Abstract The chemical investigation of Eugenia pyriformis, popularly known as uvaia, led to the isolation of three compounds, the triterpene β-amiryn (1) and the porphyrin derivatives pheophytin a (2) and b (3). Their structures were assigned based on spectroscopic NMR analysis, as well as by comparison with literature data. Most of the compounds found in the essential oil from leaves are terpenes derivatives, such as ο-cymene; 1,8-cineol; linalol, terpinen-4-ol; 2-carene. Flavonoids, steroids and/or terpenoids, lactones, saponins, tannins and fixed acids were detected in both the leaf and stem crude extracts and fractions generated from the Brazilian E. pyriformis plant. According to the results of the DPPH assay, the ethyl acetate fraction of the leaf extract showed higher antioxidant activity than the other samples tested. In the phosphomolybdenum complex assay, the crude ethanol extract of the leaf and stem, and the ethyl acetate fraction of the leaf, showed a higher antioxidant capacity than rutin. It was observed that the chloroform and ethyl acetate fractions of the leaf, and the hexane, ethyl acetate and hydroalcoholic fractions of the stem were toxic to Artemia salina brine shrimp with LD50 < 1.0 µg/mL. The hexane fraction of the stem was also allelopathic in inhibiting the radicle growth of Lactuca sativa seeds. These results adding contributions to chemical and biological studies of this medicinal species.

Introdução: Xylosma ciliatifolia (Clos) Eichler (Flacourtiaceae/Salicaceae sensu lato), espécie conhecida popularmente como sucará, açucará ou espinho-de-judeu é uma árvore de pequeno porte, que se desenvolve em regiões de vegetação de mata ciliar. Objetivos: avaliar o potencial antibacteriano de frações e substância isolada das cascas das raízes de Xylosma ciliatifolia sobre Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Salmonella typhimurium e Escherichia coli. Métodos: o material vegetal seco foi extraído em etanol 96 % em aparelho de Soxhlet com aquecimento. O extrato etanólico obtido foi submetido à partição líquido-líquido em hexano, clorofórmio e acetato de etila e, após, concentrados em banho-maria, obtendo-se, respectivamente, as frações hexano, clorofórmio e acetato de etila. Por cromatografia em coluna da fração hexano obteve-se o composto ugandensidial. A atividade antibacteriana foi avaliada pelo ensaio da difusão em disco e pela medida da concentração inibitória mínima. Resultados: a atividade antibacteriana foi evidenciada nas frações hexano e clorofórmio sobre as bactérias: Staphylococcus aureus e Staphylococcus epidermidis. O composto ugandensidial mostrou-se ainda mais bioativo sobre as cepas Staphylococcus aureus e Staphylococcus epidermidis com inibição do crescimento bacteriano na concentração de 62,5 µg/mL. Conclusão: os ensaios antibacterianos realizados neste trabalho com as cascas das raízes de Xylosma ciliatifolia foram capazes de inibir o crescimento de duas cepas gram positivas. Estes resultados contribuem para o conhecimento fitoquímico dessa espécie vegetal que ainda não apresenta dados em literaturas científicas.

Introduction: Xylosma ciliatifolia (Clos) Eichler (Flacourtiaceae/Salicaceae sensu lato), a species known by the general public as sucara, acucara or espinho-de-judeu, is a small tree growing in riverside areas. Objectives: evaluate the antibacterial activity of fractions and substances isolated from root bark of Xylosma ciliatifolia against Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermis, Salmonella typhimurium and Escherichia coli. Methods: the dry material was extracted into 96% ethanol in a Soxhlet device with heating. The ethanolic extract thus obtained was subjected to liquid-liquid partition in hexane, chloroform and ethyl acetate. It was then concentrated in a water bath to obtain hexane, chloroform and ethyl acetate fractions, respectively. The ugandensidial compound was obtained by column chromatography of the hexane fraction. Antibacterial activity was evaluated by the disc diffusion test and by measurement of the minimum inhibitory concentration. Results: antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermis was observed in the hexane and chloroform fractions. The ugandensidial compound was found to be even more bioactive against the bacteria Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermis, with inhibition of bacterial growth in the 62.5 µg/mL concentration. Conclusions: the antibacterial assays conducted in this study with root bark of Xylosma ciliatifolia revealed inhibition in the growth of both gram-positive strains. These results provide phytochemical information about this plant species, for which there are no data in the scientific literature.

