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The methodology developed in this study through the acquisition of fingerprint chromatograms by liquid chromatography-diode array detector (LC-DAD), aided by principal component analysis, made it possible to assess, in a rational way, the chemical differences between six accessions of Lippia alba and to verify the influence of the method of extraction, the seasonality and the individuality of each accession on chemical composition of its extracts. Among all extracts analyzed against cancer cell lines, eight of them showed to be more promising against a human leukemia cell line (HL-60), displaying cell growth inhibition percentage ranging between 40.0 and 52.0%. In the inhibitory activity assays against acetylcholinesterase enzyme, all extracts showed weak inhibitory effect, with highlight only for six of them, which displayed inhibition ranging between 27.0 and 32.0%.

Mandacaru (Cereus jamacaru DC. Subsp. Jamacaru) is native to the Brazilian Caatinga and is part of the Cactaceae family. Mandacaru fruits are attractive in taste and flavour, although they are not widely commercialised. However, there is limited scientific literature on the composition of this fruit. Therefore, the present work was aimed at analysing the physicochemical composition, as well as in vitro antioxidant activity, phytochemical profile, and cytotoxicity of mandacaru fruit from three different locations in the Brazilian State of Sergipe. The pulp and peel of mandacaru fruit used in this study presented low Vitamin C concentration, mean values between batches 18.2 mg. 100 g -1 (pulp) and 27.5 mg. 100 g -1 (peel). The pulp of mandacaru fruit from the region of Monte Alegre presented the highest concentration of apparent phenolic compounds (117.2 mg. EAG g -1 ) and antioxidant activity evaluated by the inhibition of the ABTS radical (22.4 μmol. trolox g -1 ). The chemical profile of mandacaru fruit consisted of o-coumaric and p-coumaric acids, but they were not considered to be cytotoxic; thus, this native fruit is suitable for consumption, exhibiting relevant amounts of apparent phenolic compounds and antioxidant activity. Further studies are needed to prolong the shelf life of the fruit for commercialisation.

The genus Croton is the second largest genus of Euphorbiaceae family, comprising more than 1300 registered species. The species Croton grewioides is endemic in the northeast of Brazil and distributed mainly throughout the caatinga biome presenting, in its essential oils, various compounds with biological activities such as pupicidal, larvicidal, insecticidal, and bactericidal. The secondary metabolites commonly found in their extracts include diterpenes, phenols, steroids, and aglycone and glycoside flavonoids derivatives, which can undergo variations based on climatic changes that modify processes such as photosynthesis, transpiration and nutrient cycle. To understand the effects of seasonal variability and extraction method on the biological activities of polar extracts from C. grewioides, fingerprint chromatograms were analyzed aided by chemometric analysis. In vitro assays of cytotoxicity against HL-60 and HepG2 cancer cells and anti-acetylcholinesterase activity were performed. Seasonal effects could only be observed in the chemical profiles of the methanolic and ethanolic extracts from accessions 113 and 126, respectively. Considering the extraction method, the chromatograms of aqueous and hydroalcoholic extracts of all the accessions were similar, but differed from those for the corresponding methanolic and ethanolic extracts. Five hexane partitions were active against HL-60 cell line, displaying inhibition values between 81 and 93%. Only the ethanolic extract of accession 101 (winter), the methanolic partition from the methanolic extract, and the decoction of accession 113 (winter) presented high inhibition values against the acetylcholinesterase enzyme. This study enabled elucidation of the effects of seasonality and extraction method on the biological activities presented by the C. grewioides extracts.