Resumo

SOUZA, Marco André A. et al. Chemical composition of the fixed oil of  Croton cajucara and its antifungical properties. Rev. bras. farmacogn. [online]. 2006, vol.16, suppl., pp. 599-610. ISSN 0102-695X.  http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S0102-695X2006000500004.

This paper focused on the separation of the fixed oil (FO) from the stem bark of Croton cajucara obtained from the conventional approach extraction with organic solvents [followed by chromatography column (CC)] and supercritical fluid extraction (SFE, carried out with CO₂) and also, on the antifungical properties of the FO obtained by CC procedure (FO-CC). The FO contents were 3.14% for FO-CC versus 1.20% in the FO-SFE process. The esterified fraction F₁ and non-esterified fractions F₂, F₃ and F₄ obtained from FO-CC after a new CC procedure were analyzed by HRGC-MS. The identification of the chemical composition of FO-CC was made by comparison with MS literature data, computer matching with the Wiley library and by comparison of their kovats indices with the literature. Fraction F₁ showed 70% of sesquiterpene components, among them a-copaene (20.1%) and ciperene (21.8%) as major compounds. Fraction F₂ was rich in minor oxygenated sesquiterpenes, among them linalool. Meanwhile fraction F₃ showed fat acids, steroids and the bioactive clerodane type-diterpene trans-crotonin, cis-cajucarin B (c-CJC-B) and trans-cajucarin B (t-CJC-B). Fractions F₃ and F₄ showed as major constituents c-CJC-B and t-CJC-B with 40% of the total contents. The biological effect of the FO-CC was evaluated in the in vitro development of the phytopatogen fungi such as Fusarium oxysporum, Rhizoctonia solani and Sclerotium rolfsii. Significant inhibitory effect of the tested fungi (at 0.2 mg.mL^-1 dosage) were proved.

Palavras-chave : Croton cajucara; stem bark; fixed oil; chemical constituents; antifungical properties.