With the increase in deaths caused by microorganisms, whether due to antibiotic resistance,
the emergence of new diseases, and the high transmission by insect vectors of diseases, there
is a need to develop alternative treatments. In this sense, the use of plants from neotropical
regions has emerged as a promising form of bioprospecting for new molecules due to the high
biodiversity of this region. Plants such as Siparuna guianensis and Chiococca alba have been
studied for their chemical composition compounds that act against these targets. The essential
oil of S. guianensis has the molecules Germacrene B and D in its composition, which showed
excellent results in the molecular docking tests performed and in the control of pathogenic
bacteria (i.e., Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and
Streptococcus pyogenes). In sílico analysis indicated high affinity between some main
components of the essential oil (e.g., Germacrene B) and active sites of bacterial DNA and
RNA polymerases, which indicates possible damage to the replication processes of pathogenic
bacterial cells. At the same time, with high volatility in the control of vector insects such as
Aedes aegypti and Culex quinquefasciatus, the use of encapsulation techniques is necessary
to increase their larvicidal potential. There was a continuous release of essential oil during the
period of contact with the larvae, and particle OS1:3, at a concentration of 1.667 mg/cm³,
presented mortality of 50% over 16 days, thus increasing the larvicidal capacity concerning the
essential oil in nature, in front of the 3rd instar larvae of A. aegypti and C. quinquefasciatus.
Bioassays with microparticles still proved safe for nontarget zebrafish. Another potential target
of neotropical plants is the control of the Sars-CoV-2 virus. The methanol extract of C. alba
showed promise in laboratory tests, showing a high selectivity index for controlling infection of
Vero E6 cells against Sars-CoV-2. In silico studies have shown that naringin and vitexin bind
to ACE2 x Spike receptors with better energy affinity values. Clinical trials with humans showed
that the sachet and tea prepared from the roots of C. alba, at the end of the treatment, showed
a significant number of patients with negative RT-PCR tests and a reduction in clinical
symptoms. These products had no adverse reactions to humans, with promising results
against Sars-Cov-2. Therefore, we can say that the results found are promising in the
bioprospecting of new molecules, thus demonstrating the importance of studying new
applications for plants from the neotropical region.
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