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Introduction: This study evaluated the chemical characterization, larvicidal activity and molluscicidal activity in front of the snail transmitting schistosomes (Biomphalaria glabrata) of the essential oils of Alpinia zerumbet and Cymbopogon citratus (DC.) Stapf. The essential oils (EOs) were extracted by hydrodistillation, with chemical characterization through Gas Chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The physical-chemical parameters were determined according to the Brazilian Pharmacopoeia. The toxicity test followed the bioassay with Artemia salina Leach, the EOs approved in this assay followed to evaluate their biological properties. Methodology: for molluscicidal activity, the methodology recommended by the WHO was performed, and the LC50 of the EOs was performed for their action in the face of the snail obtained by the Reed&Muench method. Both EOs showed low toxicity, and thus were evaluated for the biological properties larvicidal and molluscicidal. Alpinia zerumbet EO showed molluscicidal activity with LC50 of 40.63 mg·L-1 and Cymbopogon citratus EO 33.94 mg·L-1. Results: Both EOs showed larvicidal and molluscicidal potentials against the organisms tested, showing satisfactory results for their action. The results indicate that the evaluated EOs are composed of substances that promote and encourage their application due to their potential for molluscicidal and larvicidal biological activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study evaluated the antimicrobial, antioxidant and toxicity activity of essential oils (EOs) of Hymenaea courbaril L. var. courbaril bark and Syzygium cumini (L.) Skeels leaves. The EOs were extracted by hydrodistillation and chemically characterized by gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC/MS). The ABTS and DPPH assay were used to evaluate antioxidant activity. For the toxicity assay, lethality was evaluated against Artemia salina Leach. For the antimicrobial assay, the method of Disc Diffusion and Dilution in Broth was applied to obtain the minimum inhibitory concentration and minimum bactericidal. The major constituent of the EO of H. courbaril was ß-ocimene (23.33%) and the EO of S. cumini was isocaryophyllene (18.01%). Both OE showed relevant antioxidant activity and low toxicity against Artemia salina. The EOs showed bactericidal activity against E. coli, S. aureus, P. aeruginosa, Salmonella sp., B. cereus and P. mirabilis. The results obtained are encouraged by the potential use of the OE's studied in the control and fight of pathogenic microorganisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although several studies show that Schinus terebinthifolius Raddi fruits are a promising source of bioactive compounds, few studies have investigated the anticancer activity of its essential oil (EO). The objective of this study was therefore to investigate the antiproliferative activity of S. terebinthifolius fruit EO against eight human tumor cell lines. A central composite rotatable design with 11 experiments was developed to investigate the optimal conditions of hydrodistillation by Clevenger apparatus. EO obtained at optimized conditions (yield greater than 6.7%) showed potent activity for all cell lines investigated; the most promising results were observed against leukemia, kidney, multidrug-resistant ovarian, and prostate tumor cell lines. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry revealed the following major compounds in the EO: δ-3-carene (33.78-36.73%), α-phellandrene (15.67-17.30%), limonene (15.03-16.32%), α-pinene (7.03-9.20%), and germacrene D (4.98-6.99%). Future work involving fractionation of the EO might shed some light on the compounds responsible for each antiproliferative activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: copaifera is a genus of plants that comprises several species that produce copaiba oil, which is widely used for various purposes, such as healing, antiinflammatory, antimicrobial, wound antiseptic, anti-tumor, among other functions. There are very few chemical studies to characterize copaiba oil. Aim: To characterize 3 different species of copaiba oil Subsequently, the effects of oils were estimated on neoplastic cells in a human glioma protocol (U251). Methods: 2 methods of analysis were used for the chemical characterization, GC-MS and ESI-MS. Results: Through these analytical techniques, 20 types of components were found in the oils. Obtaining the cell viability and cytotoxicity of the oil we performed two methods, the MTT (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) and Neutral Red (NR), both assays were quantified by spectrophotometry. Concentrations of 1 to 10-5 µg/mL were used for 3 different species of copaiba oil and doxorubicin hydrochloride was used as a positive control. The 3 different species of copaiba oil from Pernambuco (oil 1) and Manaus (oils 2 and 3) were cytotoxic in U251, the IC50 value obtained was 6.171·10-2 μg/mL, 8.344·10-2 μg/mL and 1.385·10-4 μg/mL, respectively. They also presented cytotoxic effect, with IC50, 2.4·10-1 μg/mL, 3.7·10-2 μg/mL and 4.6·10-2 µg/mL, respectively. A high correlation was evidenced between the MTT and Neutral Red studies for the three different species of copaiba oil, with α=0.05 and r values above 0.9, using the Pearson correlation coefficient. All types of resin oils positively affected cell proliferation of in vitro studies with a correspondence between concentration and effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study evaluated the toxicity and antimicrobial activity in the face of Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus of essential oils of Pimenta dioica Lindl. and Citrus sinensis L. The essential oils (EO) were extracted by hydrodistillation, with chemical characterization by gas chromatography coupled and mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Physicochemical parameters were determined according to the Brazilian Pharmacopeia. The toxicity test followed the bioassay with Artemia salina Leach, the EO approved in this assay followed to evaluate its biological properties. The antimicrobial activity followed the methodology described by the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute using the disc diffusion method, broth dilution for minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and subsequent minimum bactericide concentration for to evaluate the action of EO against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. Both OE showed low toxicity, and thus were evaluated for the biological antimicrobial properties. Both OE presented bactericidal potential against the microorganisms tested, showing satisfactory results for their action. The results indicate that the evaluated OE are composed of substances that provide and encourage their application due to their potentials for biological molluscicide and antimicrobial activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bixa orellana L. is widely used as a dye, and other properties are still little studied, especially in relation to leaves. This article evaluates how drying B. orellana L. influences the properties of essential oils (EOs) extracted from their leaves. The collected plant material was submitted to convective air-drying oven at temperatures of 35, 45 and 55 °C. Chemical profiles were determined by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS). Mathematical models were applied to represent the drying process and statistical analysis performed using Statistica 10 software. The EO's were obtained through the hydrodistillation technique with verification of physicochemical properties and antimicrobial activity by the Disc Diffusion Method. For the toxicity test, the bioassay was applied to Artemia salina. Through the results obtained it was possible to determine that the mathematical model of Verma was the one that best fitted the experimental data. Significant differences in the properties of EO's were observed. The temperature of 45 °C allowed obtaining the best EO yield, still presenting the most efficient antimicrobial activity. This study states through the activities analyzed that the drying temperature influences the physicochemical and biological properties of the EO's, thus requiring studies such as this one that evaluate the best mathematical model to predict drying as well as the specific temperatures that influence the properties of the product obtained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Schinus terebinthifolius Raddi is a South American plant with medicinal properties. We report the extraction of compounds from S. terebinthifolius fruits using supercritical CO 2 (scCO 2 ), with emphasis on the effects of scCO 2 pressure (100–300 bar) and temperature (40–60 °C) on global yield, volatile compounds, and antiproliferative activity against nine human tumor cell lines. Supercritical extracts obtained at 50–60 °C, independently of pressure, showed potent activity against kidney cancer with total growth inhibition <3.9 μg/mL. Furthermore, extracts obtained at 200 bar and 50 °C showed potent activity against multidrug-resistant ovarian, prostate, and ovarian tumor cell lines, and glioma. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry revealed the following volatile compounds: δ -3-carene, α -phellandrene, limonene, germacrene D, and caryophyllene. The results suggest that sesquiterpenes may be the metabolites responsible for the antiproliferative activity. However, future work involving fractionation of the extracts might shed light on the chemical compounds responsible for each antiproliferative activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]