Essential oils (EO) have diverse applications, such as antibacterial and antifungal activity. However, they are susceptible to oxidation in the presence of air, light, and moisture. In addition, they are thermally unstable. In this sense, it is necessary to develop techniques to increase the lifespan of EO. In this work, EO was obtained from cloves and characterized by different techniques. The major compounds found were eugenol (83%), eugenol acetate (9%), and β-caryophyllene (8%). The EO was encapsulated by extrusion using a microfluidic device. The sodium alginate was used as wall material, and the CaCl2 solution was used as a crosslinking agent. The microcapsule presented sizes of 164.7 ± 0.3 μm, with an encapsulation yield of 64 ± 14%. Functional characteristic groups of EO were observed in the microcapsule by infrared and Raman spectroscopies. The microcapsule increased the thermal decomposition of the EO from 162 to 230 °C. Release kinetics of the capsule was performed, with an equilibrium time of 72 h and release of 54% of the EO. Finally, the pure EO and encapsulated EO-microcapsules were applied in the Aedes aegypti larvae control, showing mean lethal concentration necessary to eliminate 50% (LC50) values of 74.4 and 96.9 μg mL-1 and lethal concentration necessary to eliminate 90% (LC90) of 106.2 and 133.3 μg mL-1 for pure EO and encapsulated EO, respectively. Therefore, it was concluded that these microcapsules have the potential for application in the Aedes aegypti larvae control.

This work describes a green synthesis, the characterization, and biological evaluation of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs). The AgNPs suspension was synthesized using aqueous leaf extract of Eucalyptus grandis, which presented a characteristic band at 407 nm in the UV-Vis spectrum. The AgNPs presented a spherical shape and size of 9.7 ± 0.3 nm. The nanoparticles were stable over a month, indicating that E. grandis’ extract is suitable for their preparation and stabilization. The X-ray analysis showed that the crystallinity of AgNPs corresponded to the centered face phase of silver. The antibacterial and leishmanicidal activities of AgNPs were evaluated. The AgNPs presented antibacterial activity on the Gram-negative bacteria Escherichia coli at 53.9 µg mL-1. The leishmanicidal activity evaluation against promastigote forms of Leishmania infantum, Leishmania amazonensis, and Leishmania braziliensis showed that the biological response is dependent on the volume of AgNP suspension. It was demonstrated that L. infantum was more sensitive to the nanoparticle’s treatment than L. amazonensis and L. braziliensis. The treatment of L infantum promastigotes with 150 µL of AgNP suspension reduced parasite growth by 67.9%, a result which was similar to the treatment with 1 (66.7%) or 2 µL (70.6%) of amphotericin B used as a positive control.

Abstract The control of weeds in agriculture is mainly conducted with the use of synthetic herbicides. However, environmental and human health concerns and increased resistance of weeds to existing herbicides have increased the pressure on researchers to find new active ingredients for weed control which present low toxicity to non-target organisms, are environmentally safe, and can be applied at low concentrations. It is herein described the synthesis of glycerol-fluorinated triazole derivatives and evaluation of their phytotoxic and cytogenotoxic activities. Starting from glycerol, ten fluorinated triazole derivatives were prepared in four steps. The assessment of them on Lactuca sativa revealed that they present effects on phytotoxic and cytogenotoxic parameters with different degrees of efficiency. The compounds 4a, 4b, 4d, 4e, 4i, and 4j have pre-emergent inhibition behavior, while all the investigated compounds showed post emergent effect. Mechanism of action as clastogenic, aneugenic, and epigenetic were observed in the lettuce root meristematic cells, with alterations as stick chromosome, bridge, delay, c-metaphase, and loss. It is believed that glycerol-fluorinated triazole derivatives possess a scaffold that can be explored towards the development of new chemicals for the control of weed species.

