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As árvores e florestas urbanas são elementos de grande influência na melhoria da qualidade de vida populacional, proporcionando benefícios psicológicos, ecológicos, econômicos e estéticos. Por meio de um inventário arbóreo é possível mensurar a diversidade arbórea presente em uma Floresta Urbana. Dessa forma, o presente estudo tem como objetivo elaborar uma lista de espécies arbóreas presentes na Floresta Urbana de São José dos Campos/SP e um mapa da localização dessas espécies que funcione como um inventário qualitativo da diversidade arbórea. O estudo foi realizado em São José dos Campos/SP e, com os dados obtidos, foi elaborada uma lista das espécies com nome popular e científico, família e origem e um mapa interativo com as mesmas informações, as coordenadas geográficas e foto dos indivíduos arbóreos. Foram identificadas 249 espécies arbóreas, sendo 106 espécies exóticas e 143 nativas, das quais 37 são endêmicas do Brasil. Constatou-se que São José dos Campos/SP apresenta uma satisfatória diversidade de espécies arbóreas, das quais a maior parte são nativas, corroborando com o recomendado por especialistas da área. Além disso, o inventário da diversidade arbórea comprova-se como base indispensável para um plano de manejo adequado e o mapa da diversidade arbórea é capaz de atuar como ferramenta de apoio para atividades de educação ambiental. Palavras-chave: Arborização Urbana. Inventário. Biodiversidade.

RESUMO Cyrtocymura scorpioides (sin. Vernonia scorpioides (Lam.) Pers.), Piracá é utilizada popularmente para tratamento de úlceras, traumatismos, candidíase, processos inflamatórios e dores musculares. Objetivou-se verificar nas plantas cultivadas na Vila Nair, Jardim São Dimas e Urbanova em São José dos Campos - SP, a influência da poluição veicular nos rendimentos da matéria seca (folhas), no óleo essencial, e no extrato bruto, bem como a ação citotóxica em células HEP-2 e L929, e identificar os componentes do óleo essencial e ação fungicida em Candida albicans. As estacas (54) foram cultivadas durante 6 meses em solo + adubo (2:1) na Universidade do Vale do Paraíba - UNIVAP, e distribuídas nas estações Dutra (E1 - tráfego intenso), Teotônio (E2 - tráfego médio) e Urbanova (E3 - tráfego baixo), onde 18 mudas foram cultivadas durante 6 meses, sendo 3 repetições de 6 plantas. O óleo essencial foi extraído por hidrodestilação e seus componentes identificados por cromatografia gasosa acoplado a espectrômetro de massas (CG-MS), através de indice de similaridade com a base de espectros Wiley L. O extrato bruto foi concentrado por rotavapor. A ação fúngica foi avaliada pelo teste de difusão em disco e a citotoxicidade pelo teste MTT. Em Urbanova (E3) verificouse maior rendimento da matéria seca, do extrato bruto e do óleo essencial. Identificou-se no óleo essencial: ß-cariofileno, α-cariofileno, germacreno D, delta-cadineno e cariofileno. O Óleo Essencial possui possui baixa ação fungicida em C. albicans, enquanto o extrato hidroalcóolico se mostrou citotóxico para L929 e HEp-2. ABSTRACT Cyrtocymura scorpioides (syn. Vernonia scorpioides (Lam.) Pers.), known as Piracá, is popularly used for the treatment of ulcers, trauma, candidiasis, inflammatory disorders, and muscle pain. This study aimed to assess the influence of vehicular pollution on the yield of dry matter (leaves), essential oil, and crude extract, and the cytotoxic action in HEP-2 and L929 cells. This study also aimed to identify the components of the essential oil, and verify its fungicidal action against Candida albicans in plants grown in Vila Nair, Jardim São Dimas, and Urbanova, São José dos Campos - SP, Brazil. The seedlings (54) were grown in soil + fertilizer (2:1) at the Universidade do Vale do Paraiba - UNIVAP, and distributed to different stations, Dutra (E1 - heavy traffic), Teotônio (E2 - medium traffic), and Urbanova (E3 - low traffic), where 18 seedlings were cultivated for 6 months, with 3 replicates of 6 plants. The essential oil was extracted by hydrodistillation and its components were identified by by Gas chromatography - mass spectrometry (GC-MS), with a similarity index computed using the Wiley L spectra. The crude extract was concentrated in a Buchi Rotary Evaporator R-114, the fungicidal action and cytoptoxicity were evaluated using the disk diffusion method and the MTT test, respectively. In Urbanova (E3), high yields of dry matter, crude extract, and essential oil were obtained. The following components were identified in the oil: ß-caryophyllene, α -caryophyllene, germacrene D, delta-cardinene, and caryophyllene oxide. The oil was found to have low fungicidal action against C. albicans, while the hydroalcoholic extract was cytotoxic to L929 and HEP-2.

