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- Análise preliminar de formulações Ayurvédicas como fonte potencial para cosméticosPublication . Zacharias, Alessandra; Martins, Valter; Paula, Vanessa B.; Morais, Jorge Sá; Sousa, Maria JoãoGhee (manteiga clarificada) é uma preparação Ayurvédica (medicina tradicional indiana) rica em PUFA’s, com potencial anti-inflamatório e antioxidante. Além do uso culinário, é usado em queimaduras, cicatrização e tratamento de doenças cutâneas. Rosmarinus officinalis L. e Rosa spp. apresentam atividades antibacteriana, anti-inflamatória, anti tumoral e antioxidante. Desde a antiguidade, estas plantas são utilizadas medicinalmente e na perfumaria. Com objetivo de avaliação para desenvolvimento de um cosmeceutico inspirado nesta etnofarmacologia, foram preparadas duas emulsões, utilizando, extrato aquoso e lipídico: 1- Alecrim (A); 2- Rosas (R). Foi avaliado o pH inicial A=7,71 e R=7,38 e após 7 dias A=7,75 e R=7,75. Para teste de estabilidade as amostras ficaram em fotoperíodo de luz day-light (16h/dia;8h/escuro), não apresentado alterações nas qualidades organoléticas da formulação mantendo a estabilidade. Na análise de cromatografia gasosa (GC) para deteção dos ácidos gordos verificou-se a presença de ácidos gordos saturados e insaturados nas duas amostras. Na amostra A os ácidos Palmítico, Mirístico e Esteárico foram os com maior expressão; na amostra R foram os ácidos Oléico, Palmítico e Linoleico. Foi testada resistência ás infeções microbiológicas da formulação com Staphylococos aureos, Echerichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa e Candida albicans observando-se sensibilidade a estes agentes o que indica a necessidade de adicionar um conservante para tempos de prateleira longos. Como continuação da investigação pretende-se analisar a composição fitoquímica e bioatividades de extratos e óleos essenciais de novas plantas ayurvedicas, como a Centella asiatica L. para incorporação no cosmético a desenvolver.
- Aromatherapy in the control of stress and anxietyPublication . Dias, Paula; Pedro, Luís G.; Pereira, Olívia R.; Sousa, Maria JoãoBackground: Currently, complementary and alternative medicine emerge as important therapies in the prevention and treatment of various health problems. In view of this, the present study aims to evaluate the efficacy of essential oils in reducing stress and anxiety levels in aromatherapy users, at a clinic of Bragança, Portugal. Methods: A study was performed with 36 individuals divided in two distinct groups: “aroma group” and “control group”. Individuals of "aroma group" were treated with a mixture of essential oils of Lavandula angustifolia Mill and Matricaria recutita L. applied with Effleurage massage while the individuals of "control group" received only Effleurage massage. Stress and anxiety levels of all individuals participating in the study were evaluated before and after the treatment. Additionally, the chemical composition of the essential oils was evaluated by GC and GC-MS. Results: In the aromatherapy assay, the “aroma group” showed a significant decrease of 12% and 30%, in stress and anxiety levels, respectively, in the “control group” this decrease was lower (3.3% and 2.6% for stress and anxiety levels, respectively). Conclusion: In this study, aromatherapy was effective in stress and anxiety levels reduction and linalool, the major compound of the essential oil mixture, may be positively contributing for these effects.
- In vitro culture of Coriandrum sativumPublication . Dias, Maria Inês; Cardoso, Susana M.; Martins, Anabela; Sousa, Maria JoãoCoriander (coriandrum sativumL.) is a plant from the Umbellifera family. In Portugal, the use of coriander plants in gastronomy is very common, like in all the countries in the Mediterranean area. This plant species has also several other applications than as an aromatic plant, such as medicinal, being recommended for dyspeptic complaints, loss of appetite, convulsion, insomnia and anxiety. Moreover, the essential oils and various extracts from coriander have been shown to possess antibacterial, antioxidant, antidiabetic, anticancerous and antimutagenic activities among others, it has also been used as a flavoring agent in food products, perfumes and cosmetics. To study the potential use of this plant all over the year it is Necessary to establish an in vitro system production and to evaluate the better conditions for its growth. In vitro coriander cultures were started from seeds of Coriandrum sativum from a commercial origin. Seeds were inoculated in MS medium containing different concentration Of IBA and BAP. After 6 months of in vitro culture, the plants were separated in two lots named Lot A and B differentiated by their pigmentation (clones with differentiation in flavonoids accumulation), being lot B the less pigmented and lot A the one who presented an higher purple coloration, under the same in vitro growth conditions(nutrition, temperature and light). The growth rates of both lots were determined through fresh and dried weights and evaluating how pigmentation affects these parameters. The mdedium with better growth rates was MS with 0,1mg/L BA and 0,1mg/L BAP; The B lot grew better but have the stationary phase after 3 weeks while the A lot was still growing after 4 weeks but grew slower comparing wit lot B. These results will be used in further studies concerning the essential oils production in each lot.
