Identification of Some Chemical Components of the Essential Oil from Molasses Grass (Melinis minutiflora Beauv.) and their Activity Against Cattle-Tick (Boophilus microplus)

The essential oil of molasses grass (Melinis minutiflora Beauv.) has shown virtually 100% lethal effect on larvae of the cattle-tick (Boophilus microplus) within 10 min exposure. GC/MS analysis of the essential oil led to the identification of six major components: propionic acid, butyric acid, phenylethyl alcohol, hexanal, 1,8-cineole and 9 -E-eicosene. Two of those components (1,8-cineole and n-hexanal) have also shown individually 100% lethal effect on cattle-tick larvae within 10 min. The presence of 2,6-di-t-butyl-4-methylphenol was assigned to a contaminant from commercially supplied diethyl ether used for the essential oil extraction

Anti-tick effect and chemical composition of the molasses grass essential oil

Foram testados o óleo essencial do capim-gordura (Melinis minutiflora Beauv.), obtido por arraste com vapor d'água, e os monoterpenos a e b-pineno, contra larvas do carrapato-do-boi (Boophilus microplus), causando 100% de letalidade, em dez minutos. A análise deste óleo por CGlEM permitiu a identificação de quatro dentre os cinco componentes principais, como hexanal, 1,8-cineol, 2,6-di-t-butil-4-metilfenol e 9-(E)-eicoseno. O 2,6-di-t-butil-4-metilfenol é proveniente do éter dietílico utilizado na obtenção do óleo essencial.The essential oil of molasses grass (Melinis minutiflora Beauv.) obtained by steam distillation and the monoterpenes a and b-pinene have been tested against Boophilus microplus larvae showing lethal effect within ten minutes. GC/MS analysis of the molasses grass essential oil allowed the identification of four out of the five major constituents as hexanal, 1,8-cineole, 2,6-di-t-butil-4-methylphenol and 9-(E)-eicosene. The 2,6-di-t-butil-4-methylphenol was found in the diethyl ether used for the extraction of the essential oil

GC-MS analysis and cardiovascular activity of the essential oil of Ocotea duckei

The essential oils obtained by steam distillation from the roots, stems, leaves and fruits of Ocotea duckei had their composition analyzed by GC-MS. The pharmacological activity of these oils was also evaluated showing significant cardiovascular effects. Forty-nine substances were identified, consisting of a complex mixture of monoterpenes (45%) and sesquiterpenes (55%). The fruits yielded (1.9%) more essential oil than the stems (1.0%), roots (0.8%) and leaves (0.7%). The main component in the oil of the leaves was trans-caryophyllene (60.54%), in the stem bark beta-eudesmol (27.51%) and in the fruits, dl-limonene (30.12%). The predominant essential oil component in the roots was elemol (24.31%). In non-anaesthetized normotensive rats, the essential oils from different parts of Ocotea duckei (leaves, fruits, stem and roots) induced significant (p < 0.05) hypotension followed by bradycardia