Biological properties of turmeric

Curcuma spp. (turmeric) has been used since ancient days in popular medicine and gastronomy. Many of its bioactive compounds have just recently been identified and characterized as potential source of new medicines. In this review will relate aspects of cultivated turmeric (Curcuma longa L.), including taxonomy, chemical composition, production and processing, and biological activities such as the action against fungi, bacteria, nematodes, protozoa and viruses, including those of importance for human health, agriculture and food science

Caracterização de isolados de Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. manihotis = Characterization of isolates of Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. manihotis

A bacteriose (Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. manihotis) e a doenca de maior importancia economica na cultura da mandioca. Para estudar a variabilidade genetica desta bacteria no Oeste do Parana, foram realizados levantamentos em Entre Rios do Oeste, Marechal Candido Rondon, Mercedes, Missal, Nova Santa Rosa e Pato Bragado. Os isolados foram caracterizados em relacao a atividade de amilase, ƒ¿ e ƒÀ-esterase e agressividade. Dos 61 materiais vegetais coletados, obtiveram-se 19 isolados da bacteria, com maior incidencia para variedades de mesa em relacao aqueles para industria. Manivas provenientes de Pato Bragado, Entre Rios do Oeste e Mercedes apresentaram incidencias de 10, 27 e 10%, respectivamente, valores inferiores aos de Marechal Candido Rondon (50%) e Nova Santa Rosa (58%). Os isolados foram agrupados em cinco, seis e 12 grupos em relacao a capacidade amilolitica, agressividade e isoenzimas de esterase, respectivamente. Nao houve relacao entre atividade de amilase e agressividade. Isolados de Marechal Candido Rondon foram mais agressivos que os provenientes das outras regioes. O agrupamento com base em esterase permitiu verificar que isolados provenientes de Entre Rios do Oeste, Nova Santa Rosa e Mercedes apresentaram alto grau de similaridade. Estes resultados indicam haver diferenciacaoentre os isolados da bacteria presentes nos municipios amostrados.<br><br>The bacterial blight (Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. manihotis) is the most important disease of cassava. To study the genetic variability of pathogen in the West of Parana, a research was carried out at Entre Rios do Oeste, Marechal Candido Rondon, Mercedes, Missal, Nova Santa Rosa and Pato Bragado. The isolates were characterized to amylase activity, ƒ¿ and ƒÀ-esterase and aggressiveness. From 61 collected materials, were obtained 19 bacterial isolates, with larger incidence for varieties of human consume than those for industry. Stems from Pato Bragado, Entre Rios do Oeste and Mercedes showedincidences of 10, 27 and 10%, respectively, values smaller than those of Marechal Candido Rondon (50%) and Nova Santa Rosa (58%). The isolates could be contained in five, six and twelve different groups to amylolytic activity, aggressiveness and esterase isoenzimes, respectively. There was not relationship between the amylase activity and aggressiveness. Marechal Candido Rondon isolates were more aggressive than those of other sampled areas. According to the clustering for esterase, isolates from Entre Rios do Oeste, Nova Santa Rosa and Mercedes presented high similarity degree. According to the results, there is differentiation among the isolates of the bacteria presented in the studied regions