- Estudo cromatográfico de compostos bioactivos em cultivares e espontâneos de lúpuloPublication . Goes, Hugo; Morais, Jorge Sá; Pedro, Luís G.; Sousa, Maria JoãoEstudo cromatográfico de compostos bioactivos em cultivares e espontâneos de lúpulo Humulus lupulus L. é uma espécie da família Cannabaceae. O Lúpulo é uma planta herbácea, perene, dióica e geralmente diploide (2n = 20). É na produção de cerveja que o lúpulo tem seu maior valor económico a nível internacional, ganhando uma nova projeção recentemente, devido ao aumento da indústria cervejeira artesanal. Devido à produção de compostos com ação bactericida, particularmente contra bactérias Gram-negativas, o lúpulo A demanda por novos aromas aumentou, impulsionada pela expansão da produção de cerveja artesanal em Portugal. Há lúpulos espontâneos em todo o país e a coleta e análise dos aromas desses lúpulos pode levar ao desenvolvimento de variedades novas e mais aromáticas. Sendo a zona de Bragança rica em lúpulos espontâneos, os extractos voláteis e α e β ácidos de lúpulo espontâneo na região de Bragança (Trás-os-Montes) foram analisados e comparados com variedades comerciais (Nugget, Cascate e Chinouke). As amostras foram colhidas em diferentes áreas do distrito de Bragança. Os voláteis foram extraídos dos cones femininos, usando um sistema Likens-Nickerson, e analisados por GC e GC-MS. Os ácidos α e β, de variedades e espontâneos, foram extraídos e analisados por HPLC. Nugget (amargo) e clone espontâneo mostraram semelhanças na componente monoterpenica, com β-mirceno como principal composto (75 e 64%, respectivamente nas cultivares Nugget e espontânea) e diferenças significativas na componente sesquiterpenica, (12% cultivar, 0,2% espontânea) e trans-β-farneseno (não detectado na cultivar Nugget e 9% na espontânea). Destaca-se a maior riqueza da fração sesquiterpênica do clone espontâneo, em especial nos compostos oxigenados. Em relação às análises por HPLC, duas amostras da mesma variedade de cultivares (Nugget), de sítios distintos, foram comparadas com uma amostra de uma amostra espontânea. As cultivares apresentaram valores totais de 12,12% e 14,33% de α-ácidos e 3,31% e 3,99% de β, respectivamente, enquanto a variedade espontânea apresentou 5,35% de α-ácidos e 4,3% de β-ácidos. Os maiores valores, nas cultivares, do componente α e β-ácidos são esperados, uma vez que a cultivar Nugget é caracterizada por um sabor amargo, devido aos ácidos, enquanto que as cultivares aromáticas, mais procuradas pelos fabricantes de cerveja, são valorizadas, pela sua riqueza em aromas (óleos essenciais), por outro lado a riqueza em trans-β-farneseno é determinante, uma vez que é um antioxidante muito importante que pode ter uma boa contribuição para a estabilidade da cerveja.
- Chromatographic analysis of important phytochemicals in aromatic plantsPublication . Guimarães, Rafaela; Barros, Lillian; Carvalho, Ana Maria; Sousa, Maria João; Morais, Jorge Sá; Ferreira, Isabel C.F.R.
- Humulus lupulus L. analysis and comparison of volatile of spontaneous and commercial varieties: phytotherapeutic potentialitiesPublication . Goes, Hugo; Sousa, Maria João; Pedro, Luís G.Humulus lupulus L. is a species in the Cannabaceae family. Hop, as it is commonly known, is a perennial, dioecious and normally diploid (2n = 20) herbaceous plant [1]. It is in beer production that hops have their greatest economic value at the international level. Due to the production of compounds with bactericidal action, in particular against Gramnegative bacteria, the hops came to solve problems related to the conservation of beer [2]. In addition Hops contain compounds that confer sedative, diuretic and antiarthritic properties [3]. In the ethnobotanical use, the dried flowers were used in pillows called "hop pads", to combat insomnia [4]. The use of dried and green hop inflorescences for diuretic uses and disorders of the digestive tract, were verified in the Montesinho park area [5]. In China, alcoholic extracts of hops were used to treat leprosy, tuberculosis and dysentery [2]. Its use in infusions as a tonic, since the middle Ages where it considered a medicinal herb [6]. The results obtained show a certain similarity in the monoterpene component, with β-myrcene as the major compound (more than 64% in cultivar and spontaneous samples) and notorious differences in the sesquiterpene component, evident in cases of α-humulene (12% in cultivars, 0.2% and in spontaneous) and trans-β-farnesene (not detected in cultivars, 9% in spontaneous). Also important is the richness of the sesquiterpene component in spontaneous clone, in particular in the oxygenated compounds. This profile, of both cultivar and spontaneous, shows potential for antiseptic effects in the digestive tract, especially when these are associated with bacteria such as Helicobacter pylori [7], which will be in agreement with ethnobotanical uses of Hop. Since there is spontaneous hops in a large part of Portugal, the collection and analysis of the aromas of these hops may lead to the development of new and more fragrances, with interest in different areas, like beer production or cosmetics. The volatile components extracted from spontaneous hops collected in the Bragança area were analyzed and compared with those of commercial varieties.
