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Current ethnobiological studies can offer positive aspects when they include the knowledge of traditional communities in developing different strategies for biodiversity conservation. This study aimed to classify medicinal woody species for priority conservation site in an area of cerrado disjoint in Chapada do Araripe, northeastern Brazil. The availability of woody medicinal plants and conservation priority scores were achieved by the relative density of the sampled forest fragment and ethnobotanical information obtained through semi-structured interviews with 50 local informants. Sixty-one woody medicinal plants were recorded, belonging to 26 families and 59 genera; 29 of these were available and have the use of bark and inner stem bark associated (46.6%). Himatanthus drasticus (Mart.) Plumel, Caryocar coriaceum Wittm., Ximenia americana L., Croton zehntneri Pax & K. Hoffm., Hymenaea courbaril L., Copaifera lansdorfii Desf., Sideroxylon obtusifolium (Roem. & Schult.) T.D.Penn., Anacardium ocidentale L. and Dimorphandra gardneriana Tull. are some of the priority species needing attention in carrying out conservation measures, in order to ensure the perpetuation of these species and the sustainability of traditional therapeutics practices.

Objective To establish the chemical profile, and to evaluate the antibacterial and modulatory activity of the ethanolic extracts of the stalk's inner bark and heartwood of Secondatia floribunda . Methods Quantification of total phenols and flavonoids was determined by the Folin-Ciocalteu method and aluminum chloride, respectively. Phenolic compounds were identified and quantified by HPLC-DAD (High Performance Liquid Chromatography-Diodearray Detector) and the Infrared Spectroscopy was performed using the measure by Attenuated Total Reflectance with Fourier Transform (ATR-FTIR). Antibacterial assays for determination of the Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) and modification of aminoglycosides were performed by microdilution. Results Infrared spectra showed similar characteristics, having among its main absorption bands hydroxyl group (OH). The antibacterial activity showed clinically significant results for the strains of Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli . In modulation assay, synergic and antagonistic effect for both extracts was observed. Heartwood extract in combination with antibiotics showed a significant MIC reduction at 19.8% ( P P Conclusions This study is the first report of chemical and biological information of Secondatia floribunda suggesting that it is clinically relevant source of a new antibacterial therapy, especially due to the presence of significant levels of phenolic compounds.

In most of the ethnobotanical studies among species with greater versatility, the Copaifera langsdorffii Desf. stands out due to the high number of therapeutic properties attributed to the oil-resin of its trunks. This species is widely distributed occurring both in preserved and anthropogenic environments. Plants that occur in different environmental conditions present qualitative and quantitative variation of the chemical constituents responsible for the biological activity, moreover, physiological factors can alter the synthesis of these compounds. This study aims to contribute with information about the chemical profile of C. langsdorffii in two areas of cerrado (preserved and anthropic) in different phenological phases and seasons. The vegetative (leaf fall and budding) and reproductive phenophases (flowering and fruiting) were qualified as present and absent from August 2013 to July 2014. In order to obtain the essential oils, the oil-resin were subjected to hydrodistillation process in an adapted Clevenger type device. The identification of the essential oils' chemical components was performed by gas chromatography coupled mass spectrometry (GC/MS). Statistical analyses of the results were obtained by Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Hierarchical Cluster Analysis (HCA). The reproductive phase occurred only in anthropic areas. The essential oils of both areas had yields ranging from 5.1 to 28.8%; with higher yields at the end of the rainy season coincided with the fruiting phenophase in anthropic areas and the presence of only leaves in the conserved area. Total of 42 chemical constituents were identified, 27 common to the two areas. The main constituents were β-caryophyllene, α-humulene, germacrene B and caryophyllene oxide which presented changes in levels during all collections. Cluster analysis confirmed that the volatile oil of C. langsdorffii was strongly influenced in its chemical composition by the different areas (preserved and anthropic). These informations collaborate to establish the most appropriate collection period to obtain higher yields of Copaifera langsdorffii’s essential oil, as well as the desirable concentrations of the chemical compounds responsible for therapeutic activities.

This study aimed to conduct an ethnobotanical survey of medicinal species in an area of cerrado vegetation in the chapada do Araripe, Ceara, as well as evaluating and selecting species with potential for bioprospecting, based on the relative importance of the species and the consensus among the informants. The ethnobotanical data were collected through semi-structured interviews and a free list, and by using the technique "snowball". It was analyzed the relative importance of the mentioned plants as well as species that stood out on the bodily systems, based on the factor:consensus among the informants. It was recorded a total of 38 species distributed into 35 genera and 25 families. Of the total eight species (21%) presented great versatility (IR≥1) regarding to its use. The therapeutic indications were grouped into 14 categories of bodily systems. Disorder of respiratory and genitourinary systems, injuries, poisoning and other consequences of external causes and diseases of the blood, organs and connective tissue, obtained a greater consensus among the informants. Ximenia americana, Himathantus drasticus, Stryphnodndron rotundifolium, Hancornia speciosa and Cecropia pachysthachya were the species subject to further study, based on versatility, and consensus of the use among the informants. Key words: Ethnobotany, factor in consensus, local knowledge, potential therapeutic, regional species, relative importance.