Chemical investigation of secondary metabolites, development, and validation of an analytical method by HPLC-DAD for the analysis of Dolichandra unguis-cati extracts.

• Grant number: 24/00915-3
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: June 01, 2024
• End date: May 31, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Chemistry - Organic Chemistry
• Principal Investigator: Patricia Mendonça Pauletti
• Grantee: Carolayne Cavalcante Brasil
• Host Institution: Pró-Reitoria Adjunta de Pesquisa e Pós-Graduação. Universidade de Franca (UNIFRAN). Franca , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Dolichandra unguis-cati or Macfadyena unguis-cati, also known popularly as "cat's claw", is a perennial vine belonging to the Bignoniaceae family. This plant is found in Latin America, from Mexico to Argentina, and is considered native to the Brazilian flora, but it is not endemic. It also occurs in the United States, South Africa, Australia, and other countries as an "invasive" species. It is also popularly known by other names, including "bat's claw", "bat vine", and "gold vine". In popular medicine, D. unguis-cati has been used to treat conditions such as hepatitis, venereal diseases, snakebites, malaria, dysentery, inflammation, and rheumatism. Pharmacological research conducted on animal models with this species has confirmed its anti-inflammatory potential and absence of toxicity. Based on the information available in scientific literature and its traditional use, the need to develop and validate a specific analytical method for the quality control of this medicinal plant becomes evident. Therefore, this project aims to conduct a chemical study to isolate and identify the main components present in the crude extract of D. unguis-cati. Additionally, with the isolated standards, the intention is to develop and validate an analytical method using High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) coupled with a Diode Array Detector (DAD). This project will not only contribute to the increase in knowledge about the chemical composition, but also to the quality of D. unguis-cati preparations, and to human resources training in Franca-SP.