The phytochemical investigation of the hexane extract which was obtained from the leaves of Xylopia laevigata (Annonaceae) produced six terpenes. Among these, five diterpenes named abieta-7,13-dien-3-one, ent-7β-acetoxy-16β-hydroxy-kaurane, 4-epi-cupressic acid, powerol, and labdorffianic acid B, and one oxygenated sesquiterpene, spathulenol. This is the first time these isolated diterpenes from X. laevigata have been described. The different structures belong to the abietane, kaurane, and labdane diterpenoids, and are indicative of the chemical diversity found in X. laevigata. Moreover, the diterpene ent-7β-acetoxy-16β-hydroxy-kaurane is reported herein for the first time as a natural product, and 4-epi-cupressic acid, powerol, and labdorffianic acid B are reported for the first time in the Annonaceae family. The structures of the isolated compounds were established by extensive analyses using 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopy in combination with MS. The cytotoxic activities of compounds abieta-7,13-dien-3-one, spathulenol, 4-epi-cupressic acid, and powerol were evaluated against tumor and non-tumor cell lines, in which spathulenol was found to be the most active, mainly against K562 with an IC50 value of 17.20 μmol L-1.

Com base na importância que o tema bem-estar tem atingido atualmente buscou-se, com este trabalho, avaliar a condição de conforto térmico para os animais e trabalhadores, durante os primeiros 21 dias de vida de pintos de corte criados em galpões na região do semiárido Mineiro, local onde a temperatura média anual é em torno de 27 ºC. O trabalho foi desenvolvido em duas fases distintas (inverno e verão) em uma granja avícola localizada na cidade de Nova Porteirinha (MG). Para avaliar o conforto térmico dos animais utilizou-se o Índice de Temperatura de Globo Negro e Umidade (ITGU) e, para caracterizar o ambiente térmico para os trabalhadores, adotou-se o Índice de Bulbo Úmido e Termômetro de Globo Negro (IBUTG). De posse dos dados coletados observou-se que, independente da estação do ano, os valores de ITGU estiveram acima de 74 caracterizando condição de estresse térmico para os pintos de corte. Com relação aos trabalhadores verificou-se que a atividade de manejo da granja realizada durante o inverno, não expõe as pessoas à condição de sobrecarga térmica; entretanto, no verão os funcionários precisam, a partir das 09:00 h, adotar pausas frequentes para reestabelecimento fisiológico, com hidratação e descanso.

Given the importance that the issue wellbeing has reached today, the aim of this study was to evaluate the condition of thermal comfort for the animals and workers during the first 21 days of life of poultry reared in sheds in the region of semiarid Minas Gerais state, where the mean annual temperature is around 27 ºC. The study was conducted in two distinct phases (winter and summer) at a poultry farm in the Nova Porteirinha city (MG). To evaluate the thermal comfort of the animals, the index of Black Globe Temperature and Humidity (BGHI) was used and to characterize the thermal environment for workers, the Index of Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) and was adopted. The data collected revealed that regardless of season, the values were above 74 WBGT featuring heat stress condition for broiler chicks. With regard to workers, it was found that the activity of farm management conducted during the winter does not expose people to thermal overload condition, however, in the summer, from 9 am, employees need to take frequent breaks to reestablish physiologically with hydration and rest.

Plants differ in metabolism during their life cycle. In species used as phytotherapics, these changes determine the quality and effectiveness of the product. The aim of this study to evaluate the differences of chemical extracts obtained with supercritical CO2 from young and adult leaves of Zanthoxylum tingoassuiba St.-Hil., Rutaceae, a species used in the folk medicine in Brazil. The chemical composition of the extracts was elucidated by spectroscopic analysis and comparison with literature data. The results showed difference in the composition of the leaves from Z. tingoassuiba and allowed the determination of parameters for the extraction of α-bisabolol and furanocoumarins in this vegetal matrix.

Com o aumento da resistência bacteriana aos antibióticos disponíveis, tornou-se imprescindível a busca por novos fármacos ou protótipos. Os metabólitos secundários produzidos por alguns vegetais como cumarinas, alcaloides e terpenoides podem apresentar várias atividades biológicas, dentre elas, atividade antibiótiotica. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a atividade antimicrobiana in vitro, pelo método de difusão em disco, das diferentes partes de duas espécies pertencentes à família Rutaceae coletadas na Chapada Diamantina, Bahia, Brasil: Spiranthera odoratissima A. St.-Hil. e Zanthoxylum stelligerum Turcz., bem como do alcaloide diidroqueleritrina, isolado do extrato metanólico de Z. stelligerum frente a cepas padrão de microrganismos e isolados clínicos. Os resultados apresentados indicam que o extrato da raiz da espécie Z. stelligerum e o alcaloide extraído desta apresentaram propriedades antimicrobianas contra as cepas Gram positivas e leveduras. A E. coli foi a única cepa Gram negativa que se mostrou sensível ao extrato e ao alcaloide.

With the increase in bacterial resistance to available antibiotics, it became imperative to search for new drugs or prototypes. The secondary metabolites produced by some plants as coumarins, alkaloids and terpenoids have several biological activities, among them, antibiotic activity. The objective of this study was to evaluate the antimicrobial activity in vitro by the disk diffusion method, from different parts of two species belonging to the family Rutaceae, collected in the Chapada Diamantina, Bahia, Brazil: Spiranthera odoratissima A. St Hil. and Zanthoxylum stelligerum Turcz., and the alkaloid dihydrochelerythrine, isolated from the methanolic extract of Z. stelligerum front of standard strains of microorganisms and clinical isolates. The results indicate that the extract from the roots of Z. stelligerum and the alkaloid had antimicrobial properties against Gram positive and yeast strains. The E. coli was the only Gram negative strain that was sensitive to extract and the alkaloid.