Stryphnodendron adstringens: Ensaios fitoquímicos e atividade antimicrobiana in vitro do extrato hidroalcoólico

Abstract

The emergence of multi-drug resistant microorganisms for the available medicines are currently the main challenges for human health and thus promote studies aimed at finding new therapeutic agents. Medicinal plants become a potential source for the development of new medicines because the natural plant products have sufficient bioactivity. The Cerrado has a diverse flora and many of its species are used for medicinal purposes, such as Stryphnodendron adstringens, popularly used in the treatment and asepsis of cutaneous wounds. In the current study, the antimicrobial activity, the antioxidant capacity and the total phenol content of the hydroalcoholic extract (EHA) of the stem barks and leaves of S. adstringens were evaluated. All EHAs showed effects against Gram-positive bacteria Staphylococcus aureus and S. epidermidis, whose Minimum Inhibitory Concentrations (MIC) range from 7.81 to 62.5 μg / mL, considered to be significantly active. In the DPPH assay, the extracts showed high antioxidant activity, above 75% in the concentration of 100 μg / mL. Using the Folin-Ciocalteu phenolic reactant, it was observed that the total phenol content of the EHAs was higher in the steam barks than in the leaves. Therefore, it was observed that the EHAs of the stem barks, which presented higher values for phenols and greater antioxidant activity, at 50 μg / mL, also gives the lowest values for MIC, suggesting that in this part there is a greater availability of compounds with antimicrobial and antioxidant activity. These results indicate the use of S. adstringens as a natural antioxidant and also point to its use as an antimicrobial. Therefore, more studies are needed to validate and prove that this species can be used for the development of new therapeutic agents.