Caracterização fitoquímica e avaliação das Atividades formicida e antibacteriana dos extratos Aquosos e hidroetanólicos de anacardium occidentale l. E mimosa caesalpiniifolia benth.

Abstract

The study of chemical compounds from plant species has become increasingly important in the search for biologically active substances. Some of these compounds, such as terpenes, phenolic compounds and alkaloids, have pronounced biological properties and, due to this fact, they become a starting point as a source for obtaining new bioactive compounds and their consequent use in several areas of knowledge. Therefore, the aim of this study was to carry out the phytochemical characterization of the aqueous and hydroethanolic extracts of Anacardium occidentale L. and Mimosa caesalpiniifolia Benth., As well as to evaluate their toxicity in ants, their antibacterial activity and cytotoxicity. The hydroethanolic extracts of A. occidentale L. and M. caesalpiniifolia were superior to aqueous extracts in terms of yield, showing about 5% superiority. Phytochemical screening demonstrated the presence of several classes of secondary metabolites in both species studied, with the hydroethanolic extract of Mimosa caesalpiniifolia Benth being superior to the others analyzed. Regarding the quantitative analysis of the extracts, it was found that in all the analyzed classes, there was similarity regarding the content of phytochemicals, with the exception of total phenolics. The addition of hydroethanolic extracts, in different concentrations, of A. occidentale L. and M. caesalpiniifolia Benth. in the artificial diet of Atta sexdens workers did not influence their daily mortality rates. The evaluation of the antibacterial activity of the aqueous and hydroethanolic extracts of A. occidentale L. and M. caesalpiniifolia Benth. by determining the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) demonstrated the efficiency of the hydroethanolic extract of Mimosa caesalpiniifolia Benth. inhibiting the growth of Gram-positive bacteria Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecalis and Listeria monocytogenes, with MICs of 250, 500 and 125 μg.mL-1, respectively. Through the determination of the minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) it was possible to observe that the extracts only inhibited bacterial growth, not being considered bactericidal in the tested concentrations. The cytotoxicity assay of aqueous and hydroethanolic extracts of A. occidentale L. and M. caesalpiniifolia Benth. against VERO lineage cells it was demonstrated that even after 48 hours, the cells were viable, indicating their consequent atoxicities. The results obtained were of great relevance, since they enabled the identification and quantification of some classes of secondary metabolites, as well as the evaluation of ant killer and antibacterial activity, being the latter responsible for obtaining positive results. The hydroethanolic extract of M. caesalpiniifolia Benth. has shown itself as a potential source for the production of new biotechnological products, based on its antibacterial activity, however, the need to conduct studies that elucidate the modes of action and the mechanisms involved in its antibacterial activity is emphasized