The essential oils of Piper cernuum and Piper regnellii leaves were analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and the results were compared to that obtained by means of a program designed to analyse (13)C-NMR data of complex mixtures. Bicyclogermacrene (21.88 %)/beta-caryophyllene (20.69 %) and myrcene (52.60 %)/linalool (15.89 %) were the major constituents in essential oil from leaves of P. cernuum and P. regnellii, respectively. Both essential oils presented growth inhibitory activities against Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans.

Dermatological disorders related to pigmentation result in tenuous hyper or hypopigmentation Cosmetic and pharmaceutical products containing depigmenting substances are used in the treatment of patients who have high pigmentation disorders, such as melasma or chloasma, post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, senile lentigo and ephelides. Skin lightening agents are not yet totally effective or safe and therefore intensive research for the discovery of new agents is continuous. Enzyme inhibitors involved in melanogenesis, such as tyrosinase, have been discovered in Asian countries, including those isolated from plant extracts. The Brazilian flora has the highest species diversity in the world, and the chemical, pharmacological and cosmetic potential for the discovery of new skin whitening agents is in proportion with this biodiversity. For these reasons, 25 aqueous and 24 organic extracts obtained from 19 plants native to the Amazon rain forest and to the Atlantic forest, belonging to 11 different families, were evaluated as tyrosinase inhibitors. Nine out of 49 extracts showed inhibitory activity in the screening process. The 50% inhibitory activity (IA 50 ) was calculated, revealing that the most active extracts were the organic extracts from the leaves and stem of Ruprechtia sp. (IA 50 33.76 mg.mL -1 ) and the organic extract from the aerial organs of Rapanea parviflora (IA 50 64.19 mg.mL -1 ).Uniterms: Tyrosinase. Melanin. Plant extract/in vitro evaluation. Skin lightening agents. Amazonian plants/evaluation/dermatological use.Problemas dermatológicos relacionados com a pigmentação resultam em hiperpigmentações ou hipopigmentação cutâneas. Produtos cosméticos e farmacêuticos com atividade despigmentante são utilizados para o tratamento de pacientes que apresentam distúrbios de hiperpigmentação, tais como melasma ou cloasma, hiperpigmentação pós-inflamatória, lentigem senil e efélides. Os despigmentantes atualmente utilizados não são totalmente eficazes ou seguros, razão pela qual há intensa pesquisa, principalmente em países asiáticos, com a finalidade de se obter novos agentes com esta ação, em especial inibidores de enzimas envolvidas na melanogênese, como a tirosinase. Considerando-se que algumas substâncias obtidas de plantas apresentam essa atividade, a flora brasileira constitui-se uma fonte potencial de obtenção de novos despigmentantes. Por essa razão, 25 extratos aquosos e 24 orgânicos obtidos de 19 plantas da Floresta Amazônica e Mata Atlântica, provenientes de 11 diferentes famílias, foram avaliados quanto à atividade de inibição da tirosinase. Do total de 49 extratos testados, 9 mostraram atividade. Os valores de concentração da atividade inibitória 50% (AI 50%), foram calculados e o mais ativo foi o extrato orgânico das folhas e caule de Ruprechtia sp. (AI 50 33,76 mg.mL -1 ) seguido do extrato orgânico dos órgãos aéreos de Rapanea parviflora (AI 50 64,19 mg.mL -1 ).Unitermos: Tirosinase. Melanina. Extrato de plantas/avaliação in vitro. Despigmentantes. Plantas amazônicas/avaliação/uso dermatológico.

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The volatile oils from the leaves and stem barks of Cedrela fissilis were submitted to GC-MS analysis and separation by adsorption chromatography. The fractions were analysed by GC, 1 H-and 13 C-NMR as well as GC-MS. The major components found in the leaf oil were β β β β β-caryophyllene (26.3%) and bicyclogermacrene (34.6%), while in the stem bark oil the major compounds were β β β β β-bisabolene (10.9%) and globulol (10.9%). In an antibacterial assay, only the leaf oil was able to inhibit growth of Staphylococcus aureus and Eschorichia coli.

