The growing interest in the discovery of new compounds from medicinal plants justifies the study of phytochemical components of these plants and their biological activities. The genus Ocotea exhibits a variety of pharmacological, antimicrobial and antioxidant effects. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the antioxidant potential and antimicrobial properties of the ethyl acetate fraction of Ocotea paranaensis leaves. Isolation and identification of the phenolic compounds from the fraction was also carried out. The isolated compounds were characterized by one and two-dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance analysis and identified as (-) epicatechin (1), quercetin (2), kaempferol (3) and hyperin (4). The ethyl acetate fraction of Ocotea paranaensis leaves demonstrated considerable antioxidant potential. The observed minimum inhibitory concentration of 500 µg/mL was classified as a moderate antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus. Findings from this study demonstrate the utility of this plant as a potential source of antioxidant and antimicrobial agents.
Keywords: Lauraceae; Ocotea paranaensis; antimicrobial activity; biological properties; leaves; phytochemical characterization.