The Parnaíba Basin covers an area of 665,888 km2 between the northern and northeastern regions of Brazil. It is completely made up of siliciclastic sedimentary and volcanic rocks with ages varying between the Silurian and the Cretaceous. Among the formations of the Basin, the Tianguá Formation is considered a potential source rock. However, there are few geochemical and/or geological studies and no research work on the molecular parameters of the organic matter (OM) present in its outcropping rocks (OR). Thus, the objective of the present work is to characterize the OM, concerning the depositional paleoenvironment and the degree of thermal evolution, through molecular parameters and OM content. The OM was extracted using the Soxhlet system, chromatographed by classical methods, and analyzed using GC-MS and GC-MS/MS. The samples exhibited low total organic carbon values (TOC < 1) and the molecular parameters of saturated and aromatic hydrocarbons suggested a marine depositional environment, with algae, bacteria, and terrestrial plants input. The C30 biomarkers (24-n-propylcholestane), identified using synthetic standards and usually associated with the Chrysophyte algae, corroborated the marine origin of the depositional environment. In addition, some molecular parameters suggested little thermal evolution.

ABSTRACT The search for vegetable extracts for phytosanitary control has been expanded to find new active ingredients to control plant diseases. This study aimed to evaluate the in vitro effect of the fixed constituents of Copaifera luetzelburgii, Croton zehntneri and Lippia lasiocalycina, at the concentrations of 2, 20, 200 and 2,000 μg mL-1, on the percentage of mycelial growth inhibition of Colletotrichum siamense, C. truncatum, Fusarium sacchari, F. udum, Lasiodiplodia theobromae and Thielaviopsis ethacetica, as well as the conidium concentration of C. siamense, F. sacchari and F. udum produced in culture medium with all the extracts. The tested ethanolic extract, especially at the highest concentration, inhibited the percentage of mycelial growth and/or conidium concentration of the evaluated fungi. The other concentrations showed low inhibitory effects or no activity against the fungi. The average values for percentage of mycelial growth inhibition of the ethanolic extract from L. lasiocalycina, C. zehntneri and C. luetzelburgii against the six fungi were 62.5, 53.4 and 51.0 %, respectively. The ethanolic extract of L. lasiocalycina showed the most significant effect on the percentage of mycelial growth inhibition and conidia concentration. The fixed constituents of C. luetzelburgii, C. zehntneri and L. lasiocalycina at 2,000 μg mL-1 showed to be efficient in inhibiting the mycelial growth of C. siamense, C. truncatum, F. sacchari, F. udum, L. theobromae and T. ethacetica, and inhibit the conidia production of C. siamense, F. sacchari and F. udum.

RESUMO A busca por extratos vegetais para serem utilizados no controle fitossanitário tem sido ampliada, visando encontrar novos ingredientes ativos para o controle de doenças de plantas. Objetivou-se avaliar o efeito in vitro dos constituintes fixos de Copaifera luetzelburgii, Croton zehntneri e Lippia lasiocalycina, nas concentrações de 2; 20; 200; e 2.000 μg mL-1, sobre o percentual de inibição de crescimento micelial de Colletotrichum siamense, C. truncatum, Fusarium sacchari, F. udum, Lasiodiplodia theobromae e Thielaviopsis ethacetica, bem como a concentração de conídios de C. siamense, F. sacchari e F. udum produzidos em meio de cultura com todos os extratos. O extrato etanólico testado, principalmente na maior concentração, inibiu o percentual de crescimento micelial e/ou concentração de conídios dos fungos avaliados. As demais concentrações apresentaram baixos efeitos inibitórios ou nenhuma atividade contra os fungos. Os valores médios para percentual de inibição de crescimento micelial do extrato etanólico de L. lasiocalycina, C. zehntneri e C. luetzelburgii contra os seis fungos foram de 62,5; 53,4; e 51,0 %, respectivamente. O extrato etanólico de L. lasiocalycina apresentou o efeito mais significativo sobre o percentual de inibição de crescimento micelial e concentração de conídios. Os constituintes fixos de C. luetzelburgii, C. zehntneri e L. lasiocalycina a 2.000 μg mL-1 mostraram-se eficientes na inibição do crescimento micelial de C. siamense, C. truncatum, F. sacchari, F. udum, L. theobromae e T. ethacetica, e inibem a produção de conídios de C. siamense, F. sacchari e F. udum.

ABSTRACT Samburá is the botanical pollen nectar agglutinated by salivary secretions of bees. Stingless bee pollen samples were collected in three periods of the year in Monsenhor Gil town, PI, Brazil, for extraction of volatile constituents by different techniques, analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and the palynological analysis used to identify the dominant pollen. Among the volatile compounds identified, kaur-16-ene, methyl and ethyl hexadecanoate, methyl linoleate and heneicosane were identified more frequently in the studied parameters: period of sample collection and extraction techniques used. The palynological analysis identified the pollen of Mimosa caesalpiniifolia Benth. as the dominant pollen in all samples studied.

The pantropical genus Bauhinia, Fabaceae, known popularly as cow's foot, is widely used in folk medicine as antidiabetic. Behavioral effects of the ethanolic extract and ethereal, aqueous and ethyl acetate fractions from B. platypetala Benth. ex Hemsl. leaves were studied in male Swiss mice. The ethanolic extract and fractions were administered intraperitoneally and its effects on spontaneous motor activity (total motility, locomotion, rearing and grooming behavior) were monitored. Anxiolytic-like properties were studied in the elevated plus-maze test and the possible antidepressant-like actions were evaluated in the forced swimming test. The results revealed that only the highest dose of the ethereal fraction (50 mg/kg, i.p.) caused a significant decrease in total motility, locomotion and rearing. Sole dose injected (50 mg/kg) of ethanolic extract and ethereal fractions increased the exploration of the elevated plus-maze open arms in a similar way to that of diazepam (2 mg/kg, i.p.). In the forced swimming test, the ethanolic extract and their fractions (12.5, 25 or 50 mg/kg) was not as effective as paroxetine (10 or 20 mg/kg, i.p.) and imipramine (25 or 50 mg/kg, i.p.) in reducing immobility. These results suggest that some of the components of the ethanolic extract and of the ethereal fraction from B. platypetala, such as p-cymene, phytol, D-lactic acid, hexadecanoic acid, among others, may have anxiolytic-like properties, which deserve further investigation. Furthermore, the results obtained indicate that ethanolic extract from B. platypetala and their fractions do not present antidepressive properties. However, these properties cannot be related to the chemical constituents identified in this specie.

The central nervous system (CNS) depressant and anticonvulsant activities of Citrus limon (L.) Osbeck, Rutaceae, essential oil (EO) were investigated in animal models. The EO (50, 100 and 150 mg/kg) injected by oral route (p.o.) in mice caused a significant decrease in the motor activity of animals when compared with the control group, up to thirty days after the administration and the dose of 150 mg/kg significantly reduced the remaining time of the animals on the Rota-rod apparatus. Additionally, C. limon essential oil was also capable to promote an increase of latency for development of convulsions induced by pentylenetetrazole (PTZ). The administration of FLU (10 mg/kg, i.p.), GABA A-benzodiazepine (GABA-BZD) receptor antagonist, antagonized the effect of C. limon essential oil at higher dose. This C. limon essential oil was also capable to promote an increase of latency for development of convulsions induced by picrotoxin (PIC) at higher dose. In the same way, the anticonvulsant effect of the EO was affected by pretreatment with flumazenil, a selective antagonist of benzodiazepine site of GABA A receptor. These results suggest a possible CNS depressant and anticonvulsant activities in mice that needs further investigation.