Introducción: Xylosma ciliatifolia (Clos) Eichler (Flacourtiaceae/Salicaceae sensu lato), especie conocida en la población como sucará, acucará o espinho-de-judeu es un árbol de pequeño porte, que se desarrolla en las regiones de vegetación de ribera. Objetivos: evaluar la actividad antibacteriana de las fracciones y sustancias aisladas de la corteza de raíces de Xylosma ciliatifolia sobre Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Salmonella typhimurium y Escherichia coli. Métodos: el material seco se extrajo en etanol 96 % en un aparato de Soxhlet con calentamiento. El extracto etanólico obtenido se sometió a partición líquido-líquido en hexano, cloroformo y acetato de etilo; después se concentró en un baño de agua, produciendo, respectivamente, las fracciones hexano, cloroformo y acetato de etilo. Por cromatografía de columna de la fracción hexano se obtuvo el compuesto ugandensidial. La actividad antibacteriana se evaluó mediante la prueba de la difusión en disco y mediante la medición de la concentración inhibitoria mínima. Resultados: la actividad antibacteriana se observó en las fracciones hexano y cloroformo sobre las bacterias: Staphylococcus aureus y Staphylococcus epidermidis. El compuesto ugandensidial resultó aún más bioactivo sobre las bacterias Staphylococcus aureus y Staphylococcus epidermidis, con inhibición del crecimiento bacteriano en la concentración de 62,5 µg/mL. Conclusiones: los ensayos antibacterianos realizados en este estudio con corteza de raíces de Xylosma ciliatifolia fueron capaces de inhibir el crecimiento de ambas cepas grampositivas. Estos resultados contribuyen al conocimiento fitoquímico de esa especie vegetal que aún no presenta datos en la literatura científica.

A maioria das plantas ativas é tóxica em doses elevadas, portanto, é importante a investigação da toxicidade preliminar dos extratos das plantas. A espécie Rourea induta é uma droga potencial que não apresenta estudo fitoquímico ou biológico descrito na literatura. Assim, um estudo fitoquímico e análises toxicológicas foram realizados com o extrato etanólico obtido das folhas de Rourea induta Planch., Connaraceae. Foram obtidos um hidrocarboneto de cadeia longa, n-tetracosano, e quatro flavonóides, quercetina e três derivados glicosilados, quercetina-3-O-α-arabinofuranosideo, quercetina-3-O-β-xilosideo e quercetina-3-O-β-galactosideo. Esta é a primeira vez que estes compostos são isolados nesta espécie. As estruturas foram elucidadas por espectroscopia de RMN-13C, RMN-¹H, ultravioleta e infravermelho. A avaliação da toxicidade dos extratos foi analisada pelo método da Artemia salina e atividade hemolítica. Nenhuma das amostras testadas apresentou um potencial tóxico pelos métodos analisados.

Most active plants are toxic at high doses and it is therefore important to investigate the preliminary toxicity of plant extracts. The Rourea induta species is a potential drug with no phytochemical or biological studies registered in the literature. Thus, a phytochemical study and a toxicity analysis of the ethanolic extract obtained from the leaves of Rourea induta Planch., Connaraceae, was run. A long chain hydrocarbon, n-tetracosane, and four flavonoids were identified: quercetin, and three glycosylated derivates, quercetin-3-O-α-arabinofuranoside, quercetin-3-O-β-xyloside and quercetin-3-O-β-galactoside. This is the first time these have been isolated in this species. The structures were elucidated by 13C NMR, ¹H NMR, UV and IR spectroscopy. The toxicity evaluation of extracts was performed by the brine shrimp method and determination of hemolytic activity. The samples demonstrated no toxic potential by the analyzed methods.

This work describes the occurrence and contents of aporphinoids alkaloids in seedlings of Ocotea puberula from germination until 12 months old and in leaves from adult plants. Seedling leaves showed an alkaloids profile similar to leaves of adult plant. However, leaves in seedlings showed higher contents of the alkaloids boldine, dicentrine, leucoxine and isodomesticine when compared to adult plants. The alkaloids concentration in stems and leaves increased during the development of the seedlings, followed by a remarkable decrease of these compounds in roots. Cultivation in a seedling-nursery method is also described.

