Abstract
The Brazilian Cerrado biome consists of a great variety of endemic species with several bioactive compounds, and Anadenanthera peregrina (L.) Speg is a promising species. In this study, we aimed to perform phytochemical characterization and evaluate the antioxidant and antibacterial activities against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli of the hydroethanolic extract of A. peregrina stem bark. The barks were collected in the Botanical Garden of Goiânia, Brazil. The hydroethanolic extract was obtained by percolation and subjected to physicochemical screening, total phenolic content estimation, high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) fingerprinting, and antioxidant (IC50 values were calculated for the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl assay - DPPH) and antibacterial activity determination. The pH of the extract was 5.21 and density was 0.956 g/cm3. The phytochemical screening indicated the presence of cardiac glycosides, organic acids, reducing sugars, hemolytic saponins, phenols, coumarins, condensed tannins, flavonoids, catechins, depsides, and depsidones derived from benzoquinones. The extract showed intense hemolytic activity. The total phenolic content was 6.40 g GAE 100 g-1. The HPLC fingerprinting analysis revealed the presence of gallic acid, catechin, and epicatechin. We confirmed the antioxidant activity of the extract. Furthermore, the extract did not inhibit the growth of E. coli colonies at any volume tested, but there were halos around S. aureus colonies at all three volumes tested. These results contribute to a better understanding of the chemical composition of A. peregrina stem bark and further support the medicinal applications of this species.
Highlights
The World Health Organization (WHO) encourages countries to generate evidence-based policies and strategic plans for the use of medicinal plants (WHO, 2019)
The hydroethanolic extract of A. peregrina stem bark was positive for glycosides, based on the moderate-intensity reaction with Kedde and Keller-Kiliani reagents, and a highly positive reaction with Raymond-Marthoud reagent
The reaction was positive with Raymond-Marthoud reagent due to the presence of an aglycone, a non-glycidyl group that forms a part of glycosides
Summary
The World Health Organization (WHO) encourages countries to generate evidence-based policies and strategic plans for the use of medicinal plants (WHO, 2019). In this context, in Brazil, there are several medicinal plants that are used as herbal medicines by the rural and urban populations (Dutra et al, 2016; Pio et al, 2019). The Cerrado, considered a hotspot of global biodiversity, is the second largest biome in South America, covering approximately 22% of the national territory. It is recognized as the richest savanna in the world, with 11.627 native plant species. Some species in the Cerrado, such as Stryphnodendron adstringens (barbatimão) (Almeida et al, 2010; Ribeiro et al, 2014; Queiroz et al, 2021), Macairea radula (capuchina), and Pterodon emarginatus (sucupira) (Vila Verde et al, 2018), have been studied
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
