Biologic activities and chemical composition of the Hymenaea courbaril var. stilbocarpa (Jatobá) extracts

Jatobá is an economically important species of the Neotropical region. Our aim was to study the chemical composition and evaluate the anticholinesterase (AChE), antifungal (Cladosporium cladosporioides), and free radical scavenging (DPPH) activities. The extracts of leaves (L, 176g, Botanical Institute, SP, Brazil) and seeds tegument (T, 10g) were prepared with 70% ethanol (H) and then with 70% acetone (C). The dried extracts LH (5.7%), LC (1.2%), TH (30%) after partition with H₂O:MeOH/n-hexane (h) and ethyl acetate (c) furnished: Lh (1.3g); Lc (0.2g); Ch (2.7g); Cc (0.6g); Th (0.04g) and Tc (0.06g). The assays by TLC showed activity for: AChE (Lh, Lc, Cc, Tc and Th) and antifungal (Lh, Lc, Cc, Ch, Th and Tc). Determination of the EC₅₀ (microplate, DPPH, 512nm and quercetin IC₅₀=1,70µg mL^-1) showed data for: EC₅₀ (Lc)=2.0µg mL^-1; TC (dried extract, 22%)=3.5µg mL^-1 _; TH=0.9µg mL^-1 and Tc=0.1µg mL^-1. Analysis by GC/MS after derivatization (BSTFA), identified (leaves) the isocitric acid (tms) at retention time in minutes (Tr)=28.5min, isopimaric (38.4min), oleic (35.3min), protocatechuic (28.1min) acids and quercetin (49.6min). In tegument: gallic (30.7min) and protocatechuic acids. The presence of these compounds may explain the biologic activities of the jatobá extracts.