Quantitative determination of pentacyclic triterpenic acids in Amazonian species Eugenia punicifolia DC by ATR-FTIR.

Leaf extracts from Eugenia punicifolia are rich in pentacyclic triterpenic acids (PTAs), especially barbinervic acid (BA), which is an important biomarker of the species. Dichloromethane extracts of E. punicifolia leaf samples harvested in Amazonian summer and winter seasons were analysed by infrared spectroscopy using ATR-FTIR technique aiming to evaluate barbinervic acid (BA) and its PTAs equivalent contents. A validated HPLC-DAD quantification method was also performed to compare the relationship between BA and PTAs contents in E. punicifolia extracts with ATR-FTIR technique. The use of ATR-FTIR allowed a rapid, efficient and environment-friendly quantification method for total PTAs equivalent content, showing a significant statistical difference (p< 0.05) in the production of these metabolites (38.66 µg/mL, summer; 13.62 µg/mL, winter). A mathematical correction factor between the HPLC-DAD and ATR-FTIR quantification methods was established.

In vitro and in silico studies for barbinervic acid, a triterpene isolated from Eugenia punicifolia that inhibits vasopressor tone.

We investigated the role of triterpene barbinervic acid from Eugenia punicifolia dichloromethane extract in vasopressor responses. Renal arteries were cannulated and perfused with Krebs-Hepes solution. Changes in aorta isometric tension were recorded and transferred to a data acquisition system. Cumulative curves were constructed based on the maximum effect of agonists. Barbinervic acid reduced the renal tonus induced by NA in a NO-dependent manner (IC50 = 30 µM). Triterpene (70 µM) also induced rapid and transient relaxation in aorta that had been precontracted with K+ (53.2 ± 0.05%) or phenylephrine (36.7 ± 0.05%). In silico data revealed two possible active sites for interactions between barbinervic acid and NO synthase. Barbinervic acid showed a vasodilator effect and could potentially be used as a template for developing new molecules for the treatment of cardiovascular disease.

Punica granatum L. Hydrogel for Wound Care Treatment: From Case Study to Phytomedicine Standardization.

The pharmacological activities of many Punica granatum L. components suggest a wide range of clinical applications for the prevention and treatment of diseases where chronic inflammation is believed to play an essential etiologic role. The current work reports a case study analyzing the effect produced by a magistral formulation of ethanolic extracts of Punica granatum peels on a non-healing chronic ulcer. The complete closure of the chronic ulcer that was initially not responsive to standard medical care was observed. A 2% (w/w) P. granatum peels ethanolic extract hydrogel-based formulation (PGHF) was standardized and subjected to physicochemical studies to establish the quality control parameters using, among others, assessment criteria such as optimum appearance, pH range, viscosity and hydrogel disintegration. The stability and quantitative chromatographic data was assessed in storage for six months under two temperature regimes. An efficient HPLC-DAD method was established distinguishing the biomarkers punicalin and punicalagin simultaneously in a single 8 min run. PGHF presented suitable sensorial and physicochemical performance, showing that punicalagin was not significantly affected by storage (p > 0.05). Formulations containing extracts with not less than 0.49% (w/w) total punicalagin might find good use in wound healing therapy.