Nectandra as a renewable source for (+)-α-bisabolol, an antibiofilm and anti-Trichomonas vaginalis compound

Essential oils, mixtures of volatile compounds, are targets of research for new antimicrobial drugs. In order to verify the potential from species of the Nectandra genus, the present study evaluated the essential oils from Nectandra amazonum, Nectandra cuspidata, Nectandra gardineri, Nectandra hihua and Nectandra megapotamica to prospect samples with high concentration of a component and its antibacterial, antibiofilm and anti-Trichomonas vaginalis activities. The essential oils from the leaves and barks were extracted by steam distillation and analyzed by gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The concentrations of 10 and 100 μg/mL of the essential oil were evaluated and the inhibition of bacterial growth and biofilm formation were measured, while for the evaluation of anti-T. vaginalis trophozoite viability, the concentrations from 7.8 to 1000 μg/mL were tested. Seventy-three compounds were identified from essential oils, highlighted bicyclogermacrene (up to 49.9%), elemicin (up to 42.4%), intermedeol (up to 58.2%), (E)-asarone (up to 45.9%) and (+)-α-bisabolol (up to 93.7%). The essential oil from N. megapotamica leaves presented 93.7% of (+)-α-bisabolol and demonstrated the high capacity of inhibition of the biofilm formation, in particular, against Staphylococcus aureus methicillin resistant (MRSA) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. This sample also had significant activity against T. vaginalis (IC₅₀ of 98.7 μg/mL) and demonstrated cytotoxic and hemolytic effects in Vero cells and human erythrocytes. In general, the Nectandra genus revealed high chemical variability and a N. megapotamica specimen accumulated a compound on high concentration with great potential for biotechnological exploration as a new antibiofilm and anti-T. vaginalis.