Antileishmanial Potentialities of Croton linearis Leaf Essential Oil

The essential oil was obtained from Croton linearis Jacq. leaves. Its chemical composition was analyzed by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry. A total of 82 compounds were identified, being the principal components: guaiol (7.93%); eudesma-4(15),7-dien-1β-ol (4.94%) and guaia-3,10(14)-dien-11-ol (4.52%). Antimicrobial activity was determined against six Candida spp., three bacteria ( Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and Pseudomona aeruginosa) and two parasites ( Leishmania amazonensis and Trypanosoma cruzi). The selectivity index (SI) was computed through the determination of it cytotoxicity on peritoneal macrophages from BALB/c mice and murine fibroblasts L929 cells. Colorimetric microdilution methods as well as direct counting in optical microscopes were performed. The essential oil showed remarkable activity against L. amazonensis (IC50Promastigote: 20.0 ± 4.9 μg/mL; IC50Amastigote: 13.8 ± 4.3 μg/mL), moderate activity against T. cruzi (IC50Trypomastigote: 197.26 ± 8.7 μg/mL) and weak activity against P. aureginosa. Cytotoxicity values were CC50= 89.1 ± 3.4 μg/mL for macrophages BALB/c and CC50= 306 ± 110 μg/mL for L929 cells, rendering a SI of 6 for amastigote form of L. amazonensis. Croton linearis Jacq. leaf essential oil, therefore, could be a potential candidate for future investigations regarding Leishmaniasis treatment.

Chemical Composition of the Essential Oil from Croton Oblongifolius and its Antibacterial Activity Against Propionibacterium Acnes

The essential oil of C. oblongifolius Roxb. stem bark was obtained by hydrodistillation. Chemical analysis by GC-MS identified 29 compounds. Terpinen-4-ol (17.8%) was a major component, together with α-guaiene (7.9%), E-caryophyllene (7.0%), myrcene (6.7%), (+)-cyclosativene (5.1%), sabinene (4.8%), aciphyllene (4.7%), pogostol (4.6%), γ-terpinene (3.4%), α-muurolol (3.2%) and germecrene D (3.2%). The essential oil exhibited antibacterial activity against Propionibacterium acnes ATCC 6919 with an MIC of 0.125%, v/v.

Chemical Composition of the Essential Oil from Croton kimosorum, an Endemic Species to Madagascar

Croton kimosorum Leandri is an endemic species to Madagascar. The chemical composition of aerial parts, leaf and stem oils is reported for the first time. Analysis was carried out by combination of chromatographic (CC, GC), spectroscopic and spectrometric (MS, 13C NMR) techniques. In total, 76 compounds have been identified. Essential oil isolated from aerial parts contained mainly linalool (21.6%), sabinene (10.4%), 1,8-cineole (6.3%), β-pinene (6.2%), ( E)-P-caryophyllene (5.9%), terpinen-4-ol (4.8%), geraniol (4,5%) and germacrene D (2.3%). In comparison with the first sample, the composition of leaf and stem oils varied slightly, while essential oil isolated by vapor distillation from a semi-industrial still exhibited similar composition.

Chemical constituents and antibacterial property of the essential oil of the roots of Cyathocline purpurea

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Cyathocline purpurea (D. Don.) O. Ktze. (Asteraceae) is a rare existence Indian medicinal plant and traditionally has antimicrobial property.

AIM OF THE STUDY

The aim of the present study was to identify chemical composition of the essential oil from the roots of Cyathocline purpurea and to screened in vitro antibacterial activity against eight human pathogenic bacteria.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The essential oil of roots was analyzed by using GC-FID and GC-MS. The antibacterial activity of oil was tested against four Gram-positive and four Gram-negative bacteria and antibacterial activity was determined by the tube dilution method.

RESULTS

The main constituents of the oil were thymohydroquinone dimethyl ether (57.4%) and β-selinene (14.0%), among twenty five identified compounds, which represented 90.1% of the total oil. The oil was found active against Gram-positive bacteria with minimal bactericidal concentration (MBC) values in the range of 0.26-0.57 mg/mL.

CONCLUSIONS

This is the first report on the chemical composition and antibacterial activity of the essential oil of roots of Cyathocline purpurea. The observation of MBC assay suggested that the Gram positive microorganisms were susceptible to essential oil, while oil was found to be resistant against Gram-negative bacteria, and the oil has bactericidal property.

