PHYTOCHEMICAL SCREENING, THROMBOLYTIC AND CITOTOXIC ACTIVITY EVALUATION OF CECROPIA HOLOLEUCA MIQ. (URTICACEAE), LIPPIA ALBA (MILL.) N.E.BR. EX P. WILSON (VERBENACEAE) AND ZANTHOXYLUM RHOIFOLIUM LAM (RUTACEAE)

Abstract

Cecropia hololeuca, Lippia alba, and Zanthoxylum rhoifolium are plant species naturally occurring in Brazil, from Atlantic Forest, with medicinal purposes, like antihypertensive action, digestive, and treatment of malaria, respectively. In this study, we evaluated the chemical profile, cytotoxicity, and thrombolytic potential of the ethanol extract of the leaves of these plant species. The phytochemical profile was characterized by phytochemical tests of metabolites classes identification. The preliminary toxicity of the extracts was determined by brine shrimp lethality bioassay and the in vitro thrombolytic activity was evaluated through the extracts capacity to cause lysis in human blood clot. Phytochemicals tests indicated the presence of flavonoids and alkaloids in the three extracts. Saponins, triterpenes, and naphthoquinones were only positive for C. hololeuca. Cecropia hololeuca did not show cytotoxicity to Artemia salina (LD50 >1000 ppm) while Z. rhoifolium presented LD50 equal to 719.44 ppm and L. alba <250 ppm, which indicates attention to the safety of this medicinal plant use. The thrombolytic activity of L. alba and C. hololeuca was 6.43 ±2.08 and 9.64 ±1.83 %, respectively, showing a small potential. Z. rhoifolium lysis achieved 24.71 ±10.52%, indicating promising activity (p <0.001). The thrombolytic activity of Z. rhoifolium justifies further studies to investigate the components responsible for this activity. This study, faced with the literature, is the first report assessing the thrombolytic activity of these plant species. The findings of this study contribute to the chemical-biological knowledge of these species.