- Biomolecule profiles in inedible wild mushrooms with antioxidant valuePublication . Reis, Filipa S.; Pereira, Eliana; Barros, Lillian; Sousa, Maria João; Martins, Anabela; Ferreira, Isabel C.F.R.The use of natural products isolated from mushrooms, included inedible species, against infection, cancer diseases and other oxidative-stress related diseases is one of the cornerstones of modern medicine. In the present work, the antioxidant molecule profiles of inedible mushroom species were evaluated and compared with those of edible species. The order of antioxidant abundance found in inedible wild mushrooms was: phenolics > flavonoids > ascorbic acid > tocopherols > carotenoids, similar to that of edible species. Furthermore the same energetic biomolecules were found including the disaccharide trehalose, the monosaccharide alcohol derivative mannitol and the fatty acids palmitic, oleic and linoleic acids. Fomitopsis pinicola revealed a very high phenolics concentration (388 mg GAE/g extract) and powerful antioxidant properties, mainly reducing power (EC50 value 60 g/mL similar to the standard Trolox®). It could find applications in the prevention of free radical-related diseases as a source of bioactive compounds.
- Macrofungi in Castanea sativa ecosystems on the North-Eastern Trás-os-Montes.Publication . Matos, Mauro; Sousa, Maria João; Baptista, Paula; Dias, Rui; Rodrigues, Paula; Martins, Anabela
- Volatiles from Coriandrum sativum: comparation of in vitro and ex vitro grown plantsPublication . Cardoso, Susana M.; Dias, Maria Inês; Sousa, Maria João; Figueiredo, Ana Cristina; Barroso, José G.; Pedro, Luís G.Coriandrum sativum (coriander) is commonly used, raw or cooked, in Portuguese Gastronomy. Coriander is also used in traditional medicine as a carminative and as a digestive aid. The fruits essential oil is used in food flavouring and in perfumery and is also responsible for the digestive and stimulant effect as well as for fungicide and bactericidal activity.
- Application of Hydralcoholic extracts of Salvia officinalis and Salvia elegans in cosmetic formulationsPublication . Favero, Yonah; Silva, Laryssa da; Almeida, Daiana; Pereira, Olívia R.; Sousa, Maria JoãoSalvia Officinalis and Salvia elegans are shrubs belonging to the genus Salvia, family of the Lamiaceae, easily found in the Mediterranean region, Mexico and Guatemala respectively. In addition to traditional medicine, S. officinalis is of great importance to the pharmaceutical, cosmetic and food industries. (Cuvelier et al., 1996; Martins et al., 1998 in Povh & Ono, 2008), whereas S. elegans is known in cooking as a preservative or flavoring (Pereira et al., 2014). Natural products have increased, discovering new therapeutic indications, meeting the demands of the world population taking into account their quality and safety. In this study, the focus is on phenolic compounds as an active ingredient in an anti-age formulation. Carbopol and methylcellulose-based gel was prepared together with Salvia officinalis and Salvia elegans hydroalcoholic extract as their active principle by performing physical-chemical, organoleptic gel stability tests and performing the eye irritability test (HET-CAM), beyond performing hydrodistillation at Clevenger. The essential oil was extracted by steam entrainment, yielding after 3 hours. The hydroalcoholic principle gels were prepared at three different concentrations, 1.25; 2.5 and 5%, and then tests were performed to evaluate the stability of the product obtained as: light cycles, freeze / thaw cycles, centrifugation and vortexing, pH determination, microbiological analysis and HET-CAM test. According to the results, the pH test showed changes for the two plants containing their gels but never exceeding the ideal limits for the skin, even when exposed to the light cycle, only the color that was changed after 15 days, in the different concentrations. In freezing / thawing tests for Salvia officinalis the methylcellulose gel did not change, the carbopol gel did change the appearance but small changes are acceptable as the samples are subjected to extreme heat (45 ° C) and cold temperatures. (-20 ° C). For Salvia elegans there was a change in appearance and pH, which was also changed in the methylcellulose gel. All pH changes do not lead to considerer the gel as inappropriate. In microbiological tests the oils have a moderate effect, while in the other tests there were no changes. Centrifugation and vortex tests were performed for both gels using both plants with only hydroalcoholic extract at different concentrations and there was no change. All gels had an alcoholic odor during the tests. It can be concluded that carbopol and methylcellulose gel do not appear to have any detrimental effects when used in this cosmetic product, even when used in conjunction with plant essential oil and can therefore be used as an anti-aging formulation. However, the development of more tests is extremely important as toxicity tests, but stability tests already have promising results.