Resumo Os óleos essenciais podem ser extraídos de várias partes das plantas e apresentam diversas atividades biológicas. O Cerrado brasileiro possui uma grande variedade de plantas produtoras de óleos essenciais muitas delas ainda não estudadas. Levando-se em consideração a biodiversidade desse bioma, o objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a atividade antiproliferativa dos óleos essenciais extraídos de três espécies de plantas ocorrentes no Cerrado do estado de Goiás: Campomanesia adamantium (Cambess.) O. Berg, Protium ovatum (Engl. in Mart.) e Cardiopetalum calophyllum (Schltdl.). Os óleos essenciais foram obtidos das folhas de C. adamantium e C. calophyllum e das folhas e frutos verdes de P. ovatum por hidrodestilação, usando o aparelho do tipo Clevenger. A composição química dos óleos essenciais foi determinada pelo método de Cromatografia Gasosa acoplada à Espectrometria de Massas (CG-EM). Os constituintes químicos majoritários identificados nos óleos essenciais estudados foram: β-mirceno (62,00%), espatulenol (28,78%), germacreno-B (18,27%), óxido de β-cariofileno (16,40%), β-cariofileno (14,00%), α-pineno (11,30%), viridiflorol (9,99%), limoneno (7,30%) e (Z,E)-farnesol (6,51%). A atividade antiproliferativa foi avaliada em diferentes linhagens de células tumorais humanas: adenocarcinoma de mama (MCF-7), adenocarcinoma cervical (HeLa) e gliobastoma (M059J), além de, uma linhagem celular humana normal (GM07492A, fibroblastos pulmonares). O óleo essencial das folhas de C. adamantium exibiu menores valores de CI50 em todas as linhagens celulares tumorais avaliadas, sendo menores que aquele obtido na linhagem celular normal, indicando seletividade. Este é o primeiro relato da atividade antiproliferativa dos óleos essenciais de C. adamantium , P. ovatum e C. calophyllum contra células tumorais humanas.

Abstract Essential oils, which may be extracted from several parts of plants, have different biological activities. The Brazilian Cerrado has a large variety of plants that yield essential oils, even though many have not been studied yet. Taking into account the biodiversity of this biome, this study aimed at evaluating the antiproliferative activity of essential oils extracted from three species of plants of the Cerrado in Goiás state: Campomanesia adamantium (Cambess.) O. Berg, Protium ovatum (Engl. in Mart.) and Cardiopetalum calophyllum (Schltdl.). Essential oils were extracted from both C. adamantium and C. calophyllum leaves and from P. ovatum leaves and green fruits by hydrodistillation carried out by a Clevenger-type apparatus. The chemical composition of the essential oils was determined by Gas Chromatography coupled to Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS). The following major chemical constituents were identified in the essential oils under investigation: β-myrcene (62.00%), spathulenol (28.78%), germacrene-B (18.27%), β-caryophyllene oxide (16.40%), β-caryophyllene (14.00%), α-pinene (11.30%), viridiflorol (9.99%), limonene (7.30%) and (Z,E)-pharnesol (6.51%). The antiproliferative activity was evaluated in different human tumor cell lines: breast adenocarcinoma (MCF-7), cervical adenocarcinoma (HeLa) and glioblastoma (M059J). A normal human cell line was included (GM07492A, lung fibroblasts). Results showed that essential oils from C. adamantium leaves got the lowest values of IC50 in all strains of tumor cells under evaluation. They were significantly lower than the ones of the normal cell line, an evidence of selectivity. It is worth mentioning that this is the first report of the antiproliferative activity of essential oils from C. adamantium , P. ovatum and C. calophyllum against human tumor cells.

Abstract Leishmaniasis is a neglected disease caused by Leishmania. Chemotherapy remains the mainstay for leishmaniasis control; however, available drugs fail to provide a parasitological cure, and are associated with high toxicity. Natural products are promising leads for the development of novel chemotherapeutics against leishmaniasis. This work investigated the leishmanicidal properties of ethanolic extract of Croton blanchetianus (EECb) on Leishmania infantum and Leishmania amazonensis, and found that EECb, rich in terpenic compounds, was active against promastigote and amastigote forms of both Leishmania species. Leishmania infantum promastigotes and amastigotes presented IC50 values of 208.6 and 8.8 μg/mL, respectively, whereas Leishmania amazonensis promastigotes and amastigotes presented IC50 values of 73.6 and 3.1 μg/mL, respectively. Promastigotes exposed to EECb (100 µg/mL) had their body cellular volume reduced and altered to a round shape, and the flagellum was duplicated, suggesting that EECb may interfere with the process of cytokinesis, which could be the cause of the decline in the parasite multiplication rate. Regarding possible EECb targets, a marked depolarization of the mitochondrial membrane potential was observed. No cytotoxic effects of EECb were observed in murine macrophages at concentrations below 60 µg/mL, and the CC50 obtained was 83.8 µg/mL. Thus, the present results indicated that EECb had effective and selective effects against Leishmania infantum and Leishmania amazonensis, and that these effects appeared to be mediated by mitochondrial dysfunction.

