Comparison of Anti-Oxidant Activities and Exhaustive Extraction Yields between Wild and Cultivated Cyclamen persicum, Malva sylvestris and Urtica pilulifera Leaves.

Antioxidant activity of natural compounds in food and in dietary supplements plays an important role in healthy life. Scientific evidences suggest that antioxidants reduce the risk for chronic diseases including cancer, diabetes mellitus and heart diseases. The antioxidant activity of wild Cyclamen persicum, Malva sylvestris and Urtica pilulifera leaves and their cultivated species were studied using 2, 2-diphenylpicrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity and compared to Trolox antioxidant activity. The exhaustive extractions yields for these samples were estimated by using polar and nonpolar solvents. The results showed that the wild Cyclamen persicum, Malva sylvestris and Urtica pilulifera leaves have higher exhaustive extraction yield and as well the higher antioxidant activity (IC50) comparing with their cultivated species. Both of cultivated, as well the wild natural growing forms of Cyclamen persicum, Malva sylvestris and Urtica pilulifera are a good source for natural foods supplements, pharmaceutical industry purposes and for organic food rich with antioxidant compounds.

Indução de florescimento de plantas de ciclâmen após a aplicação de GA3 / Flowering induction of cyclamen plants after applying GA3

A floricultura brasileira vem se destacando como alternativa econômica de cultivo agrícola. Uma das dificuldades de expansão desta atividade é o baixo consumo destes produtos pelos brasileiros, o que em parte pode ser explicado pelo seu alto custo. A aplicação de reguladores de crescimento pode reduzir este custo e aumentar a qualidade das plantas envasadas. Neste contexto, a giberelina tem mostrado atuar na indução de florescimento e na antecipação da antese. O ciclâmen (Cyclamen persicum Mill.) é uma planta ornamental cultivada em vaso que apresenta alto custo de produção. Assim, objetivou-se com este trabalho avaliar o efeito da aplicação do ácido giberélico (GA3) sobre o florescimento de ciclâmen. O experimento foi conduzido em área de produção comercial de ciclâmen localizada no município de Quatro Barras (PR). Duas cultivares de ciclâmen, cv. Concerto Scarlet 'Caruso'® e Concerto Purple 'Papagenoa'® foram tratadas com GA3 a 0, 15, 30, 45 e 60mgL-1. Os tratamentos foram distribuídos em delineamento inteiramente casualizado, com arranjo fatorial (2x5). Melhores resultados foram observados na cultivar Concerto Scarlet 'Caruso'® com 45 mgL-1 de GA3 e na cultivar Concerto Purple 'Papagenoa'® com 30 mgL-1 de GA3. Em ambas as cultivares foi observado efeito fitotóxico quando foi aplicado 60 mgL-1 de GA3..

Brazilian floriculture has demonstrated to be an economical alternative as agricultural crop. One of the difficulties for the expansion of this local activity is the low consumption of these products by Brazilians, which may be partially explained by its high cost. Plant growth regulators might reduce this cost and increase quality. Cyclamen (Cyclamen persicum Mill.) is an ornamental plant cultivated in vase with high production cost. The aim of this trial was to evaluate the effects of gibberellic acid (GA3) on the cyclamen flowering. It was performed in a grower, located in Quatro Barras, Paraná State, Brazil. Two cyclamen cultivars were evaluated, Concerto Scarlet 'Caruso'™ and Concerto Purple 'Papagenoa'™, with GA3 at 0, 15, 30, 45 and 60 mgL-1. Better results were observed for Concerto Scarlet 'Caruso'™ with 45 mgL-1 and Concerto Purple 'Papagenoa'™ with 30 mgL-1 of GA3. Both cultivars showed fitotoxic effects at 60 mgL-1 of GA3.