Pharmacokinetic evaluation of secondary metabolites from the leaves of Copaifera langsdorffii Desf

Abstract

Herbal treatments are the most popular form of traditional medicine. However, agencies responsible for health are increasingly demanding the pharmacokinetic studies of these extracts for monitoring the active compounds in plant drug and in human blood. Copaifera langsdorffii Desf. is popularly known as "copaiba" and has a variety of ethnopharmacological uses described, especially for its oil-resin. Moreover, in recent years, our research group has been studying the oil-resin and aerial parts of C. langsdorffii and it was observed that the hydroalcoholic extract of leaves showed antilithiatic activity in both in vivo and in vitro. Aiming to discover the possible active compounds, we have isolated and identified some flavonoids and galloylquinic of this plant. These compounds and the hydroalcoholic extract will be pharmacokinetically studied in this project in rats Sprague-Dawley treated with single doses. To each animal small blood samples (300 µl) will be collected from the sublingual vein based on the pilot studies. Considering the possibility of renal excretion, it will be investigated the pharmacokinetic behavior of these components in both plasma and urine. Additionally, the identification of possible metabolites by high performance liquid chromatography in tandem (HPLC-MS/MS), will be undertaken. (AU)