nove meses, as folhas e os galhos da copa remanescente e da rebrota foram coletadas na estação seca. Os resultados mostraram que o rendimento e a composição química de óleo essencial diferiram entre os galhos finos, as folhas e as rebrotas. A produção de óleo essencial de galhos diferiu entre as estações e teve maior produção nos galhos da rebrota do que nos galhos velhos da copa remanescente. A produção de óleo essencial e de biomassa das folhas da rebrota foram diferentemente relacionadas com a abertura de dossel, indicando que a luz aumenta a produção de óleo essencial e diminui a de biomassa nas folhas da rebrota. Este estudo revelou que as diferenças entre os órgãos da planta na produção de óleo essencial e a abertura de dossel devem ser levadas em consideração para podar a copa da árvore da A. canelilla e alcançar maior produtividade de óleo.

Aniba canelilla (H.B.K.) Mez. is a tree species from Amazon that produces essential oil. The oil extraction from its leaves and stems can be an alternative way to avoid the tree cutting for production of essential oil. The aim of this study was to analyse factors that may influence the essential oil production and the biomass of resprouts after pruning the leaves and stems of A. canelilla trees. The tree crowns were pruned in the wet season and after nine months the leaves and stems of the remaining crown and the resprouts were collected, in the dry season. The results showed that the essential oil yield and chemical composition differed among the stems, leaves and resprouts. The stems' essential oil production differed between the seasons and had a higher production in the resprouting stems than the old stems of the remaining crown. The production of essential oil and leaf biomass of resprouts were differently related to the canopy openness, indicating that light increases the production of the essential oil and decreases the biomass of resprouting leaves. This study revealed that plant organs differ in their essential oil production and that the canopy openness must be taken into account when pruning the A. canelilla tree crown in order to achieve higher oil productivity.

Neste trabalho foi analisado o extrato apolar de Burlemarxia rodriguesii Menezes & Semir através da análise direta do extrato por métodos cromatográficos. Na análise por Cromatografia Gasosa de Alta Resolução (CGAR) e da Cromatografia de Alta Resolução acoplada à Espectrometria de Massas (CGAR-EM) foram detectados apenas os compostos majoritários. Para determinar os demais constituintes químicos presentes neste extrato foi realizado um pré-fracionamento no qual classes químicas como ácidos graxos, ésteres graxos, esteróis e terpenóides foram separados. A metodologia empregada permitiu a detecção e identificação de várias substâncias e séries homólogas através de co-injeções com padrões (em CGAR) e comparação de espectros (CGAR-EM).