RESUMO: Varronia curassavica é uma espécie medicinal nativa no Brasil e sua propriedade anti-inflamatória é atribuída aos compostos α-humuleno e β-cariofileno. O objetivo foi estudar a variabilidade de população de V. curassavica. Foram coletadas folhas de 40 indivíduos de população natural, sendo estas transferidas para frascos de vidro (2 mL). Os voláteis foram extraídos e analisados por headspace estático, associado à cromatografia gasosa, acoplada à espectrometria de massas (HS-CG-EM). Detectou-se 17 compostos: monoterpenos (1,6% - 68%) e sesquiterpenos (25,7% - 79,0%), incluindo o α-humuleno e o β-cariofileno. A análise multivariada foi realizada para estimar a dissimilaridade dos indivíduos, a qual separou quatro grupos. O grupo I foi caracterizado pela presença do α-pineno, os grupos II e IV do β-cariofileno e o grupo III do β-pineno. O teor do α-humuleno apresentou pequenas variações, enquanto o do β-cariofileno contribuiu mais para a variabilidade da população. É o primeiro relato de análise da composição química de compostos voláteis de V. curassavica utilizando a técnica HS-GC-MS.

ABSTRACT: Varronia curassavica is a medicinal species native to Brazil; its anti-inflammatory properties are attributed to α-humulene and β-caryophyllene. This study to investigated the population variability of V. curassavica. Leaves were collected from 40 individuals of a natural population and transferred to glass flasks (2 mL). The volatiles were extracted and analyzed using static headspace gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (HS-GC-MS). A total of 17 compounds were detected: monoterpenes (1.6% - 68%) and sesquiterpenes (25.7% - 79.0%), including α-humulene and β-caryophyllene. Multivariate analysis was performed to estimate the dissimilarity of individuals separated the compounds into four groups. Group I was characterized by the content of α-pinene, groups II and IV by β-caryophyllene, and group III by β-pinene. The abundance of α-humulene showed small variations; while β-caryophyllene showed larger variations that contributed to the population variability. This is the first report on the chemical composition analysis of volatile compounds in V. curassavica using the HS-GC-MS technique.

Abstract This study aimed to verify the action of bioactive compounds from Brazilian plants on the leader genes involved in the SARS-CoV-2 pathway. The main human genes involved were identified in GeneCards and UNIPROT platforms, and an interaction network between leader genes was established in the STRING database. To design chemo-biology interactome networks and elucidate the interplay between genes related to the disease and bioactive plant compounds, the metasearch engine STITCH 3.1 was used. The analysis revealed that SMAD3 and CASP3 genes are leader genes, suggesting that the mechanism of action of the virus on host cells is associated with the molecular effects of these genes. Furthermore, the bioactive plant compounds, such as ascorbate, benzoquinone, ellagic acid, and resveratrol was identified as a promising adjuvant for the treatment inhibiting CASP3-mediated apoptosis. Bioactive plant compounds were verified as the main pathways enriched with KEGG and related to viral infection, assessments/immune/infections, and cell proliferation, which are potentially used for respiratory viral infections. The best-ranked molecule docked in the CASP3 binding site was rutin, while the SMAD3 binding site was resveratrol. In conclusion, this work identified several bioactive compounds from Brazilian plants showing potential antiviral functions that can directly or indirectly inhibit the new coronavirus.

ABSTRACT. Varronia curassavica (Jacq.) is a shrub and perennial plant native to Brazil that has therapeutic, anti-inflammatory and cicatrizing properties. The objective of this work was to study the chemical diversity of the native populations of this species maintained in the in vivo germplasm bank from Montes Claros, Minas Gerais, Brazil. The essential oils of 10 accessions analyzed in triplicate were obtained by hydrodistillation. Fifty-five compounds were detected, 46 of which were identified by GC-MS analysis. Essential oil yield ranged from 0.1 (VC-9) to 1.22% (VC-3) among the studied accessions. Three groups were formed by cluster analysis. Group A presented lower relative abundance of the compounds α-humulene (1.4%) and β-caryophyllene (8.5%). Conversely, in Group B, the most abundant compound was α-humulene (31.6%). Group C, with the greatest number of accessions, presented values of up to 6.1 and 41.2% for α-humulene and β-caryophyllene, respectively. Only two accessions (VC-1 and VC-5) presented α-humulene content lower than that recommended for phytotherapeutic production. These results, along with consolidating breeding programs, contribute to the conservation of the species.

