Estudo fitoquímico e avaliação do potencial biológico das folhas de ziziphus joazeiro MARTIUS (RHAMNACEAE)

Abstract

From pre-history to the present day diverse cultures know and use the therapeutic potential of plants to treat diseases. Among the species commonly used in home practice of medicine, dentistry and cosmetic in Northeast Brazil stands out Ziziphus joazeiro Martius (Rhamnaceae), also commercially exploited highly valued by pharmaceutical companies. In this study, we investigated the phytochemical profile of the leaves of Z. joazeiro and its biological potential, through the bioassays trypanocidal, leishmanicidal, molluscicide, reversal of resistance of Staphylococcus aureus to the antibiotic, inhibiting the production of nitric oxide and the proliferation of activated lymphocytes. In phytochemical study, the crude ethanol extract was subjected to liquid-liquid partition to obtain the hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate and water fractions. Some components of the chloroform fraction were separated and purified by column chromatography (CC). The pure or semipures samples were analyzed by Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and in the region of infrared (IR), with the possible identification of a flavonoid, the quercetin, and a mixture of glycosylated phytosteroids sitosterol and stigmasterol. For biological assays, it was possible to suggest that the ethanol crude extract of the leaves of Z. joazeiro demonstrated activity of reversal of resistance of S. aureus to ciprofloxacin, while its partition chloroform and subfractions acted as immunomodulators, inhibiting lymphocyte proliferation and NO production in vitro. Positive results were not obtained for the molluscicidal activity, trypanocidal and leishmanicidal.