Estudo farmacológico dos extratos bruto e hidroalcoólico do Gengibre Amargo (Zingiber zerumbet L. Smith) da região amazônica para o encapsulamento funcional

Abstract

Functional food is the one presenting in its formulation one or more substances, which have proved to both nourish the organism and hold a beneficial function for it. Foods presented in capsules or pills constituted by edible pieces of fruits and vegetables which, have been submitted to drying or dehydration processing, must be assessed as being novel. Zingiber zerumbet L. Smith (ZZ), an important member of family Zingiberaceae, used traditionally in folk medicine throughout the world, especially in the south of Asia including India. This species is marketed worldwide, mostly through the manufacture of the shampoo elaborated from its flower and, it presents countless medicinal properties, such as anti-inflammatory, antitumor, anti-allergic, antipyretic and anti-platelet aggregation activities. Zerumbona, the major active component extracted from the plant rhizome is a highly therapeutic-powered substance. Under this context, the present work proposes to encapsulate the aqueous and hydroalcoholic extracts from the rhizome of ZZ for being utilized as functional food, therefore, it was necessary to assess some their medicinal and toxic activities. ZZ rhizomes were processed for attaining the gross extract (ZZGE), and ground and submitted to maceration for achieving hydroalcoholic extracts. Determination of the minerals held by rhizomes of ZZ was determined by the AOAC (1995) method. The phytochemical screening of the extracts was carried out through Mattos (1997) methodology. Thin Layer Chromatography (TLC) in silica gel utilized iodine, serum sulfate, UV 254nm and 365nm as developers. The test with Artemia salina according to Meyer (1982) was employed for the cytotoxicity assay. Mice were utilized for the acute toxicity test, and followed up for 14 days. The ethanol-induced gastric model was utilized to determine the anti-ulcer activity. The antinociceptive activity was ascertained through acetic acid-induced abdominal writhing, hot plate and hyperalgesia. The anti-inflammatory activity was verified through Paw edema test in rats and ear edema test in mice. From the preliminary results we obtained a extractive rate of 60g from ZZGE and 10g from ZZHE, in a percentile of 1% and 0.16%, respectively. The extracts hold a characteristic odor. In the determination of ZZ rhizomes, there is a larger quantity of iron (231 mg/kg). The ZZGE and ZZHE extracts phytochemical screening revealed the presence of the following substances: xanthones, flavonoids, phenols, tannins and alkaloids. The TLC of ZZGE indicated a spot developed in iodine with a retention factor of approximately 0.7 cm similar to that of Zerumbona (0.8) and ZZHE presented three spots developed in iodine and UV 254nm. In acute toxicity and Subchronic, one may assert that ZZGE and ZZHE extracts do not produce any toxicity or mortality in mice and rats, yet some dependent doses caused some significant. ZZGE and ZZHE presented the LC50 of 117.49 and 181.9μg∕mL on the assays with Artemia salina. The extracts had a strong inhibitory effect against gastric lesions have gastroprotective effect. Assessment of abdominal writhing test demonstrated that ZZGE and ZZHE in the doses of 250 and 500 mg/kg produced a significant anti-nociceptive effect. In the hot plate test, the extracts showed to hold analgesic activity. The anti-inflammatory activity assessment showed it to be significant in physiological action in determined doses in models of anti-inflammatory pain brought about by chemical stimulus. According to their preliminary outcomes both ZZGE and ZZHE presented anti-nociceptive, anti-inflammatory and anti-ulcerous effects, and held no toxicity. Probably, these extracts may be encapsulated as functional food, thus introducing a differentiated product into the Market and contributing to the scientific studies on this valuable, medicinal plant.