Potencial antioxidante e antimicrobiano de espécies da família Asteraceae e aplicação no desenvolvimento de filmes biopoliméricos

Abstract

The Asteraceae family, known for its plant diversity, is valued in traditional medicine due to its antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. Incorporating natural extracts into biodegradable films for food packaging is on the rise. Therefore, a growing interest is in developing food packaging from biopolymers such as chitosan. This work aimed to evaluate the antioxidant and antimicrobial properties of carqueja (Baccharis spp.) and yarrow (Achillea millefolium L.) for application in chitosan-based biopolymeric films. The extracts were obtained using an ultrasonic processor, where different amounts of dried and crushed leaves and stems were added to water or 70% ethanol and subjected to temperature of 25 ºC, amplitude of 90%, for 10 minutes. Afterward, the liquid was filtered and stored under refrigeration. The highest levels of total phenolic compounds were 25.80 ± 0.64 and 14.00 ± 0.29 mg EAG g-1 sample for yarrow and carqueja extracts, respectively. The yarrow extract stood out with antioxidant activity of 582.11 ± 2.00 μmol ET g-1 sample, using the DPPH method. The antimicrobial activity was evaluated, observing inhibition halos against the tested bacteria. The incorporation of extracts into chitosan films increased thickness, moisture content, and water solubility compared to the control film. The results point to the potential of Asteraceae extracts in active packaging, contributing to future advances in the area and offering an environmentally advantageous solution.