PHYTOCHEMICAL ANALYSIS AND ANTIBACTERIAL ACTIVITY OF METHANOL EXTRACTS OF Acrocomia aculeata: ADULT AND in vitro GERMINATED PALM

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the antibacterial effect of the methanolic extracts of different parts (leaf, stem and root) of the adult palm of Acrocomia acuelata and the palm germinated in vitro.
Design / methodology / approximation: The phytochemical study was carried out by means of thin layer chromatography and visible light spectrophotometry; The diffusion method in well and microdilution in plate allowed to evaluate the antibacterial activity of the methanolic extracts, besides determining its cytopathic effect in MDCK cells. A simple variance analysis was performed applying a Tukey mean comparison test at the 5% confidence level.
Results: The palm of A. aculeata was propagated in vitro from zygotic embryos. The methanolic extracts were obtained from adult and in vitro samples. The phytochemical study revealed the presence of flavonoids, coumarins, anthraquinones, saponins and tannins, being the methanolic extracts of A. aculeata adult the compounds with the highest phenolic content, and the only ones with bactericidal effect against the Gram+ strains studied, with halos of inhibition of 13 to 18
mm. The MIC was determined between 125 to 250 mg gallic acid equivalents ? mL^-1. The CC50 values were determined between 125 and 31.25 ug.mL^-1.
Limitations of the study / implications: For the CC50 values of the extracts of A. aculeata, it is recommended to use for the purpose of the test only the adult root extract and the in vitro extracts.
Findings / conclusions: The methanolic extracts of adult A. acuelata have bactericidal activity against Gram+ strains, and a high content of phenolic compounds.