This investigation describes the synthesis of eugenol analogs presenting 1,2,3-triazole fragments and evaluation of their antileishmanial activity. The alkylation of guaiacol (1) with allyl bromide afforded 1-(allyloxy)-2-methoxybenzene (2) (93% yield). The Claisen rearrangement conducted with 1 gave ortho eugenol (3) (82% yield). Alkylation procedures performed with 3 produced 1-allyl-3-methoxy-2-(prop-2-yn-1-yloxy)benzene (4) (73% yield) and 1-allyl-3-methoxy-2-(pent-4-yn-1-yloxy)benzene (6) (53% yield). The copper(I)-catalyzed alkyne-azide cycloaddition (CuAAC) reactions involving alkynes 4 and 6 with different benzylic azides afforded twenty-two eugenol analogs with 1,2,3-triazole functionalities (48-93% yield). We screened the compounds at 10 μmol L 1 against Leishmania braziliensis intracellular amastigotes during macrophage infection. The action of these compounds was compared with the known leishmanicidal drug amphotericin B. None of the analogs were toxic to macrophages at 10 μmol L-1. The cytotoxic concentration at 50% (CC50), effective concentration at 50% (EC50), and selectivity index (SI) were determined to the best compounds 4-((2-allyl-6-methoxy)phenoxymethyl)-1-(4-chlorobenzyl)-1 H-1,2,3-triazole (8c) and 4-((2-allyl-6-methoxy)phenoxymethyl)-1-(4-trifluoromethoxybenzyl)-1 H-1,2,3-triazole (8h). They showed a significant leishmanicidal effect, with EC50 of 28.09 µmol L-1 (8c) and 52.03 µmol L-1 (8h). The SIs were 9.7 for 8c and > 5.7 for 8h. These compounds have the potential as new leishmanicidal agents against L. braziliensis and may represent a starting point for the development of alternative treatments for cutaneous leishmaniasis.

Resumen La selva amazónica presenta diferentes estratos forestales, debido a su estructura heterogénea. En el que estos estratos pueden variar en altos, medios y bajos. El conocimiento de los diferentes patrones de estructuras verticales que se encuentran en el bosque es extremadamente importante para comprender la dinámica de la vegetación, lo que influye en las estrategias de conservación del bosque. Con el fin de optimizar el proceso de clasificación de los diferentes tipos de estratos, el objetivo del presente trabajo fue utilizar redes neuronales artificiales (RNA) para clasificar estos estratos. Se utilizaron dos algoritmos de resilient propagation (Rprop+ y Rprop-), en cuatro configuraciones diferentes de variables de entrada. El entrenamiento y la prueba de los ocho modelos de RNAs se realizaron utilizando el software R. Los modelos se evaluaron mediante una matriz de confusión. En qué modelos con entradas: HT, DAP y QF; HT, DAP y solo HT del algoritmo Rprop + obtuvieron 100% de aciertos en la clasificación de estrato, presentando una alta tasa de aprendizaje, confiabilidad y generalización de datos.

Abstract The Amazon forest presents different forest strata, due to its heterogeneous structure. In which these strata can vary in upper, middle and lower. Knowledge about the different patterns of vertical structures found in the forest is extremely important for understanding the vegetation dynamics, influencing forest conservation strategies. In order to optimize the process of classifying the different types of strata, the objective of the present work was to use artificial neural networks (ANNs) to classify these strata. Two resilient propagation algorithms (Rprop + and Rprop-) were used, in four different configurations of input variables. The training and testing of the eight RNA models were performed using the R software. The models were evaluated using a confusion matrix. In which models with inputs: HT, DAP and QF; HT, DAP and only HT from the Rprop + algorithm obtained 100% correct answers in the classification of strata. Demonstrating a high rate of learning, reliability and generalization of data.

Eugenol (C10H12O2, 4-allyl-2-methoxyphenol) is a phenolic natural product that has several biological activities and possibilities of applications. It is herein described the synthesis of eugenol-fluorinated triazole derivatives and evaluation of their fungicidal activity. The reaction of eugenol with epichlorohydrin resulted in the preparation of (±)-2-((4-allyl-2-methoxyphenoxy)methyl)oxirane (1) in 88% yield. The azidolysis of 1 with sodium azide gave the azido-alcohol (±)-1-(4-allyl-2-methoxyphenoxy)-3-azidopropan-2-ol (2) in 94% yield. The CuAAc reaction between compound 2 and different terminal alkynes afforded a series of eleven derivatives (3a 3k) within 48-80% yield. All the synthesized compounds were characterized by infrared (IR) and nuclear magnetic resonance (1H and 13C) spectroscopies and high-resolution mass spectrometry. The in vitro inhibitory activity of the compounds on the mycelial growth of a strain of Colletotrichum sp., that causes anthracnose disease on papaya fruits, was evaluated. The best result was observed for compound 1-(4-allyl-2-methoxyphenoxy)-3-(4-(2-fluorophenyl)-1H-1,2,3-triazol-1-yl)propan-2-ol (3d) that showed a mean growth-inhibition zone of 5.10 mm in a well-diffusion assay, and may serve as a template for additional structural modifications, aiming for more potent fungicidal activity.

