Estudo sobre a química e atividade biológica das cascas de Aspidosperma desmanthum e A. vargasii (Apocynaceae)

Abstract

The species A. desmanthum and A. vargasii (Apocynaceae), known popularly in the Amazon for amargoso and amarelão , respectively, are used in the folk medicine mainly, its barks, in the form of teas. This work describes the chemical study of the barks of these species that resulted in the isolation and the identification of the alkaloids ellipticine and N-methyltetrahydroellipticine from the A. vargasii, and aspidocarpine, of the A. desmanthum. The identification was made based in spectra of 1H, 13C RMN and bidimensional HSQC, COSY, HMBC, NOESY, high resolution for electron spray impact masses (HR-ESI-MS), UV and IR, accomplishment of the identification of alkaloids ellipticine and aspidocarpine was confirmed by analysis of X-rays and comparison with data of the literature. The ethanol extracts, chloroform fractions, as well as isolated alkaloids presented lethality for Artemia franciscana and has been inactive for Aedes aegypti, behaviors this, observed for the two species in study. The antitumor activity of the ethanol extract, as well as some of its fractions and isolated alkaloids of A. vargasii has been active in test in vitro for tumor cells (breast, colon and nervous system). High antimalarial activity was observed for ellipticine alkaloids in vitro for Plasmodium falciparum. The ethanol extract of A. desmanthum presented low antitumor activity, however, great part of its fractions has been active. Antimalarial activity for aspidocarpine alkaloid isolated was observed for this specie.