Abstract
The chemical composition and biological activity of essential oils isolated from the leaves of Siparuna aspera, Siparuna macrotepala, Piper leticianum, Piper augustum and the rhizome of Hedychium coronarium were evaluated. These species are used medicinally in different ways by the Amazonian communities that live near the Kutukú mountain range. Chemical studies revealed that the main components for the two Siparuna species were germacrene D, bicyclogermacrene, α-pinene, δ-cadinene, δ-elemene, α-copaene and β-caryophyllene; for the two Piper species β-caryophyllene, germacrene D, α-(E,E)-farnesene, β-elemene, bicyclogermacrene, δ-cadinene and for H. coronarium 1,8-cineole, β-pinene, α-pinene and α-terpineol. The antioxidant activity of all essential oils was evaluated by 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) diammonium salt (ABTS), photochemiluminescence (PCL) quantitative assays, and DPPH and ABTS bioautographic profiles, with different results for each of them. Antimicrobial activity studies were carried out on three yeasts, six Gram positive and four Gram negative bacteria, by means of the disc diffusion method. The essential oil of H. coronarium showed the most relevant results on L. grayi, K. oxytoca and S. mutans, P. augustum and P. leticianum on S. mutans. An antibacterial bioautographic test for H. coronarium was also carried out and highlighted the potential activity of terpinen-4-ol and 1,8-cineole.
Highlights
According to the Monitoring Center for the Conservation of the Environment, Ecuador, with just0.19% of the surface of the Earth, is one of 17 mega-diverse countries, home to 10% of all plant species in the world [1]
The essential oils yield (%w/w) and density were as follows: S. aspera, a yield of 0.15% and a density of 0.929 g /mL; S. macrotepala, a yield of 0.15% and a density of 0.930 g/mL; P. augustum a yield of 0.02% and a density of 0.908 g /mL; P. leticianum a yield of 0.02% and a density of 0.905 g/mL; H. coronarium a yield of 0.04% and a density of 0.895 g/mL
The results revealed a high antioxidant activity of the Siparuna and Piper species, corresponding to the fraction with Rf = 0.8 where we found germacrene D and β-caryophyllene, for H. coronarium the to the fraction with Rf = 0.8 where we found germacrene D and β-caryophyllene, for H. coronarium activity was observed in the band Rf = 0 corresponding to 1,8-cineole (Figure 1)
Summary
According to the Monitoring Center for the Conservation of the Environment, Ecuador, with just0.19% of the surface of the Earth, is one of 17 mega-diverse countries, home to 10% of all plant species in the world [1]. Molecules 2019, 24, 1637 are one of these populations, whose members reside mainly in the provinces of Morona Santiago, Pastaza and Zamora Chinchipe [2] All these arguments make it necessary to corroborate and to valorize the uses of medicinal plants within the Shuars’ region. DC., is a plant native to Ecuador, which can be found in Bolivia, Colombia, Peru and Venezuela [3] It is commonly known as “limoncillo” and among the Shuar it is called “mejentsuna”. Siparuna macrotepala Perkins, is a plant native to Ecuador that is distributed in Colombia and Peru [3], whose common name is “limoncillo”, known among the Shuar as “tTsuna”-. DC., a plant native to Ecuador, found in Colombia and Peru [4], is known as “untuntuntup” among the Shuar, that use the leaves to fight tooth decay.
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