Essential oils from leaves, ripe and unripe fruits of Schinus terebinthifolius growing in Brazil were investigated. Oil content from either ripe or unripe fruits was similar (4.65% and 3.98%, respectively). Sesquiterpenes (from 78.0% to 90.4%) dominated the oil content of both leaves and unripe fruit. The essential oils were tested in vitro for their allelopathic activity on germination and radicle growth of Lactuca sativa and Cucumis sativus at 1,000 and 10,000 µg mL-1concentrations. The three samples tested were more active in inhibiting the radicle growth for L. sativa (88.6-92.4%) than for C. sativus (50.5-84.5%) at 10,000 µg mL-1 concentration

The natural lipophilic amides piperine and piperiline were isolated from Piper nigrum L (Piperaceae). Piperine was hydrolysed into piperic acid (85% yield) which was converted into 16 amides (28±89% yield). The contact toxicity of all synthetic amides, and also that of piperine and piperiline, at the dose 10 mg per insect, was evaluated for the Brazilian economically important insects Ascia monuste orseis Latr, Acanthoscelides obtectus Say, Brevicoryne brassicae L, Protopolybia exigua DeSaus and Cornitermes cumulans Kollar. The results demontrated that the insects have different sensivities to the various amides, with mortality ranging from 0 to 97.5% according to the compound and insect species.

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Recebido em 2/4/03; aceito em 20/2/04; publicado na web em 27/05/04 CHEMICAL CONSTITUENTS FROM Melaleuca alternifolia (MYRTACEAE). The first chemical study of non-volatile constituents from the bark and stem of Melaleuca alternifolia (Myrtaceae) led to the isolation and identification of 3,3'-Odimethylellagic acid (1) and five pentacyclic triterpenes: 2α,3β,23-trihydroxyolean-12-en-28-oic acid (arjunolic acid, 2), 3β-hydroxylup-20(29)-en-27,28-dioic acid (melaleucic acid, 3), betulinic acid (4), betuline (5), 3β-O-acetylurs-12-en-28-oic acid (6), a mixture of fatty acids and esters, and several hydrocarbons. For 2α,3β,23-trihydroxyolean-12-en-28-oic acid (2) and 3β-Oacetylurs-12-en-28-oic acid (6) a first detailed assignment of 1 H NMR is presented.Keywords: Melaleuca alternifolia; triterpenes; 3,3'-O-dimethylellagic acid. O presente trabalho relata o primeiro estudo químico do caule e da casca de M. alternifolia, que levou ao isolamento de um derivado metilado do ácido elágico e cinco triterpenos pentacíclicos, dentre eles o ácido 2α,3β,23-triidroxiolean-12-en-28-óico (ácido arjunólico, 2) e o ácido 3β-O-acetilurs-12-en-28-óico (6). Para estes dois ácidos foram feitas as atribuições detalhadas dos espectros de RMN de 1 H. Foram também identificados por CG-EM onze outros compostos, além de vários ácidos e ésteres graxos. INTRODUÇÃO PARTE EXPERIMENTAL Instrumentação e procedimentos geraisPara as separações cromatográficas em coluna, foram utilizadas sílicas gel 70 a 230 Mesh e 230 a 400 Mesh. Nas análises por cromatografia em camada delgada (CCD) foram utilizadas placas de sílica gel 60 F 254 , com 0,25 mm de espessura 19 . As temperaturas de fusão, não corrigidas, foram determinadas em um aparelho Microquímica MQAPF-301. Os espectros no Infravermelho (IV) foram registrados em espectrômetro Perkin Elmer, utilizando-se pastilhas de KBr. Os espectros de RMN de 1 H e de 13 C foram obtidos em aparelho Bruker WM 400 (400 MHz), Bruker WM 500 (500 MHz) e Varian Mercury 300 (300 MHz). Os espectros de massas foram registrados em espectrômetro V.G. Analytical ZAB-IF a 70 eV. As análises dos ácidos graxos e triacilglicerídeos por cromatografia em fase gasosa foram realizadas em cromatógrafo Shimadzu GC 17-A, acoplado a um registrador C-R7A Chromatopac. As análises por CG-EM foram realizadas em cromatógrafo Shimadzu GC 17-A, com detector seletivo de massas, modelo QP 5050 (Shimadzu). Material vegetal, extração e isolamento das substânciasO caule e a casca de M. alternifolia Cheel foram coletados no Setor de Dendrologia do Departamento de Engenharia Florestal da Universidade Federal de Viçosa. A exsicata correspondente ao material coletado foi depositada no Herbário VIC, da mesma Instituição, sob o número 26046.O caule (3.250 g) e a casca (700 g), após secagem à temperatura ambiente, foram moídos e submetidos a extrações com hexano (casca) e etanol (casca e caule) em aparelho do tipo Soxhlet. A destilação dos solventes foi realizada sob pressão reduzida em evaporador rotatório, fornecendo 10,5 g de extrato hexânico e 71,0 g d...

