Essential Oil from Bark of Aniba parviflora (Meisn.) Mez (Lauraceae) Reduces HepG2 Cell Proliferation and Inhibits Tumor Development in a Xenograft Model.

Aniba parviflora (Meisn.) Mez (Lauraceae) is an aromatic plant of the Amazon rainforest, which has a tremendous commercial value in the perfumery industry; it is popularly used as flavoring sachets and aromatic baths. In Brazilian folk medicine, A. parviflora is used to treat victims of snakebites. Herein, we analyzed the chemical composition of A. parviflora bark essential oil (EO) and its effect on the growth of human hepatocellular carcinoma HepG2 cells in vitro and in vivo. EO was obtained by hydrodistillation and characterized by GC-MS and GC-FID. The main constituents of EO were linalool (16.3±3.15), α-humulene (14.5±2.41 %), δ-cadinene (10.2±1.09 %), α-copaene (9.51±1.12 %) and germacrene B (7.58±2.15 %). Initially, EO's cytotoxic effect was evaluated against five cancer cell lines (HepG2, MCF-7, HCT116, HL-60 and B16-F10) and one non-cancerous one (MRC-5), using the Alamar blue method after 72 h of treatment. The calculated IC50 values were 9.05, 22.04, >50, 15.36, 17.57, and 30.46 µg/mL, respectively. The best selectivity was for HepG2 cells with a selective index of 3.4. DNA Fragmentation and cell cycle distribution were quantified in HepG2 cells by flow cytometry after a treatment period of 24 and 48 h. The effect of EO on tumor development in vivo was evaluated in a xenograft model using C.B-17 SCID mice engrafted with HepG2 cells. In vivo tumor growth inhibition of HepG2 xenograft at the doses of 40 and 80 mg/kg were 12.1 and 62.4 %, respectively.

Nesting habits of Centris (Hemisiella) dichrootricha (Hymenoptera: Apidae) in the Northern Cerrado of Brazil / Hábito de nidificación de Centris (Hemisiella) dichrootricha (Hymenoptera: Apidae) en el Cerrado Norte de Brasil

Abstract:The Neotropical bee Centris (Hemisiella) dichrootricha is a solitary bee that nests in pre-existing cavities that occur in the rain forest. This study describes the nesting biology of C. dichrootricha and its preference for nesting in Cerrado and gallery forest habitats. The study was conducted from January 2012 and December 2013, in Mirador State Park in the municipality of Formosa da Serra Negra, Maranhão State, Brazil. For this, wooden trap-nests of 6, 8, 10, 12, 14 and 16 mm in diameter were used; a total of 300 trap-nests were placed in the gallery forest and Cerrado areas, respectively. Traps were monitored monthly and all completed nests were collected and replaced with empty ones. The nests were then taken to the laboratory to analyze bee development and emergence, nests characteristics and parasites presence. The species used 29 of the trap-nests, which had diameters of 8, 10, 12 and 14 mm. A total of 87 C. dichrootricha specimens emerged. The nests were parasitized by two bee species, Mesocheira bicolor (Apinae) and Coelioxys sp. (Megachilinae), and one fly species, Antrax sp. (Diptera). The highest nesting incidence of 72.4 % was observed in the gallery forest, whereas only 27.6 % in the Cerrado; this difference in habitat use was significant (χ² = 5.56; p < 0.05; DF = 1). For the nests that were built in the gallery forest, 80.9% of the soil originated from the Cerrado. The females were significantly larger than the males (F1, 76 = 595.19; p < 0.001). There were 11 pollen types that belonged to six families. Pollen of the family Malpighiaceae was most frequently used, with four species represented (Byrsonima crassifolia, B. rotunda, B. spicata and Heteropterys sp.). C. dichrootricha showed a preference for nesting in cavities of various diameters in gallery forest sites. The present study provides a novel description of the nesting habits and biology of C. dichrootricha in habitats of Central/Southern Maranhão. C. dichrootricha primarily used resources from the Cerrado, including soil to build their nests, pollen and floral oils; we concluded that gallery forest and Cerrado areas are intrinsically related to the maintenance of local populations of this species. Rev. Biol. Trop. 64 (3): 1041-1056. Epub 2016 September 01.

