Chemistry and biological activity of essential oils from Piper claussenianum (Piperaceae)

Abstract

Analyses of essential oils obtained from fresh and dried leaves and inflorescences of Piper clausenianum were performed using GC-FID, GC-MS and NMR techniques. Forty compounds were detected for these four oils with the total of identified constituents ranging from 88.7% for the dried inflorescences to 97.7% for the dried leaves. Sesquiterpenes were the main constituents in the volatile fraction from leaves with a high percentage of (E)-nerolidol (up to 83%). However, monoterpenes were identified in greater amount in the inflorescences, with linalool percentages from 50% up. The essential oils from fresh leaves and inflorescences were submitted to anti-parasitic activity against a strain of Leishmania amazonensis. Both samples showed biological activity, but the essential oil from P. claussenianum fresh leaves, which was rich in (E)-nerolidol, showed effective growth inhibition of L. amazonensis due to the high percentage of this metabolite in the mixture.