Análise fitoquímica e avaliação do potencial biológico das folhas de Plinia peruviana (POIR.) Govaerts

Abstract

Medicinal plants have metabolites related to different biological activities. These include polyphenols, substances with high antioxidant capacity, antibacterial, cardioprotective, antiinflammatory, and promising candidates for anticancer agents. Plinia Peruviana (Poir.) Govaerts, popularly known as jabuticabeira, is widespread in Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay. Its fruits are used as food, and almost all parts of this species are used in traditional Brazilian medicine to treat skin irritations, flu, diarrhea, labyrinthitis, genitourinary problems, asthma and so far there are no biological studies related to the leaves of this species. Thus, the objective of this study was to determine the phytochemical profile of P. peruviana leaves, antioxidant, antiproliferative and hepatoprotective activity. The amount of polyphenols in the lyophilized extract was 944 ± 0.0856 mg of gallic acid equivalents (GAE) per g, in addition the total flavonoid content was 531.8 ± 0.0040 mg of rutin equivalents (RE) per g of extract. High performance liquid chromatography with diode array detector (HPLC-DAD) showed the presence of gallic acid, catechin, epicatechin and rutin. Regarding antioxidant activity, we obtained a value of 1941.1 ± 717.65 µM Trolox equivalents (TE) per g of extract. Based on the high antioxidant capacity, we obtained in the antiproliferative assay against tumor cell lines, IC50 values of 263.88 and 462.77 µg / mL (HeLa and MCF-7 respectively). In the in vivo hepatoprotective assay, thirty male rats weighing 200 - 250 g were divided into 5 groups: group 1 (control), group 2 (carbon tetrachloride control - CCl4), group 3 treated with silymarin 100 mg / kg and groups 4 and 5 with P. peruviana extract (50 mg / kg and 100 mg / kg respectively), orally for 14 days, followed by induction of liver injury with 10 mL / kg CCl4. Clinical biochemical profiles, antioxidant defense determination and histopathological examination were evaluated after treatment. A decrease in alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and alkaline phosphatase (AF) levels was more pronounced in animals given 50 mg / kg of P. peruviana extract. Comparing the induced group with the silymarin-treated group, no statistical reduction in hepatic adenosine deaminase (ADA) activity was observed. On the other hand, in the homogenized liver, treatment groups with P. peruviana 50 mg / kg and 100 mg / kg were able to reduce hepatic ADA activity by 15.26 % and 22.99 %, respectively. The concentration of 50 mg / kg of extract as well as the silymarin standard were able to decrease the signs of CCl4-induced necrosis. Therefore, the flavonoids present in the extract may be responsible for their antiproliferative and hepatoprotective capacity against CCl4-induced toxicity.