Abstract
Essential oils from the stems and leaves of Croton doctoris were analyzed by gas chromatography and mass spectrometry, resulting in 22 identified compounds. The effects of these essential oils on the germination, root and shoot growth, total chlorophyll content, potential root respiration, peroxidase activity, catalase, superoxide dismutase, and mitotic index in lettuce and onion were determined. Antioxidant, antimicrobial, and cytotoxic activity were also investigated. The results revealed that the stem oil consisted of 15 compounds, of which caryophyllene oxide (24.5%) and E-caryophyllene (13.3%) were the major constituents. The leaf oil contained E-caryophyllene (39.6%) and α-humulene (13.2%) as major compounds. The oils inhibited the germination and growth of lettuce and onion seedlings and reduced chlorophyll content, root respiration, and cell division. They also caused oxidative stress, indicated by the increased activity of the evaluated antioxidant enzymes. These abnormal physiological processes contributed to the inhibition of plant growth. The most pronounced phytotoxic effects were observed in the stem oil. The cytotoxicity tests indicated that leaf oil was more active than stem oil, resulting from the presence of biologically active sesquiterpenes that inhibit the growth of cancer cells.
Highlights
The main components of essential oils (EOs) are terpenes and phenylpropanoids
Croton doctoris EO composition was determined by gas chromatography, using a Varian CP-3800 chromatographer equipped with a ZB-5 fused silica capillary column (5%-phenyl-95%-dimethylpolysiloxane) (30 m × 0.25 mm, 0.2 mm film thickness) from Phenomenex (Torrance, CA, USA)
In leaf EO, the main component was E-caryophyllene followed by α-humulene and caryophyllene oxide, the three components accounting for 60.1% of total composition
Summary
The main components of essential oils (EOs) are terpenes ( monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes) and phenylpropanoids. Essential oils have been used for centuries as flavoring agents in the manufacture of cosmetics and perfumery, and pharmacologically for medicinal purposes, which has stimulated the search for biologically active and effective substances, especially on microorganisms Another aspect is the fact that they are natural, biodegradable, generally present low toxicity and act on several target molecules at the same time, when compared to synthetic drugs, making them key substances for the research of new drugs (Figueiredo et al, 2008). Moore (Croton: tick, seed; doctoris: doctor, medicinal) is a shrub native to deciduous forests on limestone outcrops and Chaco (Pott et al, 2007) It exhibits a branched stem, and because its leaves turn yellow-orange with age, it is locally called Amarelinho do Pantanal (wetland tiny yellow). We describe the chemical composition of EO from the stem and leaves of C. doctoris and assess their allelopatic, antimicrobial and cytotoxic activity
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Schedule a callMore From: Brazilian journal of biology = Revista brasleira de biologia
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