The tubercle extract of Operculina macrocarpa (Jalap of Brazil) is a phytomedicine, with effectiveness in the treatment of constipation, as laxative. The quantified resin is extracted with hydro-alcoholic solution, presenting organic and inorganic constituents, separable in two main fractions: one soluble in ether, called jalapina and other, more polar, still little studied, called convolvulina. The main objective of this work was to consider the optimization of the gravimetrical methodology for assay of the resin described in the Brazilian Pharmacopeia, First Edition and its validation, with the objective to diminish the costs and the partition time of the phases. The results achieved in the validation had been statistically treated by one-way Variance Analysis (ANOVA) and t test of Student. The method demonstrated to attend to the Good Manufacture Practice requirements for laboratories, demanded by actual brazilian law, RE n° 899 of May 29th of 2003 from the National Agency of Sanitary Vigilance, being therefore, sensible, accurate and precise for the assay of the Operculina macrocarpa extract, known popularly as Jalap of Brazil.
Operculina macrocarpa; Jalap of Brazil; assay; validation; phytomedicine
