Extracts from the stem bark of Stryphnodendron adstringens (barbatimão) exhibit relevant medicinal properties, such as anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antimicrobial, and wound-healing activities, which reinforce their potential for developing herbal medicines. The $550 billion plant bioactive market (by 2030) demands safer, green-chemistry-aligned extraction methods for responsible industrial scaling. In this study, dry extracts obtained from the stem bark of S. adstringens were obtained by ultrasound-assisted maceration in one- and two-step extraction systems. Parameters such as yield, solvent evaporation time, cost, acute toxicity, epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) concentration, cell viability, antioxidant potential, and anti-inflammatory activity were evaluated. High-EGCG two-step organic extracts were industrially difficult, needing more raw material and toxic solvents. In contrast, the single-step extracts showed a better balance between yield, cost, safety, and biological efficacy. All extracts showed cell viability above 70% at safe concentrations and significantly reduced the production of inflammatory cytokines. Thus, the results confirm that optimizing single-step extraction, with lower environmental impact solvents, enables producing safe and effective polyphenol-rich extracts, consolidating water as the main candidate for industrial-scale phytotherapeutic formulations of barbatimão, in line with its traditional use in infusions.

Non–conventional food plants (NCFPs) have gained attention as sustainable sources of nutrients and bioactive compounds, while their underutilized edible parts may contribute to food diversification and waste reduction. This study performed a descriptive comparative analysis of the nutritional, mineral, lipid, phenolic, antioxidant, oxalate, and acute toxicity profiles of Xanthosoma sagittifolium (Taioba) cultivated in Brazil. Samples were evaluated for proximate composition; minerals by ICP–OES; Folin–Ciocalteu reducing capacity; antioxidant capacity by ABTS, DPPH, and FRAP; fatty acid profile by GC–FID; oxalic acid content; and toxicity using the Artemia salina bioassay. The leaf blade showed substantially higher protein, total phenolic equivalents, FRAP capacity, and concentrations of several fatty acids, including α–linolenic and linoleic acids, as well as higher levels of most analyzed minerals. Conversely, the petiole exhibited markedly higher moisture, carbohydrates, and potassium. Both fractions demonstrated high dietary fiber content, a predominance of polyunsaturated fatty acids, and low atherogenicity and thrombogenicity indices. Although both fractions contained oxalates—with the leaf blade presenting nearly twice the concentration of the petiole—aqueous extracts of both parts showed no detectable acute lethality in the Artemia salina screening. Overall, the results highlight that Taioba represents a highly valuable nutritional resource. Furthermore, the integral utilization of both the leaf blade and the underutilized petiole offers a complementary, sustainable, zero–waste strategy for dietary diversification, provided that appropriate thermal processing is applied to mitigate oxalate concerns.

The management of complex wounds, such as burns, pressure ulcers, and chronic skin lesions, remains a major healthcare challenge owing to their prolonged healing process and high susceptibility to complications. These injuries frequently require extended hospitalization, increase the incidence of infections and surgical interventions, and compromise patients' functional capacity and quality of life. Furthermore, currently available wound dressings are often constrained by elevated manufacturing costs, inconsistent therapeutic performance, and reliance on imported biomaterials. To address these challenges, a bioactive wound dressing based on Stryphnodendron adstringens (barbatimão), a medicinal plant recognized by the Brazilian Pharmacopoeia for its wound-healing, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antimicrobial properties, was developed. A standardized plant-derived active pharmaceutical ingredient was obtained through an optimized extraction process and successfully incorporated into a biocompatible polymeric matrix. The engineered membrane was designed to recreate an optimal wound microenvironment by maintaining moisture balance, permitting gas exchange, providing a protective barrier against external contaminants, and enabling sustained release of bioactive phytochemicals to prolong their therapeutic action. The developed biomaterials were thoroughly characterized using Attenuated Total Reflectance Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR), X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA), Differential Thermal Analysis (DTA), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), hydration studies, in vitro release assays, mechanical testing, and cytotoxicity evaluation. Overall, the membranes exhibited excellent physicochemical stability, favorable biocompatibility, and efficient incorporation and sustained release of natural bioactive compounds, demonstrating considerable promise for advanced biomedical and wound healing applications.

A simple, precise, and accurate ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectrophotometric method was developed and validated to quantify ciprofloxacin hydrochloride (CIP.HCl) in chitosan films for coating orthopedic implants. Methods were developed to enable quantification in both acidic and basic conditions. The validation parameters were established according to the Resolution of the Collegiate Board (RDC) No. 166, of July 24, 2017, of the Brazilian National Health Regulatory Agency (ANVISA). Samples with CIP.HCl exhibited maximum absorption at 277 nm in acidic medium and 271 nm in basic medium. Linearity was achieved in the concentration range of 2–10 μg mL–1 with a correlation coefficient 0.999 and statistical significance. The relative standard deviation for precision was ≤ 2%. Recovery percentages of the analyte in the films exceeded 98.0%. No matrix effect was identified, and the method demonstrated robustness. The detection limit was 0.11 µg mL–1 for acidic and 0.21 µg mL–1 for basic conditions, while the quantification limit was 0.34 μg mL–1 for acidic and 0.64 µg mL–1 for basic pH.