Atividade antioxidante e caracterização química do extrato bruto e volátil das folhas de Echinodorus macrophyllus

Abstract

Brazil holds a vast biodiversity, where many native plants are use empirically without scientific support in popular medicine. Among these plants, Echinodorus macrophyllus stands out, popularly known as leather hat, which is widely used to treat kidney and stomach diseases. In order to deepen studies on this plant little reported in the literature and confirm its prophylaxis, in this study, tests were carry out to determine the chemical composition of the fixed and volatile extracts of E. macrophyllus leaves using the techniques of high-performance liquid chromatography and gas chromatography coupled with mass spectroscopy. Still, the fixed extract was evaluated for its antioxidant potential, through synthetic radical scavenging methods and reduction methods, and antimicrobial potential against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli microorganisms. The results obtained showed a good antioxidant potential, highlighting the iron reduction assay (FRAP), which presented a content of 382.53mgFeSO4g-1 of leaves, while the ABTS method obtained a value of 159,30μmol ET g-1 of leaves. So far there are no reports on the ABTS test in any plant of the gen us Echinodorus, thus highlighting the importance and relevance of this work. HPLC analysis confirmed the presence of chlorogenic acid and, by comparing the absorption profiles and retention time with studies in the literature, the presence of the compounds isoorientin, swertiajaponin and vitexin -2-O- raminoside. In the volatile extract, the compounds phytol and sphatulenol were identified, which are recognized for their biological activities. The analysis of the antimicrobial activity of the crude extract did not show inhibitory potential against the tested microorganisms.