Chemical composition and antioxidant and antimycobacterial activities of Bromelia balansae (Bromeliaceae)

J Med Food. 2010 Oct;13(5):1277-80. doi: 10.1089/jmf.2009.0032.

Abstract

Bromelia balansae (Family Bromeliaceae) is a medicinal plant commonly used in the central region of Brazil as a cough syrup and also eaten roasted. The methanolic extract of ripe fruits was analyzed by chromatographic methods and spectrometrically. Four glycoside flavonols were isolated: kaempferol-3-O-α-L-rhamnopyranoside (1), kaempferol-3-O-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1-->6)-ß-D-glucopyranoside (2), quercetin-3-O-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1-->6)-ß-d-glucopyranoside (3), and kaempferol 3,7-di-O-α-L-rhamnopyranoside (4). The resazurin microtiter assay was used to measure the biological activity in vitro against Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The results showed a moderate activity of the methanolic extract with a minimal inhibitory concentration of 128 μg/mL. Antioxidant activity was evaluated as free radical scavenging capacity and inhibition of peroxidation. Free radical scavenging capacity was assessed by measuring the scavenging activity of methanolic extract and methanolic fraction on 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical. The methanolic extract showed low values of antioxidant activities, whereas the methanolic fraction exhibited free radical scavenging activity ranging from 20.2% to 91.1%, and the inhibition of peroxidation values ranging from 5.6% to 27.5%. This is the first chemical study reported in the literature about this species.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / pharmacology*
  • Antioxidants / pharmacology*
  • Bromelia / chemistry*
  • Flavonoids / analysis
  • Free Radical Scavengers / pharmacology
  • Fruit / chemistry
  • Lipid Peroxidation / drug effects
  • Methanol
  • Mycobacterium tuberculosis / drug effects
  • Plant Extracts / pharmacology*
  • Plant Leaves / chemistry
  • Plant Roots / chemistry

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • Antioxidants
  • Flavonoids
  • Free Radical Scavengers
  • Plant Extracts
  • Methanol