O óleo essencial obtido a partir das cascas do caule de Croton urucurana Baillon (Euphorbiaceae) foi analisado por CG e CG-EM. 83 compostos foram identificados, sendo borneol (14,7%), acetato de bornila (5,2%), 1-isopropil-7-metil-4-metileno-1,3,4,5,6,8-hexaidro-2H-naftalen-4a-ol (14,7%), sesquicineol (10,5%) e epóxido de γ-gurjuneno (5,4%) os principais componentes. Para o óleo essencial bruto, foi determinada em 3,21 mg mL -1 a EC 50 no ensaio de atividade antioxidante frente ao radical livre DPPH. A fração do óleo essencial bruto que apresentou atividade antioxidante foi purificada por CCD sobre sílica gel. Análises de CG e CG-EM revelaram que α-bisabolol (38,3%), α-eudesmol (9,3%) e guaiol (8,2%) são os principais componentes da fração antioxidante. A EC 50 medida no teste frente ao DPPH foi de 1,05 mg mL -1 para a fração bioativa. Foi determinada a atividade antimicrobiana do óleo essencial bruto frente a sete bactérias Gram-positivas e Gram-negativas e três fungos. Os valores de CIM medidos variaram de 1,25 a 10,00 mg mL -1 .The essential oil obtained from the stem bark of Croton urucurana Baillon (Euphorbiaceae) was analysed by GC and GC-MS. 83 compounds were identified and borneol (14.7%), bornyl acetate (5.2%), 1-isopropyl-7-methyl-4-methylene-1,3,4,5,6,8-hexahydro-2H-naphthalen-4a-ol (14.7%), sesquicineole (10.5%) and γ-gurjunene epoxide (5.4%) were the main components. The EC 50 value of the crude essential oil in the DPPH free radical scavenging assay was 3.21 mg mL -1 . The fraction of the crude essential oil that presented antioxidant activity was purified by prep-TLC on silica gel. GC and GC-MS analysis revealed that α-bisabolol (38.3%), α-eudesmol (9.3%) and guaiol (8.2%) were the main components of the antioxidant fraction. The EC 50 value measured for the bioactive oil fraction in the DPPH assay was 1.05 mg mL -1 . The antimicrobial activity of the crude essential oil was assayed against seven Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria and three yeasts. Measured MIC values ranged from 1.25 to 10.00 mg mL -1 . Keywords:Croton urucurana, essential oil, antioxidant, DPPH assay, antimicrobial acticity IntroductionCroton (Euphorbiaceae) is one of the largest genera of flowering plants, with nearly 1,300 species of herbs, shrubs, and trees that are ecologically prominent and often important elements of secondary vegetation in the tropics and subtropics worldwide. Previous works reported that the essential oils from northeastern Brazilian Croton species, C. zenhtneri, C. nepetaefolius and C. argyrophylloides, exhibited good antioxidant activities. 9 Croton urucurana Baillon (Euphorbiaceae) is a tree commonly found in Paraguay, northern Argentina, southern Brazil, and Uruguay. Three different products from this species are used primarily in folk medicine: the red sap, the stem bark, and the gum exudate. 10 Many pharmacological effects of Croton urucurana have been described in literature, which include wound and ulcer healing, antidiarrhoeic, anticancer, intestinal anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and an...

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and Pb by inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry (ICP OES) was performed on dry matter and decoctions of the medicinal plants Cordia salicifolia, Chiococca alba (L.) Hitchc., and Echites peltata used as an appetite suppressant and diuretic in Brazil. e accuracy of the measurements was analyzed by the spike recovery test. Results showed that the concentration of these seven metals (Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Na, and Zn) in dry plant samples is below the oral concentration of elemental impurities established by the United States Pharmacopoeia Convention (USP). However, there are no concentration limits for Fe, Na, and Zn established by the USP in drug substances and excipients. Levels higher than the recommended value by the USP were observed for Pb and the lowest for Cd, Co, Cr, and Cu, both in dried plant samples and their decoctions. In the decoctions prepared from these plants were found elements such as Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Na, Zn, and Pb. In the decoction prepared from 40 g C. salicifolia leaves and 40 g C. alba wood, the content of Cd is above the oral daily exposure value set by the USP. Hazard index (HI) for decoctions prepared from these plants exceeded the threshold (1). Given the uncertainties associated with the estimates of toxicity values and exposure factors, futures researches should address the possible toxicity in humans. Uncontrolled selling and long-term ingestion of medicinal plants can cause toxicity and interfere with the effect of drugs. Limited knowledge on the interaction potential of medicinal plants poses a challenge and public health problem in Brazil and other countries.

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