Extração do óleo de lavanda e avaliação de sua atividade citotóxica/antitumoral

Abstract

Lavender is a plant from the Mediterranean region, which includes 39 species of the genus Lavandula. In Brazil, the species that has the best adaptation to the climate is Lavandula dentata, known as lavender. The flower has been widely studied due to its therapeutic and aromatic properties of analgesic, anti-inflammatory, sedative and antitumor characteristics due to its content of phenolic compounds that confer antioxidant activity. The aim of the present study was to extract the volatile compounds of L. dentata by hydrodistillation via Clevenger and by supercritical technology, quantify their bioactive compounds and evaluate their cytotoxic potentials in human liver tumor cells (Huh7.5). The hydrodistillation via Clevenger used water with solvent, atmospheric pressure, temperature of ~100 ºC, time of 3 hours and obtained a yield of 0.96±0.04. Supercritical fluid extraction was performed in Spe-ed SFE, pressure of 180 bar, temperature of 40 °C, CO2 flow of 1.06*10-4 kg s-1 and obtained a yield of 1.68±0.04. Regarding the quantification of the bioactive compounds present in the extracts produced, it was noted the high presence of phenolic compounds and potential capacity of antioxidants through the Folin-Ciocalteu tests and DPPH inhibition and, also, for the extract via supercritical a high number of total carotenoids was obtained. The MTT cytotoxicity test with the Huh7.5 cell line was promising at concentrations of 200 to 1000 μg mL-1 for the extract via supercritical, as it showed cytotoxic/antitumor effect for tumor cells at 24, 48 and 72 hours. The hydrodistilled extract showed cytotoxic effect at a concentration of 1000 μg mL-1 for 24, 48 and 72 hours. Thus, the extracts demonstrated high cytotoxic potential in their treatment, as well as efficient extraction of phenolic compounds and antioxidants, which confer beneficial biological activities for human health.