Essential Oil of Croton Argyrophylloides: Toxicological Aspects and Vasorelaxant Activity in Rats

Croton argyrophylloides Muell. Arg. is widely used in Brazilian folk medicine to treat diabetes and venereal diseases. This study examined the acute toxicity and cytotoxicity of the essential oil of C. argyrophylloides(EOCA). In addition, vascular effects of the EOCA have been examined. In mice, an oral acute toxicity test revealed that EOCA could be considered as a non toxic essential oil since it showed a very high LD50 (9.84 ± 0.01 g/kg). In the brine shrimp ( Artemia salina) cytotoxic assay, the LC50 value of EOCA was 275 [165-534] μg/mL. EOCA (1-1000 μg/mL) relaxed isolated endothelium-intact aortic rings precontracted with phenylephrine with an IC50 value of 126.7 [89.8-163.7] μg/mL. In rat mesenteric bed preparations precontracted with phenylephrine, EOCA (1-300 μg/mL) also induced a reversible, vasodilator effect with an IC50 value of 46.0 [33.3-58.7] μg/mL. It is concluded that EOCA is a very interesting agent from the point of view of the possibility of therapeutic application. This is because, whilst showing a very small acute toxicity, EOCA also showed maximal efficacy as a vascular antispasmodic agent with a pharmacological potency similar to that of other Croton species essential oils.

Acaricidal Activity against Tetranychus Urticae and Essential Oil Composition of Four Croton Species from Caatinga Biome in Northeastern Brazil

Volatile components of essential oils from the leaves and stems of Croton jacobinensis, C. rhamnifolius, C. muscicapa and C. micans, which are medicinal plants found in the Caatinga biome of northeastern Brazil, were analyzed using GC and GC/MS. The acaricidal activity of these oils against Tetranychus urticae was evaluated using the fumigation method. Oil yields from the Croton species ranged from 1.1±0.0 to 0.6±0.0%, w/w, for leaves and 0.7±0.0 to 0.1±0.0% for stems. Sesquiterpenoids were dominant in all oils, except the stem oil from C. rhamnifolius, which exhibited a high monoterpene content, and the leaf and stem oils from C. muscicapa, which were rich in phenylpropanoids. The major volatile components of the leaf and stem oils from C. jacobinensis were ( Z)-α-atlantone (24.3±0.4%) and trans-isolongifolanone (22.8±0.5%), respectively. The most abundant constituents detected in C. rhamnifolius were #aL-cedrene epoxide (23.3±0.1%) and caryophyllene oxide (21.9±0.0%) in the leaf oil, and camphor (16.6±0.5%) and tricyclene (12.8±0.1%) in the stem oil. Foenicolin was the main compound identified in the leaf (50.6±0.2%) and stem (72.7±0.6%) oils of C. muscicapa, while α-bulnesene (32.9±0.2%) and guaiol (17.9±0.7%) were the principal components of C. micans oils. These oils exhibited a high degree of toxicity in the fumigation assay. The stem oils from C. jacobinensis and C. rhamnifolius exhibited high lethality rates, with LC50 values of 0.3 and 0.2 μL/L of air after 24 h, respectively. The results suggest the potential use of stem essential oil, especially from C. rhamnifolius and C. jacobinensis, for the integrated control of Tetranychus urticae.

Comparative Chemical, Cytotoxicity and Antileishmanial Properties of Essential Oils from Chenopodium ambrosioides

In countries where leishmaniasis is endemic, there are not very many treatment alternatives and most options have problems associated with their use. Plants and their natural products constitute good sources of interesting lead compounds that could be potentially active against Leishmania. Chenopodium ambrosioides is a plant that is widely used in popular medicine and its antiparasitic effects have been documented, including the antileishmanial potentialities of Chenopodium oil. The objective of this study was to determine the chemical composition, in-vitro cytotoxicity and antileishmanial activity of essential oils extracted from C. ambrosioides, which received different treatments prior to extraction. The chemical characterization by GC-MS of the three essential oil samples showed similar composition and the major components were α-terpinene (17.0-20.7%), p-cymene (20.2-21.1%) and ascaridole (30.5-47.1%). The essential oils exhibited similar antileishmanial activities against intracellular amastigote form, with IC50 values between 4.7 and 12.4 μg/mL. However, a lower cytotoxicity was displayed by the essential oil extracted from fresh green vegetable material, which was statistically different ( P < 0.05) from the other samples. This study demonstrated that the prior treatment of plant material did not interfere with the antiparasitic activity of essential oils from C. ambrosioides but did change their cytotoxicity, which should be taken into account in further studies.

Chemical Composition of the Essential Oil of Croton gossypiifolius from Venezuela

The essential oil from leaves of Croton gossypiifolius Vahl. (Euphorbiaceae) was obtained by hydrodistillation, and analyzed by GC/FID and GC/MS. The constituents were identified by their mass spectra and Kovats’ indices. Fifty-one compounds accounting for 92% of the oil were detected, and 47 of them were identified. The oil was dominated by oxygenated sesquiterpenes with the major presence of α-cedrene oxide (18.6%), spathulenol (16.3%), valencene (5.8%), geranyl-pentanoate (5.3%), α-cadinol (4.0%), germacrene D (3.5%) and longifolene (3.3%).