Benzophenones display several biological activities, including antioxidant, anticancer, and photoprotective. Furthermore, antioxidants can minimize both ultraviolet absorption and tumor development. In the present investigation, a series of twenty-six 1,2,3-triazole-benzophenone derivatives were synthesized and had their antioxidant, anticancer, and photoprotective effects evaluated. For the compounds synthesis, 4,4’-dihydroxybenzophenone (1a) and 2,4-dihydroxybenzophenone (1b) were propargylated, affording the alkynes bis(4-(prop-2-yn-1-yloxy))benzophenone (2a) and (2-hydroxy-4-(prop-2-yn-1-yloxy))benzophenone (2b), respectively. The copper(I)-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition (CuAAC) reaction between the compounds 2a/2b and several benzyl azides gave the 1,2,3-triazole-benzophenone derivatives with yields ranging from 35 to 95%. The 1,2,3-triazole-benzophenone derivatives at the concentration of 0.2 μg mL-1 (a no-cytotoxic concentration) exhibited a solar protection factor (SPF) comparable to positive control benzophonen-3 (BP-3). Concerning their antioxidant and cytotoxic effects, the derivatives from 1b showed high in vitro antioxidant effects as well as cytotoxicity against A549 (lung carcinoma), MCF-7 (breast carcinoma), and HT-144 (metastatic melanoma) cell lines, without significant cytotoxicity to a non-cancerous cell line. Derivatives 19, 20, and 24 induced cell death and cell cycle arrest at G1/S in HT-144 melanoma cells.

The benzophenones are synthetic and natural compounds presenting a variety of activities, including photoprotective, cytotoxic and antiviral. It is herein described the preparation of a series of twenty-seven benzophenone derivatives bearing 1,2,3-triazole functionalities and the evaluation of their photoprotective, cytotoxic and antiviral on Zika Virus (ZIKV) activities. The compounds were prepared in three steps, namely reduction of benzophenone, alkylation of diphenylmethanol and CuAAC reactions. The in vitro evaluation of the photoprotective activity revealed that the most active derivative 4-((benzhydryloxy)methyl)-1-(4-nitrobenzyl)-1H-1,2,3-triazole (4k) displayed UVB sun protection factor equal to 6,9±0,53, which make this compound a possible candidate to be used in formulations for photoprotective applications. In terms of cytotoxicity, the compounds were evaluated against MDA-MB-231 and B16F10 cell lines. It was observed that the compounds were more active against MDA-MB-231 cells and three of them were capable of reducing cell viability by approximately 55% at 100 µmol L-1. In the antiviral screening against ZIKV, compound 4-(3-benzhydryloxy)propyl)-1-(3-methylbenzyl)-1H-1,2,3-triazole (5j) was the most effective in mantaining Vero cell viability.

In the present investigation, a collection of twenty two nerol derivatives, containing 1,2,3-triazolic appendages, was synthesized and screened in vitro for their cytotoxic activity against HL60, Nalm6, and Jurkat human leukemia cells as well as against B16F10 (melanoma cell line). In most cases, derivatives were able to reduce cell viability. The most potent compound (Z)-4-(((3,7-dimethylocta-2,6-dien-1-yl)oxy)methyl)-1-(4-(trifluoromethoxy)benzyl)-1H-1,2,3 triazole showed antiproliferative activity against Jurkat cells and reduced B16F10 cell migration. Physicochemical properties of the compounds were calculated in order to evaluate their potential for drug development. Most of the evaluated physicochemical parameters seemed to be favorable for drug development. In addition, for a better understanding of the biological activity results, 3D quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) studies were carried out. 3D-QSAR studies indicate that the anticancer activities observed for the cell lines HL60 and Jurkat may occur by a similar mechanism of action and the same was found for the Nalm6 and B16F10 cell lines.

The present investigation describes the synthesis of a series of novel triazole derivatives from 4,4'-dihydroxybenzophenone along with their elastase inhibitory activity. The 1,2,3-triazoles were obtained via the copper(I)-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition reaction (CuAAC), also known as click reaction, between bis(4-(prop-2-yn-1-yloxy))benzophenone and several benzyl azides. It was found that five derivatives exhibited significant inhibitory effects, presenting half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) values in the range of 16.6 to 72.1 µM. The most active compound, namely bis(4-(1-(4-iodobenzyl)-1H-1,2,3-triazol-4-yl)methoxy)benzophenone (IC50 = 16.6 ± 1.9 µM), was found to bind to elastase with the inhibition constant (Ki) of 11.12 µM, thereby illustrating competitive inhibitory behavior. Further, docking investigations provided insights on the possible binding mode of the most active compound with the elastase.

