Quantificação do β-cariofileno e óxido de cariofileno para o controle de qualidade dos óleos de copaíba (Copaifera multijuga Hayne)/ Quantification of β-caryophyllene and caryophyllene oxide for quality control of copaiba oils (Copaifera multijuga Hayne)

Os óleos de copaíba (Copaifera sp.) são amplamente utilizados na medicina popular e pelas indústrias farmacêuticas e de cosméticos. A ampla comercialização destas oleoresinas, e suas semelhanças físico-químicas, como a cor, densidade e viscosidade, resultam na mistura de óleos de copaíba de diferentes espécies, assim como adulterações com óleos de outras procedências. Para o controle de qualidade desses óleos, é necessário a padronização da composição química para as espécies, avaliando a variação na concentração dos constituintes mais relevantes e seus limites mínimos de detecção. Nesse artigo foi realizado a quantificação do β-cariofileno e óxido de cariofileno em 10 óleos autênticos de C. multijuga por cromatografia em fase gasosa (CG-EM) e a avaliação das principais características de desempenho do método desenvolvido. Foram identificados 44 constituintes, dos quais o β-cariofileno foi o principal deles, detectados em todos os óleos e em maior concentração. A linearidade dos padrões foi obtida a partir das curvas analíticas para o β-cariofileno e óxido de cariofileno, com coeficiente de correlação (R2) de 0,9917 mg.mL-1 para o β-cariofileno e 0,9913 mg.mL-1 para o óxido de cariofileno. O LD e LQ para o β-cariofileno foram 0,0089 mg.mL-1 e 0,0165 mg.mL-1 e para o óxido de cariofileno 0,0137 mg.mL-1 e 0,0280 mg.mL-1 respectivamente. A concentração do β-cariofileno nos óleos analisados variou de 0,317 mg.mL-1 a 0,886 mg.mL-1 e para o óxido de cariofileno a variação foi de 0,004 mg.mL-1 a 0,272 mg.mL-1

Avaliação de Características Químicas do Solo Durante a Decomposição Cadavérica e suas Aplicações à Química Forense

The estimation of the Post-Mortem Interval (PMI) is a primordial parameter in the investigation of crimes against life. In tropical climate areas, the cadaveric decomposition occurs in an accelerated form, preventing the PMI estimation by usual methods. Understanding how different circumstances affect the cadaveric composition is very important to develop methods that enable the PMI estimation in several climatic conditions. One of the alternatives, however not much explored in Brazil, refers to the use of soil chemistry for the determination of longstanding PMIs. In this research, variations in soil chemical properties were monitored during swine carcasses cadaverous decomposition in a tropical forest area in order to recognize patterns and evaluate the applicability of these by the criminal expertise. Among the evaluated characteristics are the levels of pH, inorganic nitrogen (ammonia and nitrate), total nitrogen, carbon nitrogen proportion (C: N), exchangeable aluminum, available phosphorus and macro and micronutrients. The results showed distinct variations according to the decomposition phases observed and also to the way the carcasses were deposited in the study environment (above or below the soil), evidencing the possibility of using these variations in the development of models for the prediction of postmortem intervals lasting up to 67 days. © 2018 Secretaria Regional do Rio de Janeiro da Sociedade Brasileira de Quimica. All rights reserved

Produção de biomassa e rendimento de óleo essencial de folhas, galhos finos e rebrotas utilizando poda da copa de Aniba canelilla (H.B.K.) (Lauraceae) na Amazônia Central