Acmella oleracea is a plant species belonging to the Asteraceae family, native to the Amazon that has broad therapeutic and culinary use. Several secondary metabolites and your bioactive component spilanthol have been associated with its medicinal effects. This study aims to evaluate the leaf extract of A. oleracea for therapeutic purposes. When applied to both cell cultures HEp-2 neoplastic cells and L929 fibroblast cells, the increasing extract concentrations yielded a significant reduction in cell viability using ANOVA test with Significance of P ≤ 0.05 (*), Very Significant P ≤ 0.01 (***) and Extremely Significant P ≤ 0.001 (****), causing visible damage to cytoskeleton actin filaments. The cytotoxicity of the A. oleracea leaf extract may be associated with other components, including flavonoids. Thus, A. oleracea has a great cytotoxic activity on tumoral cells and can be considered for future antitumor therapy. However, because of its toxicity to non-tumoral cells, it is essential to evaluate the efficacy of each extract sub-fraction compound, alerting the population for the traditional use of the plant that can cause damage for the consumer.

Objective The objective of this study was to review the effects of the Matricaria recutita (L.) in the treatment of oral mucositis. Methodology The online search was performed in the period from June 2016 to April 2018 by means of databases LILACS (Latin American and Caribbean Center on Health Sciences Information), SciELO (Scientific Electronic Library Online), and MEDLINE (Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online). The consultation was restricted to the years 1991 to 2018 with the aim of elucidating the effects of Matricaria recutita in the treatment of oral mucositis. Results The final sample consisted of 21 studies, of which 10 were developed in animals and 11 in humans, published from 1991 to 2017, with a total sample of 644 patients. The total number of patients treated with Matricaria included in 11 studies was 364, while in the control groups the total number was 280. In experimental studies, animal models used were rats and the sample size ranged between 36 and 105 animals submitted to the induction of oral mucositis, where 4 studies used an intraperitoneal injection of 5-fluorouracil, while 7 induced lesion in the mucosa. From the data collected, it should be noted that both studies with humans and with animals showed significant effects. In this way, there is strong evidence for the discussion on the therapy; however, it should be noted that more studies are developed in order to clarify the most appropriate protocol for the prevention and treatment of injuries. Conclusion According to the results found in this study, Matricaria recutita appeared to be a promising alternative for the treatment of oral mucositis. However, due to the great variability in the various types of intervention, more controlled double-blind randomized clinical studies are necessary to ensure the best protocol for treating oral mucositis.

Pereskia aculeata Mill., Cactaceae, is a cactus with high mucilage production, well-known for its nutritional properties. Folk use consists on skin injuries, and mucilage is probably involved in the wound healing activity. This work studied some aspects of its cultivation, specifically regarding soil (substrate), to correlate the effects of nutritional content to mucilage production and to the wound-healing property. Plants were grown under five different soil treatment (sand, crude soil, sand and soil, sand and cattle manure, soil and cattle manure), and after eight months extracts were prepared by turbo-extraction to obtain a crude hydroethanolic extract. We evaluated the effects of these extracts on swelling index, cytotoxicity, and in vitro wound healing property. The results show that the substrate used in cultivation may interfere with mucilage production, but not with cytotoxicity and wound healing, this shows the safety of its use, despite the soil treatment received along the various biomes where P. aculeata is cultivated. Furthermore, morphological studies demonstrated the beneficial effect of the mucilage-containing extract on the fibroblast cell culture, corroborating its folk use for wound healing. Keywords: Cactus cultivation, Cytotoxicity, Mucilage, Ora-pro-nobis, Physiologic growth parameters, Wound healing

