Evaluation of Chemical Composition and Antileishmanial and Antituberculosis Activities of Essential Oils of Piper Species

Abstract

Essential oils from fresh Piperaceae leaves were obtained by hydrodistillation and analyzed by gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS), and a total of 68 components were identified. Principal components analysis results showed a chemical variability between species, with sesquiterpene compounds predominating in the majority of species analyzed. The composition of the essential oil of Piper mosenii was described for the first time. The cytotoxicity of the essential oils was evaluated in peritoneal macrophages and the oils of P. rivinoides, P. arboretum, and P. aduncum exhibited the highest values, with cytotoxic concentration at 50% (CC 50 ) > 200 µg/mL. Both P. diospyrifolium and P. aduncum displayed activity against Leishmania amazonensis, and were more selective for the parasite than for the macrophages, with a selectivity index (SI) of 2.35 and >5.52, respectively. These SI values were greater than the 1 for the standard drug pentamidine. The antileishmanial activity of the essential oils of P. diospyrifolium and P. aduncum was described for the first time. P. rivinoides, P. cernuum, and P. diospyrifolium displayed moderate activity against the Mycobacterium tuberculosis H 37 Rv bacillus, with a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 125 µg/mL. These results are relevant and suggests their potential for therapeutic purposes. Nevertheless, further studies are required to explain the exact mechanism of action of these essential oils.

Essential Oil from Piper aduncum: Chemical Analysis, Antimicrobial Assessment, and Literature Review

“…In particular, the number of cases of VL is calculated to be as high as 0.2–0.4 million people per year, with mortality estimated at 10–20%, especially in poor areas [ 42 ]. Notably, Bernuci and collaborators reported that the EO from P. aduncum growing in Brazil displayed activity against L. amazonensis [ 43 ].…”

Photoinduced Antibacterial Activity of the Essential Oils from Eugenia brasiliensis Lam and Piper mosenii C. DC. by Blue Led Light

“…Bernuci et al [16] described for the first time the composition of the essential oil of the species Piper mosenii, mentioning the presence of compounds such as β-pinene, p-cymene, α-thujene, (E)-cariophyllene, bicyclogermacrene, γ-cadinene, trans-calamene, allo-aromadendrene, globulol, viridiflorol, and α-cadinol. It is worth noting that there are far fewer studies on this species than on E. brasiliensis.…”

“…On the other hand, Piper mosenii C. has no popular name or use as a medicinal plant reported in the literature [13,14]. Nevertheless, many species belonging to this genus have economic importance, besides having medicinal properties, such as antimicrobial and antiproliferative activities [15][16][17].…”

Leaves from the Tree Poincianella pluviosa as a Renewable Source of Antiplasmodial Compounds against Chloroquine-Resistant Plasmodium falciparum

“…The cytotoxicity of ellagic acid was evaluated using peritoneal macrophages obtained from Balb/c mice, according to Bernucci et al 32 Peritoneal macrophages (2 × 10 6 cells mL -1 ) were incubated with ellagic acid at different concentrations (0.4, 2, 10, 50 and 100 µg mL -1 ) in RPMI medium supplemented with 5% fetal bovine serum and incubated for 48 h at 37 °C, 5% CO 2 . After incubation, the cytotoxic activity was assessed using resazurin (0.125 mg mL -1 , Sigma-Aldrich®, Germany) and the cells were cultured for an additional 4 h at 37 °C.…”

“…The 50% cytotoxic concentration (CC 50 ) was determined by comparison with cultured cells without added extract, fractions or phenolic compounds, considered as 100% growth. Each sample (extract, fractions and phenolic compounds) was tested in triplicate at concentrations of 1, 10, 100 and 1000 µg mL -1 .Cytotoxicity assay (mouse peritoneal macrophages)The cytotoxicity of ellagic acid was evaluated using peritoneal macrophages obtained from Balb/c mice, according to Bernucci et al 32 Peritoneal macrophages (2 × 10 6 cells mL -1 ) were incubated with ellagic acid at different concentrations (0.4, 2, 10, 50 and 100 µg mL -1 ) in RPMI medium supplemented with 5% fetal bovine serum and incubated for 48 h at 37 °C, 5% CO 2 . After incubation, the cytotoxic activity was assessed using resazurin (0.125 mg mL -1 , Sigma-Aldrich®, Germany) and the cells were cultured for an additional 4 h at 37 °C.…”