In this study, we aimed to determine whether seasonality affects the content, chemical composition, and antimicrobial activity of essential oils (EOs) from the leaves of three species of Nectandra (Nectandra megapotamica, Nectandra grandiflora, and Nectandra lanceolata) native to the Atlantic rainforest, Sao Paulo state, Brazil. In addition, we identified the compounds potentially related to the antimicrobial activity. Leaves were randomly collected in the middle of winter (August), spring (November), summer (February), and autumn (May). The influence of seasonality on the content and chemical composition of EOs from the Nectandra species was evident in this study. The EOs from N. lanceolata and N. grandiflora were characterized by similarities in the chemical composition and had a higher relative proportion of oxygenated sesquiterpenes. N. megapotamica presented a different chemical profile, with plenty of monoterpenic and sesquiterpenic hydrocarbons. Changes in the EO chemical profile because of seasonality were shown by the similarities between the EOs obtained in spring and autumn and the differences between the EOs obtained in summer and winter. The EO from the leaves of N. megapotamica harvested in winter and spring showed the highest control of the growth of Escherichia coli, and this antimicrobial action can be related to the monoterpenes α-pinene and β-pinene as well as myrcene and limonene. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of the EO from the leaves of N. lanceolata harvested in summer and autumn was lower against the gram-positive bacterium Staphylococcus aureus and can be related to the sesquiterpene hydrocarbons isobicyclogermacrenal, epi-zizanone, and germacrene B.

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RESUMO:Com a divulgação da lista das espécies medicinais pela Agência Nacional de Vigilância Sanitária (ANVISA), de acordo com a Resolução RDC N o 10, de 09 de março de 2010, o uso dessas plantas passa a ter a chancela oficial do órgão governamental regulamentando seu uso e, em consequência disso, ter sua demanda bastante aumentada. A obtenção desses materiais adquire então grande importância, uma vez que haverá a necessidade de se produzir essas plantas. Com o objetivo de se avaliar a situação das pesquisas agronômicas com essas espécies, particularmente as de ocorrência na Mata Atlântica, foi feito um levantamento do número de publicações a partir dos nomes científicos, na base de dados eletrônica CAB Abstract, de 1990 a 2011. A pesquisa mostrou que o número de publicações por espécie varia de 2 a 1129, sendo que as espécies com maior número de artigos são aquelas já cultivadas como alimentícias. Das 66 espécies listadas, 36 são exóticas, 24 são da Mata Atlântica e 6 são nativas de outros biomas. Dentre as espécies da Mata Atlântica, foram excluídas as ruderais, frutíferas e arbóreas, devido à maioria dos trabalhos na área agronômica estarem relacionados ao manejo, controle ou produção de frutos e não ao seu cultivo sobre o ponto de vista medicinal. A única exceção foi a espécie medicinal arbórea Maytenus ilicifolia. Assim, foram selecionadas 16 espécies, as quais tiveram as publicações divididas em quatro áreas: Agronomia; Fitoquímica, Ensaios biológicos e Outros. Nesta pesquisa foi possível identificar que 32% dos artigos publicados são agronômicos, área que apresenta menos publicações do que a área de atividade biológica, que tem 40% das publicações, e a área de fitoquimica tem 20% das publicações. Estes resultados mostram que os pesquisadores estão atentos à importância das pesquisas agronômicas com plantas medicinais, mas que se faz necessário realizar trabalhos de domesticação das espécies selvagens e de fitotecnia com as espécies menos estudadas, para viabilizar o cultivo, a conservação dos recursos genéticos vegetais e do meio ambiente. Palavras-chave: Plantas nativas, pesquisas, cultivo, domesticação de espécies, conservação ABSTRACT: Agronomic research of Atlantic Forest medicinal plants regulated by ANVISA.With the release of the list of medicinal plants by Agência Nacional de Vigilância Sanitária (ANVISA), according to RDC N o 10, March, 9th , 2010, the use of these plants is replaced by the official seal from the government regulator, in consequence, have greatly increased their demand. The production of these materials then acquires a great importance, as there will be a need to produce these plants. Aiming to assess the status of agronomic research on these species, particularly the species which occur in Atlantic Forest, a survey was made of publications from the scientific names in the CAB Abstract electronic database, ranging from 1990 to 2011 . The survey showed that the number of publications varies from 2 to 1129, and the species with the largest number of articles are those already cultiv...

