Five new diterpenes derivatives named as ornatin A, B, C, D and E, in addition to six known related diterpenes were isolated from the aerial parts of cultivated specimens of Plectranthus ornatus. The structures were elucidated using a combination of 1D/2D nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, high-resolution electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (HRESIMS) and comparison with published NMR data of analogous compounds. All isolated compounds were assayed against four human cancer cell lines, and Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria strains. None of them showed any cytotoxic activity, but ornatin C, D, E and three related diterpenes displayed marginal bactericidal or bacteriostatic effects against the Gram-positive strains.

Two unreported ergostane-type sterols 24(R)-7α-hydroperoxy-ergost-5-en-3β-ol and 6β-carboxyl-24(R)-(8→6)-abeo-ergostan-3β,5β-diol, along with seven known ones were isolated from the hexane and alcohol extracts from the zoanthids Palythoa caribaeorum and Palythoa variabilis. The structures of the new compounds were determined using spectroscopic techniques, including 1D and 2D nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), high-resolution electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (HRESIMS), and comparison with data previously published. 6β-Carboxyl-24(R)-(8→6)-abeo-ergostan-3β,5β-diol showed moderate cytotoxicity against colon cancer cells (HCT-116) as previously described for others abeo-sterol derivatives.

The actinomycete strain BRA 177 was recovered from sediment samples collected at the St. Peter and St. Paul Archipelago, Brazil. This work accessed the ability of this strain, identified as Actinomadura sp., to produce bioactive metabolites by exploring the genome and characterizing chemistry and cytotoxicity of isolated compounds. From the crude ethyl acetate extract, the pigments nonylprodigiosin, cyclononylprodigiosin and methylcyclooctilprodigiosin were isolated and displayed cytotoxicity against human tumor and non-tumor cell lines. Sequencing, assembling and prospection of BRA 177 draft genome led to identification of two contigs encoding enzymes with high homology to those from prodiginine biosynthetic gene clusters (BGC) in actinomycetes. Further, Actinomadura sp. BGC presented unique putatives RedJ thioesterase and RedL-like type I PKS, involved on selection of prodiginine biosynthetic fatty acyl precursor, and RedG-like Rieske oxygenase, key for cyclization of the prodiginines, suggesting that cyclononilprodigiosin and methylcyclooctylprodigiosin could actually be considered chemical signatures of Actinomadura spp.

One new alkaloid, 2α-10bα-dihydroxy-9-O-demethylhomolycorine, in addition to seven others known alkaloids, and 5-(hydroxymethyl)furfural, piscidic acid and eucomic acid, were isolated from the bulbs of Hippeastrum solandriflorum. The structures of all compounds were determined using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopic techniques: 1H NMR and 13C NMR, heteronuclear single quantum coherence (HSQC), heteronuclear multiple bond correlation (HMBC), nuclear Overhauser effect spectroscopy (NOESY), and also the high-resolution electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (EI-HRMS). The cytotoxic activity of all alkaloids was evaluated against three human cancer cell lines (HCT-116, HL-60, OVCAR8 and SF-295) showing IC50 values ranging from 0.01 to 35.7 µM.

Two uncommon compounds, a meroterpene naphthoquinoid (cordiaquinone P) and a new lignan derivative, were isolated from the hexane extract of roots of Cordia leucocephala Moric and their structures, including the relative stereochemistry, were determined by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) (1H and 13C NMR, HSQC, HMBC and NOESY) and high resolution electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (HRESIMS) techniques.

The chemical investigation of the stem EtOH extract of S. buddleifolium resulted in the isolation of terpenoids, amides, lignans and a steroidal alkaloid. Based on HRMS, IR and ¹H and 13C NMR data analysis, the structures of the isolated compounds were identified as: 13-hydroxysolavetivone, betulinic acid, N-trans-caffeoyltyramine, N-trans-feruloyldopamine, N-trans-p-cumaroyltyramine, N-trans-feruloyltyramine, N-trans-feruloyl3'-O-methoxydopamine, alangilignoside C, isolariciresinol, polistachiol, (+)-(8R,7'S,8'S)-3α-O-(β-D-glucopiranosyl)-lioniresinol, (-)-(8S,7'R,8'R)-3α-O-(β-D-glucopiranosyl)-lioniresinol and solamargine. The occurrence of terpenoids and amides is common in Solanum, unlike lignans which are rare. The isolated lignans described in this work are reported for the first time in the genus Solanum.

