SCREENING OF ACETOGENIN-PRODUCING PLANTS IN BRAZILIAN FLORA - ANNONA AND ROLLINIA SEED OIL AS A SOURCE OF THE BIOACTIVE COMPOUNDS AND SUBPRODUCTS

The acetogenins are strongly bioactive natural compounds present in th e bark, roots, leaves, and seeds of many Annonaceae plants. They are m odified fatty acids and their cytotoxicities have been determined for different biological models including the in vitro growth inhibition o f several human cancer cell lines. Very low acetogenin yield (< 0.1 g% ) has been found previously in native phytobiomass, and we have now in vestigated the nonpredatory exploitation of the seeds as acetogenin so urces characterizing the seed triacylglycerols (dominant fraction; > 9 0% of the whole lipid extracts) as potential valuable by-products. Sup ercritical fluid extraction (SFE) was utilized as an alternative for b oth kinds of lipid biomass, acetogenins and fats, and manipulation of Annona explants for obtaining in vitro callus and/or new plants.