Evaluation of secondary metabolite profile of different parts of Phyllanthus niruri L. (Euphorbiaceae)

• Grant number: 12/17470-7
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: December 01, 2012
• End date: October 31, 2013
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Pharmacy - Pharmacognosy
• Principal Investigator: André Gonzaga dos Santos
• Grantee: Natália Coelho da Silva
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas (FCFAR). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Araraquara. Araraquara , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Phyllanthus niruri L. (Euphorbiaceae) is an important medicinal species of Brazilian flora. Its use in the treatment of kidney stones combined with the results of pharmacological tests shows its action in preventing stone formation and antispasmodic. Urolithiasis is a fairly common condition, with no appropriate medicine for its treatment. The whole plant is used in the production of aqueous extracts in most studies with this species and no chemical differences found among parts of the plant were evaluated. Information on the chemical profile of different parts may lead to the use of those which contain the active ingredients in higher concentrations, providing technological facilities. It also contributes to knowledge about the metabolism of the species. In this work, we will compare the profile of secondary metabolites in different parts of P. niruri L. The plant material will be dried, milled, and subjected to extraction with water, ethanol, and ethyl acetate: hexane 1:1 (v/v). Reactions for identifying classes of metabolites will be performed with the plant material. Spectrophotometric and chromatographic analyzes will be performed with extracts from each plant and their chromatographic profiles, as well as the concentrations of total phenolics, tannins, total flavonoid, quercetin, rutin, and gallic acid will be compared.(AU)