Numerous natural products have pharmacological activity such that many biologically active compounds have led to the development of cancer chemotherapy drugs. Spilanthes acmella (Asteraceae) is widely cultivated in the State of Para, Brazil, being employed in folk medicine for its anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antioxidant, analgesic, insecticide, and larvicidal properties. However, its cytotoxicity and influence on actin cytoskeleton organisation in tumour cell lines are practically nonexistent. We have verified the cytotoxicity of a hydroethanolic extract of the inflorescence of S. acmella, and examined its effects on the cytoskeleton of tumour cells. Decreasing concentrations of the extract (250, 500 and 1,000 µg/mL) were given to cultures of neoplastic cells (HEp-2). Cytotoxicity was assessed by the MTT test, and the influence on cytoskeleton organisation was examined by fluorescence microscopy. The IC50 of the hydroethanolic extract was 513 µg/mL, confirming the data obtained from the MTT assay that gave high cytotoxicity. The actin cytoskeleton arrangement of HEp2 cells at 500 and 1,000 µg/mL showed depolymerisation of the filaments, causing loss of morphology and consequently compromising cell adhesion.

Jardim sensorial é um espaço para aguçar os cinco sentidos. Objetivou-se elaborar um manual para docentes do ensino fundamental II, propondo a implantação de um Jardim Sensorial como atividade lúdica e como ferramenta no processo de ensino-aprendizagem dos conteúdos de morfologia vegetal. Foi realizado um levantamento bibliográfico sobre jardim sensorial, ensino de ciências e botânica. O manual é constituído por cinco partes: 1) O que é um Jardim Sensorial, 2) Construção do Jardim Sensorial, 3) Atividades lúdicas, 4) Atividades de morfologia vegetal, 5) Planta baixa. As atividades lúdicas são as que já são utilizadas nos jardins sensoriais, e as de morfologia vegetal são alicerçadas na observação, levantamento de hipóteses e discussão. A planta baixa possibilita ao docente a visualização do que está sendo proposto. Conclui-se que o manual auxiliará na prática docente, promoverá a conscientização da importância da interação do homem com o meio ambiente, e a construção de conhecimentos de morfologia vegetal de forma lúdica e dinâmica para o aluno.

A especie Foeniculum vulgare Mill. conhecida popularmente como funcho ou falsa erva-doce, apresenta oleos essenciais em sua composicao, onde esta contido o principio ativo que caracteriza a acao estomatica, diuretica, carminativa, anti-inflamatoria, bactericida e espasmolitica da planta. Por esses efeitos, pelo seu facil acesso a populacao e pelo baixo custo, foi verificado que seu consumo vem aumentando significativamente entre a populacao e, diante disso, observa-se a necessidade de intensificar a fiscalizacao quanto ao controle da qualidade desses chas, objetivando maior seguranca no uso e maior garantia dos efeitos desejados. A qualidade de amostras de funcho, comercializadas na cidade de Sao Jose dos Campos, foi avaliada por determinacao de material estranho, determinacao do teor de oleos essenciais, determinacao de umidade e cinzas totais, alem da analise das informacoes contidas nos rotulos. Para esses testes, foram adquiridas 5 marcas comerciais diferentes da erva, comercializadas em diferentes estabelecimentos da cidade. Parte das amostras analisadas estava em desacordo com a legislacao vigente e com a Farmacopeia Brasileira 5a Ed., destacando as falhas quanto ao controle de qualidade desses produtos em todos os aspectos analisados .

Numerous natural products have pharmacological activity such that many biologically active compounds have led to the development of cancer chemotherapy drugs. Spilanthes acmella (Asteraceae) is widely cultivated in the State of Pará, Brazil, being employed in folk medicine for its anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antioxidant, analgesic, insecticide, and larvicidal properties. However, its cytotoxicity and influence on actin cytoskeleton organisation in tumour cell lines are practically nonexistent. We have verified the cytotoxicity of a hydroethanolic extract of the inflorescence of S. acmella, and examined its effects on the cytoskeleton of tumour cells. Decreasing concentrations of the extract (250, 500 and 1,000 µg/mL) were given to cultures of neoplastic cells (HEp-2). Cytotoxicity was assessed by the MTT test, and the influence on cytoskeleton organisation was examined by fluorescence microscopy. The IC50 of the hydroethanolic extract was 513 µg/mL, confirming the data obtained from the MTT assay that gave high cytotoxicity. The actin cytoskeleton arrangement of HEp2 cells at 500 and 1,000 µg/mL showed depolymerisation of the filaments, causing loss of morphology and consequently compromising cell adhesion.