Phytochemistry study of Styrax pohlii A.DC. (Styracaceae) and evaluation of antimicrobial activity and cyclooxygenase inhibition.

• Grant number: 09/11376-6
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Start date: March 01, 2010
• End date: February 29, 2012
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Chemistry - Organic Chemistry
• Principal Investigator: Patricia Mendonça Pauletti
• Grantee: Camila Spereta Bertanha
• Host Institution: Pró-Reitoria Adjunta de Pesquisa e Pós-Graduação. Universidade de Franca (UNIFRAN). Franca , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Styrax belongs to Styracaceae, and comprises around 130 species. Its chemical composition reveals the accumulation of saponins, lignans, triterpenes and phenolic compounds. The benzofuranic lignans, homoegonol and egonol, isolated from species of this genus, showed principally antimicrobial and cytotoxic activities. The phytochemistry study continuation of Styrax pohlii is attractive given that this species was not yet chemically investigated. Besides, the undergraduate research project developed by the fellowship applicant, done in our group GPNUF (Grupo de Pesquisa em Produtos Naturais da UNIFRAN) allowed us to isolated egonol (1) and homoegonol (2), as well as, to evaluated the antimicrobial activity of the crude extract, fractions and compounds (1-2). The most promising fractions were hexane and EtOAc. Regarding the isolated compounds, only 1 showed moderated activity. Thus, this project aims to continue the chemistry and biological study of S. pohlii employing chromatographic techniques, to contribute to the project: Phytochemistry study and evaluation of mutagenicity, antimutagenicity and cyclooxygenase inhibitory activity from Styrax (Styracaceae) (Process no 2008/10283-1), to the human resource formation, and to the consolidation of the UNIFRAN M.D.-Ph.D. Program in Science (Capes, score 4).