Antioxidants from Medicinal Plants Used in the Treatment of Obesity

Abstract

Aims: The objective of this work was to quantify phenolic compounds, flavonoids, vitamin C, total carotenoids, β-carotene and lycopene and to measure the antioxidant activity in the medicinal plants Aloe vera (L.) Burm. (aloe), Simaba ferruginea St. Hil. (calunga), Baccharis trimera (Less.) DC (carqueja), Garcinia cambogia Desr., and Tournefortia paniculata Cham. (marmelinho) and of the phytotherapic made with the combination of these plants. Place and Duration of Study: Chemistry Department of Federal University of Lavras – UFLA, Brazil between June 2011 and September 2012. Methodology: Phenolic compounds, flavonoid, vitamin C, total carotenoids and βcarotene and lycopene contents were quantified by UV-Vis spectrophotometer and antioxidant activity by ABTS and β-carotene/linoleic acid methods. Results: High contents of phenolic compounds were found in marmelinho (36.19g 100g dry matter – DM), followed by carqueja (4.03g 100gDM) and calunga (1.62g 100gDM); of flavonoids in marmelinho (480.30mg 100gDM) and carqueja (173.68mg 100gDM); of vitamin C in marmelinho (652.80mg 100gDM) and G. cambogia (127.63mg 100gDM); and of carotenoids in marmelinho (23.16 mg 100 g). The antioxidant activity, in μmol Research Article European Journal of Medicinal Plants, 3(3): 429-443, 2013 430 trolox g, by the ABTS method, was considered moderate in the aqueous (728.80) and ethanolic (731.06) marmelinho extracts, and weak for the other plants. However, by the βcarotene/linoleic acid method, the aqueous and ethanolic marmelinho extracts show great antioxidant potential at all tested concentrations (above 80% inhibition), and those of carqueja, calunga and the ethanolic of the phytotherapic, at the concentrations of 40,000 and 20,000mg L, also showed good antioxidant potencies (over 60% inhibition). Conclusion: Those five species of plants showed antioxidant activity with potential for use in pharmaceutical and food preparations, with possible health benefits.