Investigação da Atividade Citotóxica e da Composição Química por Espectrometria de Massa de Extratos Polares de Cissus verticillata

Resumo

The use of medicinal plants by the population is increasingly common as a therapeutic tool for primary
health care. Cissus verticillata, a plant popularly known as vegetable insulin, is used by the population as
antiglycemic, anticonvulsant, antirheumatic agent, among others. The objective of this work was to evaluate
the cytotoxic, genotoxic and antioxidant effect of aqueous and ethanolic extracts of Cissus verticillata
leaves. Were evaluated the cell cycle and genetic alterations in Allium cepa, the cell viability in HTC
cell culture, and the antioxidant activity by the DPPH method. The chemical analysis was performed by
mass spectrometry FT-ICR MS. The extracts at the concentration of 2.5, 1.6, and 0.8 mg mL^-1 caused
a decrease in the mitotic index without any change in the cell viability. The antioxidant activity was
measured with EC50s of 364.65 µg mL^-1 and 982.51 µg mL^-1 for the aqueous and ethanolic extracts of
Cissus verticillata leaves, respectively. FT-ICR MS results indicated the presence of sugars, flavonoids,
and tannins. The aqueous extract showed the gallic tannin as the major compound, while the ethanolic
extract showed the myricitrin dimer as the major compound. It was the first time that quercitrin was
mentioned in C. verticillate. These findings have helped in the understanding of the activities of the plant and the collaboration for a safer use of the plant.