Determinação in vitro da atividade antioxidante de Vitex megapotamica através do ensaio de ação sequestradora do radical livre DPPH
Determinação in vitro da atividade antioxidante de Vitex megapotamica através do ensaio de ação sequestradora do radical livre DPPH
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.22533/at.ed.6791225200612
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Palavras-chave: Vitex megapotamica; DPPH; produtos naturais antioxidantes; radicais livres; estresse oxidativo; flavonoides.
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Keywords: Vitex megapotamica; DPPH; natural antioxidant products; free radicals; oxidative stress; flavonoids.
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Abstract: Medicinal plants constitute an important source of bioactive compounds used since ancient times for the treatment and prevention of diseases, knowledge that has supported the development of ethnopharmacology and the systematic study of natural products. Among these species, Vitex megapotamica, known in traditional medicine as “tarumã” and belonging to the family Verbenaceae, stands out for presenting several secondary metabolites, especially phenolics and flavonoids, recognized for their significant antioxidant potential. Considering that oxidative stress is directly related to the excessive formation of free radicals and represents a determining factor in the development of metabolic and neurodegenerative disorders, it becomes relevant to investigate plants rich in bioactive compounds capable of scavenging reactive oxygen species (ROS). Thus, the present study aimed to evaluate the antioxidant activity of extracts and fractions of V. megapotamica through the DPPH• free radical scavenging assay. The stock solution was prepared at 1000 µg mL⁻¹, using 200 µg mL⁻¹ as the initial screening concentration. Samples were incubated with the DPPH radical for 30 minutes in the dark at 25 °C, and the decrease in absorbance was measured at 517 nm using a Bioplus spectrophotometer. Samples that exhibited activity above 50% were subjected to EC₅₀ determination. The results showed that the fractions displayed a high antioxidant capacity, attributed to the presence of phenolic compounds and flavonoids—chemotaxonomic markers of V. megapotamica—known for their ability to neutralize reactive species and prevent oxidative damage. In this sense, Vitex megapotamica is characterized as a potential source of natural antioxidant agents, reinforcing its ethnopharmacological relevance and its potential role in oxidative processes.
- Tiago Tizziani
- Giovanny Ricardo Hartmann
- Lucas Vinicius de Melo