The aim of this study was to investigate the chemical composition and anticancer effect of the leaf essential oil of Xylopia frutescens in experimental models. The chemical composition of the essential oil was analysed by GC/FID and GC/MS. In vitro cytotoxic activity of the essential oil was determined on cultured tumour cells. In vivo antitumour activity was assessed in Sarcoma 180-bearing mice. The major compounds identified were (E)-caryophyllene (31.48%), bicyclogermacrene (15.13%), germacrene D (9.66%), δ-cadinene (5.44%), viridiflorene (5.09%) and α-copaene (4.35%). In vitro study of the essential oil displayed cytotoxicity on tumour cell lines and showed IC50 values ranging from 24.6 to 40.0 μg/ml for the NCI-H358M and PC-3M cell lines, respectively. In the in vivo antitumour study, tumour growth inhibition rates were 31.0-37.5%. In summary, the essential oil was dominated by sesquiterpene constituents and has some interesting anticancer activity.

Guatteria pogonopus Martius, a plant belonging to the Annonaceae family, is found in the remaining Brazilian Atlantic Forest. In this study, the chemical composition and antitumor effects of the essential oil isolated from leaves of G. pogonopus was investigated. The chemical composition of the oil was determined by GC-FID and GC/MS analyses. The in vitro cytotoxicity was evaluated against three different tumor cell lines (OVCAR-8, NCI-H358M, and PC-3M), and the in vivo antitumor activity was tested in mice bearing sarcoma 180 tumor. A total of 29 compounds was identified and quantified in the oil. The major compounds were γ-patchoulene (13.55%), (E)-caryophyllene (11.36%), β-pinene (10.37%), germacrene D (6.72%), bicyclogermacrene (5.97%), α-pinene (5.33%), and germacrene B (4.69%). The essential oil, but neither (E)-caryophyllene nor β-pinene, displayed in vitro cytotoxicity against all three tumor cell lines tested. The obtained average IC50 values ranged from 3.8 to 20.8 μg/ml. The lowest and highest values were obtained against the NCI-H358M and the OVCAR-8 cell lines, respectively. The in vivo tumor-growth-inhibition rates in the tumor-bearing mice treated with essential oil (50 and 100 mg/kg/d) were 25.3 and 42.6%, respectively. Hence, the essential oil showed significant in vitro and in vivo antitumor activity.

This paper describes the anticholinesterase and antioxidant activities of Eugenia dysenterica DC. (O.Berg. (Myrtaceae) essential oils from leaves (EOED). EOED were obtained by hydrodistillation using a Clevenger-type apparatus and the products were analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and gas chromatography-flame ionization detector (GC-FID). The main constituents of EOED were caryophyllene oxide (66.3%), isoledene (3.9%), 1,3,8-p-menthatriene (3.5%), mustakone (3.46%), β-phellandrene (1.7%), and selin-11-en-4-α-ol (1.7%). The antioxidant assay was performed based on the formation of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), hydroxyl radical, and nitric oxide production. By performing the Ellman assay, it was observed that EOED was able to inhibit the enzyme acetylcholinesterase (AChE) with an IC 50 = 0.92 g.ml -1 promising better value when compared with the drug rivastigmine (IC 50 = 1.87 g.ml , it was found out that EOED prevented lipid peroxidation inhibiting amount of TBARS formed in a similar manner to ascorbic acid. In addition, there was a reduction in the production of hydroxyl radical as well as the production of nitric oxide. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on compounds from this species that have activity for potentially preventing neurodegenerative disorders.

The growth of NMR foodomics is described in the context of a study of beef storage. Thirty samples of three meat cuts (chuck, sirloin, and tenderloin) were analyzed using 1H NMR spectroscopy to determine the influence of storage period and temperature. 1H showed signals belonging to metabolites namely: acetate, adenosine, adenine, ADP, alanine, betaine, creatine, creatinine, carnosine, fumarate, glycerol, glycine, glutamine, isoleucine, lactate, leucine, methionine, and valine. The score plots (PCA) separated the samples of different storage time, reflecting possible meat degradation. Samples of no storage time (time zero) were grouped in the PC1 and PC2 negatives axis. The score plots suggest that the temperature has a huge influence on the degradation extent and possible influences the growth of the microbial populations.

Said de Sousa (IC)*, José E. do N. Fontes (PG), Matheus R. Bofinger (PG), Anita J. Marsaioli (PQ) Resumo As 2,5-dicetopiperazinas são moléculas utilizadas para comunicação bacteriana, ou quorum-sensing (QS). Enterobacter sakazakii e Bacillus cereus foram cultivadas isoladamente e em conjunto para avaliação da comunicação que ambas exercem e observou-se que ambas produziam a molécula Ciclo(Pro-Leu) para comunicação. A molécula foi então identificada e caracterizada utilizando-se de técnicas espectrométricas (CG-MS) e espectroscópicas (RMN de ¹H, ¹³C e 2D).