Naked maghemite nanoparticles, namely, surface active maghemite nanoparticles (SAMNs), characterized by a diameter of about 10 nm, possessing peculiar colloidal stability, surface chemistry, and superparamagnetism, present fundamental requisites for the development of effective magnetic purification processes for biomolecules in complex matrices. Polyphenolic molecules presenting functionalities with different proclivities toward iron chelation were studied as probes for testing SAMN suitability for magnetic purification. Thus, the binding efficiency and reversibility on SAMNs of phenolic compounds of interest in the pharmaceutical and food industries, namely, catechin, tyrosine, hydroxytyrosine, ferulic acid, coumaric acid, rosmarinic acid, naringenin, curcumin, and cyanidin-3-glucoside, were evaluated. Curcumin emerged as an elective compound, suitable for magnetic purification by SAMNs from complex matrices. A combination of curcumin, demethoxycurcumin, and bis-demethoxycurcumin was recovered by a single magnetic purification step from extracts of Curcuma longa rhizomes, with a purity >98% and a purification yield of 45%, curcumin being >80% of the total purified curcuminoids.

a b s t r a c tIn this study, we grew Curcuma longa in field conditions under a range of shade levels and the exclusion of solar UV wavelengths to determine the effects of solar UV exclusion during cultivation on the physiology and production of curcuminoids. To broaden the biochemical characterization, the activities of l-phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) and peroxidase (POD), as well as total phenol content (TP) and polyamines (PAs), were considered. We discovered that the curcumin and DMC content remain unaltered, however BDMC was higher in the turmeric under 50% shading, comparing with UV exclusion. Although the total curcuminoid content remain unaltered, UV exclusion led to higher CO 2 net assimilation, biomass production and consequently, a notable 21% increase of total curcuminoid yield, compared with the best result obtained by standard shading; thus UV exclusion improved total curcuminoid yield and this result may be important to the development of C. longa with high rhizome yield and with high curcuminoid content. This finding underlines the importance of selective wavelengths in C. longa cultivation.

RESUMO:Avaliou-se o efeito da densidade de plantio e da idade de Phyllanthus amarus CPQBA-14, sobre o teor e produtividade de filantina. O delineamento experimental foi em blocos ao acaso, em esquema fatorial 4 x 6, com cinco repetições, envolvendo 4 tratamentos de densidade de plantio (400.000 pl ha -1 ; 200.000 pl ha -1 ; 100.000 pl ha -1 e 66.667,68 pl ha -1 ) com 6 colheitas (30, 45, 60, 75, 90 e 105 dias após o transplante (DAT)). Os dados foram submetidos a Análise de Variâncias e Regressão (P > 0.001). Para o teor de Filantina, foram observados efeitos significativos e independentes dos tratamentos de idade da planta na colheita e densidade de plantio. O teor de filantina aumentou linearmente com a idade da planta, atingindo o máximo aos 105 DAT, com teor de 11,52 g Kg -1 . O adensamento populacional estimado que proporcionou máximo teor de filantina (8,66 g kg -1 ) foi de 299.860 pl ha -1 . A produtividade de filantina apresentou interação significativa entre densidade de plantio e idade da planta na colheita. Observou-se que ao longo do crescimento da planta, os tratamentos com 200 e 400.000 pl ha -1 apresentaram as maiores produtividades de filantina (39,3 e 37,8 kg ha -1 ) aos 97,12 e 95,17 DAT, respectivamente. Concluise que o espaçamento apropriado para o melhor arranjo espacial de cultivo é de 299.860 pl ha -1 para as produtividades de 3.974,19 Kg (massa de matéria seca foliar) x 0,00866 kg (teor de filantina) = 34,416 kg ha -1 de filantina, com colheita programada aos 97 DAT.Palavras-chave: quebra-pedra, cultivo de plantas medicinais, ecofisiologia, qualidade fitoquímica.ABSTRACT: Density of planting and age of Phillanthus amarus -genotype UNICAMP/ CPQBA-14 on the productivity of phyllanthin. The effect of planting density and age of Phyllanthus amarus-genotype CPQBA-14, on the content and productivity of phyllanthin were evaluated. The experimental design was randomized blocks in factorial scheme 4 x 6, with five replicates, consisting of 4 treatments of planting density (400.000 pl ha -1 ; 200.000 pl ha -1 ; 100.000 pl ha -1 and 66667.68 pl ha -1 ) with six ages of plants (30, 45, 60, 75, 90 and 105 days after transplanting (DAT)). Data were subjected to analysis of variance and regression (P>0.005). For phyllanthin content independent and significant effects of harvest and planting density were observed. The phyllanthin contents increased with plant age, peaking at 105 DAT, with a content of 11.52 g kg -1 . The estimated population density that provided the high phyllanthin contents (8.66 g kg -1 ) was at 299.860 pl ha -1 . The productivity of phyllanthin showed significant interaction between planting density and plants ages. It was observed during the plant growth, the treatments with 200 and 400.000 pl ha -1 had the highest yield of phyllanthin (39.3 and 37.8 kg ha -1 ) with 95.17 and 97.12 DAT, respectively. We conclude that the proper spacing for best spatial arrangement of the cultivation is 299.860 pl ha -1 for the yield of 3974.19 kg (dry weight leaf) x 0.00866 kg (phyllanthin contents...

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