Os extratos e frações de Acacia podalyriifolia foram analisados previamente para a atividade antibacteriana através da difusão em disco e as propriedades antioxidantes foram verificadas pela determinação da capacidade removedora do radical livre DPPH e pela mensuração do conteúdo de fenólicos totais (Método de Folin). O presente estudo descreve as atividades antibacteriana (determinação da concentração inibitória mínima) e antioxidante (espécies reativas do ácido tiobarbitúrico - teste TBARS) para o extrato etanólico e as frações diclorometano e acetato de etila e para duas flavanonas (naringenina e 5-β-D-glicosil-naringenina) isoladas das flores de Acacia podalyriifolia A. Cunn. ex G. Don. As flavanonas naringenina e 5-β-D-glicosil-naringenina ainda não haviam sido obtidas desta espécie. A atividade antibacteriana mais efetiva foi observada com a fração acetato de etila (CIM=0,25 mg/mL contra Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 6538; CIM=0,125 mg/mL, contra Staphylococcus epidermidis ATCC 12229; CIM=0,5 mg/mL contra Streptococcus pyogenes ATCC 19615, Klebsiella pneumoniae ATCC 13883 e Proteus mirabilis ATCC 43071). As amostras avaliadas demonstraram atividade pelo teste TBARS, especialmente o extrato etanólico (1000 ppm), que foi o mais ativo (29,43% ± 0.65), seguido pela fração acetato de etila (1000 ppm, 24,84% ± 1,28), ambos demonstrando atividade mais elevada que a apresentada pelo ácido ascórbico (1000 ppm, 21,73% ± 1,77), ainda que menor que a do BHT (1000 ppm, 35,15% ± 3,42), ambas substâncias de referência. Naringenina e 5-β-D-glicosil-naringenina demonstraram ação antioxidante, porém somente a naringenina inibiu o crescimento de bactérias gram-positivas e gram-negativas.

The extracts and fractions from the flowers of A. podalyriifolia were analyzed previously for antibacterial activity using diffusion in disk, Antioxidant properties were evaluated by determining radical scavenging power (DPPH test) and total phenol content was measured (Folin method). The present study describes the in vitro antibacterial (determining minimum inhibitory concentration) and antioxidant activities (by thiobarbituric acid reactive species - TBARS method) for the ethanol extract, dichloromethane and ethyl acetate fractions and two flavanones (naringenin and 5-β-D-glycosyl-naringenin) isolated from the flowers of Acacia podalyriifolia A. Cunn. ex G. Don. The flavanones naringenin and 5-β-D-glycosyl-naringenin had not previously been obtained from this species. The most effective antibacterial activity was observed in the ethyl acetate fraction (MIC=0.25 mg mL-1 against Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 6538, MIC = 0.125 mg mL-1 against Staphylococcus epidermidis ATCC 12229, MIC=0.5 mg mL-1 against Streptococcus pyogenes ATCC 19615, Klebsiella pneumoniae ATCC 13883 and Proteus mirabilis ATCC 43071). The evaluated samples showed antioxidant activity on the TBARS test, especially for ethanol extract (1000 ppm), which was the most active (29.43% ± 0.65) followed by ethyl acetate fraction (1000 ppm, 24.84% ± 1,28), both demonstrating higher activity than that presented by ascorbic acid (1000 ppm, 21.73% ± 1.77), although lower than the BHT (1000 ppm 35.15% ± 3.42), both reference compounds. Naringenin and 5-β-D-glycosyl-naringenin demonstrated antioxidant action, but only naringenin inhibited the growth of gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria.

During the last decades several aporphinoid alkaloids of the Ocotea species have been isolated. This review describes the occurrence of the fifty four aporphinoids in seventeen different species of Ocotea: thirty nine (39) aporphine sensu stricto, four (4) oxoaporphine, five (5) 6a,7-dehydroaporphine, one (1) didehydroaporphine, one (1) C-3-O-aporphine, one (1) C-4-O-aporphine, two (2) phenanthrene, one (1) proaporphine and their 13C NMR spectral data.