Chemistry and Biological Activity of Essential Oils from Piper claussenianum (Piperaceae)

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