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The essential oil obtained by hydrodistillation from leaves of Anaxagorea brevipes was analysed by gas chromatography fitted with a flame ionisation detector (GC-FID) and coupled to mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Thirty one components were identified, representing around 75.7% of total oil. The major components were β-eudesmol (13.16%), α-eudesmol (13.05%), γ-eudesmol (7.54%), guaiol (5.12%), caryophyllene oxide (4.18%) and β-bisabolene (4.10%). The essential oil showed antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive bacteria and yeast with the MIC values between 25.0 and 100 μg/mL. The highest antiproliferative activity was observed for the oil against MCF-7 (breast, TGI = 12.8 μg/mL), NCI-H460 (lung, TGI = 13.0 μg/mL) and PC-3 (prostate, TGI = 9.6 μg/mL) cell lines, while against no cancer cell line HaCat (keratinocyte) the TGI was 38.8 μg/mL. The oil exhibited a small antioxidant activity assessed through ORAC-FL assay (517 μmol TE/g). This is the first report regarding the chemical composition and bioactivity of A. brevipes essential oil.

Essential oil from the leaves of Guatteria australis was obtained by hydrodistillation, analyzed by Gas Chromatography coupled to Mass Spectromery (GC-MS) and their antiproliferative, antileishmanial, antibacterial, antifungal and antioxidant activities were also evaluated. Twenty-three compounds were identified among which germacrene B (50.66%), germacrene D (22.22%) and (E)-caryophyllene (8.99%) were the main compounds. The highest antiproliferative activity was observed against NCI-ADR/RES (TGI = 31.08 μg/ml) and HT-29 (TGI = 32.81 μg/ml) cell lines. It also showed good antileishmanial activity against Leishmania infantum (IC50 = 30.71 μg/ml). On the other hand, the oil exhibited a small effect against Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 6538, S. aureus ATCC 14458 and Escherichia coli ATCC 10799 (MIC = 250 μg/ml), as well as small antioxidant activity (457 μmol TE/g) assessed through ORACFL assay. These results represent the first report regarding chemical composition and bioactivity of G. australis essential oil.

Brazilian ginseng, including Pfaffia townsendii, is used in popular medicine as a natural anti-inflammatory, tonic, analgesic, and antidiabetic agent. In this study, we investigated the chemical composition and evaluated the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities of the P. townsendii ethanolic extract as well as the major isolated glycoside flavonoids tiliroside and patuletin 3-O-β-D-glucopyranoside. Chromatographic techniques and spectroscopic analysis were used for the isolation and identification of the major compounds. The antioxidant potential was determined through DPPH and ORAC-FL assays. The total phenolic content was measured using Folin-Ciocalteu reagent. The anti-inflammatory activity was determined based on a model of paw edema and carrageenan- (Cg-) induced pleurisy. We identified three phenolic acids, one carboxylic acid and two flavonoids, patuletin 3-O-β-D-glucopyranoside, and tiliroside. The ethanol crude extracts, partitions and isolated flavonoids (4581 μmol of Trolox equivalents/g of extract in ORAC and a SC50 of approximately 31.9 μg/mL in the DPPH assay) demonstrated antioxidant activity, and the ethanolic extract as well as isolated flavonoids inhibited paw edema induced by Cg and leukocyte migration in the Cg-induced pleurisy model. The extract, tiliroside, and patuletin 3-O-β-D-glucopyranoside obtained from P. townsendii have therapeutic potential against oxidative stress-related and inflammatory disorders.

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A new naphthoquinone, 6-hydroxy-7-methoxy-2- O-methylduniol (1), was isolated from the tubers of Sinningia hatschbachii Chautems (Gesneriaceae), together with 10 known compounds: 7-hydroxy-α-dunnione, 7-hydroxy-6-methoxy-α-dunnione, 2,4,4’,6-tetramethoxydihydrochalcone, 4’-hydroxy-2,4,6-trimethoxydihydrochalcone, 4’,2-dihydroxy-4,6-dimethoxydihydrochalcone, methyl 1-hydroxy-4-methoxy-2-naphthoate, methyl 1,4-dimethoxy-2-naphthoate, methyl 4-hydroxybenzoate, calceolarioside B, and conandroside. All compounds were identified by spectroscopic techniques, and comparison with literature. Extracts in hexane, CH2Cl2, EtOAc and EtOH were evaluated for antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, S. epidermidis, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Candida albicans, C. dubliniensis, C. glabrata, and C. parapsilosis. All extracts were inactive.

7-O-glucoside. Complete NMR data of 6-hydroxy-7-methoxy-a-dunnione and 7-hydroxy-6-methoxy-a-dunnione were obtained in two different solvents. Hexane, ethyl acetate and ethanol extracts were screened for antimicrobial, antioxidant and cytotoxic activities. The antimicrobial activity was assayed against Staphylococcus aureus, S. epidermidis, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Candida albicans, C. parapsilosis, C. dubliniensis, and C. glabrata, using the microdillution method. All extracts were inactive (MIC > 100 mg mL-1). The antioxidant activity was evaluated with the ORAC method; the ethyl acetate and ethanol extracts were active (TE relative > 800 mg g-1). The cytotoxic activity was tested against PC-3 (prostate) and SKMEL-103 (melanoma) human tumor cell lines, and 3T3 fibroblast cell line, using the MTT assay. The hexane extract showed strong activity against PC-3 and SKMEL-103 human tumor cell lines (IC 50 < 0.25 and 3.07 mg mL-1 , respectively), and a lower activity towards 3T3 fibroblasts (IC 50 = 6.84 mg mL-1). The other extracts were inactive (IC 50 > 50 mg mL-1).

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