Banca de DEFESA: CAUÊ BARBOSA COELHO

Metabolomic analysis in medicinal plants from the caatinga as a tool for selecting extracts with healing potential

Metabolomics; Medicinal plants; PCA; Healing; Biological activity.

The Caatinga is a unique biome with characteristics that allow for the development of plant species with therapeutic potential. Many of these species are used in folk medicine, especially in the northeastern hinterland. With the aim of providing chemical information and contributing to in-depth knowledge of medicinal species from the caatinga, the present study aimed to evaluate biological activities and metabolomics in extracts from different parts of silk pine (Jatropha mutabilis), juazeiro (Ziziphus joazeiro), Cambão imburana (Commiphora leptophloeos) and Aroeira (Myracrodruon urundeuva) as well as reviewing studies related to this topic. To this end, a scientific article entitled “Metabolomic analysis and biological activity in extracts of bark, stems and leaves of J. mutabilis” was created, and a systematic review entitled “Curative effect of medicinal plant extracts in Northeast Brazil: a systematic review on phytochemistry and preclinical studies”. As future results, it is expected to finalize tests on the metabolomics and biological activities of other species. For each of the species, the main compounds responsible for discrimination between plant segments by 1H and 13C NMR will be identified using one- and two-dimensional techniques. A collagen-based film will be produced, characterized and incorporated with the crude ethanolic extract of the most promising plant species and part, with the aim of evaluating the healing activity in vivo. Therefore, the present study becomes relevant for bringing important information about the chemical composition of Caatinga species, using analytical methodologies associated with chemometrics to investigate similarity between segments and possible variations in this composition throughout the seasonality, seeking to propose a more sustainable extractivism by using parts that are less harmful to the development of the species in accordance with the chemical similarity and biological activity of the extracts, in order to contribute to the rational use of medicinal plants and guide further chemical, biological and pharmacological studies.