ESTUDO QUÍMICO E ATIVIDADE ANTIFÚNGICA DO ÓLEO ESSENCIAL DA CASCA DO FRUTO DO JATOBÁ-DO-CERRADO (Hymenaea stigonocarpa mart. ex hayne)

Abstract

Brazil is one of the main producers and exporter countries in the global agronomic sector, consequently, one of the largest consumers of agrochemicals in the world, these have caused damage to the environment, human health and non-target organisms. This fact has led to a growing interest in the study of biomolecules with less toxicity, which exercise control over agricultural pests such as phytopathogenic fungi. The species Hymenaea stigonocarpa Mart. Ex Hayne (Fabaceae family), popularly known as jatobá-do-cerrado, has been the subject of scientific study, for exercising several biological activities already proven. In this context, the present study aimed to carry out the chemical study of the essential oil of the fruit peel of the species H. stigonocarpa (OEHS) and to evaluate the antifungal activity on Botrytis cinerea, Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, Aspergillus flavus and Colletotrichum truncatum by causing significant losses in the agronomic sector. In 180 minutes of hydrodistillation, 0.890% yield of essential oil was obtained. 30 compounds were identified in the essential oil of the fruit peel of H. stigonocarpa, 63.41% of which are oxygenated sesquiterpenes, such as spathulenol (25.19%) and caryophyllene oxide (13.33%), representing the major compounds, which have several proven biological activities. OEHS demonstrated antifungal potential against B. cinerea, S. sclerotiorum, A. flavus and C. truncatum in all concentrations evaluated, in a dose-dependent behavior. The most promising results were observed against B. cinerea and A. flavus, in which the lowest concentration tested (10 µLmL-1) inhibited more than 70% of mycelial growth, and the highest concentration (100 µLmL-1) completely inhibited the fungi growth. Taken together, these data assume that the essential oil from the peels fruit of H. stigonocarpa are promising natural sources of new antifungal agents, which have the advantage of being less harmful to the environment and human health. In the light of current knowledge, this work describes for the first time the chemical composition and antifungal activity of OEHS against phytopathogenic fungi B. cinerea and C. truncatum, contributing to the knowledge of the species, as well as its application.