ABSTRACT
Vitex megapotamica (Sprengel) Moldenke belongs to the Verbenaceae family and is popularly known as "tarumã". The antioxidant capacity of fractions and crude extract from the leaves of V. megapotamica were determined in this study through the capacity to remove reactive species and phenolic compounds were quantified in the various fractions. The IC50 (DPPH) ranged from 14.17 ± 0.76 to 37.63 ± 0.98 µg/mL. The ethyl acetate fraction might contain the strongest lipid peroxidation inhibitory compounds with an IC50 of 16.36 ± 5.09 µg/mL, being also the one with the highest content of polyphenols (522.4 ± 1.12 mg/g), flavonoids (220.48 ± 0.30 mg/g) and condensed tannins (3.86 ± 0.53 mg/g). Compounds quantified by HPLC/DAD in the crude extract and fractions were chlorogenic and rosmarinic acids. Higher dosages of the extracts were more effective in reducing levels of plasma protein carbonyls and were also shown to be able to remove reactive species by a 2',7'-dichlorofluorescein diacetate assay, reducing oxidative stress in all tested fractions. Results obtained indicated that V. megapotamica exhibits good potential to prevent diseases caused by the overproduction of free radicals and it might also be used as a potential source of natural antioxidant agents.