Fungos fitopatogênicos são responsáveis por doenças que causam grandes perdas agrícolas. O tratamento convencional é realizado por agrotóxicos e embora esses produtos reduzam significativamente as perdas, ocasionam sérias contaminações ambientais, contribuem para o surgimento de patógenos resistentes e eliminam agentes de controle biológico natural.  Produtos naturais obtidos de plantas, como óleos essenciais e extratos, possuem substâncias bioativas que têm demonstrado potencial atividade antifúngica. A priprioca (Cyperus articulatus L.) é uma planta encontrada na Amazônia, muito utilizada no preparo de colônias artesanais. A alguns anos, o óleo essencial da espécie se tornou matéria-prima da Perfumaria Nacional e seu cultivo passou a ser em escala comercial, tornando-se fonte de renda para comunidades do entorno de Belém/PA. No processo de obtenção de óleo essencial são gerados grandes quantidades de resíduo sólido (massa vegetal após a retirada do óleo essencial). Esse trabalho teve como objetivo a avaliação e comparação da atividade antifúngica do óleo essencial, extrato hexânico e etanólico de priprioca e extrato hexânico e etanólico do resíduo sólido de priprioca, visando o aproveitamento dos resíduos no controle de fitopatógenos responsáveis por grandes perdas na produção agrícola. Para tanto, óleo essencial foi extraído por hidrodestilação (6h) e os extratos obtidos via Soxhlet (8h). Foram avaliadas as Concentrações Mínimas Inibitórias (CMI) pelo método de microdiluição e a Concentração Fungicida Mínima (CFM) para os tratamentos ativos. Foram avaliadas as concentrações de 1000 a 15,625 µg/mL frente a Fusarium oxysporum, Sclerotinia sclerotiorum e Macrophomina phaseolina. Os extratos etanólicos e hexânico do resíduo sólido apresentaram maior atividade antifúngica, principalmente frente a S. sclerotiorum, sendo fungicidas a 125 e 250 µg/mL, respectivamente. O óleo essencial foi inativo frente aos fitopatógenos teste. Tais resultados indicaram a eficácia dos extratos do resíduo de priprioca frente a fungos fitopatogênicos. O resíduo sólido é gerado em grandes quantidades durante a extração do óleo essencial e não possui valor agregado, tornando-o candidato a matéria-prima de produtos sustentáveis e de baixo impacto ambiental, que atuem no controle alternativo de fungos fitopatogênicos.

This article reports the development of a precursor liquid crystalline system based on a mixture of monoglycerides (MO) and Cremophor(®) (CREM) that exhibits in situ gelation to a liquid crystalline phase. The effects of different MO/CREM ratios and the water content (WC) on several performance characteristics were investigated with a full factorial design. The formulations were characterized by polarized light microscopy, small-angle X-ray scattering, and water uptake assays. Rheological, syringeability, and mucoadhesion evaluation were also performed. The polarized light microscopy and small-angle X-ray scattering results for average and high MO/CREM ratios (2.1 and 4.0, respectively) indicated the coexistence of phases in transition to the liquid crystalline phase, independently of the WC. These systems became more viscous after taking up water, showing peaks characteristic of a cubic phase. Systems that had average and high MO/CREM ratios also exhibited shear-thinning behavior and high elasticity. Most systems showed suitable mucoadhesion for buccal purposes. Response surface methodology results demonstrated that the relative contribution of MO was the principal factor that affected the performance of the system. Accordingly, these precursor systems with average to high MO/CREM ratios and an average WC (10% w/w) demonstrated physicochemical and mucoadhesive properties that could enable them to be used as an in situ-gelling controlled drug delivery platform.

We comparatively evaluate two distinct formulations containing 5% of Jucá (Libidibia ferrea) for wound healing in dogs. An excision model study was performed in 11 dogs with three dermal wounds in each animal, which were treated with: (1) topical phytopharmaceutical based on Carbopol (PyC) containing 5% Jucá ethanolic extract; (2) topical phytopharmaceutical based on Astrocaryum murumuru butter (PyM) containing 5% Jucá ethanolic extract; and (3) commercial ointment (control). Wound treatment was carried out on alternated days starting at day (D) one until D21. Macroscopic (all time-points) and histological (D0 and D21) analyses were performed. The antimicrobial activity of Jucá was evaluated through Minimal Inhibitory Concentration (MIC). Phytochemical analysis of Jucá revealed 3.1% phenolic compound content expressed in rutin and the presence of hydrolyzable tannins and flavonoids. The mean wound retraction was 33.7 ± 5.5, 34.0 ± 4.7, and 28.4 ± 4.9 % for PyC, PyM, and control groups, respectively, with higher wound retraction for both herbal-treated groups compared to the control (P < 0.05). Alcoholic extract of Jucá had antimicrobial activity against the microorganisms Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Candida krusei at different degrees, with MIC ranging from 250 to 16.625 µg/ml. Microscopic evaluation showed that the phytotherapic formulations contributed to better dermal wound healing through wound fibroplasia. The alcoholic extract of Jucá pods has great potential for wound healing in dogs and can be used in the development of commercially viable phytotherapic formulations.

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A new consumer profile for pharmaceutical and cosmetic products has motivated research into natural raw materials in the development of "green" products such as herbal medicines and biocosmetics. However, various limitations have been encountered in the marketing of these products, for example the quality control of the natural raw materials used by the industrial market. This study aims to evaluate the sensory and physicochemical parameters of murumuru (Astrocaryum murumuru Mart.), bacuri (Platonia insignis Mart.), tucuma (Astrocaryum vulgare Mart.), and ucuuba (Virola sebifera Aubl.) butters for applications in pharmaceutical and cosmetic bioproducts. The acidity and saponification as well as the iodine and peroxide indexes were evaluated and fatty acid profiles for the samples obtained by GC-MS. The sensory properties of the butters showed the appearance of solid to soft cream, color (yellow, brown, buttercup, and ochre), and characteristic odor. The melting temperatures of all butters ranged between 31 ºC and 49 °C. The acidity, saponification, iodine and peroxide indexes for the butters were of 5.82-17.73 mg (NaOH or KOH) g −1 , 181.10-573.55 mg KOH g −1 , 2.78-44.96 gl 2 100 g −1 , and 1.39-9.30 meq kg −1 , respectively. From analyses of the fatty acid profiles, the major components identified were lauric acid in murumuru (40%) and ucuuba butters (73%), myristic acid in tucuma butter (53%), and palmitic acid in bacuri butter (42%). In general, the results of the analyses differed from the specifications of the supplier reports and official compendia. These findings highlight the importance of quality control in natural raw materials to ensure their functionality in pharmaceutical and cosmetic bioproducts.

NUNES, K. M. Development of precursors crystalline phase for intra pocket periodontal administration. 2012. p.128. Thesis (Doctoral).

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