Since many diseases and degenerative processes have been associated to the overproduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS) many research groups are motivated to investigate the antioxidant potential of substances produced by several families of the world flora. The aim of this work was to evaluate the antioxidant activity of crude hydroalcoholic extract of Jacaranda decurrrens leaves and fractions obtained from that extract, using the free radical DPPH (2,2-difenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) through spectrometric discoloration method. Results confirmed that either the crude extract or fractions of the extract presented antioxidant activity. The antioxidant activity (91%) demonstrated by the crude extract was equivalent to the antioxidant activity determined for fraction Jd-2 in the concentration of 10 mg/L, and similar to the activity showed by the standard rutin, in the concentration of 1 mg/L (92,56%). Fraction Jd-1 in the concentration of 10 mg/L and 5 mg showed 84% and 86% antioxidant activity, respectively. Those values are significantly different and inferior if compared to the standard rutin. Compared to the other fractions the Jd-3 presented higher antioxidant activity. The antioxidant potential of Jacaranda decurrens crude extracts and fractions Jd-1 and Jd-2 is probably related to the production of the triterpenes ursolic and oleanolic acids and also to the glycosylated flavonoids produced in the fraction Jd-3. This is the first report on the antioxidant activity of crude hydroalcoholic extract of J. decurrrens leaves and fractions obtained from that extract.
Jacaranda decurrens; Bignoniaceae; medicinal plant; cerrado; antioxidant
