Identification of compounds present in two different Caatinga medicinal plants obtained in free markets in Senhor do Bonfim – BA

Abstract

Medicinal plants of Brazilian native flora are consumed with little or no proof of its pharmacological properties, based only on users’ or traders’ reports. Although they are natural and, therefore, popularly considered free of side effects, medicinal plants’ toxicity is a serious public health concern, either because of the plant’s own compounds, either by adulterations or interaction with other medicines. Since these medicinal plants are usually sold in markets and free fairs by people without formal education, there may be labeling or manipulation problems, resulting in the absence of the desired effects or presence of adverse effects. In this work, compounds present in different medicinal plants samples found in Senhor do Bonfim free market (BA) were identified: six samples of Sene (Senna occidentalis; Fabaceae) and six samples of Umburana (Amburana cearensis; Fabaceae). For the compounds extraction of S. occidentalis, hydrodestilation was used, and for A. cearensis the compounds were extracted using maceration with hexane. All extracts were analyzed by GC-MS. Compounds in both plants had a high variation among samples, which can mean either that some of the medicinal plants sold in free markets belong to a species different from the announced one or, at least, that compounds found in the sample had degraded between harvest and sale.