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Review
. 2020 Aug 6;10(8):1155.
doi: 10.3390/biom10081155.

Essentials Oils from Brazilian Eugenia and Syzygium Species and Their Biological Activities

Jamile S da Costa  1 , Ellen de Nazaré S da Cruz  2 , William N Setzer  3   4 , Joyce Kelly do R da Silva  5 , José Guilherme S Maia  1   6 , Pablo Luis B Figueiredo  7
Affiliations
Review

Essentials Oils from Brazilian Eugenia and Syzygium Species and Their Biological Activities

Jamile S da Costa et al. Biomolecules. .

Abstract

The Eugenia and Syzygium genera include approximately 1000 and 1800 species, respectively, and both belong to the Myrtaceae. Their species present economic and medicinal importance and pharmacological properties. Due to their chemical diversity and biological activity, we are reporting the essential oils of 48 species of these two genera, which grow in South America and found mainly in Brazil. Chemically, a total of 127 oil samples have been described and displayed a higher intraspecific and interspecific diversity for both Eugenia spp. and Syzygium spp., according to the site of collection or seasonality. The main volatile compounds were sesquiterpene hydrocarbons and oxygenated sesquiterpenes, mainly with caryophyllane and germacrane skeletons and monoterpenes of mostly the pinane type. The oils presented many biological activities, especially antimicrobial (antifungal and antibacterial), anticholinesterase, anticancer (breast, gastric, melanoma, prostate), antiprotozoal (Leishmania spp.), antioxidant, acaricidal, antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory. These studies can contribute to the rational and economic exploration of Eugenia and Syzygium species once they have been identified as potent natural and alternative sources to the production of new herbal medicines.

Keywords: Eugenia spp; Myrtaceae; Syzygium spp; biological properties; essential oil variability; mono- and sequiterpenes.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure A1
Figure A1
Major monoterpene constituents found in Eugenia and Syzygium essentials oils.
Figure A2
Figure A2
Major sesquiterpene hydrocarbons found in Eugenia and Syzygium essentials oils.
Figure A3
Figure A3
Major oxygenated sesquiterpenes found in Eugenia and Syzygium essentials oils.
Figure A3
Figure A3
Major oxygenated sesquiterpenes found in Eugenia and Syzygium essentials oils.
Figure A4
Figure A4
Other major constituents found in Eugenia and Syzygium essentials oils.
Figure 1
Figure 1
Geographical distribution in South America of Eugenia and Syzygium specimens based on their essential oil studies. This map was built by the authors using the information of the plant occurrence, available in each bibliographic reference. Abbreviation list: BR: Brazil, VE: Venezuela, CO: Colombia.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Distribution of reports on biological activity of Eugenia and Syzygium species.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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