A dengue é uma doença negligenciada responsável pelo óbito de 22.000 pacientes por ano em áreas onde a doença é endêmica. Embora grandes esforços tenham sido investidos em pesquisas na busca de tratamentos para a dengue, não há ainda nenhuma vacina ou antiviral disponível no mercado para tratamento desta patologia. Entre as estratégias que vêm sendo utilizadas para a busca e desenvolvimento de antivirais contra a dengue, a inibição de enzimas é aquela que tem se mostrado a mais promissora. O presente artigo de revisão descreve os recentes avanços no que tange à utilização de enzimas do vírus da dengue como alvos para o desenho de antivirais.

Dengue is a neglected disease, one that is responsible for 22,000 deaths each year in areas where it is endemic. Despite the tremendous efforts invested in research for dengue treatments, no vaccine or antiviral has reached the market, and disease treatment is limited to supportive care. Among strategies that have been used in the search for and development of an antiviral against dengue, the inhibition of viral enzymes has been proven to be the most successful approach. This review covers the major progresses that have been published concerning compounds that inhibit viral enzymes.

Uma série de treze derivados triazólicos contendo grupos benzila-halogenados foi sintetizada utilizando-se como etapa chave a cicloadição azida-alcino catalisada por Cu(I) (CuAAC), transformação comumente descrita como reação click. A atividade biológica destes compostos foi avaliada, e verificou-se que estes compostos interferem na germinação e no crescimento radicular (brotos e raízes) das espécies Allium cepa (cebola), modelo de monocotiledônea, e Cucumis sativus (pepino) e Lactuca sativa (alface), modelos de dicotiledôneas. Os compostos apresentaram atividade predominantemente inibitória com relação às espécies avaliadas principalmente na concentração de 10-4 mol L-1, sendo que alguns deles foram tão ativos quanto o 2,4-D (ácido 2,4-diclorofenoxiacético), o controle positivo.

Thirteen triazole derivatives bearing halogenated benzyl substituents were synthesized using the Cu-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition (CuAAC), a leading example of the click chemistry approach, as the key step. The biological activity of the compounds was evaluated, and it was found that these compounds interfere with the germination and radicle growth (shoots and roots) of two dicotyledonous species, Lactuca sativa and Cucumis sativus, and one monocotyledonous species, Allium cepa. The compounds showed predominantly inhibitory activity related to the evaluated species mainly at the concentration of 10-4 mol L-1. Some of them presented inhibitory activity comparable to 2,4-D (2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid), used as positive control.

Mabea fistulifera Mart. (Euphorbiaceae) é uma planta arbórea com altura variando de 5 a 14 m, típica da vegetação secundária de terrenos arenosos, principalmente de savana. No Brasil, é encontrada nos estados do Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais e São Paulo. O processo de extração Soxhlet das sementes desta espécie vegetal com hexano produziu um óleo rico em triacilglicerídeos dos ácidos linolênico e linoléico e que apresenta índice de iodo igual a 182,15 g de I2 per 100 g de óleo. Descreve-se neste trabalho a produção de um biopoliol a partir do óleo de M. fistulifera Mart., empregando-se um processo de hidroxilação in situ. Ensaios univariados permitiram determinar o tempo ótimo de reação como sendo 720 min. Além disso, realizou-se ainda um planejamento fatorial 2² composto central (CCD) contendo 12 ensaios experimentais que permitiram investigar diferentes razões molares dos reagentes empregados na síntese do biopoliol, bem como avaliar sua aplicabilidade como matéria-prima na síntese de poliuretanos com característica rígida.

Mabea fistulifera Mart. (Euphorbiaceae) is an arboreal plant with height varying from 5 to 14 m, typical of secondary vegetation of sandy lands, mainly savannah. In Brazil, it is found in the Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais and São Paulo States. Soxhlet extraction of M. fistulifera seeds with hexane provided an oil rich in tryacylglycerides of linolenic and linoleic acids, presenting iodine index of 182.15 g of I2 per 100 g of oil. In this study, the synthesis of polyols from M. fistulifera oil using an in situ hydroxylation procedure is described. Univariate assays were applied to determine the optimal reaction time of 720 min. In addition, a 2² factorial central composite design was carried out containing 12 experimental assays that allowed the investigation of different molar ratios of the reagents used in polyol synthesis, as well as the applicability of polyols for the preparation of rigid polyurethanes.

The development of the palladium catalyzed cross-coupling reactions employing organosilicon compounds is described. Important synthetic methods utilized to prepare organosilicons and different types of cross-coupling reactions involving these compounds are presented. Mechanistic aspects are also discussed.