Resumo Este estudo avaliou as atividades antibacteriana e antiproliferativa do óleo essencial das folhas frescas de Psidium guajava (PG-OE), tradicionalmente utilizadas na medicina popular. O óleo essencial foi obtido por hidrodestilação das folhas frescas, utilizando aparelho do tipo Clevenger. Os principais constituintes químicos de PG-OE identificados por CG-EM e CG-DIC foram: β-cariofileno (16,1%), α-humuleno (11,9%), óxido de aromadendreno (14,7%), δ-selineno (13,6%) e selin-11-en-4α-ol (12,5%). A atividade antibacteriana do óleo essencial das folhas de P. guajava foi determinada em termo de sua concentração inibitória mínima (CIM) utilizando o método de microdiluição de caldo em microplacas de 96 poços. PG-OE apresentou moderada atividade contra Streptococcus mutans (CIM = 200 μg/mL), S. mitis (CIM = 200 μg/mL), S. sanguinis (CIM = 400 μg/mL), S. sobrinus (CIM = 100 μg/mL) e S. salivarius (CIM = 200 μg/mL). A atividade antiproliferativa foi avaliada frente a diferentes linhagens de células tumorais como: adenocarcinoma de mama (MCF-7), adenocarcinoma cervical humano (HeLa) e gliobastoma humano (M059J). Foi incluída uma linhagem celular humana normal (GM07492A, fibroblastos pulmonares). A atividade antiproliferativa foi avaliada utilizando o ensaio XTT e os resultados foram expressos como CI50. As linhagens MCF-7 e M059J mostraram valores significativamente mais baixos de CI50 do que os obtidos para a linhagem normal, mostrando seletividade. Nossos resultados sugerem que o óleo essencial das folhas frescas de Psidium guajava L. possui atividades biológicas promissoras e pode ser considerado como uma nova fonte de compostos bioativos.

Abstract This study evaluated the antibacterial and antiproliferative activities of the essential oil of Psidium guajava leaves (PG-EO), traditionally used in folk medicine. The essential oil was obtained from fresh leaves by hydrodistillation, using a modified Clevenger apparatus. The major PG-EO chemical constituents were identified by GC-MS and GC-FID as being β-caryophyllene (16.1%), α-humulene (11.9%), aromadendrene oxide (14.7%), δ-selinene (13.6%), and selin-11-en-4α-ol (12.5%). The antibacterial activity of the essential oil of P. guajava leaves was determined in terms of its minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) using the broth microdilution method in 96-well microplates. PG-EO had moderate activity against Streptococcus mutans (MIC = 200 µg/mL), S. mitis (MIC = 200 µg/mL), S. sanguinis (MIC = 400 µg/mL), S. sobrinus (MIC = 100 µg/mL), and S. salivarius (MIC = 200 µg/mL). The antiproliferative activity was evaluated against different tumor cell lines: breast adenocarcinoma (MCF-7), human cervical adenocarcinoma (HeLa), and human gliobastoma (M059J). A normal human cell line (GM07492A, lung fibroblasts) was included. The antiproliferative activity was evaluated using the XTT assay and the results were expressed as IC50. The essential oil showed significantly lower IC50 values against MCF-7 and M059J lines than that obtained for the normal line, showing selectivity. Our results suggest that the essential oil of Psidium guajava L. has promising biological activities and can be considered a new source of bioactive compounds.

Erythrina velutina Willd., Fabaceae, is a medicinal plant that can be found in the tropics and subtropics, including in the semi-arid northeastern Brazil. It is commonly used in folk medicine to treat anxiety, agitation and insomnia. E. velutina has been known to present analgesic, anti-inflammatory and antibacterial activities, however, it is unknown if this plant present a protective effect on DNA. We assessed the antigenotoxic effect of E. velutina against the genotoxic effects induced by MMS in the root meristem cells of Allium cepa. Three concentrations of the aqueous extract (100, 200 and 400 mg/L) of this medicinal plant were used in three different types of treatment (pre-, post- and simultaneous). The effects of the extracts on the root meristem cells of A. cepa were analyzed at both macroscopic and microscopic levels. Protective effects were observed at higher concentrations in pre-treatment and in simultaneous treatment. The results suggest that E. velutina may present antigenotoxic properties and demonstrate its chemopreventive potential.

The effects of the decoction of Erythrina velutina Willd., Fabaceae, were investigated using the root meristem cells of Allium cepa L., Amaryllidaceae. Ten concentrations of the aqueous extract (0.125 to 1.25%) of this medicinal plant were analyzed at both macroscopic and microscopic levels. All concentrations showed root growth inhibition after 96 h treatment. Although there were no significant differences between the mitotic indexes of any concentration and the control, there were changes in the frequencies of cell stages at three different concentrations. Additionally, the presence of five different cells abnormalities was recorded: chromosome bridging, lagging chromosomes, chromosome fragments, disturbed metaphase and disturbed anaphase. These results suggest inhibitory and genotoxic activity of the decoction of E. velutina on Allium cepa.