Estudo químico e biológico de Tephrosia toxicaria Pers.

The ethanol extracts from leaves, stems, pods and roots were assayed against the 3rd instar Aedes aegypti larvae and the highest activity was observed in the roots extracts (LC50 47.86 ppm). This extract was submitted to partition with hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate and methanol. The respective fractions were bioassayed and the best larvicidal activities were identified in the hexane (LC50 23.99 ppm) and chloroform (LC50 13.80 ppm) fractions. Antioxidant activity (DDPH method) was observed in the ethanol extract (IC50 276 µg/mL) from roots of T. toxicaria. Fractions from this extract were also tested and the highest antioxidant activity (IC50 89 µg/mL) was found in the methanol fraction. The flavonoids iso-obovatin (1), obovatin (2), 6a,12a-dehydro-β-toxicarol (3), 6a,12a-dehydro-α-toxicarol (4) and α-toxicarol (5) were isolated and bioassayed against A. aegypti. The flavonoid 5 showed the best larvicidal activity (LC50 24.55 ppm). The antioxidant activity of 2 was investigated and showed IC50 3.370 µg/mL. The antioxidant and larvicidal activities of Tephrosia toxicaria are reported for the first time.

Atividade antioxidante de extratos e taninos condensados das folhas de Maytenus ilicifolia Mart. ex Reiss.

Maytenus ilicifolia (Celastraceae) is a native plant of South America and popularly known as "espinheira-santa". The aim of this study was to evaluate the antioxidant capacity of extracts and isolated compounds from this plant. The antioxidant activity of the crude and semipurified extracts and isolated compounds was evaluated through DPPH-radical and phosphomolybdenum-complex assays. By both methods, the ethyl-acetate fraction demonstrated better antioxidant capacity compared with vitamin C and trolox. In the compounds, the higher the number of hydroxyls, the greater the antioxidant activity. In addition, stereochemistry influenced antioxidant activity, i.e., compounds with 2R,3R showed greater activity than those with 2R,3S.

Aplicações de fibras lignocelulósicas na química de polímeros e em compósitos

The use of lignocellulosic fibers and their constituents, as raw materials in the production of polymeric and composite materials, represent an exceptional opportunity of sustainable technological development. In the present report works that discuss promising alternatives of obtaining and use of materials such as cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin, cellulose nanocrystals and biocomposites were revised. The advance in the use of biomass can be, in a near future, capable of going beyond the application difficulties of these vast materials, especially in relation to the economical unviability, by the production of high performance polymeric and composite materials. This advance would represent a higher profitability to some areas of agrobusiness, especially the sector of biofuels, which produces elevated amounts of biomass waste.