The aim of this research was to perform a phytochemical study of the methanol leaves extract of T. guianensis (MET) guided by vasodilatory and antioxidant activities. The chemical profile of MET and the ethyl acetate fraction (EA fraction) was determined by HPLC-UV-MS and EA fraction guided fractionation by reverse-phase chromatography. The vasorelaxant effects of MET, fractions, sub-fractions and constituents were assessed on rat aorta pre-contracted with phenylephrine. Antioxidant activity was evaluated by using a DPPH assay. The results show that MET-induced vasodilation was dependent on NO/cGMP; and that the PI3K/Akt pathway seems to be the main route involved in eNOS activation. The EA fraction showed greater vasodilatory and antioxidant potency and was submitted to further fractionation. This allowed the isolation and characterization of quercetin, quercetin 3-O-(6″-O-galloyl)-β-d-galactopyranoside and 1,4,6-tri-O-galloyl-β-d-glucose. Also, galloyl-HHDP-hexoside and myricetin deoxyhexoside were identified by HPLC-UV-MS. These compounds are being described for the first time for T. guianensis. 1,4,6-tri-O-galloyl-β-d-glucose and quercetin 3-O-(6″-O-galloyl)-β-d-galactopyranoside showed no vasodilatory activity. Quercetin and myricetin glycoside seems to contribute to the MET activity, since they have been reported as vasodilatory flavonoids. MET-induced vasodilation could contribute to the hypotensive effect of T. guianensis previously reported.
Keywords: Tapirira guianensis; antioxidant; aorta; flavonoid; tannin; vasodilation.