Fabrício G. Sousa, Naira F. Z. Schneider, Caroline E. Mendes, Neusa F. de Moura* and Rosiane B.N. Denardin, Renata Matuo and Mario S. Mantovani

Abstract: The essential oil composition obtained from the leaves of Casearia sylvestris has been investigated by GC and GC/MS. Thirty-seven compounds were identified in the oil. The major constituents of which were β-caryophyllene (27.5%) and bicyclogermacrene (24.2%). The clastogenic and anticlastogenic effect of the oil was tested by chromosome aberration in cells of tissue hepatoma of Rattus novergicus.The three different concentrations of C. sylvestris oil showed clastogenic effects. However, in the tests of anticlastogenicity, the same three concentrations showed protective activity when associated with ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS).

<i>Casearia sylvestris</i> Swart. (Flacourtiaceae), locally called “Guaçatonga” (1), is a plant that grows in South America. It has been used in Brazilian folk medicine as an anti-snake venom (2) and for its analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties (3). Pre-clinical studies demonstrated that a crude extract of the fresh or dried leaves of <i>C. sylvestris</i> was found to protect the mucosa of the rat stomach (4) and the clerodone isolated from this species showed antitumoral activity (5). The essential oil of <i>C. sylvestris</i> has been reported to possess gastric antiulcer and anti-inflammatory activities (6). The present work describes the chemical analysis and clastogenic and anticlastogenic effects of the leaf oil from <i>Casearia sylvestris</i>.