Thirty-eight aqueous and organic extracts obtained from 11 Amazonian Apocynaceae species were submitted to an antimicrobial dilution in broth media screening for Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Candida albicans, performed on microtiter plates. The organic extract obtained from the stem of Tabernaemontana angulata presented activity against Gram positive Staphylococcus aureus. The minimal inhibitory concentration of the organic crude extract was 2.50-1.25 mg/mL. Cloramphenicol was used as standard. Alkaloids and triterpenes were found in the active organic extract.

The capacity of copaíba oil to act as a skin penetration enhancer for the depigmenting agent kojic acid was evaluated using an in vitro diffusion system with static flux and shed rattlesnake skin membrane, Crotalus durissus terrificus, in saline solution at 34±2 °C as the fluid receptor. The quantities of kojic acid liberated into the fluid receptor were determined by spectrophotometry at 268 nm with intervals of one and a half hours. The membranes, pretreated with copaíba oil at 25% and 50% v/v, gave flux values of 8.0 and 12.7 µg/cm 2 /h, permeability values of 2.0 and 3.3 cm×10-4 /h, and promotion factors of 4.1 and 3.7, respectively. These results indicate that copaíba oil, at the two concentrations studied, has the capacity to promote penetration of kojic acid.Uniterms: Copaíba oil. Kojic acid. Skin penetration/ in vitro studies .UV Spectrophotometry.A propriedade do óleo de copaíba como agente promotor de penetração cutânea do despigmentante ácido kójico foi avaliada utilizando-se sistema de difusão in vitro com fluxo estático, membrana de pele da serpente cascavel -Crotalus durissus terrificus e solução salina a 34±2 °C como fluido receptor. As quantidades liberadas do ácido kójico no fluido receptor foram determinadas por espectrofotometria em 268 nm em intervalos de 1:30 h. As membranas pré-tratadas com óleo de copaíba a 25 e 50% v/v apresentaram valores de fluxo de 8,0 e 12,7 µg/cm 2 /h, permeabilidade de 2,0 e 3,3 cm×10-4 /h, e fatores de promoção de 4,1 e 3,7, respectivamente. Os resultados obtidos indicaram que o óleo de copaíba, nas duas concentrações estudadas, apresentou capacidade de promoção da penetração do ácido kójico. Unitermos: Óleo de copaíba. Ácido kójico. Penetração cutânea/ in vitro. Espectrofotometria UV. INTRODUCTIONHyper pigmentation of the skin can be caused by a range of factors such as aging, pregnancy, endocrine disturbances, hormonal treatment and sun exposure to varying degrees. Several substances are commonly employed as depigmentation agents in the manufacture of cosmetics used for the reduction of hyper pigmentation, one of these being kojic acid (Cabanes, Garcia-Carmona, 1994;Su, 1999;Nicoletti et al., 2002). Kojic acid (5-hydroxy-2-(hydroxymethyl)-4-pirone) is a depigmenting agent obtained from rice fermentation (Burdock et al., 2001) as a fungus metabolite from the genera Aspergillus and Penicillym, and acts by inhibiting tyrosinase activity (Cabanes, Garcia-Carmona 1994).In order to be effective, depigmenting agents incorporated in topical formulas must cross the stratum corneum to act on the more inner layers situated towards the basal lamina of the epidermis. To this end, the addition of other compounds with a greater capacity for skin penetration, also known as absorption promoters or "enhancers", can result in an increase in diffusion of substances by disorganizing the lamellas of the stratum corneum (Williams, Barry, 2004). The incorporation of these substances in formulations allows for the development of topical products with a lower concentration of active ingre...

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A validação de método para a avaliação da qualidade sanitária de produto cosmético de base lipófila foi efetuada empregando-se neutralizantes químicos e diluição para a eliminação de efeito inibitório no crescimento microbiano. Para a preparação da amostra foi empregado miristato de isopropila e polissorbato 20. Além dessas substâncias, foi adicionado ao diluente 0,5% (p/v) de lecitina de soja visando à neutralização do cloreto de benzalcônio. Os ensaios foram efetuados objetivando a comprovação da ausência de efeito inibitório no crescimento microbiano decorrente de atividade antimicrobiana do produto, assim como dos agentes neutralizantes, tensoativos e solubilizante empregados no ensaio.