Many studies have reported that medicinal plant extracts can inhibit oral pathogen growth or adhesion to surfaces and therefore reduce dental caries formation. The addition of these extracts to oral products like mouthwashes and dentifrices is considered an important strategy in caries control. In this sense, we have developed a Mikania glomerata extract with high ent-kaurenoic acid content (KAMg). So, this work describes the preparation of such extract and the development of a validated HPLC-DAD method to determine its ent-kaurenoic acid (KA) content. Herein it is also described the KAMg in vitro antibacterial evaluation against several cariogenic bacteria in comparison with KA and the investigation of further aspects of the KAMg activity. Toxicological aspects of the developed extract were evaluated by assessing its cytotoxicity and genotoxicity. KA and a KA-rich extract like KAMg showed to inhibit the growth of microorganisms responsible for dental caries at relatively low MIC (Minimum inhibitory concentration) values, albeit not as low as the MIC value obtained for chlorhexidine digluconate (CHD), the golden anticariogenic standard approved by the American Dental Association Council on Dental Therapeutics. However, KAMg was more effective to inhibit the formation of a Streptococcus mutans biofilm with four times lower MICB50 (minimum inhibitory concentration that reduces 50% of the biofilm) value as compared with CHD. Taking into account all these data and considering the absence of genotoxic and cytotoxic activity under the tested conditions, it is suggested that KAMg is a natural product to be considered as active ingredient in oral care products.

Baccharis dracunculifolia D.C. (Asteraceae) is the most important plant source of the Brazilian green propolis. Since propolis is known for its antimicrobial activity, the aim of this work was to evaluate the antimicrobial activities of B. dracunculifolia and some of its isolated compounds. The results showed that the leaves extract of B. dracunculifolia (BdE) presents antifungal and antibacterial activities, especially against Candida krusei and Cryptococcus neoformans, for which the BdE showed IC50 values of 65 μg mL −1 and 40 μg mL−1, respectively. In comparison to the BdE, it was observed that the green propolis extract (GPE) showed better antimicrobial activity, displaying an IC50 value of 9 μg mL−1 against C. krusei. Also, a phytochemical study of the BdE was carried out, affording the isolation of ursolic acid (1), 2α-hydroxy-ursolic acid (2), isosakuranetin (3), aromadendrin-4′-methylether (4), baccharin (5), viscidone (6), hautriwaic acid lactone (7), and the clerodane diterpene 8. This is the first time that the presence of compounds 1, 2, and 8 in B. dracunculifolia has been reported. Among the isolated compounds, 1 and 2 showed antibacterial activity against methicillin- resistant Staphylococcus aureus, displaying IC50 values of 5 μg mL−1 and 3 μg mL−1, respectively. 3 was active against C. neoformans, showing an IC50 value of 15 μg mL−1 and a MIC value of 40 μg mL−1, while compounds 4→8 were inactive against all tested microorganisms. The results showed that the BdE, similar to the GPE, displays antimicrobial activity, which may be related to the effect of several compounds present in the crude extract.

In the present study, apples of regional cultivars originating from Portugal were compared in terms of some chemical properties during three consecutive harvest years. It was possible to conclude that these regional cultivars of apples were generally sweeter and contained more minerals than other cultivars described in the literature. The data revealed that the acid, protein, and mineral content depended on the apple cultivar. The acid content varied notably with the 2004, 2005, and 2006 harvests. For total sugar or protein content, the variations observed were comparatively smaller. In the 2004 and 2005 harvests, the sugar and protein contents were similar but differ from the 2006 harvest. In respect to mineral content, the 2004 harvest registered the highest differences, and this was also the year when the apples had the highest maturation index, calculated as the sugar/acid ratio.

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