ResumenCentris (Hemisiella) dichrootricha es una especie de abeja solitaria neotropical, que anida en cavidades preexistentes y vive en la selva tropical. El presente estudio describe la biología de anidación de C. dichrootricha y su preferencia de nidificación por áreas en Cerrado y Bosque de Galería. El área de estudio se localiza en el Parque Estadual de Mirador, municipio de Formosa da Serra Negra, Maranhão. El método empleado fue el de nidos trampa de madera de diferentes diámetros, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14 y 16 mm, colocándose 300 nidos trampa por área. Las trampas fueron monitoreadas mensualmente y todos los nidos terminados fueron recogidos y sustituidos por otros vacíos. Los nidos completos fueron llevados al laboratorio para analizar el desarrollo de la abeja, la emergencia, las características de los nidos y la presencia de parásitos. La especie ocupó 29 nidos de los diámetros de 8, 10, 12 y 14 mm. Emergieron 87 individuos de C. dichrootricha. Los nidos fueron parasitados por tres especies: Mesocheira bicolor (Apinae), Coelioxys sp. (Megachilinae) y Antrax sp. (Diptera). En el Bosque de Galería se presentó la mayor nidificación (72.4 %) y en el Cerrado solamente 27.6 %, de esta forma, hubo diferencias significativas entre los hábitats (χ² = 5.56; p < 0.05; G. L.= 1). Los nidos fundados en el bosque de galería presentaron 80.9 % de sedimento originario del Cerrado. Las hembras fueron significativamente más grandes que los machos (F1, 76 = 595.19; p < 0.001). Hubo 11 tipos de polen pertenecientes a seis familias. Los tipos de polinización de la familia Malpighiaceae fueron los más representativos, con cuatro especies: Byrsonima crassifolia, B. rotunda, B. spicata y Heteropterys sp. C. dichrootricha mostró preferencia por nidificar en cavidades con diámetros variados y en el bosque de galería. El presente estudio contribuye con la descripción de los hábitos de nidificación y la biología de la especie para las áreas de Cerrado en la región centrosur de Maranhão. C. dichrootricha utilizó en su mayoría recursos provenientes del Cerrado, tanto sedimento para construir el nido, como material polínico y aceite floral. Estós datos indican que el bosque de galería y el Cerrado están intrínsecamente relacionados con el mantenimiento y conservación de C. dichrootricha.

Nesting habits of Centris (Hemisiella) dichrootricha (Hymenoptera: Apidae) in the Northern Cerrado of Brazil.

The Neotropical bee Centris (Hemisiella) dichrootricha is a solitary bee that nests in pre-existing cavities that occur in the rain forest. This study describes the nesting biology of C. dichrootricha and its preference for nesting in Cerrado and gallery forest habitats. The study was conducted from January 2012 and December 2013, in Mirador State Park in the municipality of Formosa da Serra Negra, Maranhão State, Brazil. For this, wooden trap-nests of 6, 8, 10, 12, 14 and 16 mm in diameter were used; a total of 300 trap-nests were placed in the gallery forest and Cerrado areas, respectively. Traps were monitored monthly and all completed nests were collected and replaced with empty ones. The nests were then taken to the laboratory to analyze bee development and emergence, nests characteristics and parasites presence. The species used 29 of the trap-nests, which had diameters of 8, 10, 12 and 14 mm. A total of 87 C. dichrootricha specimens emerged. The nests were parasitized by two bee species, Mesocheira bicolor (Apinae) and Coelioxys sp. (Megachilinae), and one fly species, Antrax sp. (Diptera). The highest nesting incidence of 72.4 % was observed in the gallery forest, whereas only 27.6 % in the Cerrado; this difference in habitat use was significant (χ² = 5.56; p < 0.05; DF = 1). For the nests that were built in the gallery forest, 80.9% of the soil originated from the Cerrado. The females were significantly larger than the males (F1, 76 = 595.19; p < 0.001). There were 11 pollen types that belonged to six families. Pollen of the family Malpighiaceae was most frequently used, with four species represented (Byrsonima crassifolia, B. rotunda, B. spicata and Heteropterys sp.). C. dichrootricha showed a preference for nesting in cavities of various diameters in gallery forest sites. The present study provides a novel description of the nesting habits and biology of C. dichrootricha in habitats of Central/Southern Maranhão. C. dichrootricha primarily used resources from the Cerrado, including soil to build their nests, pollen and floral oils; we concluded that gallery forest and Cerrado areas are intrinsically related to the maintenance of local populations of this species.

Apple pomace: a versatile substrate for biotechnological applications.

Apple pomace is the processing waste generated after apple juice manufacturing and represents up to 30% of the original fruit. This solid residue consists of a complex mixture of peel, core, seed, calyx, stem, and soft tissue. This residual material is a poor animal feed supplement because of its extremely low protein content and high amount of sugar. The application of agroindustrial by-products in bioprocesses offers a wide range of alternative substrates, thus helping solve pollution problems related to their disposal. Attempts have been made to use apple pomace to generate several value-added products, such as enzymes, single cell protein, aroma compounds, ethanol, organic acids, polysaccharides, and mushrooms. This article reviews recent developments regarding processes and products that employed apple pomace as a substrate for biotechnological applications.