Atividade antioxidante das benzofenonas e extrato hexânico do pericarpo dos frutos de Rheedia brasiliensis

Abstract

Medicinal plants have been used in the treatment and cure of illnesses for many, many years. Due to their chemical and pharmaceutical characteristics, an increasing number of studies have been conducted to prove their theoretical medicinal capabilities or to obtain new active components. The Clusiaceae family is made up of forty nine species that are widely distributed. One of these species is Rheedia, also known as Garcinia, which is rich in a wide range of components, such as polyisoprenylated benzophenones, flavonoids, proantocianenes and xanthones. Using the hexanic extract of Rheedia brasiliensis pericarp, it was possible to isolate three benzophenones, garciniaphenone, guttiferone-A and 7-epi-clusianone. These components were then evaluated for their antioxidant properties using different technical methods both in vitro and in vivo. The antioxidant properties of these compounds are justified by the relationship between the EROs and ERNs in various illnesses, including cancer, arteriosclerosis, rheumatic arthritis and inflammatory diseases. Tests were conducted in vitro to determine the scavenging capability of DPPH radicals, reducing power, ironchelating ability and, in vivo, lipoperoxidation through the spectrophotometric measurement of thiobarbituric acid reactive species. In vitro the guttiferone-A was the most active component, followed by the 7-epi-clusianone and, lastly, garciniafenone, demonstrating that the cathecol group is important for their antioxidant properties. Furthermore, the activity of the extract presented a positive correlation with the 7-epi-clusianone, which was expected to be the main component. The in vivo test, the different components, including the extract, in two or more concentrations, were effective, demonstrating a hepatoprotector effect proven by the reduction of lipid peroxidation and the transaminases levels.