Análise metabolômica e biológica de óleos essenciais de espécies da família myrtaceae com ação anti-T.cruzi.

Abstract

The Chagas Disease (CD), caused by the flagellate protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi, is a neglected tropical disease (NTD) that affects approximately seven million people worldwide with a restricted therapeutic arsenal and the drug benzonidazole is the only one used for this treatment in Brazil. The Myrtaceae family is one of the most important of the Brazilian flora, since it presents edible species and, mainly, because it is reported to have several biological activities. In the present study, the essential oils from 18 species of the Myrtaceae family were subjected to the steam distillation technique for extraction. In addition, 177 different compounds were dereplicated with concentrations comprising 90.4 - 98.1% of the total composition. The oil samples were subjected to the unsupervised multivariate statistical method PCA, where the similarity and dissimilarity of the different species under study could be verified. In addition, an in vitro anti-T.cruzi activity assay was performed. Of these, eight essential oils were considered promising (IC50 < 10 µg/mL and SI > 10) against the protozoan: Calyptranthes brasilienses, Calyptranthes widgreniana, Campomanesia xanthocarpa, Eugenia acutata, Eugenia florida, Eugenia widgrenii, Plinia cauliflora, and Psidium guajava. Analysis by the supervised multivariate statistical method PLS-DA, allowed identifying compounds (by retention time and Kovats index) and pointed out (E)-cariofileno, α-humuleno, limoneno, óxido de cariofileno, and α-copaeno playing an important role in anti- T. cruzi action. Finally, the seasonal study of six species from the initial study was performed, in this experiment, 184 different compounds were dereplicated with concentrations ranging from 90.1 - 98.15% of the total composition of the EOs. In addition, an assay for anti-T.cruzi activity was also performed, which verified that in different seasons of the year, a species can be considered promising for such biological activity or not. Concomitant to seasonality, it can be inferred that temperature and rainfall are important factors that influence the chemical composition and concentration of the EOs. In this study, three species had promising EOs (CI50 < 10 µg/mL and SI > 10) against protozoa in different seasons of the year: E. uniflora, in spring, summer and fall; P. cauliflora, in fall and winter; and P. guajava, in spring and winter. The results obtained demonstrated the potential of essential oils from Myrtaceae species as valuable sources of bioactive compounds against T. cruzi.