Lavandula dentata, popularly known as lavender, is commonly used in traditional medicine for the treatment of digestive and inflammatory disorders. The objective of this study was to analyzed the chemical oil composition, antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of the essential oil and anatomical markers of the leaf and stem of L. dentata cultivated in South Brazil. Essential oil showed an antioxidant activity similar to rutin and gallic acid when analyzed by phosphomolybdenum method. However, by the free radical DPPH and ABTS methods, it showed a slight potential antioxidant. Essential oil presented 1,8-cineol (63%) as major component, antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive, Gram-negative bacteria strains and Candida albicans, by broth microdilution. The anatomical profile provided the following main microscopic markers: hypostomatic leaves; diacytic stomata, thin and striate cuticle; multicellular and branched non-glandular trichomes; capitate glandular trichomes; peltate glandular trichomes; dorsiventral mesophyll; flat-convex shape midrib, truncated on the abaxial side; one collateral vascular bundle in the midrib; square stem shape, angular collenchyma alternated with cortical parenchyma; sclerenchymatic fibers well-developed on the four edges.

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Please cite this article in press as: de Almeida, V.P., et al. Comparative morphoanatomical analysis of Mikania species. Revista Brasileira de Farmacognosia (2016), http://dx. a b s t r a c tMikania belongs to the Asteraceae family and includes a wide range of promising pharmacological activities. Several species of Mikania, which is popularly known in Brazil as "guaco", occur in Southern Brazil and their external morphology is similar. The aim of this study was to investigate the morpho-anatomical characteristics of the leaf and stem of Mikania campanulata, Mikania cordifolia, Mikania glomerata, Mikania hastato-cordata, Mikania microptera and Mikania sessilifolia as a means of providing additional support for differentiating these taxa. The leaves and stems were investigated by employing scanning electron microscopy and light microscopy techniques. The morphological features of Mikania spp. leaves make it possible to differentiate between the species; nevertheless, when the plants were fragmented or pulverized the anatomical features of the leaves and stems supplied additional helpful data in this regard. The main anatomical characteristics were presence of hypodermis and lens shaped epidermal cells, set of trichomes; midrib, petiole and stem shape and vascular pattern; sclerenchymatous ring in the cortex, sclerenchymatous cells and secretory ducts in the pith.

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Eucalyptus species possess anti-inflammatory, antifungal, antibacterial, and insecticidal properties. In this study, the chemical composition and biological activities of Eucalyptus cinerea essential oil HIGHLIGHTS  Eucalyptus cinerea essential oil (EO) contains 1,8-cineole as the main component.  This EO demonstrated antioxidant and antimicrobial properties.  This EO reduced the viability of Jurkat and Calu-3 cells and decreased DNA content. This EO had cell death mechanism related to apoptosis.