Medicinal plants and the environment: secondary metabolites of two species of guaco (Mikania glomerata Sprenguel and Mikania laevigata Schultz) grown under varied conditions.

• Grant number: 12/13828-4
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• Start date: December 01, 2012
• End date: May 31, 2013
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Agronomy
• Principal Investigator: Paulo Mazzafera
• Grantee: Alexandra Christine Helena Frankland Sawaya
• Host Institution: Instituto de Biologia (IB). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The use of medicinal plants and phytotherapic medicine is being increasingly stimulated by government policies at all levels. Syrup based on Mikania glomerata Spreng.is presently furnished by the Brazilian Health System (SUS) as medicine for cough and bronchitis. However, variations in the cultivation conditions of medicinal plants may result in different concentrations of active components, affecting the safety, quality and efficiency expected of herbal medicines. Few studies regarding the cultivation of the two species of interest as medicinal plants, Mikania glomerata e Mikania laevigata Schultz, were found. To this moment, the fluctuations in the concentrations of secondary metabolites in these species due to environmental variations have not been satisfactorily evaluated. As both species are found in the 1st Brazilian Phytotherapic Formulary, and apparently may be used indiscriminately, they shall be studied in parallel. We will evaluate how the secondary metabolites are influenced by variations in the following cultivation conditions: temperature, luminosity, irrigation, soil fertility and pH; mechanical damage and interaction with arbuscular micorrizal funghi. After the treatments, the hydro alcoholic extracts of the leaves will be evaluated by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, following the differences in the concentration of their chemical marker, coumarin, and the profile of the other components. These results will allow us to determine the best conditions for these two species to be grown in order to minimize the variations in contents of active substances; and may be used as a standard condition for the cultivation these medicinal plants.