The Arecaceae family has been widely studied due to its medicinal properties, phytochemistry, and nutritional value of important species such as açaí (Euterpe oleraceae) and carnaúba (Copernicia prunifera). However, there are no scientific studies about the phytochemistry of aricanga (Geonoma schottiana Mart) a native Brazilian palm tree, used for construction purposes only. Therefore, this study aimed at evaluating the phytochemical composition of aricanga leaves by thin-layer chromatography approaches. Leaves of aricanga collected in Aracruz (19º49’18,04”S and 40º19’52,40”W) were dried for 24h at 35ºC, grinded and 900g of powder was placed in ethanol until a completely extraction of the compounds. After filtration and concentration under a reduced pressure on a rotatory evaporator at 60oC, the ethanolic extract was resuspended in a water:ethanol solution (1:9). The plant material was subjected to extraction by maceration using hexane, butanol, dichloromethane, and ethyl acetate as solvents for 72h each to obtain the different extracts. Extract solutions (1 mg/mL) were evaluated on thin-layer chromatography plates of silica gel 60 F254 in aluminium supports (
Merck, Sao Paulo), applied with a microsyringe and eluted in different solvent systems according to Wagner and Bladt (1996), in order to highlight the main secondary metabolite groups. After elution, the plates were visualized at 254 and 365 nm wavelengths in a UV chamber. Specific revelators were used for each secondary metabolite group, which were alkaloids, anthracene derivatives, anthraquinones, coumarins, flavonoids and tannins, lignans, mono and diterpenes, naphtoquinones, and triterpenes and steroids. The presence of the phytochemicals in the extracts was evaluated based on the spots profile, comparing with standards, whenever possible. The preliminary phytochemical analysis demonstrated that all extracts presented flavonoids and tannins, coumarins and lignans. Alkaloids were presented in hexane, dichloromethane, and ethyl acetate. Mono and diterpenes were only observed in hexane. Triterpenes and steroids were observed in hexane and dichloromethane. None of them presented either naphtoquinones, anthracene derivatives or anthraquinones. The results are in accordance with the literature for other Arecaceae species which indicate a potential use for medicine and nutrition purposes. Further analysis will be performed in order to identify the spots profile for each secondary metabolite group.
Reference:
WAGNER, H.; BLADT, S. Plant drug analysis: a thin-layer chromatography atlas. Berling Heidelber: Springer Verlag; 1996. P.384.
Acknowledge: FAPES (68854463).