Phenolic compounds of Eugenia involucrata (Myrtaceae) extracts and associated antioxidant and inhibitory effects on acetylcholinesterase and α-glucosidase

Abstract

Eugenia involucrata DC. (Myrtaceae), popularly known as “cereja-do-Rio-Grande”, is a native tree from Brazil, popularly used as a hypoglycemiant. Crude hydroalcoholic extract (CHE) and fractions (insoluble (FI), dichloromethane (FDM), ethyl acetate (FEA) and butanol (FBu)) of leaves were assessed to determine the phenolic chemical composition by HPLC-ESI-MS/MS. 10 compounds were identified, being 7 new for this species: rutin, isoquercitrin, luteolin-7-O-rutinoside, mandelic acid, naringenin, luteolin-7-O-glucoside and salicylic acid. Extract and fractions showed inhibitory activity on acetylcholinesterase (AchE) enzyme (best result: IC₅₀ = 44.19 µg mL⁻¹, for FEA) and α-glucosidase (α-Glu) (best result: IC₅₀ = 31.25 ± 0.15 µg mL⁻¹, for CHE). The observed antioxidant and inhibitory activity on the AchE and α-Glu is due to, at least in part, the presence of phenolic compounds in the samples.

Graphical Abstract

Keywords:

• Phenolic
• antioxidant
• acetylcholinesterase
• alpha-glucosidase

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

The authors are grateful to CAPES, FURB and UFSC for financial support.