The phytochemical investigation of Muehlenbeckia tamnifolia, collected in Loja-Ecuador, led to the isolation of nine known compounds identified as: lupeol acetate (1); cis-p-coumaric acid (2); lupeol (3); β-sitosterol (4) trans-p-coumaric acid (5); linoleic acid (6) (+)-catechin (7); afzelin (8) and quercitrin (9). The structures of the isolated compounds were determined based on analysis of NMR and MS data, as well as comparison with the literature. The hypoglycemic activity of crude extracts and isolated compounds was assessed by the ability to inhibit α-amylase and α-glucosidase enzymes. The hexane extract showed weak inhibitory activity on α-amylase, with an IC₅₀ value of 625 µg·mL⁻¹, while the other extracts and isolated compounds were inactive at the maximum dose tested. The results on α-glucosidase showed more favorable effects; the hexanic and methanolic extracts exhibited a strong inhibitory activity with IC₅₀ values of 48.22 µg·mL⁻¹ and 19.22 µg·mL⁻¹, respectively. Four of the nine isolated compounds exhibited strong inhibitory activity with IC₅₀ values below 8 µM, much higher than acarbose (377 uM). Linoleic acid was the most potent compound (IC₅₀ = 0.42 µM) followed by afzelin, (+)-catechin and quercitrin.

Ecuador owns many high quantity and wealthy ecosystems that contain an elevated biodiversity in flora and fauna. The use of native medicinal plants has been maintained by at least 18 different indigenous cultures; furthermore, this country has been the witness of the discovery of important medicinal plants, such as Cinchona, and is an understudied resource of new natural products. The objective of this review is to update the ethnopharmacological and phytochemical studies accomplished on the Ecuadorian flora, pointing to the 253 native families and more than 15,000 species registered at present.

Scutellaria volubilis and Lepechinia paniculata belong to the Lamiaceae family of species. They are used widely in traditional medicine in Ecuador. The physical properties and chemical composition of the essential oils from the aerial part of Scutellaria volubilis in its foliation – flowering stage and Lepechinia paniculata in its flowering phase have been studied after their hydrodistillation. The components of these essential oils were investigated by means of gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) and gas chromatography/flame ionization detection (GC/FID) techniques. Thirty-seven components were determined in the essential oil of S. volubilis. The principal constituents were found to be sesquiterpene hydrocarbons: germacrene D (20.4%), β-caryophyllene (17.5%), α-humulene (14.7%) and β-bisabolene (5.8%). Thirty-four components were identified in the essential oil of L. paniculata, the principal groups were sesquiterpene hydrocarbons such as aromadendrene (24.6%), viridiflorene (12.4%), β-selinene (7.4%) and valencene (6.7%). The monoterpene hydrocarbons were present in lower amounts as well as β-phellandrene (6.9%) and (7.7%). Oxygenated monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes contribute below 5% in both species. This is the first report on the chemical composition of this species.

Croton ferrugineus Kunth is an endemic species of Ecuador used in traditional medicine both for wound healing and as an antiseptic. In this study, fresh Croton ferrugineus leaves were collected and subjected to hydrodistillation for extraction of the essential oil. The chemical composition of the essential oil was determined by gas chromatography equipped with a flame ionization detector and gas chromatography coupled to a mass spectrometer using a non-polar and a polar chromatographic column. The antibacterial activity was assayed against three Gram-positive bacteria, one Gram-negative bacterium and one dermatophyte fungus. The radical scavenging properties of the essential oil was evaluated by means of DPPH and ABTS assays. The chemical analysis allowed us to identify thirty-five compounds representing more than 99.95% of the total composition. Aliphatic sesquiterpene hydrocarbon trans-caryophyllene was the main constituent with 20.47 ± 1.25%. Other main compounds were myrcene (11.47 ± 1.56%), β-phellandrene (10.55 ± 0.02%), germacrene D (7.60 ± 0.60%), and α-humulene (5.49 ± 0.38%). The essential oil from Croton ferrugineus presented moderate activity against Candida albicans (ATCC 10231) with an MIC of 1000 μg/mL, a scavenging capacity SC₅₀ of 901 ± 20 µg/mL with the ABTS method, and very strong antiglucosidase activity with an IC₅₀ of 146 ± 20 µg/mL.

The MeOH extract of Piper ecuadorense Sodiro, Piperaceae, was chosen for metabolite isolation and elucidation due to the strong antifungal activity exhibited, measured by means of the broth microdilution method. Two known flavonoids: pinostrobin (1) and pinocembrin (2) were isolated from 4.16g. of dichloromethane extract by column chromatography, using a gradient of hexane/EtOAc. A total of 20mg of 1 were obtained from the fraction eluted with hexane-EtOAc 95:5v/v, and 100mg of 2 were obtained from the fraction eluted with hexane-EtOAc 85:15v/v. The MIC values of the MeOH extract was 31.25μg/mL for Trichophyton mentagrophytes ATCC® 28185 and 62.5μg/mL for Trichophyton rubrum ATCC® 28188. The MIC value of pinocembrin was 125μg/mL for Trichophyton mentagrophytes ATCC® 28185 and Trichophyton rubrum ATCC® 28188. Pinostrobin in antifungal test was not active against fungi tested

The essential oil of aerial parts of Baccharis latifolia (asteraceae) growing wild in Ecuador was obtained by hydrodistillation and analyzed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) and GC/flame ionization detector (GC/FID). Twenty-nine compounds, representing 90.91% of the oil, were identified. The major components were limonene (33.72%), -phellandrene (10.32%), sabinene (10.28%), β-pinene (6.99%) and α-pinene (5.44%). The antifungal and antibacterial activities were determined by the broth microdilution method. The essential oil from B. latifolia exhibited activity only against Trichophyton rubrum (ATCC 28188) and Trichophyton mentagrophytes (ATCC 28185).