Despite recent advances in food production technology, food-borne diseases (FBD) remain a challenging public health concern. In several countries, including Brazil, Clostridium perfringens is among the five main causative agents of food-borne diseases. The present study determines antimicrobial activities of essential oils of six condiments commonly used in Brazil, viz., Ocimum basilicum L. (basil), Rosmarinus officinalis L. (rosemary), Origanum majorana L. (marjoram), Mentha × piperita L. var. Piperita (peppermint), Thymus vulgaris L. (thyme) and Pimpinella anisum L. (anise) against C. perfringens strain A. Chemical compositions of the oils were determined by GC–MS (gas chromatography–mass spectrometry). The identities of the isolated compounds were established from the respective Kováts indices, and a comparison of mass spectral data was made with those reported earlier. The antibacterial activity was assessed from minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) using the microdilution method. Minimum inhibitory concentration values were 1.25 mg mL−1 for thyme, 5.0 mg mL−1 for basil and marjoram, and 10 mg mL−1 for rosemary, peppermint and anise. All oils showed bactericidal activity at their minimum inhibitory concentration, except anise oil, which was only bacteriostatic. The use of essential oils from these common spices might serve as an alternative to the use of chemical preservatives in the control and inactivation of pathogens in commercially produced food systems.

No abstract

No abstract

No abstract

Introdução: Métodos de cocção adequados são importantes para a boa nutrição do paciente com Doença Renal Crônica (DRC). Objetivos: Quantificar Na, K e P em vegetais para indicar aos pacientes com DRC. Métodos: Foram quantificados o teor de sódio, potássio e fósforo da cenoura e batata inglesa, submetidos a quatro métodos de cocção: em água, a vapor, por irradiação em forno de micro-ondas e desidratação. Resultados: Para a cenoura, as maiores reduções de Na (37,0%) e K (33,7%) foram obtidas por cocção em água, e de P (18,3%), a vapor. Na batata, houve diminuição de P (55,1%) e K (33,8%), por cocção em água e um acréscimo de Na, após todos os processos. Conclusão: Os métodos de preparo desses alimentos, mais indicados ao portador de DRC foram cocção em água e a vácuo, devendo ser evitado o de desidratação.

In South American folk medicine members of the genus Myrciaria are used for the treatment of malaria, diarrhoea, asthma, inflammation and post-partum uterine cleansing. The aim of this work was to evaluate its antileishmanial properties (in vitro) of essential oil derived from leaves of Myrciaria plinioides D. Legrand, a plant species that is native in South of Brazil. The essential oil was obtained by hydro-distillation using fresh leaves of M. plinioides. The chemical composition of this essential oil (MPEO, M. plinioides essential oil) was determined by gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC-MS). MPEO was assayed in vitro for antileishmanial properties against promastigotes of Leishmania amazonensis and Leishmania infantum, and for cytotoxicity against murine peritoneal macrophages. The MPEO comprised 66 components and was rich in oxygenated sesquiterpenes (82.66%) containing spathulenol (21.12%) as its major constituent. The MPEO was effective against L. amazonensis with IC 50 value of 14.16 ± 7.40 µg/mL, while against L. infantum the IC 50 value was higher with 101.50 ± 5.78 µg/mL. The MPEO showed significant activity against L. amazonensis, and presented a selectivity index (SI) of 6.60. The results suggest that the essential oil from leaves of M. plinioides is a promising source for new antileishmanial agents against L. amazonensis.

We determined the antioxidant potential of fractions obtained from leaves of Schinus terebinthifolius, a medicinal plant known in Brazil as aroeira, to select the fraction with the best yield and antioxidant performance. These qualities were found in the methanol fraction (MeF), which was administered intraperitoneally (20 mg/kg/day) for 3 and 10 days to rats with chronic constriction injury (CCI) of the sciatic nerve, a model of neuropathic pain. The MeF increased the mechanical and thermal thresholds that had been lowered by CCI. In parallel, the lumbosacral spinal cord showed an increase in superoxide dismutase but a decrease in glutathione peroxidase and glutathione-S-transferase activities in saline- and MeF-treated CCI rats. Catalase activity decreased only in saline-treated CCI rats for 10 days. Total thiols decreased in saline- and MeF-treated CCI rats. Ascorbic acid increased in these rats at day 3 but only in saline-treated CCI rats at day 10. No change was found in hydrogen peroxide and lipid hydroperoxide. Open-field and elevated plus-maze tests and blood parameters of liver function did not change. Thus, the MeF from leaves of S. terebinthifolius has an antinociceptive action with no toxic effects, and it affects oxidant biomarkers in the spinal cord of rats with CCI.

Vasconcellea quercifolia A.St-Hil. (Caricaceae), popularly known as papaya of the woods or jacaratiá, occurs from the south of Bahia to Rio Grande do Sul (RS) and is considered a Non-Conventional Food Plant (PANC) (Kinupp et al., 2011; Kinupp & Lorenzi, 2014), however, its nutritional characteristics are poorly known. On addition, it is included in the list of the Brazilian flora, considered part of its sociobiodiversity, with feeding value that justifies its marketing in natura or that of its derivatives (Brasil, 2016). Grated medullary parenchyma was used instead of coconut in the preparation of sweets in the past. However, its popular use had been gradually forgotten (Kinupp et al., 2011; Kinupp & Lorenzi, 2014) and was recently resumed with the broad dissemination of PANC's (Kinupp & Lorenzi, 2014) which describe the potentialities of this species (Kinupp & Lorenzi, 2014; Caetano et al., 2008). On light of that, the aim of the present study was to investigate the physical, chemical, and nutritional properties of V. quercifolia to encourage its use in the development of new food products. 2 Materials and methods 2.1 Sample collection Medullary parenchyma and green and ripe fruits were collected from three individuals located in the central region of Rio Grande do Sul (coordinates 29°23.426'; 29°19'49"; 29°19'82" S and 52°04'63"; 52°13'45"; 52°17'40" W) identified as Sample 1, Sample 2 and Sample 3, respectively. Fertile material