Análise cromatográfica, constituição química em alcaloides e avaliação do potencial hipotensor de extratos vegetais obtidos de espécies de Erythrina

Abstract

The genus Erythrina is present worldwide in tropical and subtropical regions. Phytochemical studies using various organs of these plants demonstrated the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, pterocarpans and triterpenoids. Several species are found in Brazil, among them Erythrina falcata and Erythrina crista-galli, which are popularly known as “corticeira” and. used medicinally due to it action as sedative, anxiolytic, anti-inflammatory and antihypertensive. The present study aimed to investigate the chemical composition of extracts obtained from leaves of E. falcata and E. crista-galli, and still, to evaluate the hypotensive potential in vivo of E. falcata extracts. Initially, after collection of material plant, the leaves were selected, submitted to dryness and powdered. Then, submitted to extration by exhaustive maceration using ethanol 40% (v/v) and by infusion using water at 100 °C. For characterization in terms of phenolics and flavonoid content, the extracts were quantified by spectrophotometry. For chromatographic assay, the extracts were analysed by HPLC in reversed phase system, with a mobile phase consisting of acetonitrile:water in gradient elution and flow rate of 1.0 mL/min. For analysis by UPLC-ESI-MS, the mobile phase consisted in a mixture of acetonitrile:methanol (4:1) and 0.1% formic acid pH 3.0, with a elution by gradient and flow rate of 0.2 mL/min. The MS detection was performed following the conditions: N2 as nebulizing; collision energy 4.0 eV; temperature of electrospray source and desolvation gas 100°C and 120°C, respectively; capillary voltage 3000V; sample cone 40V. Mass spectra were recorded in the range of m/z 200-800. The evaluation of the hemodynamic effects was performed in normotensive Wistar rats, anesthetized with urethane (1.4 mg/kg) by cannulation of the carotid artery (for verification of SBP, DBP and HR) and jugular vein (for administration of the extracts and drugs). The hypotensive potential of E. falcata was investigated by conducting a growing curve administration of the extracts and the possible mechanisms involved were analyzed by administering different drugs such as: L-NAME (30 mg/kg); losartan (10 mg/kg); hexamethonium (20 mg/kg) and propranolol (5 mg/kg). The total phenolics content for E. falcata and E. crista-galli was from 1.3193 to 1.4989 mgGAE/mL for maceration and 0.8771 to 0.9506 mgGAE/mL for infusions. In total flavonoid, the content was from 7.7829 to 8.1976 mg RE/g for maceration and 9.3471 to 10.4765 RE mg/g for infusions. The molecular ions and mass fragments obtained by UPLCMS indicated the predominant composition in alkaloids, suggesting the components erythristemine, 11β-methoxyglucoerysodine, erysothiopine, 11β-hydroxyerysodine-glucose and 11-hydroxyerysotinone-rhamnoside. The aqueous extract of E. falcata showed to be a potent dose-dependent hypotensive, decreasing the SBP in 23 to 35% and DBP in 32 to 49% for both extracts, without influence in HR, and this effect may be due to the route of β- adrenergic receptors.