Este estudo teve por objectivo avaliar as possibilidades oferecidas por 3 espécies da flora espontânea do olival (erva-aranha, Spergula arvensis L., malva, Malva neglecta Wallr. e funcho-bravo, Foeniculum vulgare Miller) no fomento da protecção biológica de conservação, através da análise do seu papel no incremento da actuação da crisopa-comum, Chrysoperla carnea (Stephens). Avaliou-se, em laboratório, a atractividade exercida sobre o insecto pelas plantas e pelos seus voláteis, assim como a possibilidade deste aceder ao seu néctar. Também se estudou a longevidade e a fecundidade do insecto quando lhe foi facultada cada uma das plantas. Os resultados indicam que C. carnea consegue, teoricamente, aceder ao néctar de qualquer das 3 plantas e é atraída pelos seus odores, com preferência por S. arvensis e M. neglecta; não obstante, nas condições do estudo, viveu significativamente mais tempo em F. vulgare e efectuou posturas apenas nesta espécie.

The present study aimed to assess the potential of three native plant species from the olive agro ecosystem (corn spurry, Spergula arvensis L., common mallow, Malva neglecta Wallr. and wild fennel, Foeniculum vulgare Miller) to improve Chrysoperla carnea (Stephens) fitness in conservation biological control. Both the response of the predator to volatiles produced by the plants as well as the theoretical nectar accessibility in the flower species was studied. Moreover, their impact on the longevity and fecundity of the insect was evaluated. It was shown that C. carnea is theoretically able to make use of any of the tested plants. All the plants have attracted the insect though S. arvensis and the M. neglecta were more often preferred; however longevity was higher in the individuals exposed to F. vulgare and this was alsothe only species where they have oviposited.

The chemical composition of the essential oils, obtained by hidrodistillation, from leaves of two Vernonia species (V. remotiflora and V. brasiliana), was determined by GC-FID and GC-MS. Both essential oils were predominantly constituted by sesquiterpenes (92.0 - 93.4%). The main constituents of the oil from V. brasilana were (E)-caryophyllene (36.7%), germacrene D (35.5%), and α-humulene (11.7%), while (E)-caryophyllene (42.2%) and bicyclogermacrene (20.0%) were the major ones in the oil from V. remotiflora. Although with moderate activity both oils showed acetylcholinesterase and antibacterial activities.

A despolimerização do poli (tereftalato de etileno) - PET pós-consumo, em solução aquosa 7,5 mol.L-1 de hidróxido de sódio foi testado a 100 °C e a 1 atm, com objetivo de obter o ácido tereftálico. O efeito de tensoativos e da concentração da solução sobre o rendimento da despolimerização foi estudado quantitativamente via gravimetria e analises térmica. Excesso de solução alcalina aumenta a velocidade de reação dobrando o rendimento em reações com partículas grosseiras. Os tensoativos DDS e Tween são eficientes na catálise das reações equimolares com partículas grosseiras, mas não afetam as reações com solução alcalina em excesso.

The depolymerization of waste polyethylene terephthalate (PET) in aqueous solutions 7.5 M of sodium hydroxide was tested at 100 °C and 1 atm, in order to obtain the terephthalic acid monomers (TPA). The effect from surfactants and concentration of sodium hydroxide (NaOH) on the reaction extent of depolymerization was studied quantitatively by gravimetric and thermal measurements. Excess of alkaline solution catalyze the reaction and doubled the reaction rate with larger particle size PET. The surfactants DDS and Tween are efficient in catalyzing larger particle size PET under equimolar conditions, but do not affect the reactions under excess of alkaline solution.