Chemical composition and biological activities of ethanolic extracts and essential oils of Schinus terebinthifolius Raddi

Abstract

Popular medicine is an important strategy for the treatment and cure af illness, mainly in developing countries. The scientific base of the therapeutic properties of these plants in absolutely necessary for their safe and efficient use. Furthermore, there is a growing interest in searching for novel bioactive compounds, obtained from medicinal plants, which may originate a new herbal remedy or conventional medicine. Schinus terebinthifolius Raddi is popularly known as aroeira, aroeira da praia, aroeira vermelha or pink pepper. It is a native plant to South America, amply distributed in Brazil. It has been used as a medicinal plant for many years due to its anti-inflammatory, wound-healing, antimicrobial and anti-tumor activity; and popularly applied to the treatment of respiratory tract and urinary tract infections, diarrhea, sexually transmitted diseases and ulcers. Although some reports are found of studies of the extracts and essential oil of leaves and fruit of aroeira, along with bark extracts, a systematic comparative study of the aerial parts (flowers, fruit and leaves) of this species has never been made. Seasonality has not been evaluated either.The purpose of this study is to study the ethanol extracts and essential oil of flowers, fruit and leaves, collected along one year, in order to compare their chemical composition via UHPLC-MS e GC-MS. Biological activities of each part of the plant, such as antimicrobial, antioxidant and cytotoxic activities will also be compared by in vitro methods. The result of the studies of chemical composition will be compared to the results of biological activity, using chemometric methods, to indicate compounds that may be responsible for these activities.