Identification of compounds present in lipophilic extracts from Brachystola magna (Girard): substances with potential healing properties

Abstract

Insects from the Orthoptera order possess important biological activities such as wound healing and represent a therapeutic resource in traditional medicine worldwide. Hence, this study addressed the characterisation of lipophilic extracts from Brachystola magna (Girard), identifying compounds with potential healing properties. For that, four extracts were obtained from sample 1 (head-legs) and sample 2 (abdomen): extract A (hexane/sample 1), extract B (hexane/sample 2), extract C (ethyl acetate/sample 1) and extract D (ethyl acetate/sample 2). All extracts were analysed by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS), Gas Chromatography-Flame Ionization Detection (GC-FID) and Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR). Compounds identified were squalene, cholesterol and fatty acids, having a higher concentration of linolenic acid in extracts A and B, while extracts C and D had a higher content of palmitic acid. Additionally, FTIR detected characteristic peaks of lipids and triglycerides. Components of the lipophilic extracts suggested that this product could be used for skin illnesses treatment.

Graphical Abstract

Keywords:

• Brachystola magna (Girard)
• lipophilic extracts
• fatty acids
• entomology

Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful to L.B.G. Andrea María Torres Iribe, M.C. Federico Ruiz Quintero and Dr. Juan Ignacio Sarmiento Sánchez (In memoriam) for technical support.

Disclosure statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by Universidad Autónoma de Sinaloa under funding PROFAPI 2022 (PRO_A7_016).