RESUMO: A atividade conservante e antioxidante de óleos essenciais são importantes ferramentas para uso na indústria de alimentos e pesquisas são estimuladas na atualidade. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar as propriedades antioxidantes e a atividade antimicrobiana de óleos essenciais de Syzygium aromaticum, Cymbopogon citratuse Lippia alba (LA) contra bactérias lácticas e patogênicas com importância em doenças transmitidas por alimentos. A atividade antibacteriana dos óleos foi avaliada por testes de disco-difusão e macrodiluição em caldo, utilizando-se cultura láctica mista de Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus e Streptococcus thermophilus (YF-L903), e Escherichia coli (ATCC 8739), Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 6538), Salmonella enterica (ATCC 6017). Os compostos dos óleos essenciais foram identificados por cromatografia, mostrando eugenol (79,41%) como composto predominante em S. aromaticum, geranial (31,89%), neral (24,52%) e β-mirceno (25,37%) em C. citratus, e o geranial (33,80%) e neral (25,63%) em L. alba. A atividade antibacteriana confirmou o efeito dose-dependente dos três óleos para todas as bactérias avaliadas, apresentando halos de inibição a partir da concentração de 20μL mL-1. O óleo essencial de S. aromaticum apresentou melhor atividade antioxidante, com IC 50 IC50 (at concentration capable of generating 50% inhibition) igual a 5.76μg mL-1 e índice de atividade antioxidante (AAI) de 6,94, considerado forte (AAI>2,0) em relação aos demais óleos avaliados. O óleo essencial de S. aromaticum apresentou excelente atividade antioxidante em menor concentração que anecessário para inibir a cultura láctica, indicando que este óleo pode ser usado como conservante em alimentos processados contendo culturas lácticas.

ABSTRACT: Studies about preservative and antioxidant activity of essential oils have been encouraged in recent years, given their importance to food industry. The aim of the current study was to evaluate the antioxidant properties and antimicrobial activity of essential oils deriving from Syzygium aromaticum, Cymbopogon citratus and Lippia alba against lactic and pathogenic bacteria responsible for food-borne diseases. Essential oil antibacterial activity was assessed through disc diffusion and macrodilution tests conducted in a mixed lactic culture of Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus (YF-L903) and of Escherichia coli (ATCC 8739), Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 6538), Salmonella enterica (ATCC 6017) strains. Based on the chromatographic analysis results, the essential oils shown to be composed of eugenol (79.41%) which was the prevalent compound in S. aromaticum, geranial (31.89%), neral (24.52%) and β-myrcene (25.37%) in C. citratus, as well as of geranial (33.80%) and neral (25.63%) in L. alba. The observed antibacterial activity confirmed the dose-dependent effect of these three oils on all the assessed bacteria; there was halo inhibition at concentration 20μL mL-1. The essential oil of S. aromaticum presented better antioxidant activity, with IC50 equal to 5.76μg mL-1 and antioxidant activity index of 6.94, and it was considered strong (AAI>2.0) in comparison to the other evaluated oils. This essential oil also presented excellent antioxidant activity at concentrations lower than the one required to inhibit lactic cultures. Based in this outcome, the essential oil from S. aromaticum can be used as preservative agent in processed food whose formulation presents lactic cultures.

RESUMO: Conhecer a exigência hídrica de espécies florestais na fase de muda, além de proporcionar maior produtividade, possibilita reduzir custos, eliminando irrigações desnecessárias. Este estudo foi realizado com o objetivo de avaliar o efeito dos regimes hídricos no crescimento inicial, produção de folhas, teor e composição química do óleo essencial de Eucalyptus globulus , nos primeiros 120 dias de cultivo. O trabalho foi conduzido no Instituto de Ciências Agrárias da Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (ICA/UFMG), Montes Claros, MG, empregando o delineamento inteiramente casualizado. Os tratamentos consistiram em seis regimes hídricos (50%, 75%, 100%, 125%, 150% e 175% da Evapotranspiração de referência - ETo), com quatro repetições. O crescimento das plantas foi avaliado por meio de dimensões lineares - altura, diâmetro do coleto e número de folhas. O óleo essencial foi extraído das folhas frescas e obtido pelo processo de hidrodestilação , em aparelho Clevenger. Neste estudo, foi observado que lâminas de irrigação correspondentes a 75% da ETo são responsáveis por maior crescimento do E. globulus e maior produção de matéria seca das folhas. As menores lâminas de irrigação foram responsáveis pelos maiores teores de óleo essencial. O óleo essencial foi analisado por cromatografia gasosa acoplada à espectrometria de massas (CG-EM), e apontou o eucaliptol (40,84 a 55,72%) como composto majoritário para todos os tratamentos. Os compostos como β-mirceno, α-Gurgujeno, Alloromadendreno e Varidiflorene apareceram em condições específicas de irrigação.

