Toxicity of Heavy Metals that Affect Germination, Development and Cell Cycle of Allium cepa L.

This study aimed to investigate the impact of heavy metals copper, cadmium, lead, aluminum and nickel, on the growth, physiology, metabolism, and cell cycle of Allium cepa L. Five treatments with increasing concentrations (0, 50, 100, 250, and 500 µM) were applied to the seeds. The results showed that the highest concentrations of copper and cadmium had phytotoxic and biochemical effects on the onion. Additionally, copper concentrations caused an increase in mitodepressive effect and chromosomal abnormalities. Aluminum also induced several chromosomal abnormalities. The study found that Cd > Cu > Pb > Ni > Al and Cu > Al > Ni > Pb > Cd had the highest phytotoxic and cytotoxic potentials, respectively. Furthermore, the UPGMA method revealed three divergent groups. These results suggest that heavy metals, especially copper, have a significant pollution potential when present in high concentrations.

Tandem Transesterification-Esterification Reactions Using a Hydrophilic Sulfonated Silica Catalyst for the Synthesis of Wintergreen Oil from Acetylsalicylic Acid Promoted by Microwave Irradiation.

SiO2-SO3H, with a surface area of 115 m2/g and pore volume of 0.38 cm3g-1, and 1.32 mmol H+/g was used as a 20% w/w catalyst for the preparation of methyl salicylate (wintergreen oil or MS) from acetylsalicylic acid (ASA). A 94% conversion was achieved in a microwave reactor over 40 min at 120 °C in MeOH. The resulting crude product was purified by flash chromatography. The catalyst could be reused three times.

Vitamin C and total phenols quantification in calli of native passion fruit induced by combinations of Picloram and Kinetin / Quantificação de vitamina C e fenóis totais em calos de maracujazeiro nativo induzidos por combinações de Picloram e Cinetina

Brazil is one of the center of origin of passion fruit and has an important natural variability of the genus Passiflora. Several wild species of this genus are resistant to some pests and diseases and many are considered as medicinal. The aim of this research was to induce callus from in vitro Passiflora gibertii leaf explants for quantification of vitamin C and total phenols. Once the appropriate auxin/cytokine balance promotes callus formation and may optimize the production of secondary compounds and vitamins, calli were induced using a half-strength MS medium with a combination of the auxin Picloran (PIC) and the cytokine Kinetin (KIN). The vitamin C and total phenols were quantified by colorimetric methods from calli after different culture periods. The calli induction was strongly dependent of the combination PIC/KIN. It was observed high vitamin C content (94.8mg 100g-1) during the calli induction period in MS+4.14µM PIC+ 0.207µM KIN. Higher PIC/KIN concentrations promoted an increase in the vitamin C content after three subcultures. The higher PIC (8.28µM)/KIN (0.828µM) concentration was the higher was the total phenols production (66mg tannic acid 100g-1 of fresh callus) during the calli induction period.

O Brasil é um dos centros de origem do maracujazeiro e possui uma importante variabilidade natural do gênero Passiflora. Muitas espécies selvagens desse gênero são resistentes a algumas pragas e doenças e várias são consideradas medicinais. O objetivo deste trabalho foi induzir calos in vitro a partir de folhas de Passiflora gibertii para a quantificação de vitamina C e fenóis totais. Uma vez que o balanço adequado entre auxina/citocinina promove a formação de calos e pode otimizar a produção de compostos secundários e vitaminas, calos foram induzidos em meio MS meia-força com uma combinação da auxina Picloram e da citocinina Cinetina, todos na ausência de luz. O teor de vitamina C e de fenóis totais foi quantificado por métodos colorimétricos após diferentes períodos de cultivo dos calos. A indução de calos foi fortemente influenciada pela combinação de Picloram/Cinetina. Foi observado um alto teor de vitamina C (94,8mg 100g-1) durante o período de indução de calos em MS+4,14µM de Picloram+0,207µM de Cinetina. Altas concentrações de Picloram/Cinetina conduzem a um aumento no teor de vitamina C após três subcultivos. Quanto maior a concentração de Picloram (8,28µM)/Cinetina (0,828µM), maior é a produção de fenóis (66mg de ácido tânico 100g-1 de calos) totais durante o período de indução de calos.

Growth curve, biochemical profile and phytochemical analyses in calli obtained from the procambium segments of Bacupari

Garcinia brasiliensis, popularly known as Bacupari, is native to the Amazon and commonly used in folk medicine for its therapeutic properties. This plant is rich in bioactive compounds like benzophenones. However, there are no works about the in vitro establishment and achievement of secondary metabolites in this plant. Thus, the aim of this work was to determine the growth curve and to perform the biochemical and phytochemical analyses in calli obtained from the procambium segments of Bacupari. The growth curve of calli followed a sigmoidal pattern, with four distinct phases (lag, exponential, linear, deceleration). Total soluble sugars were higher on the inoculation day and the reducing sugars on the 20 th day. Amino acids increased from the 60 th day up to the stabilization on the 120 th day. The protein content varied, but it seemed to be related to the amino acids metabolism. The phytochemical screening showed the presence of phenolic and flavonoid compounds in the calli and the HPLC analysis allowed the identification of Fukugetin, Guttiferone A and 7-epiclusianone.