Aniba canelilla (H.B.K.) Mez. is a tree species from Amazon that produces essential oil. The oil extraction from its leaves and stems can be an alternative way to avoid the tree cutting for production of essential oil. The aim of this study was to analyse factors that may influence the essential oil production and the biomass of resprouts after pruning the leaves and stems of A. canelilla trees. The tree crowns were pruned in the wet season and after nine months the leaves and stems of the remaining crown and the resprouts were collected, in the dry season. The results showed that the essential oil yield and chemical composition differed among the stems, leaves and resprouts. The stems' essential oil production differed between the seasons and had a higher production in the resprouting stems than the old stems of the remaining crown. The production of essential oil and leaf biomass of resprouts were differently related to the canopy openness, indicating that light increases the production of the essential oil and decreases the biomass of resprouting leaves. This study revealed that plant organs differ in their essential oil production and that the canopy openness must be taken into account when pruning the A. canelilla tree crown in order to achieve higher oil productivity.Aniba canelilla (H.B.K.) Mez. é uma espécie arbórea da Amazônia que produz óleo essencial. A extração do óleo de suas folhas e galhos pode ser uma forma alternativa de evitar a derrubada do tronco para sua produção de óleo essencial. O objetivo deste estudo foi analisar os fatores que podem influenciar a produção de óleo essencial e sua biomassa da rebrota após a poda de folhas e galhos das árvores de A. canelilla. As copas das árvores foram podadas na estação chuvosa e, após nove meses, as folhas e os galhos da copa remanescente e da rebrota foram coletadas na estação seca. Os resultados mostraram que o rendimento e a composição química de óleo essencial diferiram entre os galhos finos, as folhas e as rebrotas. A produção de óleo essencial de galhos diferiu entre as estações e teve maior produção nos galhos da rebrota do que nos galhos velhos da copa remanescente. A produção de óleo essencial e de biomassa das folhas da rebrota foram diferentemente relacionadas com a abertura de dossel, indicando que a luz aumenta a produção de óleo essencial e diminui a de biomassa nas folhas da rebrota. Este estudo revelou que as diferenças entre os órgãos da planta na produção de óleo essencial e a abertura de dossel devem ser levadas em consideração para podar a copa da árvore da A. canelilla e alcançar maior produtividade de óleo

New and sustainable essential oils obtained from the long-term explored cinnamomum-like Aniba canelilla

The traditional approach to extract the essential oils from precious-wood (Aniba canelilla), implies in obtaining it from the bark of the trunk of adult trees, usually resulting on the dead of the tree. In order to investigate the effect of seasonality, pruning and leaf development stages, essential oils from leaves and branches were obtained and the chemical composition analyzed by GC-FID and GC–MS. Multivariate analysis, PCA and HCA, allowed the distinction of three different types of essential oils from leaves and branches, with different chromatographic profiles. In general, 1-nitro-2-phenylethane contents were significantly higher in branches and have lower internal variation of this constituent than in leaves. The multivariate analysis also allowed the observation that seasonality and the stage of development did not influence the chemical composition of essential oils, as leaves and twigs were collected in different seasons, at different stages of development in the same area, are in a same group of similar chemical compositions, particularly characterized by the predominance of 1-nitro-2-phenylethane. Although variable, the levels of 1-nitro-2-phenylethane in leaves and twigs are comparable to the levels of 1-nitro-2-phenylethane observed in the stem wood and bark of A. canelilla. Thus, the extraction of essential oil of its leaves and branches may be an alternative way to prevent the overthrow of the trunk to produce essential oils of the specie. © 201

Phytochemical fingerprints of copaiba oils (Copaifera multijuga Hayne) determined by multivariate analysis

Oils of various species of Copaifera are commonly found in pharmacies and on popular markets and are widely sold for their medicinal properties. However, the chemical variability between and within species and the lack of standardization of these oils have presented barriers to their wider commercialization. With the aim to recognize patterns for the chemical composition of copaiba oils, 22 oil samples of C. multijuga Hayne species were collected, esterified with CH2N2, and characterized by GC-FID and GC/MS analyses. The chromatographic data were processed using hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) and principal component analysis (PCA). In total, 35 components were identified in the oils, and the multivariate analyses (MVA) allowed the samples to be divided into three groups, with the sesquiterpenes β-caryophyllene and caryophyllene oxide as the main components. These sesquiterpenes, which were detected in all the samples analyzed in different concentrations, were the most important constituents in the differentiation of the groups. There was a prevalence of sesquiterpenes in all the oils studied. In conclusion, GC-FID and GC/MS analyses combined with MVA can be used to determine the chemical composition and to recognize chemical patterns of copaiba oils. Copyright © 2013 Verlag Helvetica Chimica Acta AG, Zürich

Chemosystematic evaluation of Amazonian freshwater sponges

Freshwater sponges can be considered a promising new source of bioactive compounds for the pharmaceutical industry; however, the research on their chemical composition is still in the incipient stage. We evaluated the most endemic Amazonian freshwater sponge species from the Drulia and Metania genera by untargeted metabolomic approaches, based on UHPCL-HRMS, in order to identify chemical markers and explore the diversity of specialized metabolites. The use of untargeted approaches allowed us to observe subsets of metabolites that enabled the characterization of, not only each genus, but also, of each species. Freshwater sponge species presented themselves as rich sources of fatty acids and sterols, which were putatively identified. These metabolites were suggested as chemical markers for further targeted metabolomic studies