Several studies have demonstrated anti-carcinogenic and antitumor activity for many essential oils obtained from various plant species. They may be used in substitution to or in addition to conventional anti-cancer therapy. Although many studies report possible mechanisms of action for essential oils compounds, more studies are necessary in order to apply them safely and appropriately in cancer therapy.

Unconventional vegetables, in general, are plants that have been largely consumed by the population at some point and, because of changes in eating behavior, now present reduced economic and social expression and have lost ground to other vegetables. The objectives of this study were to perform phytochemical screening of the ethanol extracts of Rumex acetosa L., Tropaeolum majus L., Solanum muricatum, Stachys byzantina K. Koch and Solanum betaceum Cav. and evaluate their antioxidant potentials via the methods involving scavaging of the DPPH free radical and the ABTS radical, phosphomolybdenum and reducing power. In phytochemical screening, five species of unconventional vegetables tested positive for tannins; for sesquiterpene, lactones and other lactones. These tests were positive for Tropaeolum majus L. and Rumex acetosa L., Solanum betaceum Cav. and Solanum muricatum tested negative for steroids. Only Solanum betaceum Cav. gave positive tests for flavonoids. Among the five plant species studied, Stachys byzantina K. Koch presented the greatest antioxidant potential in all the methods evaluated.

The genus Eucalyptus present high content of essential oil (EO). This study evaluated the pharmacological properties of Eucalyptus grandis (EG) and Eucalyptus microcorys (EM) EOs. The major component in both EOs was 1,8-Cineole. Both essential oils prevented thrombus dissolution and reduced clotting, hemolysis, and genotoxicity induced by snake venoms. 50% (EM) and 73% (EG) were the greatest inhibitions obtained in the thrombolytic assay -thrombolysis induced by B. moojeni venom. Increases in clotting time were also observed, with values considered significant between 10-27 seconds. Lysis values 50% lower than the negative control were observed in both EOs. The EOs also protected fibrinogenolysis induced by snake venom. EM EO was more effective in reducing venom-induced DNA fragmentation in the comet assay, with arbitrary unit values 66.15% lower than the positive control. These oils present wide application potential considering the pharmacological properties observed in this study.

The composition and pharmacological properties of Lippia alba (Mill.) (L. alba) (Verbenaceae) flower and leaf essential oils (EO) were determined in this study. The major constituents in the flower EO were geranial (49.83%) and neral (32.75%), and in the leaf EO were geranial (38.06%), neral (31.02%), and limonene (18.03%). Flower EO inhibited thrombolysis induced by Bothrops moojeni (B. moojeni) and Lachesis muta muta (L. muta muta) venoms (0.05-1.2 µL mL -1 ). When tested against L. muta muta venom, the protective effect was smaller in both EO. The EOs prolonged the clotting time induced by L. muta muta venom and a procoagulant effect was observed on B. moojeni. In the comet assay, the flower EO presented anti-genotoxic action (damage frequency of only 11.6 -34.9%) against the L. muta muta venom. The positive control (Doxorubicin) and the venom alone presented a damage frequency of 80.3% and 70.7%, respectively. The flower EO protected DNA from damage induced by L. muta muta venom. L. alba leaf and flower EOs presented anti-genotoxic action.

Snake venom are widely used as laboratory tools for studies of physiological, pharmacological and toxicological mechanisms. Venoms used here are rich sources of several classes of proteases that act on factors of the coagulation cascade, fibrinogenolysis and fibrinolysis, altering the hemostatic processes, and phospholipases A2 which are involved mainly in inflammatory and clotting processes since they act hydrolyzing membrane phospholipids and may result in the release of arachidonic acid whose structure is a precursor of eicosanoids by cyclooxygenase and lipoxygenase pathways. Natural products such as essential oils are made up of active ingredients with wide application in the food, pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries. Thus, in this study evaluate the essential oils from Mentha viridis and Mentha pulegium on coagulation, fibrinogenolysis and degradation of azocasein, induced by Bothrops sp and Lachesis muta muta venoms. These oils were achieved by hydrodistillation and presented, respectively, as the main constituents linalool (40.70%), carvone (13.52%) and α-terpinene (8.56%); pulegone (50.01%), menthol (31.90%) and menthone (16.56%). The essential oils were previously incubated with Bothrops alternatus venom, for two different times, plasma was added and timing. The M. pulegium and M. viridis oils in the volume of 0.30 μL (10 min of incubation) presented greater anticlotting potential. Meanwhile, 0.15 μL the M. pulegium oil presented proclotting activity. In 20 min of incubation, both oils presented anticlotting activity with 0.15 and 0.30 μL. At azocaseinolytic assay the oil from M. pulegium reduced the activity for all evaluated venoms. The highest inhibitions were 34.33% and 39.99% for 0.6 and 1.2 μL of oil, respectively; on activity induced by B. jararacussu, M. viridis with 0.6 and 1.2 μL reduced the activity in 40.93% and 57.72%, respectively. On B. moojeni, the same volumes were responsible for inhibitions of 74.67% and 47.4%, respectively. The fibrinogenolysis induced by B. moojeni venom was totally inhibited by both oils in the evaluated proportions. The results show the presence in oils of protease inhibitors, considering metalloproteases (mainly with thrombin-like and hemorrhagic activity) and serineproteases (actuating on clotting factors), as well as phospholipase A2­ inhibitors (involved in inflammation and clotting processes) of wide application in medical and biotechnology areas.