Extração de compostos fenólicos das folhas de Momordica charantia L. e avaliação da atividade antimicrobiana e citotóxica dos extratos orgânicos

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Momordica charantia L., popularly known as melon-de-São-Caetano, is widely consumed by the population, most of whom do not have concrete and scientific knowledge about the nutritional, pharmacological, microbiological and toxicological properties of this plant. With the aim of subsidizing the production of herbal medicines, this plant is included in the National List of Medicinal Plants of Interest to SUS. OBJECTIVES: The objective of this work was to evaluate different methods and solvents for the extraction of phenolic compounds from the leaves of this plant in the region of Lagarto, SE, as well as the evaluation of the antimicrobial and cytotoxic activities of the organic extracts obtained. METHODOLOGY: Methods of extraction of maceration, turbolysis and ultrasound were evaluated. For the determination of phenolic compounds, the Folin-Ciocalteau methodology was used. The analysis of its chromatographic profile was performed by analytical thin layer chromatography. The evaluation of the antimicrobial activity of the extracts on the pathogenic microorganisms was performed by the disc-diffusion and microdilution method in broth, as well as evaluation of the in vitro cytotoxic activity against the human tumor lines that was performed by the MTT method. RESULTS: The results of this study demonstrated that the best method of extracting phenolic compounds for the lipophilic solvents was turbolysis and for the hydrophilic solvents was the maceration. There was predominant antimicrobial activity of the extract that used a maceration with hydroalcoholic solvent on the tested strains. Cytotoxic action of some extracts with inhibition above 90% was evidenced against the tumor lineages. CONCLUSION: In the extracts of the leaves of Momordica charantia L., the presence of phenolic compounds as well as phytochemical components of medium polarity were observed and positive results were obtained against tested strains, in addition to cytotoxic potential. These results indicate that it is possible to develop promising antimicrobial and natural antitumor agents with applications in the SUS and in the pharmaceutical industry from the study plant.