Potencial Biotecnológico de Myrcia glomerata G.P.Burton & E.Lucas (MYRTACEAE): Perfil Fitoquímico, Atividades Biológicas e Aplicações na Biossíntese Verde de Nanopartículas de Óxido de Cobre

Abstract

The species Myrcia glomerata (Myrtaceae) was investigated in two separate studies, aiming to explore its biological properties and potential applications. In the first study (Chapter 1), the ethanolic extract of the leaves was obtained by ultrasound-assisted extraction, a sustainable technique. Phytochemical analysis revealed the presence of several bioactive compounds, such as steroids, triterpenoids, alkaloids, phenols, tannins, flavonoids and xanthones. The extract demonstrated significant antimicrobial activity, in addition to antioxidant potential and a negative allelopathic effect on lettuce, with no relevant impact on sourgrass and corn. These results indicate its potential for the development of natural products with antimicrobial and antioxidant applications, although additional studies are needed to clarify its allelopathic effect. In the second study (Chapter 2), the aqueous extract of M. glomerata was used in the green synthesis of copper oxide nanoparticles (CuONPs), aiming at sustainable applications in health and agriculture. The CuONPs from M. glomerata showed a hydrodynamic size of 212.4 nm, zeta potential of -20.8 mV and polydispersity index (PDI) of 0.15. However, the antioxidant, antimicrobial and allelopathic activity assays did not show significant results, suggesting the need for further investigations to better understand their biotechnological potential. In summary, the species M. glomerata stands out for its promising bioactive properties, especially in the ethanolic extract, with high antimicrobial and antioxidant activity. The CuONPs synthesized from this species also demonstrated relevant biological effects, albeit with more modest performance under the evaluated conditions, indicating promising pathways for future optimizations. Both studies highlight the importance of future research for the development of sustainable and innovative alternatives from this plant species.