ABSTRACT: Understanding the water requirement of forest species in the seedling stage supports cost reduction by eliminating unnecessary irrigation in addition to providing higher productivity. This study was carried out to evaluate the effect of the water regime on initial growth, leaf production and content and chemical composition of the essential oil of Eucalyptus globulus , during the first 120 days of cultivation. The experiment employed a completely randomized design and was carried out at the Instituto de Ciências Agrárias da Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (ICA/UFMG), Montes Claros, MG. Treatments consisted of six different water regimes (50%, 75%, 100%, 125%, 150% and 175% of the reference evapotranspiration - ETo) with four replicates. Plant growth was evaluated by measuring linear dimensions - height, stem diameter and number of leaves. The essential oil was extracted from fresh leaves by hydrodistillation in a Clevenger apparatus. The present study demonstrated that irrigation depths corresponding to 75% of the ETo are responsible for increased growth of E. globulus and increased dry matter production of leaves. The lowest irrigation levels were responsible for the greatest essential oil content. The essential oil was analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (CG- MS), and eucalyptol (40.84% to 55.72%) was reported to be the major compound for all treatments. Compounds such as β-myrcene, α-Gurgujeno, Alloromadendreno, Varidiflorene appear under specific irrigation conditions.

Resumo: Objetivou-se determinar atividade antisséptica do óleo essencial de Lippia origanoides na presença de leite bovino. A composição química do óleo essencial de alecrim pimenta foi determinada por cromatografia gasosa acoplada à espectrometria de massas (CG-EM), sendo detectados 53 compostos, dos quais 16 foram identificados (>0,1% área total). O carvacrol (32,7%), p-cimeno (23%), timilmetil éter, cariofileno (7,98%) e o γ-terpineno (5,40%) foram os componentes mais abundantes. A concentração inibitória mínima para Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923 e E. coli ATCC 8739 foi de 60μL/mL, enquanto para Salmonella Choleraesuis ATCC 35640 foi de 90μL/mL. A concentração bactericida mínima foi de 120μL/mL para as três bactérias. Avaliou-se a atividade antisséptica do óleo essencial na concentração de 120μL/mL na presença de leite bovino sobre as mesmas cepas bacterianas. O óleo em estudo apresentou efeito inibitório do crescimento das cepas em diferentes tempos de ação (p<0,05). S. aureus apresentou maiores índices de inibição após 5 min de contato e Escherichia coli e Salmonella Choleraesuis após 15 min. O óleo essencial de alecrim-pimenta revelou ser um potencial antimicrobiano natural, mesmo na presença de matéria orgânica constituída de uma matriz nutricional complexa que é o leite bovino.

Abstract: This study aimed to determine the antiseptic activity of the essential oil of Lippia origanoides in the presence of bovine milk. The essential oil chemical composition was determined by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (CG EM) 53 compounds were detected, of which 16 were identified (>0.1% total area). The carvacrol (32.7%), p-cymene (23%), thymil methyl ether (10.03%), caryophyllene (7.98 %) and γ-terpinene (5.40%) were the most abundant components. The minimum inhibitory concentration for Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923 and Escherichia coli ATCC 8739 was 60uL/mL, as for this Salmonella Choleraesuis ATCC 35640 was 90uL/mL. The minimum bactericidal concentration was 120μL/mL for all three bacteria. We evaluated the antiseptic activity of the essential oil in the concentration of 120μL/mL in the presence of bovine milk for the same bacterial strains. The oil under study It showed an inhibitory effect of growth of the strains in different action times (p <0.05). S. aureus showed higher inhibition rates after 5 min of contact and E. coli and Salmonella Choleraesuis after 15 min. The essential oil Lippia origanoides proved to be a natural antimicrobial potential even in the presence of organic matter consists of a complex nutritional matrix is bovine milk.