Exploring the Brazilian biodiversity and folk medicine: development of topical formulation using extract of Pterodon pubescens Benth. (Sucupira)

Author(s)

Leila Regina Giarola

• Document type: Master's Dissertation
• Press: Campinas, SP.
• Institution: Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Instituto de Biologia
• Defense date: 2015-08-21

Examining board members

Priscila Gava Mazzola; Gislaine Ricci Leonardi; Guilherme Diniz Tavares

• Advisor: Mary Ann Foglio; Priscila Gava Mazzola

Abstract

Medicinal plants are used according to popular wisdom, inserted in a historical context. Its use, in the herbal medicines preparation is quite important in various society development stages, it has always been part of the pharmaceutical practice and today the interest in medicinal plants is renewed. Handling the plant material requires a lot of care and one of the alternatives used to preserve their characteristics during all processing steps is the use of encapsulation techniques, which protects from adverse environmental conditions and prolong its shelf life. The species Pterodon pubescens Benth. (Leguminosae), commonly known as sucupira, is native to the Brazilian cerrado and is used in folk medicine and generally administered through the oral route, with its anti-proliferative, anti-inflammatory and analgesic actions scientifically proven. Given such properties the use of this extract in a topical formulation becomes interesting, which can result in easier application, better patient compliance and smaller risk of adverse effects. The aim of this study was the development of a topical formulation containing Pterodon pubescens extract, and to evaluate of their stability conditions and to determine its shelf life. For that, the fruit selection process, crude extract dichloromethane production and its characterization were done. Part of this material has been microencapsulated by spray-drying using cashew gum as wall material. Microcapsules obtained were evaluated for process yield, encapsulation efficiency, morphology by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and analysis of its particle size distribution. Then the crude extract microencapsulated and free crude extract were used on semisolid bases, emulsions and gels, and the obtained products were evaluated in 180-day stability study. The Carbopol-based gel containing 2.5% free crude extract was the formulation that showed the best results. The semisolid formulations containing microencapsulated extract were unstable. However, the obtained microcapsules were evaluated in an experimental ulcers model induced by ethanol and showed anti-ulcerogenic activity, thus indicating the possibility of being applied in pharmaceutical forms for oral use. Thus the developed formulation can be used as a basis for an innovative herbal medicine development (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 13/06384-5 - Exploring Brazilian biodiversity and common knowledge: development of topical formulation using extract of Pterodon pubescens Benth. (Sucupira)
• Grantee: Leila Regina Giarola
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master