Twenty-three honey samples of Apis mellifera L. forged on plants from northeastern Brazil were analyzed to determine total phenolic content, flavonoid content, antioxidant activity, and antiacetylcholinesterase activity. The total phenol content was determined by using the Folin-Ciocalteu method, and the flavonoid content was analyzed using by the aluminum chloride method. The antioxidant activity was evaluated using the diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl-scavenging test. Honey samples from Lippia sidoides Cham. (mean [±standard deviation] 50% inhibitory concentration [IC(50)], 4.20±1.07 mg/mL) and Myracrodruon urundeuva Fr. All. (IC(50), 28.27±1.41 mg/mL) showed better antioxidant activity and presented higher total phenol values (108.50±3.52 mg gallic acid equivalents/100 g for L. sidoides and 68.55±1.01 mg gallic acid equivalents/100 g for M. urundeuva). Several honey samples had relevant results on antiacetylcholinesterase assay. The biological activity of honeys is related to their floral origin, and medicinal plants constitute a useful resource for the generation of functional foods.

Palavras-chave: farmácias vivas, acetilcolinesterase, antiradical, doença de AlzheimerABSTRACT: Correlation between the anti-radical, anti-acetylcholinesterase activities and phenolic content of some extracts of live herbal pharmacies in the Northeast of Brazil. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the phenolic content of 18 medicinal plant extracts of "Live Pharmacies" and correlate them with their free radical scavenging activity and inhibition of the acetylcholinesterase enzyme. Higher amounts of phenolic compounds were found in the following plants: Eugenia uniflora, Lippia alba, Lippia microphylla, Mentha x villosa, Ocimum gatissimum, and Ocimum selloi. The species that showed higher anti-radical activity were Croton zenhtneri, Lippia alba, Malphigia glabra, and Spondias mombim, similar to quercetin. The plants Cecropia pachystachia, L. alba, L. microplylla, M. glabra, O. gratissimum, and Plectranthus ornatus showed larger inhibition zones of the acetylcholinesterase enzyme. By correlating the two actions L. alba and M. glabra are common as more active to both tests and only L. alba correlates directly with the phenolic content. Through this study, L. alba and M. glabra are considered the most promising plants for further studies to find new compounds with potential action against Alzheimer´s disease.

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PREPARATION, PHYSICOCHEMICAL CHARACTERIZATION AND CONTROLLED RELEASE OF GALACTOMANNAN MICROPARTICLES CONTAINING ALLANTOIN. In this work, the allantoin was encapsulated with galactomannan extruded from Delonyx regia, by the spray drying technique. The microparticles obtained were structurally characterized by infrared spectroscopy (IR), thermal analysis, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and the controlled release profile was evaluated. The results of IR suggested the formation of the polymeric wall of the microcapsules and SEM revealed spherical particles with an average size range of 2.84 ± 0.41 μm. X-ray diffraction showed the loss of crystallinity of the active after encapsulation and differential explanatory calorimetry exhibited the loss of its peak melt. The encapsulation efficiency for the microparticles was approximately 84% for the different environmental conditions. The coating of allantoin with the biopolymer promoted a gradual release of the drug over a period of 6 hours and these results are in accordance with the Brazilian Pharmacopoeia. The set of results obtained in this work is relevant and accredits the system developed as a possible alternative for the formation of encapsulated natural drugs destined to possible treatments of cutaneous cellular regeneration.