Chemical constituents and pharmacological profile of Gunnera manicata L. extracts

Abstract

Gunnera perpensa L. (Gunneraceae) is a native South African plant widely used in traditional medicine as an antibacterial and antifungal. In southern Brazil there is the native species called Gunnera manicata L. that also belongs to the Gunneraceae. Nevertheless, there is no information about chemical and pharmacological properties of South American Gunnera species. Therefore this study aimed at assessing the phytochemical and pharmacological profiles of aqueous and methanol Brazilian G. manicata extracts. The results showed that antimicrobial activity in an agar diffusion assay was effective against Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans . Phenolic compounds were investigated by liquid chromatography coupled with a tandem mass spectrometer (LC-MS/MS) and all extracts presented gallic acid and only the methanol extract obtained from the leaves exhibited hyperoside. Rutin, quercetin and chlorogenic acid were not found in the samples analysed. Total phenolic content was higher in methanol extract and total flavonoid content was low in all extracts. Antioxidant activity was evaluated by the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH) radical test, and all samples presented good to moderate antioxidant activity. These results encourage complementary studies on the chemical composition of the plant extracts focusing on isolation and structure elucidation of their active compounds.

From Traditional Usage to Pharmacological Evidence: Systematic Review of Gunnera perpensa L.

“…Both species have escaped from cultivation in some countries; for example, these species are now naturalized and considered potential invasive aliens in Australia, Ireland, and New Zealand [8, 12]. Aqueous and methanolic extracts of G. manicata displayed antioxidant and antimicrobial activities [9] corroborating wide usage of the species as herbal medicines in Brazil. Gunnera tinctoria is widely used as herbal medicine for analgesic, anti-inflammatory, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, genitor-urinary, obstetric-gynaecological, and respiratory diseases in Argentina [13].…”

Improvement of endothelial function by Gunnera tinctoria extract with antioxidant properties

“…In other species of Gunnera genus such as G. densiflora, pelargonidin 3,5-diglucoside is the main polyphenol found in leaf extracts [ 34 ]. Gallic acid is also identified as a predominant phenol in aqueous and methanolic extracts of leaves of Brazilian G. Manicata [ 35 ]. Ellagic acid and its derivatives have been identified only in G. perpensa .…”