Spray dried extracts of Petiveria alliacea (Phytolaccaceae): Development, standardization and evaluation of the antimicrobial activity

• Grant number: 09/01428-9
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: May 01, 2009
• End date: July 31, 2010
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Chemical Engineering - Industrial Operations and Equipment for Chemical Engineering
• Principal Investigator: Wanderley Pereira Oliveira
• Grantee: Rodrigo Caetano Monti Guedes
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto (FCFRP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Ribeirão Preto , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The aim of this research Project is the development, standardization and evaluation of the antimicrobial activity of spray dried extracts of Petiveria alliacea (Phytolaccaceae).The raw herbal material will be characterized through determination of its moisture content, size distribution and pharmacognostic identification (presence of saponins, flavonoids, tannins, alkaloids &.). Extractive solutions with various solvent systems will be obtained. The extracts will be characterized thorough the determination of their physical and chemical properties (density, solids content, and concentration of marker compounds), by determination of their antimicrobial activity, using standard strains of fungus and bacteria. The extracts showing promising biological activity Will be submitted to spray drying to obtain dried extracts. The dryer performance and the physical and chemical properties of the dried extracts will be investigated as a function of different processing conditions and drying carriers, aiming the obtaining a product with high retention of marker compounds and good quality. Examples of drying carriers frequently used in spray drying include the corn starch, maltodextrin, colloidal silicon dioxide, three calcium phosphate, glucose syrups, Arabic gum, lactose, and so on. Antimicrobial assays will be conducted with the spray dried extracts obtained in optimized conditions.