A chemophenetic study of the genus Maytenus s.l. (Celastraceae): contribution to the rational search of its bioactive metabolites

Lorena Diniz Guimarães,Natalia Barros Dos Santos,Ana Joffily,Fernanda Moreira Do Amaral,Selma Ribeiro De Paiva,Maria Carolina Anholeti

doi:10.1590/2175-7860202071055

Lorena Diniz Guimarães, Natalia Barros Dos Santos + Show 4 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1590/2175-7860202071055

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Abstract

Abstract Maytenus s.l. is a genus of the Celastraceae family and many of its species are used in traditional medicine. Most of the substances responsible for the biological activities of plants come from their secondary metabolism, such as terpenoids and flavonoids, which have multiple functions in the plant and can occur in a similar way in plant groups. Chemophenetics analyzes the occurrence of these substances in a taxon and can infer evolutionary trends and contribute to the rational search for new drugs. Chemosystematic parameters were used to analyze the data obtained through a bibliographic survey. The species of Maytenus s.l. were separated into three groups: species with accepted names, synonymous species with the genus Monteverdia and synonymous species with the genus Gymnosporia. Due to their great occurrence and structural variety in Maytenus s.l., triterpenes were chosen as chemosystematic markers, with friedelanes and quinone methide triterpenes being the most expressive types. Studies have already demonstrated the analgesic potential of quinone methides and the antitumor potential of phenolic triterpenes and dimers of these units. Together, the three classes assist in the circumscription of Maytenus s.s. and Monteverdia, while lupanes can be used in the separation of these genera. Oleanans are representative of Gymnosporia.

Highlights

One of the oldest forms of treatment and prevention of diseases is the use of medicinal plants
In Brazil, the government encourages this use through the National Policy of Medicinal Plants and Herbal Medicines (“Política e Programa Nacional de Plantas Medicinais e Fitoterápicos”) approved by the Decree no 5.813, of 22 June 2006, which contributes to the development of methodologies and technologies for research and consequent increase in scientific knowledge on medicinal plants pharmacological properties (Brasil 2006)
The chemophenetic study of the genus Maytenus s.l. highlighted the occurrence of triterpenes, triterpenes more oxidized such as the quinone methides, which drags much interest in terms of pharmacological potential

Summary

Introduction

One of the oldest forms of treatment and prevention of diseases is the use of medicinal plants. Genetic and environmental components influence the quantity and the quality of these metabolites, which act in the defense of the plant, in the attraction of pollinators and seed dispersers, as agents in plant-plant competition and in plantmicroorganism symbioses (Andrade & Casali 1999). These multiple functions, typical of the special metabolites, are justified from the evolutionary point of view because when a characteristic can have multifunctionality, it is possible that it is maintained by natural selection (Wink 2003)

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