Phytochemical study and analgesic and anti-inflammatory activities evaluation of crude extracts and secondary metabolites from roots of Baccharis dracunculifolia D.C. (Asteraceae)

• Grant number: 07/04175-9
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: December 01, 2007
• End date: November 30, 2009
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Pharmacy - Pharmacognosy
• Principal Investigator: Ademar Alves da Silva Filho
• Grantee: Murilo de Jesus Fukui
• Host Institution: Pró-Reitoria Adjunta de Pesquisa e Pós-Graduação. Universidade de Franca (UNIFRAN). Franca , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Baccharis dracunculifolia D.C. (Asteraceae), known as alecrim-do-campo, is used in folk medicine as anti-inflammatory. Also, B. dracunculifolia is the most important plant source for the production of Brazilian green propolis. However, despite the importance of this plant, the secondary metabolism of its roots is not completely known. Then, in continuation of our previous works on the phytochemical and biological studies of both green propolis and B. dracunculifolia, the aims of this project are the phytochemical study and the analgesic and anti-inflammatory evaluation of the crude extracts and the isolated compounds from roots of Baccharis dracunculifolia. The hexane, dichloromethane, and ethanol crude extracts will be obtained from dry roots of B. dracunculifolia. These crude extracts will be submitted to chromatographic fractionation, using several techniques, in order to isolate their major secondary metabolites. Also, both crude extracts and major isolated compounds will be submitted to in vivo analgesic and anti-inflammatory assays.