This work describes the production of biodiesel from Jatropha curcas oil. The kernel samples provided by Embrapa-PI, were first crushed in a blender and then subjected to extraction with hexane. The oil yield was between 54.71 ± 0.47 and 64.16 ± 2.88%. The J. curcas oil was then submitted to two different kinds of degumming, first with water and second with H 3 PO 4 to evaluate the influence of these processes in the yield of the transesterification reaction. Methyl and ethyl biodiesel prepared from the degummed oil with H 3 PO 4 had higher conversions than those prepared with the degummed with water. Therefore, among the processes of degumming studied, H 3 PO 4 was more suitable for the treatment of J. curcas oil. The study shows the results about oxidation stability were good, because the biodiesels methyl and ethyl biodiesel have induction period at 13.51 h and 13.03 h without antioxidant addition when submitted a Rancimat text. Such biodiesels had their physicochemical parameters defined under the specifications of ANP Resolutions n 14/2012 (ANP-National Agency of Petroleum, Natural Gas and Biofuels from Brazil). The results showed that J. curcas cultivation in Brazil is an adequate source for biodiesel production, considering the technical standards available.

Platonia insignis Mart., popularly known as “bacurizeiro,” is used in traditional medical practices based on its diverse biological properties. This study was aimed at evaluating the antileishmanial effects of the ethanol extract (EtOH-Ext), hexane fraction (Hex-F), and its main isolated Lupeol obtained from stem barks of P. insignis against Leishmania (Leishmania) amazonensis, as well as their cytotoxicity and possible mechanisms of action. The EtOH-Ext, Hex-F, and Lupeol inhibited the growth of L. amazonensis promastigote forms at IC50 of 174.24, 45.23, and 39.06 µg/mL, respectively, as well as L. amazonensis axenic amastigote forms at IC50 of 40.58, 35.87, and 44.10 µg/mL, respectively. The mean cytotoxic concentrations for macrophages (CC50) were higher than those for amastigotes (341.95, 71.65, and 144.0 µg/mL, resp.), indicating a selective cytotoxicity towards the parasite rather than the macrophages. Interestingly, all treatments promoted antileishmanial effect against macrophage-internalized amastigotes at concentrations lower than CC50. Furthermore, increases of lysosomal volume of macrophages treated with EtOH-Ext, Hex-F, and Lupeol were observed. On the other hand, only Lupeol stimulated increase of phagocytic capability of macrophages, suggesting this compound might be characterized as the biomarker for the antileishmanial effect of P. insignis stem bark, as well as the involvement of immunomodulatory mechanisms in this effect.

O aproveitamento dos resíduos madeireiros do gênero Hymenaea (família Fabaceae) apresenta-se como oportunidade para o desenvolvimento de produtos por apresentar em sua constituição química compostos bioativos com propriedades biológicas. Neste contexto, objetivou-se verificar a composição química do extrato etanólico e frações de galhos de Hymenaea courbaril e avaliar a atividade antimicrobiana frente a fungos fitopatogênicos. O material utilizado na pesquisa foi obtido de resíduos florestais de árvores de Jatobá (Hymenaea courbaril) provenientes da área de manejo localizada próximo a cidade de Santarém, Pará, Brasil. O material foi desdobrado para obtenção de serragem, a qual foi seca em estufa a 40°C por 96 horas e extraídos em álcool etílico no aparelho de Soxhlet e em seguida o solvente foi removido, obtendo-se a média dos rendimento dos extratos de 16,09%. Realizou-se a caracterização fitoquímica dos extratos de Hymenaea courbaril por Cromatografia em Camada Delgada (CCD) e por Cromatografia Gasosa acoplada a Espectrometria de Massa (CG-EM). Avaliou-se a ação fungitóxica dos extratos por meio da concentração inibitória mínima (CIM), e Concentração Fungicida Mínima (CFM) para os fungos Fusarium oxysporum, Aspergillus niger, Macrophomina phaseolina, Aspergillus parasiticus e Sclerotinia sclerotiorum. As classes de compostos presentes no extrato e frações de Hymenaea courbaril detectadas por CCD e CG-EM foram os ácidos graxos, terpenos, fitoesterois, taninos e flavonoides. Na CIM verificou-se atividade antimicrobiana para todos fungos testados, sendo Macrophomina phaseolina, o microrganismo mais sensível, apresentando ação inibitória entre 1000 µg.mL-1 até 15,625 µg.mL-1, concluindo-se que Hymenaea courbaril pode ser uma promissora fonte alternativa no controle de fungos fitopatogênicos.

The skin is the organ that protects the internal organism against pathogenic agents from the external environment. Therefore, rapid wound healing becomes an important target against exposure of the organism to pathogens. Thus, the use of biopolymers as dressings has been gaining prominence, among them, chitosan. Chitosan is a biomaterial that has high biological compatibility, biodegradability, low toxicity and healing effect. The objective of this research was to produce a chitosan-based biomaterial, incorporated with a hydroalcoholic extract from the bark of Anacardium microcarpum Ducke. The membranes were characterized in terms of color, homogeneity, flexibility, thickness, wettability and degree of swelling. The membranes were transparent, homogeneous and flexible with an average thickness of 5 micrometers. In swelling, there was absorption of 50%, mass loss below 6% and durability greater than 21 days. As for wettability, the membranes were moderately hydrophilic. The membranes showed promising chemical and physical characteristics to be a curative biomaterial.