Recebido em 30/3/12; aceito em 24/7/12; publicado na web em 26/10/12 This manuscript describes an update review with up to 285 references concerning the occurrence of amides from a variety of species of the genus Piper (Piperaceae). Besides addressing occurrence, this review also describes the biological activities attributed to extracts and pure compounds, a compiled 13 C NMR data set, the main correlations between structural and NMR spectroscopic data of these compounds, and employment of hyphened techniques such as LC-MS, GC-MS and NMR for analysis of amides from biological samples and crude Piper extracts. Keywords: Piper;13 C NMR compilation; amides. INTRODUCTIONPiperaceae is one of the largest families among the basal Angiosperms, with approximately 3,000 species described to date. 1The family is currently divided into five genera: Macropiper, Zippelia, Piper, Peperomia and Manekia, 2 consisting of a wide variety of species found commonly around the world. Piper, Peperomia and Manekia occur in Brazil, mainly in the Amazonian and Atlantic forests. 3 Piper is the largest genus of this family, including more than 1,000 species, and can also be considered the largest genus of the basal angiosperms. 4 Amides are the major constituents of several species of Piper. Currently, they can be considered alkaloids in accordance with the modern definition by Pelletier.5 Natural amides can be classified as open-chain alkamides, aristolactams, 4,5-dioxoaporphines, ceramides, amides with pyrrolidine, piperidone and piperidine groups, cyclobutanamides and cyclohexanamides. The term piperamide is restricted to describe all compounds carrying an aromatic group and an amide group.In 1997, a review of this genus was published 6 dealing with chemical distribution and biological activities of amides. In the present review, an update with new chemical constituents of this genus is described and a compilation of 13 C NMR data and biological activities of these compounds are provided. Piper SPECIES, TRADITIONAL USES AND BIOLOGICAL ACTIVITIESDespite the large number of species of Piper, the use of these plants in folk medicine remains limited. One of the most well-known Piper Brazilian medicinal plants is P. corcovadensis, commonly found in North and Northeast regions, and popularly known as "João-brandinho". The leaves of this plant are used for the treatment of rheumatism in the form of poultice and infusions as well for flu and cough. In the Southeast region, the roots and branches of this specie are chewed to relieve toothache due to its anesthetic action on the mucous membrane. 7 In China, the use of leaves of P. futokasura is recommended in the treatment of cardiac arrhythmias and asthma. In Jamaica, stomach pains are treated with an infusion of leaves from P. aduncum and P. hispidum. Leaves from P. amalago are also employed in Mexico and Brazil for stomach pains and for the treatment of various infections. 8 Leaves and stems of P. marginatum and P. tuberculatum are used in Brazil, especially in Paraíba State (Brazil) agains...

The present paper approaches the application of response surface methodology (RSM) in the optimization of variables for analytical methods development. Some basic principles of this multivariate method are presented and characteristics of the main experimental designs are discussed. Examples of RSM application for optimization of analytical methods is also presented to illustrate the potentialities of these chemometric tools.

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The natural lipophilic amides piperine and piperiline were isolated from Piper nigrum L (Piperaceae). Piperine was hydrolysed into piperic acid (85% yield) which was converted into 16 amides (28±89% yield). The contact toxicity of all synthetic amides, and also that of piperine and piperiline, at the dose 10 mg per insect, was evaluated for the Brazilian economically important insects Ascia monuste orseis Latr, Acanthoscelides obtectus Say, Brevicoryne brassicae L, Protopolybia exigua DeSaus and Cornitermes cumulans Kollar. The results demontrated that the insects have different sensivities to the various amides, with mortality ranging from 0 to 97.5% according to the compound and insect species.